Southern Downs Regional Coordinator

Volunteering Queensland are looking for a person to be Southern Downs Regional Coordinator for VQ activities based in Stanthope in the GraniteNet premises at 15 Hilton Street. It is a part time position for 2 1/2 days a week ending on 30 June 2011.  The job description can be downloaded here.  Replies should be sent to VQ and not GraniteNet.

See here for details and the program for all three.

In her own words "So here we are - come with me and see if the ramblings of my brain reach out and make some sense to you... if not, maybe it'll just be a nice way to waste time when you should be doing work."

Click here to read her first post, Too much stuff (not enough substance)

If you would like your own blog on GraniteNet please contact us.

We need volunteers to open up more often!

Hilton Street is currently open on every Wednesday morning if you want to talk to us about your web pages on GraniteNet or get advice on what you can do on GraniteNet.  We will be opening more often soon for a new community focussed initiative and would like more helpers in this task.  An interest in people and the uses of the Internet would be most helpful.  Please email us if you spare a few hours during the week.

Tea and coffee will be available!

If you want training on a specific topic please email us in advance.

GraniteNet offically took over the Hilton Street premises from today, the 1st of May 2010, by accepting the lease we have entered into with Community Development Services. 

Pictured from left to right, Kath McLachlan and Michael Jefferies representing the GraniteNet Board and Barbara Benham and Jill Finocchiaro representing CDS.

We look forward to developing these premises for users of GraniteNet and providing facilities for meetings and courses.

Please contact us by phone on 4681 4384 or by email to contact@granitenet.com.au for anything to do with GraniteNet.

We are also interested in hearing from anyone who would like to volunteer to assist us in setting up opening times for people to use the computer system for email and editing their web pages.

Click here to see how to vote by phone, by SMS or on-line!

Stanthorpe Little Theatre has has fostered community performing arts, drama and music for all ages, staging plays, musicals, concerts, variety shows, film nights and more for more than 25 years. Check out their 2010 program or maybe you're looking for a hall to hire to stage your own event; it's all here on GraniteNet.

Introducing our first featured blogger on GraniteNet. (Semi) Eco House by Eco Mama documents the trials a tribulations of trying to build an ecologically sustainable house within a limited budget while raising two young children.  "When asking around for greener alternatives mostly we are met with "oh, that's way too expensive". But often, when you dig deeper we find that that's not true.." Read more here on GraniteNet.

Personal blogs were introduced as part of the GraniteNet redesign launched in January.  If you'd like to have your own blog on GraniteNet then drop us a email.

Take the first step to improving your skills, phone Sharon on 46813975 or visit Learning Network Queensland at the Community Learning Centre, Stanthorpe State High School, 2 McGlew Street, Stanthorpe.  Fully funded program starts March 2010

_{This program is funded under the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation’s Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative}

In addition to the group of the month for March, we also have a local business that is making a name for itself.  Mark Carter is our local business of the month for March. You might know Mark Carter for his Music, but did you know he's a qualified counselor, and just for kicks is into Tarot and Numerology? Find out more about Mark Carter right here on GraniteNet.

Congratulations to the Agricultural Society for demonstrating what can be achieved on GraniteNet.

The purpose of the open day is to show interested community members the site, and how easy it is to edit web pages.

We also invite interested parties to see the GraniteNet premises, 15 Hilton St, as the room is now available for hire.

Come along and introduce yourself to us.

Please send any comments/corrections/suggestions to admin@granitenet.com.au.

The videos will be updated sometime soon.

Campdrafting is a unique and very popular Australian sport involving a horse and rider working cattle. The Campdraft is one of the big draw cards in the upcoming Stanthorpe Show.  Find out more, right here on GraniteNet.

We know there are a few strange things happening with the styling of the pages that we will be working to correct over the next couple of weeks. If there is something you would like fixed quickly, please let us know at admin@granitenet.com.au and we will prioritise your request.

Thanks to Suzanne and Simon for all their hard work!

Please feel free to comment on the design using the comments link at the bottom of this post.

The new homepage:

The new community pages:

The first ten Bronze and Silver level business applicants will recieve two months free hosting. The first two Gold business applicants will be eligible for a $250 discount. See below for full features for each of the plans.

GraniteNet has developed the Bronze and Silver hosting options to allow businesses to have a web presence without spending thousands of dollars on design and hosting and having to learn a difficult system for maintenance (or having to pay others every time you want a change made to your website).

The Bronze and Silver hosting options are hosted on the GraniteNet website. Our Gold option allows you to have a full website on your own domain (such as www.yourbusinessname.com.au) with our easy to use content management system and training.

Contact us to get your business online!

^{* From approx $100/year, BYO or contact us to help you find the best deal.}

See previous examples of our work:

• Harrington Glen Wines - Gold hosting option.
• Symara Organic Farm - Gold hosting option with additional development of web-based ordering system for subscribers and picking and packing lists to streamline farm activities.

Christine is currently completing her PhD at the University of Queensland and is investigating the optimal areas for protecting koalas throughout Queensland. Christine says "With the decline of koalas in southeast Queensland, it is vitally important to examine remaining koala habitats at a State-wide scale."

Christine is seeking recent sightings information to ascertain where koalas are still occurring.  If you have a seen a koala recently (2008-2009) then Christine would be most grateful if you could complete this very quick survey by Friday 27th November, 2009.

Click here to download the survey, email completed surveys to c.hosking@uq.edu.au.

More about koalas

Koalas eat a good 500gms of gum leaves each day, and this is the reason they don’t stay in one place for very long. Find out what varieties of eucalyptus are part of a koala's diet. Even though they are only awake for around 4 hours a day, when they decide to, they can move quite quickly.

The females breed when they are around 2 years of age, with gestation being 35 days. The joeys are born in November to February, and stay in the pouch for around 6 months. The next six months is spent on mum’s back, until they are weaned at 12 months.

Crossing the road can be fatal for Koalas, as they don’t know about speed limits! Quite a few are reported killed in this area, and there have been a couple lucky enough to have “fixable” traumas. Dog attacks are a problem, with more not surviving than those that do. The biggest problem for the Koalas on the Southern Downs is Chlamydia which is a sexually transmitted disease. It becomes obvious with “wet bottoms” or badly infected eyes. By this time the females usually have such intense cysts that they aren’t able to breed and are destined for a slow painful death. Some of the males, if found soon enough, can be cured.

Also, don't forget, it's LNQ's Adult Learners Week all this week.

The theme for this years Adult Learners Week celebration promotes a clear message for life long learning, and there is no shortage of opportunities within our community. Stanthorpe has planned a number of events rather than it’s usual “Learners Fiesta” set out below.  A timetable for these events can be downloaded here as a pdf file.

Adult Learners’ Week at LNQ

Learning Network Queensland in Stanthorpe is celebrating Adult Learners’ Week this year by offering a fully funded Basic Computer and Internet Short Program for local community members. The program will be held on Thursday September 3rd from 9:30 – 12:30 at LNQ – Stanthorpe. So if you would like to take advantage of this free session with funding that was received from the Department of Education, Training and the Arts come along and learn the basics about using computers and surfing the net. Places are limited so book early by contacting, the Centre Coordinator, Dianne Whitford on 4681 3975.

Also during Adult Learners’ Week, Learning Network Queensland in Stanthorpe is having open days for local community members to come and visit the centre and see our modern computer classroom and facilities and find out all about the various programs and courses we have available.  Not everyone is aware that we are a Registered Training Organisation and offer Face to Face Funded and Non-funded Computer courses, Literacy and Numeracy Programs, Back to Work Programs, Linked Learning Programs, Go-Keys (a free touch typing program), Uni Learn (University Preparation), Distance and On-line courses and Adult Community Education courses through TAFE Open Learning. This open invitation is an opportunity for local residents to come up and have a chat during our office hours on Tuesday 1st, Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3<rd between 9am to 2pm. If you have never been to visit us before LNQ – Stanthorpe is located in the Granite Belt Community Learning Centre which is in the grounds of the Stanthorpe State High School at 2 McGlew Street. We look forward to seeing you!

Free GraniteNet Training at LNQ – Stanthorpe during Adult Learner’s Week

The Granite Belt Learners decided to try something different for Adult Learners’ Week from the previous Learning Fiesta’s held each year at the Civic Centre. ALW Events will be held around our town in various venues, by different groups and organisations, from Monday August 31st to Monday September 8th. One of these events will be held at LNQ in Stanthorpe and are providing their computer facilities for two free 2 hour computer sessions for organisations and/or individuals to learn more about GraniteNet, our local community Granite Belt website. If you are interested in learning how to put your information, articles, newsletters, logos and photos onto our community website please come along and see how easy it can be. A choice of either a morning or afternoon session is available on either Tuesday 1st September from 1 – 3pm or Wednesday 2nd September from 9:30 – 11:30am. So if you are interested in joining one of these free training sessions please contact Kath McLachlan at CDS on 4681 3777 or Dianne Whitford at LNQ on 4681 3975.

U3A

U3A Granite Belt is an integral part of Stanthorpe’s lifelong learning community, and will host a morning tea at the Community Learning Centre on Monday 31st August at 10am, as its contribution to Adult Learner’s Week, and to show the Stanthorpe community what U3A is all about, and the variety of activities it undertakes. During the morning, U3A Granite Belt will provide demonstrations and displays of some of its activities, and will have a powerpoint presentation highlighting its various areas of operation.

The President Steve Courtney said that Adult Learner’s Week was a great opportunity for U3A Granite Belt to demonstrate to the Stanthorpe community what it has available. Its monthly programme is full and varied, considering the size of the Stanthorpe community and the resources available to it. Anyone interested in finding out what U3A does, and what is available here in Stanthorpe, is welcome to come along, enjoy a cuppa, and see what can be achieved by volunteers having a good time, and keeping their mental faculties alive in retirement.

Toastmasters

Toastmasters International is the largest organisation in the world dedicated to helping people develop their public speaking, interpersonal communication and leadership skills.

Stanthorpe Toastmasters Club provides a supportive, nurturing environment where we can practice our communication skills, knowing everyone is there to help us learn and grow.  We believe that having fun adds to the learning experience and we meet on the 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays of each month at 7.15pm at Learning Network Queensland.

At Adult Learners’ Week this year we will showcase our core learning tools, a speech and an evaluation. We trust you will enjoy the experience and see how Toastmasters would benefit your personal and/or business life.

Brochures and fliers will be available for you to take away and read at your leisure.

You can also contact our President Peter van Schaik for more information.

For example, if you click on Craft and hobby groups, you can see that the Stanthorpe Camera Club updated their Monthly Winners page today. Clicking on Community groups reveals that newcomers Liston Hall have been busy updating their page (did you know they have a dart board and a pool table?).  Or while exploring the Environment, gardening and landcare groups you will find that BLOG have also been busily keeping their pages up to date.

Congratulations to the Agricultural Society for demonstrating what can be achieved on GraniteNet.

Well your wish has come true, check out the Latest Updates on the right hand side of the Groups page.

Click here to apply now!