Join in the fun and help keep Emerald Clean When: Sunday 4th March 2012 Where: The Park behind the Library - Borilla St, Emerald Time: Registration from 7:30am - For larger groups of 8 or more people please contact the Council on 1300 242 686 to pre-register your team

Council staff worked over the Christmas break to ensure that two new river height monitoring stations for the upper Nogoa and Comet river catchment areas are operational and accessible from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) website. One is located on Van Dyke Creek west of Springsure, and the other on Comet River at Rolleston. They will provide additional flood warning information for the Emerald and Rolleston communities.

C and R Consulting were commissioned by Council to undertake a detailed flood analysis and evaluation study of the upper Nogoa River catchment above the Fairbairn Dam and including the dam spillway to downstream of the Emerald township flood plain. These reports were released today and include a number of recommendations that Council will be working with other key agencies to analyse.

Council has developed a 'Flood Smart, Flood Ready' brochure to help Emerald residents understand the river height readings used during flood events, and the probable effects on road closures and access. The information used is for river floods only, and uses the measures taken at the Fairbairn Dam Spillway and Vince Lester Bridge river gauges.Council recommends that this information is used by residents to hep prepare a flood action plan for homes and businesses.

On Friday 16 December 2011, winners of the Light Up Our Town Competition were announced as follows:

On the 12 December 2011 the Minister for Planning, Local Government and Special Minister of State Planning approved, and the Council adopted, a minor amendment package to the Bauhinia, Duaringa, Emerald and Peak Downs Planning Schemes. Essentially this involves the incorporation of a new Flood Plain Hazard Overlay map, supported by a code that sets assessment requirements for new residential development in the areas that have been identified in the maps as being flood prone.

Council adopted its ten year Community Plan at its Council meeting on Monday December 12. The Central Highlands 2022 Community Plan is set to guide regional planning for the next 10 years. Mayor Peter Maguire said this is the first long term community plan for the Central Highlands and sets out the visions and aspirations for our 13 distinct community areas as well as the region.

Show your Christmas and festive spirit by adorning your home, business premises or community organisation's premises in Christmas lights and decorations and enter the "Light Up Our Town" competition. You could win fantastic prizes just for spreading a little Christmas cheer and providing some great family enjoyment.

The Galilee Bowen Basin Council of Mayors has strongly endorsed the position taken by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) in refusing to sign the Sustainable Resource Communities Policy with the State Government and the Queensland Resources Council.Mayor of Central Highlands Regional Council who are already a party to this policy said I am a very strong supporter of including these coastal councils who experience significant impacts from mining similar to what is being experienced in the council areas where the mining operations exist. Councils must stand united on this issue.

Council endorsed the draft Central Highlands 2022 Community Plan at yesterday’s general meeting and is urging everyone to ‘stay involved’ by giving feedback on the plan. Mayor Peter Maguire said Council is pleased to announce the draft 10 year Community Plan for the Central Highlands has be completed and released for public comment from Tuesday 12 October 2011 to Wednesday 16th November 2011.