News – U3A Network Queensland

Accommodation Beaudesert – Network State Conference 2024

29/08/2023

Accommodation in the Beaudesert region for delegates attending the U3A Network State Conference in 2024 is limited so the U3A Beaudesert organising team has put together a summary of accommodation that is available, current vacancies, venue contact details and other useful links.

For members intending to attend the conference, please make your reservations as soon as practicable to avoid missing out.

The Conference Accommodation schedule as at 6 September and information sheet may be downloaded here.

COTA Q and OPAN unite for older persons’ rights

17/08/2023

COTA Queensland have announced a joint approach with Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) to ensure that the views and voices of older persons are heard by the Australian Government on two major reforms:

the new Aged Care Act – the Government has released information about the rights and other foundational aspects (such as supported decision making, the definition of high quality care along with other key areas); and
funding principles for a sustainable aged care system – developed by the Aged Care Taskforce to guide their work.

Consultations will be held throughout August and into early September 2023, starting this Saturday 19^th August in QLD. To have your say about the future of aged care, you can:

register for in-person consultation forums across Australia (every capital city and four regional locations), where you will have the opportunity to provide feedback in a safe and inclusive setting, OR
register for an online regional consultation forum if you cannot attend a session in-person, (including those who live in regional, rural and remote areas), AND
share your views on the future funding of aged care in a COTA/OPAN Aged Care Funding Principles Survey.

For more information visit > https://opan.org.au/cota-opan-consultations

You can also provide your feedback directly to the Australian Government via surveys and submissions.

U3A Brisbane to host Member Open Day

11/08/2023

U3A Brisbane really don’t want U3A to be a well-kept secret so they are inviting people from across the greater Brisbane area to discover the benefits of lifelong learning at an Open Day on Saturday 9 September, 2023:

Location: U3A City Classrooms, 232 Adelaide St. Brisbane.
Duration: 9.30am to 12.30pm
Admission: Free
Light refreshments available

President Gabrielle Power West said, “We are excited to welcome everyone to our Open Day. U3A Brisbane is not just about learning: it is about fostering a sense of belonging and creating an environment where seniors can continue to engage positively in our community.”

We are asking current U3A members to help us spread the word about the Open Day. As a non-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers, with a limited advertising budget, we are hoping for everyone’s help with this. There will be flyers available in the foyers at Creek and Adelaide Streets for you to give to friends and leave in places such as your local library, church, café, or on a community noticeboard in your shopping centre; in fact, anywhere you think appropriate and are prepared to take them. And, of course, you can come along to the Open Day and bring a friend or friends with you.

The Open Day will provide the opportunity for attendees to:
• explore the diverse range of courses on offer
• find out about the benefits of participation in U3A
• connect with our friendly tutors who are keen to share their knowledge in an inclusive and enjoyable learning environment
• discover the camaraderie that makes U3A Brisbane a thriving community of lifelong learners.

We are also keen to hear from people who would like to share their knowledge or passion with others. Being a tutor can be rewarding in its own right. As a current member, have you considered running a course yourself? Do you know someone who is knowledgeable or passionate about a subject who would be prepared to share that by taking on the role of tutor/facilitator? There will also be an opportunity at the Open Day to ask about what is involved in being a tutor and the support U3A can provide.

Please assist us with catering by registering your intention to attend, using the link below. You will be able to advise if you are bringing guests:

Register for U3A Brisbane Open Day

U3A artists showcase their talent at Network State Conference

26/05/2023

U3A artists who entered the U3A Network Queensland Art Exhibition showcased their talent to an international audience at the U3A Network Queensland State Conference in Rockhampton 8 – 11 May 2023.

Art Competition team leader, Trudy Graham presented a video of the artworks submitted at the U3A Network Queensland State Conference Dinner attended by conference delegates and guests from across Queensland along with our interstate and international guests. The talent of our U3A artists was warmly appreciated.

The judges selected these outstanding artworks as the winning entries:

Peoples Choice Award: ‘New Horizons’ – Julie Grant, U3A Toowoomba
Runner Up: ‘Growth-Ongoing’ – Gail Meyer, U3A Rockhampton
First Prize: ‘Our Flight’ – Michele Briggs, U3A Gladstone

Please view the video slides in PDF format here.

Photo: 1st Prize in the Art Competition went to Julie Grant, U3A Toowoomba for here artwork titled ‘New Horizons’.

Network Queensland Conference a Great Success

15/05/2023

The U3A Network Queensland State Conference 2023, hosted by U3A Rockhampton from 8 to 11 May 2023, has been hugely successful with about 190 participants celebrating 50 years of U3A worldwide. The Rockhampton organising team received well deserved accolades for an impressive lineup of guest speakers and memorable events that made this conference an outstanding success.

Theme for the Conference was ‘U3A Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’.

The Conference marked the 50th Anniversary of U3A and attracted international guest speakers including Professor Francois Vellas, President of AIUTA (Association of International Universities of the Third Age) and Professor Maria Chester, Secretary General AIUTA (via video link).

View photos from the Conference here

Profiles of all guest speakers at the Conference

Photo: AIUTA President Professor Francois Vellas’ presents “U3A in the Beginning and our Future.”

Annual Report Presented

16/04/2023

U3A Network Queensland President, Rhonda Weston AM, has released the Network Annual Report for consideration by U3A Network members. The report will be formally presented at the Annual General Meeting in Rockhampton on 11 May 2023.

The report highlights the Network’s activities in support of the 35 member U3As across Queensland including the financial management of revenue from member fees.

Please read and download the Network Annual Report here

Please read the Financial Report here

Highlights of the Annual Report include:

Success of the Liaison Person Program that enabled Network committee members to communicate and consult with member U3As, and the feedback has been positive and appreciated.
A Teams concept within Network that provides a structure for small groups to complete bodies of work within their remit, without tying up all committee members on the same project.
The success of the new Network website launched at the State Conference in Pine Rivers last year that has proved to be a successful and valued digital asset, including a recent upgrade to provide an Event Management and Conference Registration application being used for this year’s State Conference.
The imminent introduction of U3A Port Douglas as the 36th U3A Network member.
Success of the Queensland road trip by the President visiting U3As in rural and regional centres including Rockhampton, Townsville, Emerald and Charters Towers.
Incorporation of U3A Alliance Australia as U3A Australia Inc.
Continuing strategic partnerships with AIUTA, COTA, NBN and the University of Queensland Healthy Ageing initiative.
Two stalwarts of Network in Secretary Alison Taylor and Treasurer Bronwyn Pedler stepping down at the AGM having completed years of excellent service within the Network Management Committee.

Countdown to U3A Network Conference

09/04/2023

With only 7 days left to register for this year’s U3A Network State Conference in Rockhampton it’s time to make that decision whether you will be part of this historic U3A event 8 – 11 May 2023.

Registrations close 21 April so don’t miss out on the three conference days featuring a great lineup of speakers and the three evening celebrations:

Meet and Greet on 8 May
50th Anniversary Dinner on 9 May
Network Queensland Dinner on 10 May

For more information on the conference please visit the main Conference page on the U3A Network Queensland website here

Please register for the conference here

Historical U3A booklet released

02/04/2023

Co-founder of U3A in Australia (1984), Cliff Picton has provided a small booklet that Network Victoria produced for their 20^th Anniversary in 2005 describing the founding of U3A in Australia, an historical overview of those early days with personal reminiscences from a number of members.

View and download the booklet here

Cliff Picton has a long involvement with U3A in Victoria and in gerontology, including two terms on the Victorian Government’s Ministerial Advisory Council of Senior Victorians.

Prior to his retirement, Cliff was Ombudsman at La Trobe University, Melbourne from 2044 – 2015. He has also served as Associate Dean International and Head of School of Social Work and Social Policy.

Currently Cliff is a member of the Board of Trustees of Community and Family Services International at Manila based NGO. This reflects a 30-year involvement in work with refugees and socially displaced people.

Theme notes for U3A Network Art Competition 2023

13/03/2023

Don’t be put off by the theme of this year’s art competition ‘U3A Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ that some artists have found difficult to interpret in terms of the artworks that would meet the theme requirements.

The definition of theme in art is the message that the artist wishes to convey through the artwork. Theme is not simply the subject matter of the piece of art; rather, it is the abstract idea being portrayed by both the artist’s design and the subject matter that is created.

What an artist will produce is their own interpretation of the theme.

Here are two examples how two different artists interpreted the same theme – that of ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’.

CeeCee, ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’.

This example (pictured right) – is not a collage.

It is adapted from a series of art journalling using crayon on paper. To make it a collage, coloured lace, card, paper etc could have been used with the crayon. If you look closely, you can see the artist has etched some letters in the background of the work.)

Marilyn – ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’

This example (pictured right) is a collage of different media.

It depicts the tumultuous life of one of the most famous people of the 20th Century, in Marilyn Monroe, and the intense concentration of media attention on her life, good and bad.

Although not depicting the whole theme it conveys a strong message of a time when the movies were foremost in our lives and that fame doesn’t necessarily bring happiness. The expression on Marilyn’s face says it all.

So, the advice is to not get to hung up about whether the message in your artwork is correct in terms of the theme. Have fun with it. Play with different mediums to wow our judges, and to earn a place in the international exhibition at the conference in Rockhampton, May 2023.

Grant Cassidy OAM named conference MC

11/03/2023

Grant Cassidy OAM, Managing Director of Cassidy Hospitality Group, has been named as Master of Ceremonies for the U3A Network State Conference in May in Rockhampton.

Grant is an experienced Company Director and a long-term resident and business owner in Central Queensland. For the past 21 years he has been a high profile Tourism and Hospitality industry leader who has made an outstanding contribution to Queensland tourism and Rockhampton in particular.

Grant and his team manage two hotels in Rockhampton – the Edge and the seven time Gold Queensland Tourism Award winning Empire Apartment Hotels – and serves as a Director of Gladstone Ports Corporation and the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) as well Chairs the Rockhampton Business committee for the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal, is the Chair of Regional Development Australia (RDA) Central and Western Queensland and Vice Chair of Beef Australia Limited.

Managing Director of GRC Pastoral, Grant has invested in the region’s future in agriculture with now two properties, having purchased with his wife Rebecca a 828-acre beef cattle and broad acre farming property “Dunrobin” on the Fitzroy River last September, near their other smaller property, ‘Riverview’.

Grant is a Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) and a JP (Qualified).

Photo: Grant Cassidy OAM with his wife Rebecca; Tony Cullen, General Manager; and Alyssa Tate, Group General Manager.