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Moreton Border News - 16th July 2026

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MORE than 350 children, parents and carers enjoyed the latest Rosewood Family Fun Day. The Rosewood History Group encouraged children to get creative with dinosaurthemed art featuring Thelma the Dinosaur, inspired by the group’s local publication Rosewood Then and Now.

Trombone record gets blown away

IPSWICH looks set to have a world record now under its belt after 600 trombonists came together on Sunday to form the world’s largest trombone ensemble, eclipsing the 14-year old record set in Washington DC.

Held as part of SPARK Ipswich Arts Festival, Tulmur Place was transformed as the Ipswich crowd geared up for the record breaking event.

At exactly 11.30am, 600 trombonists would perform the iconic music piece 76 trombones.

Ipswich City Big Band music director Matt Chambers said he was proud of the community’s efforts.

“Whether it results in a new world record or simply shines a brighter spotlight on our creative industries, today has already been a major win for our city,” Mr Chambers said.

The previous world record of 368 musicians would be set in Washington DC in 2012.

Mr Chambers said the next step will be to have the record officially verified.

“We will be waiting with excited anticipation to hear from them,” he said.

We’ve been following the mammoth task of moving St Brigids to its new location and its final movements have just happened.

The first I knew of moving rather than rebuilding, was a couple years after I’d migrated to Australia.

A house I drove past on a daily basis went from ground level to one floor up on large stilts and with a ladder for access to the front door.

A new ground level section was being built and it was fascinating to me but not as much to Australians.

The movement of the church’s building is so much more complicated than that and it’s also a fascinating process.

Our photographer Lyle Radford has been documenting its movements, as have the community.

The Rosewood and District Community Centre have a reputation for putting on events that don’t leave parents reaching into their back pockets.

More than 350 people rocked up to enjoy the centre’s dinosaur themed event.

Wendy Creighton writes about a plan establish 48 ‘social and affordable housing’ units on a Rosewood town block was lodged on July 1, with the request it be judged under the former Ipswich City Planning Scheme.

She also reports on a proposal for a housing estate at Thagoona where more than 60 percent of the lots are sized at less than 290sqm.

All this and more inside.

More than 600 participants took part in Sunday’s event. (David Martin 565513)
Locals warming up for the event. (Lyle Radford: 565161)

Quinley serves in new role

IN a unit known for guns, grit and high-tempo training, one of the most recognisable faces around the 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery is not a soldier, but a black Labrador named Quinley.

Quinley is part of a 12-month Defence trial supporting chaplaincy and welfare engagement across the Joint Military Police Unit and 1st Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery in Brisbane.

Quinley began life in the Guide Dogs Queensland program and is among the 40–50 percent of dogs that are redirected into alternative working roles.

Now nearly three years old, Quinley remains owned by Guide Dogs Queensland and is housed by Flight Sergeant Darren Monopoli from JMPU Brisbane.

Rather than announcing himself, Quinley simply appears, quietly moving alongside 1 REGT RAA Chaplain Joanna Colgan before settling wherever conversations unfold.

“The point of a facility dog is that people relax,” Chaplain Colgan said.

“They sit down, start patting him and before long they’re talking without really thinking about it. He takes the edge off straight away.”

That is where Quinley spends most of his time: not in formal offices, but in the in-between moments of unit life, welfare conversations, informal check-ins and quiet chats that often matter most.

Chaplain Colgan said the change in environment is immediate.

“People open up more. They talk more and if I walk through the unit without him, I’m asked straight away where he is. They notice.”

The trial is part of a broader partnership between Defence and Guide Dogs Queensland exploring alternative pathways for dogs that may not become Guide Dogs, but still have strong capabilities suited to other working roles.

For Guide Dogs Queensland, Dog Supply and Training Manager Ms Carolyn Rose, Quinley represents exactly what the program aims to achieve.

“We have to be honest when a dog isn’t right for Guide Dog work,” Carolyn said. “But that does not mean the end of their working life.”

“Quinley is a success story. He is emotionally aware, he reads people and he responds to the

environment he is in. While those traits may not suit Guide Dog work, they are exactly what is needed in a wellbeing role.”

She said the outcome is based on early training.

“The puppy raising program exposes them to everything, people, places, noise and movement. That is what makes them adaptable. Labradors in particular are very people focused and they tend to stay that way.”

Flight Sergeant Monopoli said Quinley adapted to Defence life quickly.

“From the start, he just fit,” he said.

“He has been really effective with our social worker and welfare teams. You can see people settle quicker and conversations start easier. He changes the tone of the room.”

Back across the units, Quinley drifts between welfare spaces and kick starts informal conversations; and like most Labradors, he always seems to find where the people are. Quinley is part of a 12-month Defence trial.

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Chaplain Joanna Colgan with the black Labrador named Quinley. (Defence 561084)

Rosewood social housing plan

A plan to establish 48 ‘social and affordable housing’ units on a Rosewood town block was lodged on July 1, with the request it be judged under the former Ipswich City Planning Scheme.

The development application from Toowoomba-based Robin Hodge Pty Ltd was submitted on the last day an applicant could make the request for council planners to review it against the superseded Ipswich City Planning Scheme.

The company hoped to gain a permit to build 24 duplex dwellings on the 1.9ha block at 148 Matthew Street.

The proposed layout showed duplexes serviced by an internal road and access off an extension of Matthew Street.

An engineering report commissioned by the developer, indicated that the property was affected by flooding from the north east, originating from the upstream Rosewood detention basin, and overland flow from the north west via John Street.

To address issues associated with flooding and flood free access, town planning agents for the developer proposed the construction of a culvert crossing under the new section of Matthew Street.

“The culverts will be sized to ensure Matthew Street is flood free during [a] defined flood event or at a minimum trafficable, during [a] defined flood event and during extreme events.

“The applicant also intends to construct an open channel from the proposed Matthew Street culvert through the south eastern corner of the site.

“The open channel will aim to adequately convey the defined and extreme events and maintain adequate channel freeboard.

“Most relevant to this request, the development incorporates necessary filling to establish flood-resilient building pads, responding to the site’s physical constraints.

“Under the superseded planning scheme, such earthworks are capable of being appropriately managed through detailed design and engineering, and do not detract from the suitability of the land for residential purposes.”

Council planners can approve or refuse a

request for a development to be considered under the superseded Planning Scheme.

In arguing that the request be approved, the developer’s town planning agents noted that … “the commencement of the new Planning Scheme has created a loss in development potential on site.

“Under the superseded Ipswich Planning Scheme 2006, the site was zoned as Low Density Residential, [but] under the current

scheme it is zoned Character Residential and Environmental Management Zone.

“The Environmental Management Zone [along the norther eastern boundary] is a new zone that did not exist under the previous scheme.

“The split zoning of the site significantly fragments the development area, limiting the applicant’s ability to achieve a cohesive residential layout.

“The proposed development can be designed to appropriately respond to the site’s constraints.

“The proposed filling and flood mitigation strategy is intended to maintain appropriate flood outcomes and avoid adverse impacts on surrounding land through engineering solutions.”

An overhead of the property showing the approximate layout of the 24 duplex dwellings and the potential flooding impact along the north eastern boundary. The overhead comes from the engineering report done by WRM to recommend ways to mitigate any flood impact.

Small lot housing estate pushes code

A housing estate where more than 60 per cent of the lots are sized at less than 290sqm, has been proposed at Thagoona.

Developer, 4306 Pty Ltd, has applied to the Ipswich council for a development permit to subdivide a 2.8ha property at 41-49 Girral Road into 49 allotments, a park and a drainage reserve.

And the company has mooted future plans to mirror the layout on a similarly sized neighbouring property.

The land is located within the Emerging Community and Environmental Management zones.

The proposed design shows the housing allotments located within the Emerging Communities zone, while the park and bio-retention basin are proposed in the Environmental zone at the rear of the property.

The subdivision is proposed across three stages and is designed with 31 allotments ranging in size between 210sqm and 290sqm. The remaining 18 lots are sized between 303sqm and 441sqm.

An internal road is proposed from the Girral Road access, with access to some of the new lots via laneways.

A pedestrian and cycle path is proposed along the northern boundary.

The developer, according to documents lodged with the application, is planning to of-

fer a … “mix of ‘built to boundary’ (villa and terrace) lots of varying sizes and dimensions to facilitate dwelling diversity and provide an alternative housing product within the emerging community area”.

The company acknowledged that the council’s Reconfiguring a Lot code sought a maximum of 20 per cent of the total lots within a subdivision to contain built to boundary (villa

or terrace) lots.

“[Our] proposal seeks a significantly greater proportion of built to boundary product than typically envisaged by the code,” it was noted in the application.

“Notwithstanding, the proposal has been deliberately designed to deliver a distinct and much needed housing typology that is not otherwise readily available within the surrounding

approved developments and responds directly to current housing affordability and supply pressures affecting Ipswich and the broader South East Queensland region.

The developer also advised that sale of the allotments would be accompanied by … “a bespoke built form of dwelling houses to align with the intent of the Emerging Community Zone”.

The plan of the proposed estate at 41-49 Girral Road is illustrated in colour. The future plan for the neighbouring allotment to the north is indicated with black dotted lines.

Roar-some time had at fun day

MORE than 350 children, parents and carers descended on the Rosewood Anglican Church grounds on Thursday, 9 July, as dinosaurs, erupting volcanoes and hands-on activities transformed the precinct into a prehistoric playground for the latest Rosewood Family Fun Day.

The free school holiday event proved a hit with local families, offering an interactive experience featuring life-sized roaming dinosaurs, baby dinosaur encounters, fossil displays, excavation sites and a bubbling volcano that erupted throughout the morning.

Many children embraced the theme by arriving dressed as dinosaurs and explorers, while colourful face painting by Skye from ALIAS Creations added to the festive atmosphere.

Beyond the dinosaur attractions, families had the opportunity to meet Cludo the Police Dog, explore a local fire truck, chat with Community Policing officers and enjoy a range of games, dinosaur-themed crafts, Pluck-a-Duck and Community Food Project activities.

The Rosewood History Group encouraged young artists to create dinosaur-inspired artwork featuring Thelma the Dinosaur, based on the group’s local publication Rosewood Then and Now.

Volunteers from the Rosewood Anglican Parish cooked a free sausage sizzle, with supplies generously donated by the Rosewood Community Centre, creating a welcoming space where families could relax and connect throughout the morning.

The event also provided residents with an opportunity to have their say on the future of the town, with Ipswich City Council hosting a consultation stall for the Rosewood Place Plan.

Rosewood Family Fun Days are held each school holidays and coordinated by Rosewood and District Supporting Communities (RADSc), with the aim of providing free, inclusive and high-quality activities for local families.

Community Project Worker and event organiser Tia Lancaster said the events continue to grow thanks to the support of sponsors, volunteers and community organisations.

“We want every Family Fun Day to offer something different while still creating a welcoming space where families can spend quality time together,“ Ms Lancaster said.

“The generosity of Community Bank Rosewood and District Bendigo Bank, along with our volunteers and community partners, means we’re able to continue offering these free events each school holidays. Seeing hundreds of children laughing, learning and making memories together is exactly what they’re all about.“

The event was sponsored by Community Bank Rosewood and District Bendigo Bank, whose ongoing support helps ensure local families can continue to enjoy free school holiday activities.

With roaring dinosaurs, smiling faces and plenty of community spirit, the day once again demonstrated that some of the biggest adventures can happen close to home in Rosewood.

Dinosaurs roared to life, delighting children and their parents.
Blue skies and sunshine topped off another successful family fun day.
Rosewood families turned out in droves to the family fun day.
Free family fun for the win at the Rosewood Family Fun Day.
The was plenty to eat and fuel up for more play time.

Mammoth move for historic church

AFTER months of preparation, St Brigid’s Catholic Church in Rosewood was moved in its entirety onto the former site of the presbytery.

Its relocation was a meticulously planned engineering operation carried out by specialist building movers.

The skilled movers slid the church into its new position using long RSJ’s with 12mm by 50 hardwood timbers smeared with sunlight soap separating the RSJ’s from the house mover blocks.

Then the building was pulled apart by two large semi-trailer trucks using a 25mm cable.

The church was pulled into its new position while surveyors ensured it was properly located over the footings.

The community gathered throughout the relocation process to watch the remarkable engineering effort unfold.

Three buildings have been moved at the Rosewood site and the presbytery is already on a house block on Matthews Street.

The church is where the presbytery once stood and now that its moved, the parish centre building will be moved to its location.

Its successful move represented a significant milestone in preserving one of Queensland’s most important timber churches while maintaining its historic presence within the Rosewood community.

The relocation is only one stage of a broader restoration project that includes repairing and straightening the structure before it is reopened for worship.

The project aims to ensure that St Brigid’s Church continues to serve the parish and the wider community while preserving an important piece of Queensland’s architectural heritage.

Trucks move the building. (564413)
The church is In its final resting location and still sitting on steel beams. (Lyle Radford: 564413)
St Brigid’s Church, Matthew street in Rosewood is literally winched away from its original stumps across several steel rails by 2 huge heavy haulage trucks, inch by inch to its new location.

Agritourism gets a new voice

AS the agritourism industry continues to grow, farmers have united behind a new voice looking to respond to the boom.

Though it’s not new, agritourism is now recognised as an important emerging tourism sector in Australia. For farmers in agritourism, having a voice and a seat at the table to ensure the industry can grow sustainably whilst protecting the primacy of agriculture is vital.

The collective voice of farmers across the

country who choose to diversify their farm business with agritourism will now be represented by the Australian Agritourism Network - formed as a farmer-led peak body for Australian agritourism operators.

The AAN has been established to facilitate a strong communication network.

The organisation will provide representation, support and advocacy for farmers in agritourism to encourage its responsible growth,

GOETSCH & SONS AUCTIONEERS

whilst protecting and strengthening the agricultural interests of farmer members to incorporate agritourism alongside existing agricultural businesses.

President, Tim Parsons said research showed the demand for agritourism was well documented and understood whilst supply side information was lacking.

“There is a knowledge gap where farmers are over-regulated, over-advised and underrepresented,” he said.

“The time is right to launch a farmer, operator led, national association as a critical outcome to the strategic goal of forming a national agritourism body. The current fragmentation of policy, state priorities and competition for support and extension dictates that the best way forward is to form a network for farmers by farmers.“

AAN Vice president and Scenic Rim dairy farmer Kay Tommerup agreed.

“We believe that a united voice at a national level, led by farmers and supported by tourism, will encourage the sustainable growth of our industry and indeed protect the agricultural authenticity that is the essence of agritourism,” she said.

“In my role as President of Agritourism Queensland, the Qld peak body, I have seen first-hand the tremendous benefits that flow from farmer-led advocacy and engagement with government and industry stakeholders.

“Having this network now extend to a national level demonstrates the growth of agritourism across Australia and provides a muchneeded united voice.”

Australian Agritourism Network looks forward to working with government, and stakeholders across the tourism and agricultural sectors, advocating for support and legislative change that encourages meaningful outcomes for the agritourism sector, helping to build and nurture thriving farm businesses and vibrant rural communities.

To ensure the organisation is representative of the wide-ranging agritourism sector, the committee consists of farmer representatives from across the country, all bringing knowledge and experience from a broad range of agricultural and agritourism businesses.

Mr Parsons said he believed this was a tremendous step forward for the agritourism industry.

“A farmer-led support network with grassroots advocacy for farmers in agritourism, with a direct channel to industry stakeholders has long been the missing piece to the puzzle.

“The formation of Australian Agritourism Network will encourage the growth of authentic agritourism experiences whilst providing a peer support network that is vitally important for farmers in our industry.”

Kay Tommerup with her herd at Tommerups dairy farm. (Picture supplied)

1 QUEEN STREET WALLOON

PHONE 5464 5163

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THURSDAY – BLACK ANGUS $20 – 250g Black Angus rump served with chips, salad and sauce. (Dinner only)

FRIDAY/SATURDAY/SUNDAY – ALLDAYDINING LUNCHES FROM $15 MONDAY-FRIDAY

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Dine in or Takeaway *T&C’s apply on meal deals

27 School Rd, Rosewood

Friday Nights Sunday Sesh from 8pm-late from 12 noon-4pm Phone 5464

Spark puts on a great show

THE sixth annual SPARK Ipswich Arts Festival returned with a bang in 2026, as the Ipswich region transformed into a playground of colour, creativity and connection over five massive days

SPARK provides a program of hands-on workshops, mesmerising art, performances and interactive experiences for those big and small.

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the city’s premier arts festival was an invitation for the community to explore, discover and experience art in all its forms.

“SPARK Ipswich Arts Festival is more than a festival, it’s a celebration of everything that makes our city great: our people, our culture and our unstoppable community spirit,” Mayor Harding said.

Across the region, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

Tulmur Place transformed, thanks to The Big Group Sing With Mzaza taking to the stage on Saturday.

Sunday would see more than 660 take part in the World’s Largest Ensemble Record Attempt.

At Ripley, Little Day Out was bursting with live music, hands-on creative experiences, and roving entertainment for the little ones.

In Springfield, the World Of Music Ipswich took over as Afrophonix, Girl From Greece, and Samba Vibes kept the entertainment going all day long.

Around the CBD, Studio 188, St Mary’s Catholic Church, Ipswich Civic Centre and Banshees Bar and Artspace were kept busy with Fever: Candlelight Concert, Saplings, Flood Fest, Screamfeeder, The 8 Ball Aitken entertainment offerings.

Now one of the most popular events on the Ipswich calendar each year, Mayor Harding said Council is proud to host SPARK Ipswich each year.

“SPARK is about showcasing the region’s exciting cultural scene and rich diversity while giving people new ways to experience art in the heart of our city,” she said.

Live Painting demonstration by artist Rebekah Walkarden with Projected artwork by Donna Davis. (Lyle Radford: 564843)
The Emmavilles provided entertainment for attendees.
MZAZA debuted her brand new project.
Singer of the LanGwij band Aniesha Hunt-Feagai belts out a tune.
The Bubble Queen entertains the kids.
Mr and Mrs Von White visit Ipswich for the SPARK Festival.
One of the many fun characters Mr Flame (Frans Vogels) roaming around Tulmur place having a bit of fun.
Bend it like Barbie. Lisa Lottie showing her style on Saturday night.
SPARK Advertising in Tulmur Place.

A man named Broken Arrow

AT my first place of employment in Australia as a journalist, I worked with a chap people called Koala.

It was a cute pet name for someone so grumpy and I only realised the point of it when I asked, ‘why’?

Well, like the marsupial he was an endangered species that needed protecting and couldn’t be let go.

Why the higher ups protected him, who knows ... not my circus, not my monkey.

If you’ve worked with the same group long enough, chances are someone has quietly christened you with a title that has nothing to do with your actual name.

Some are affectionate, some are descriptive, and others are so brutally accurate they could end careers if they accidentally made their way into the company newsletter.

As it turns out, there are plenty of imaginative names given to co-workers and the reasons behind them are hilarious.

Kit Kat - always taking a break.

Butter Knife - not the sharpest tool in the box.

Motion Light - only works when someone walks past.

E.T - Always wants to go home.

Lantern - not very bright and has to be carried.

Daisy - some daisy’s in, some daisy’s not.

404 - can’t be found.

Lava Lamp - looks good but not very bright.

Pothole - everyone tries to avoid them.

And my favourite one, Broken Arrowdoesn’t work and can’t be fired.

It would’ve more accurate had my ex-colleague been christened Broken Arrow.

In the 1990s, these types of nicknames weren’t created by a committee, they emerged naturally, often before morning tea on someone’s first day.

There wasn’t a formal nomination process, no anonymous voting and one unfortunate incident was generally enough.

Miss one nail with a hammer and hit your thumb instead and you’ll be “Nine Fingers“ until retirement.

Back then, workplaces operated under what historians now refer to as “She’ll be right.“ HR departments certainly existed, but they generally occupied a small office somewhere between payroll and the filing cabinets.

Their primary role appeared to involve organising Christmas parties and making sure someone remembered to order more photocopy paper.

Today, HR has evolved into something closer to the United Nations.

There are policies, training modules, respect charters and mandatory online courses featuring actors having conversations that no human being has ever actually had.

One ill-considered nickname today can result in an email titled Invitation to Informal Discussion Regarding Workplace Conduct. Which, everyone knows, is corporate lan-

guage for, “Bring a notebook because this isn’t going to be fun.“

The modern process is beautifully choreographed.

Someone is offended then someone else is horrified that someone is offended.

A meeting is scheduled, the offender apologises, the apology is discussed and another meeting is held to discuss the apology.

Everyone signs something, and someone leaves emotionally exhausted and nothing productive happens until Thursday.

Older workers often watch this unfold with complete bewilderment.

Not because they enjoy offending people but because they remember a time when insults were practically considered a workplace

superannuation scheme.

Construction sites, workshops and apprenticeships were especially famous for it.

The first-year apprentice wasn’t just learning the trade, they were surviving it.

Entire afternoons disappeared while an unsuspecting apprentice searched for impossible equipment.

“Can you grab me a left-handed screwdriver?“ “Go ask stores for a long weight.“ “Need a bucket of steam.“ “See if maintenance has any tartan paint.“ “Grab the glass hammer.“

“Find the metric shifting spanner.“ “Tell the foreman we need a box of sparks for the grinder.“

Off they’d trot, eager to impress while half the workshop is trying not to laugh themselves

unconscious.

Life doesn’t work that way anymore and perhaps we’ve lost something in the process. Not the cruelty, not the humiliation, just the shared ability to laugh at ourselves.

Strangely enough, those were often the workplaces where lifelong friendships were made.

Perhaps the trick today is knowing the difference between laughing with someone and laughing at them because the experience can help create stories you’ll still tell thirty years later.

Modern workplaces are unquestionably better at recognising the difference and that’s genuine progress.

Quiet location and country views

POLISHED timber floors and wraparound verandahs shaded by a bullnose roof and overlooking a green expanse to the mountains are features of a Mount Marrow home, which sold for $1 million, this month.

Tucked away on a no-through road, the country homestead style residence has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and is located on a 4,046sqm block beside Hoopers Road.

The home has a large living area with a big central family room and a separate dining area.

The roomy, open kitchen has electric ap-

pliances, a corner pantry, a breakfast bar and overlooks the verandah and out to the country views.

The flexible bedroom layout offers plenty of accommodation and a large custom walk-in robe services the master suite.

The main bathroom features a large spa bath.

The big laundry has lots of storage and bench space.

Outside there’s a large powered shed.

The property last sold in 2020 for $490,000.

O’Callaghan welcomes AI crackdown

SWIMMING Australia has launched a new resource to combat non-factual social media posts, mostly generated by AI.

The campaign comes following false reports from untrustworthy sources online that superstar Mollie O’Callaghan made antitransgender comments, as well as others saying that she had pulled out of the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

A Facebook page, which has since been reported and taken down, suggested that O’Callaghan would pull out of the 2028 Olympics if trans athletes were allowed to compete.

’FLICKBAIT’, which Swimming Australia believe to be a world first for a sporting organisation, is now available on the Swimming Australia website and aims to help the public build media and public information literacy

O’Callaghan was forced to defend herself and deny that the claims were her own, encouraging people to use the new tool.

“It’s a scary thing,“ O’Callaghan said.

“You don’t want people impersonating you and making statements that aren’t true.

“I had to remind everyone to check their sources and FLICKBAIT is a great first step for the public – and media – to rule out the fakes.

“I hope other sports follow suit,“ she said.

A number of swimmers have been the target of these defamatory and false articles, with many attributing made-up quotes about very serious and controversial subjects.

A number of these kinds of pages are still operating online, with new ones appearing regularly.

The announcement of FLICKBAIT comes just days before the Dolphins head to their staging camp this weekend ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Swimming Australia confirmed that they have been working with the eSafety Commissioner, DFAT and META, and that the work remains ongoing as they continue to receive reports from current athletes and family members about fake content.

“We have seen a rise in the number of reports from our athletes and members of the Swimming Australia community of posts

which are clearly from fake accounts and many have caused great distress,” Swimming Australia’s National Wellbeing and Engagement Manager Linley Frame said.

“We will continue to work hard to close down these posts with the relevant bodies

but rather than sit back and see these posts liked, shared and commented on, we thought it was our responsibility to be proactive and denounce the content as FLICKBAIT.

“We will continue to address this challenge to counter misinformation – and disinforma-

tion – and we hope this resource proves an additional valuable tool in safeguarding our athletes and our community.

“We will do what we can to address fake news and this is not to say that posts we haven’t addressed are accurate.”

Hamstring injury rules Gout out of world championships

GOUT Gout has pulled out of the World Under 20 Championships next month with a hamstring injury that could sideline him until 2027.

The Ipswich prodigy, who is still 18, had to cut his training trip to the USA short due to the injury and has since received news that he will need a lengthy recovery.

“Unfortunately I suffered an injury to my left hamstring last night at training in Brisbane,“ Gout shared to his socials.

“I received this morning the MRI report, unfortunately the news is not good and I will

not be able to compete in Eugene at the World U20 championships next month,“ he said.

Gout included details from his MRI results.

“There is a partial thickness tear of the proximal intramuscular tendon of the long head biceps femoris [hamstring],“ the results said.

“There is partial disruption of the tendon which involves less than 10 per cent of the cross-sectional area of the tendon but extends over an 8cm length. This represents a grade 3C injury according to the BAMIC,“ they said.

Gout pulled out of the Commonwealth Games, which begin this month, to focus on the World Under 20’s.

His goal is to recover in order to have a big 2027 which will be important preparation for the 2028 LA Olympics.

“I’m very disappointed but I have no other possibility but to accept the situation,“ Gout said.

“I understand this is part of athletics. My focus now will be on my rehab in the coming weeks and months and ensuring I come back in 2027 better and stronger and faster,“ he said.

It is a bitter blow for the Ipswich prodigy who will now miss his chance to race the best athletes from around the world in his own age group.

Gout Gout (Lyle Radford: 534405)

RampAttak scoots in for nationals

SOME of Australia’s best and local homegrown talent of riders took to Ipswich’ biggest indoor skatepark over the weekend, competing for gold as part of the 2026 Australian Scooter National Championships.

Held at RampAttak Ipswich, riders of all ages and experience levels had 45 seconds to perform tricks and stunts, as they combined speed, balance and creativity.

18-year old Ipswich rider Mason Barratt said the event itself was really cool.

“It was a lot more laid back to what the State Competition was before this,” Mason said.

“There was a bigger crowd, better atmosphere and overall it was really good.

As riders took to rails, off-ramps and midair theatrics, three judges watched on, paying closer attention to difficulty, variety, flow and style.

Located in Blackstone, RampAttak first

opened its doors in December 2022 where riders can bring not only their scooters, but skateboards, BMX bikes, MTB and inline skates as well.

Mason said RampAttak continues to be a well rounded venue for all ages and experience levels to attend.

“You’ve got the street section, the foam pit, the resi and the jump park for example.

“If I was to hold a competition somewhere, it would definitely be RampAttak,” Mason said.

Competing as part of Brisbane Scooter Club, Mason finished sixth in the Men Street Open category respectively.

The event would bring together men and women from as far as Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

RampAttak is the only combined indoor skatepark in Australia that offers both a street section and a park section .

It remains the biggest indoor skatepark in Oceania.

Rufus Macfarlane-Brewer performs an air defying trick.
Scooter riders warming up for the competition. (Photos: Lyle Radford 565101)
Akira Mellor took home gold in her class.
Kyle Rodrick takes things upside down.
Marcus Dunlop takes on the 45 second dash.
Alanna Benn having the time of her life.
Elliot Pimpini in the zone.

Multicultural round is here

THE Rugby League Ipswich (RLI) Multicultural Rounds are here, with a number of clubs including the Rosewood Roosters in the competition wearing special jerseys in both junior and senior fixtures over the next two weekends. It aims to promote inclusivity of all cultures and celebrates the many walks of life that players, staff, volunteers and fans in the RLI

come from.

“It is recognising that we’re about more than football,“ RLI Chairman David Nugent said.

“We are a community hub for all sections of the community and all are welcome to play in our competitions.

“We are very big on inclusiveness, so we don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk as well.

“Our communities will be recognised

through different totems appearing on our jerseys or apparel and I think some clubs are actually making theirs available for purchase as well, or auctioning off their jerseys for a good cause.

“This round recognises how we enrich the social fabric by making sure that everybody’s included and connected to rugby league if they want to be,“ he said.

Be sure to check out some of the amazing jerseys designed by the various clubs involved this weekend; each has been made to reflect their club’s community and the multiculturalism within it.

The Ipswich Referee’s Association will also be supporting the cause with special referee uniforms to be worn by officials across the weekends.

Riley Anderson from the Ipswich Referee’s Association, Bridget Eadie from Rugby League Ipswich and Jerara Semple from Rosewood Roosters are excited to wear special outfits for the round. (LyleRadford:565500)

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