Your Douglas News - April 2024

OPEN FOR EASTER

THE Easter long weekend marked the long-awaited return of tourists to Cape Tribulation and surrounding areas.

It’s been a tough couple of months for tourism operators and residents north of the Daintree with multiple landslips blocking parts of Cape Tribulation Road.

The largest landslip at Noah Range proved the greatest challenge - Council and contractors dedicating more than 7500 hours and removing 2250 truckloads of debris to ensure safe passage.

If you haven’t visited Cape Tribulation in a while, then keep it in mind for the

YOUR DOUGLAS NEWS

APRIL 05 | 2023

school holidays!

Noah Range is open from 6am to 7.30pm and sections of Alexandra Range between 5am and midnight.

Scan the QR code for a comprehensive overview of Council’s commitment to Cape Tribulation Road repairs or head to our website for more details.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION CONFIRMS CR LISA SCOMAZZON AS DOUGLAS SHIRE’S NEW MAYOR

DOUGLAS Shire Council is delighted to announce that

Cr Lisa Scomazzon is the Shire’s new Mayor. The result was officially confirmed by the Electoral Commission yesterday; Cr Scomazzon receiving 48.38 per cent of the vote.

Cr Scomazzon has held the position of Deputy Mayor over the past four years. She is a local business owner and has previously worked for the State Government for 26 years. Mayor Scomazzon said she was both excited and humbled by the appointment. “Our community is still re-

CARNIVALE CONCERT TICKETS ON SALE NOW

covering from Cyclone Jasper and the flooding event that followed in December. I’m looking forward to working with the CEO and Council staff to continue this recovery process, ensuring our water network is more resilient and our roads are restored as soon as is possible,” Cr Scomazzon said.

“I consider it an honour and a privilege to lead the Shire and I am committed to representing the needs of the community to the best of my ability.”

Douglas Shire Council CEO Rachel Brophy said Council was looking forward to a new era under Cr Scomazzon’s leadership.

“Our newly-elected Mayor displayed a passion for the Shire, for transparency and accountability during Council’s last term and I’m confident she’ll lead with the same enthusiasm moving forward,” Ms Brophy said.

The Electoral Commission has also confirmed Abigail Noli, Roy Zammataro, Damian Meadows and Michael Joseph Rees as councillors. The formal Declaration of Office is tentatively scheduled for April 8.

QUEENSLAND Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is set to captivate audiences under the starlit skies in one of Tropical North Queensland’s most iconic locations, marking a spectacular celebration of Port Douglas Carnivale’s 30th anniversary.

Joining the symphony in this historic performance at Rex Smeal Park on Saturday, May 25, is an electrifying lineup of entertainment at the Wonderland Spiegeltent.

This includes the Absolutely 80s – Smash Hits Show, paying tribute to the iconic tunes of the 80s with a stellar cast of Australia’s favourite pop icons.

the Kitchen’s Scott Carne, Boom Crash Opera’s Dale Ryder and the Absolutely 80s Band, this tribute promises a journey through the greatest hits of the era.

Adding to the carnival atmosphere is the worldclass cabaret and circus extravaganza Popcorn Underground, offering a riotous variety show filled with humour, glamour and jaw-dropping acts.

The Greatest Magic Show returns with more whimsical wonders than ever before, promising a spellbinding experience for audiences of all ages. The annual Street Parade promises to be a highlight of the festivities, showcasing the region’s vibrant spirit

with this year’s theme ‘Carnivale Classics: Celebrating 30 Years of Port Douglas Carnivale’ inviting participants to relive their favourite memories from events of years past.

Other favourites will also return including Family Beach Day and The Longest Lunch along with new events to the program. The vibrant mix of food, fun and festival kicks off on Friday, May 16 leading into the main Carnivale weekend on May 24-26.

For more information and to book tickets for Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Wonderland Spiegeltent events visit the website www.carnivale.com.au.

Featuring Uncanny X Men’s Brian Mannix, Kids in

Douglas Shire Council’s new Mayor Lisa Scomazzon.

QSO members (from left) Nicholas Tomkin, Natalie Low, Matthew Kinmont and Mia Stanton.

Tickets are on sale now for Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Carnivale performance in May.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON FLYING FOXES

THEY’RE our divisive neighbours who feast on fruit, make a mess in your pool and trigger noise complaints.

On the other hand, they’re admired by many tourists and are contributors to a thriving natural environment.

Flying foxes have always been a hot topic and the Douglas Shire Council is responding to the debate!

It is using a $42,000 Queensland Government grant to formulate a Flying Fox roost management plan – authored by Dr Noel Preece and his colleague Maree Treadwell.

In formulating the plan, the pair are currently talking with residents about their experiences with flying foxes and sharing some of the strategies available to encourage bats to find new places to set up camp.

An information session will be held at the Port Douglas Community Centre on April 13 between 11am and 3pm.

Professor Preece said the community needed to look at a multi-strategy approach rather than focussing on relocation.

“The standard approach for the last 100 years has been to disperse flying foxes,” Professor Preece said.

“It doesn’t work – flying foxes go where they want to go.

“You can modify vegetation adjacent to housing. You can use things like sprinklers and spraying mechanisms in a random pattern that disturbs the flying foxes before they roost.

“We’ve seen other councils spend a huge amount of time and money trying to get rid of some camps. It’s been unsuccessful and very expensive.

“That money could’ve been used to buy car covers, putting covers over pools or washing on the line and that sort of thing.”

Ms Treadwell said people had diverse views about how the community should coexist with flying foxes.

“We have got some people who have said they haven’t slept for I don’t know how long because of the noise who just want immediate answers,” she said.

“Others consider a long-term solution like a management plan is better and then we have other people who don’t want any management whatsoever and would like the flying-foxes to be left alone.”

Ms Treadwell said flying foxes played an important role in spreading seeds across Far North Queensland.

“They are like giant bees or miniature cassowaries that fly; they can spread seeds up to 80 kilometres per night.”

Just in case... council invests in 30 tanks

COUNCIL is working hard to improve the reliability of the Shire’s water network but it also has contingency plan in a place if another extreme weather event causes an outage.

Water tanks have been installed at the following public amenities to ensure toilets, showers and washing machines are available to the community:

Port Douglas

• Jalumbu Park

• Rex Smeal Park

• Market Park

• Four Mile Park

• Crocs AFL football club Craiglie

• Willie Pye Memorial Park (Teamsters) Mossman

• George Davis Park

• Showgrounds

• Mossman Caravan Park

• Library carpark

Wonga

• Wonga Beach Caravan Park

• Wonga Community Park

Cooya Beach

• Boat ramp

Newell Beach

• Marine Parade

Water will be maintained at these sites with its new 10,000-litre potable tanker.

Council has also purchased in 15 mobile, 1150L water tanks which will be delivered to locations impacted by unexpected outages.

It’s hoped the investment will also reduce Council’s reliance on bottled water during these times.

RENEWABLE MICROGRID TO END DAINTREE’S DIESEL RELIANCE

A SOLAR power based microgrid, which aims to end the Daintree’s reliance on diesel fuel, has been given the green light by Douglas Shire Council (DSC).

The grid, to be built at Cow Bay, would include a hybrid solar-hydrogen power generation facility and battery storage facility.

The battery and hydrogen component of the project would ensure continuous electricity supply during the wet season when solar production would be low.

It’s estimated the Daintree community uses over four million litres of diesel to power their properties every year.

The Volt Advisory Group’s develop application for the microgrid was approved in a recent DSC’s Council Meeting.

In a statement provided to Council, the Volt Advisory Group said:

“The development application marks a significant approval milestone for the project and bring us one step closer to delivering clean, reliable and affordable power to long-neglected residents and businesses in the Daintree.”

“We look forward to being able to provide this amazing community with an alternative to expensive and polluting diesel generators.

“We are grateful for the support of the Douglas Shire Council and we look forward to working with them to deliver this project and improve the lives of people who live north of the river and help them establish themselves as the number one sustainable tourism destination in Australia.”

In 2022, the federal government signed a $18.75m contract with Volt Advisory Group to deliver the project.

A flying fox information session will be held in Port Douglas on April 13.

Council’s new 10,000-litre potable tanker will provide water supplies to the Shire during unexpected outages.

HOW WE ARE IMPROVING WATER SECURITY

THEY won’t win any beauty contests but the arrival of two ultrafiltration units at the Whyanbeel Water treatment plant was a sight for sore eyes for Council’s water team.

The units, transported on semi-trailers from South Australia, will help the Whyanbeel Water Treatment Plant process high turbidity water from Falls Creek, particularly during extreme rainfall periods.

They will also continue to process water to Wonga Beach, Rocky Point, Miallo and surrounding areas when new filter cartridges are installed at the plant.

Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the units were another step towards greater water security and resilience for the Shire.

“Our community has faced a number of challenges following Cyclone Jasper and disruptions to the water network have added an extra level of stress for residents,” M Scomazzon said.

“The portable units will provide a back-up water treatment option and will provide our community with a more reliable water supply.

Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing, Minister for Water, Glenn Butcher said he was looking forward to working with the new Mayor and new Council to continue to deliver for your beautiful community.

“I’m proud to be part of a Queensland Government that works with our Councils including Douglas Shire to deliver vital water infrastructure. Our government will always roll up our sleeves and help.

Member for Cook, Cynthia Lui said it was good to see Queensland Government support helping our communities bounce back after the cyclone damage.

“I’ll always be a champion for my electorate and make sure we get funding delivered so our communities have the infrastructure they need,” she said.

New pipe to service Whyanbeel network

WORK on 1.4 km interconnector pipe has begun, with local contractors Koppens Construction & ADK under bore on site.

The interconnector will allow Council to transfer water between the Mossman and Whyanbeel Water Schemes depending on demands. This work will increase the resilience of our water network and is one of the short-term actions Council has undertaken.

Immediately following TC Jasper, Council began undertaking work to repair damage across

the entire water network, including at water intakes, water treatment plants, pipes and reservoirs.

With the support of State and Federal Government Douglas Shire Council engaged a team of highly specialised water engineers and water infrastructure specialists who developed targeted solutions to build resilience into our water network.

This project is one of those short-term solutions to mitigate the risk of water interruptions.

Council expects work to be completed by this month.

Leak detection service saving water

A TEAM of leak detection experts has been roaming the streets and keeping an ear to the ground in an exercise which will save the Douglas Shire treated water previously lost from the system.

The Shire’s pipe network has been put under strain due to the saturation of soil and ground movement following Cyclone Jasper.

More than 300 kilometres of the water network was covered, with 178 leaks (101 customers and 77 on council water reticulation) identified during the eightday operation.

Detection Services’ Terry Baker said the team of eight had been using listening sticks and ground microphones in Mossman, Port Douglas, Cooya Beach, Newell Beach, Whyanbeel, Wonga Beach, Upper and Lower Daintree to identify the leaks.

“We can pinpoint them to a one-metre square section,” Mr Baker said. “Leaks can have a different noise profile and different frequency range.

“If you’ve got a small crack in a pipe there can be a higher-pitched noise, if there’s a hole in the pipe it’s a lower noise.

“When you turn on a tap you hear that

hissing. That’s the noise of water pushing through a restricted space ….so that’s what we are listening for.”

The identified leaks will assist in a targeted valve replacement and leak reduction program. At the time of publishing, Council’s water reticulation team had already completed 40 repair jobs, saving the system 371 litres per minute.

This proactive approach underscores Douglas Shire Council’s commitment to preserving water resources, maintaining infrastructure resilience, and ensuring the continued wellbeing of our community following the unprecedented storm event.

The Council is also working with the larger resorts on the network to determine if any leaks are occurring in their sites.

If residents are concerned about leaks on their properties they are encouraged to log in into their Smart Water Meter at https://miwater.douglas.qld.gov.au/ and check their usage.

Smart water meters provide residents with real-time data enabling them to identify potential leaks promptly and take action to address them.

One of the new filtration units being lowered in to place at Whyanbeel. Inset: Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon and Member for Cook Cynthia Lui inspecting the new ultrafiltration units at Whyanbeel.

A new pipeline alongside the Mossman Daintree Road will allow Council to divert treated water from Mossman to Whyanbeel.

Terry Baker from Detection Services looking for leaks in Mossman. Inset: One of the ground microphones used to detect leaks.

GIGGLES BUSY AT THE LIBRARY

HOW COUNCIL SPENDS EVERY $100:

A PASSION for performing and a playlist with intergenerational appeal has kept Lifestyle Support group The Giggles busy with gigs across the Douglas Shire and in Cairns.

However, when their rehearsal room at Mossman Support Services was condemned following flooding in December, the group was without a place to practice.

That was until the Mossman Library intervened, offering up one of its rooms every Wednesday afternoon.

Mossman Support Services NDIS disability support worker Cory Morris said the Giggles were grateful the library had been so hospitable.

“We didn’t want to test the friendship by staying too long but we’ve appreciated having the venue available to us,” he said.

“It (the flooding) completely stopped what we were doing but the library is allowing us to do our band practice and other activities.

“We have three gigs in April and without this option I’m not sure where we would’ve held our rehearsals.”

The Giggles formed around two years ago and are an unapologetic tribute group to The Wiggles.

“These boys grew up with The Wiggles and so that’s what we do on stage; a high-energy tribute to them with songs with dancing,” Cory said.

“We’ve also got some of the characters. Jessie’s mum plays Wags the Dog, my mum plays Dorothy the Dinosaur, we have a Captain Feathersword and Henry the Octopus.”

Guitarist Jessie is the Red Giggle and said the group was the perfect fit as he had followed The Wiggles from an early age.

“It’s always been my dream to be part of a Wiggles group and it’s a great opportunity to boost my confidence,” he said.

“It’s about sharing our love of the Wiggles and performing some of their original songs in the community.

“Murray Cook plays guitar and was the Red Wiggle so I chose red – that was an easy choice.”

The Yellow Giggle is Charlie.

“I love it so much; I love to sing and dance,” the 17-year-old said.

Cory said being a Giggles member was a positive experience for everyone.

“To see them take to the stage seemed to be a natural progression for these guys because they have such great confidence,” he said.

“I’ve just seen them all grow and flourish and become role models.

“And without them I would have never had an opportunity to be on stage. I’ve sung in choirs but they helped put me centre stage. So I feel very, very blessed.”

The Giggles are not the only group that

Easter boost for Port Douglas businesses

PORT Douglas business owners are looking towards the tourism season with more optimism following a busy Easter.

Sea Gallery owner Stephanie Lloyd said there was a good mix of people on Macrossan Street over the long weekend.

“It was nice to have lots of families and visitors in town and heaps of people have been road tripping as well, which has been really wonderful,” she said.

“I’ve heard from people as far south as Bowen who were getting in the car and driving up.

“It was lovely to see a really full market on Easter Sunday with people wandering up and down the rows of stalls. People just really want to support the area.

“I think it (previous water outages) was an isolated issue for locals and the visitors who were here at the time. Now everyone’s been saying that it’s lovely to walk up and down the street, to see friendly faces in shops and cafes and nothing seems to be hindering that.”

Grant Street Kitchen owner Scott Ledgar said he was pleased to see so many people in town.

“Since the cyclone event it has been quiet, significantly quiet, but we had a (positive)

bump over the Easter weekend,” Scott said.

“It’s been a long, wet season so everyone is happy to be out now the sun is out.

“Easter weekend is when it starts and then we have a gradual build-up to the June/July holidays and then it should be a really good season from there on in.”

A spokesperson for Central Hotel said Easter Sunday was the highlight of the weekend, with boxing fans enjoying some live action on the big TV screens while other customers dropped in for a meal or a drink after the markets.

One of the hotel’s patrons was Judy Butcher.

The Cairns resident said she had no hesitation visiting following a quiet period for the tourism town.

“We’ve been coming to Port Douglas for at least 50 or more years,” she said.

“We’ve seen Port Douglas from when it was just a one-street town to what you see today.”

Victorian Anna Henderson, who owns an apartment in Port Douglas, was another patron at the Central Hotel.

She said social media posts immediately following Cyclone Jasper had ”concerned” her but now she was pleased to back in town.

have been impacted by the impacts of Cyclone Jasper. Local JPs and Commonwealth Home Support Program social groups now use Mossman Library as a temporary home.

When you throw-in sessions for mums and young children, school holiday activities, U3A mahjong and author talks, the library is one busy place!

The Giggles (from left) Thomas, Jessie, Cory and Charlie rehearsing at Mossman Library.

Above left: Visitor to Port Douglas enjoying the atmosphere. Above Right: Grant Street Kitchen owner Scott Ledgar please to see so many people.