May 23, 2024 • 14 mins
On the podcast this week....farmers worried about the potential of a coking coal mine in their backyard.
The free mental health service launching in the Wide Bay.
What’s causing young women to suffer in silence and sacrifice their education.
And the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival is back after a few tough years.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I have White Bay Burnette.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Welcome to Iheartwired Bay Bernette, your local news fix. I'm
Taylor Larson, joined by Bruce Atkinson on.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Today's episode, What's causing Young Women to Suffer in silence
and sacrifice their education? Plus the Gamery Pumpkin Festival is
back first, though it's unknown when the Resources Minister will
make a call on a controversial project earmarked for land
about twenty five minutes north of the Bunderberg CBD.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Despite no time frame, that debate is heating up on
both sides. Fox Resources is seeking a mineral development license
for seven eight hundred hectares of land, which is among
residential and agricultural properties. Pending exploration results, a coking coal
mine could be established within seven years. An exact location
of the underground operation is yet to be locked in.
(00:50):
The project has been met with heavy criticism from local MPs,
the mayor and the broader community. Macadamia farmer Mark Mason's
property is on the boundary of the landing question.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
As a low socioeconomic region, we need to protect the
eight thousand local jobs in the Bunderberg region that are
in primary production, not the two hundred fly and fly
out workers. That Fox Resources is proposing.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
The WA based company sees the project could attract forty
five million dollars a year into the town, but Mark
says it could cost us in ag and tourism opportunities.
Farmers are worried about water supplies, especially with the ongoing
Paradise Dam saga.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
It is irresponsible for a Western Australian exploration company to
claim that they will not impact underground aquifers when history
would demonstrate otherwise. Once you create a void underground or
the water is contaminated, you can't fix that. The damage
is final. If the groundwater is contaminated and no longer
fit for primary production use, then we lose a large
(01:56):
chunk of the water we have available to grow crops
in this region.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Fox Resources has set up a regional reference group to
get community input. It includes reps from business, sunwater farming
unions as well as traditional owners. Now, if this whole
story sounds familiar, it's because it is. In twenty twenty two,
Minister Scott Stewart refused the company's application for a mineral
development license, saying the decision was in the public interest.
(02:22):
The following year, the ruling was overturned. In the Supreme Court.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Farming groups and the general population had made their feelings
pretty apparent, so to have to do all this again.
You know, slowly people are starting to understand and become
aware that this is back on the agenda, and I
worry that people are a little bit complacent as to
the big impact this could have on our water community.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
So where is the project now, Well, it's basically where
it was two years ago with the resources minister Fox.
Resources has updated its plans and the department will need
to reassess everything before another call is made. The company
is adamant water supplies and the environment won't be compromised.
While Mark says farmers won't budge in their stance, the.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Biggest thing for us is we've just got to give
the ministers some ammunition and let him know that the
public just doesn't want it. That's it. The Bundenberg region
is not up Faciale now and it never will be.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
A third of students in Bunderberg and the Fraser Coast
are regularly missing school due to their period. That's why
the Period's Pain and Endomitriosis Program has been visiting high
schools across the region this week. It educates he attends
students on how to manage their period and pelvic pain.
Clitical educator Kate Thompson runs the program and says it's
vital this.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
Awareness research in women's health and medicine and pain has
only been really blooming in the last few years. I mean,
I don't expect Terence. My mum certainly didn't know what
was normal when it came to periods and pain and
how to talk to me about it. I think it's
hugely necessary, mainly so students understand what they can do,
and we also work to connect to them in with
(04:06):
the school nurses with local GPS. We don't want to
leave them hanging. And yeah, I just think it's incredibly
vital that these people learn how to manage their pain now,
so then they don't become those women who were, you know,
living in persistent pain, can't get to work, can't focus,
you know, struggling type families down the track.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Okay sir. It's having a significant impact on education in Bundy.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
It's unfortunate, but over sixty percent of students are experiencing
regular severe period pain and that means that for fifty
five percent of students, periods actually cause a significant interference
to the daily activities. And then when we look at school,
the national average is twenty two percent of students regularly
missed school or work because of their periods, but here
(04:48):
in Bundy we're looking at thirty percent, so one in
three students of the period are regularly missing school at
least once a month, one day every month just because
of their periods, whether that is because a heavy bleeding,
struggling to manage all because of their pain.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The classes last around an hour and a hands.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
On We get up, we get stretching to work through
with our pelvic flaw muscles, how it can breathe, how
we can relax those muscles, you know, whether it's what
kind of anti inflammatories to take and how and when
to take them, or if they do talk to the
doctor about hormonal medications, what ones are out there, what
ones could help, And then we also talk to you know,
what is endo. I get to show them a video
(05:27):
of a real life laparoscopy and what that might look
like for someone and what lesions do look like, but
also how they can manage that pain, whether there are
allegians there or not. You know, admetrosis does affect one
in seven people, but a lot more people as you
can see why those stats have period pain and pelvic
pain as well.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Kate sirs. The feedback makes her job worthwhile.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
This is so much fun. Thank you for making this
so comfortable to talk about. It's so informative, it's so helpful.
They really they find it so engaging. That's my job
to make this learning, this education really fun. Other comments,
you know, include it taught me a lot of really
helpful things. It was so informative, and human anatomy was
really helpful. It was really good to know. A lot
(06:09):
of the students comment on how energetic and fine and
just comfortable the conversation is to have with them.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And the assistance continues after the classes finish.
Speaker 5 (06:19):
So I'm there. I work closely with the school nurses
to make sure students can follow up with them. I
drop into GPS in the local community and students get
access to what's called PEP talk Next Steps and it's
a free online program with our pain specialists, gynecologists and
a public physio so parents can come along, they can
follow up. We really never want a kid to ever
(06:39):
feel left in the dark after we come.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Either coming up after the break mental health services expanding
and Pumpkin Pride hits Gimery.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I heard wide, I heard wide, you're listening to heart
White Bay Burnett.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I'm Bruce Atkinson, joined by Taylor Larson.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
A couple of weeks ago we spoke about the rise
in ill mental health in our region. Well, now there's
a possible solution. Bunderberg is among a number of towns
in Queensland receiving a Medicare Mental health center. CEO of
Country to Coast Queensland, Julie Sturges explains what it is.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Providing the opportunity for people to walk in face to
face to seek some support around mental health issues and
navigate where they should go. So there's no referral required
and there is no cost to accessing that service, So
really the opportunity for people to intervene early if they're
feeling distress and work out the opportunities for them to
(07:42):
proactively manage that.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
The facility is expected to open by the end of
July and will be a similar model to the Medicare
urgent care clinics that have been opened for a few
months now. As Julie mentioned, it's free and no appointment
or referral is needed. It's hoped reducing the red tape
around accessing will encourage more people to reach out.
Speaker 6 (08:03):
We see it in our eds and we see it
in the urgent care centers that a lot of people
actually present there needing support for mental health conditions or
certainly psychological distress. And we know that one of the
reasons people do that is that the out of pocket
costs of seeking other services are a deterrent to them. So,
you know, being able to provide those free services at
(08:23):
a time when someone needs them is breaking down a
lot of barriers to accessing care.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Peer workers with lived experiences and trained clinicians will staff
the centers, gps and psychiatrists will be on call if required.
Speaker 6 (08:38):
You know, an assessment of what that person requires, and
then they might need to come back to see the
right person or actually be referred to another local service
that is more appropriate for their needs. But you know,
what we do have in those Medicare mental health centers
is the right people trained to do the right assessment
and point people in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And if you're not in Bunderberg, Duly says, support is
available via their head to health phone line as well.
Speaker 6 (09:02):
So the phone line is staffed by registered nurses who
have special training in mental health or social workers who
also have particular mental health training, so you know, these
are people that are similar to the people that you
might be speaking to in the head to health centers.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
If you're looking for something fun and original this weekend,
then you should be heading to the Gamery Pumpkin Festival.
The event has had a tough few years. It was
canceled in twenty twenty due to COVID and in twenty
twenty two and twenty three due to flooding and flood damage.
As many as thirty thousand people are expected to attend
the three day event starting today. I've never been, so
it caught up with Pumpkin Festival coordinator Mortimer Duff for
(09:43):
some insights.
Speaker 7 (09:45):
It's a promotion for the wider Gimbee region, particularly for
the Gamari area, then for the South Burnard as well.
It's a beautiful spot with lots going on and plenty
of hidden gems, and we want people to come to
the festival and find out about those gems while they're there.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
What are some of the big events that you can't
miss if you're going.
Speaker 7 (10:01):
The two biggest events you've got to be there at
ten o'clock so that you're there for the street parade.
All of our featured performers and attractions will be marching
from the top of the Wide Bay Highway down to
the center of town onto the Burnet Highway towards Gainder.
That's where you get the highlight of everything that's going
on throughout the day. And then at two o'clock our
pumpkin roll starts. Have you heard of the greatest Gravian
(10:22):
pumpkin roll before?
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I've only heard of it since I had a look
at the website just this morning. Tell me about it.
I see it's on like a slope, a road that's
going downhill, and there's huge crowd either side. How big
are these pumpkins? And he caused any danger to people spectators?
Speaker 7 (10:36):
Well, safety is paramount, and you know, the pumpkin is
a Saint respinct item in Gamary, so people respect it.
And when someone walks up Policeman Hill with the pumpkin,
people get right out of their way. They understand that
this is a serious sport and that it needs to
be treated with respect. So we hold the role at
the top of what we call Policeman's Hill, which is
where the police station is in Gamary, and the aim
(10:57):
of the game is to get your pumpkin as close
to the lucky spots as possible and win a thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
How far is it from the top of the hill
to the lucky spot.
Speaker 7 (11:05):
I haven't measured it, so I haven't got an accurate
reading as to the linear distance. Some of our better
pumpkin rollers over the year suggest that you're best to
do it on an angle and have a curve in
towards the end, much like a game of bowls. Some
people are trying to roll its straight down the bottom
of the hill. It'd be a good fifty seventy meters
or so.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Is it a particular pumpkin? Are you allowed to tamper
with a pumpkin? Or is it going to be original?
Can you shape it in some way or anything like that.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Well, we treat our locally grown pumpkins. They're revered, and
we currently have one of our committee members, a blue
healer who's chained up at the top of Policeman's Hill
guarding a box trailer for the pumpkins. But you are
welcome to bring your own. I do know one of
our better rollers who grows a pumpkin in a cake
tin every year to ensure that it's as rounded as
(11:51):
possible to get the perfect roll.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
That's unbelievable. That's dedication, isn't it. Do they win?
Speaker 7 (11:58):
They do very well year after year and you never
know they might take out the top prize this year.
They've had a few years to be honing their skills.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
What's the pumpkin pool that was intriguing The pumpkin pool
is it's an Olympiad this year it's twenty twenty four,
and in keeping with the Olympiad, we're bringing back our
Pumpkin Olympics.
Speaker 7 (12:15):
So we have a series of games and competitions. We've
got the pumpkin Bowls, we've got the pumpkin shot put,
and of course we've got the pumpkin pool as well.
The aim is we've put a pumpkin in the middle
of our competition arena. It's just like tug of war,
but you've got to get your side of the rope
behind the pumpkins. And who competes in this anyone and
everyone who wants to take part. Our most successful historical
(12:35):
team at these events are called the Pumpkins. They're a
team of eight likes from Brisbane that come up every
year without fail to compete in our games. They will
tell you themselves there is an elusive quality for winning
these competitions. It can't be defined, it can't be put
on paper. You've just got to feel it.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
How does that go down in town with out of
town as cleaning up?
Speaker 7 (12:54):
These eight gentlemen the pumpkins that they are dedicated so
while they might not live in gamer, they certainly capture
the heart and soul of Canary and every year they
turn up in their particular in their specially branded shirts
with carved out pumpkins on their head, and they really
get into the spirit of things.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
It sounds like, if you're going this weekend, you've gotta
have a great sense of humor and be there for fun.
Speaker 7 (13:14):
You certainly do, and that's what it is. It's a
family friendly weekend. We don't take ourselves too seriously. It's
a community event run by volunteers and the whole aim
of the day is to have a good time.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Until it comes to ensuring pumpkins are treated respectfully and revered.
Speaker 7 (13:30):
Well, that's even with the most jovial of activities, there
has to be some respect doesn't there.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Sunday is the main day and entry is free.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
I imagine it'll be pretty popular given the setbacks in
the past couple of years. I'm keen to see who
takes out the pumpkin roll. That sounds really exciting. Well
that's it for this week. To hear this podcast again
or listen back to previous episodes, search Iheartwired bay Burnette
on the iHeartRadio app, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
We're back a game next week with more local, trusted
and free news.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
I heard wide a bernad
I have White Bay Burnette.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Welcome to Iheartwired Bay Bernette, your local news fix. I'm
Taylor Larson, joined by Bruce Atkinson on.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Today's episode, What's causing Young Women to Suffer in silence
and sacrifice their education? Plus the Gamery Pumpkin Festival is
back first, though it's unknown when the Resources Minister will
make a call on a controversial project earmarked for land
about twenty five minutes north of the Bunderberg CBD.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Despite no time frame, that debate is heating up on
both sides. Fox Resources is seeking a mineral development license
for seven eight hundred hectares of land, which is among
residential and agricultural properties. Pending exploration results, a coking coal
mine could be established within seven years. An exact location
of the underground operation is yet to be locked in.
(00:50):
The project has been met with heavy criticism from local MPs,
the mayor and the broader community. Macadamia farmer Mark Mason's
property is on the boundary of the landing question.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
As a low socioeconomic region, we need to protect the
eight thousand local jobs in the Bunderberg region that are
in primary production, not the two hundred fly and fly
out workers. That Fox Resources is proposing.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
The WA based company sees the project could attract forty
five million dollars a year into the town, but Mark
says it could cost us in ag and tourism opportunities.
Farmers are worried about water supplies, especially with the ongoing
Paradise Dam saga.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
It is irresponsible for a Western Australian exploration company to
claim that they will not impact underground aquifers when history
would demonstrate otherwise. Once you create a void underground or
the water is contaminated, you can't fix that. The damage
is final. If the groundwater is contaminated and no longer
fit for primary production use, then we lose a large
(01:56):
chunk of the water we have available to grow crops
in this region.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Fox Resources has set up a regional reference group to
get community input. It includes reps from business, sunwater farming
unions as well as traditional owners. Now, if this whole
story sounds familiar, it's because it is. In twenty twenty two,
Minister Scott Stewart refused the company's application for a mineral
development license, saying the decision was in the public interest.
(02:22):
The following year, the ruling was overturned. In the Supreme Court.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Farming groups and the general population had made their feelings
pretty apparent, so to have to do all this again.
You know, slowly people are starting to understand and become
aware that this is back on the agenda, and I
worry that people are a little bit complacent as to
the big impact this could have on our water community.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
So where is the project now, Well, it's basically where
it was two years ago with the resources minister Fox.
Resources has updated its plans and the department will need
to reassess everything before another call is made. The company
is adamant water supplies and the environment won't be compromised.
While Mark says farmers won't budge in their stance, the.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Biggest thing for us is we've just got to give
the ministers some ammunition and let him know that the
public just doesn't want it. That's it. The Bundenberg region
is not up Faciale now and it never will be.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
A third of students in Bunderberg and the Fraser Coast
are regularly missing school due to their period. That's why
the Period's Pain and Endomitriosis Program has been visiting high
schools across the region this week. It educates he attends
students on how to manage their period and pelvic pain.
Clitical educator Kate Thompson runs the program and says it's
vital this.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
Awareness research in women's health and medicine and pain has
only been really blooming in the last few years. I mean,
I don't expect Terence. My mum certainly didn't know what
was normal when it came to periods and pain and
how to talk to me about it. I think it's
hugely necessary, mainly so students understand what they can do,
and we also work to connect to them in with
(04:06):
the school nurses with local GPS. We don't want to
leave them hanging. And yeah, I just think it's incredibly
vital that these people learn how to manage their pain now,
so then they don't become those women who were, you know,
living in persistent pain, can't get to work, can't focus,
you know, struggling type families down the track.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Okay sir. It's having a significant impact on education in Bundy.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
It's unfortunate, but over sixty percent of students are experiencing
regular severe period pain and that means that for fifty
five percent of students, periods actually cause a significant interference
to the daily activities. And then when we look at school,
the national average is twenty two percent of students regularly
missed school or work because of their periods, but here
(04:48):
in Bundy we're looking at thirty percent, so one in
three students of the period are regularly missing school at
least once a month, one day every month just because
of their periods, whether that is because a heavy bleeding,
struggling to manage all because of their pain.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
The classes last around an hour and a hands.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
On We get up, we get stretching to work through
with our pelvic flaw muscles, how it can breathe, how
we can relax those muscles, you know, whether it's what
kind of anti inflammatories to take and how and when
to take them, or if they do talk to the
doctor about hormonal medications, what ones are out there, what
ones could help, And then we also talk to you know,
what is endo. I get to show them a video
(05:27):
of a real life laparoscopy and what that might look
like for someone and what lesions do look like, but
also how they can manage that pain, whether there are
allegians there or not. You know, admetrosis does affect one
in seven people, but a lot more people as you
can see why those stats have period pain and pelvic
pain as well.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Kate sirs. The feedback makes her job worthwhile.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
This is so much fun. Thank you for making this
so comfortable to talk about. It's so informative, it's so helpful.
They really they find it so engaging. That's my job
to make this learning, this education really fun. Other comments,
you know, include it taught me a lot of really
helpful things. It was so informative, and human anatomy was
really helpful. It was really good to know. A lot
(06:09):
of the students comment on how energetic and fine and
just comfortable the conversation is to have with them.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
And the assistance continues after the classes finish.
Speaker 5 (06:19):
So I'm there. I work closely with the school nurses
to make sure students can follow up with them. I
drop into GPS in the local community and students get
access to what's called PEP talk Next Steps and it's
a free online program with our pain specialists, gynecologists and
a public physio so parents can come along, they can
follow up. We really never want a kid to ever
(06:39):
feel left in the dark after we come.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Either coming up after the break mental health services expanding
and Pumpkin Pride hits Gimery.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
I heard wide, I heard wide, you're listening to heart
White Bay Burnett.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I'm Bruce Atkinson, joined by Taylor Larson.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
A couple of weeks ago we spoke about the rise
in ill mental health in our region. Well, now there's
a possible solution. Bunderberg is among a number of towns
in Queensland receiving a Medicare Mental health center. CEO of
Country to Coast Queensland, Julie Sturges explains what it is.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
Providing the opportunity for people to walk in face to
face to seek some support around mental health issues and
navigate where they should go. So there's no referral required
and there is no cost to accessing that service, So
really the opportunity for people to intervene early if they're
feeling distress and work out the opportunities for them to
(07:42):
proactively manage that.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
The facility is expected to open by the end of
July and will be a similar model to the Medicare
urgent care clinics that have been opened for a few
months now. As Julie mentioned, it's free and no appointment
or referral is needed. It's hoped reducing the red tape
around accessing will encourage more people to reach out.
Speaker 6 (08:03):
We see it in our eds and we see it
in the urgent care centers that a lot of people
actually present there needing support for mental health conditions or
certainly psychological distress. And we know that one of the
reasons people do that is that the out of pocket
costs of seeking other services are a deterrent to them. So,
you know, being able to provide those free services at
(08:23):
a time when someone needs them is breaking down a
lot of barriers to accessing care.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Peer workers with lived experiences and trained clinicians will staff
the centers, gps and psychiatrists will be on call if required.
Speaker 6 (08:38):
You know, an assessment of what that person requires, and
then they might need to come back to see the
right person or actually be referred to another local service
that is more appropriate for their needs. But you know,
what we do have in those Medicare mental health centers
is the right people trained to do the right assessment
and point people in the right direction.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
And if you're not in Bunderberg, Duly says, support is
available via their head to health phone line as well.
Speaker 6 (09:02):
So the phone line is staffed by registered nurses who
have special training in mental health or social workers who
also have particular mental health training, so you know, these
are people that are similar to the people that you
might be speaking to in the head to health centers.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
If you're looking for something fun and original this weekend,
then you should be heading to the Gamery Pumpkin Festival.
The event has had a tough few years. It was
canceled in twenty twenty due to COVID and in twenty
twenty two and twenty three due to flooding and flood damage.
As many as thirty thousand people are expected to attend
the three day event starting today. I've never been, so
it caught up with Pumpkin Festival coordinator Mortimer Duff for
(09:43):
some insights.
Speaker 7 (09:45):
It's a promotion for the wider Gimbee region, particularly for
the Gamari area, then for the South Burnard as well.
It's a beautiful spot with lots going on and plenty
of hidden gems, and we want people to come to
the festival and find out about those gems while they're there.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
What are some of the big events that you can't
miss if you're going.
Speaker 7 (10:01):
The two biggest events you've got to be there at
ten o'clock so that you're there for the street parade.
All of our featured performers and attractions will be marching
from the top of the Wide Bay Highway down to
the center of town onto the Burnet Highway towards Gainder.
That's where you get the highlight of everything that's going
on throughout the day. And then at two o'clock our
pumpkin roll starts. Have you heard of the greatest Gravian
(10:22):
pumpkin roll before?
Speaker 3 (10:23):
I've only heard of it since I had a look
at the website just this morning. Tell me about it.
I see it's on like a slope, a road that's
going downhill, and there's huge crowd either side. How big
are these pumpkins? And he caused any danger to people spectators?
Speaker 7 (10:36):
Well, safety is paramount, and you know, the pumpkin is
a Saint respinct item in Gamary, so people respect it.
And when someone walks up Policeman Hill with the pumpkin,
people get right out of their way. They understand that
this is a serious sport and that it needs to
be treated with respect. So we hold the role at
the top of what we call Policeman's Hill, which is
where the police station is in Gamary, and the aim
(10:57):
of the game is to get your pumpkin as close
to the lucky spots as possible and win a thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
How far is it from the top of the hill
to the lucky spot.
Speaker 7 (11:05):
I haven't measured it, so I haven't got an accurate
reading as to the linear distance. Some of our better
pumpkin rollers over the year suggest that you're best to
do it on an angle and have a curve in
towards the end, much like a game of bowls. Some
people are trying to roll its straight down the bottom
of the hill. It'd be a good fifty seventy meters
or so.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Is it a particular pumpkin? Are you allowed to tamper
with a pumpkin? Or is it going to be original?
Can you shape it in some way or anything like that.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Well, we treat our locally grown pumpkins. They're revered, and
we currently have one of our committee members, a blue
healer who's chained up at the top of Policeman's Hill
guarding a box trailer for the pumpkins. But you are
welcome to bring your own. I do know one of
our better rollers who grows a pumpkin in a cake
tin every year to ensure that it's as rounded as
(11:51):
possible to get the perfect roll.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
That's unbelievable. That's dedication, isn't it. Do they win?
Speaker 7 (11:58):
They do very well year after year and you never
know they might take out the top prize this year.
They've had a few years to be honing their skills.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
What's the pumpkin pool that was intriguing The pumpkin pool
is it's an Olympiad this year it's twenty twenty four,
and in keeping with the Olympiad, we're bringing back our
Pumpkin Olympics.
Speaker 7 (12:15):
So we have a series of games and competitions. We've
got the pumpkin Bowls, we've got the pumpkin shot put,
and of course we've got the pumpkin pool as well.
The aim is we've put a pumpkin in the middle
of our competition arena. It's just like tug of war,
but you've got to get your side of the rope
behind the pumpkins. And who competes in this anyone and
everyone who wants to take part. Our most successful historical
(12:35):
team at these events are called the Pumpkins. They're a
team of eight likes from Brisbane that come up every
year without fail to compete in our games. They will
tell you themselves there is an elusive quality for winning
these competitions. It can't be defined, it can't be put
on paper. You've just got to feel it.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
How does that go down in town with out of
town as cleaning up?
Speaker 7 (12:54):
These eight gentlemen the pumpkins that they are dedicated so
while they might not live in gamer, they certainly capture
the heart and soul of Canary and every year they
turn up in their particular in their specially branded shirts
with carved out pumpkins on their head, and they really
get into the spirit of things.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
It sounds like, if you're going this weekend, you've gotta
have a great sense of humor and be there for fun.
Speaker 7 (13:14):
You certainly do, and that's what it is. It's a
family friendly weekend. We don't take ourselves too seriously. It's
a community event run by volunteers and the whole aim
of the day is to have a good time.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Until it comes to ensuring pumpkins are treated respectfully and revered.
Speaker 7 (13:30):
Well, that's even with the most jovial of activities, there
has to be some respect doesn't there.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Sunday is the main day and entry is free.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
I imagine it'll be pretty popular given the setbacks in
the past couple of years. I'm keen to see who
takes out the pumpkin roll. That sounds really exciting. Well
that's it for this week. To hear this podcast again
or listen back to previous episodes, search Iheartwired bay Burnette
on the iHeartRadio app, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
We're back a game next week with more local, trusted
and free news.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
I heard wide a bernad
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.