There were several highlights taking centre stage at the Scenic Rim Business Breakfast.
One of them saw Mayor Greg Christensen praise the schools and their efforts in the catering of the event. “They are our future” he told the gathering.
Schools were Beaudesert State High School and McAuley College, as well as a local family business “Scenic Rim Catering”, (spotlighting local produce), which included several young students who attend Boonah State High School (pictured above).
The overall message from the Thursday morning breakfast:
Business connectivity, financial support, resilience, mentoring and training.
Mayor Christensen said he was proud of the community, considering 2020 had delivered floods, fires and then a pandemic.
“”Learning and networking was invaluable for the region’s business sector””.
“The small business community accounts for 98.5 per cent of businesses across the Scenic Rim and plays a huge part in our economy,” he said.
“Events like the Scenic Rim Business Breakfast are designed to engage, promote and stimulate ideas to create business confidence within our community and ultimately help create pathways to skills development and employment.
“Opportunities like this are right on track with the clear direction and roadmap we have set for economic growth and sustainability through the Scenic Rim Regional Prosperity Strategy 2020 – 2025, the Scenic Rim’s first ever strategy focused on economic growth.”
His comments come just 24 hours after a big award for the region
An initiative to connect consumers with Scenic Rim produce after the cancellation of 2020 Eat Local Week has earned the Scenic Rim Regional Council a win in the Resilient Australia Awards (Queensland).
Scenic Rim Farm Box, which Council supported as part of its Economic Stimulus Package in response to COVID-19 in lieu of its usual contribution to Eat Local Week, won an award in the Local Government Award category at the 2020 Resilient Australia Awards (Queensland) on 14 October.
The awards recognise projects that have helped Queensland communities better prepare for natural disasters and emergencies.
At a time when local producers were losing valuable income as a result of the global pandemic, Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said the farm to fridge pivot went a long way to filling the gap caused by both the cancellation of Scenic Rim Eat Local Week and loss of business as supply chains and restaurants closed due to COVID-19.
Kooralbyn Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Harris said connection was key.
“All small businesses should belong to a chamber of commerce, have good interlinks with Council and attend events like this, where you find out good information,” she said.
“For a small business, if you’re connected to these networks you don’t have to go looking for the latest information so much, because you’ve got your finger on the pulse.”
The Scenic Rim’s agriculture, health, tourism, hospitality and education sectors were among those represented at the 2020 Scenic Rim Business Breakfast, along with representation from the region’s chambers of commerce, Council officers and elected representatives.
Photo: Commissioner Maree Adshead, chamber of commerce representatives Mike Webster (Boonah), Judi Minnikin (Tamborine Mountain), David Kassulke (Beaudesert), Desley Bird (Canungra) and Wendy Harris (Kooralbyn) pictured with General Manager Customer and Regional Prosperity Debra Howe (third from left) and Mayor Greg Christensen (far right)
