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School bus solution All traffic, including buses, are required to heavy frequent vehicles and generally making exit Toowoomba Christian College and head a noise, creating pollution and removing the north along the New England Highway. Those peaceful enjoyment we as residents are enti- car drivers needing to turn south are able to tled to expect. do so at a purpose-built U turn about 150 This outcome of the MRD’s guidelines is metres north of the school. perhaps an aspect which was not given ad- Unfortunately, buses and trucks of any size, equate consideration. There is a solution how- heading back to Toowoomba, cannot perform ever. I ask Toowoomba Regional Council to a U turn there so need to find a way through consider altering the exit into Dau Road from the built up streets of the southern residential the highway to the north of the Cawdor Road districts of Highfields. traffic lights, from one-way in only, to two- For nearly 18 months now, these heavy way, thereby allowing these heavy vehicles vehicles have exited the highway left into to turn right into Dau Road at the lights and Mitchell Road, turned right into Palmer Drive, re-enter the highway just north of the lights. right into Flamingo Drive, right again into The driver’s vision at that point is well Cawdor Road then gone through the traffic over 500 meters as the highway is straight lights at the intersection of Cawdor Road and and flat, so a safe entry to the south bound the New England Highway before eventually lane can be readily achieved. being able to travel in a southerly direction. This seems a relatively quick and cost ef- For most school weeks that accounts for fective solution to a problem which will only more than 40 buses, coaches and trucks, all grow as the College grows and the need for travelling along these streets, past an increas- additional bus services expands. - James ing number of homes where children are play- Norton, J.P.(Qual) Facilities and WH and ing, using roads not really intended for such S Officer, Toowoomba Christian College. Happy Valley development In reference to recently published articles through the 2 km of road within the subdivi- in the High Country Herald, we would like to sion. apologise for the obvious angst and stress we All allotments have been carefully planned seem to have caused some residents of Cabar- by our surveyor who varied the lot sizes to lah and Highfields. give all owners the opportunity to make the We would like to state that at no time did best of their land and the views. we intend to upset anyone. We would like to Nearly all of the 57 lots have flat building address some of the individual statements in sites and the majority of blocks have sensa- the various articles. tional views over the valley, including glimpses The area in question did not contain sig- of Tabletop Mountain. nificant or 200-year-old trees. The cleared Due to the current planning scheme being trees were re-growth after heavy logging in amended, this development will likely be the the past. This property contains significant last of the one-acre lots available on the range areas of remnant vegetation none of which side of Highfields. The style of housing on have been or will be touched. large blocks is a large part of what gives High- In regards to the fires and subsequent com- fields-Cabarlah its appeal and we, as develop- plaints, I can confirm that we had all appro- ers, are very conscious of the fact that the priate approvals and permits in place for burn- semi-rural aspects should be preserved wher- ing on all occasions. We had inspections by ever possible. the fiire brigade, staff on site for the whole We will spend millions of dollars to ensure time, water trucks and heavy equipment this development is the very best it can be and standing by. estimate that it will bring in over 30 million Although the property is currently a cattle dollars into the area and provide in excess of farm, between now and Christmas, after the 50 jobs over the next few years. operational works approval, we will be com- This will surely provide a significant boost mencing road works with the intention of to the local economy. We acknowledge that, developing one of the most prestigious es- unfortunately, some people will never be carpment developments to date within the happy with what we are doing and this is re- Highfields-Cabarlah area. gretful. The roads will all be first grade hot mix, However, there will be many, many more with full kerb and channelling. The streets people who are able to enjoy the benefits of will be lined with an additional 60 established this area in the future. - Directors, Highfields trees and there will be concrete footpaths Happy Valley Views Pty Ltd. Govt’s Acland response disappoints MP I am extremely disappointed with the re- It just says they are still completing their sponse I received from the Labor Govern- review. ment in relation to the future of the Acland I would have expected more from the Pre- Mine. mier of Queensland and I would have expected I asked a Question on Notice of the Pre- more respect for the workers and their fami- mier in Parliament in mid-May about whether lies who are waiting in limbo to see if they the Labor Government would secure up to will still have their jobs. 700 jobs by clarifying the Government’s in- This government keeps telling us jobs are a tentions for amended Acland Stage Three priority, but this response flies in the face of project, which was independently assessed that. by the Co-ordinator-General. I don’t think the current Labor Govern- The response I received was disappoint- ment understands the importance of this ing to say the least. It is just two sentences project to the local economy. - Deb long and makes no reference to jobs. Frecklington, Member for Nanango. Indian mynah pest Indian mynah birds are also Indian my- But many known as flying cane toads. nahs. traps are need- They are equally obnoxious. Surely it ed to have an I have personally seen would be overall benefit. them literally force pale possible to Hopefully, headed rosellas with young achieve simi- more people ones out of their nest to use lar results will take action the nest themselves. here if enough and we can re- Goodness only knows people start ally reduce the how many other native birds trapping. numbers of In- have similarly been evicted. We have dian mynahs Canberra was overrun with purchased a and give our na- these imported pests but con- trap made lo- tive birds a bet- certed trapping has reduced cally at the Highfields Mens ter go. By the way, I am not a the numbers considerably and Shed and have proved its ef- member of the Men’s Shed. - some areas are now free of fectiveness. Cec Pring, Highfields. • More letters page 19 2 - HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - JUNE 30, 2015 To advertise phone 4615 4416 Highfields couples meet Land Rover royalty By MILES NOLLER Land Rover owners from He left the Land Rover or- Review Land Rover, which enough, with the royal cou- the UK and interest by the Highfields have joined cel- ganisation in 1957 and joined was bought to Australia for ple trying a couple of seats Yugoslav and Spanish armies. ebrations to mark 67 years of the Lucas Girling brake com- the Queen’s visit in 1954. The for comfort, and observant Australia bought 800 Land Land Rover manufacture. ponents manufacturer. one at Mulgowie was re- engineers then moved in with Rovers for the Snowy Moun- Rob and Ferne Callow, and In 1970 he moved to Aus- stored by Keith Cree of their tape measures when the tains project. The Series One Daryl and Donna Brooker tralia where he became man- Kilkivan, and was one of six royals left. vehicles were initially fitted have early model Land Rov- aging director of Lucas sent to Australia for the royal In a letter from Bucking- with 1600cc petrol engine, but ers that they left back in High- Girling, but later established tour. It is resplendent in its ham Palace last year to the a diesel was also available. fields, but joined other own- his own business in Wynnum royal claret paintwork and Land Rover organisation, the This was increased to 2000cc ers for the rally and celebra- in which his family members bearing a crown emblem on Queen asked that her good in later vehicles, and the Se- tions at Mulgowie in the are involved. the front bumper. wishes be conveyed to ries Two Land Rovers began Lockyer Valley. Last Saturday’s rally, apart Mr Goddard supervised Arthur Goddard.