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COOROY RAG police beat with Sergeant Mal Scott
BEGINNERS TO ADVANCED THEORY & PRACTICAL
10 Fantail Cresent Cooroy
PHONE:
5447 7461
EUMUNDI SALEYARDS Cattle Sales Tuesday Fortnightly Vealer & Calf Sale Monday Fortnightly
www.mikewheeler.com.au
Mike Wheeler 0417 320 590 Clint Murtagh 0428 711 102
I WAS thinking the other day how Cooroy has changed over the years since I was first transferred here in 1997. By far the biggest change as far as policing goes is that of the ever decreasing fatality rate in the Cooroy Division. When I first arrived in Cooroy the Bruce highway was a narrow two laned section of road all the way from Yandina through Eumundi, Cooroy and Black Mountain. Those were the days of the two cross intersections outside Eumundi township crossing over the Bruce Highway and leading out to Kenilworth and North Arm. Those were the days that the side of the road through Black Mountain resembled a cemetery with all of the white crosses erected for deceased loved ones. Once a month we’d receive the call to head to the highway and the question wasn’t so much, “Is it a Fatal” rather than, “How many dead this time.” Local police become great mates with the local
Firies, Ambos and SES workers due to the fact that men most often bond the closest in times of adversity. We even started having local Emergency Services Christmas parties when we suddenly realised that the only time we ever caught up was over a couple of dead bodies. In the 10 or so years that the Highway did its worst and claimed all those lives the highway has seen many upgrades and design changes which has saved many lives. The latest upgrades see hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to make a straight double laned road from Cooroy and almost through to Gympie. Together with the road improvements we have seen a strengthening and consolidation of police resolve to enforce the traffic rules and to use intelligence based policing methods to identify the times and places that serious and fatal traffic accidents are most likely to occur. Increased penalties for hoons and repeat traffic
offenders and vehicle impoundment legislation have all added to the arsenal to combat the carnage on our roads. The instance of fatal traffic accidents on the highway have dwindled to the point that we now only get 1 or maybe 2 a year which of course is still 1 or 2 too many but by my reckoning a good 30 odd peoples lives that have been saved in the past 5 years. When lined up side by side 30 people are a lot of people and who knows ... one of those lives saved could have been your daughter’s or son’s or mom and dad. Generally speaking the roads have not been to blame for the accidents occurring but rather have been a contributing factor to a driver making a poor or sometimes downright dangerous decision which has lead to the death of innocent people. I have no doubt that even with the road being widened and straightened with barriers in between oncoming traffic people will
still find ways to kill themselves. Please be aware that traffic rules are there to be obeyed and it’s not good enough anymore to say you didn’t see the sign or you were only over by 10km. Driving a car is about having the right attitude and not just obeying the rules that you think are worth obeying but obeying all the rules. One thing that definitely hasn’t changed is the willingness of the Cooroy Community to assist police with the solving of crime and de-
tection of offenders. Every day we have people coming into the station or phoning us up offering information that greatly assists in the detection of offenders. It never ceases to amaze me that on many occasions and within hours of an offence occurring police will receive information from the public which leads to the apprehension of an offender. Cooroy continues to lead the District in the solving of crime and I am in no doubt this is due to the close interaction of the community with local police.
Cooroy Blue Light Disco
The next Blue Light Disco is on May 17th
Medical Centre EUMUNDI Dr David Heppell
Dr Karen Macmillan
Dr Patricia Slegers
Originally a GP from UK, has worked in Noosa and Cooroy for last 4 years will join us as the medical co-ordinator
Moved to Australia from the UK on the 1st January 2014 she has worked as GP in the UK
Originally from Amsterdam, Patti has worked in Eumundi for 18 months, she continues to welcome her existing patients as well as new patients.
Specialising in • Skin Work • Men’s Health • Mental Health Issues • All General Practice
David is available from 1/4/14 We are taking bookings now We welcome David’s existing patients as well as new patients
Specialising in • Child Health • Women’s Health • All General Practice • Family Planning • Skin Checks
Karen welcomes new patients
Specialising in • Women’s Health • Mental Health Issues • All General Practice • Skin Checks
Bulk Bill - Concession Card Holders, Pensioners and Children under 16
Open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm I Saturday 8.30am to 12.00pm WE ARE RELOCATING TO MODERN PURPOSE BUILT CENTRE - BEHIND THE EXISTING PRACTICE
3/2-6 Etheridge Street I EUMUNDI I 5442 8882 Page 10 - Cooroy Rag, April 16, 2014
www.cooroyrag.com.au