EDITOR’S LETTER

as this issue went to press, I received a lovely, but heart-wrenching, letter from Taya Michalski, who, with her husband, Steve, runs Diamondvale Cottages on the outskirts of the Granite Belt township of Stanthorpe.so we know how passionate they are about their new home town, promoting the wonderful wineries, restaurants, providores and national parks throughout the region and giving guests the best possible experiences. You can read Taya’s letter in full in our Mailbag page on page 152 but, in essence, what she was trying to communicate is how badly businesses have been affected by publicity about the drought, the recent bushfires and the town’s water shortages. The facts are that the bushfires didn’t impact any of the hospitality businesses in and around Stanthorpe, they have water for drinking and showering (though ask you to be mindful of not being wasteful) and are very much open for business and hoping for visitors over the summer months.