Bravus blooms little green thumbs in Bowen community

The Bowen Rail Company (BRC) is supporting the Queensland region’s littlest green thumbs through a grant to the Queens Beach State School kitchen garden program.

The Bowen state school was one of four recipients of the latest round of funding from BRC’s Community Partnership Program, designed to assist not-for-profit organisations and community groups with the purchase of small assets that can make a big difference.

Queens Beach is part of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and teacher Bec Trask says the children learn about food through hands-on gardening, harvesting, and cooking.

“Thanks to the grant we’ve been able to expand the garden and have a bigger variety of fruit and vegetables for the kids to cook with,’’ she said.

“That’s been a huge benefit to the students and the program, and it wouldn’t have been able to happen without Bowen Rail Company’s support.”

BRC general manager Brendan Lane says the Community Partnership Program is one of the ways the organisation gives back to the community.

“We’ve gone from having five or six staff in town in 2020 to well over 150 today as we safely run our rail operation from right here in Bowen,” he said.

“As we have grown, so too has our connection to our community.

“We now have kids who go to school here, we have elderly parents who live here, and all of that drives the desire our people have to give back to Bowen.

“That’s why we’re so excited to see our Community Partnership Program used to support the delivery of activities and services that make a tangible contribution to this place we’re so lucky to live and work in.”

Bowen Rail Company is a Queensland rail freight business launched in August 2020 and its Community Partnership Program was launched in 2022.

Grants are awarded bi-annually in November and May.

In addition to the Queens Beach State School, other recipients from the May 2023 round include the Bowen Neighbourhood Centre, in which BRC assisted the fit-out of its large meeting room with audio visual equipment to support community groups and small businesses with holding meetings and conferences.

Mr Lane says the Bowen Cricket club also received a grant to install lighting around the cricket nets so play can continue safely into the evening and Bowen Flexi Care used its grant to purchase new power tools including a leaf blower, lawn mower and whipper snipper for clients to use on gardening days.

BRC is headquartered in Bowen, North Queensland, and together with Carmichael mine owner, Bravus Mining and Resources, both form part of the Bravus group of Australian businesses.

BRC operates the 200km Carmichael Rail Network, connecting the Carmichael mine 160km northwest of Clermont in central Queensland to the Newlands Rail System.

For more information about Bowen Rail Company’s Community Partnership Program, or to apply, head to www.bowenrail.com.au/sustainability/community/

For more information about the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program visit www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au/