Community News

90-Minute Comics Workshop

Somerset Libraries is proud to once again host our annual satellite workshop, presented in collaboration with the Queensland Writers Centre, as part of the Brisbane Children's Writers Festival.

As part of this year's school holiday program, we're offering a free 90-minute Comics workshop on Friday, 3 October 2025 at 10am, held at the Somerset Civic Centre in Esk. The session is designed for students aged 10 to 15 years.

We’d be thrilled if you could share this opportunity with your young storytellers and creatives—whether through your school newsletter, classroom discussions, or word of mouth.

Dr. Paul Mason will lead this exciting event, guiding kids through the imaginative process of crafting their own comic books—from developing original stories to bringing them to life with vibrant illustrations.

About Paul-

Dr. Paul Mason is an award-winning cartoonist, lecturer, and animation concept designer. He has worked freelance for Frew Publications as a comic book writer, artist and character designer on The Phantom, the all-ages Kid Phantom series with writer Andrew Constant, and the official tabletop board game The Phantom: Treasures of Drakon, all licensed by King Features. Paul’s story he wrote and drew for the 2019 Phantom Annual issue #1830 won a Bronze Ledger/CAAA Award in 2020 for excellence in Australian comics. He has worked for Australian comic book publisher Gestalt comics (The Eldritch Kid: Bone War graphic novel, Talgard), and A Stark Productions (The Deep animated series season 4). His creator-owned comic The Soldier Legacy featured in a national TV campaign for Australian company YOUI Insurance in 2011. Paul works in comics ranging in action/adventure, semi-historical, young readers, and also medical-based comics for TX! Mag for Hepatitis NSW/The NSW Ministry of Health. Since 2012, Paul has lectured at Griffith University; he teaches storyboarding, art direction, animation pre-production, comics, life drawing and visual storytelling as part of the Bachelor of Animation program at the Griffith Film School. Paul’s work has been on public display at the Jilin International Animation Festival in China, the Papercuts Comics Festival in South Australia, Brisbane Square Library, and the 2022 Australian Comics exhibition by Illustrate Your Life in Thailand, in partnership with the Australian Embassy.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch via email or phone 5424 4000.

Esk & District Cricket Club

Blue Light Disco

Gatton Swim Club

We’re excited to kick off another fantastic season at Gatton Swim Club, and we’d love for you to be part of it! Our official Sign-On Day is coming up, and it’s the perfect time to register, meet the team, and dive into all the fun we have planned.

📅 Date: Monday 08 September

🕒 Time: 5:30pm

📍 Location: Lockyer Valley Aquatic Centre

💧 Who’s it for: Swimmers of all ages and levels — beginners to competitive!  

Anyone is welcome, you don't need to be enrolled in lessons at the pool to become a member of our club.

Whether you're looking to improve your strokes, make new friends, or compete at local meets, our club offers something for everyone. Come along, ask questions, and get signed up!  

Gatton Swim Club accepts the Play On vouchers for club fees. 

We can’t wait to see you there!

Inclusion and Belonging at the Local School: The Parent Advocacy Toolkit 

REGISTRATIONS CLOSING

Wednesday 10th September 9.15am to 2.30pm

North Ipswich Reserve Corporate Centre, 43 The Terrace, North Ipswich QLD 4305

For more information and to register for this fully-funded (free to families) workshop, please click here.

This workshop is designed to give parents/carers of children with disability the information they need to feel informed about inclusive education for their child. It aims to equip family members with confidence to have conversations with their child’s current or prospective school, about the supports and adjustments their child needs for school inclusion.

Supported Attendance 

Please note that financial support is available to enable regional attendees to travel to our face-to-face workshops. This includes travel support (petrol/airfares) and accommodation. To apply families should contact educationproject@cru.org.au

IGA Job Application Forms

Job application forms for the local IGA are now available in the school office. If any students are interested in applying, please feel free to drop by and pick one up. This is a great opportunity to gain valuable work experience in our community!

Esk State School  - 150th Anniversary Memorabilia Display - Call for Contributions

As part of our 150th anniversary celebrations, we will be creating a special memorabilia display showcasing photographs and student work from years past.

If you are a former student who attended Esk State School within the past 15 years and are willing to share photos or examples of your work for this display, we kindly invite you to complete a Project Consent Form.

The form can be downloaded below and returned via email to admin@eskss.eq.edu.au, by post, or hand-delivered to the school office.

We sincerely appreciate your contribution in helping us celebrate this important milestone in our school’s history.

Toogoolawah Pictures

Toogoolawah Annual Market Day

Somerset Regional Council By-Election

Did you know a by-election is being held in Somerset Regional Council? 

If you’re on the electoral roll in Somerset Region – you’ll need to vote! No polling places will be open either on or before election day. 

This is a full postal by-election, so all Somerset Regional residents on the electoral roll will receive their voting materials by mail. When you receive your voting materials, you can vote straight away. Remember to always read the instructions on your ballot paper and declaration envelope before you begin. One councillor will be elected. You must mark only your preferred candidate on the ballot paper. 

One of the most important things to remember to do after you seal your ballot paper inside the declaration envelope is to sign it before a witness and make sure your witness signs the envelope too. Your ballot paper comes with a reply-paid envelope, so you just need to slide the sealed and signed declaration envelope into the reply-paid envelope and drop it in a post box. 

Residents of the Somerset Region need to vote by 6pm on election day, Saturday 13 September 2025. All postal votes must be received by the ECQ by 5pm on Tuesday 23 September 2025 to ensure they are counted. 

Visit ecq.qld.gov.au/somerset to learn more about the by-election including who is running and to stay up to-date with the results after the polls close.