The Central Cape Suns delivered one final “absolutely amazing” performance during their Laurie
Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch has launched a ‘call for action’ over concerns about the transparency of the Cape York World Heritage nomination process. Read the full story on Page 3.
Spina Shield campaign on Saturday night when they ran onto Queensland Country Bank Stadium for an exhibition game ahead of the North Queensland Cowboys and Manly Sea Eagles NRL showdown. Turn to Page 22 to read about their Townsville experience.
Ford erupts on Mulligan Highway
A MOTORIST had a lucky escape from injury after their vehicle was destroyed by fire near Mount Carbine on 1 July.
The red 2016 Ford Ranger is believed to have been travelling from Cooktown when it began to repeatedly overheat on the Mulligan Highway.
Less than two kilometres from the town at about 12:40pm, the male driver noticed smoke and flames coming from the vicinity of the engine bay, at which point he turned off the highway and onto the Mount Carbine cemetery road and exited the vehicle before it became fully engulfed.
The man was uninjured in the incident, but the dual cab four-wheel drive was obliterated by the fire.
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A witness told Cape York Weekly the vehicle “didn’t take long to fully go up”.
“The bloke saw the smoke and that coming from the Ranger, so he’s pulled off the highway and gone down the cemetery road where he’s ditched it,” they explained.
“By the time he was a bit away from it, it was totally on fire. After that, he got in another car with, we think, his son, and they just drove off.
“He’d had to stop on the side of the road a few times on the way down [from Cooktown] because the thing kept getting hot on him.”
It is understood the burnt out vehicle will be removed this week.
Funding boost for Napranum, Mapoon beaches to aid turtle nesting program
THE crucially important turtle nesting beaches of Napranum and Mapoon on Cape York’s western coastline will be litterfree thanks to a $60,000 funding boost from the State Government.
While visiting Napranum on 27 June, the community’s Ministerial Champion, Grace Grace, announced the Tangaroa Blue Foundation would receive the grant to support the annual clean-ups.
The multi-day events will focus on the area’s significant turtle-nesting beaches, and will provide a valuable educational experience for community partners and visiting volunteers.
• Drain camera
• Pipe & cable locating
• General plumbing & drainage
• RPZV/backflow
• Testing & installation
• Blocked drains • Water leaks
• TMV testing • Hot water specialist
Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Management ranger co-ordinator Marietta Matasia said the funding would help to achieve an ambitious target of tripling volunteer numbers for the 2024 events.
“This grant funding will allow even more people from far and wide to be part of something meaningful and see first-hand the tiresome efforts the rangers undertake as custodians of the country they live, work on, and care for,” she said.
“We are already receiving interest from local organisations wanting to be involved in the
upcoming beach clean-ups, and we are hoping to double or even triple the number of participants this year [because] many hands make light work.
“During a previous beach clean-up event, my rangers worked with the Tangaroa team and approximately 60 tourists, locals, Traditional Owners and Elders, and other stakeholders to remove 4.8 tonnes of marine debris over five days from five kilometres of beach.”
Minister Grace said discarded fishing equipment, including ghost nets, had a detrimental im-
if not collected.
“We know that general waste, fishing lines and fishing nets make up most of the litter entering our waterways and washing up on our beaches, and we have seen the devastating impact this litter has on our marine life,” she said.
Tangaroa Blue Foundation chief executive officer Heidi Tait thanked the government for its support of the region’s environmental management efforts and said the organisation had been assisting with beach clean-
ups on Cape York for more than a decade.
“Tangaroa Blue has been working with communities across Cape York on marine debris clean-ups for over 12 years, and due to the constant flow of rubbish washing up from offshore sources in these remote areas, continued clean-up efforts are needed,” she said.
“We are excited to be able to continue our partnership with the communities of Mapoon and Napranum for our annual largescale beach clean-up events this year.”
pact on the Cape York coastline
This 2016 Ford Ranger was gutted by fire after an overheating issue caused the four-wheel drive to catch alight on the Mulligan Highway approximately two kilometres north-west of Mount Carbine.
Napranum Ministerial Champion Grace Grace meets with representatives of Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Management to announce a $60,000 grant to support annual beach clean-ups in both Napranum and Mapoon.
Entsch launches petition aimed at Heritage listing
By LYNDON KEANE
CONCERNS about the transparency behind the recent Cape York World Heritage tentative listing submission have triggered a “call for action” and launch of a petition by Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch.
Using Parliamentary privilege, the veteran MP flagged his concerns with the House of Representatives on 2 July, asking how the government believed UNESCO could do a better job than Traditional Owners of managing the proposed sites and suggesting the consultation undertaken to date was “arguably misleading”.
“State and federal Labor governments have recently progressed the proposal, and I, along with many others, have great reservations about what might occur if they succeed in
securing a World Heritage listing. Cape York is undeniably a treasure, rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage; it is a landscape that demands respect and careful stewardship,” he said.
“The approach proposed by the government to enlist this region under the auspices of UNESCO is not only flawed, but potentially detrimental to the communities that call it home.
“For decades, Indigenous communities have fought tirelessly to reclaim and secure land rights; these efforts and struggles are now being undermined.
“Both state and federal Labor governments have effectively sidelined these communities in favour of an international body; they are ignoring their voices, from what I understand, arguably misleading them and diminishing their control on their ancestral lands.”
At a joint press conference in Cairns on 20 June, the state and federal governments announced seven Cape York sites had been submitted to UNESCO for tentative World Heritage listing: Alwal National Park, KULLA (McIlwraith Range) National Park, Olkola National Park, Ma’alpiku (Restoration Island) National Park, Oyala Thumotang National Park, Wuthathi (Shelburne Bay) National Park, and Quinkan Country near Laura.
Mr Enstch slammed the plan to hand control of parts of Cape York to UNESCO, arguing its member nations “do not share our direct connection to the land, nor do they fully understand the complexities and challenges unique to Cape York”.
He added community concern around the narrow scope of stakeholder consultation in forming the tentative submis-
sion had led to the creation of a petition demanding a genuine plan to protect the region’s environmental and economic future.
“This petition will call for action from every member of our community who believes in Cape York’s right to self-determination, local governance and the rights of our Indigenous people and their land,” the MP said.
“I believe the people of Cape York do not need international entities dictating how they should manage their local environmental and cultural heritage.
“The stewardship of Cape York should be characterised by inclusivity and respect for all voices, not just those the government or UNESCO have received a warm reception from.
“Our goal must be to protect our environment, while ensuring that the community thrives economically and culturally.”
Warren Entsch has launched a petition in response to the recent World Heritage tentative listing that calls for “action from every member of our community who believes in Cape York’s right to self-determination, local governance and the rights of our Indigenous people and their land”.
Lockhart River mayor out on bail
By LYNDON KEANE
THE mayor of Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council has been bailed in a Cairns court after being charged with seven offences including common assault, strangulation, suffocation and deprivation of liberty.
Wayne William Butcher, 53, was arrested on 28 June following allegations he punched a woman in the face and strangled her on the bed of a property in the remote Cape York community earlier that day.
Mr Butcher was also charged with grievous bodily harm in relation to a separate incident from December 2022, in which it is alleged he attacked the same woman by striking her in the head with a metal implement “similar to a Maglite [torch]” before kicking her in the head while she was on the ground.
Defence lawyer Mark Butler, for Mr Butcher, told Magistrate Leanne Scoines on 4 July the additional charge had only been laid when the complainant recanted a previous statement on 30 June and “admitted lying to police” after she was charged with several offences stemming from an alleged incident at the Lockhart River canteen on 28 June.
He added he believed police had “cherry picked the parts that suit” to offer the court a “one-sided picture” of the alleged incident that
led to Mr Butcher’s arrest. The prosecution opposed bail on the basis Mr Butcher’s release would pose an “unacceptable” risk to the complainant, given the “extreme seriousness of the allegations”.
In granting bail, Magistrate Scoines acknowledged there were “issues with the credibility [and] reliability of the complainant” before highlighting the seriousness of
the allegations against Mr Butcher.
“The charges are very serious … it is a dangerous type of offence that is alleged to have occurred,” she said.
“There is a fairly chronic pattern of what [the complainant] says is behaviour by Mr Butcher.”
Under the conditions of the bail, Mr Butcher is to have no contact with the complainant, either di-
rectly or indirectly, be at least 100 metres from her at all times, and inform Cairns police if he intends to travel to the city, where the complainant is now residing.
The council held an emergency meeting on 3 July to appoint Deputy Mayor Alister Bowie as acting mayor while Mr Butcher “addresses personal accusations separate from his council duties”, however,
following bail being granted, it is understood he intends to return to his mayoral role.
The prosecution has six weeks to tender a full brief of evidence relating to the matter.
The case will return to Cairns Magistrates Court for a committal mention on 13 September, with Magistrate Scoines excusing Mr Butcher from attending in person.
Coal royalties help pay for cost-of-living support
Ask any Queenslander and they will tell you we’re number one. Number one for sunshine and lifestyle. We are also number one to benefit from coal royalties.
Coal royalties help to pay for cost-of-living support like electricity rebates and free kindy. They also help pay for infrastructure and services.
Queensland is the world’s largest exporter of coal used to make steel for wind turbines and electric vehicles needed for the global transition to clean energy. This demand means a record 44,000* people have jobs in Queensland coal mines.
William Street,
Lawyer Mark Butler did not speak to media as he left Cairns Magistrates Court on 4 July after securing bail for Lockhart River Mayor Wayne Butcher (inset) on seven domestic and family violence charges.
No plans for tavern: Aurukun council
A FURIOUS Aurukun Shire Council has slammed media speculation it is in the process of requesting changes to its Alcohol Management Plan (AMP) that would lead to the re-opening of a licenced premises in the remote community.
On 2 July, Cairns Post ran a front page story suggesting “alcohol could return to the dry community of Aurukun following a push from the local council”.
The article added the council “has had alcohol restrictions in place for 22 years but is preparing to make an application to the State Government for a licence to re-open a limited hours tavern”.
AMPs operate in 15 remote and discrete communities across Queensland, and were introduced in a bid to reduce alcohol-related violence.
The council’s acting chief executive officer, Juanita Warner, refuted the claims
made in the Cairns Post article and said the organisation was not preparing to make an application for a licence to re-open a limited hours tavern.
“The council would need to consider a motion to review the community’s Alcohol Management Plan before applying for a permit,” she said.
“There is no such motion in place at this time as any review of the Alcohol Management Plan needs to be driven by the community.”
One Wik Traditional Owner Cape York Weekly spoke to on the condition of anonymity said they supported a dialogue being started around the community’s management of alcohol.
“We’ve had that plan (the AMP) for a long time now, but how much good’s it doing for our people?” they asked.
“There’s still a lot of sly grog around
Aurukun, and people are wasting all their money, sometimes like $800 for a bottle of rum, to have a drink. Our mob need to have a proper talk about what we want and how to make things better; maybe having a tavern again one day might help.”
Ms Warner said any future amendments to the Aurukun AMP would not be driven by unilateral council actions.
“A review of the Alcohol Management Plan would involve extensive community consultation involving the Justice Group, Council, police and other government agencies in Aurukun,” she said.
“It would include gauging support for or against having a limited hours tavern in the community, and the outcome of this would be reflected in the recommendation whether or not to make an application to the State Government for a licence to re-open a limited hours tavern.”
NAIDOC performance a fitting finale to Cape tour
By CHISA HASEGAWA
CAPE York-loving musician
Big Pups is wrapping up the Cape York leg of his Let’s Do It
Again tour following a special NAIDOC celebration performance in Hope Vale on Monday.
Pere “Big Pups” Paul has been touring the Cape York region for the past four years, but Hope Vale was a first for him.
A raw and bare-boned artist, Paul performed many songs that shared a personal story and encouraged others to do the same with his audience in Hope Vale.
“It’s very raw, because I only play with a guitar, a stomp, and a microphone, and it’s all my own personal songs I write about what’s going on in my life,” he said.
“Some of it may be dark, but dark for good reasons; especially up in the Cape, there’s a lot of suicides, so I have a few songs written about suicides as well.
“I just want them to be able to talk to someone; I’d rather them tell their story rather than me read their eulogy, so that’s the kind of thing I’m trying to push with the communities.”
Having grown up in Papua New Guinea and regional Australia, Paul said there were not many opportunities to see live music, which drove his passion for taking his work to places like Cape York.
The singer said he especially liked to do events where the community was involved and he could set the atmosphere.
“When I first started this, one
of my goals was to try and bring music to the outback and to remote areas,” he said.
“Things like community fun days, I can just be the background music and see all the kids and families enjoying the day with a barbecue.”
Throughout his tours, Paul said he had gotten to know the many communities across the Peninsula.
“Just being able to come to the communities and to Hope Vale for the first time, and share a little bit of myself and learn a lot more about them, it’s just unbelievable,” he told Cape York Weekly
“I’ve got three sons and they’re Torres Strait Islanders as well, so I just want to be able to honour my children as part of the [First Nations] community.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
Vouchers kick goals
THE State Government is lauding the success of its FairPlay program after almost 154,000 vouchers were snapped up by families in the first four days of the 2024 offering.
The program is designed to address cost of living pressures that are resulting in young Queenslanders being unable to participate in sport and active recreation.
Each voucher is valued at up to $200 and aims to help reduce the rising costs associated with junior sports such as memberships, registration or participation fees, and is available to every Queensland child aged 5-17.
Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Healy said the initial response to the program had been staggering.
“The response from Queensland families to the FairPlay program has been nothing short of remarkable,” he said.
To apply, visit www.qld.gov.au/ recreation/sports/funding/fairplay/apply.
Scavenger hunt begins
THOSE pounding the pavement around Weipa between now and 14 July will be on the lookout for decorated rocks as part of the 2024 Weipa Running Festival scavenger hunt.
The event is sponsored by FNQ
WorkReady and will have colourful rocks hidden around the 2.5-kilometre and 5km running tracks.
Each runner can enter a maximum of five rocks in an attempt to win a prize, with a bonus entry for those who submit a photo or video of them running with their find.
For more information, check out the Weipa Running Festival Facebook page.
PDR scholarships on offer
THE Department of Transport and Main Roads is offering six scholarships to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with a link to Country along the Peninsula Developmental Road.
Four scholarships worth up to $2,250 will be offered to students completing year 10 in 2025, while two valued at up to $40,000 will be available for those commencing or continuing tertiary studies next year. The tertiary scholarships will provide $10,000 per year, for a maximum of four years, while the recipient undertakes full-time university study.
The year 10 scholarships will provide $750 per year through years 10-12 to spend on educational expenses.
For more information, call 1800 184 317 or email pdrscholarships@tmr.qld.gov.au.
Big Pups, pictured performing at the Lion’s Den Hotel, said adios to Cape York for 2024 with a special NAIDOC Week performance in Hope Vale on Monday.
STOP LABOR LOCKING UP CAPE YORK
Cape York is indeed a place of immense beauty and value, deserving of protection, but our Labor Governments are intent on giving power to UNESCO instead of the people who live, work and depend on this important area.
The Government has suggested they will engage with locals throughout this process, but it is clear that they only intend on engaging wth people who agree with the proposed listing.
To impose a world heritage listing on the Cape York Peninsula region is a decision that could have devastating implications for landholders and traditional owner groups.
Restricting rights and the ability to utilise land that many have struggled and fought over for decades.
We don’t need the United Nations telling us how we can use and how we should preserve our land. Locals have the best knowledge and solutions to the challenges we face.
Sign the petition and demand that the Australian and Queensland Governments halt their proposed world heritage listing for the Cape York Peninsula Region.
Sign the petition by scanning the QR code above or visit: tinyurl.com/CAPEYWHL
Accidental publican has a vision
By LYNDON KEANE
FOR a bloke who came off second best in a clash with an agitated bull little more than 12 months ago, Mitch Newman has a surprisingly laid back outlook on life as he watches dry season traffic drive past the Mount Carbine pub.
“It’s one of those things,” said the Mulligan Highway watering hole’s new publican.
“It happened, but you’ve gotta just get up, dust yourself off and get on with life.”
After being stood on by a bull in April 2023 while working cattle in the yards and suffering a serious spleen injury, Mr Newman decided to swap branding for beers when he took on the lease to the wellknown pub.
He told Cape York Weekly the decision was made during his recovery from the injury, with big plans already in place to turn around the pub’s fortunes after taking the reins last December.
“After I injured myself last year, I’m limited to the amount of physical work I can do now,” Mr Newman said.
“I can’t sit still and do nothing, and the opportunity was there, so I took it.
“I used to drive past the pub all the time, but half the time it wasn’t open, so I’m trying to let everyone know it’s a different publican now, and that they should come in and see the changes for themselves.”
The sweeping changes include everything from barista coffee to a mouthwatering menu, but one thing that does not differ is the incredibly diverse range of oddities, decorations and memorabilia that adorn the pub’s walls.
While many of his friends are envious of his new journey as a remote publican, Mr Newman said the job was not as glamorous as many imagined it to be.
“I think they think I sit around drinking beer all day,” he laughed.
“No two days are the same; it’s a lot of work and it’s big hours, and people don’t realise the amount of time that goes into it; it doesn’t matter how busy it is, customer wise, but if you open them doors, the workload doesn’t really change.”
The pub has a clientele as varied as the items on its walls, and Mr Newman said he prided himself on being able to offer a personal touch
couple of other residents that, you know, come and get the same thing every time,” he said.
“You can nearly have it on the bar before they walk in; you can sort of see them coming up the road here and know they’re on the way.
“I’m always happy to sit down and have a talk and beer with locals or visitors, because I like hearing stories.”
He may be too young to help his dad serve punters behind the bar, but Mr Newman’s 12-year-old son, Mason, is already making a name for himself around the pub’s pool table.
“He’s a good pool player; not many people are beating him on the pool table,” Mr Newman laughed.
“He likes it here, because he can get out bush here as well.”
With the tourist season reaching full swing, Mr Newman urged visitors to take the time to stop at the pub on their way to or from Cape York, especially those who had not walked in for a long time.
“I want to build the reputation,” he said.
“I want to build it up more to where I see it being, because obviously, you could say it had been previously run down and not reliably open and stuff like that.
as the one providing the drinks and conversation.
“We’ve got a couple of locals, the caravan park owners and a
Hey Weipa!
“That’s been my biggest thing – being reliable, being consistent and trying to show people what Mount Carbine is about.”
The Mount Carbine pub is a must-stop for Mulligan Highway travellers, if only to check out the diverse decorations.
New Mount Carbine publican Mitch Newman says one of his favourite parts of being the friendly face behind the bar of a remote pub is talking to patrons and listening to their colourful stories.
Flying coach proves a hit in Cape
By CHISA HASEGAWA
LOCKHART River and Coen kids are ready to practice their new skateboarding skills after a lesson and gifts from a professional coach.
Professional skateboard coach
Mat “Chiggy” Chigwidden and his team flew to five communities around the state earlier this month, starting in Longreach and finishing in Lockhart River.
Although Mr Chigwidden said the entire tour was an incredible experience, he could not help but choose Lockhart River as his favourite destination.
“I honestly think the experience we had in Lockhart is going to be a hard one to beat,” he said.
“The warm welcome that we received was like nothing we’ve ever seen before; the kids were quite literally running up to us the moment we got there and wrapping their arms around us.
“They were all just so happy, it was amazing.”
The coach, based on the Sun
shine Coast, said the eagerness of kids in remote communities was exciting and rewarding.
“On the coast, there’s so much more opportunities there for everyone, whereas out here, they don’t get as much, so when they do they
go all in; it’s really cool to see,” Mr Chigwidden explained.
“We provide a lot of positive reinforcements to these kids throughout the day and they all walk away with a smile from ear to ear.
“The excitement that these kids share and the smiles on their faces, it’s just really rewarding and you want to keep pursuing that.”
Alongside some killer tricks and skills, the kids also went home with a brand new skateboard, JBL speaker, and Yeti water bottle donated by sponsors.
“We [also] had the support of Machjet International ... they donated their plane and pilot for two days to help us access these rural communities to be able to deliver the skateboarding workshops. It
was an amazing experience and it’s something we’ve been working on for quite a few months now, so it was really great to see it all come together and be as successful as it was,” Mr Chigwidden told Cape York Weekly
It was a big week for the coach, who also celebrated the Olympic selection of one of his former skate students.
Haylie Powell will represent Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games later this month.
“She was the first girl I ever coached,” Mr Chigwidden said.
“That’s the message we are sending on these trips; if you put in the work and you are passionate about skating, there’s a pathway to the Olympics if you pursue it.”
Weather Community Forum
Skateboarding coach extraordinaire Chiggy loved his time in Lockhart River and Coen. Skateboarding workshops were a big hit in Lockhart River and Coen.
Photos: Josh Hamilton
The Cape kids walked away with free skateboards and assorted swag.
It was a deadly visit for Cape York youngsters.
Boost for Cooktown birthing unit
COOKTOWN is now one step closer to the resumption of local birthing after the appointment of the community’s new midwifery unit manager.
Cherie Myburgh brings almost two decades of clinical experience in both rural settings and larger hospitals in Australia and her home country of New Zealand.
“I have always been very passionate about rural and remote birthing, having come from a semi-rural area in New Zealand,” Ms Myburgh said.
The new midwifery unit manager was most recently a principal project officer with Queensland Health’s clinical priority oversight team, and has also worked on the Growing Deadly Families Strategies in the Office of the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer.
“I have a wide range of experience, including my own practice in a semi-rural region of New Zealand, where I facilitated women-centred care through midwifery continuity, supporting birthing in the home,
NEWS IN BRIEF
Planned power outage
THE Weipa and Napranum townships will be without power for three hours from 10pm on 23 July as Rio Tinto’s power generation team undertakes maintenance at the Lorim Point Power Station.
The planned power outage will impact the entirety of both townships, and is scheduled from 10pm on 23 July to 1am on 24 July.
This outage is required to conduct maintenance for a safe and reliable electrical network.
Triple-0 emergency calls will still be able to be made during the outage.
For more information, call 1800 820 711 or email RTAWeipafeedback@riotinto.com.
NAIDOC morning tea
NATURE’S PowerHouse at the Cooktown Botanic Gardens will be the setting for a morning tea aimed at art, stories and truth telling as the community celebrates NAIDOC Week 2024 on Thursday morning.
Guugu Yimithirr Elder and story keeper Willie Gordon, son of acclaimed artist and storyteller Tulo Gordon, will host the event and present one of his father’s original bark paintings for display at Nature’s Powerhouse.
The morning tea will run from 10:30am12pm.
Tickets for the event are free but strictly limited, so booking is essential by 5pm on 9 July.
The ticket will include a Welcome to Country by Sha-Lane Gibson, the artwork unveiling, stories by Mr Gordon and a delicious morning team.
To book a ticket, go to www.trybooking. com/cthdl.
Aurukun NAIDOC event
AURUKUN residents are invited to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2024 at a free community event at the boat ramp on 13 July.
Hundreds of community members are expected to descend on the MacKenzie Drive venue for the event, which will feature giveaways, arts and crafts, as well as a barbecue lunch.
The event will run from 11am-4pm. For more information, speak to staff at the Aurukun Shire Council office on Kang Kang Road.
at birthing units and tertiary level hospitals,” she said.
“I am looking forward to leveraging my experiences to support birthing on Country in Cooktown.
“Having previous experience in working with First Nations women and Elders, I remain committed to nurturing and building on the foundations already experienced.”
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service chief executive Rex O’Rourke said the organisation remained committed to resuming birthing services at Cooktown as soon as appropriately qualified staff were in place and it was safe to do so.
“With $200 million funding now committed to redevelop Cooktown Hospital, we believe this will assist us to attract the key staff we need to bring birthing back to this area,” he said.
“We were so delighted to reopen the Weipa birthing service last month and understand how important this service is to local women and their families.”
NEXT VISIT JULY 23, 24 &
A highly experienced clinician, Cherie Myburgh has joined the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service team as Cooktown’s new midwifery boss.
Aurukun celebrates return of much-needed workshop
AURUKUN once again has a fully functional mechanical workshop for motor vehicle, plant and equipment servicing and repairs in the community following the appointment of a Cape York business to operate the council’s workshop.
Aurukun Shire Council Mayor Barbara Bandicootcha said the council had previously operated the workshop but had been unable to get qualified staff for the past two years.
That all changed from 1 July after Top End Mobile Contracting (TEMC) entered into a two-year contract with the council to provide a local workshop service.
“I’m pleased that residents, council and community stakeholders will once again be able to get vehicles serviced and repaired in Aurukun without the expense of bringing subcontractors into the community or sending vehicles elsewhere,” she said.
“Top End’s commitment to our community really stood out in the tender process as they will be engaging with the community at multiple levels, including providing employment for locals.”
TEMC owner Sireli Volavola has he was excited by the opportunity the two-year contract with 12-month option would unlock for the western Cape York community.
“We were very fortunate to have the assistance of Denise Cosmetatos from Activator Business Advisors, who have been our advisor and consultant through this whole contract negotiation,” he said.
“I first lived and worked in Aurukun in late 1998, and was blessed to develop close family ties within the community and build a very close relationship with many
people, so I’m looking forward to returning and giving back to the community.
“I am very passionate about working and helping in the communities, especially if it means assisting one or two youngsters achieve their dream of not only becoming a mechanic, but to build themselves to become a better people and future leaders of Aurukun.”
Mr Volavola said he was hopeful a permanent workshop operation would allow interested local students to pursue a homegrown mechanical trade.
“I’m planning on visiting the school to discuss setting up come and try days for older students in the hope of attracting them when they return from boarding school during the holidays,” he explained.
“As the work increases, we hope to train local people and get their interest through the trade, and I am talking to council about helping one of their workers to complete his diesel fitting apprenticeship.”
Mr Volavola and his wife, Tina, an Angamuthi Traditional Owner from Injinoo, founded the business in 2022 to further develop it after three years of operation as a sole trader. He and his team have arrived in Aurukun to set up the workshop, so they can start their first repairs from 8 July with two full-time staff, and a third rotating into the community as needed until the work becomes regular.
“There is a lot of potential for the workshop, and it will take a very committed team to get it off the ground, but we are looking forward to the challenges while providing these services to everyone living and working in Aurukun,” Mr Volavola said.
Black Spot road funds available
CAPE York and Torres Strait residents are being encouraged to flag black spots in the region as the Federal Government opens applications for the new Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP) and Black Spot Program.
The program will provide increased funding for projects to address current and emerging priorities in road infrastructure needs, and anyone is able to nominate a black spot for consideration.
The government said at least $200 million would be available for projects under SLRIP each year. Local councils can apply for funding of up to $5m per project through the program.
“The increased funding is a part of a series of changes aimed at strengthening investment in safer, more productive local roads across Australia,” said federal Transport Minister Catherine King.
The Black Spot Program will now be funded to the tune of $150m each year, with the flexibility to address locations where crashes are occurring or are at risk of occurring.
For more information, visit www.investment.infrastructure. gov.au/about/local-initiatives.
Seniors Legal & Social Support Service
Free legal and social work support for older people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing elder abuse or financial exploitation, Cape York & Torres Strait
• Think someone is humbugging you for your money
• Think you might have been scammed or financially exploited
• Want to know more about keeping yourself safe
• Want to know more about Advance Care Planning such as Enduring Powers of Attorney and Advanced Health Directives
• Want to know your options for care facilities and services that keep you on Country
• Are having troubles accessing MyAgedCare or NDIS or need support to access higher levels of funding
• Want to be able to yarn in a safe and supportive space where your voice matters
• Want support to be confident in advocating for yourself
• Need a little extra support
Top End Mobile Contracting owner Sireli Volavola discusses his plans for the workshop with Aurukun Shire Council acting CEO Juanita Warner.
Performers unite to get NPA dancing for festival
By CHISA HASEGAWA
THE biennial Northern Peninsula Area Cultural Festival is fast approaching, with dance groups from across the region coming together for an abundant showcase of rich cultures to celebrate this year’s theme of United Cultures = Strong Future: Let’s Dance.
With the NPA being home to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural groups, its various stories will be showcased through performances from Aurukun, Coen, Bamaga, Thursday Island, Mer (Murray)
Island, New Mapoon and Injinoo dance troupes.
“Due to the bicultural nature of the NPA in which we find several different clan tribes and language groups, it’s a cultural expression of unity,” festival coordinator Dev Lengjel said.
“Here in the Torres Strait and Cape York, everybody is related in some way and everybody knows everybody in some way, so I think it’s also a great celebration of family.
“The theme of United Cultures = Strong Future is also worldwide, not just the NPA; the more we manage to unite
ourselves despite our cultural differences, the more we will be able to create a future for us and our children.”
In sticking with the theme, Mr Lengjel said making the guest dancers feel welcome was a top priority.
“This year, for the first time, we are starting off the festival with a low-key welcoming dinner for the dance groups on Thursday,” he said.
“It’s a bit more of an intimate way for the dancers here to welcome other dancers.”
The festival co-ordinator said he hoped the event would also
inspire young people in the community to learn deeply about their culture.
“Hopefully, the community will embrace the unity and some of the youngsters will be affected by it,” Mr Lengjel said.
“The passing on of culture has such a great importance to First Nations peoples, so this may be yet another little way for our Elders to impart knowledge to the young ones.”
The NPA Cultural Festival will take place from 11-13 July between Injinoo, Umagico, Seisia and New Mapoon before it finishes in Bamaga.
Wujal puts local twist on NAIDOC Week
WUJAL Wujal is putting a local twist on this year’s national NAIDOC Week theme – Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud – to recognise the community’s incredible bounceback from the catastrophic December 2023 flood event.
The eastern Cape township’s Back, Blak, Loud and Proud community fun day will celebrate the return of residents after every resident of Wujal Wujal
was evacuated after Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
Wujal council CEO Kiley Hanslow said the addition of “back” highlighted the community’s resilience as they settled into a new normal.
“[This special theme is to] signify the return of community after the Tropical Cyclone Jasper disaster event, and the response and recovery efforts our community has worked
through and continues progress to be even better than we were before,” she said.
“We have a long road ahead, but we will get there together.”
The day will open with a smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country, followed by live entertainment and plenty of activities for the whole family
“It’s a great opportunity for community to come together,” Ms Hanslow said.
“Our own Wujal Wujal musician Patrick Nandy will be playing live music, and this year, we will also be bringing Normey Jay from Yarrabah up to perform in Wujal as well.
“The parade is the best event, as everyone gets involved in decorating their vehicles.”
The Wujal Wujal NAIDOC Week celebration will be held on 10 July at the church carpark from 10:30am-4pm.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Council talks trash
THE final Trash Talk engagement event to be facilitated by Cook Shire Council will be held tomorrow (Wednesday).
The session will give community members an opportunity to speak to council staff about changes to waste management operations across the Cook Shire local government area, and follows on the back of similar events in Laura and Lakeland earlier this month.
The event will run from 5-7pm on 10 July at the Cooktown Shire Hall.
Respiratory cases surge
THE Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service is warning Cape York and Torres Strait residents respiratory conditions are continuing to spread across the region, as they are across the rest of Queensland.
Acting executive director of medical services Dr Ineke Wever said it was important residents continued taking measures to protect themselves and others.
“Respiratory illnesses are surging across Queensland, and we are still a month away from the peak of the flu season,” she said.
“Vaccination remains our best protection against some respiratory conditions, such as influenza, COVID-19, and pertussis (whooping cough), and helps reduce hospitalisations.
“The 2024 seasonal influenza vaccine is free for everyone and is readily available.”
Dr Wever said 245 cases of influenza had been recorded across Cape York and the Torres Strait so far in 2024, compared with 496 for the same period in 2023.
For whooping cough, 35 cases have been recorded so far this year, compared to none for the same period last year.
Telco review closes soon
CAPE York and Torres Strait residents and business operators are being reminded to have their say on remote telecommunications issues with the Federal Government’s review closing in less than a month.
Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee chair Alannah MacTiernan said those not wanting to make a formal submission could complete a short online survey before the current review closed on 31 July.
Input from local communities will form an essential part of the review, which will result in the committee delivering recommendations to the government.
To make a submission or complete the survey, go to www.rtirc.gov.au/consultation.
This year’s annual Wujal Wujal NAIDOC Week community fun day will have a special local meaning for residents.
End of an era as Sister calls time
By CHISA HASEGAWA
THE Cooktown Catholic community came together recently to see off the last Sister of Mercy, whose retirement brings 135 years of the order’s history in south-east Cape York to an end.
After 22 years of service in Cooktown, Sister Irene Masterson made the difficult decision to relocate to Cairns after a break-in at her home left her too shaken to stay.
The Sisters of Mercy first arrived in Cooktown from Ireland in 1888, and set up the first convent at what is now the Cooktown Museum.
Cooktown Museum heritage site guide Veronica O’Brien said the retirement service celebrated Sister Irene and all Sisters of Mercy, past and present.
“It was a very special service, one which wouldn’t have been held here for a long time; we held it in the chapel, we sang a hymn, and it was just spectacular to hear it resonating through the building,” she said.
“It was also not just for [Sister Irene], but all the other Sisters of Mercy that came in 1888, as well as the ones that came after.
“It was a remembrance and thanksgiving to all of those nuns that contributed to the Christian community over the last 135 years.”
Ms O’Brien said losing the
town’s last Sister of Mercy would leave a big hole in the community.
She explained a priest visited once a month for a Sunday service from Cairns, but that Sister Irene had been instrumental in leading services for the rest of the month.
“It’s like losing a leader,” she said.
“She opened the church up for mass on Sunday, and she was a representative of the Catholic community in Cooktown.”
“[Sisters of Mercy are] like the glue that holds the parish together;
Maintenance dredging notice
they can make decisions about the running of the parish.”
After more than a century of history, Ms O’Brien said it was sad to think it had come to an end.
“The Catholic representation here or churchgoers is actually really small,” she said.
“There’s a very small uptake of women joining the Sisters of Mercy, and there’s not enough to go around.
“A lot of the Sisters are elderly now and most of them are retired, so there’s no one to fill her place.”
North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) will undertake maintenance dredging from mid-May 2024 at the Port of Weipa.
Dredging will also be completed at Amrun on behalf of Rio Tinto.
The project will take up to seven (7) weeks to complete.
The dredge vessel TSHD Brisbane, as well as support vessels, have restricted manoeuvring capability. Local and visiting boaties are asked to take care and notice of all warning flags and lights.
Maintenance dredging needs to be carried out to ensure that safe, navigable shipping depths are maintained.
Environmental controls and management measures will be implemented throughout the program to minimise the risk of any potential impact on the marine environment.
Under Section 258 of the Local Government Regulation 2012, the community is being advised of a Special Meeting of Council to be held at 9 am on Tuesday 16 July 2024 at 10 Furneaux Street, Cooktown.
Business to be conducted will be: The adoption of the 2024-25 Annual Budget, and Consideration of Sole SuppliersQueensland Reconstruction Authority Clean Up Grant Program (TC Jasper and Associated Flooding)
Sister Irene Masterson (centre right) is celebrated by current-day Sisters of Mercy who visited the Cooktown Museum to mark her retirement.
The first Sisters of Mercy, who came to Cooktown in 1888.
RODEO
Friday 23rd & Saturday 24th
August, 2024
Weipa Showgrounds, Andoom Road, Weipa
FREE RODEO SCHOOL FOR NOMINATED COMPETITORS
Thursday 22nd August
Sponsored by: JaiMec
Junior Poddy Ride (5-10 years)
Sponsored by: MKJ Machinery Hire & Live Life Pharmacy
Junior Steer (10-14 years) $400
Sponsored by: Trelleborg
Mini Bulls (11-15 years) $550
Sponsored by: Country Mile Services
Junior Bullock (16-18 years) $1000
Sponsored by: Cynthia Lui & Blackwoods
Women’s Bullock (16 years & over) $1000
Sponsored by: Kym-Maree’s Beauty Room
Open Bullock (16 years & over) $1500
Sponsored by: Weipa Real Estate & EMS Cape Contracting
WITH less than a fortnight to go, Weipa Running Festival (WRF) organisers are calling for volunteers to let their community spirit shine to ensure the 2024 event goes off without a hitch.
With almost 200 runners set to lace up their shoes on 21 July, volunteers are still needed to help with a range of jobs, including course marshalling, timekeeping, photography, medal distribution and lead/tail riders.
Jemma Sturdy will be one of the runners tackling the half marathon and said she was looking forward to “completing a goal I’d once thought was impossible”.
“Running is a mind game,” she said.
“If you want to do something, you absolutely can, you just need to get past your mind-playing games.”
There will be plenty of excitement on the day for competitors and spectators, with a new Team Mission event, aid station competition and novelty croc race set to thrill, and DJ Scotty pumping the music at the finish line.
A WRF spokesperson said there had been almost 250 registrations overall, including for this year’s virtual events, with 186 currently set to line up on the Sunday morning.
of all ages will be
“Registrations are looking fantastic,” they said.
“One safety component I would like mention is the lakes road, with the detour in place for the hospital pathway, we would urge all traffic
to slow down on race day between 6:30-10:30am to help keep the runners safe.”
Volunteers will receive a WRF T-shirt and supplied a scrumptious breakfast and coffee throughout
New menu on offer at golf club
DINERS at Carpentaria Golf Club are preparing to score a culinary ace when the venue launches its new-look menu on Thursday.
The brainchild of chef Mick Parry and partner Lil McKeown, the menu features suitably named categories like Out of Bounds, Bunker Pots and On Par, and promises to provide an “old world meets new world” experience for Weipa foodies looking for the hot new place to eat.
“Everyone keeps telling us they want something different,” Parry said ahead of the menu reveal.
“I think there’s a craving for it up here in Weipa, and we’ve used my experience to bring a bit of that culinary flair that isn’t intimidating to people. It’s honest comfort food with just a splash of that flair.”
Parry was trained predominantly in the Adelaide and Barossa Valley food and wine scenes.
The pair discovered Weipa through their love of fly fishing two years ago, and have made good on a promise they made themselves to one day return.
the event. For more information, or to contact the committee to volunteer, go to www.weiparunningfestival.org.au.
Details are also on the Weipa Running Festival’s Facebook page.
Parry said the new menu had been designed to provide Weipa with “something a little different” through a fusion of eastern and western flavours, together with new and old world culinary techniques.
Competitors
vying for Weipa Running Festival bragging rights when the starter’s pistol fires on 21 July.
A quick tourist guide to
I’VE spent a lot of time barrelling around Cape York over the past few months. If my logbook is correct, I’ve covered 6,300kms since mid-May, meaning I’ve knocked off about a dozen audiobooks and three entire podcasts, and subjected myself to more than 25 horrific car karaoke covers of whatever the day’s earworm happened to be.
The countless hours on the road have also left me in the position to be asked and overhear a tsunami of questions by the annual dry season influx of visitors from south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
Some have been lobbed in my direction as part of a thorough cross-examination about what life in the northernmost part of the state is like, and some should have remained nothing more than internal musings forever bouncing between the ears of their interlocutor.
For the most part, the questions have been genuine inquiries deserving of a considered response, however, there have been several gripes-dressed-up-as-questions a growing cohort of tourists seem to view as some twisted rite of passage to fire at the closest local.
So, I thought I’d offer up a little Q&A of five common queries to help our southern cousins navigate their Cape York adventure.
Q1: Are my vehicle and caravan going to get dirty?
Not if you don’t venture off the blacktop, no, but that strategy is going to leave you with a fair hike to stand next to the Pajinka sign for the end-of-journey happy snap.
A hike of about 700km, if we’re being honest – the sort of distances only blokes like Ferris Gump happily trek.
The reality is your chosen mode of transport will never be the same after you’ve been up and back along the Peninsula Developmen-
tal Road. You’ll be finding bauxite-rich red dirt in every nook and cranny of your four-wheel drive and caravan for at least the next decade, and the same goes for parts of your person most sane people would prefer to keep dust out of.
Q2: Do they really expect me to pay that much for fuel?
We don’t expect you to do anything you don’t want to while you’re exploring our backyard. It’s part of our charm. In saying that, though, I’m led to believe it’s a big ask to try and save on fuel
costs by pushing your four-tonne Yank tank and 28-foot caravan to the Northern Peninsula Area, especially through some of the late season patches of bulldust.
Q3: Why doesn’t the pub stock the craft beer I drink in Fitzroy?
It’s tough enough trying to run a watering hole in one of the remotest parts of the country without having to accommodate the 4,297 bougie new beer varieties released each week.
The person staring at you with contempt from behind the bar
doesn’t care you can’t get your beloved Happy Hipster pilsner north of Cairns and, no, they aren’t going to speak to their supplier to see if they can get a carton in for you. Just drink Great Northern or XXXX like the rest of us.
Q4: What do you mean I can’t help myself to the toilet paper?
Without putting too crass a point on it, pinching rolls of toilet paper on your journey to save yourself a buck really gives our councils and business owners the shits.
It’s so much worse if you’re piloting a setup looking at a quarter of a million dollars in the rear-vision mirror.
While on the topic of all things number two, we implore you not to do the proverbial on the side of the road like a bear and just drive away. Nothing ruins an enjoyable day exploring Cape York like standing in a souvenir some bloke left uncovered with used “paperwork” mere feet from the edge of the PDR when you pull up to stretch your legs.
Q5: Is it far from here?
You’ve looked at a map of where you’re heading, right? Eight times out of 10, then answer is always yes, especially by metropolitan units of measure.
Just buckle up, turn your lights on, use common sense – it’s sold everywhere you can buy overpriced fuel – and take your time as you discover why we wouldn’t call anywhere else home.
Is the road up to the tip of Cape York dusty? Yes. Yes, it is. You’ll be finding red dirt hidden in every nook and cranny of your vehicle and caravan – as well as your person – for at least the next decade, says editor Lyndon Keane.
Cape York Weekly Puzzles Page
Workout
Fit the numbers 1-6 once into every hexagon so that where the hexagons touch, the numbers are the same. No number is repeated in any single hexagon.
CAPE YORK LAND COUNCIL
PRE-AUTHORISATION
MEETING
FOR A PROPOSED INDIGENOUS LAND USE AGREEMENT
Cape York United # 1 Native Title Claim (QUD673/2014)
Northern Kaanju Native Title Group
Wednesday 24 July 2024 Cairns
The Applicant in the Cape York United #1 (CYU#1) Claim will hold a pre-authorisation meeting on Wednesday 24 July 2024 in Lockhart River to discuss the process for the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group to authorise a proposed Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) over Lots 3 and 5 on SP187433 (both lots are shown on the map below). An earlier version of the proposed ILUA, and s.87A agreement for a consent determination of native title for the ILUA area, were authorised by the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group on 10 May 2023. The parties seek a number of amendments to the earlier version of the ILUA and the amendments can only be made if an amended agreement is authorised. The pre-authorisation meeting is to inform the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group about the proposed amendments and the authorisation process. Cape York Land Council (CYLC) will facilitate the pre-authorisation meeting. Any decision to authorise the amended ILUA would be considered at a later meeting of the group.
After the pre-authorisation meeting on Wednesday 24 July 2024, there will be a meeting of the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group in August 2024 for the group to decide whether to authorise the proposed amended ILUA. If the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group decides to do so, the amended ILUA will be signed by the parties and submitted to the Native Title Registrar for registration under the NTA. Once the amended ILUA is registered, a determination of native title in favour of the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group will be sought (based on the s.87A agreement authorised by the group on 10 May 2023). CYLC expects that the proposed determination of native title would likely be made by the Court “on the papers” (meaning without a hearing) in early 2025.
Indigenous Land Use Agreement and authorisation process
At the pre-authorisation meeting, CYLC will discuss with the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group the terms of the State’s original proposal for an ILUA to provide appropriate tenure to the group for Lots 3 and 5 on SP187433, and the amendments proposed by the parties since the group first authorised the ILUA on 10 May 2023. CYLC will provide details of the terms of the ILUA and the benefits. CYLC will also explain the process under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) for the authorisation of an ILUA and discuss the options available to the group to agree and adopt a decision making process for the authorisation decision. Who is invited to attend the meetings?
The pre-authorisation meeting is open to all descendants by birth, or adoption in accordance with the traditional law and custom of the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group, of one or more of the following apical ancestors:
1. Billy and Annie/Alice (parents of George Lefthand Moreton);
2. Charlie Boko; 3. Billy Boyd; 4. Nancy Boyd (spouse of Monkey Boyd); 5. Father of Billy Chungo; 6. Billy George and Jenny (parents of Annie Thompson/Small); 7. Henry (father of Annie Densley and Joe Sullivan); 8. Jack (father of Nellie Creedy aka Nellie Fox and Mary Ann Malandadji aka Mary Ann Johnson);
9. Annie King (aka Long Annie) and her brother Roy Stevens;
10. Paddy King (spouse of Annie King);
11. Tommy Larsen;
12. George Mamoose (aka George Mamus);
13. Old Lady Mapoon (Mapun);
14. Mary Ann (mother of Trixie Prior) and her sister Rosie (Percy/Docherty); 15. Mickie and Nelly (parents of Annie Mullet); 16. George Moreton Snr; 17. Big Johnny (Nguulpam); 18. Annie Night Island; 19. Charlie James (Flathead) Pascoe; 20. Polly Roberson; 21. King Bob Robertson;
22. Jack (aka Johnny Rocky/Rockeby) and Jinnie/Jennie (parents of Old Lady Rosie);
23. Jimmy Saturday and Dolly (parents of Monkey Boyd);
24. Father of Billy Wenlock (Ukunchal); or 25. Ammanbunga (mother of Victoria John)
Please contact CYLC using the contact details below if you would like to confirm whether you are a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors listed above.
The descendants of the following apical ancestors have been identified as those Northern Kaanju People who are particularly affected by the proposed ILUA, because of their families’ connection to the proposed ILUA area. It is particularly important that descendants of these apical ancestors attend the meeting on 24 July 2024.
1. Billy George and Jenny (parents of Annie Thompson/Small);
2. Jack (aka Johnny Rocky/Rokeby) and Jinnie/Jennie (parents of Old Lady Rosie);
3. Nancy Boyd (spouse of Monkey Boyd); and
4. Big Johnny (Nguulpan).
The meeting will be held as follows:
Date: Wednesday 24 July 2024
Venue: The Social Club, Lockhart River
Time: 9:30am – 2.30 pm
The location and time of the later authorisation meeting for the proposed amended ILUA will be publicly notified and notices will be sent out to all members of the Northern Kaanju Native Title Group with contact details on the CYLC database after the pre-authorisation meeting on 24 July 2024. Please contact CYLC on free call number 1800 623 548 or by email at jbrowne@cylc.org.au to update your details.
Confirmation of attendance and attendance by video-conference
Please contact Jennifer Browne to confirm your attendance by Friday 19 July 2024 on free call number 1800 623 548 or by email jbrowne@cylc.org.au. This is important so that CYLC can make arrangements for catering. CYLC will make video-conference facilities available for this meeting. Please contact Jennifer Browne if you wish to request the video-conference link to the meeting.
Travel Attendance
CYLC has limited funding available for travel assistance to this meeting. CYLC may be able to provide some assistance, for example fuel reimbursement. CYLC will prioritise assisting elders and family representatives, and will consider how limited funding can be allocated to support a broad representation of the descendants of the relevant apical ancestors at the meeting. To make a request for travel assistance please contact Jennifer Browne by Friday 19 July 2024 on free call 1800 623 548 or by email jbrowne@cylc.org.au.
Questions about this meeting or about this notice If you have any questions about this notice or the meeting, please contact Kirstin Malyon on free call 1800 623 548 or kmalyon@cylc.org.au.
NOTICE
OF AUTHORISATION MEETING DATE CHANGE
COOKTOWN AREA LAND TRANSFER
INDIGENOUS LAND USE AGREEMENT NEW DATE: 17 July 2024, Cooktown
TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO HOLD OR CLAIM TO HOLD NATIVE TITLE OVER THE FOLLOWING LANDS:
Endeavour River National Park, Mount Cook National Park, Keatings Lagoon Conservation Park, Endeavour River Resources Reserve and Unallocated State Land shown in the below map (collectively, the ‘ILUA Area’).
The ILUA Area is located in and around the Cooktown Township (hatched below).
The ILUA Area is specifically described by the following lot on plan references:
Lots 10, 12, 142 SP344578, lot 9 SP344592, lot 3 CP867124, lots 1, 5, 6, 7, 206 SP320140, lots 95, 97 SP342978, lot 56 SP344614, lots 607, 608, 705, 706 C17918, lots 17, 18 C17971, lots 672, 673, 674, 682, 683, 684 SP342979, lots 3, 4, 5 SP344593, lots 6, 7 SP344596, lot 8 SP344595, and lots A, B LAGIS-961
The ILUA Area is within the Cape York Land Council’s Representative Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Body Areas and includes:
• Parts of the Cape York United #1 Claim area (QUD 673/2014, Michael Ross & Ors on behalf of the Cape York United #1 Claim Group v State of Queensland & Ors) (Cape York United Number 1 Claim Area); and
• Areas which have not been the subject of a native title determination or are not included in a registered native title claim area, being areas below the high-water mark in the ILUA Area.
On Wednesday, 17 July 2024, a meeting will be held in Cooktown to authorise the making of an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) with the State of Queensland.
The ILUA will provide for:
(a) making any of the land within the ILUA Area Transferable Land;
(b) the grant or grants of part or all of the Proposed ALA Areas as Aboriginal Land to the Bubu Nubuun Aboriginal Corporation (‘Corporation’) under the Aboriginal Land Act 1991 (Qld) (‘ALA’), to be held in accordance with the ALA;
(c) the State and the Corporation entering into, being bound by and complying with the Indigenous Management Agreement (‘IMA’);
(d) the dedication of the Proposed Future National Park (CYPAL) Area as National Park;
(e) the dedication, use and management of the Proposed National Park (CYPAL) Areas and the Proposed Future National Park (CYPAL) Area as national park (Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal land);
(f) the doing of any or all acts in the Proposed National Park (CYPAL) Areas and the Proposed Future National Park (CYPAL) Area that are covered by the IMA in accordance with the procedures set out in the IMA;
(g) any variation or assignment of the IMA in accordance with the terms of the IMA and the ALA;
(h) the making, approval, giving effect to, amendment or revocation of, and the making of any regulation giving effect to, any Management Instrument in relation to the Proposed National Park (CYPAL) Area, the Proposed Future National Park (CYPAL) Area and the Proposed Nature Refuge Area;
(i) the Corporation constructing and maintaining access tracks on the Proposed ALA Areas after they become Aboriginal Land held by the Corporation;
(j) the registration and grant of any Carbon Abatement Interest including any interest granting the right to deal with Carbon Abatement Products or the declaration of an Eligible Offsets Project over any or all of the Proposed ALA Areas, after they become Aboriginal Land held by the Corporation, in favour of the Corporation;
(k) the State and the Corporation entering into, being bound by and complying with the Conservation Agreement, and any variation, termination, assignment or replacement of the Conservation Agreement;
(l) the State declaring the Proposed Nature Refuge Area as Nature Refuge under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (QLD), and any revocation of a declaration as Nature Refuge; and
(m) issuing further interests (such as leases or licences) over the ILUA Area.
Who should attend the ILUA Authorisation Meeting?
• All those who hold or may hold Native Title in the ILUA Area including all members of the native title claim group for the Cape York United Number 1 Claim who hold or may hold Native Title in the ILUA Area.
New Meeting Date and time: Wednesday 17 July 2024 at 9:30 am (lunch included)
Meeting Venue: PCYC, Cooktown
A land Hand-back Ceremony is planned to be at a location and on a date to be notified.
If you need assistance with transport to the meeting, please call Nadiah Seden at Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation on (07) 4019 6200 or email nadiah. seden@balkanu.com.au. Please also contact Balkanu if you would like to access more detailed mapping of the ILUA Area.
Winds no match for Welsh as veteran claims medal
AFTER behaving herself for the club’s premier event the weekend before, Cooktown’s golf course bared her teeth on Saturday as players struggled with wind gusts of around 65 kilometres per hour as they challenged for the Sovereign Resort July Medal.
In a brutal affair, Steve Butler found the going to his liking for the first nine holes
with a two over par off the stick, but stumbled on the back nine like a drunken ballerina to open the door for Wal Welsh, who smelt the blood in the water and went to work on carding a personal best one over par 33 for the same nine holes.
Welsh caught the field with its pants down to claim the medal by three shots with a nett 63, with Butler
(nett 66) securing runner-up honours a mile from the rest of the field.
Nearest to the pin glory went to Daniel on 2/11, Darren on 14, and new member Ryan on 9/18.
A Cooktown contingent will head to Mossman this weekend for the club’s 2024 Open, while those staying at home will tee off in a white tee Stableford.
Players catch up to start conversations about health and wellbeing after returning to the clubhouse after the 2024 Men’s Health Fundraiser Weekend at Carpentaria Golf Club on 15 June.
Golfers take a swing at mental health in Weipa
PLAYERS were focusing on their swings as well as mental health awareness when Carpentaria Golf Club hosted the 2024 Men’s Health Fundraiser Weekend last month.
The event was being held for the second year in a row, with Rio Tinto coming on board to support the club’s efforts to highlight, promote and support the health and wellbeing of men and boys in the region.
This year, Talk About It Tuesday was invited to present the day before players hit the course, with founders Deb Jackson and Jackie Perry joined by special guest speakers Derek and Claire to discuss mental health, and how to create conversations about how
it impacts everyone. On 15 June, 72 keen golfers teed off in the nine-hole Ambrose event to raise money for men’s and mental health, and support raffles donated by local businesses.
A club spokesperson thanked everyone involved with the event and said all money raised would be distributed to local groups supporting men’s health and wellbeing.
“All of the money raised will be going into supporting local initiatives for men’s health. The event focuses on something close to everyone at the club, so it’s become an annual thing that we look forward to building on for 2025,” the spokesperson said.
Tender No: KASC-2024-022
Batching Plant Operator – Kowanyama-based
Council is seeking a suitably qualified and experienced batching plant operator to manage the batching plant as its agent.
Tender documentation is available to download on Council’s Website https://www.kowanyama.qld.gov.au/council/tenders-and-opportunities/
Tenders Close 12:00PM, Friday 26 July
All tender responses must be submitted electronically to: tenders@kowanyama.qld.gov.au and be received by close.
For more information, please contact: tenders@kowanyama.qld.gov.au
Kevin Bell, Chief Executive Officer
Based in Weipa, the Western Cape Centre Limited (WCCL) is a Company limited by guarantee. The Company sits within the overall governance framework of the WCCCA Trusts structure however it is a separate and distinct legal entity from the Main Trust and the Western Cape Communities Property Trust.
The WCCL currently primarily manages the business of the use, maintenance and management of the Western Cape Centre based at Rocky Point in Weipa.
The WCCL is responsible to ensure that the operation of the facility is commercially sound through the activities of meeting venue hire, provision of office and residential accommodation and the provision of a secure environment for Cultural Awareness training. Future commercial activities are planned and may also be managed by the WCCL.
ADMINISTRATION OFFICER – WESTERN CAPE CENTRE LIMITED
Reporting to the WCCL Manager/Executive Officer, the Administration Officer – Cultural Centre provides daily cultural and administrative support to the Manager. This role is responsible for assisting with the Cultural Awareness Training program, liaising with Indigenous employees, and assisting at the Western Cape Cultural Centre as required.
We anticipate that applicants will have a minimum four (4) years’ experience in an administration-based role, demonstrated experience in providing high level customer service, IT knowledge and experience, and a class ‘C’ manual driver’s licence. A minimum Year 12 education and Certificate level qualifications in Business/Administration or higher would be advantageous.
Traditional Owners and Aboriginal people are strongly encouraged to apply
For further information including a position description contact: Executive Officer PO Box 106 Weipa Qld. 4874
eo@westercape.com.au 07 4069 7945
CLOSING DATE: 12 July 2024
We reserve the right to interview and close the vacancy prior to the specified closing date.
Annual Controlled Burns Program
Mid June to 30 September 2024
Suns shine at Townsville carnival
By LYNDON KEANE
WEIPA’S junior rugby league stars impressed on their biggest stage to date after they were rewarded for their efforts on and off the paddock at the 2024 Laurie Spina Shield.
In recognition of their overall sportsmanship, attitude and behaviour towards opponents and match officials during the two-day carnival, the under-11 Central Cape Suns laced up their boots for an exhibition game on Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium on 6 July as a prelude to the round 18 NRL clash between the North Queensland Cowboys and Manly Sea Eagles.
Club secretaries Natasha Smith and Kylie McDonnell travelled with the team and said the exhibition game had capped off an “absolutely amazing” experience players, coaching staff, volunteers and parents would never forget.
“It’s something that they will remember for life, and we couldn’t be prouder of these kids and how they conducted themselves all weekend,” Ms Smith told Cape York Weekly
“It’s an experience that we’ll never forget, and we’re just so proud to be part of this team.”
Games during the carnival are not scored, and Ms McDonnell explained it was all about developing core skills, and nurturing teamwork and a positive attitude to the sport.
“They’ve been so encouraging
to each other, other players, match officials and the people around them,” she said.
“For our kids, it’s never about
winning; it’s about showing up for each other and being respectful on and off the field.
“We have to thank our sponsors,
Rio Tinto and Embley Contracting, because we wouldn’t have been able to get here without their support.”
David
was emotional when he reflected on his players’ efforts and praised the team spirit and courage they showed taking to the field more than 1,100 kilometres from home.
“As much as I try to be a bit of a macho man, I had tears in my eyes,” he said ahead of the team’s return to western Cape York on Sunday.
“It brought a sense of feeling I never got to have as a kid, so it was great to feel that through them.
“They put their heart and soul into it.”
RACE DAY – Sunday 21st July
Coach
Kostecki
The Central Cape Suns players meet the Laurie Spina Shield’s namesake during a break in on-field action in Townsville.
The Suns look at the famous Castle Hill.
Cooktown to host Pride for Country Week clash
By LYNDON KEANE
RUGBY league fans from across Cape York will descend on Cooktown for a footy fix on 27 July when the Northern Pride go head to head with the Wynnum Manly Seagulls.
The much-anticipated clash will be part of the 2024 edition of Country Week, with the Pride aiming to bring its winning form north in front of what will be a big crowd at John Street Oval.
The Country Week concept was a hit for the Pride when they travelled to Weipa last year, and head coach Eric Smith said the team was looking forward to running onto the paddock in front of a parochial Cooktown fan base.
“It means a lot to us any time we get to take our footy to anywhere in our footprint, and the locals there are going to get to see a top-four encounter with Wynnum and us at the top of the
ladder, so it’s going to be a quality game of football,” he told Cape York Weekly
“It’s exciting for some of the new players who haven’t experienced Country Week before to get out to the other communities around Cooktown.
“Our team and some of the players will be up there for the week prior doing school, club and community engagements; we’re looking to get a massive crowd up there to build a sea of Pride supporters.”
The clash will have a local element with Balnggarrawarra and Guugu Yimithirr man Bradley Michael having designed the jerseys the Pride will wear as they aim to continue their 2024 campaign near the top of the Hostplus Cup ladder.
Mr Michael, who also designed the jerseys the North Queensland Cowboys wore for their round 12 game against the Tigers, said the design depicted the region’s recovery from the December 2023 flood disaster.
WEIPA TIDE TIMES
“The circles in the middle represent the communities affected by floods inside the weave,” he explained.
“The outside circles represent the people from outside of the flood-affected communities helping with supplies, housing, food and comfort.
“It does take a village of people to rise up and make a community great again.”
Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Healy said ensuring fans in remote parts of the state could continue to see quality rugby league clashes in their own backyard would remain a priority of the government.
“I will keep advocating for taking a game to Cape York so rugby league fans can get their footy fix,” he said.
“We know some of our greatest footy talent comes out of Cape York, and Hope Vale is a terrific nursey for future players.”
SPORT IN BRIEF
Wackers crown for Dall
A COUNTBACK was needed to separate Jon Dall and Viv Dick when a big field of 22 players contested the first Wednesday Wackers of the new financial year on 3 July. There were plenty of impressive shots as golfers vied for bragging rights, but it was Dall (49/30.5) who secured the winner’s chocolates and relegated Dick the runnerup position.
Rob McVean (15th) and Pete Lamond (18th) were the best with the short irons and claimed nearest to the pin honours, with Leigh Daniels bagging the Bradman’s gong.
Hope Vale welcomes stars
HOPE Vale rolled out the welcome mat for a swag of former rugby league stars converged on the community for the Arthur Beetson Foundation Future Immortals tour from 3-7 July.
Tour ambassador Petero Civoniceva led the group of all-star visitors, which included hometown hero Matt Bowen, Tyrone Roberts, Jamie Goddard, Andrew Walker and Willie Tonga.
The ABF Future Immortals played touch football, dodge ball, kick tennis, table tennis and basketball during the eastern Cape York visit, in addition to learning how to throw a spear.
Hamill bags nett 9
MASTERING blustery conditions and a generous handicap were the catalysts for Chris Hamill to notch up a long-awaited Dawnbusters victory at Carpentaria Golf Club on 7 July.
Hamill’s 38 handicap allowed him to record a stunning nett 9 to claim the win, ahead of runner-up Randall O’Neil, who returned to the clubhouse with nett 15. A man of few words, Hamill summed up his performance by simply saying “finally”. Ross Craven and Viv Chan were the longest hitters of the round, with Helen Sabatino grabbing the nearest to the pin prize.
Graham Dyer finished the nine holes with the Hoffman’s.
New players are welcome when the Dawnbusters crew tees off on 14 July at about 6:45am.
COOKTOWN TIDE TIMES
The Northern Pride are flying high at the top of the ladder.
The Northern Pride will take on Wynnum Manly at Cooktown’s John Street Oval on Saturday, 27 July as part of the Country Week initiative.
