FRASER COAST CENTRAL

Mining boom boosts Howard

Fraser Coast Chronicle

Stephen O’Grady | 9th March 2010

Henry Sapiecha on his land at Howard.

Photo by Alistair Brightman

A RESURGENT mining boom on the Fraser Coast may be in its infancy but that is not stopping Henry Sapiecha from plotting a Burrum revolution.

Howard is close to Henry’s heart and as the publicity officer of the Burrum and District Chamber of Commerce, he believes that striking before the coal is out of the ground – let alone hot – is paramount for the little town.

“I’m working out a way to reinvent Howard,” Mr Sapiecha said.

“This is an area that should be going ahead. This is the start of a new beginning.

“This can be an important location for the industry during the upcoming decade.”

The Burrum chamber’s economic advisory committee hosted a meeting last week where a Mackay-based mining expert presented an idea of what would be required if mining corporations Santos and Northern Energy get the go-ahead in this region.

“He was talking about thousands of jobs,” Mr Sapiecha said.

“He is into training people for the mines so as not to suck the talent out of the community.

“He spoke about feeling out the community, getting the mining people what they want without disrupting the local community.

“This is about getting apprentices trained and knowing about the mining industry.”

Mr Sapiecha is determined for his town to reap the benefits and is proposing to develop a parcel of land near the Howard railway line into a custom-built trade centre.

His company, Wide Bay District Developments, and Semfield, owned by John Turnbull, own the adjoining sites.

“All areas of the Fraser Coast will benefit. All areas will get work and will interact with the industry in some way.

“But I’m biased; I want this area to be its base.

“This industry will need to be serviced and supported.”

He has set up Fraser Coast Trades and Service Centre at Howard which – aligned with nearby rail and highway infrastructure – can make Howard the hub of a mining boom.

“I want this area to interact with them as quickly as possible.

“They will still utilise services in the whole region but will need a more immediate back-up to service their requirements.

“We want to make it harder for these people not to use this place as a centre.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

We would like to thank Steve and the Chronicle for giving us the coverage for the project and for the area generally especially in the light of the existing mining interests and the positive impact it would have on our local economy.

Hopefully more of the same in the near future.

Be aware that lots are available now for purchase as are sheds to be constructed for rent.  VIEW HERE. www.fctsc.com.au

CASH IN NOW ON YOUR BUSINESS BY LOCATING HERE – OR MISS OUT

Published by Henry Sapiecha 10th March 2010

A new name for a new direction for businesses in the Burrum District to reflect an independant view of what the businesses of the area want, not just partaking in talkfests about the same stuff over and over again with very few results

This site is not about power plays or political BS.

This is about real needs and real issues with real results.

Send us your views on any business matters in the Burrum district and we will publish it for you here in the site.

If you have a pet project or event worthy of promotion,send that as well.

As things unfold there will be interesting developments in this site and associated sites.

Our new newsletter will shortly be available. Will keep you posted.

WATCH THIS SPACE

A ll association with the current structure of the Burrum Chamber of Commerce will be erased from this site as it does not adequately support the needs of the local business community but merely panders to the views of a ‘presidents club’ mindset  and  a misconception of their importance in the local business community.

Published by Henry Sapiecha 12th Nov 2009

Henry Sapiecha

• maximise the impact of the stimulus package
• support existing jobs and industry
• promote new opportunities, new industry and new skills

• identify what new skills need to be developed.

TILT TRAIN DERAILMENT PROMPTS ACTION BY QR

On the 20th Sept 2009 [Sunday] Queensland Rail had operated equipment along the rail line through Howard where the electric tilt train runs from Brisbane to Nth Qld.

In the past derailment possibilities have caused gief to patrons and to the  Queensland Government.

The equipment used on the rail line was there to make sure that the existing rail line was at the correct camber and that it was solidly positioned into its sleepers and that subsidence has not created a non-level set of tracks , that if alligned incorrectly  could comprimise the integrity of the trains running at their optimum safe standard.

It was interesting to watch as they inserted large metal teeth into the ground adjacent the track and consolidated any errors and realigned the tracks to be at their preferred safe level.

Another machine followed and carried out further works to finish off.

Here is hoping that all will be well with the tilt train and its ability to travel at higher speeds safely.

We all here know how important this train is to Queensland and the Towns it stops at along the way. Howard especially.

Photographed and published by Henry Sapiecha 24th Sept 2009

22 September 2009

Howard SES sheds – NOW OPEN

Response from council re our posting

The State Emergency building at Howard has not been closed.

The building is ready for use and SES volunteers do not have to go to use facilities in other towns as reported on the Burrum Chamber of Commerce Website.

The council did not place a sign [above?]on the building warning people not to enter the building and that it could not be used until further notice.

Volunteers did have concerns about the safety of an electrical switchboard at the building.

Those fears were allayed after the Council employed an electrician to examine the switchboard as part of a project to rewire the building to install more lights and so it could operate on power from generators in an emergency.

The electrician told the Council that the switchboard had been added to many times and while it was cluttered and messy, it was not dangerous.

The Council resolved to install a new switchboard rather than add more wiring to the circuitry.

A contractor has been appointed to install the new switchboard and, while they have been delayed, the contractor will start as soon installing the new switchboard as they can.

In the meantime the SES can continue to use the building.

ENDS

Kevin Corcoran
Principal Officer Corporate Communications
Corporate Marketing and Communications
Fraser Coast Regional Council
Telephone: (07) 4197 4500
Mobile: 0409 724 803
Fax: (07) 4197 4455

Our initial posting was as a result of a visit from the recent leader of the SES and an inspection and photos taken of the closure notice and the buildings generally as posted into our site.

No opinion was formed nor any statements made by myself or the chamber outside of the fact that the premises were closed and the members were to go to other locations for meetings etc as stated by the recent SES leader now retired.

Great to see it back on track. WELL DONE.

Saw the lights on again there with some of the lads last night

Received and posted by Henry Sapiecha 23rd Sept 2009

WHY IS THE SES BUILDING CLOSED – SAFETY REASONS?

Our local ex SES leader Arthur Thompson has made some comments on the reasons. Talk to him @ 41294826.

Refer catergory people herein on Arthur Thompson

The local SES team now has to go and do it’s stuff in other towns.

Is there an issue with the local council?

Any issues with same should be resolved forthwith to avoid us looking like village idiots here at Howard

Story published by Henry Sapiecha 7th Sept 2009

GET YOUR $1,600 FREE GOVERNMENT MONEY NOW

Insulate your home and get the government to pay $1,600

Published by Henry Sapiecha 25th August 2009

John- Owner of  the Torbanlea sawmill  Contract Timbers

A POTENTIAL NEW MEMBER OF THE BURRUM CHAMBER

Recently you may have heard of a lone traveller getting attacked and killed on the highway near Gin Gin Qld.

1…It was Johns wifes’ brother. Brutally bashed a couple of weeks ago by a total stranger it seems when he ran out of petrol on the highway. Used dental records etc to identify him.

I was visiting John on another matter when he and his family were making funeral arrangements.

2….He tells me that recently two of his best mates were blown up into little pieces when an industrial accident in Brisbane  involving acetyline and bottled gas took place. Scraping body parts off the walls I was told.

3….Also on top of all this his younger sister was diagnosed with spinal cancer.

I WAS THERE TO VIEW HIS HUGE NEW 15 FT X 5FT X 5FT FISH TANK

A one off creation made from laminated glass specially brought up from Melbourne.

This huge expensive aquarium lay in a grossly mangled shattered pile in the yard at John’s place .

It has self destructed into fragments a few days earlier because of a faulty design he had used to manufacture same.

ALL THIS IN A SHORT SPACE OF A FEW  MONTHS.

THE WORST 4 MONTHS OF MY LIFE WAS HIS COMMENT

41294772 Contract Timbers Torbanlea

Published by Henry Sapiecha 18th August 2009

Burrum District Community Briefing
Dear Residents,

Thank you for attending the fourth of the Fraser Coast Regional Council Community Briefings.

These are being held across the region to hear your concerns and keep you up-to-date with what is happening within Council and particularly your area.
We decided very quickly after the March 15 election last year that one of our main priorities as an amalgamated Council was to create a two-way dialogue with residents.
We live in a large region so it is important we get out and about to the many different communities to hear your ideas and concerns to consider when making plans for your area.
Many issues and questions were raised at the Burrum District briefing. Below are answers to the questions.
The Councillors and staff who attended the briefing feel that it was very successful and I would like to thank everyone who attended.

Yours faithfully

Councillor Mick Kruger

Mayor
Fraser Coast Regional Council

*****************************************************************

Question 1: Con Loss
Mr Loss wants the same duty of care afforded to Howard that is shown to other parts of the region.
The Burrum Chamber of Commerce held a meeting with the Council’s CEO Andrew Brien and Economic Development Officer Andrew Jackson. They received a response to their enquiries about two months after the meeting saying Mr Jackson would get back to them in two weeks but that did not happen. Mr Loss asked if the community’s expectations were discussed at Council meetings and if not they should be.
A: The Council’s CEO has responded to the Burrum Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber has since met with Fraser Coast Councillor Gerard O’Connell and the Council’s Economic Development Officer Andrew Jackson as part of the Council’s Economic Development Strategy Workshops. Staff are compiling detailed answers to the Chamber’s questions that will be forwarded to the Chamber when completed.

Question 2: Frank Lovett
Mr Lovett wants the Council to address flooding in East Street. The wall on a nearby dam is too high causing the flooding. Mr Lovett has already provided Council staff with information and photographs but so far the Council has done nothing to alleviate the flooding. He considers the problem man made.
A: External Services investigated and staff are working with Mr Lovett and adjoining property owners to try and resolve the matter expediently.

Question 3: Alan Peebles
Mr Peebles is concerned about silting in the Burrum River. He has travelled up the river by boat and flown over it and considers the silting to be a major environmental problem. He suggested Councillors and Council staff take a flight over the river as far as the upper reaches, to see for themselves then put pressure on the State Government to correct the problems.
A: Mayor – It has been a problem for years. It is difficult to get permits from the State Government to do any remedial work, but the Council will investigate.

Question 4: Carol Bussey

Ms Bussey congratulated the Council on its newsletter. She said residents in Burrum Heads did not get the Observer or the Independent so the Council newsletter was the only way they could receive Council news.
A: The Independent goes to Toogoom and Howard where it is delivered to letter boxes, and it is bulk dropped in Torbanlea and Burrum Heads. Howard, Torbanlea and Toogoom residents can obtain a copy of the Hervey Bay Observer as a part of the daily newspaper the Fraser Coast Chronicle.
Ms Bussey also asked the Council to support the Glossy Black Conservancy to protect the Glossy Black Cockatoo, an endangered species found along the Burrum River, and in Howard and Walligan. She said the Council could become a partner in the initiative for $5000 (as have the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast Regional Councils) or could become a sponsor (like Bundaberg Regional Council) or a friend (like Gympie Regional Council).
A: The Council actively supports the Glossy Black Cockatoo Conservancy through the promotion of the Land For Wildlife Program.

Question 5: Josef Froeschl
Could the Council please investigate the bus stop in Howard?
The bus pulls up near the intersection in William Street while children are standing on the other side of the street. They all then run across the road to board the bus. It is extremely dangerous.
Could the Council please find out who is responsible for the bus stop and ask them to put in a bus shelter to protect our children?
A: The External Services directorate is investigating relocating the bus stop and installing a shelter.

Question 6: Cheryl Gray
Ms Gray thought the community briefing was not advertised well enough resulting in a small turn out.
She wants more footpaths in Howard, particularly in the main street where she would like footpaths on both sides of the road. Footpaths to the nursing homes would also be good for those in wheelchairs and using walking frames. Without footpaths the elderly residents are risking their lives walking on the road.
A: External Services are reviewing the need for footpaths within Howard. Staff will liaise with the Progress Association.

Question 7: Judy Sheen

Could the Council find out if there is any truth in rumours that soon the trains will not be stopping at Howard? Ms Sheen said that many residents relied on the train to get to Brisbane for medical appointments, especially those who did not have cars. Elderly people in the area were worried about the prospect of losing train services. Could the Council investigate and let the Progress Association know?
A: Council will liaise with Queensland Rail to determine if there are any plans to change the current arrangements for trains at Howard to determine if there are any proposed changes. Once Queensland Rail has responded to Council’s requests for information a response will be provided to the community.

Question 8: Con Loss
Trucks and rail contractors turn around on the road verge near his house on the corner of Henry Drive and Tremlin Street churning up the grass and mucking up the table drain. Each time he mows he has to fill in the ruts. Could the Council put in posts or plant trees to protect the verge?
A: Staff have resolved the issue with Mr Loss. Guide posts were installed.

Question 9: Alan Peebles
Glossy Black-Cockatoos have a very restricted diet, feeding only on the seeds in cones of she-oaks (Casuarina and Allocasuarina) and only on selected individual trees.
Some of the people buying new blocks in the area have destroyed all the trees that these birds feed on, usually without knowing their importance to the Glossies. Could the Council distribute a leaflet to land purchasers in the area explaining the importance of the trees to the birdlife? Some new residents who have destroyed trees say they would not have done so if they had known about their importance beforehand.
A: The Council actively supports the Glossy Black Cockatoo Conservancy through the promotion of the Land for Wildlife Program. Information on the Land for Wildlife Program will be included in the New Resident’s information pack.

Question 10: Mal Chard
Mr Chard was concerned that the Chamber of Commerce had not heard from the CEO Andrew Brien and Council’s Principal Officer Economic Development Andrew Jackson after receiving only an interim response after their meeting. He said residents in the outer areas would be upset if the Council did not communicate adequately with them. He said that a meeting held at the Susan River Homestead between the Council and the Chamber was supposed to happen quarterly but six months had passed since the first meeting without any mention of another meeting.
A: The Council’s CEO has responded to the Burrum Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber has since met with Fraser Coast Councillor Gerard O’Connell and the Council’s Economic Development Officer Andrew Jackson as part of the Council’s Economic Development Strategy Workshops. Staff are compiling detailed answers to the Chamber’s questions that will be forwarded to the Chamber when completed.

Question 11: Mal Chard
Howard needs a sewerage system in order to expand and to attract accommodation providers. Is that likely to happen?
A: The Fraser Coast Regional Council’s Land Use Strategy will amongst other issues, be planning for residential growth opportunities, as well as analysing the infrastructure required to support resultant settlement patterns. The potential for growth in Howard will be considered as part of this project.

Question 12: Mal Chard
The community centre needs to be extended particularly for more rooms to attract and accommodate more health services. Is that possible?
A: This project is one of a number of projects in the Howard/Torbanlea area that Council’s Major Projects section is preparing a report for Council’s consideration.

Question 13: Mal Chard
Where is the Council up to with the proposed purchase of the railway land in Howard. He said two parties were interested in buying parts of the land the Torbanlea Museum is on and part could be set aside for a tribute to the mining industry.
A: Mayor – The State Government was reducing the number of departments from 23 to 13 and the railway land now came under a different department which is reassessing the situation. He saidthat the price of the land should have come down because of the economic situation. Unofficially the State Government had agreed to the proposal but it would depend on what the new department came up with.
The Director of community Services Peter Smith said that the Council’s Major Projects Team was investigating ways to develop the Torbanlea Museum land and would report back to the Council.

Question 14: Mal Chard
Boom gates are needed on the railway crossings in Howard. Residents have been pushing for boom gates for 15 years without success. The crossings are particularly dangerous in summer when the sun is in the driver’s eyes. Could the Council lobby the government to have them installed?
A: Director of External Services Ron Smith – The Council supports Howard residents and has been lobbying Queensland Transport to have boom gates installed but QR and QT said they were
concentrating on high priority level crossings in North Queensland where there had been a series of accidents. The Council would continue to lobby for boom gates.

Question 15: Bill Gosewisch
What is happening with the boat ramp car park at Howard?
A: Director of External Services Ron Smith – Negotiations were still proceeding. The Council did not want to take control of the land because it was contaminated. The Council was prepared to take control of the road, toilets, barbecues and the boat ramp while the State Government retained
control of the remainder of the area. The contaminated areas would be fenced.

Question 16: Veronica Andrews
How often is Wal’s Camp boat ramp maintained?
A: Council staff clean the ramp on an as “required” basis.
The residents replied that they wanted the ramp cleaned every three months.

Question 17: Carol Bussey
A sign cemented into the ground near the fish cleaning table at Burrum Heads should be removed because it has sharp edges and is at a dangerous height for children. Ms Bussey said the sign was unnecessary because the information was provided on other signs.
A: Council staff will investigate.

Published by Henry Sapiecha 15th August 2009