Cape York Weekly Edition 153

Locals unaware voting starts

By MATT NICHOLLS

VOTING on the referendum will begin today in Cape York, however many local residents are unaware that remote polling booths will be visiting their communities.

For most, it will be their only chance to vote before the national referendum is held on October 14.

The Australian Electoral Commission has failed to advertise the upcoming remote polling booth visits in Cape York and the Torres Strait, leaving locals in the dark.

Instead, it was intending to run generic advertising, asking remote residents to go to its website to find out when the AEC was visiting.

Cape York Weekly intervened on the weekend and the AEC has since changed its stance, although it will be too late for many voters.

Criticism has also been directed at the AEC for its timing.

On Wednesday, for example, Laura residents will get just a three-hour window to cast their vote. It will be the only chance for locals to do so in person.

Cape York Institute founder Noel Pearson said it didn’t sit right with him.

“It’s taken 250 years to get a vote to be recognised and they’ve given just a few hours to do so,” he said ahead of his trip to Aurukun on Monday.

Continued – Page 2

Aurukun

welcomed Cape York Institute founder Noel Pearson on Monday to help drum up numbers for this week’s remote polling booths, and to help build momentum for the Yes vote.

9 Costa Street, Tolga Qld 4882 admin@fnqw.com.au

07 4235 7887

ENDEAVOUR LIONS CLUB COOKTOWN

We would like to inform the community of Cooktown and wider region that we now have new email accounts. Old email accounts will be phased out in the coming weeks.

President: president@endeavourlions.org.au

Secretary: secretary@endeavourlions.org.au

Treasurer: accounts@endeavourlions.org.au

Bookings for the Lions Hall on Amos Street can be made directly with Cook Shire Council Hall hire: mail@cook.qld.gov.au

CONNECT WITH US TODAY

F: Endeavour Lions Club Cooktown

I: @endeavour_lions_cooktown

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AEC must work harder to inform remote residents

From – Page 1

University of Queensland’s Dr Dani Linder, a Bundjalung, Kungarakany woman, said the AEC was undoing its work to lift the enrolment rate of Indigenous Australians.

“Simply just trying to get Aboriginal people across the country on the roll isn’t enough,” she told Cape York Weekly.

“You need to make sure they have access to polling booths and man those booths and assist constituents to cast their votes.

“This is exactly why we need a Voice.”

Dr Linder said many remote Indigenous Australians needed to travel long distances to get to a polling booth and they needed to be told about community visits in advance.

“It’s compulsory to vote in Australia and if you don’t you are subject to a fee,” she said.

“It can be a lengthy process to contest any fine and a lot of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people don’t have the means to do so.

“What the AEC is inadvertently doing is further disenfranchising people by adding to the shopping list of expenses.”

Cairns-based Senator Nita Green said she has been con-

cerned with remote polling booths for some time.

“We’ve seen over many federal elections the issues with mobile voting,” she said.

“That’s why I made a submission to the Joint Committee to raise the issue of mobile voting.

“I hope that during this referendum nobody is prevented from voting, no matter how remote their community is.

“Access to voting is a key democratic principle and we should be doing everything in our power to make it easy.”

Senator Green said she was working with local communities on the ground to put up posters and make social media graphics

to let people know when they could vote. The AEC has put up some of its own posters in communities, although some have said they are misleading.

“I thought it was saying that the voting team was coming to get enrolments and hire people to work on election day,” said Jenny from the Laura General Store.

“I didn’t know they were coming here to get our vote.”

An AEC spokesperson said on Sunday night that it would review the posters to make sure they were clearer to community members.

Mr Pearson, who made a special trip to Aurukun on Mon-

day to help raise the profile of the upcoming referendum, said more needed to be done.

“I know it’s different in different places and the AEC has assured everyone they are doing their utmost to get people enrolled in the first place,” he said.

“However we need to make sure everyone can vote.”

The Hope Vale product has become the face of the Voice’s Yes campaign and urged those in the Cape to follow his lead when it was their turn to vote.

“This is a completely safe form of recognition,” he said on Sunday night.

“We are voting to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the first peoples of Australia.

“That is a factual statement.

“It doesn’t take away from those who came after us, or separate those who came after us.”

Mr Pearson said there were too many conspiracy theories spreading around, invented to disrupt the Yes campaign.

“Whatever you’ve heard on the internet, willingly or if you’ve been bombarded, is most likely not true,” he said.

“It’s a simple recognition of a historic fact that blackfellas were here before whitefellas.”

In the midst of school holidays, there are concerns that many remote voters will miss out on casting their ballot in the referendum.

Remote polling booths are popping up across Cape York this week, although there has been little notice given by the Australian Electoral Commission.

Remote voters let down by electoral commission

THIS is the advertisement that the Australian Electoral Commission thought was adequate enough to inform Cape York residents of pending visits by remote voting teams.

A black and white ad that asks you to visit a website to find out when you can vote in the upcoming referendum.

At the bottom, it clearly says Saturday 14 October as the date of the referendum.

But nowhere does it say that voting actually starts today in some Cape York and Torres Strait locations.

For small communities, it will be the only chance to get to vote in person.

Cape York Weekly received this ad booking last week and it was fortunate that the artwork came on Thursday afternoon.

It allowed us to jump on the website in advance and find out what the AEC had planned for its remote polling booths for our communities.

But we nearly fell out of our chair when we discovered that voting starts today in Aurukun and Lakeland, and tomorrow in places like New Mapoon, Laura and some Torres Strait islands.

What notice have residents in those communities been given?

Virtually none.

And when we rang the Laura General Store on the weekend to find out if they knew about the AEC’s visit on Wednesday, they were surprised, thinking that the poster on their notice board was for enrolments, not for voting.

To make matters worse, the voting team will only be in the town for a three-hour period.

Surely that is a joke?

For starters, most citizens in Australia will get a full day to cast their vote on October 14, but those living in cities will actually get up to 10 days to vote through pre-polling.

Remote voter services for the 2023 Referendum

last-minute advertisement for the remote polling booths, we would have published the times and dates for free.

We will also spread the message on social media because we want people to vote.

Not only is it compulsory in Australia, but the outcome will have serious ramifications in our backyard.

2023 Referendum, Saturday 14 October

But Laura? Three hours.

We’re also in the middle of school holidays, which means that many families will be elsewhere when the AEC rolls into the communities this week.

The lack of local knowledge is staggering.

In the last 12 months, there has been a successful push to lift the Indigenous enrolment rate.

But what good is it being enrolled if you can’t actually vote?

Cape York Weekly put these concerns to the AEC on Friday.

Originally, we were told that the communities had been given notice of the upcoming visits.

The AEC said it had sent SMS messages to phone numbers it had on record, and had booked some targeted Facebook ads.

But it could not tell us how many people were directly informed about the pending visits.

On Monday, the AEC scrambled to book two full pages with all of the remote polling booths in Queensland.

The ad copy arrived just before we went to print and you can see it on Pages 12 and 13.

Senator Nita Green

also

booked an ad after hearing about the AEC’s inaction, which can be found on Page 15.

For many residents, though, it could be too late. Many might not get a copy of the paper until later this week, or are simply out of town.

There is a sad irony about all of this, considering what we are voting for in the referendum.

The AEC can’t say that this is an isolated incident, either.

Last year, this masthead wrote an editorial slamming almost the exact same issues.

Many people missed out on the opportunity to vote in the 2022 federal election because the remote voting teams turned up in their community without any notice.

And while some might say that we’re biased because we are benefactors of any paid advertising, you’re probably right.

However, we pride ourselves on keeping our communities informed with factual information and we also expect our local, state and federal governments to do the same.

Had the AEC not booked a

But what would have happened if we didn’t pick up the AEC’s bungle? What if we didn’t check the website to see that voting was actually starting this week in Cape York?

Hundreds of people may have missed out on the opportunity to vote Yes or No.

And hundreds still might.

While we like to think that everyone reads the paper or our website, we know that isn’t the case. And what about the parts of Queensland that don’t have a newspaper or an independent media outlet?

The Gulf region is one area considered a “news desert”.

Voters in places like Forsayth, Georgetown, Mount Surprise and Croydon will have to rely on the bush telegraph to find out when the AEC is rolling into town.

Luckily, many of them will submit postal votes because their mail service is more reliable than what we get in parts of Cape York.

A request was put in for an interview with Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers, but it was not forthcoming.

Has he been informed?

Considering these issues have been brought up before, he should think about stepping down once the votes have been counted.

Let’s hope that the referendum isn’t decided by a slim margin in either the national count or the Queensland count.

Every vote counts, but it seems like city votes count for a bit more if you are the

AEC.

Authorised by the Australian Electoral Commissioner, 10 Mort Street, Canberra, ACT

AEC23_REFREMQ_139x129_P

Voting

teams from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) are visiting remote locations across Australia so people can vote in the 2023 referendum.

Locations and times are available at aec.gov.au, along with details of other voting options. For more information you can also call 13 23 26 All Australian people aged 18 years and older must vote in the referendum.

Appropriate

COVID-19 safety measures will be in place at all polling places.

Skytrans to help fill void in Bamaga after Rex departs Rio Tinto sorry after WA blast

By MATT NICHOLLS

RESIDENTS in the Northern Peninsula Area were left stunned on Friday when airliner Rex said it would be pulling out of the CairnsBamaga route.

All flights booked after October 31 have been cancelled by Rex, leaving Skytrans as the only airline servicing the NPA.

And with a shortage of pilots around the globe, plus challenges with the Bamaga runway, it was feared that NPA residents would be left stranded heading into the wet season.

However, Skytrans CEO Alan Milne said on Monday that more services would be added to the schedule to alleviate some of the pressure.

“It’s been a busy few days, for sure,” he said.

“From the end of October, we’ll increase to nine flights in and out of Bamaga per week and we hope to get that to 11 or 12 by April next year.

“That would allow us to fly two services per day from Monday to Friday and at least one weekend service.”

Rex announced it was pulling out of the Bamaga route, as well as several others, due to a pilot shortage.

Mr Milne said Skytrans was not immune from the challenges, but was in a better position to attract young pilots due to its broader range of aircraft.

“We have a pilot pathway program with CQU and the grads that typically come out of flying school have about 200-250 hours of flying time,” he said.

“To fly for any airline you need 700 hours, so we are putting them in as co-pilots on our Cessna caravans so they can build their hours.

“They can then be a pilot in command on the caravans and then work up to our Dash-8 100s.”

Mr Milne said Skytrans would fly bigger planes to Bamaga if the runway had greater capacity.

“There is work scheduled on the runway for 2025, I believe, but at the moment there is a weight capacity on the strip,” he said.

“That means instead of flying 50-seaters we are using 36-seat aircraft.”

Cheryl Sanders from Cape York Ice & Tackle said her business and many others relied on a reliable air service into Bamaga.

“Since Rex cancelled those flights we’ve lost three fishing packages,” she said.

“And reliability is another issue because if flights are cancelled or rescheduled, it makes it difficult to provide a great experience, which means people don’t come back.

“There is a growing amount of tourism in the NPA that relies on air travel.”

Ms Sanders said locals were missing medical appointments in Cairns due to a lack of flights.

“It’s not as easy as just getting in the car and driving,” she said.

“A lot of people don’t have a reliable vehicle to get to Cairns. We need more money to go into the roads for driving to be an option.”

RIO Tinto says it is working with Traditional Owners in Western Australia’s Pilbara region after a blast at one of its operations caused damage to an ancient rock shelter.

The incident occurred last month near the Nammuldi iron ore mine, about 60 kilometres north-west of Tom Price.

Rio Tinto said photos taken before and after the blast showed a large rock and a scrub tree had fallen from an overhang above the cave entrance.

The company said initial assessments taken by a drone had found no structural damage at the Nammuldi site, or any impact on cultural materials.

The area is home to the Muntulgura Guruma people, who are represented by the Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation.

“WGAC is aware of the reported impacts to the rock shelter site on Muntulgura Guruma country in the Hamersley Ranges. WGAC is disappointed by the report but is yet to establish the extent of the impact to the rock shelter,” the corporation said.

“We are working with Rio Tinto to better understand what has happened and will work to independently establish the facts in the coming weeks.”

Skytrans CEO Alan Milne says his airline will increase passenger services into Bamaga to help fill the void left by Rex.

to get a new safe space

By CHISA HASEGAWA

A NEW community hub will be built in Wujal Wujal after the local justice group received a massive $100,000 grant.

The Wujal Wujal Justice Group was awarded $100,000 under the annual super round of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.

They will put their funding towards a multi-purpose community hub which will act as a safe gathering place, storage space for camping gear, and even an unofficial evacuation centre.

Wujal Wujal Justice Group CEO Joh Anthonis said it was an exciting opportunity to better reach the community.

“We really put a lot of time and energy into cultural healing on Country, trying to get offenders away from the pressures of community life and re-engaging them with their Elders and positive role models,” he said.

The group often takes community members on camping trips to engage with Elders and connect with Country, but don’t have a welcoming place to gather and use

a shipping container to store their camping gear.

“We’ve got offices but they’re kind of formal Justice Group offices where people sometimes are a bit afraid to come in here or they feel like the community is watching them when they come in here,” Mr Anthonis said.

“It’ll be a place in the community where our staff can engage with people that isn’t as threatening as our offices.”

The shed to be built will include a kitchen and bathroom to be used for various community events, but also a backup generator to be an unofficial evacuation centre during cyclones and other emergencies.

He explained that Wujal Wujal didn’t have a dedicated cyclone shelter and that the emergency plan for the community was to evacuate to Cooktown.

“Logistically, that’s just nuts,” he said.

The Wujal Wujal Justice Group, in partnership with the local Lutheran Church, will match the amount of the grant, putting a total of $200,000 towards the new community hub.

IT’S been eight years since Conquer the Corrugations began in earnest, yet founder and organiser Emma Jackson says she still has the passion and energy to drive the event – a two-day, 42km walk along the Peninsula Developmental Road between Coen and the Archer River Roadhouse.

“It does take a lot to pull this together and we’ve grown in just about every year,” she said.

“But my motto is that if we’re helping someone to help themselves, then it’s all worth it.”

Conquer the Corrugations is a free event and not a fundraiser. It’s simply an opportunity for people to challenge themselves by doing something out of their comfort zone and to talk about life’s challenges with like-minded people.

The walk was inspired following the suicide of

Ms Jackson’s nephew, Dillon, who was also the inspiration for the Talk About It Tuesday movement.

Conquer also grew interstate this year, with walks staged outside of the Cape for the first time.

A Victorian event was held earlier in the year, while a walk in East Arnhem Land was a hit earlier this month.

“They were both great in their own different ways and I’d love to see a Conquer in every state eventually,” Ms Jackson said.

“If you come with the right attitude you can get so much out of it. This year we’ll have 27 staff from Queensland Health at 28 Mile Lagoon (the hub for Conquer) who will be able to offer assistance..”

 See the Conquer the Corrugations website or social medial channels for more information.

The inaugural Conquer the Corrugations walk in East Arnhem Land earlier this month was a huge success and there will be another strong turnout for this weekend’s two-day walk in Cape York.

Health bus is on its way to Weipa

RIO Tinto and the Heart of Australia Corporate Health Initiative have partnered to bring a first-ofits-kind mobile medical imaging clinic, HEART 5, to Weipa next month, providing Rio Tinto workers with respiratory health surveillance examinations.

Staffed by Heart of Australia technicians and physicians, the world’s first battery-operated CT scanner truck will provide examinations to employees at Amrun, Andoom and Lorim Point.

As part of the mandatory requirements for all mineral mine and quarry workers in Queensland, all mining companies are required to comply with respiratory health

surveillance measures set by Resources Safety & Health Queensland.

The respiratory health examina-

Ramp repairs completed for

NPA boaties

A POPULAR boat ramp near the Tip of Cape York has been given a much-needed facelift.

The damaged and worn concrete flex-mat used for Seisia’s public boat-ramp has been replaced with a new five metre-wide concrete modular ramp.

The $686,000 project, funded by the state government’s Maritime Infrastructure Investment Program, will significantly improve safety and access for local boaties.

Works were undertaken in early September after being prioritised following concerns raised by local boaties and Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council, the facility manager.

The condition of the existing concrete flex-mat had raised safety concerns due to eroded shoulders and wear of the mattress.

The benefit of the concrete modular ramp is the hard flexible surface enables access over sand and into the water for trailertowed vessels on the natural beach.

The new design has a crossfall towards the middle to provide better surface drainage and reduce the risk of shoulders eroding from stormwater runoff.

Two shoulder mattresses have been added alongside the ramp to assist with alleviating sand build up. The new mattresses are heavier and more stable than the previous mattresses.

“These works were carried out in earlySeptember, and I thank local boaties for their patience during this important work,” said Minister for Transport Mark Bailey.

“My department is working with Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council and the local community to determine the best long-term solutions for recreational and commercial marine facilities.”

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui added: “Safe and reliable access to the Torres Strait waterways is integral to Northern Peninsula Area communities.

“This project has restored the condition of the modular boat ramp at Seisia so it can remain safe and functional, which is great news for boaties and the wider community.”

tions for coal, mineral mine and quarry workers have been aligned and strengthened to ensure that all mine and quarry workers across

Queensland receive the same quality lung checks to detect changes in lung function in early stages.

The eye-catching mobile medi-

cal clinic will arrive in Weipa by barge next week.

“Rio Tinto is committed to ensuring our employees have access to high quality CT and x-ray scans. We are proud to partner with Heart of Australia Corporate Health Initiative to deliver this health surveillance program and will continue to bring the clinic to our Weipa operations” said Rio Tinto Weipa general manager Shona Markham.

Proceeds from the Heart of Australia Corporate Health Initiative’s delivery of employee health services help fund Heart of Australia’s ongoing specialist services for rural, remote and regional Australian communities.

The Heart 5 bus will arrive in Weipa next week and will be used for examinations on Rio Tinto Weipa employees.

Work has finished at the Seisia boat ramp.

Cape York farmer lives to tell tale after taipan bite Extension for Archies portraits

A CAPE York farmer who was hospitalised after being bitten by one of the world’s most venomous snakes initially thought he had trodden on a thorny weed hidden in the grass in his backyard.

Tom Jones, 66, had just finished a long morning of work at his farm about 35km outside of Cooktown and was ready to relax at home, when he spotted a sprinkler in his yard that needed to be shifted.

Mr Jones ventured a short distance out into the yard, barefoot, when he felt a sharp pain on the side of his big toe on his left foot as he walked past a patch of long grass.

“It felt like I’d trodden on sensitive weed, but I couldn’t see any of it anywhere,” he said.

“There was a split second where I thought ‘hang on, my foot was lifted off the ground when this happened’, and it didn’t add up.

“I looked around and there he was behind me: his body zigzag shaped, with his head up in the air.

“I just took a few seconds to have a look at him: the shape of his head, the colour of him, and things like that.

“I thought ‘bloody hell, I know what’s happening here’ – I’d been bitten by a taipan.”

The coastal taipan, which is found throughout north-eastern Queensland, is a dangerously venomous species with strongly neurotoxic venom.

It possesses the third most toxic land snake venom known, and many human deaths have resulted from bites by this species.

Mr Jones administered first aid on himself, wrapping his leg up tightly in a compression bandage.

He then drove himself to Cooktown Hospital.

After receiving emergency care, he was kept in hospital for observation. Clinicians initially believed he had received a ‘dry’ bite, without venom being injected into his bloodstream by the snake’s

sharp fangs.

About 10 hours later, however, things took a turn for the worse.

“I started getting double vision and then they realised I’d been envenomated,” Mr Jones said.

“The Royal Flying Doctor Service came, and they ran me to the airport. I was in Cairns (Hospital) within about 15 minutes.”

At Cairns Hospital, Mr Jones’ condition had deteriorated further as the strong venom from the snake took hold within his blood, affecting its ability to clot.

“I couldn’t maintain blood pressure, and there was bleeding in my mouth,” he said.

“That’s when they decided to give me the antivenom.”

September 2023 Community Update

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

You may not be aware, but this week is SES Week, which is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the work of our community volunteers who form a major part of our disaster response In fact, Queensland leads the nation in responding to natural disasters and we have had a strong community lead response and management to the natural disasters that other States are now working to emulate There has been a State review of the Emergency Services that we rely on and there will be some changes to improve the funding and support of those Departments So now would be a good time if you have ever considered joining the SES or Rural Fire Brigade to sign up and join a fantastic bunch of community members Or say thanks for being there for us in some of our most difficult times Don’t forget Cyclone Season is on the way and so ‘Get Ready Week’ is happening o Saturday, 14th Of October to provide you with a the information you need to be prepared

The Weipa ‘R U OK? Day’ was a community eve catering for families and interested communi members coordinated by WTA in collaboration wi JCU Centre for Rural and Remote Health Our event held at the Kumrumja Centre was opportunity for friends and family to hav conversation with local health professionals I would like to give special mention to Mala JCU who co-facilitated this event as well as community partners -

RFDS - Far North Mental Health Team

Once the antivenom was administered to Mr Jones, he described the feeling as having “the worst hangover in the world”.

“I had sweat pouring off me as soon as they started pumping the antivenom into me,’ he said.

“Once they got it in there, I was still crook, but I felt better – it was a hungover feeling: the worst you’ve ever had. And the feeling didn’t go away.

“They ended up giving me medication for the nausea, but I still had double vision, and felt sick in the gut. I couldn’t open my eyelids and couldn’t swallow properly.

“But by the next morning, things were much better.”

Cairns Hospital toxicologist Dr Mark Little said Mr Jones was lucky to survive the snake bite, as taipan venom could cause bleeding, muscle breakdown, as well as paralysis.

“Tom potentially had a number of life-threatening complications due to his taipan bite,” he said.

Mr Jones was under no illusion about how lucky he was to have survived his taipan encounter.

“Dr Little told me to go and buy a lottery ticket,” he said.

Story supplied by Cairns and Hinterland Health Service

THE deadline for entries has been extended for Cooktown’s own version of the Archibald Portrait Prize, due to overwhelming interest.

Cooktown School of Art Society president Jane Dennis said the Cooktown Archies portrait competition was aimed at everyone, from beginners to professionals, and interest had been high.

“The minute I extended the entry closing date and sent it off to members, they were all excited saying they now had time to enter,” she said.

“Lots of people were already thinking about it and I said they had two extra weeks, they jumped at it.”

Ms Dennis said the emphasis was on participation, not necessarily artistic talent or experience.

“We’re encouraging everyone to enter, and have been holding regular portrait workshops throughout the year, as well as workshops specifically for children in the lead up,” she said.

“You can definitely see the changes and the confidence in the artists since we’ve been doing the art workshops, it just grows.”

Talk About It Tuesday

Soul Vehicle Maintenance

QLD Health - MHAOD

Weipa Community Care

PCYC Napranum

Queensland Ambulance Service

Capeaccino Crew

Weipa Running Festival

Please remember that if you’re NOT feeling OK then you don’t have to suffer alone, reach out for help

- Michael Rowland

R U OK? Day

3

TREE MAINTENANCE

of

large

under the direction of professional arborists

Our annual tree maintenance program is determined by a routine hazardous tree assessment completed by an independent arborist Trees are assessed against several criteria to determine tree health and whether it poses a risk to community safety and infrastructure

Tree maintenance continues in town including the trimming of the grand dame of mahogany trees in Kumrumja Park Arguably the largest mahogany tree in Weipa, received a haircut to reduce the weight

its

limbs

Tom Jones was hospitalised after a bite from a coastal taipan on his farm.

Dog owner distraught after death

By SARAH MARTIN

A DEVASTATED Cooktown pet owner is calling for landholders to follow the letter of the law after her beloved dog died a horrific death suspected to be caused by a toxin banned in most other countries.

Helen Greaves and her partner live on Ryder Road about half an hour north-west of Cooktown, adjoining a large property owned by a conservation organisation.

On September 6, a day after poison baits were laid on the neighbouring property, but with no notification and minimal warning signage, their beloved 11-year-old whippet-staffy cross Q began to convulse.

“My partner discovered her having a fit – she may have been enticed by the smell, maybe an eagle picked it up and dropped it –we don’t know,” Ms Greaves said.

“The symptoms were classic 1080 poisoning, fits, wild running,

screaming, really horrible stuff.”

Angry and upset, Ms Greaves said she wanted other pet owners to be careful, but also for landholders using the toxin to follow the guidelines.

Sodium fluoroacetate, better known as 1080, is a biodegradable toxin with no antidote, which causes frenzied running and barking, uncontrollable vomiting, loss of bowel control, convulsions and death in warm-blooded animals, including humans.

The poison is currently banned

worldwide, with the exception of Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Israel, Japan and Korea.

“How can this horrible toxic poison be allowed this close to people’s homes,” Ms Greaves said.

“There’s got to be a better way, no animal deserves to die like that, including wild dogs, it’s a horrible, horrible way to die.”

Cook Shire deputy mayor Robyn Holmes confirmed that council did supply landholders with 1080 baits under strict conditions.

“1080 is only supplied for the control of wild dogs and feral pigs, with the condition that owners must provide written notification at least 72 hours prior to all neighbours with properties adjoining the holding where the baits are to be laid,” Cr Holmes said.

But Ms Greaves said she and many other neighbours directly adjoining the large property had not been notified.

“Speaking with others in the

area it doesn’t appear anywhere near enough people who have adjoining properties were notified,” she said.

“There’s quite a decent population here, they’ve got a lot of neighbours, but the property caretaker told me he couldn’t get hold of contact details to notify people.”

But Ms Greaves said Cook Shire could provide contact details for the purposes of compliance.

“More than one person hasn’t done their homework regarding how to get contact information about adjoining property owners,” she said.

Cr Holmes said landholders were also required to place 1080 warning signs at all entrances.

“Council will supply warning signs which must be placed at all entrances to the property and at the extremities of the property boundaries front a public thoroughfare,” she said.

“In addition to this, baits must

not be laid within 5m of a fenced boundary, 5m from the edge of a formed roadway, 20m from permanent or flowing water bodies or 150m from a dwelling.”

However, Ms Greaves said the property’s large main front gate on Ryder Road had no sign, with the only sign she saw on a small private gate between properties, and not on a road.

“It’s an interesting place to put the sign,” Ms Greaves said.

“I haven’t seen any other warning signs around and their big front access gate on Ryder Road, which is actually facing a road, doesn’t have one.”

Ms Greaves said the caretaker and a council officer had apologised to her, but it was too late.

“Apologising won’t bring Q back,” she said.

“The main thing for me is the lack of notification, that just does my head in – ignorance is no excuse.”

Cape York students get a taste of conservation work

TWO Cooktown girls have been given a close-up look at a project that’s credited with saving a local national park as part of work experience with South Cape York Catchments Group.

Cooktown State School Year

10 students Coral Thompson and Kenisha Dawes helped inspect a remote site at the headwaters of Rinyirru National Park for one of the worst aquatic weeds, salvinia.

“It was really exciting that we found no salvinia, we were absolutely cheering,” SCYC CEO Jason Carroll said.

“It’s a project we’ve been doing for more than six years with a whole bunch of partners on a private property, we removed 58 tonnes of salvinia over about four years.”

As well as keeping an eye peeled for invasive weeds, the pair

got down and dirty checking duck poo with the Melsonby Rangers as part of biosecurity monitoring.

“Those get sent off and analysed for any nasty avian diseases that might be coming into Australia,” Mr Carroll said.

“While they were out there they also set up some feral pig traps and sensor cameras.”

The pair were kept busy with a marine debris clean up at Walker

Bay, followed by sorting and categorising the scraps to enter into the Australian Marine Debris database.

They also got involved in community work, helping out with vegetation management at Cooktown’s old railway park along Adelaide Street, and even found time to give the work vehicles a wash.

“I was really happy with how they went, they were really moti-

vated, worked so hard and did everything I asked,” Mr Carroll said.

“Every year we take work experience students – it’s a great opportunity to develop a bit of local interest in the field.”

Kenisha said she enjoyed the whole week of work experience and learning about South Cape York Catchments role in the region, while Coral loved the beach clean up at Walker Bay.

Q died after eating a 1080 bait.

Sorting debris found at Walker Bay and entering it into the Austalian Marine Debris Database was all part of a day’s work for Cooktown State School students Coral Thompson and Kenisha Dawes. Kenisha and Coral setting up sensor cameras with the Melsonby Rangers.

Additional funding for our parks

THE state government says it has committed an additional $14.8 million over four years and $3.7 million ongoing annually to support the joint management of Cape York’s national parks.

The funding will help in the protection of Cape York’s natural and cultural values for future generation through a joint management agreement between Traditional Owners and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

The investment will continue to build on the Cape York Peninsula Tenure Resolution Program, finalised September 2022, which returned ownership and management of identified lands to local Traditional Owners.

Cape York NRM’s new CEO has form as a trailblazer

By SARAH MARTIN

WHILE new as a chief executive, Cape York Natural Resource Management boss Pip Schroor is hard pressed to list a community she hasn’t visited or an organisation she hasn’t worked with during her lifelong love affair with the area.

“I’m very new to being a CEO, and it feels really weird, but I have a level of comfort because I love the Cape,” Ms Schroor said of her new role.

“When the opportunity came up, it was the logical next step for me, and I honestly couldn’t think of working anywhere else.”

Ms Schroor is the first female CEO of the natural resource charity, and is no stranger to leading the way for women in a male-dominated field.

“I was the first female ranger in charge on the Cape when I worked at Kutini Payamu (Iron Range) National Park in 2009,” she said.

“For me, promoting women in

conservation and mentoring and encouraging more women to work in the sector is something I’m passionate about.”

In addition to unbounded enthusiasm for her role and a passion for Cape York and its people, Ms Schroor’s professional background reads like a training guide for her new role.

“I was already working in the Cape region, then spent 15 years with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service as a ranger,” she said.

After moving to Cairns in 2011 to have her daughter, Ms Schroor moved to QPWS’s joint management team, working with Aboriginal land trusts and corporations to help build their on-country NRM capacity.

Ms Schroor has also worked with the Torres and Cape Indigenous Councils Alliance as regional resilience coordinator, helping local governments from the Torres Strait to the Gulf and across the Cape to build disaster and climate

change resilience and improve water and food security.

“What my staff at CYNRM currently do and help facilitate our partners to do is what I used to do. I used to do the weed spraying, light the fires, do the mapping and meet with stakeholders all across the Cape,” Ms Schroor said.

“What’s really important for me in this role is to connect my staff with the amazing people I’ve worked with in the Cape and get my staff to fall in love with and appreciate the Cape as much as I do.”

The CEO acknowledged that CYNRM had internal changes to make and lots of listening to do, as well as work building and strengthening stakeholder relationships.

“We haven’t worked as well as we could have but it’s a new day and now it’s about turning that around for the people of the Cape, the communities and the environment,” she said.

“The priorities for me are looking at CYNRM as an organisation,

re-looking at how we operate and our strategic plan to ensure we fit with the changing landscape of NRM on the Cape.

“That all goes hand in hand with listening and learning about what the Cape communities, people and organisations want and seizing new opportunities such as innovation in renewable energy and sustainability funding.”

Ms Schroor encouraged as many people as possible to attend the AGM on October 21.

“We’re going to have an open floor Q&A session about CYNRM and its future, we want to hear what the community and organisations want, warts and all, what they want to see, what works and what doesn’t,” she said.

“It’s a new day for CYNRM, I want to hear and learn the stories and then advocate at that state and federal government level to improve the livelihoods and culture and help raise the profile of Cape York.”

“The funding will ensure the meaningful partnerships between Traditional Owners and the state government will create an enduring legacy,” said Environment Minister Leanne Linard.

Joint management agreements are established through the development of an Indigenous Management Agreement (IMA) .

The state said $12.2 million over the next four years and $2.8 million ongoing from the budget will go towards the development and reviewing of IMAs.

The remainder of the funding will enable greater transfer of management responsibility to Traditional Owners.

Olkola Aboriginal Corporation CEO Debbie Symonds said the funding was “much-needed”.

“It empowers Traditional Owners by providing resources and support to improve skills, knowledge and abilities in managing and preserving parks culturally and in line with traditional lore and customs,” she said.

“By involving Traditional Owners in the management process, it not only preserves the ecological integrity of the parks but also ensures that the land’s cultural significance and Indigenous knowledge are respected and protected.”

Cape York Natural Resource Management’s new CEO Pip Schroor says she is focused on listening to the community and strengthening partnerships.

Remote Voter Services

Mobile voting teams for the 2023 Referendum

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) will be visiting soon, so you can vote in the referendum. Check the remote voter services schedule below for the dates and times you can vote in your area.

This schedule can change. To confirm details, visit aec.gov.au or call 13 23 26 All Australian people aged 18 years and older must vote.

Appropriate COVID-19 safety measures will be in place at all polling places.

2023 Referendum, Saturday 14 October

Teen ready to get amongst it at Hog Hunt

FOR 15-year-old Abbey Rogers, there’s nothing she likes more than going pig hunting with her dad, something she has been doing since before she could walk.

“I’ve been hunting for as long as I can remember – my favourite part is watching the dogs enjoy their achievements,” she said.

“I’ve been in every single Cooktown Hog Hunt since I was born!”

But as most keen hunters are getting prepped for this weekend’s annual Cooktown Hotel Hog Hunt, Abbey has a more important role to play, as right-hand woman to organiser Denicka Danaher.

“She’s great, she helps out with everything,” Ms Danaher said of her teen assistant.

“She takes photos and shadows me the whole weekend, she’s my awesome sidekick.”

Abbey said she didn’t have any tips for other hunters, apart from good luck.

“My father and I travel all across the Cape to the best spots, but everyone hunts different, so I

don’t have any tips – all I can say is good luck to everyone this weekend,” she said.

Ms Danaher said this year’s hunt was tipped to be another massive event, with nominations expected to exceed last year’s 367 entrants.

“We have over $40,000 in cash and prizes, it’s been absolutely hectic,” she said.

“This year is tipped to be huge, we are absolutely pumped, and we’re hoping to top the 367 entries we had last year.”

Nominations are from 8am to 8pm this Friday and must be made in person at the Cooktown Hotel, known locally as the Top Pub.

Ms Danaher said every individual nominee received a Hog Hunt shirt, sticker and entry into the major prizes, including a CF Moto 625 quad bike valued at more than $12,000.

The weigh-in is on Sunday at the pub from 10am to 2pm.

For more information, message FrogDogs Australia on Facebook or phone the pub on 4069 5308.

KEEN Weipa, Napranum and Mapoon anglers will take to the waters around Cullen Point this weekend for the annual Mapoon Barra Bash.

“All of our prizes, including the boat, have been in town for a while now,” said Mapoon council CEO Tom Smith.

“I know its the highlight of the year for many local families and we’re looking forward to welcoming visitors from the neighbouring communities for a good weekend of fishing.”

The Mapoon Barra Bash runs on Saturday and Sunday and nominations can be made through the Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council.

The event will cap off a big fortnight for the small community, following the appearance of Australian Idol winner Royston Sagigi-Baira on Friday night as part of the town’s 60th year commemorations, which included a big feast for those in attendance.

Unique piece of Tip is up for sale

By SARAH MARTIN

A VIRTUALLY unknown slice of Cape York is up for sale with a conservative price tag of more than $15 million.

Utingu is one of the only large freehold beachfront properties on Cape York, with 2km of oceanfront and 220 acres of beach, rainforest and bushland, and has changed hands only four times in the past century.

Sotheby’s International real estate agent Lynn Malone, who specialises in unique, remote luxury properties, said there had been plenty of interest in the property.

“There is nothing quite like this on the market, nothing of that significant size, freehold and with beach frontage on the Cape, it’s as rare as hen’s teeth,” she said.

“When you’re there, it’s like being on an island, except you have a backdoor that connects to the mainland, electricity and water, transport by land, sea and air and access for staff who don’t live

on-site. There are no comparable sales, so we’re comparing it to islands like Hook Island which is only 9.3ha and sold recently for $10 million or South Molle Island, which is on the market right now for $30 million.

“Our conservative estimate is between $12 and $15.5 million, and we’ve certainly had interest at that level.”

Ms Malone said the property, which was founded in 1911 as Australia’s first coconut plantation, had been owned by the same person for the past 25 years, and used as a holiday retreat.

“The vendor just loves the property and the people and the region and he wants it to go to a good

family, someone who is going to be the next custodian of the land,” she said.

“He’s very conscious of that, he has the best interests of the community at heart and wants for Utingu to go to a good home.”

Ms Malone said interest in the property so far had only been from Australian buyers, and it wasn’t actively being marketed overseas.

The property has a current development approval in place for a 67-building eco resort.

The site currently has a twostorey lodge which Ms Malone described as “bush luxury”, complete with four double bedrooms and a machinery building with another three single bedrooms.

Utingu boasts a bush luxury style main lodge with four double bedrooms and a separate building with quarters for three staff.

Helicopter flights from nearby Horn Island are only 15 minutes from Utingu.

The pristine freehold property is bisected by a tidal creek.

Abbey Rogers said her favourite part of pig hunting is watching her dogs enjoying themselves.

Fun Day at The Block @ Cooktown

Pictures: SARAH MARTIN

Kim and Archer Giese hanging out with baby Stevie Williams.

Robbie and Elaine Giblin with grandsons Hayden and Logan Mackenzie.

Arabella Vaega, Aurelia Bugden, Princess Saga and Christelle Harstad-Wall were getting crafty.

Cooktown and District Youth Association volunteers Beau Peberdy, Louise Sumption and Karen Thompson.

Maia Pensio, James Jarman, Lachie Dotoi, Cecil Stewart and Jack Ludlow ready for laser tag.

Summer Oakley, Matilda Montgomery and Malena Gougeon.

Sophie Langton and Millie Smith with Aiyana, Torben and Bernd Brinkmann.

Kimberley Gibson and Karla Kulka with Layla Kulka and baby Caleb Gibson.

Michael Vaega and Tamati Gibson-Vaega enjoying the cool inside.

Jalan Deeral won a prize with a great cast in the lure throwing competition.

Fill

Cape York Weekly Puzzles Page

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.

Crossword

Spot the 5 Differences

the Dots

Great Artesian Basin Stakeholder Advisory Committee

We are looking to fill 2 First Nations positions on the Great Artesian Basin Stakeholder Advisory Committee.

The committee advises Great Artesian Basin ministers on:

• sustainability of basin’s water resources

• water’s environmental, economic, social, and cultural significance

• policies and initiatives affecting the basin

• implementation of the Great Artesian Basin Strategic Management Plan 2019.

We’re looking for First Nations people with a range of skills, including cultural knowledge and experience in:

• community engagement

• water resource policy

• water science

• cultural water management.

Previous experience on advisory boards is desirable, but not mandatory.

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, go to dcceew.gov.au/gabcommittee for further information.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

Dear Shareholders

Your annual WCCCA Trusts and Sub-Regional Trusts Annual General Meetings will be held as follows:

WCCT Central Sub-Regional Trust Ltd ACN 102246042 as Trustee for the WCCT Central Sub-Regional Trust

Monday 16th October 2023

9:00am – 12:00pm

WCCT Administration Building (Achimbun)

Lot 21 Kamenjarin Drive, Evans Landing, WEIPA

WCCT Southern Sub-Regional Trust Ltd ACN 102246113 as Trustee for the WCCT Southern Sub-Regional Trust

Tuesday 17th October 2023

9:00am – 12:00pm

WCCT Administration Building (Achimbun)

Lot 21 Kamenjarin Drive, Evans Landing, WEIPA

WCCT Northern Sub-Regional Trust Ltd ACN 102245956 as Trustee for the WCCT Northern Sub-Regional Trust

Wednesday 18th October 2023

9:00am – 12:00pm

WCCT Administration Building (Achimbun)

Lot 21 Kamenjarin Drive, Evans Landing, WEIPA

Western Cape Communities Trust Pty Ltd ACN 102245607 as Trustee for the Western Cape Communities Trust, followed by Western Cape Communities Trust Pty Ltd ACN 102245607 as Trustee for the Western Cape Communities Property Trust

Thursday 19th October 2023

9:00am – 12:00pm

WCCT Administration Building (Achimbun)

Lot 21 Kamenjarin Drive, Evans Landing, WEIPA

All Shareholders are encouraged to attend.

Morning tea will be provided.

The Executive Officer looks forward to seeing you.

If you have any further enquiries or want to RSVP please call the Administration Officer on (07) 4069 7945

Non-Executive Chairs and Members

Contribute to your local community to deliver exceptional healthcare

• Chair and Member opportunities across Queensland Hospital and Health Boards

• Part- time statutory appointments commencing April 2024

• Diverse skills and experience required for Member and Chair positions

The Opportunity

The Queensland Government delivers free universal healthcare to five million Queenslanders through Queensland Health. The Queensland Government is investing a record $25.8 billion into healthcare. Queensland’s 16 Hospital and Health Boards provide governance to their respective Hospital and Health Service (HHS) and are responsible for the delivery of healthcare in their region. The Boards are accountable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women and must perform the functions in accordance with the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 Board members are leaders in their local communities and have the ability to shape the future of health care in their region, whilst enhancing the efficient, effective and sustainable delivery of health services.

Applications

The Queensland Government is seeking applications from appropriately experienced individuals to fill a range of Board vacancies across the State.

To be successful in this role, you:

• are ready and able to add value to the Board through your skills, knowledge and experience, including but not limited to, any of the following areas of expertise: health management; business management; financial management; human resource management; clinical expertise; legal expertise; primary healthcare; health consumer and community engagement; and persons with skills, knowledge and experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and community issues;

• are able to analyse, critically assess and drive performance;

• have the confidence and connections to strengthen community engagement and collaborative partnerships;

• are a leader who thinks strategically, embodies personal integrity, has political astuteness, commercial acumen, resilience and are a team player; and

• are available to travel to the HHS communities if you are located outside the region.

Applications are to be submitted online. To obtain the Applicant Information Pack and instructions on how to submit your application, please visit www.executivequarter.com.au/hhb

These opportunities are remunerated in accordance with Queensland Government guidelines. We strongly encourage First Nations people, women, people with expertise in multiculturalism, young people and people with disabilities to apply. A range of probity checks will be undertaken for persons being considered for appointment.

Applications close midnight, Wednesday 11 October 2023.

Should you wish to receive assistance on submitting your application, please contact Executive Quarter who are facilitating this process on 0497 499 749 or hhb@executivequarter.com.au

Australian Government

From Monday 25 September 2023, GHD will be undertaking detailed site investigations at the Port of Weipa’s Hornibrook Point (also known as Bicentennial Community Park) and the former slipway yard at Evans Landing. The works are expected to take up to one week to complete. To ensure public safety, areas of the sites will be restricted to the community while the work is underway.

Spirited Suns team shows ticker

By MATT NICHOLLS

UNDERSIZED and inexperienced, the Central Cape Suns junior rugby league team knew they were going to have their backs against the wall in Cairns on the weekend.

The under-14 side, playing in the esteemed Tassell Trophy, might not have had the Disney movie ex perience they were hoping for, but the underdogs won plenty of hearts at Jones Park.

In four matches, the Weipa boys were beaten 44-0 by Brothers Townsville, 32-4 by Innisfail, 36-0 by Cairns Kangaroos, and 36-4 by the Mareeba Gladiators.

“I’m really proud of the way they performed,” Suns coach Trent Gordon said.

“There was a massive difference between the size of the kids and we just didn’t have any of the bigger bodies to match them.

“But I spoke to them about resil ience and how it would be a great learning experience and they all put their heads down and gave it their all.”

As a result, the Central Cape Suns won the Spirit of the Carnival Award for their efforts.

“I think some of our boys were a bit shellshocked by the size of the other players on the first day but they learnt not to be intimdated by the size and picked up new techniques to tackle and work as a team to defence,” Gordon said.

“Life isn’t always easy and I

wasn’t as if it was an unsafe environment because there were no serious injuries, it’s just they had some bigger kids.”

The size of the Central Cape Suns pool of players means that each season, organised games can only be played amongst each other, and are usually eight or nine per side.

“The kids got a good taste of carnival footy and I’m sure they’ll be hungry to come back if they get

back next year,” the coach said. Gordon didn’t want to individualise performances but praised the efforts of Jake McDonnell, Oliver King, Hunter Slingo and Saki Canaweka.

“Hunter won the defensive effort award for the work he did in the middle.”

Sunny Gordon was named the players’ player for his efforts in the backline. He made several big plays from dummy half.

Paul Schuh-Taylor provided plenty of grunt in the middle. Saki Canaweka won the praise of his coach.

Sunny Gordon makes a dash out of dummy half. Pictures: MATT NICHOLLS

Jake McDonnell showed plenty of creativity with the ball in his hand.

The Central Cape Suns under-14 team didn’t win a match but won plenty of hearts at the Tassell Trophy in Cairns on the weekend.

Swim team ready to take on competition in Darwin

By SARAH MARTIN

COOKTOWN’S swim team has doubled the number of qualifying athletes from their 2022 trip to the Darwin Country Swimming Championships, taking a massive squad of 10 youngsters to the Territory event this week.

Cooktown Amateur Swimming Club head coach Donald Macmillan said the team had been training extremely hard all year to qualify.

“Having 10 swimmers from Cooktown competing is an amazing achievement,” he said.

“And we had even more swimmers from Cooktown with qualifying times who are not yet old enough to go as the minimum age is 12.

“I’m exceptionally proud of them and what they have achieved so far and am blown

Viv’s a winner

CONDITIONS were tough for low scoring at Weipa on Sunday with just one player able to beat their handicap in the monthly medal round.

Vivian Chan carded a nett 71 to be the overall winner of the Ma’s Rides-sponsored event, as well as the B-grade monthly medal winner.

Jamie Hutton claimed A-grade with a nett 76, while Jerrod Byrne won C-grade with a nett 72.

Nearest to pins went to Hutton on 7 and Sean Byrne on 18.

Last week, at Wednesday Wackers, Mick Cerneka had a nett 32 to beat Steve Head by three strokes.

Jim Lucas claimed both the nearest to pin on the 7th and the Bradman’s, while Helen Sabatino was the closest on 18.

On Sunday morning, eight players took part in Dawn Busters and it was Grant Crossley who prevailed, beating Cerneka.

Camerton Hart and Viv Chan had the longest drives, while Scott McDowell picked up the Hoffman’s.

Broncos eye Panthers

QUEENSLANDERS will get behind the Brisbane Broncos on Sunday night when they take on Penrith in the NRL decider.

away by the generosity from those who have helped the team with fundraising, and the heartfelt support and great community spirit shown.”

Among the team ready for Darwin is Mr Macmillan’s son Carrick, who has a special training tool that has helped him prepare for the event – best mate Rudi Habermann.

“We have a mostly friendly rivalry, except when we play water polo in training,” Rudi joked.

“Then we completely go, it’s not very friendly at that point, we keep track of who wins more than the other all the time,” Carrick said.

The boys are training partners at Cooktown Amateur Swimming Club, but also compete against each other in the same age class.

“I’m always striving to beat Carrick, so it makes me work harder,” Rudi, who also qualified for Darwin, said.

“Knowing he is there in the same races makes me drive harder and push myself that extra bit,” Carrick said.

And how do Rudi and Carrick think they will go in Darwin when they race against each other?

“I’m better in freestyle and butterfly, but Carrick is better at backstroke and breaststroke, so we usually get half of our races each,” Rudi said.

Mr Macmillan said the boys were amongst the most consistent in their training and put in 100 per cent effort every time.

“However, the thing that makes me most proud of them is that despite their obvious desire to beat each other, they’re the

first to congratulate the other, they cheer each other on when not competing and their pool rivalry ends the second they’re out of the water,” he said.

“Rudi, like all our swimmers, will be chasing some personal bests in Darwin, and also a country nationals final place in 100m breaststroke, 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke.

“Carrick will also be chasing PBs across all events but is focused on qualifying for the 50m free, 100m back, 100m free, 50m back and 100m breast.”

They join Haila Hegamaea, Natalie Treloar, Isla Winton, Cruze Ryder, Jett Ryder, Sam Ryder, Lakea Hegamaea and Slayde Whittaker in Darwin.

“The Country Championships is a national level event for clubs based outside of the metro centres,” Mr Macmillan said.

WEIPA

http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/tides/#!/qld-cooktown

COOKTOWN TIDE TIMES

The Broncos were too slick for the Warriors in Saturday night’s preliminary final, winning 42-12.

Reece Walsh was the spark, providing six line-break assists and three try assists in another masterclass.

Brisbane trailed twice in the early stages, but a three-try blitz in the space of eight minutes blew the game open for the Broncos.

The game is scheduled to kick off around 6.30pm Queensland time.

Lions out to swoop Magpies

THE two best teams of the 2023 season have made it to the AFL grand final, with the Brisbane Lions and Collingwood Magpies to do battle this Saturday.

The Pies won a cliffhanger against GWS Giants on Friday night, while the Lions fought back from a five-goal deficit to beat Carlton in their preliminary final.

Collingwood will start slight favourites in the decider, which begins at 2.30pm.

First point of contact: Weipa Police Ph: (07) 4090 6000 VHF Channel 16 Ph: 0417 075 695

Shed 5, Evans Landing, Weipa QLD 4874

VHF 16 & 23

Carrick Macmillan and Rudi Habermann’s friendly rivalry has helped them improve their swimming ahead of the Country Swimming Championships.