Almost a thousand people are about to trudge through Brisbane’s bushland in the cold and dark doing their bit in the fight against poverty.

They are taking part in the annual Oxfam Trailwalk.

Teams of four will walk in either a 100 kilometre, 48 hour event or a 55 kilometre, 24 hour event.

The aim is to raise $800,000 and Oxfam Australia chief executive Helen Szoke tells Mark they are well on their way to reaching the target.

Around the world tourism icons such as Venice and Dubrovnik are literally being overrun by hordes of selfie snapping tourists.

Australia is not immune to the problem and one destination is moving to make sure that tourist numbers don’t end up destroying the very things that attract tourists.

Noosa Council has set up a sustainable tourism reference group and plans to hire a university to work out “acceptable’’ limits.

Qld Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind tells Mark he welcomes the proactive approach and long term thinking.

Terminally ill people in Victoria can now legally ask their doctor to help them die with Australia’s only euthanasia laws now in effect.

The laws lay down 68 strict safeguards and conditions that patients must meet before they can be given approval to access voluntary assisted dying.

A parliamentary inquiry into euthanasia is now underway in Queensland and is due to report in November.

David Muir is the chairman of the pro-euthanasia group the Clem Jones Trust and he tells Mark our parliament needs to act before next year’s election so the issue doesn’t become a political football.

Brisbane’s Victoria Park Golf Course is perhaps the city’s least loved 18 hole layout.

It’s part of the reason why the Brisbane City Council plans to close the course by 2021 and turn it into a huge new public parkland.

There are those who want to save it, including Alan Staines from the Aussie Golf Reviewer youtube channel who has launched a petition.

He tells Mark that Vic Park is valuable as a ‘stepping stone’ course for novices.

https://www.change.org/p/save-victoria-park-golf-complex

Queensland’s controversial lockout laws are under serious question after research showed no reduction in alcohol fueled violence in Brisbane’s party precincts.

The study found that rather than cutting down on drinking, nightclubers were preloading with alcohol and drugs and hitting the clubs later at night.

Study author Associate Professor Grant Devilly from Griffith University tells Mark authorities need to look at ways of convincing clubbers to come in earlier.

The Ipswich City Council has become the envy of sports memorabilia collectors everywhere.

The council recently ordered an inventory expecting to find maybe 50 pieces, however by the time every office in every council building had been searched staff had uncovered some 700 different collectables.

Among the items found were a cricket bat signed by Sir Donald Bradman, a cap signed by F1 legend Michael Schumacher, boxing gloves signed by Mohammad Ali and a wealth of NRL collectables.

Ipswich City Council interim administrator Greg Chemello tells Mark he wants ratepayers to decide what should be done with it all.

We often hear about the possible psychological impacts of our addiction to smartphones and handheld devices, but it appears they can also have a real physical impact.

Researchers at the Sunshine Coast University have discovered 18 to 30 year olds are developing a horn-like bone spur at the base of their skull.

The spur is relatively common in the elderly but researcher Dr David Shahar tells Mark young people are developing it because of all the time they spend bent over their phones.

The State Archives are a treasure trove of Queensland’s past with photographs, both historic and mundane, dating back to the late 19th century.

Those photos are now being put to good use by helping dementia patients to make links to a familiar past, which in turn can help trigger other memories.

The Archive has established The Memory Lounge at its Brisbane office, decorated using Dementia Australia guidelines on colours, textures and furniture.

Elisha Rei from the Queensland State Archives tells Mark it is amazing to sometimes see the flashes of recognition.

As Gary Woodland was celebrating his US Open win at Pebble Beach in California a hardy band of golfers was teeing off at the Roma Golf Club in the opening round the inaugural Queensland Outback Masters.

The tournament is spread across six events, in six different towns, over six weeks and 1,400 kilometres and on the final hole on the final day in Mt Isa there’s a shot at a $1 million hole-in-one.

Golf Australia’s Queensland manager Luke Bates tells Mark it is all about getting golfers out into the country to enjoy what the outback has to offer.

Australia is in the grip of a chronic pain crisis.

Almost 3-and-a-quarter million Australians live with chronic pain and that number is set to balloon by another 2 million by 2050.

A new National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management has been released which calls for medicare to pick up more of the tab, for GPs to be better trained in pain management and better education for the public.

Pain Australia CEO Carol Bennett tells Mark there needs to be more of a focus on long term

management strategies rather than medication.