With the New South Wales summer only weeks away and a predicted El Nino to hit the East Coast of Australia, homeowners are being reminded that weepholes in brick homes pose a risk during the states bushfire season, offering an open door for bushfire embers and pests to enter and cause havoc from inside your home.

In NSW, the large bushfire near Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains in August showed how dry conditions had become and fire authorities believe if replicated in summer with low humidity, high temperatures and strong winds the fire season for NSW will escalate. To ease this pressure more fire fighting aircraft have been added to NSW and Victoria and authorities are requesting homeowners to proactively prepare for the bushfire season.

As the weather warms up the Humpback whales that have been playing of Queensland’s coastline will migrate through Mooloolaba over the next month as they head south towards the Antarctic for summer.

Over 20,000 whales make the journey north to Queensland every year arriving in June and then making their way south in spring as the water heats up.

The fifth annual Real Food Festival will be held this weekend, showcasing the regions best food produce and products, inspiring presentations and an abundance of activities for the whole family.

The two-day food festival will return to the Maleny Showground’s tomorrow September 12 and Sunday 13 of September, filled with cooking demonstrations, presentations and over 100 food exhibitors.

18 community organisations were awarded a total of more than $50,000 when Buderim Foundation grants were presented at its annual Good News Night held in the Buderim War Memorial Hall on Friday September 11.

Now into its 12^th year of operations and its eighth year of awarding grants, the Buderim Foundation is an undoubted success story of growth and achievement for the community it strives to serve.

With the introduction of new country of origin food labelling laws to Australia in late 2015, the Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival, to be held on September 12 & 13, will host a workshop to break down the barriers in understanding food labelling.

University of the Sunshine Coast Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, Dr Sarah Burkhart will speak at the festival on topics such as how people can decipher what’s on a food label, country of origin, nutrition and health claims made on food labels.

“The Real Food Festival is a great opportunity for the community to not only see local producers come together to showcase the region’s food but also get up-to-date information from leading food professionals.

With the Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival fast approaching on September 12 & 13, festival goers can get set to participate in a range of interactive experiences.

Real Food Festival Director, Julie Shelton said this year there were more hands-on activities for festival goers of all ages than ever before.

Coffee Roasters to brew up a storm at Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival

Queensland’s Sunshine Coast has become the first region in Australia to establish a Coffee Roasters Guild in recognition of the quality of the region’s produce.

The Sunshine Coast Coffee Roasters Guild will work collectively to establish the Sunshine Coast as the coffee capital of Queensland.

Whales and their calves are playing and checking out the swimmers in record numbers as Sunreef’s Swim with Whales reaches heads towards its peak.

As Australia’s first Swim with Humpback Whales experience operators, Sunreef operate its unique tours from July to the end of October and already they are seeing lots of new whale calves.

With a month to go until the 2015 Sunshine Coast Real Food Festival, organisers have unveiled a festival program rich with food experiences, inspiring presentations and a celebration of the region’s food producers.

Not only can visitors indulge in the region’s best produce with over 100 food and food-related exhibits, they can experience 88 sessions across seven venues, throughout the two days.

Sunshine Coast Businessman Philip Hart has become the newest ambassador to Sunshine Coast Airport’s Fly Local campaign, which aims to highlight the importance and benefits to the community of people choosing to Fly Local.