Catholic high school at Highfields Protesting university students University students are unhappy that their anyway? University education in many ways is now definite funding has taken a hit in the recent Hockey is overrated. Most of the degrees on offer are The Non State School The Toowoomba Catho- continue to roll out all budget. not necessary to succeed in the workforce. Accreditation Board has lic Education Office year levels progressively There have been rowdy protests on many Much of the information dished out in uni- approved Mary MacKillop bought the land next to the with Year 12 being offered campuses and Abbott and Pyne have called versity courses is useless. Catholic School’s applica- school in 2013 and the by 2020. off a visit to one university due to concerns Most uni students go directly from high tion to offer secondary planning of a P-12 Catho- over their safety. school to uni and have little idea of what they education. lic School for Highfields Barry O‘Sullivan, chair Students think they have a right to tertiary want to do. It would be better if they knocked The Development Ap- has been in the pipeline of the school board, said: education at taxpayers’ expense. But do around the world a bit and experienced some plication for the building for some time. “It is an indication of the they? menial jobs before making the jump to uni. of the secondary compo- The school plans to of- growth of Highfields, and Like so many other social issues, people Perhaps then they would have a better ap- nent adjacent to Mary fer Year 7 in 2015 while faith in the future when scream that they have a right for this or that, preciation of what goes on in the real world. MacKillop Primary has the $10 million exten- you see such development but seldom is there mention of responsibili- What they achieve too easily they will es- also been approved. sions to the primary and demand unfolding.” ties. teem too lightly. - Jay Nauss, Glen Aplin, school and the first stage The school is now tak- What is so great about tertiary education Qld. Principal Donaugh of the secondary campus ing enrolments for 2015 Shirley, said this was a are under way. and beyond. double celebration. “We In 2016 both Year 7 and An information evening Off Road involvement appreciated can now take our plans for 8 will be offered in these will be held on Wednesday, I would personally like to thank everyone To Chris and Rhyce Western, thank you a Prep to Year 12 school new facilities. June 4, in the MacKillop Mrs SHIRLEY who attended our launch. To our suppliers, for your amazing input. on to the next stage.” The school will then Centre at 7pm. Prep to Year 12 thanks for all the time and effort you all put Thanks also to the Lions Club, Mick Jaeger, into your displays. I think we definitely let Micks Coffee and all the team who burnt the the region know that we mean business and candle at both ends. sincerely hope that all of us will reap the Thanks again. - Michael Weston, Man- benefits. ager, Highfields Off Road. Cyclone victims We have all heard of Cyclone Ita and its They teach the Sisters to knit so they can destruction of the Solomon Islands. We have make jumpers for children who live in the all we need and possibly more. The people hills. The people need money for food. of the Solomons have nothing. The Anglican Archbishop has opened a In our Anglican congregation in Crows Nest, fund so that money can be channelled straight we have some Sisters of the Sacred Advent to the people. whose Society was called many years ago to In Crows Nest we are holding a street stall serve in the Solomons. They still support a on Thursday, June 5. Come and choose from Christian Care Centre, women and children toys, cakes, plants, pickles and bric-a-brac. - in crisis, those bereaved and those in jail. Donalda Rogers, Crows Nest. Lions sponsorship The Highfields and North Eastern Downs cause, Highfields Lions would like to hear Lions Club are calling for expressions of in- from you. The Lions may sponsor multiple terest from all community not-for-profit groups over the next 12 months. Could your groups who may like to be considered for not for profit group be one of them? - Murray Lions community sponsorship. Choat, 0488 793 803 or murray.choat@ If you have a community project or a good bigpond.com Growing industry Robyn Lubach, who grows avocados at Hamp- ton and Gatton, and Michael Flynn from the Balmoral avocado or- chard at Cabarlah. The avocado industry contrib- utes $40 million to the lo- cal economy. - Page 10. 2 - HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - MAY 27, 2014 Tour of Toowoomba spectacular CHIMNEY SWEEP Call Simon now 0410 140 866 Cyclists in the Tour of Toowoomba leave the Highfields Village Shopping Centre at the start of the 133km stage two which took them through Meringandan, Haden, Kulpi, Brymaroo, Quinalow and Kaimkillenbun, to finish at Mt Mowbullen on top of the Bunya Mountains. Stage One winner of the Tour of Toowoomba, Neil Vanderploeg, from the Avanti team, at the finish of stage one at Highfields Village Shopping Centre, with cen- tre owner Mac Stirling. They are displaying the jerseys won by Neil during the 130km stage which started at Toowoomba City Hall and proceeded to Highfields via Gowrie Junction, Meringandan West, Goombungee, Acland, Goombungee and Meringandan. He won jer- seys for being tour leader, stage winner, sprint winner and king of the mountain winner. The first stage of the 2014 Tour of Toowoomba was sponsored by the New Hope Group, operators of the New Acland coal mine. With the first three placegetters, is Naomi Tonscheck from New Hope community liai- son. The cyclists, are second placegetter, Daniel Fit- Toowoomba had a team in the Tour of Toowoomba for the first time. The cyclists ter, winner Neil Vanderploeg, and third placegetter who raced in the first stage are James Thompson, Brisbane, Seb Scott, High- Alistair Donohoe. fields, Darren Rolfe, Toowoomba, C. J. (Chris) Maycock, Brisbane, Trent West, Toowoomba, and Sam Allen, Sunshine Coast. The team is known as the Time Line Drafting (TLD) team, and has been developed with cyclists from the Too- More than 10,500 Heralds woomba Cycling Club, Bikeline Racing, and the Highfields Cycling Club. delivered to households and hundreds online since 2005 we reach more LOCAL customers than ANY other media PHONE 4615 4416 The FKG composite cy- cling team pose with the Mary MacKillop Catholic School senior choir which sang the National Anthem before the start of stage two of the Tour of Too- woomba at Highfields. There were about 45 stu- dents from years 5, 6, and 7 who sang in the choir under the instruction of Kate Hughes. • Photos by Miles Noller HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - MAY 27, 2014 - 3 4 - HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - MAY 27, 2014 Tour of Toowoomba Jack Haig of Bendigo, Victoria, won the 2014 Tour of Toowoomba. The 20-year-old rider was a member of the successful Avanti team. He won the difficult stage At the start of stage one of the 2014 Tour of Toowoomba at Toowoomba City two last Friday from Highfields to Mt Mowbullen in the Hall last Thursday: Gary Gardner, chairman of FK Gardner, Bruce Denny, chief Bunya Mountains, for which he also won the King of operating officer, New Hope Group, Mayor Paul Antonio, Mac Stirling, chairman the Mountain jersey. Haig is soon to leave for Korea, of Toowoomba Cycling Development Ltd, and Gavin King, Queensland Assist- and then go to Europe where he will compete in a ant Minister for Tourism. number of cycling events. Warm welcome at Toastmasters Road safety event Feedback has flowed from Street, Toowoomba. The my letter last week I have event will run from noon till been thanked by the Too- 2pm. There will be a free sau- woomba Regional Council’s sage sizzle and displays from Road Safety Officer Mr road safety groups and emer- Etiene LaGrange for my oath gency service vehicles to view for a Fatality Free Friday. and personnel to chat with. Fatality Free Friday is a It is a prime opportunity national road safety cam- to promote awareness of the paign, which aims to have no Fatal 5 - top five causes of fatalities on Australian roads road fatalities: Speed, drink/ for one day. drug driving, fatigue, inatten- Anyone can can do this by tion/distraction and not wear- joining Etiene and many oth- ing seatbelts. - Murray Phone the Herald ers at a free sausage sizzle. Choat, Gowrie Junction. Etiene extends the invitation 4615 4416 to all in our area as part of having no fatalities on Aus- tralian roads for one day. Last year only three states man- aged a Fatality Free Day and Queensland wasn’t one of them. On Friday, May 30, the Toowoomba Regional Coun- cil, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue, Department of Main Roads and Transport, Queensland Police and other service agencies intend to Highfields Toastmasters always welcome interested people to their meetings. raise awareness of road safety ABOVE: Members Ann Marie La Spina, Thomas Bell and Tony Murphy. The club with a lunchtime event in the meets at the Baptist Church Hall, Kuhls Road, Highfields from 6.30pm on the Village Green, next to the second and fourth Wednesdays. Contact Thomas Bell 0478 150 785. council chambers on Ruthven Photographic exhibition Landscape images feature in a photographic exhibition by Vanessa Laverty at Crows Nest Regional Art Gallery from June 4 to 29.