Banksia Bulletin Editorial July 2016

​If there’s one thing we can all rely on Telstra for, it’s dropping out at THE most inconvenient times!
 
Name calling and head shaking aside, we’ve done some applause-worthy persevering this week (and racked up HEAPS of excess-data-hot-spot charges) to bring you this month’s Banksia Bulletin.
 
What a month! Here’s a little recap of a couple of things we got up to:
 
30 Under 30 Strategic Planning Youth Forum. We had 17 young people come down to the CRC on Friday 17th June to spend a day workshopping with Professor Gary Stockport of UWA. Prof Gary held a captive audience all day (fuelled with delicious catering thanks to the Co-op Café and the Quairading Pub) and got us all thinking about what Quairading’s got and what Quairading needs in order to attract more young people to town. We ran this on behalf of the Shire and look forward to seeing some of our ideas incorporated into the new Community Strategic Plan. Read more on page 27.
 
End of Financial Year Sundowner. With over 20 local business-people in attendance we ate and drank (thanks Shack Club!) and listened to Ken Rogers insights into what’s going on in the business world around us. Our ongoing partnership with WBN (Wheatbelt Business Network) is a very handy partnership indeed as they fund this event every year, as well as our quarterly Business After Hours events. If your business would like to become a member of the Wheatbelt Business Network, let us know! While on the WBN topic - we’ve had four local businesses submit applications for the Wheatbelt Business Excellence Awards, bloody good going! Quairading Farmers Co-op, Quairading Tyre & Battery, Loose Stitches and Greenhills Inn are our four local entrants - keep shopping local and wish them all good luck!
 
I'd like to give a quick shout out to all our volunteer and service clubs around town. Last week I finally rolled down to the Post Office and bought my #single St John Membership and it was so damn easy, and way cheaper than an ambulance bill. If you're not covered, get covered.
 
As we go to print we're all frantically getting ready to host nearly one hundred rural women on Thursday 30th June at our inaugural Women in Ag event in the Town Hall. We've been blown away by the response to this bad boy. Big big thanks to everyone who's lent a hand to get this day together, it's going to be a ripper!
 
Lastly, thanks a million to everyone who wished me well heading into the Eastern Districts group judging for Rural Ambassador 2016. I’m very proud to say I won our group (and have a blue sash and shiny new Leatherman pocket knife to prove it!) and will be off to State Judging in August. I’m super excited for the networking and promotion opportunities this competition will provide not only me, but the whole town.
 
Miss Showbag out.
 
Jill Hayes
Coordinator, Quairading CRC
Editor, Banksia Bulletin