The Lockyer & Somerset Independent

10/09/2025

🚑💚 Lowood Celebrates Ambulance Week! 💚🚑

The community came together over the weekend at the Lowood Ambulance Station for a fun-filled Ambulance Week Open Day.

Families enjoyed a mix of entertainment and education, with:
🎶 Live music & sausage sizzle hosted by the Local Ambulance Committee
🎨 Face painting, jumping castle & plenty of kids’ activities
🚑 Tours of a brand-new ambulance and a heritage vehicle
🐾 Special visits from Axle the miniature ambulance mascot
👩‍⚕️ Live demonstrations by paramedics, sharing first-aid skills and showing how they respond to emergencies

Officer-in-Charge Jeana Bierton said the day was about celebrating the role of paramedics and volunteers in the community:

“It gives the local ambulance committee and paramedics an opportunity to share with the community what we actually do as a service, and what the local ambulance committee provides.”

The event showcased the best of Lowood’s community spirit – bringing families together, raising awareness of local emergency services, and celebrating the tireless work of paramedics and volunteers.

💚 Thank you to everyone who joined in to support our local heroes!

The Lowood community came together on the weekend to celebrate Ambulance Week with an open day at the local station. [...]

10/09/2025

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10/09/2025

John Street South in Laidley will soon receive a full reconstruction to improve road and pedestrian safety.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council crews will rehabilitate the road surface along the full length of the street, including the intersection of Whites Road.

John Street South in Laidley will soon receive a full reconstruction to improve road and pedestrian safety. Lockyer Valley Regional [...]

10/09/2025

More than 150 students from Gatton State School have participated in Optus Digital Thumbprint workshops, learning about cyber security including protecting their personal information online.

More than 150 students from Gatton State School have participated in Optus Digital Thumbprint workshops, learning about cyber security including [...]

06/09/2025

03/09/2025

📖✨ Rosewood kids are diving into their town’s history in a fun new way! 🌳👧👦

The Rosewood History Group, with support from Bendigo Community Bank 💜🏦, has created "Rosewood Then and Now" 📚 — a children’s book showing how life in town has changed ⏳➡️⏰. Grade 2 students at St Brigid’s loved it! 😍🙌

🎨 Illustrator Megan Forward painted landmarks like the post office 📮 and Majestic Theatre 🎭 — and even sketched locals into the story! 👩‍🎨🖌️

The group also runs “Gatherings” at the library 📚, makes video tours 🎥, and installs QR code plaques 📲 — all leading up to Rosewood State School’s 🎓150th anniversary 🎉.

Got a family story to share? 📝❤️ They’d love to hear from you! 🤗✨

Rosewood students are discovering their town’s past in a new way thanks to a special children’s book created by the [...]

03/09/2025

Faith Lutheran College Plainland became the center for women’s sports in the Valley on 27 August, as the school’s Emerge event provided students with tools to achieve their sporting aspirations through sessions led by celebrated athletes.

Faith Lutheran College Plainland became the center for women’s sports in the Valley on 27 August, as the school's Emerge [...]

02/09/2025

The vibrant spirit of Glamorgan Vale was on full display on Saturday, 30 August, as family, friends, and the wider community celebrated the 150th anniversary of its state school.

A milestone to remember, the event honoured everyone who has contributed to the school’s rich history, both in front of and behind the scenes, including volunteers, the P&C and the its local CWA.

A special plaque unveiling took place for Glamorgan Vale State School former principal Troy Coombs, who served from 2010 to 2023 and had a building named in his honour.

The vibrant spirit of Glamorgan Vale was on full display on Saturday, 30 August, as family, friends, and the wider [...]

02/09/2025

Pioneering and mechanical brilliance were on display as the Laidley Pioneer Village hosted the oldest motor cars in Queensland for its Pioneer Day on Sunday, 31 August.

Pioneering and mechanical brilliance were on display as the Laidley Pioneer Village hosted the oldest motor cars in Queensland for [...]

01/09/2025

💙💍 65 Years of Love 💍💙

Lockyer sweethearts Colin and Enid Harch have celebrated their Blue Sapphire Wedding Anniversary – an incredible 65 years of marriage!

On 30 July, their family gathered at the Queensland National Hotel in Laidley to honour the milestone.

Colin and Enid built a life of love, family and farming on their Summerholm property, raising two children and now proudly surrounded by grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even a great-great grandchild.

In recognition of their enduring love, the couple received special letters of congratulations from the King and Queen, the Prime Minister, Governor-General, Governor of Queensland, the Premier, and local MPs Scott Buchholz and Jim McDonald.

✨ A beautiful tribute to a lifetime of love and commitment. Congratulations, Colin and Enid!

Lockyer sweethearts Colin and Enid Harch have celebrated theit 65th (blue sapphire) wedding anniversary. On 30 July this year, their [...]

29/08/2025

🎨✨ New Exhibition at Kilcoy Courthouse Art Gallery!✨🎨

A fresh collection of artworks is now on display as part of our new quarterly exhibition, which opened on 7 August. To celebrate, we held a sunny Exhibition Opening on The Lakeside Deck (17 August). 🌞

👏 Congratulations to Wendy Houston, winner of People’s Choice with her stunning textile piece “Gum Blossoms” 🌸 — Wendy’s third win with her exquisite textiles!
🥈 Second place went to Patricia Brooke for her beautiful winter scene. ❄️

🖼️ This exhibition runs until early November and features:
🎨 Paintings
🧵 Textiles
🪵 Woodwork
💍 Jewellery
🌟 Leadlight & Pottery

📅 Visit us Thursday to Monday, 9am–1pm at the Kilcoy Courthouse Art Gallery.

✨ Artist of the Month ✨
A big thank you to Ann Caporn, our August AOM, for her captivating paintings. 🌸
For September, we’re thrilled to feature Dr Dawn Evans — artist and Kilcoy Art Society Vice President.

Dr Dawn has explored art since childhood, working across oils, acrylics, charcoal, watercolour, silverpoint, photography and more. Her works move beyond literal landscapes into whimsical, quirky, and sometimes cheeky interpretations of nature. 🌿🎭

She has even experimented with AI art, presenting two unique creations in this exhibition. 🤖🎨

👉 Are you curious? Don’t miss the chance to see Dr Dawn’s artworks featured on the gallery’s wall this month. You won’t be disappointed!

📍 Kilcoy Courthouse Art Gallery
🕘 Open Thursday–Monday, 9am–1pm

A fresh collection of artworks have been exhibited in the gallery as part of our new quarterly exhibition, which commenced [...]

28/08/2025

📖✨ Discover Somerset’s history – and add your own!

Somerset historians have a brand-new tool to explore our region’s past with the launch of Somerset Stories – an online collection of historical photos, documents, maps and videos.

Deputy Mayor Helen Brieschke said the platform is all about capturing our community’s heritage:

🗣️ “It captures moments in time, celebrations, the changing streetscapes and landscapes, large projects like the construction of Somerset Dam and more.

Now it’s your turn to help fill in the gaps. 🙌
📷 Got old family photos, postcards, town guides or even untold stories? You can add them to Somerset Stories and help rebuild our local history.

🔎 Explore or contribute here 👉 somerset.recollect.net.au

To help locals get started, Somerset Libraries will run Tech Savvy sessions in September:
📍 Toogoolawah Library – Fri 5 Sept, 10–11:30am
📍 Kilcoy & Lowood Libraries – Mon 8 Sept, 10:30–12pm
📍 Esk Library – Wed 10 Sept, 10:30–12pm

📞 Bookings essential: Call 5424 4000, email [email protected] or use the Somerset On The Go app.

✨ Let’s piece together Somerset’s story – one photo, one memory, one story at a time.

Somerset historians now have a valuable new tool to explore and contribute to the region’s rich past with the launch [...]