Big country, big hearts

People in Australia in general, and Queenslanders in particular, seem to rally round their colleagues in need. It doesn’t matter whether it is their best friend, or some complete stranger, you’ll soon find them quietly giving a hand in some way.

Today, in sunny, down-town Atherton, there were two examples of this mateship.

Mark and Faith are two young friends of mine who own a gardening/landscaping franchise. Mark helped me transform my yard from scruffy grass to a garden full of native trees and shrubs, that attract birds and butterflies. (And spiders: that’s a whole different story.)

Mark sent an email to alert me that a sausage sizzle would be held at the local IGA Supermarket, with all funds going to the victims of the recent floods and Cyclone Yasi, in Queensland.

Here are a few photos to show what you missed, face painting being one of them.

The snags smelled good!

Do you want sauce and onions with that?

The young "sponsors"

Our Tablelands Regional Council got into the act also, with a book sale organised for the next week. All proceeds from this will go to the Premier’s Relief Appeal.

For $10, you got a big bag which you could fill with the books of your choice. Many happy readers were there early, to slowly prowl through the laden tables.

On for a week, lots of bargains!