General News
15 February, 2025
Volunteers make region thrive
THE efforts of volunteers have been recognised as Tablelands Regional Council encourages more people to come forward to help at its visitor information centres, galleries and nursery.
“Volunteers are the backbone of our community, selflessly offering their time and skills to support a range of organisations, causes and initiatives,” Mayor Rod Marti said.
“Their tireless efforts in sporting clubs, community groups, committees, support services and other places in the community ensure our region thrives.
“Volunteering is a great opportunity to meet new and like-minded people, share interests and support your community.
“Our TRC volunteers are key to the success of our information centres, galleries, museum, community disaster groups and nursery, which means we have a range of roles in different locations.
“We’re flexible with days, times and other scheduling, and you don’t need any particular skills — we’ll provide training and ongoing support.”
Donna Doyle has been volunteering at the Tableland Regional Gallery for more than four years and is encouraging others to step up.
“I really enjoy volunteering at the gallery. My role is to greet visitors and sell art and other items to gallery visitors,” she said.
“I like meeting people, socialising with the other volunteers and being out and about in the community. The bonus is I get to see and learn about the art.”
A longstanding TRC volunteer who recently retired after nearly 23 years at the Ravenshoe Visitor Centre was also recognised for his efforts.
“Adrian De Leeuw was an extremely dedicated volunteer who went above and beyond, especially when it came to maintenance,” Cr Annette Haydon said.
“He was also instrumental in developing the heritage photo collection by encouraging the community to donate their old photos to the centre.
“We now have a large collection of collated photos that depict the heritage of Ravenshoe.
“Adrian always looked after the welfare of the centre volunteers, never forgetting a birthday and often taking on extra shifts when people were unable to go in.
“We will miss Adrian’s dedication and appreciate the time he has committed to the Ravenshoe community.”
To find out more about volunteering and register, go to www.trc.qld.gov.au/volunteer or drop into TRC offices.
