Arrow offers nice slice of support to Chinchilla festival

Arrow Energy will celebrate the 25th year of the Chinchilla Melon Festival next month by supporting the smallest festival goers.

Arrow has sponsored the ‘kids’ entertainment’ and street performers for the event’s main day, Saturday February 19.

“The kids’ entertainment is held in the Chinchilla Cultural Centre over two different sessions,” said festival secretary Tania Thornton.

“It is a great area for children to experience entertainment that isn’t readily available in Chinchilla, and they get to interact with performers throughout the sessions.”

Ms Thornton said reaching the 25th year of the festival was a major achievement for an event that now promoted the whole of the Western Downs region.

“Chinchilla Melon Festival started in 1994, when the Chinchilla community was suffering from long-term drought,” Ms Thornton said.

“We realised the spirit of the stricken community needed a boost of confidence, so a small band of dedicated volunteers formed a committee to promote Chinchilla’s contribution to the Australian melon industry at the time.

“The event has grown every year since then, with last year’s attendance estimated at between 12,000 and 15,000 people.”

Arrow’s Manager Community and Communications, Liz Edwards, said the company was pleased to be involved in such a resilient, community-based event.

“Arrow’s Brighter Futures community investment program exists to support the sustainable development of communities in our operational footprint, and this festival fits the profile perfectly,” Ms Edwards said.

“It is quite an achievement for any volunteer-led event to survive a generation, let alone grow the way this one has.

“My congratulations to Tania and the rest of the committee – and here’s looking forward to the 50th anniversary.”

Arrow’s Brighter Futures program supports local, not-for-profit groups on projects that build community capacity in health, safety, education and environmental awareness. Through it, Arrow has contributed more than $25 million to communities in its footprint.

Other Surat Basin groups awarded Brighter Futures funding from the latest funding round are:

• Chinchilla Family Support Centre – training for the centre’s board members, following their election. The board members are volunteers; this training will help them to guide the family support centre’s operations during the year, as well as with their other duties in the community. The family support centre’s services include Centrelink Agency, Youth Connect, Community Connect, emergency relief, a Justice of the Peace Service and various community activities.
• Youth InSearch Foundation – Forty troubled young people from Western Downs will participate in Youth InSearch weekend workshops to help them overcome challenges, trauma or inter-generational poverty/disadvantage.
• Sports Condamine Association – funding to supply first aid services for the Condamine Bell Gymkhana and Family Fun Day during the Easter 2019 school holidays. Between 60 and 70 riders are expected, coming from as far as Jandowae and St George.
• Tara Scout Group – Nine volunteer Scout leaders will attend training in Brisbane, mix with other Scout leaders and bring their new skills and ideas back to benefit the Tara community.
• Dalby Baptist Church – The ‘how to garden’ training program reconnects disengaged people with their community. Aside from improving personal nutrition, socialisation and mobility, gardening is understood to bring therapeutic benefits by reducing stress, anxiety and depression.

Media contacts:

Chinchilla Melon Festival Association, Tania Thornton:
Phone: 0488 737 060 Email: chinchillamelonfestival@gmail.com

Arrow Energy:
Phone: 0400 693 248 Email: media@arrowenergy.com.au

Arrow Energy Pty Ltd
Arrow Energy is an integrated coal seam gas (CSG) company. Arrow explores and develops gas fields, produces and sells CSG and generates electricity. Arrow has been safely and sustainably developing CSG since 2000 and supplying it commercially since 2004. The company is working to meet demand for cleaner burning fuels through gas supply. Arrow is owned by Shell and PetroChina (50/50).