Cape York Weekly Edition 127

Cape beaming with pride after Royston is crowned

By MATT NICHOLLS

CAPE York almost exploded with pride when Royston SagigiBaira was named the Australian Idol winner on Sunday night.

The singer himself was in shock as the news was broken in front of a live audience and more than a million TV viewers.

“I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who voted for me. Thank all this mob up here, all my family and friends for coming,” he said, before performing new single Invincible

Cape York residents watched from the edge of their seats.

Big gatherings were held at the PCYCs in Napranum and Mapoon – Royston’s home town – while the Kumrumja Centre in Weipa also screened the show.

Amanda Allender watched from Townsville, hoping to see the teenager she mentored go on to be crowned the winner.

“He definitely deserved to win,” said the former head of the Western Cape College residential campus.

“Royston knew what he wanted and he’s worked his bum off to get where he is.”

Ms Allender said she still kept in close contact with the 24-year-old as he forged a life outside the Cape.

“I’ve been proof reading his assignments and trying to encourage him while he’s at uni,” she told Cape York Weekly

“His mum passed away not

long after he graduated from Western Cape College and that had a big impact on him.”

Still called “Miss Amanda” by Royston, the deputy principal of Cranbrook State School said she could still picture Royston singing at the res campus.

“I think he made his debut with Daiana Volavola and they were a hit,” she said.

“They performed at every MADD night and got a big following at the school.

“Whenever they had time off at the res campus they would be singing and rehearsing.”

Ms Allender said Royston was destined to be a leader.

“He has always been stubborn,” she said with a smile.

“At the res campus he always had a voice and would speak out if something was wrong.

“If something wasn’t right, he would stand up and talk to me about it.”

She also remembers tough conversations about his struggles with identity.

“I think that is what I’m most proud of,” Ms Allender said.

“He’s been able to show off his vulnerable side, which he struggled with in high school.

“We had a lot of conversations about when the right time was for him to be open about who he was.”

With a new single now out on Spotify and other platforms, the world is at Royston’s feet.

The Australian Idol judges believe he has what it takes to make a career out of music.

“Your journey through this process has been one of the greatest I’ve seen,” said Harry Connick Jnr.

Amy Shark added: “You’re so far away from home, and you’re just crushing it every single week. I love you, man.”

And Meghan Trainor said: “Thank you for all you brought to the show. I love you so much. You’re amazing.”

The Idol franchise has launched the careers of many artists including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Matt Corby, Ricki-Lee, Anthony Callea, Stan Walker and Casey Donovan.

A young Royston singing at Western Cape College with Daiana Volavola. Royston’s talent won over the judges and the Australian public.

Royston reacts after finding out he was the Australian Idol champion. To his left is runner-up Phoebe Stewart.

Apunipima finally admits patient data was hacked

APUNIPIMA Cape York Health Council is now admitting that patient information was accessed from last year’s cyber breach, despite previously denying the claim.

In a statement written by CEO Debra Malthouse, she acknowledged that “some information stored in Apunipima’s computer system at the time of the incident may have been accessed by the unauthorised third-party”.

This is a stark turnaround from previous statements, including the most recent one from December last year, which stated that no patient information had been accessed.

Interestingly, that statement

has now been removed from the Apunipima website.

The cyber attack happened in early October and the story was broken by Cape York Weekly on October 6 after Apunipima attempted to cover up the breach.

“The so-called health organisation not only called us liars, claiming patient data hadn’t been breached but also actively smeared our masthead when questioned about the verity of the allegations,” said editor and publisher Matt Nicholls.

Impacted patients are now going to receive letters in the mail, outlining what information may have been breached and what actions should be taken.

In Apunipima’s statement, the CEO said that Medicare details might have been accessed.

“We recently completed our forensic investigation which has confirmed that some information stored in Apunipima’s computer system at the time of the incident may have been accessed by the unauthorised third-party,” Ms Malthouse wrote.

Mr Nicholls said Apunipima’s patients deserved better.

“Ms Malthouse claims the risk to patients is low, but that will appease very few who have been left vulnerable for the last six months because she failed to immediately address the problem at hand,” he said.

“The Apunipima board should be looking closely at what action was taken at the time of the cyber attack and why its executive staff did not take the security of patient records more seriously.

Mr Nicholls said the state and federal governments, each funding contributors to Apunipima, should have stepped up.

“Apunipima is largely government-funded and not one minister wanted to touch the issue when we approached them last year,” he said.

“For them, it was out-ofsight, out-of-mind. The response wasn’t adequate when people in Cape York were kept in the dark from their health provider.”

can barely see

Archer River claims another stupid driver

POLICE have slammed the actions of a man who risked his life and wasted resources after he crossed the Archer River not once but twice last week.

Cape York Weekly understands the driver was a Moroccan national working in Aurukun.

He apparently missed the turnoff when departing Weipa and drove across the Archer causeway with the water level at one metre.

Acting Sergeant Kat Buchanan

said the man called Triple Zero on the first attempt when he became stuck. However, he managed to get his Ford Ranger started again and made it across.

Despite being warned not to cross back until the river dropped, he ventured back north and his vehicle was washed off the causeway.

“The road is closed for a reason and we once again ask people not to drive through floodwater,” Acting Sergeant Buchanan said.

You

the submerged Ford Ranger in this drone picture of the Archer.

The vehicle started to rear its head when river levels dropped.

Two new dentists answer the call

By SARAH MARTIN

AFTER years of lobbying by local residents and Cook Shire council, Cooktown now has two private dentists.

While some locals have always had access to dental services at Cooktown through Queensland Health, those without seniors or concession cards have been forced to travel to the nearest dentist in Mareeba for private services.

Cook Shire mayor Peter Scott said he was absolutely thrilled with the new services.

“The council, and deputy mayor Robyn Holmes, have been pushing this for quite some time. We’re absolutely rapt that we will have two dentists open to everyone here in town,” Cr Scott said.

Tom Meath moved to Cooktown early last year and has been providing after-hours private dental in Cooktown for about a month.

“It was a long time coming,” he said.

“We do some afternoons after 5pm and a few Saturdays and have had a good response. People are still finding out about it, but it has already been pretty busy.”

Dr Meath, originally from Cairns, has been working as a dentist in Thursday Island and throughout the Cape for the past five years.

“It’s all pretty new to me and quite exciting doing private work,” he said.

“This town needs more than one dentist, we all knew that, and to have Priya here as well is a real positive.”

Priya Hook first became aware of the town’s desperate need for private dental in 2019 when visiting Cooktown.

“I met mayor Peter Scott and he was asking me to come to Cook-

town as a dentist back then,” she told Cape York Weekly “Council got the ball rolling and we’ve been discussing this for about a year now.”

Dr Hook moved to town with her husband Daniel – who grew up in the Cape – earlier this year and plans to open her private dentist clinic one day a week initially.

“I’m hoping to open in April, but that depends on a few things, including equipment arriving on time,” she said.

“We’re really looking forward to establishing a private practice in Cooktown and are planning to be here for the long-term.”

Both Dr Hook and Dr Meath provide public dental services

through Queensland Health, as well as operating their own private practices.

They both said that the delivery of separate private dental services would not impact upon the continuing provision of free public health dental services to those who are eligible through the Cooktown community clinic.

Dr Tom Meath has been running his private dental clinic for about a month. Priya Hook moved to Cooktown with husband Daniel and is opening the town’s second private dental clinic.

Gallery open day

A MINI facelift, new local artworks, the fruits of recent workshops and the start of a giant community mural will all be on show at the Elizabeth Guzsely Gallery open day this Saturday.

The free event kicks off at 1pm, and was a way to showcase changes at the gallery, which is home to the Cooktown School of Art Society, president Jane Dennis said.

“People can come along and see what we have been doing at the portrait and intuitive art workshops,” she said.

“They can sign up to be members, come out and do some painting for the mural and check out the recent renovations.”

The gallery has had a facelift, aiming to make the entrance more welcoming, with new paint, a feature wall, a garden bed removed and new signage being installed this week.

“The event is also a way to publicly thank everyone who has been involved in helping, the local businesses like Brackenhurst Contracting, Twin Summit Designs, organisations like the RSL Memorial Club and Endeavour Lions Club and our volunteers who work very hard.”

Art tour coming to Cape

COOKTOWN, Ayton, Lakeland and nearby residents are invited to a funny, empowering interactive art experience when Superpowered on Tour drops by. The tour coincides with the Superpowered exhibition on display at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, and features free activities created with four Indigenous Australian artists.

Artists Kaylene Whiskey, Tony Albert, Gordon Hookey and Vincent Namatjira use their voices and art to empower Aboriginal people and create inspirational imagery for all children, with a focus on strong empowering messages and humour.

The tour is on show at Nature’s PowerHouse in Cooktown from 9am to noon on March 29 and 31 and April 4 and

Cook Shire responds to local feedback

MORE accommodation and attracting investment were among key issues raised by the community from consultation that will feed into Cook Shire’s strategies for tourism and economic development over the next five years.

Consultants AEC Group held face to face information sessions in Cooktown earlier this month, with further feedback online.

In addition to more housing for residents, locals brought up the need for more tourist

accommodation, concerns around the complexities of land tenure in the shire, the need for additional health services and growth that was respectful of the region’s natural attributes.

A council spokesperson said community feedback would assist Council in creating the new five-year Economic Development and Tourism Marketing strategies.

“The next step is a review of the strategies and their associated action plans. This will

then inform the development of council’s annual operational budget and operational plan for 2023-24 and subsequent years,” the spokesperson told Cape York Weekly Supporting Indigenous business, encouraging housing and tourist accommodation investment, building business capacity and advocating for improved health services were among key areas that Cook Shire Council would focus on in the strategies, the spokesperson said.

Olympics needs a legacy outside of south-east Qld

By SARAH MARTIN

COOKTOWN’S Kristina Olsen has flown the flag for regional and remote areas in the state’s capital after being chosen to join an elite group contributing to the planned ongoing legacy of the 2023 Brisbane Olympic Games.

Ms Olsen joined 500 of what Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk called the “best, brightest and boldest” minds from all walks of life to brainstorm ongoing benefits following the Olympics.

“It was a pretty intimidating room when Annastacia walked in, I was like wow, this is quite serious,” Ms Olsen said.

“There were attendees and speakers from high school students, business leaders and former Paralympians right through to the Premier.”

Ms Olsen represented FNQ alongside Douglas Shire mayor Michael Kerr and Advance Cairns CEO Jacinta Reddan.

“There are a whole lot of ways the Olympics can change cities, states and nations and they spoke about London and Barcelona in terms of the really

positive legacy the Olympics left behind,” she said.

Ms Olsen said it was extremely positive to hear some of the forum speakers discussing topics she had hoped to raise at the event, including a focus on Closing the Gap rather than simply celebrating Indigenous culture.

“I’m really confident that First Nations culture is going to take front and centre at these Games,” she said.

“But it was really validating and put my mind at ease to hear other speakers say that we can’t just show off our amazing culture, or the world is going to show us up; there has to be meaningful change in terms of Closing the Gap in the next 10 years leading up to the Games.”

Ms Olsen also pulled the focus from the south-east of the state, raising the need for an ongoing legacy in regional and remote areas like Cape York.

“There was a lot of push from south-east businesses around the economic benefits, but the reality is we’re just looking for basic needs for many of our communities,” she said.

“It’s quite important that it’s not just focusing on Brisbane, then it provides opportunities for everyone.”

Ms Olsen said a draft Legacy Vision would be released midyear, based on feedback from the event.

Advance Cairns CEO Jacinta Reddan, Douglas Shire mayor Michael Kerr and Cooktown’s Kristina Olsen.

New life for much-loved business

By MATT NICHOLLS

WHEN one door closes, another tends to open.

That’s the case for a prominent Weipa business, which changed hands earlier this month.

GG Contracting, a mainstay in Weipa for the past two decades under founders Glen Griffin and Narelle Dealy, has been sold to Junction Engineering Group, a locally-owned business with big dreams.

For many locals, it is the end of an era with “Griffo” no longer there to save their backsides when something needs fixing.

But James Backo, who grew up in Weipa, says he will fill that void.

“There are some big shoes to fill when working out of the GG yard but we have full confidence we can continue to provide the great service that was available,” he said.

“We will offer the same services that GG Contracting was offering and we will pick that up and take it forward.”

Junction started as a one-man show – two if you include his partner Kirsty – and now has 24 employees on the books, 30 per cent of whom are Indigenous.

“It went from myself on the first day working on a shutdown at Amrun, sweating and flogging myself,” James said.

“But we have a clear vision of where we want to go and everything has gone to plan so far.”

THIS

“We owe our success so far to our dedicated, hard-working staff to help us achieve our vision,” he told Cape York Weekly

“From Weipa and the Cape, we want to expand elsewhere in Queensland and then interstate.

“The support we’ve had from local businesses and individuals in the community so far has been really appreciated.”

But there is no rush to expand.

“Everything is step-by-step. We have just been taking it easy and making smart business decisions,” James said.

Junction offers a range of different services, including labour hire support for the mining industry, steel works and sales, fabrication and maintenance, as well as a carpentry division.

For Griffo, he’s happy to see the shed and yard remain in local hands.

“When James first approached me a few months ago I knew straight away it was going to be a good thing,” he said.

“It’s really important for Weipa to have this kind of business and having a local in charge will make a big difference.”

Griffo and Narelle came to Weipa in 1998 with a view to travel and work but never left.

“We wanted to travel and there was a welding job at Skardon River,” he explained.

ing there, except to go fishing. We wanted to do a wet season though so we looked for jobs and I think Narelle got a job within two hours and I picked up one within a couple of days.”

Griffo worked for a few different places, including with legendary business owner John Kennedy – both before and after he purchased Goodline – before going out on his own.

“The great thing about Weipa is the opportunities it provides if you’re willing to have a crack and work hard,” he said.

“I’ve had a lot of good people work for me over the last 20 years and we’ve had a lot of great business and individual support in the community.”

Griffo said he wouldn’t be lost to Weipa any time soon, with plans to take a bit more time for himself in the short-term.

“I’ve got full faith in James and Junction to do a great job. They’ve got a great vision and I’m sure they’ll achieve their goals.”

 Griffo and Narelle are putting on a barbecue at the GG Contracting/Junction yard in Evans Landing this Friday from 2 to 4pm.

“We invite the community to come and say goodbye and also meet James and Kirsty and introduce yourselves if you don’t know them,” he said.

James said he wanted Junction, a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned company, to become the leading contractor in FNQ.

“But as we got to town, the little mine closed so I didn’t end up go-

More details are on Page 6 of this edition.

GOLF COMPETITIONS:

Junction Engineering’s Kirsty Hair and James Backo with Glen Griffin and Narelle Dealy from GG Contracting.

Western Cape Futures Symposium

Organisers delighted with inaugural Weipa gathering

By MATT NICHOLLS

THE future of the Western Cape looks bright after more than 150 people gathered in Weipa last week for a two-day conference.

Organised by the Western Cape Chamber of Commerce and backed by the councils in Mapoon, Aurukun, Napranum and Weipa, a range of issues were tabled and discussed by business and government representatives.

There were 10 themes chosen for the inaugural Western Cape Futures Symposium – Innovation, Energy & Technology; Freight, Trade & Supply Chains; Land use planning; Defence and Biosecurity; Opportunities in Agriculture & Fisheries; Tourism Opportunities and Threats; Access to Capital and Education; New Industries & Opportunities; Social and Community Enterprise; and Conservation, Land Management & Water Security.

The sessions were split between the Weipa Storm Surge Shelter and the nearby Kumrumja Centre.

The bulk of the work was done by Weipa Town Authority member Jaime Gane and James Cook University’s Jennifer McHugh.

Ms Gane said she was rapt with the turnout and the quality of speakers – none of whom were paid to attend.

“I’m super happy – couldn’t be happier,” she said on Saturday morning.

“I don’t think I really knew what to expect but the feedback I’ve received so far has been really positive and it all went smoothly.”

Ms Gane said there would be

The future is in hands of our TOs

THERE was one resounding message at the symposium – you can’t do business in Cape York without the support of Traditional Owners.

And while this view might have been seen in a different light five years ago, it was embraced by the business and community leaders in attendance.

Mapoon mayor Aileen Addo, deputy mayor Cameron Hudson, Napranum mayor Janita Motton and Aurukun’s deputy mayor Craig Koomeeta all spoke about the challenges facing their communities, as well as the opportunities on their doorsteps.

Jim Turnour, the former Member for Leichhardt and the current general manager of the Wuthathi Aboriginal Corporation said it best.

“You need to put the Traditional Owners front and centre with whatever you are doing. And you need to give them time and space,” he said.

“Your ambition might not be shared.”

room for improvement if another symposium was held, but couldn’t fault the inaugural event.

“The calibre of speakers that we had was amazing,” she said.

“We had some pretty awesome people in this room over a couple of days and they’ve done it all for nothing, which was terrific.”

The highlight, she said, was the response from locals.

“Just getting the feedback from the locals who attended and hearing that they’ve been inspired and

motivated to make a change is probably the best outcome,” Ms Gane said.

“I really loved the format and the type of content.

“I thought it was really relevant because the community told us what things they wanted to talk about, so we were able to tailor the speakers based on those topics.”

Ms Gane paid tribute to her co-organiser Ms McHugh and the main supporters, including the chamber, WTA and three councils.

“You can’t put on a big event like this without support and the businesses who sponsored the symposium are also much appreciated,” she said.

“We don’t know if we’ll do another one – I think we probably will – but we’ll be guided by the survey we put out after the event and see what the appetite is.

“There might be scope for smaller events that focus on specific issues, like tourism in the Cape, which had a lot of interest.”

Allan Dale, the a Professor of Tropical Regional Development at James Cook University, said: “Traditional Owners will determine the future of this region for the first time in history.”

Cr Hudson said Cape York’s future was “resilient, safe and green”.

“We need to create more opportunities for our people in the region and strengthen local capacity,” he said.

“The direction needs to be steered by people on the ground, not by governments.”

local voices are a must for next event

More

EDITORIAL: There is no doubt that the inaugural Western Cape Futures Symposum was a success and congratulations must go to all those who made it happen – all of them volunteers.

Of all the conferences we have attended in the Cape, this was by far the most professional event we have attended.

The calibre of speakers was also top notch, considering our remote location.

However, there are some things that organisers will want to address if they host another.

Firstly, there was a lack of local participation, both as speakers and as attendees.

While they can’t be forced to attend, many local businesses in Weipa, Napranum, Mapoon and elsewhere in the Cape would have benefited from listening to some of the topics that were spoken about.

It would have been nice to hear

more local success stories and get additional views of the challenges of working and living in the Cape.

I think the out-of-towners in attendance also needed to get more of a local perspective.

Interestingly, no one addressed the elephant in the room, which is the ‘N word’ – normalisation.

The fact is that Rio Tinto is both the biggest economic driver in the Cape – currently, at least – and is also the biggest roadblock to any kind of future growth.

Normalisation wasn’t said once by any speaker, yet there should have been a whole session dedicated to talking about it.

Although it didn’t help that Rio Tinto Weipa’s general manager was notably absent from the event.

What was proven last week is that the future of the Western Cape is strong, but it needs leadership and a major body in its corner.

Is that a mining company?

Weipa Town Authority chairman Michael Rowland with WTA member and business owner Jaime Gane, Desley Farrando from the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training and James Cook University’s Jennifer McHugh.

Western Cape Futures Symposium

Cape York ‘toll’ could help region

By MATT NICHOLLS

TWO of Far North Queensland’s most influential figures in the tourism industry have supported local calls for a “toll” to help Cape York cope with the infrastructure demands of growing visitation.

Member for Cairns and Assistant Minister for Tourism Industry Development Michael Healy and Mark Olsen, chief executive of Tropical Tourism North Queensland, say that something needs to be done to support cash-strapped councils deal with the influx of tourists to the Cape.

A lack of public toilets and the resources to manage popular offroad tracks has put pressure on the local environment.

The issue was raised at the symposium by Weipa Town Authority’s Jaime Gane, as well as Cook Shire mayor Peter Scott and even Australia Zoo’s Bill Ferguson.

Mr Healy, who has a different view to some of his state government colleagues, said there was a need to start looking at localised tariffs to support regional areas.

“Having spent 35 years in the tourism industry in Cairns and seeing the amount of visitors that we have, what I do know is that

bodies and regional councils, are all screaming out for new forms of revenue,” he said.

“I think it’s incumbent upon the state to be able to sit down with the industry and start to identify potential new sources of revenue.

“Now, having said that, I also want to give the Palaszczuk government a plug because we have

lions of dollars through a wide variety of initiatives out to regional councils.

“However, when it comes to tourism, I think that we need to have that discussion.

“I believe it’ll need to have bipartisan support. The beneficiaries of this are going to be the communities like Weipa.”

York tourism was not necessarily about bringing in more numbers, but attracting a different type of tourist – a higher-spending visitor.

He said some kind of toll that was allocated for infrastructure would benefit the whole region.

“I think what we’ve learned from the last couple of days, is that the time is right, with the Tradi-

to make the leap from attracting any visitor who will come to really curating the customer that you really want,” he said.

“Underpinning that is the need for some sort of management regime in place, a user-pays system – something that stops people from free-wheeling out on the Cape and creating problems for councils.”

Talking tourism at the Western Cape Futures Symposium were: Fraser Nai from Strait Experience, TTNQ chief executive Mark Olsen, Dr Tammie Matson, Bill Ferguson from Australia Zoo and Member for Cairns Michael Healy.

Cape Futures

Wide-ranging views heard at Cape York conference

A DIVERSE range of voices were heard from more than 30 speakers at last week’s symposium as the audience shared knowledge and ideas for the region.

Rio Tinto Weipa’s community relations manager Janine Schleich said proudly: “We’re here to stay and we’re committed to the Cape.”

North Queensland Bulk Ports commercial manager Rob Watkins gave context to the situation at the Weipa port in a post-mining world.

“Shipping peaked in 2017-18 and has declined since, although it should be steady for the next few years,” he said.

“To keep the channel open at the moment, it can range from $2 million per year to $20 million, depending on the weather.”

Mr Watkins said while Weipa’s port would unlikely be dredged regularly once Rio Tinto stopped exporting bauxite from it, the

Irwins still want road closed off

AUSTRALIA Zoo delivered a not-so-subtle dig at Cook Shire Council and those who use a gazetted road through their property at last week’s symposium.

The zoo’s chief government relations officer Bill Ferguson was in Weipa to represent Terri Irwin and her family and speak about what they are doing in the tourism space on Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve.

Mr Ferguson aired a video that featured Robert Irwin and Australia Zoo’s head of global sales Erina Kilmore.

The video captivated the audience, showcasing some of the great work done by the Irwins, zoo staff and university research teams on the Cape York station.

However, the zoo couldn’t refrain from mentioning the muchtalked about track that passes through the reserve.

depth levels would still allow other freight carriers in.

He also said the sealing of the PDR could be a “double-edged sword” for Weipa and the port as it would likely reduce sea port trade.

Kenny Reid, from Auswaste in Cooktown, told the symposium about the growth of his business and how there were future plans to create an industry in the Cape.

“We travel 4500km a fortnight picking up from our depots in the Cape as part of the Containers for Change program,” he said.

“We want to stop sending our recycling to Cairns and Brisbane and create an industry here.

“We’re working on a project at Lakeland that looks at converting waste to energy, which could be sent to the new mushroom farm.

“It’s happening elsewhere so why can’t we make it happen here in the Cape?”

Space Centre Australia’s James Palmer gave an update on the proposed spaceport near Weipa.

He said the project was still dependent on environmental approvals and an agreement with Traditional Owners.

Mr Palmer faced questions about the impact of sound from rocket launches, as well as the visual impact of low-orbit satellites in the night sky.

Jaime Gane, speaking from her perspective as the owner of Far North Fishing with husband Kurt, said that Cape York was struggling to cater for growing numbers.

“We’re booked out for this year and I know a lot of other fishing charters are, too,” she said.

“Cape York needs a stronger tourism strategy because we’ve got a lot of people wanting to come here without us even promoting it.

“But we’re struggling to cope

with the numbers and the impact they are having on the environment.”

Ms Gane’s demonstration on stray toilet paper in the Cape proved an eye-opener for those unfamiliar with the region.

Barry Lyon’s talk on the flora and fauna in the Peninsula proved popular as expected, while Cape York NRM chair Sally Gray spoke of her experiences managing fire on Piccaninny Plains with her husband Graham Woods.

Weipa Camping Ground’s Brooke Quartermaine gave a great account from the perspective of someone who grew up on a cattle station.

“We’re only remote by location now,” she told the room.

“The sky is the limit for Weipa and the Western Cape. However, access to land is an issue as we have no room to move.”

Right at the end, Ms Kilmore said that Australia Zoo had plans to create eco-cabins on the property, but couldn’t do so because staff at Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve were too busy monitoring the traffic.

“Our resources are tied up,” she said.

The property is in Cook Shire, however the road is mostly used by Weipa residents and tourists wanting to link up with the Old Telegraph Track at Bramwell Roadhouse.

The Irwins have tried for years to have the road closed and pushed to have it de-gazetted, only to meet fierce opposition from the Cape, as well as Cook Shire Council.

There is another road that runs through the property, which was formerly known as Bertiehaugh Station, however Australia Zoo has locked the gate on locals and only uses it for staff access and for select tour buses.

James Palmer from Space Centre Australia and Auswaste’s Kenny Reid spoke about future industries in the Cape.

NQBP commercial manager Rob Watkins.

Legendary bushman Barry Lyon.

Western Cape Futures Symposium

Drinks @ The Alby

Waratah Nicholls and Rowena Barrett. Michael Rowland and Graham Poon. Jacinta Reddan and Noel Prakash.

The Friday night drinks allowed guests to analyse the conference.

Bill Ferguson, Emily Harrington, Jane Oorschot and Carolyn Ferguson.

Catching up post-event. Marg Yandell and Joanne Walters.

The TNQ Drought Resilience, Adoption and Innovation Hub put on drinks at the Alby.

Melinda Eades and Rachel Hay.

Kate Montgomery and Kalair McArthur.

Festival set for permanent home

By SARAH MARTIN

CAPE York Folk Club is poised to buy a forever home for its flagship event, the popular Wallaby Creek Festival, after a subdivision application was approved at Cook Shire Council’s March meeting.

The club had a lease-to-buy arrangement at their current site on Shipton’s Flat Road, president Jen Midgley said.

“The subdivision went through successfully, thanks to the help of Al Morris and Gary Meredith,” she said.

“That means we’re on track to be able to buy the property next year.”

The festival has been held annually since 2002 and has been at the current site for two years.

Ms Midgley said the club was raising funds with premium patron packages, and would apply for a loan for the remainder of the property cost.

“We are looking for patrons willing to support the festival and gain VIP access to the event, as well as year-round access to the festival site, and a commemorative paver which will become part of a permanent feature on the grounds,” she said.

“We’re also applying for our deductible gift recipient status, which means if people donate they can claim it as a tax deduction.”

After a decade at the helm, Ms Midgley and long-time vice presi-

dent Sandy Lloyd will both be stepping down from their committee positions at this year’s AGM.

“I won’t be putting myself forward as president again, I reckon 10 years is enough,” she said.

“We’re definitely looking for new people to head the folk club, and I’d love to mentor them.”

Ms Midgley said the diverse volunteers helped create a different and vibrant festival each year.

“We have core things which are the same, like the three stages, children’s festival and workshops, but each year it’s different with new energy and ideas from the people involved helping to create a new festival each time.”

Ms Midgley said the festival was always encouraging volunteers to join the ranks in a range of roles, including in the lead up to and during the festival.

“We’re looking for lots of coordinators as usual, as well as construction and visual team, gate crew, publicity and kitchen and more,” she said.

“We’re looking forward to another wonderful festival in 2023, and the more people who come in and help, the better it will be. A successful festival is also essential to help pay for the block.”

Work is ongoing at the festival

site, with working bees open to anyone keen to lend a hand on the first weekend of every month until September.

Volunteers have also been hard at work creating a community garden on the grounds, which is now open to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays.

For more information and contact details, visit the Wallaby Creek Festival website.

The popular Wallaby Creek Festival attracts hundreds of people annually.

We are always pushing forward – from pioneering land agreements with Traditional Owner groups in Cape York in the 1990s, to being the first company in the world to have our aluminium certified as responsibly produced and leading automation in the mining industry

Innovation has always been a big part of our Weipa operations Since the first trial shipments of bauxite to Bell Bay and Japan in 1961, we have been finding better ways to operate in this very special and very remote part of Australia

The first commercial shipment of bauxite sailed on 29 March 1963 to Bell Bay smelter in Tasmania The Talinga carried just over 9,000 imperial tons

To put that in perspective, our modern ships carry between 80,000 to 115,000 tonnes!

For 150 years we have faced challenges, found solutions, celebrated our successes, and learnt from our failures.

Today, our strength and scale reflect the foresight and courage shown by generations past, and the commitment of our current employees, who continue to forge important partnerships with companies, communities, and countries – constantly evolving our business and our products to respond to the world around us

Today our Weipa operations include three bauxite mines, processing facilities, shiploaders, an export wharf two ports power stations a rail network and ferry terminals

Amrun, our newest mine and flagship bauxite development, was completed in 2018 and will extend our Weipa bauxite operations by decades significantly building on our 60-year history on the Western Cape and providing jobs and supporting business growth in the region

Amrun was built with advanced technology, innovation and a commitment to the Western Cape York community and strong partnership with the local Wik-Waya Traditional Owners

We work closely with all the Traditional Owners to implement our agreements ensuring that the benefits generated from mining support future generations and that important cultural heritage sites are identified and preserved

In 2022, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Traditional Owner representatives from the Alngith, Anathangayth, Peppan and Wathayn Traditional Owner groups on a consultation process around the closure planning for the East Weipa bauxite mine

We are committed to the sustainable development and growth of local signatory communities

Our Indigenous Employment and Development Team work with local communities, schools, universities and Registered Training Providers to develop pathways and support Local Aboriginal Persons (LAP) in traineeships, apprenticeships, graduate and leadership programs These programs encourage diversification across operations and has expanded traineeships into fields such as Cultural Heritage, Childcare, Environment, Emergency Services Geology Information Systems & Technology, and Training & Development

Between 2019 and 2021, we made a financial commitment of A$750,000 to create the Western Cape Community Development Fund The Fund is a formalised partnership programme that addresses key social environmental and economic challenges and opportunities, and creates long-term, sustainable benefits

In addition we offer the Sponsorships and Donations program to support local not-for-profit community groups This is a separate programme that supports local programmes that enrich communities and ensures the region remains a vibrant place to live and work The catchment area for Rio Tinto's community contributions programme includes Weipa Napranum Aurukun Mapoon and NPA

In 1902, Clements Jackson a Queensland government geologist visited Mapoon and Weipa missions and noted deposits of ‘brown pisolitic ironstone’ But it was not until Henry James (Harry) Evans came searching for oil in July 1955 that the nature of deposits was truly recognised –high quality bauxite

In 1956, a basic camp was established near the Weipa Mission airfield and from here crews travelled across a large area of western Cape York Peninsula surveying the land and collecting bauxite samples

They were guided by Aboriginal men from Weipa, Mapoon and Aurukun Bill McGuffie, one of the Enterprise Exploration drillers, reminisced about these local men that the drillers could not ‘have done all the work without their knowledge of the bush

Today, our Cultural Heritage and Geology teams do much the same work Our strong partnerships and agreements ensure the Country is surveyed, protected and respected by walking the land on foot with Traditional Owners prior to clearing, and utilising GPS and LiDAR technology to map culturally significant areas and record artefacts

Respecting the environment and local communities is a priority for our operations

Our Weipa operations have three Aboriginal Agreements with 12 Traditional Owner groups

These agreements - the Western Cape Communities Co-existence Agreement (WCCCA) the Ely Bauxite Mining Project Agreement (EBMPA) and the Weipa Township Agreementensure local Indigenous people have a say in how the benefits of mining are used to support current and future generations

And that is not just financial benefits, but education training cultural heritage protection and employment too

As the Weipa mine operations grew, so did the Weipa community

The original Weipa Presbyterian mission was moved to a new site in 1933 and, after the formation of the mining town in the mid-1960s, the Queensland Government renamed the two communities Weipa North and Weipa South Today Weipa South is named Napranum (meeting place of the people) and Weipa North is just Weipa

When the mining town of Weipa North was officially opened in 1967, the facilities included the company wet canteen the community hall which doubled as the picture theatre a small café, a gift shop, a barber, butcher shop and the mini-market The town gradually spread southwards from Rocky Point to mined-out areas including Trunding during the 1970s-1980s, Nanum in the 1990s and Golf Links Estate where new houses continue to be built since 2007

Today Weipa is a vibrant, remote township driven by a strong sense of community and bound by a shared love of all things outdoors especially camping and fishing The town has a variety of retail stores, tourism and hospitality businesses, sporting clubs and is serviced by quality healthcare schools kindergarten childcare and regular flights to/from Cairns and Brisbane

www.skytrans.com.au

Photo courtesy of the Harry Evans heritage co lection Cape York Co lection Photo

celebrating

150 years.

We are celebrating 150 years.

29 March 2023 marks Rio Tinto's 150 year anniversary.

29 March 2023 marks Rio Tinto's 150 year anniversary

That's quite an achievement and one only made possible by people like you.

That's quite an achievement and one only made possible by people like you

So please join us as we reflect on our past, celebrate our acheivements and look to our future.

So please join us as we reflect on our past, celebrate our acheivements and look to our future

Because together we can acheive much more than we ever can apart. We are Rio Tinto. We are 150.

Because together we can acheive much more than we ever can apart

We are Rio Tinto We are 150

Date:

Time:

Venue:

Hosts:

Saturday 1 April 2023 9am - 11am

Hibberd Library, Weipa

Shona Markham with guest speaker local historian Geoff Wharton

Join Shona and Geoff for a 'fireside chat' as they reflect on the history of Weipa operations and township

Come along and share your stories of living in Weipa and working at Rio Tinto

Everyone is welcome at this free event, no bookings required

Photo: First commercial shipment of bauxite onboard the 'Talinga' on 29 March 1963

Wording for referendum announced by Albanese

PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the proposed question that Australians will be asked at this year’s referendum and the draft constitutional amendment that would enable an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Mr Albanese said the Referendum Working Group had landed on the question:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do

you approve this proposed alteration?”

As well as that, it will be put to Australians that the constitution be amended to include a new chapter titled “Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples”.

The details would be: In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1. There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

2. The Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

3. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.

Mr Albanese made a tearful

Youth council eyes recruits

INAUGURAL Cook Shire Youth Council member Peta Buhmann has urged others to join the council and represent the region’s young people.

Applications are open until April for young locals aged between 12 and 23 to join the youth council, which will support Cook Shire to develop youth-led projects and advocate for young people.

“Youth Council is an opportunity to assist in creating and re-creating opportunities for entertainment, talent, education, bridging the gap between generations, and the list goes on,” Ms Buhmann said.

“We are privileged to sit as an advisory committee on behalf of the youth in our communities.”

Drink driving offence

POLICE have charged a Napranum man with drink driving after they found him bogged on a worksite on the Mapoon road earlier this month.

plea to Australians to support the Voice, saying it would help achieve better outcomes for First Nations people.

“If not now, when? This is an opportunity that doesn’t belong to the (politicians), it belongs to every Australian equally,” he said.

“One person, one vote. People from all faiths, backgrounds … all of us will have equal say.

“All of us can own an equal share of what I believe will be an inspiring and unifying Australian moment.”

Around 9pm on March 19, officers were called in relation to a vehicle becoming bogged and the driver allegedly intoxicated.

When officers arrived, they located a 44-year-old man who stated he had driven from Napranum, then taken the wrong turn and become bogged.

Officers conducted a roadside breath test and, as a result of that test, he was transported to Weipa Police Station for further testing.

It will be alleged he returned a reading of 0.157 per cent BAC.

His licence was suspended and he is scheduled to appear at the Weipa Magistrates Court on April 18 in relation to drink driving.

To subscribe to our once-a-week mailing list, simply go to our website www.capeyorkweekly.com.au and hit the subscribe button, enter your first name and email address and we’ll send you a copy of the paper every Monday night, so you can read it before the print edition hits shelves

Anthony Albanese announces the proposed wording of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament with the Referendum Working Group.

Zander Broad with the Easter Bunny.

Oliver Tapscot, Henry Godfrey and Ezra Hall.

Matt and Ella Owen.

Lois Green and Veronica Kaczmarowski.

Emily Strange’s bonnet picked up third prize.

Rachel and Tyler McCartney.

Emily Strange had a great day out.

Locals enjoy Flip’s magic show,

The Faber family – Belle, Jesse, Asha and Jarrah.

Leopo and Aisha Reilly with Xavier Burrow.

Lucy Godfrey-Roberts and Sachi Hall show off their artworks.

The Easter Bunny made plenty of new friends.

Kids enjoy making sand art.

Sophie Corbett.

Ellie Strange won first prize for her Easter bonnet.

Jalun Latt-Chapman.

Geoffrey Daley won second prize for his Easter bonnet.

The Easter bunny is mobbed.

Sudoku

Fill in the blank cells using numbers from 1 to 9. Each number can only appear once in each row, column and 3x3 block.

Quick Workout

Fit the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 into the hexagons so that where the hexagons touch, the numbers will be the same. No number is repeated in any hexagon.

Focus

TODAY’S Good: 10 words

FOCUS Very good: 18 words

Excellent: 27 words

Spot the 5 Differences

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION alar alarm aria aura aural lair liar lira marl marsupia

MARSUPIAL mural pair palmar pram prau prim primal primula primus prism pulsar purism purl rail rami ramp ramus rasp rimu rump samurai sari slur slurp spar spiral spur supra

Reference: Macquarie Concise Dictionary Focus No. 3954

Crossword Solutions

Evans Landing bush tracks re-opened

Friday 24 March 2023

Please be advised that Water Tanker movements have ceased and the bush tracks between Evans Landing landfill and industrial area have re-opened

Thank you for your co-operation during the works

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

PRE-AUTHORISATION MEETING FOR A NATIVE TITLE DETERMINATION AGREEMENT

Cape York United # 1 Native Title Claim (QUD673/2014)

Umpila Native Title Group

Wednesday 5 April 2023 Lockhart River

Cape York Land Council (CYLC) will hold a pre-authorisation meeting on Wednesday 5 April 2023 in Lockhart River to discuss the proposed authorisation process for the Umpila Native Title Group to authorise the proposed native title agreement under s.87A of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) for a determination of native title over the undisputed part of the Umpila claim area. This is the area generally between the vicinity of Cape Sidmouth south to Massey Creek and from the Macrossan and McIlwraith Ranges south to the coast, inclusive of the area over Leo Creek which will be a shared area between the Umpila and Southern Kaantju Native Title Groups. The proposed determination area is shown on the map below Note that it does not include the area between Massey Creek and Breakfast Creek.

A determination of native title involves a decision of the Federal Court. Important things about a determination of native title include that the Federal Court determines (1) who holds native (2) what the native title rights are, (3) the area to which native title rights apply after determination is made, (4) which corporation will represent the members of the determined native title group. Following the pre-authorisation meeting on Wednesday 5 April , there will be a meeting of Umpila Native Title Group on Wednesday 3 May 2023 for the group to decide whether to authorise the proposed s.87A native title agreement. If the Umpila Native Title Group decides to do so, a determination of native title in favour of the group will then be sought in the Federal Court. A date for a potential consent determination will be listed by the Court after it has been advised that the Umpila Native Title Group has authorised the s.87A native title agreement.

Who is invited to attend the meetings?

The Pre-Authorisation meeting is open to all descendants by birth, or adoption in accordance with traditional law and custom, of one or more of the following apical ancestors:

1 Charlie Captain;

2. Puyalkuupi (first husband of Emma Clarmont);

3. Ampulukuupi and his wife Wukaaka;

4. Annie Wapun Matty;

5. Jimmy (father of Douglas Ropeyarn);

6. Tommy Clarmont;

7. Topsy Clarmont;

8. Charlie Clarmont;

9. Lizzie of Night Island;

10. Chaaminchunyu (aka Tommy Thompson and Tommy Nebo (Nipu));

11. Yi’alma;

12. Mother of Charlie Bezai;

13. Emma (later Woodward);

14. Kaputhana;

15. Mary Ann Kamanmutu;

16. Frank Port (Nangkayunumu);

17. George Rocky 1 Marrakañtyinhu aka Old Jack Rocky)

18. George Rocky 2;

19. Johnny (father of Johnny Tayku Clarmont); or

20. George Clarmont and his sister Miriam Clarmont.

Any person who is a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors listed above is invited to attend these meetings. Please contact CYLC if you would like to confirm whether you are a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors listed above and so entitled to attend the meeting.

The meeting will be held as follows:

Date: Wednesday 5 April 2023

Venue: Lockhart River Social Club

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm

The location and time of the authorisation meeting on Wednesday 3 May 2023 will be publicly notified and notices will be sent out to all members of the Umpila Native Title Group with contact details on the CYLC database. Please contact us on free call number 1800 623 548 or by email jcopelin@cylc.org.au to update your details.

Video-conferencing and COVID-19 Precautions

Video-conferencing facilities will be made available at the meeting. If you would like CYLC to arrange a video-conference from your location into the meeting, whether you live at the location of the meeting or elsewhere, please contact CYLC on the number above. Attendance by video-conference is offered because of the potential for COVID-19 to interfere with attendance. It is important to provide every opportunity for persons entitled to attend the meeting. Your safety is our priority. CYLC will take whatever means necessary to protect the health and wellbeing of its staff and clients and to mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19.

Attendance

If you would like further information about the matters to be discussed at this meeting, please call Michelle Cioffi on 0408 408 017. For travel assistance queries, to confirm your attendance or to arrange a zoom link to this meeting, please contact Jayd Copelin before Wednesday 29 March 2023 at CYLC on (07) 4053 9222 or free call number 1800 623 548 or by email jcopelin@cylc.org.au. Please note that there is limited funding for travel assistance.

FAST TRACK YOUR CIVIL WORKS CAREER

MULTIPLE ROLES. COOKTOWN.

Are you passionate about building your community and advancing your career in Civil Works? Then we're looking for you!

BRIDGE/CONCRETE FOREMAN

CIVIL WORKS GANGERS (X2)

CIVIL WORKS LABOURERS

As part of our dedicated Civil Works teams, you will enjoy a 9-day fortnight, 5 weeks of annual leave, and up to 12% superannuation contributions

HURRY! APPLICATIONS CLOSE UPON SELECTION OF SUITABLE CANDIDATES.

The Western Cape Communities Co-Existence Agreement (WCCCA) is an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) over the Rio Tinto mining lease areas of the Western Cape York region of Northern Queensland. The Agreement is between the eleven Traditional Owner Groups, four Shire Councils (Aurukun, Napranum, Mapoon and New Mapoon), Rio Tinto, the Queensland State Government and the Cape York Land Council on behalf of the Native Title Parties.

The Western Cape Communities Coordinating Committee (WCCCC) and its three SubCommittees transparently monitor, implement and review the objectives of the WCCCA to ensure that all parties’ obligations under the agreement are met. The WCCT office is the administration arm for all the Trusts and the WCCCC. It manages the overall business of the company including servicing, assisting and supporting the above entities. WCCT is committed to providing high quality services to our Traditional Owners, and we recognize the importance of employing the most suitable candidates. Currently we are seeking applications for the position of:

IMPLEMENTATION OFFICER

Reporting to the Implementation Manager, the Implementation Officer is the primary contact point with the eleven Traditional Owner Groups, who are signatories to the WCCCA, and Rio Tinto. This position contributes to assisting with the monitoring and implementation of objectives under the WCCCA and Strategic Plan in the areas of Employment and Training, Cultural Heritage, Community Liaison, reporting and data collection and the facilitation of Aboriginal community participation in cultural, environment and heritage management at a local and regional level.

We anticipate that applicants will have;

• Minimum Year 12 education;

• Knowledge and experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, society and culture and an understanding of relevant issues preferably in relation to the WCCCA region

• Ability and willingness to travel to and work in remote communities

• Trained in or demonstrated previous experience in Education and Training (Tertiary qualifications in this area will be highly regarded but not essential)

• Good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively; and

• C Class Driver’s license.

Traditional Owners and Aboriginal people are strongly encouraged to apply. All applications should be clearly marked “Private and Confidential” and addressed as follows:

Executive Officer PO Box 106 Weipa, QLD, 4874

Phone: (07) 4069 7945

Email: eo@westerncape.com.au

MUSGRAVE SUPER 8s CRICKET CARNIVAL

APRIL 29 to MAY 1

Rub shoulders with Australian cricket royalty Doug Walters & Jeff Thomson at this year’s Super 8s Carnival at Musgrave Roadhouse!

Teams from the Cape will do battle with sides from the Tablelands on the Labour Day weekend, from Saturday, April 29 to Monday, May 1.

Barbecue dinner & memorabilia auction on the Saturday night

Camping available Roadhouse kitchen open

Alcohol available to purchase

Members of the public are encouraged to come along & watch the social event being played in front of the iconic homestead

Fired up for footy season

IT’S time to dust off the footy boots and pull out the mouthguards, with Cooktown District Junior Rugby League Club’s season about to kick off.

Cooktown Crocs players can register online or in person at the club sign on day this Thursday, March 30 at 4pm at the John Street Oval.

Club secretary Jacynta Hunt said to help keep costs down for families, the club had introduced a new option of membership only registration, which was $50.

“This way if they already have a training uniform (shorts, socks and shirt) at home

and are happy to continue to wear them, they don’t have to pay for a new outfit,” she said.

“If you register online and need a new uniform, make sure to select Crocs 2023 uniform.”

Crocs hats and uniforms will also be on sale on the day, and parents are encouraged to bring their unwanted our outgrown footy gear to sell at a pop-up second-hand gear shop.

Supporter shirts are also available to order. Training is every Tuesday and Thursday at the John Street Oval from 5pm, starting on April 18.

Invitation to Tender

Tender Number 003/23

Surface and Sea Freight Services Contract

Aurukun Shire Council invites Tenders from suitably qualified operators for the provision of surface (road) and sea freight services between Aurukun and Cairns, as per schedule. Qualified and interested suppliers are encouraged to apply and submit with the required supporting documentation. For more information and tender documentation, please visit Vendor Panel or contact Council’s Director Corporate Services on 07 4060 6812 or dircorp@aurukun.qld.gov.au

Tenders must be submitted via http://www.vendorpanel.com.au by 5.00pm on Monday 17 April 2023.

Alan Neilan Acting Chief Executive Officer

Expressions of Interest Torres Strait Spanish Mackerel & Coral Trout Fishing Quota

The Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from interested parties to take up leasing options for the Torres Strait Protected Zone Spanish mackerel and coral trout fisheries in 2023-24.

EOIs must address the criteria outlined in the EOI Information Package and be received by no later than 5pm, Friday 21 April 2023.

For further enquiries and to obtain an EOI Information Package, please contact Quentin Hirakawa at TSRA by phone on (07) 4069 0700, toll free on 1800 079 093 or email fisheries@tsra.gov.au.

Tender No: TKASC2023-002

Freight Services – Road Transport of Goods between Cairns and Kowanyama

Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council is inviting tenders from road Transport carriers to carry out Transport of Goods between Cairns and Kowanyama on a weekly basis.

Tender documents are available to download via www.kowanyama.qld.gov.au/tenders

Tenders Close at 4.00pm Friday 31 March 2023

All tender responses can be submitted electronically to tenders@kowanyama.qld.gov.au

Or physical copies can be submitted to KASC Cairns Office (Unit 1, 50 Scott Street, Cairns, QLD, 4870).

For more information, please contact tenders@kowanyama.qld.gov.au

Kevin Bell, Acting Chief Executive Officer

SPORT IN BRIEF

Little Aths firing up

COOKTOWN’S future athletics stars, or those just looking for a fun afternoon activity, are encouraged to sign up for the second season of Cooktown’s reinvigorated Little Athletics club.

The club kicked off again last year after a long hiatus, with dozens of children taking part in weekly fun training sessions focusing on track and field events.

The group is open to children from age 3 through to 17, with training held every Wednesday during terms two and three from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

The club is holding a free try out afternoon this Wednesday, March 29, at the Cooktown State School oval at 4.30pm, with everyone welcome to attend.

Monthly medal countback

KELLIE Kremmer was Sunday’s monthly medal winner at Carpentaria Golf Club.

She had a nett 68 to be the C-grade champ and overall winner on a countback in the Far North Fishing-sponsored event.

A-grade was won by Steve Jensen, who carded a nett 73, while Eugene Venter’s 68 nett won him B-grade.

Bill Grant picked up the nearest to pin on the 7th and Randall O’Neill won the golden circle jackpot on 9/18.

Handicapper beaten

JIM Lucas managed to defy the odds and win Wednesday Wackers for a second week in a row.

It’s a rare occurance in the nine-hole weekly event as winners are usually heavily penalised by the handicapper.

But Lucas’ nett 33 in a field of 11 was enough to hold out Garry Breitkreutz, who had a nett 33.5.

Alan ‘Fish’ Philliskirk was nearest to pin on 7, while no one found the green on 9. Bradman’s went to Rob Richardson. Meanwhile, just six players fronted up to Dawn Busters golf at Weipa on Sunday morning.

Eugene Venter was the winner, beating Dave Sands.

Venter also had the longest drive, while Jim Lucas picked up the Hoffman’s gong. Members of the public are welcome to join the fun of Wednesday Wackers or Dawnies each week. See the club for info.

Hanson loses ‘dirty’ final

COOKTOWN muaythai fighter

Oliver Hanson fell just short at the King of the North super four eliminator in Cairns on the weekend, beaten in the final by Innisfail’s Quinton Smith.

Full Boar Gym coach Vince Parkes said the team was both pleased and disappointed with their outing in centre ring.

“We’re always a bit down when we lose, but Oliver won his first fight against Ryan McDonald, and went the distance with Quinton, so he got a lot of experience,” he said.

Parkes said Oliver knew how to beat Ryan after losing to the tough Cairns fighter late last year, but Quinton was a slippery opponent.

“He was just so fast, by the time Oliver went in to throw a punch, Quinton had hit him three times and he was bouncing around like a yoyo,” he said.

“He grew up with the mixed styles; boxing, jiu jitsue, MMA, he’s done them all and has a really elusive style.”

Parkes said Quinton’s impressive win was marred by his

poor sportsmanship throughout the night.

“He fights really dirty, which was particularly unnecessary when he was winning the fight anyway; he kicked and kneed Oliver in the head when he was on the ground, was shoulder barging him in the jaw and held his head down so he couldn’t breath,” Parkes said.

“Just full dirty tactics all the way through the fight, but we looked at it as a good experience for Oliver, a good, hard fight.”

Full Boar stablemate Mariah

Bowen was the first fight of the night, taking on an opponent from Atherton and dominating throughout the first round.

“Mariah got the better of her, smashing her with knees, punches and kicks,” Parkes said.

“I think her opponent knew she was going to get knocked out, so she didn’t come out for the second round.”

The team is back in the gym and back at the drawing board, with Oliver lined up to fight on Eruption in Brisbane in three weeks.

Jockeys to benefit from sweat of Laura helpers

VOLUNTEERS have toiled away in hot and humid conditions to lay a concrete slab in preparation for new jockey rooms at the Laura Amateur Turf Club.

In recent years, visiting jockeys have been forced into a tin shed or a shipping container while preparing for races.

The Laura club won a grant under state government’s Country Racing Program to build new jockey rooms.

This year’s annual Laura race meeting will be on Saturday, June 24.

COOKTOWN TIDE TIMES

Cape York Weekly is a free, locally-owned newspaper, published every Tuedsay by Cape York Weekly Pty Ltd

ABN: 506 391 612 92

EDITOR: Matt Nicholls

Ph: 0477 450 558

editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au

PO Box 1079 Weipa, Qld 4874

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Go to the website and click on the subscribe button to receive a free digital copy of the newspaper delivered to your inbox every week

DEB DUFFY

Principal Licencee 0418 773 747

debduffy@weiparealestate.com.au

www.weiparealestate.com.au PO Box 552, Weipa QLD4874

Cape York Weekly recognises that our Indigenous forefathers have lived on this land for some 30,000 years. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners, both past, present and future, of the numerous clan groups on Cape York Peninsula. The newspaper is based in Weipa, on the land of the Alngith people, and we acknowledge them as the custodians of this land.