AS the humpback whales are feeding up in the Antarctic ready for their migration to a warmer climate for winter, Sunreef Mooloolaba are preparing for their third Swim with Whales season on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Sunreef Mooloolaba’s Dan Hart said the whales are currently feeding, eating in excess of one tonne of krill and small fish a day, increasing their blubber reserves, which they will live off throughout their migration north, not eating apart from the occasional opportune feed until they return home.

Congratulations to the Sunshine Coast Airport on securing new Qantas Link flights including business friendly schedule.

We are very proud to have been working with the Airport, and our campaign delivery partners Various Artists, to deliver the Fly Local campaign, encouraging Sunshine Coasters to #FlyLocal.  These flights will be great for Coast residents.

Here are all the details:

This year’s Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival will be the largest yet, with more than 50 presentations and over 100 exhibitors participating throughout the weekend of 13 & 14 September.

It was great to be a part of the ABC Sunshine Coast “Meet every Listener” campaign at Buderim this week.

Two of our clients, Bloomhill Cancer Help and the Buderim Foundation had a chat to Jess Hinchliffe along with our very own USC PR intern Alexis Bell.

A new opportunity for student and teachers to engage with environmental conservation launches this week.

As part of their communication degrees, four University of the Sunshine Coast students have been developing an adoption program for the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre which will help raise money and awareness about endangered sun bears in Malaysia.

The opening of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sepilok, Malyasia this week brings hope to this forgotten species and excitement to a group of University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) students who are heading to Borneo next month to help promote the centre.

Sun bears battle deforestation, exploitation, and illegal poaching. These threats have caused wild populations to plummet 30 per cent in the past 30 years and earn a “vulnerable” status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

desu Designer Homes, a new Australian designer timber residential building company has launched with all the strength of leading national building firm Nu-Steel Homes.

Visitors to the Real Food Festival will have the opportunity to taste the flavours of the world this year, with more than 30 ready-to-eat stalls offering a range of international cuisines.

The festival, held from 7th to 8th September in Maleny is a celebration of the Sunshine Coast’s local food industry from paddock to plate.

Festival Director, Julie Shelton said guests could eat their way around the globe, with the festival featuring traditional foods from Africa, Brazil, Italy, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam, Mexico, Germany, and of course, modern Australia.

“The variety of the foods on offer this year will be amazing – something to suit any age, palate or preference,” Julie said.

The presenting chefs, including Chris White from Hungry Feel Eating House, Laurent Vancam from Chef Laurent, Monica Topliss from Kunara Organic Cafe, Cameron Matthews from The Long Apron at Spicers Clovelly Estate and Chris Bond from Pomodoras on Obi, will each be cooking up a storm in the Kunara Real Food Kitchen throughout the weekend.

Monica Topliss’ new cookbook, ‘Topliss in the Kitchen: the secrets to a good life without gluten’, will also be available for sale at the festival, featuring a delicious selection of gluten free recipes, many that are vegan and dairy free too.

“The cooking demonstrations are a great way for people to learn how to use fresh local produce to make restaurant quality dishes in the comfort of their own homes,” Julie said.

“We have a full festival program and a fantastic line-up of presenters, food experts and chefs across four exciting venues,” Julie said.

Proudly supported by event partner, IGA Sunshine Coast, the festival will also host more than 110 Sunshine Coast based exhibits ranging from specialty foods to food-related products and services, as well as plenty of family friendly entertainment and activities for the kids.

The Real Food Festival will be held at the Maleny Showgrounds, 13 Stanley River Road, Maleny on 7th – 8th September from 9am to 4pm daily and will showcase an abundance of local foods from Sunshine Coast producers, manufacturers and restaurants. Entry is $15 for a daily adult pass and children under 16 are free.

To view the 2013 Festival Program, visit www.realfoodfestival.com.au/2013-program or for more information about the Real Food Festival, visit the Festival website at www.realfoodfestival.com.au.

Image (Left – Right): Chris White from Hungry Feel Eating House, Laurent Vancam from Chef Laurent,  Monica Topliss from Kunara Organic Cafe, Cameron Matthews from The Long Apron at Spicers Clovelly Estate and Chris Bond from Pomodoras on Obi.

Successful applicants of the Buderim Foundation’s 2013 Grants Program can look forward to the Good News Night on Friday, 20 September when the first round of grants will be announced.

This year, the Grants Program will distribute a record amount of more than $43,000 over two rounds, with the second round to be announced later this year.

Chair of the Buderim Foundation, Paul Clark said every year the grant total amount reached record highs, as more people become aware of the Foundation and its role within the community.

“The grants program offers the opportunity for worthwhile community initiatives that benefit Buderim and its residents to receive funding,” Prof. Clark said.

The Buderim Foundation’s Good News Night will be held at the Buderim Memorial Hall on Friday, 20 September at 5pm. The event will see the successful community organisations and projects receiving grants announced, as well as a formal report on the achievements and progress of the Foundation over the past year and its future plans to support the community.

Last year the Foundation made available a record total of $23,290 for its grants program, just a small portion of the close to $100,000 that the Foundation is proud to have been able to distribute in the community.

Recipients of the 2012 grants included the Buderim Men’s Shed, Maroochydore State Emergency Services Support Association and Buderim Sails.

“The Foundation started providing grants from 2008 and has since contributed to over 30 different local organisations,” Prof. Clark said.

The goal of the Buderim Foundation is to enrich and enhance the quality of life for Buderim and its residents, past and future. The Foundation is a philanthropic, not-for-profit organisation, which aims to generate income from donations and bequests from community members and provide grants for community projects.

“As a not-for-profit public company, the Foundation relies on the generous contributions of local businesses and residents in order to continue providing grants to quality local community projects and groups,” Prof. Clark said.

The grants are offered to not-for-profit organisations in the Buderim community, or not-for-profit Sunshine Coast community organisations that are able to provide services to the Buderim community.

The Good News Night is open to all community members and refreshments will be provided. To RSVP for the event, please call 07 5456 1757 or email info@buderimfoundation.org.au by Tuesday, 17 September.

For more information on the Buderim Foundation or the 2013 grants program, please visit, www.buderimfoundation.org.au.

The Sunshine Coast’s 2013 Real Food Festival will play host to a range of presenters that will provide valuable skills to help people live and eat sustainably.

The two-day Festival, held from 7th to 8th September, is a celebration of the Sunshine Coast real food community, bringing together the best local produce and food services from paddock to plate.

Festival Director, Julie Shelton said the Festival was not only a celebration of food, but also provided a great place for people to increase their knowledge, learn practical skills and connect with local food experts and ask questions.

“We wanted to create an event that would act as a hub for everything food, and most importantly to have people walk away from the Festival with a greater knowledge and passion for food,” Julie said.

“There will be a full schedule of food experts and local chefs presenting throughout the weekend across the Festival’s four exciting venues – the Kunara Real Food Kitchen, Food for Thought, Jeffers Market Nourishing Ideas and Eumundi Markets Food Craft,” Julie said.

The Eumundi Markets Food Craft venue will see Robin Clayfield present a workshop about permaculture on Saturday at 11.30am. This will be followed by presentations on fermentation and how to cook with home-grown produce.

The Jeffers Market Nourishing Ideas venue will also host a range of presentations on sustainable living, including a segment from Kirstie Henning from City Chicks demonstrating how to keep backyard chickens on Saturday, 11.30am, and another on Sunday at 10.30am presented by Cath Manuel from Centre for Growing Sustainability on showing how to grow food in any garden.

Cath Manuel said her presentation would offer an easy, step-by-step process on how to create an organic garden at home.

“I will cover everything a person needs to know, from the first stages of planning the garden, to knowing what to plant and then harvesting the produce – from soil to supper,” Cath said.

Proudly supported by event partner, IGA Sunshine Coast, the festival will also host more than 110 Sunshine Coast based exhibits ranging from specialty foods to food-related products and services, as well as plenty of family friendly entertainment and activities for the kids.

The Real Food Festival will be held at the Maleny Showgrounds, 13 Stanley River Road, Maleny on 7th – 8th September from 9am to 4pm daily and will showcase an abundance of local foods from Sunshine Coast producers, manufacturers and restaurants. Entry is $15 for a daily adult pass and children under 16 are free.

To view the 2013 Festival Program, visit www.realfoodfestival.com.au/2013-program or for more information on the Real Food Festival, visit the Festival website at www.realfoodfestival.com.au.