RIBBITING RACE: Toads face off for good cause

The region’s finest amphibians have faced off for a good cause in the Nambour Cup fresh off the back of their rugby league counterpart’s mighty Origin triumph.

Region's finest toads face off in the Nambour Cup: The region's finest toads faced off for a good cause in the Nambour Cup and raised $1300 for STEMM.

Less than 24 hours after the Queensland “cane toads” took out the State of Origin, a boisterous crowd were again cheering loudly for the croakers as 15 hopped hard at the Nambour PCYC for the seventh annual fundraiser on Thursday.

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A total of $1300 was raised through the cup, with funds going towards the Supporting Teenagers with Education, Mothering and Mentoring (STEMM) program which operates out of Burnside High School.

The Nambour Cup toad race raised $1300 for the Supporting Teenagers with Education, Mothering and Mentoring (STEMM) program on Thursday. Picture: Tom Threadingham

There were a number of heats with Rogo’s Rocket, sponsored by former councillor Greg Rogerson, winning the final and cup.

Founder and co-ordinator of STEMM Jacqui Deane said she was grateful to all who had supported the event and in turn the program.

“We are partially funded by Education Queensland but we rely heavily on community support and donations to enable us to keep program going,” she said.

“The funds raised help us cover the costs of our breakfast program, the creche which is really important to the girls, and providing a school bus.”

She said STEMM was an all encompassing program that covered far more than schooling.

“We look after not only their education but their health issues, mental health, financial health and all of those things,” she said.

“Our past girls come back and mentor our young mums which is really important (too) because they’ve travelled the road so they have those insights into the journey of being a young mum and that’s really valuable.”

Students from Burnside State High School were on hand to help catch the toads and cheer them on during the Nambour Cup toad race. Picture: Tom Threadingham

Federal Member for Fairfax Ted O’Brien launched the Nambour Cup in 2014 and was proud to support STEMM.

“Every single year business leaders and community leaders get together and they put their own money into the Nambour Cup,” he said.

“This is bigger than the Melbourne Cup, this is the Nambour Cup, the greatest cane toad race in the southern hemisphere and the good thing is we do it for a cause.

“And you don’t get a better cause than supporting young women who are going to become young mums.”

Local businesses fielding a toad this year included Nambour’s Stalwart Brewing Co, with backyard raised “Stal Warts”, hailing local creek heritage is Uptown Hair Studio’s “Uptown Girl”, and straight from the cane fields comes TramCo’s “Tram Co Flyer”.

Students from Burnside State High School were on hand to help catch the toads and cheer them on.