weekender Saturday 6 March 2021 Happiness comes in waves for gentleman Gary Green Solutions Wide Bay opens doors to green waste Rock crawling enthusiasts set to make a splash Pathway to improve connectivity contents Green Solutions 3 Wide Bay opens doors to green waste Cover story Happiness comes 4 in waves for gentleman Gary What’s on in the Bundaberg 6 Region Magical world unleashed to 7 celebrate parks week Pathway to 8 improve connectivity Gary Ostrofski. Photo of the week Refill Not Landfill 9 sets up shop Photo by @kararosenlund at Stocklands Ladies Garage Party 10 inspired by love of motorbikes Isis Mill career 12 of 50 years honoured Gardening hobby blossoms into 14 healthier lifestyle Bargara sprint 16 triathlon turns on family friendly charm Rock crawling 17 enthusiasts set to make a splash NEWS Green Solutions Wide Bay opens doors to green waste Ashley Schipper Green Solutions Wide Bay is now taking on the region’s green waste after a soft opening at the new facility on Windermere Road this week. The state-of-the-art business is providing Bundaberg Region residents with a place to Greensill Farming Group’s Head of Planning, Infrastructure and Projects Nathan Freeman dispose of green waste for free, which will then at the site on Windermere Road. be turned into compost for utilisation across “By utilising our facility, we can all act to reduce Greensill Farming sites. our planet’s carbon footprint, combat pollution According to Damien Botha, CEO of Greensill and enrich the soil by giving green waste a new Farming, the open-window composting facility life.” is a first for the region and a project which was Damien said the new business venture had adding to the positive recycling message. been a very rewarding project for the Greensill “Our facility provides Wide Bay residents with Farming team. a free and convenient green waste drop-off and “It has been exciting to see the site transform disposal site,” Damien said. over the past 12 months, nearing completion, and ready to accept green waste from the general public free of charge,” he said. “Our facility provides “Green Solutions has been created to expand Wide Bay residents with the composting program for Greensill Farming. “This forms an integral step towards supporting a free and convenient our commitment to sustainable farming practices.” green waste drop-off Damien said while the facility was now open to and disposal site” the public, construction was still underway in some parts of the site and an official opening would be held in coming months once complete. “Raw green waste material received at Green Green Solutions Wide Bay is located at 417 Solutions Wide Bay is turned into compost Windermere Road, Qunaba and is open 7am to that will be returned to the soil on our farms 5pm every day. to reduce our carbon footprint and create soil biodiversity.” The facility accepts green waste only which includes: Green Solutions passionate about the environment grass clippings, weeds, plants, shrubs, and vines with no plant pots attached Damien said that Greensill Farming was passionate about the environment and tree and bush pruning sustainability which is why the local company palm fronds sought to create the waste facility within Bundaberg. fead trees or part trees cut into 2m lengths “It is important to us to find sustainable ways palms cut into 2m lengths to use and benefit from the natural resources available in our region,” he said. roots with no soil attached “Our aim is to provide easy, transparent and More information is available on the effective access to our green waste facility for Green Solutions Wide Bay website. residents and businesses in our region. greensolutionswidebay.com.au 3 PEOPLE Gary Ostrofski’s happy face is more than familiar to many Bundaberg Region residents. Happiness comes in waves for gentleman Gary Craig Ross His name may not be widely known, “I used to sit down there at any time, having a but Gary Ostrofski’s happy face is cigarette,” he said. more than familiar to many Bundaberg “I don’t smoke much – only about 10 a day.” Region residents. Gary has become something of a local celebrity with the TriCare aged care resident often seen seated at the front of the Bundaberg facility’s “If I’m sad I always go FE Walker Street address waving and blowing down there and make kisses to passing drivers. And, as he approaches his 80th birthday, Gary them happy and make my said he has no intention of stopping. day happy too. It works “I love people and I love coming out and waving,” Gary laughed. both ways.” “I love making people happy. “If I’m sad I always go down there and make them happy and make my day happy too. It Gary said he has always been popular and works both ways.” his decision to start waving at passing traffic appears to have only further cemented that Gary has resided at the aged care facility for popularity. the past four years but only began waving at passing commuters about 12 months ago. While posing for photos to accompany this story, 4 Gary received numerous waves and horn toots from passing motorists and was in his element waving and blowing kisses to all in return. He said the best time to interact with commuters was at 3pm when parents travelled past after Discover more picking up their children from school, but added he often ventured out to the footpath several times per day. than books Gary said members of the community had shown him generosity because of his daily ritual, citing an example when seeking to purchase with the new a pie with peas at Rise The Bakehouse at the Southside Central Shopping Centre (Olsen’s Corner) prior to visiting his doctor. “I said, ‘How much?’ and they said, ‘It’s on the house!”, he said with delight still in his voice. Bundaberg “I said, ‘Why’s that?’ and they said, ‘Because we always wave to you and you always wave back’. Regional “People love me. They appreciate me waving to them.” Libraries Born in Esk, Gary has lived in Bundaberg for most of his life over two stints, having moved here as a youngster and worked here in forestry on the Gregory River and picking fruit. app He loves Bundaberg and cannot envisage seeing out the rest of his life anywhere else. “I picked avocadoes, rock melons, Santa Claus melons - I had a feed of them I can tell you!”, he said. “And I was as skinny as a reed too. As skinny as a pin.” He loves Bundaberg and cannot envisage seeing out the rest of his life anywhere else. “I sort of grew up here, in my younger days,” he said. “I was up here in 1950. Moved away then came back again for good. Returned about 30 years ago. I love the town. “I (also) used to go fishing with my father (around the Bundaberg Region waters) and catch all the big jewfish in the gullies - when there was water in the gullies. “Now you go to the gullies and they’re dry.” Unlike those gullies, Gary’s popularity with passing motorists will not dry up while he remains able to hand out his friendly waves and kisses. 5 Mirusia A Salute to 6 Mar l The Seekers & Classics 6 Mar Bullyard Hall Twilight Markets 1 Mar - 30 Apr Toad vs Beetle touring exhibition 2 - 7 Mar Clean Up Australia Day 7 Mar International Women’s Day #ChooseToChallenge – Champagne Afternoon Tea + Guest Panel 2021 International Women’s Day Breakfast Rams 2-7 Mar Moncrieff Cinema Society 2021 8 Mar Tai Chi for Health - FREE Gin Gin Youth Centre, 9.30 -11.30am 10 Mar Balanced Bodies - FREE Gin Gin Youth Centre, 2 - 3 pm Coffee and Computers 11 Mar Soft Pastel Basics Workshop The Art of the Piano Exhibition Opening: Reef Gems & Coral Roses 12 Mar The Robertson Brothers Be the 60’s Variety TV Show 13 Mar National Photographic Portrait first to know - 28 Mar Prize 2020 Exhibition whatsonbundaberg.com.au David Graham Photogruzzi 13 Feb - 28 Mar 6 9.30am - 5pm NEWS Augmented reality app Magical Park will be launched in Mary Kinross Park and Alexandra Park during National Parks Week. Magical world unleashed to celebrate parks week Megan Dean A magical world of dinosaurs, kittens “This is a great way to engage young people and fairies will take over parks in with our parks and open spaces through the use of technology. Bundaberg and Bargara this week in “There are six games to choose from in total celebration of National Parks Week. that will see young people out and about in our The augmented reality app will be launched parks.” in Mary Kinross Park and Alexandra Park He said the augmented reality games were throughout the week, this year held from March available for children to access via a smart 6 to 14. device within designated areas in each of the parks. The Magical Park experience includes six “The game is played within a specific boundary smartphone or tablet-based games including and includes alerts when the user gets too close Augmentia and Dino Land. to the boundary or a road as an added safety In Augmentia children explore the park on their feature.” device while rounding up kittens and in Dino Anyone can play the games however they are Land they must collect eggs while avoiding the most suited to children aged six to 11. fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex. To access the games download the free Magical Mayor Jack Dempsey said the roll out of Magical Park app from the Apple or Google app stores.