2018 Proposed and Planned Events
Contents
- 2018 Planned and Proposed Activities
- Administration
- Ordinary Meeting program
- Community Forum program for 2018
- Environmental Observance dates
- Events to support
- Some potential projects

2018 Planned and Proposed Activities
At our Planning Meeting held on Saturday 13 January 2018, the executive confirmed our Ordinary Meeting schedule for the year; suggested a list of topics for the proposed Community Forum program; discussed possible environmental observance dates to either endorse only and/or to support, promote and participate in; and possible educational and/or hands-on land care projects to undertake by ourselves or in participation with others.

Administration:
1) We have applied for listing on the Federal Government’s “Register of Environmental Organisations”. This listing will provide us with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status so that we can start applying for Corporate Sponsorship to us help defray our operating expenses and to better market our projects, events and activities. We will also be able to apply to a wider range of funding bodies for our ‘backlog’ and proposed projects.
2) Efforts continue to spread the HOPE philosophy nationally; and to increase our membership – especially in the southern states.

Meeting program
Schedule for 2018:Date | Meeting |
---|---|
10 February 2018 | Guest speaker is MaryLou Gittens from Condamine Catchment Management Assn (CCMA). Marylou will give an overview of CCMA and explain her role as Queensland Water and Land Carers (QWaLC) director for Condamine region. |
24 March 2018 | Special General Meeting |
16 June 2018 | Special Meeting to ratify Constitution changes Initial meeting of HOPE Public Fund Management Committee |
8 September 2018 | Ordinary Meeting |
10 November 2018 | Annual General Meeting (AGM) 1st Ordinary Meeting of new Management Team for 2018-2019 |
All meetings are held at the HOPE Office, 22 Vacy Street, Toowoomba, commencing at 10am sharp!

Community Forum program for 2018
Date | Topic |
---|---|
Thu, 1st March | Glen Tucker, Southern Beekeepers Assn -- Important Honey Flora |
Thu, 5th April | Bruce Lawrie, Topknot Advisory: rural & environmental -- Conservation in Africa. --> Community Forum postponed to a later date due to unavailability of guest speaker. |
Tue, 22nd May | Colin Johnson, Earthlife -- How restoring soil balance can help restore our environment |
All forums are held at Toowoomba City Library meeting room C, from 7pm to 9pm (Entrance by gold coin donation – to cover cost of venue hire) *** Other community forums will be added to program dependent on availability of guest speaker --- Possible topics include:
- Animal Welfare – see RSPCA & Wildlife Carer groups
- Going Solar – On-Off Grid with Battery Storage – ACDC Energy
- Sustainable Development Goals – UNAA Qld & others
- Using drones to survey landscapes – Steve Cupitt

Environmental Observance dates
So far, members expressed interest in supporting events such as:Date | Event | |
---|---|---|
late February-early March | Clean Up Australia Day events | |
5th June | World Environment Day | |
15th Sept | World Cleanup Day | |
Mid November | National Recycling Week | |
Other potential environmental observances to support may be found at http://www.environment.gov.au/about-us/media-centre/events

Events to support:
- Nominate & register clean-up sites for Clean Up Australia Day (4th March)
- Logan Eco Action Festival (LEAF) – usually held in late May
- U3A Toowoomba’s Seniors Expo (mid-August)
- Several small information displays at Toowoomba’s PCYC Sunday Market
Other events will be added to program as they are endorsed

Some potential projects
(requiring grant funding and/or corporate sponsorship):- Nature Journaling workshops – promote to schools & community groups in Toowoomba region
- Earth Ethics conference in partnership with University of Southern Queensland (USQ) and others (as per 2017 Brisbane program)
- Landcare based projects – as identified by Steve Cupitt
- Creating Wildlife Friendly Backyards
- Using drones to survey landscapes
- Pest and Weed Management
- Managing MNES (Matters of National Environmental Significance) as part of land-holders’ Property Management Plans
- Grazing management trials
