Wet Tropic Times, 2024, April 4, Newspaper Edition

Teresa Millwood, the first Lady Mayor of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council

TERESA Millwood created history, officially sworn in as the inaugural Lady Mayor of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council after a prolific victory over incumbent Mayor Mark Nolan in the local elections on March 16.

This is the first time ever women hold the majority in the Cassowary Coast Regional Council, with four out of the seven.

At the post-election meeting on March 27, Mayor Millwood congratulated her fellow Councillors on their appointments and said she is looking forward to collaborating with Council to deliver priorities for the community.

“My main aim is complete all the unfinished major projects, then get back to the core business of roads, rates and rubbish, and provide value for money, so ratepayers are satisfied they are receiving the services which they pay for,” Mayor Millwood said.

Millwood who was born and raised in the Cassowary Coast region where she has lived all her life, previously worked as a nurse for 25 years.

For the past four years, Millwood served as the Division 2 Councillor, before deciding to put her hand up for the top job.

“My honesty and forthrightness with constituents helped me win the mayoral race.”

“Throughout the entire campaign, I felt extremely positive, had fantastic community support, and an effective team who provided amazing help.

Continues on Page 3...

Teresa Millwood, the Cassowary Coast Regional Council’s first Lady Mayor.

Spiritual food with Jess

Not a question of Belief

‭JAMES 2:19 May cause you to question if believing in God alone is enough.

You see, even the demons acknowledge that there's a God and that Jesus died for people's sins.

James 2:19 NIV‬

[19] You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

This verse tells us that being saved isn't a question of belief.

It also states that the demons believe in God.

While they do believe there is a God, we know that demons are not going to Heaven.

So, the question to you, fellow believers, is, Do you believe in God, and do you think that just your belief will get you to Heaven?

James 2:19 gives us the answer to this question.

Unfortunately, No, belief alone doesn't get us into Heaven.

So, how do we get into Heaven?

By faith, deeds and a personal relationship with God.

Matthew 7:21, 23 NIV‬

[21] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.

[23] Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

See also,

James 2:17-23 NIV

Major parties block cost of living relief

OFFICE OF BOB KATTER FEDERAL MEMBER FOR KENNEDY

AUSTRALIA’S major parties have blocked debate on Katter’s Australian Party MP Bob Katter’s Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill, which would have provided affordable groceries for families and a fair return for farmers.

Following weeks of public debate, Mr Katter on Monday presented his legislation which would have mandated divestiture of the supermarkets, capping their market share at 20 per and boosted competition, and also, mandated a 100 per cent maximum mark up on produce from farm gate price to retail price.

The bill also provided for a strong enforcement body with significant penalties.

After presenting his bill, on Monday afternoon Mr Katter

called on the parliament to vote whether the legislation should be further debated. Multiple independent MPs and the Greens supported Mr Katter’s motion.

Meanwhile Labor and the Coalition voted against further debating the bill – providing relief to Australian consumers and fairer prices to farmers.

“I think that this battle is far from over. We may not win in

the parliament today, but the government must be served notice that every element of Australia is screaming for this,” Mr Katter said while calling on the debate.

“Does this place do nothing about it? Don't we care that people out there are going hungry now, and they're missing meals? Doesn't anybody care?

“For those that are worried about divestment, I've got to

tell you that when Theodore Roosevelt broke up Esso, the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey under Rockefeller, he broke it up into 32 companies. The value of the shareholders went up.”

Mr Katter said as he had previously stated, he “would not be giving up the fight” against the major supermarkets and, despite not attracting unanimous support for his bill, was still prepared to support legislation that was brought forward by other members of parliament.

“In the dirty world of compromise, these games have to be played, and there in lies the problem. We shouldn’t be playing these games. We should be doing what needs to be done.

“But we’ve had 15 inquiries already into the supermarkets and the ‘ALP-LNP junta’ know this. Quite frankly, they hold these inquiries to avoid actually doing anything.”

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:26-27

Teresa Millwood, the first Lady Mayor of the Cassowary Coast Regional Council

Continued from Page 1...

MILLWOOD wanted to thank the community for placing their faith and entrusting her with leadership of this Council for the next four years.”

“I am extremely passionate about my community and stand for one coast, Cassowary Coast, from Eubenangee to Cardwell.”

Millwood said she drew strength and inspiration from

other strong women in politics, such as Jacinta Ardern, Jacqui Lambie, Jacinta Price and Pauline Hanson, as well as the first and only former Cardwell Shire Mayor Atte Raccanello, who served from 1985 - 1991.

Her core focus areas are increasing community satisfaction through cost reduction, revisiting road management strategies, building the rates base, as well as promotion of local business and industries.

“All our towns and villages need to be cleaned up

with updated signage, and we need to restore pride into the workforce and community confidence in CCRC.”

“I am committed to providing honest and reliable representation for the Cassowary Coast region and any ideas and aspirations are open for discussion.”

“A good leader can listen and understand, but a successful leader needs the support of their team and constituents who are willing to listen, and willing to accept change.”

Government's Failure to Reopen Innisfail Hospital Helipad Endangers Lives

OFFICE OF SHANE KNUTH MEMBER KATTER PARTY FOR HILL

MEMBER for Hill, Shane Knuth, has condemned the ongoing delay by the Queensland government in reopening the helipad at Innisfail Hospital, a decision that continues to jeopardize the safety of residents in the region.

The persistent closure of the helipad has sparked widespread anger from residents, healthcare professionals, and concerned regional Queenslanders alike.

Despite repeated calls for action, the helipad remains inaccessible, forcing rescue helicopters to divert to Innisfail Airport.

"This has dragged on for two years now. The community has endured the consequences of this unacceptable delay for far too long, with vital medical services compromised and lives put at risk," stated Mr. Knuth.

He continued;

"The diversion of rescue helicopters to Innisfail Airport presents a significant risk, potentially delaying critical medical care for patients in life-threatening situations.

Every minute lost in transit could mean the difference between life and death. Not having the helipad accessible nearby also takes away valuable staff and resources from the hospital and ambulance service."

President of the Innisfail Local Ambulance Committee, Alf Gullotta,

said it’s putting immense pressure on nearby one-man run stations.

“It is obvious that this situation has created a capacity issue, when the on-duty crew are attending a hospital transfer via the Mundo airport,” Mr Gullota said.

“For example affecting response times when the Innisfail crew are occupied with Heli transfer, or if there is a 000 call then one of the outer stations - be it South Johnstone Station 15 minutes from Innisfail - are called to respond, and if they are not available, then it is Silkwood at 25 minutes away, and if they are unavailable, Babinda 30 minutes away,” he said.

“These are all one-man stations and response times are critical. We do not have a clear understanding for the closure of the pad other than an incident that had occurred some time ago regarding the footpath,” he said.

In response to a recent Question on Notice from Mr. Knuth regarding the delay in reopening the helipad, the Minister for Health revealed that an independent assessment report received in February 2024 identified an unacceptable public safety risk posed by rotor downwash from helicopters operating to the current Helipad.

Furthermore, the Minister stated that an independent assessment report is currently underway to determine potential solutions, with expected completion in April 2024.

Mr. Knuth emphasised the need for

urgent action from the government to address the situation and criticised their continued reliance on bureaucratic processes, stating,

"The Government's excuse of conducting a review is wearing thin as this issue persists without resolution."

"It is another example of their lazy attitude towards the health needs of regional Queenslanders.

The community will not tolerate anymore reports, assessments or delays - the state government needs to fix this immediately."

Shane Knuth MP, South Johnstone Local Ambulance Committee President Kathy Darveniza and President of Innisfail Local Ambulance Committee Alf Gullota.

Cardwell, Kennedy, and Murray Upper

A beautiful day for the Cardwell Easter Markets!

Sweet Potato, Zucchini and Feta Muffins

Serves: 12

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

½ serve per portion

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato, grated

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 medium red onion, grated

½ red capsicum, diced

¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated 100g feta, crumbled

⅓ cup wholemeal plain flour

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4 eggs

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Black pepper

Method

PREHEAT oven to 180C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with muffin cases.

PLACE all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.

SPOON mixture into muffin cases.

BAKE in oven for 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Recipe courtesy of Judy Fysh, Nelia Branch

Empowering women through education and health is a priority for the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA). The QCWA Country Kitchens program, funded by the Queensland Government through Health and Wellbeing Queensland, supports Queenslanders to adopt healthier lifestyles. To find out more about the program visit https://qcwacountrykitchens.com.au/.Empowering women through education and health is a priority for the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA). The QCWA Country Kitchens program, funded by the Queensland Government through Health and Wellbeing Queensland, supports Queenslanders to adopt healthier lifestyles. To find out more about the program visit https://qcwacountrykitchens.com.au/.

MARCH 30 saw a crowd flock to the Cardwell foreshore for the Easter Markets.

RURAL

GHG – not all hot air

OWEN MENKENS, CANEGROWERS CHAIRMAN

IT is hard to go anywhere these days without hearing about greenhouse gas emissions.

All levels of government, both here and around the world, are looking at ways to legislate a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

They are doing this by driving large companies to

report their emissions regularly. This includes not only their own emissions, but also the emissions of linked entities in their supply chain (scope 3).

Unfortunately, this means agriculture will get drawn into this emissions reporting process, even though at this stage we are still exempt. At CANEGROWERS, we decided that there is no point discussing emission reduction targets unless we know what is happening

CHILDREN’S ORAL HEALTH

As a parent, you want the best for your children’s dental health. Fortunately, many common dental problems in children are avoidable with proper oral hygiene habits.

TOOTH DECAY:

Bacteria produce acids that attack tooth enamel causing tooth decay. These acids cause a breakdown in the teeth, which leads to cavities.

Untreated Cavities can cause pain, bad breath, inflammation of the tissue surrounding the tooth, infection (which may lead to abscess formation), and, in some situations, tooth extraction.

In the early stages, a cavity can be stopped before it requires a filling. To remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth, floss between them once a day and brush them properly twice a day. Even if your teeth feel healthy, we urge that you undergo frequent dental check-ups.

A dentist or an oral therapist can also provide fluoride treatments. Fluoride prevents dental cavities by three mechanisms: reducing tooth demineralisation, increasing remineralisation, and inhibiting bacterial metabolism.

within the industry, and on-farm using current farming practices.

To that end CANEGROWERS commissioned a report into the GHG emissions on farms in the Wet Tropics, Burdekin, and the Mackay regions, inputting all activities that relate to emissions.

When compared to a similar analysis done in the early 2000s, the report found a huge 30% reduction in on-farm emissions during that period due to practice change.

How is this possible you might ask?

As modern growers, sugarcane growers use practices that are not only more efficient, but they also reduce emissions.

It also means that we are one of the lowest emitters of CO2 per tonne of cane in the world. Sugarcane growers have a good story to tell, and we are proud of our current achievements.

The next issue is, now that we have an assessment of emissions, how do we continue to reduce GHG emissions in the future?

Fertiliser and fuel are the main area of emissions on farms, as growers we know reducing GHG on-farm is not as simple as using less fertiliser, as we may all go broke with that strategy.

Fertiliser manufacturers and other input suppliers will have pressure on them to come up with lower emission blends as well.

In truth the next big step will no doubt come down to technology that probably hasn’t been developed yet, that reduces reliance on non-renewable energy inputs.

CANEGROWERS is proud of what we have achieved so far as growers, and we will continue to work to advocate for sensible rules in this space. We know we all can play a sensible part in the need to reduce emissions, but we should also recognise the great work already undertaken by Queensland’s sugarcane growers.

Your dental provider can apply fissure sealants and fluoride varnish to help prevent tooth decay on the biting surfaces of the back teeth and strengthen baby and adult teeth.

For children six years and older, fluoride can be applied topically at home with fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinse.

As a parent, you can watch for indicators of cavity development in your child’s mouth. Examine teeth for white patches near the gum, an early indicator of tooth decay. If the bacteria erodes the tooth, you will notice brown or black spots on the teeth. Your child will eventually develop pain in biting down and sensitivity to hot and cold beverages. At this point, the tooth has sustained irreparable damage and requires a filling.

At most Dental surgeries, the Child’s Dental Benefits schedule is bulk billed. If eligible, your child/children can claim up to $1095.00 over two consecutive years. Services covered under CBDS include: Check-ups, X-rays, Cleaning, Fissure sealing, Fillings, Root canals and extractions. Please contact one of our friendly receptionist staff to check eligibility or for any enquiries.

Business finances / Business plans

SARI RUSSO | BA SOCIAL WORK

AS we continue with the restructuring, like any other small business, the priority becomes ensuring that all the financial items are factored in. When you do an audit, you really factor in all the expenses.

During a recent conversation with a friend about his employer’s pricing strategy, he questioned the need for what he considered such high charges. I reminded him that it’s essential to prioritize paying expenses, staff and superannuation over personal wages in business. This approach safeguards against potential downturns or increased living expenses.

Therefore, the summary of why his employer charged so much was “because all workers deserve a wage - including owner/operators.”

As the Wet Tropic Times is currently restructuring, I am diligently looking into my business finances and considering necessary expenses. There are so many seemingly insignificant things that need to be factored in.

I have friends who are considering starting a business, and I recommend that they avoid the mistakes I made.

When I started a business without having run/ managed one previously, I had many wrong mindsets that I needed to change, and one of them was similar to my friend’s. I significantly underestimated the expenses involved in operating a business.

I read an interesting definition: “Ultracrepidarianism.”

“Ultracrepidarianism is the tendency to assume knowledge outside your own field. An ultracrepidarian is a person who believes that expertise in one area of knowledge also makes them an expert in a different area of knowledge.”

I had coordinated projects before I started my business that needed to factor in finances. Still, I should never have considered this enough knowledge when transitioning into business. Yes, getting hit by a truck was also inconvenient.

I would love to campaign for small business owners to get a discount on BAS, as BAS tends to consume the rest of the profit after expenses.

When budgeting, you need to consider what wage you would like for yourself after all the bills are paid and ask yourself if running a business is worth the stress if it doesn’t pay a substantial living wage after the expenses are paid.

I miss being a staff member because there are so many things that you don’t need to think about.

Labor threatens freedom to home school in Queensland

OFFICE OF NICK DAMETTO HINCHINBROOK MP AND KAP DEPUTY LEADER

DRAFT legislation recently introduced by the State Labor Government threatens to severely impact the rights and freedoms of home-schooling families and aims to eradicate the use of gendered language throughout the current Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (the Act).

The Education (General Provisions) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 (the Bill) is currently open to submissions and will be examined by the Parliamentary Education, Employment, Training and Skills Committee.

Burdell resident and home education advocate Heather Dixon said her fear was that the proposed changes to the Act could negatively impact home educators and the children they teach.

“I had the pleasure of home educating. My oldest son, who was home-schooled from grade 4 onwards, began his university education while his same age peers were still at school. He has received a diploma and is currently completing a bachelor’s degree,” Mrs Dixon said.

“I feel this is testament to the freedom to learn in his own way and through self-motivated education that many home educators support their children through.

“The main aspect I am concerned about is the proposal to force home educating families to follow the National Curriculum claiming this as the definition of a ‘high-quality education’. In the current legislation we have been required to provide an undefined ‘highquality education’.

“The department has admitted we, as parent educators, were doing well at that with our successful reporting. This should raise the question of why a definition is needed if we are currently meeting expectations?

“A secondary aspect that I find to be greatly worrying is the removal of the 60-day provisional registration. I believe requiring an immediate plan upon application will see many plans rejected because they will not have allowed for the family to understand the submission requirements.

“Key stakeholders were targeted for consultation on this Bill and it was restricted to biased participants with representatives of the homeschooling community actively excluded. Why weren’t we, the real key stakeholders consulted?

“This proposition is overreaching and poorly designed. It feels very much like a knee jerk reaction

to try to stem the large numbers of families who have started home schooling since the pandemic and entirely ignorant of the long-term successful home education happening here in Queensland.”

Hinchinbrook MP and Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Deputy Leader Nick Dametto, who is a member of the Education, Employment, Training and Skills Committee, has urged everyone who stands to be impacted by these changes to lodge their submissions prior to the cut off on March 25, 2024.

Mr Dametto said that he and the KAP had been staunch advocates in the fight against previous attempts by Government to undermine the rights and autonomy of Queenslanders and Australian citizens, and that this Bill was a further example of the Government trying to encroach upon the fundamental rights of parents.

“Home schooling rates increased by 194% from 2019 to 2023. There are now more than 10,000 children being educated at home in Queensland,” Mr Dametto said.

“The overwhelming feedback I’ve received from home schooling parents confirms that the main reasons behind soaring home education numbers are: dissatisfaction with the current curriculum; uncontrolled student behaviour including bullying; and learning and behavioural difficulties that cannot be properly addressed in the mainstream education system (whether public or private) or under the current curriculum.

“Instead of turning on parent’s, this Government should be turning the mirror on themselves and asking the big question, why are so many families making the choice to educate from home?

“I also strongly oppose the suggestion of removing all gendered terms from the Act. Time and time again we’re seeing this woke ideology trying to make everything gender-neutral, as if stripping away gender terms magically fixes society’s issues.

“This week a public briefing was held in Brisbane where the committee were able to question departmental officers and other relevant stakeholders about what evidence was behind the proposed changes.

Submissions on the Bill closed at 12pm, Monday March 25, 2024. More information about upcoming public hearings and briefings can be found at the link below. The committee will table its report on the 19th of April 2024.

Link: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/ Work-of-Committees/Committees/CommitteeDetails?cid=251&id=4389

Congratulations to the 2024-2028 Term Councillors and Upcoming Events

Councillor Declaration of Office and Statutory Post Election Meeting

Wednesday 27 March 2024

marked a significant moment in our community as the newly elected Councillors officially took their Declaration of Office and convened the Post-Election Council Meeting.

Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Mary-Anne Uren expressed

"Congratulations to our Councillors for the 2024 to 2028 term. We are confident they will serve our community with dedication and integrity."

As part of the Statutory Meeting, the election of a Deputy Mayor also took place. We extend our congratulations to Cr Mary Brown on her appointment to the position of Deputy Mayor.

Congratulations to Mayor Ramon Jayo, Deputy Mayor Mary Brown, Cr Andrew Carr, Cr Patrick Lynch, Cr Donna Marbelli, Cr Kate Milton, and Cr Mark Spina.

Mary-Anne Uren emphasised, "It was considered of great importance for this Statutory Meeting to be held as soon as possible following the Declaration of Office for Councillors to get back down to business. Our focus remains on serving the needs of our residents and driving positive change in our community."

Breathing Space Exhibition

Opening Night

Join us for the Exhibition Opening of Breathing Space by Artist Rose Knight

Date: Friday 5 April 2024

Time: 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Where: TYTO Regional Art Gallery

Free event, cash bar and canapes provided.

Bookings are essential for catering purposes. Book online for this event at www.hinchinbrooktickets.com.au.

Exhibition on display from 6.00pm Friday 5 April 2024 to 4.00pm Sunday 28 April 2024.

TYTO Regional Art Gallery is open daily from 10.00am to 4.00pm.

Growing Up on the Reef - How Do Reef Creatures Grow

Come for a FREE virtual reef adventure!

Join the reef Authority as we investigate how Reef creatures grow.

Discover the life cycles of a variety of Reef animals including crabs, turtles, sharks, and fish.

When: Wednesday, 10 April 2024

Time: 10.30am

Where: Hinchinbrook Shire Library

To register, please visit www.hinchinbrooktickets.com.au.

Hinchinbrook Basketball Clinic - Sold Out

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Hinchinbrook community for the overwhelming response to the Hinchinbrook Basketball Clinic.

We are excited to announce that both sessions are now completely booked.

For those who have secured their spots, we cannot wait to see you showcase your talent and enthusiasm.

Dive into an exhilarating experience of basketball skills and drills under the guidance of State Level Coach and ‘Own the Rock Academy’ maestro, Travis Fishe, on Friday 12 April 2024.

Challenge yourself and others in mini tournament games designed to test your newly acquired skills, with exciting prizes awaiting.

• Morning Session: 10.00am to 1.00pm; and

• Afternoon Session: 2.00pm to 5.00pm.

Do not miss this opportunity to elevate your game and enjoy the spirit of basketball with fellow enthusiasts.

See you there!

Hinchinbrook Get Out, Get Active and Connect

Join us for a day of family fun and connection at the Hinchinbrook Get Out, Get Active and Connect event, focused on promoting mental health and wellbeing within our community. This free event features a wide range of entertainment and activities, including a special appearance by celebrity sporting guest speaker, Greg Inglis.

Date: Saturday 20 April 2024

Time: 9.00am to 1.00pm

Where: Ingham Showgrounds

Cost: Free

To register, please visit www.hinchinbrooktickets.com.au.

April Tea and Trivia

Have you purchased tickets yet for this month's Tea and Trivia?

Tickets are available for purchase for our April Tea and Trivia event! Do not miss your chance to attend an amazing event. Bring along your family and friends for a morning filled with delicious locally baked delights, endless amounts of tea and coffee, and great trivia questions to keep your mind nimble.

Date: Friday 26 April 2024

Time: 9.30am to 11.30am

Where: TYTO Conference and Events Centre

Cost: $10 per person Bookings for this event are essential!

Tickets can be purchased from Council's Main Office, Ticket Sales close three days prior to the event.

April 2024 Mega Movie Weekend

Join us at the JL Kelly Theatre for the April 2024 Mega Movie Weekend:

• Imaginary (M) - 6.30pm Friday 26 April 2024;

• Kung Fu Panda (PG)10.30am Saturday 27 April 2024;

• Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (PG) - 2.30pm Saturday 27 April 2024;

• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (M) - 6.30pm Saturday 27 April 2024; and

• The Trust Fall: Julian Assange (M) - 2.30pm Sunday 28 April 2024.

Pre-purchase your tickets from www.hinchinbrooktickets.com.au.

4776 4600

Date: Friday 5 April 2024

Time: 6.00pm to 9.00pm

Where: TYTO Regional Art Gallery

Free event, cash bar and canapes provided. Bookings are essential for catering purposes.

Image: (Left to right) Cr Patrick Lynch, Cr Mark Spina, Cr Andrew Carr, Mayor Ramon Jayo, Cr Kate Milton, Deputy Mayor Mary Brown and Cr Donna Marbelli.

Resources Continues to Pay the Bills Despite Labor Undermining The Sector

OFFICE OF SENATOR SUSAN MCDONALD SHADOW MINISTER FOR RESOURCES, SHADOW MINISTER FOR NORTHERN AUSTRALIA, SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND

THE release of the March Resources and Energy Quarterly (REQ) highlights that despite easing global prices for coal and gas, Australia’s resources sector is still holding up the national accounts with $417 billion in earnings for 2023-24, as Australian steel-making coal continues to dominate global markets.

Senator Susan McDonald, Shadow Minister for Resources, said that easing costs were expected, however Labor’s inaction in the critical minerals sector has contributed to stalling projects and falling export earnings.

Senator McDonald said that “today’s export earnings report confirms that the resources sector remains the backbone of Australia, despite Labor’s best attempts to undermine the sector.

“Australian steel-making coal makes up over 50 per cent of global exports, and growth in domestic operations will see export tonnage rise by 18 million tonnes to 2029.

“It will come as no surprise that the Government snuck out this report the day before the Easter weekend to hide these coal forecasts, because Labor continues to have a problem with the income and jobs that come from coal.

“Coking coal remains crucial in the steel supply chain, and our international partners rely on high quality Australian coal for their production lines.”

Senator McDonald highlighted that whilst increasing revenue from iron ore was promising, there is a worrying trend in the downturn of critical minerals earnings.

“As the report highlights, Australia’s nickel and lithium sectors are facing pressure, with closures and production cuts on the horizon.

“Labor have yet to show any real initiative in driving our critical minerals sector into the future, and thanks

to their slow attempts to support our nickel industry, there is the potential that these supply chains become threatened.

“How does this Government think they are going to manufacture solar panels and batteries when they can’t even mine the raw ingredients?

“Lithium export earnings are set to drop by more than half from 2022-23 to 2023-24, and it is imperative that the Government take swift action to secure international investment and supply agreements to secure the future of the critical minerals industry.

“I called on the Government to expand the critical minerals list in June last year, yet thanks to their delay, coupled with rising energy costs, skills shortages and damaging industrial relations policies, the sector faces significant pressures.”

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COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY CONNECT

One Coast - Cassowary Coast

CASSOWARY COAST WELCOMES NEW COUNCIL AND FIRST FEMALE MAYOR

Cassowary Coast Regional Council welcomed the region’s first female Mayor Teresa Millwood and nominated its Deputy Mayor Nicholas Pervan at this morning’s postelection meeting held in Innisfail. Alongside the declaration of office for Mayor Teresa Millwood were new Councillors Peter Reed (Division 1) and Ellen Jessop (Division 2), as well as returning Councillors Trudy Tschui (Division 3), Nicholas Pervan (Division 4), Jeff Baines (Division 5) and Renee McLeod (Division 6).

Mayor Millwood congratulated her fellow Councillors on their appointments and said she’s looking forward to working with Council to deliver priorities for the community. “We need to get back to essential services and provide value for money so that our community is satisfied that they’re receiving the services they’re paying for,” Mayor Millwood said.

“I’m committed to providing honest and reliable representation for the Cassowary Coast and will be available to anyone who wants to discuss their ideas and aspirations for our future.”

Mayor Millwood also expressed her commitment to working collaboratively with her colleagues to see the collective vision come to fruition in this term of Council.

A good leader can listen and understand, but a successful leader needs the support of their team and constituents who are willing to listen, and willing to accept change.”

NEW STUDY HUB BRINGS HIGHER EDUCATION TO INNISFAIL

The Cassowary Coast is poised for a significant advancement in higher education accessibility with the announcement of funding for a regional university study hub in Innisfail, spearheaded by community-based organisation Vocational Partnerships Group (VPG) in partnership with Council. Innisfail will soon be among the proud hosts of ten new Regional University Study Hubs across Australia, after a $16 million investment from the Federal Government aimed at providing more students from small towns access to tertiary education. VPG worked closely with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC) to introduce this initiative in Innisfail.

The collaboration stemmed from the CCRC Youth Advisory Committee's recognition of the pressing need to improve tertiary education access in the region, prompting joint efforts between council and VPG.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council Mayor Teresa Millwood marked the announcement as significant news

for the Cassowary Coast.

COUNCIL AND CHAMBER ADVOCATE FOR PORT HINCHINBROOK & DREDGING

Cassowary Coast Regional Council has joined with the Cardwell Chamber of Commerce and Cardwell stakeholders in advocacy for the Queensland Government to address longstanding matters surrounding One Mile Creek dredging and the former Port Hinchinbrook in Liquidation Development. These matters include:

1.

Permanent All-Tide Access: A sustainable solution for all-tide and all-weather access through ongoing dredging and maintenance of One Mile Creek in Cardwell.

2.

Innovative Investment Models: Proactive exploration of new and innovative investment attraction models for the former Port Hinchinbrook Development in Liquidation.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council and the Cardwell Chamber of Commerce extends their gratitude to the State and Federal governments and Members of Parliament including Mr Nick Dametto, Member for Hinchinbrook and Hon Bob Katter, Member for Kennedy for their continued support and funding to date. However, moving forward there are pressing matters that demand

regarding the ongoing dredging of One Mile Creek and the future of the former Port Hinchinbrook marina and on-shore facilities.

CONSTRUCTION OF REVITALISED MISSION BEACH TOWN CENTRE TO COMMENCE

Cassowary Coast Regional Council is pleased to announce that construction is scheduled to commence in April 2024 on the Mission Beach Town Centre Revitalisation Project. It is envisaged that this project will transform the Mission Beach town centre through infrastructure roads, drainage, landscaping, and lighting. The construction contract has been awarded to RMS Engineering and Construction Pty Ltd. Construction is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2025.

The $18.98 million Mission Beach Town Centre Revitalisation Project includes the upgrade of ageing stormwater infrastructure and redevelopment of the Mission Beach Village Green and adjacent Porter Promenade. For more information go to yoursay.cassowarycoast.qld.gov.au.

10 Tully, Euramo, Lower Tully, Feluga, and

Recollections of Days Gone by

DR VALERIE BOLL

FRIDAY, March 22 saw the Launch of the Tully Oral History Presentation (which is part of the Tully 100 Celebrations) on “Days Gone By” at the Tully Library. It was the culmination of an idea originally suggested in 2019 and stalled by Covid.

It was a wonderful occasion celebrating the achievements of our pioneers, with excerpts of the interviews and photographs of eight of our early pioneers on display. Also on display, was a collection of memorabilia and photographs from the Tully Library archives and copies taken from the Obituaries of some of the early pioneers. All of this stimulated some wonderful conversation and reminiscing over the Morning Tea following the Launch.

Both transcripts and audio of eight interviews are now available for anyone to peruse or listen to at the Tully Library. The excerpts will go on display in local shop windows to enable a wider audience to view these remarkable stories. It is hoped this will also encourage other families to compile

their own family histories.

The Oral History Project Group extends its thanks to the interviewees, to those who assisted in conducting the interviews, Tully Lions and Rotary and the Tully Support Centre for their kind donations, the CCRC for providing part of the morning tea and a special thank you to the staff at the Tully Library for their dedication and ongoing help and support.

For more exciting events to come, please check the Tully 100 website www.tully100.online and the Tully 100 Facebook page.

Jeanette Clayton, Maxine Marsh, Valerie Boll and Dina Campagnolo.

Back row, left to right: Valerie Boll, Mary Quagliata, Joe Collins, Nancy Marsillio, Jeanette Clayton and Dina Campagnolo. Front row, left to right: Mary Deluca, Daphne McGill and Jean Boisen.

Memorabilia – Tully Library Archives

St Clare's School, Tully

Tully State Primary School

THERE was strong competition between the students at the Tully State Primary School Cross Country for 2024.

LOTS of action for students at the St Clare’s Cross Country for 2024.

12 Innisfail, Mourilyan, Mirriwinni, and Babinda

Cassowary Coast’s new Council for the 2024 - 2028 term, officially sworn in

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA GIRGENTI

LAST Wednesday, March 27, Cassowary Coast Regional Council welcomed the region’s first Lady Mayor, Teresa Millwood, with Nicholas Pervan nominated as Deputy Mayor, at the statutory post-election meeting held at Innisfail Library.

Former Division 2 councillor, Teresa Millwood had an emphatic victory after she received 61.49% of votes cast (10,038), whilst incumbent Mayor Mark Nolan received 38.51% (6,287) of the 16,994 votes counted.

Peter Reed from Tully, who has over 40 years of experience working in the agricultural sector, previously ran for Division 2 in the CCRC 2020 local elections.

In 2024, Reed had a comfortable win over former Cassowary Coast Regional Council employee, Chris Littlemore 46.06% (1,257), after he received 53.94% (1,472) of the votes counted.

Division 2 saw a three-way contest between incumbent Deputy Mayor,

Barry Barnes and two new candidates, Marcus Thomas, and Ellen Jessop.

Ellen Jessop, from Tully, who successfully ran Tully Hot Bread for over 35 years, after the official distribution of preference votes counted received 51.67% (1,345) for a win over Barry Barnes 48.33% (1,258).

Incumbent Division 3 Councillor, Trudy Tschui received 59.43% (1,720) of the votes over former councillor, Wayne Kimberley 40.57% (1,174).

Division 4’s Nicholas Pervan, Division 5’s Jeffery Baines and Division 6’s Renee McLeod all returned to their seats uncontested.

At the post-election meeting, CCRC adopted Councillor representations and the following portfolios, with all seven Councillors appointed to various external and internal organisations for 2024 - 2028.

Councillor portfolios:

Advocacy - Mayor Teresa Millwood

Development, Planning and Environment - Jeffery Baines

Economic Development and Tourism -

Water and Wastewater - Peter Reed

Community, Culture and LiveabilityTrudy Tschui

Infrastructure

Waste

Happy Easter St Rita's School, South Johnstone School

Easter celebrations at St Rita's School, South Johnstone, included an engineering inspired Easter egg hunt and raffle and students and staff enjoyed a special visit from the Easter Bunny.

Renee McLeod

Services - Nicholas Pervan

and Resource Recovery - Ellen Jessop

Cassowary Coast Regional Council CEO Andrew Graffen (left), with Mayor Teresa Millwood and Deputy Mayor Nicholas Pervan after the post-election meeting.

The Cassowary Coast region’s first Lady Mayor Teresa Millwood, (fourth from left), with Councillors for the 2024 - 2028 term, Trudy Tschui, Jeffery Baines, Renee McLeod, Nicholas Pervan, Ellen Jessop, and Peter Reed.

Rain failed to dampen spirits at this year’s Feast of the Senses Market Day

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA GIRGENTI

NORTH Queensland's premier food festival, the Feast of the Senses kicked off on March 21 with a ‘Gone Troppo’ Trivia Night at Innisfail RSL which had 12 teams.

The four-day event, which attracted people from all over Australia highlighted the best produce from the ocean, beef graziers, dairy and tropical fruit growers.

Now in its 21st year this year’s Feast of the Senses marked the seventh anniversary of the Guinness Book of Records World’s Longest Banana Split attempt.

Despite the inclement weather, 1,500 braved the rain and flocked to Jack Fossey Park and Canecutter Court for their yearly fix of stalls, food vans and fruit tastings at the Australian Bananas River Feast.

Local audiences witnessed non-stop culinary

creations, demonstrations and tastings at the Canecutter stage, which featured Jack and Eva from The Pocket, El Arish, who demonstrated three ways to use jackfruit, Alison Salleras from Fruit Forest Farm with tasty breadfruit ideas, Kathryn Jackson made her family favourite, mango chicken curry, whilst Jeff Baines made Mary’s Pasta duck ravioli with a lemon aspen and bush pepper sauce.

Youngsters enjoyed the Kids Zone, an exclusive area with jumping castles, rides, slides and climbing wall, whilst the Feast of the Three Saints, Silkwood and Innisfail Men’s Shed ran successful food stalls.

The Kids Zone had free activities such as face painting, arts/crafts, reading and sensory activities.

Good Counsel College students and staff volunteered their time and did a stellar job assisting at the cooking stage and Kid’s Zone.

Other highlights included the rare and exotic tropical fruit display under the Cassowary Coast Rare Fruit Branch marquee and bush poet, Ironbark O’Neill, as well as live musical entertainment on the RADF River Stage, which featured Innisfail Community Band Quartet, the Deci Belles, Ashleigh Binello and Just Sing It!

The Northern and Southern Food Trails again proved popular and included visits to rare gems in the region which included, Tropicana Bananas, Johnstone River Community Gardens, Mount Mirinjo Farm at Woopen Creek, The Pocket, El Arish and Fruit Forest Farm, Mission Beach.

This year's Feast of the Senses was again solely organised by a small and dedicated volunteer committee of Roslyn Jensen (President), Lorraine Piercy (Vice President) Kerry Linton (Secretary), David Jensen (Treasurer), and committee members Christine Brady, Trish Ernst and Leigh Hodder-Onaindia.

Tour guide, Karen George (far left) and Gavin Eilers from Tropicana Bananas at Upper Daradgee (fourth from right), with the Feast of the Senses Northern Food Trail tour group.

The crew from Silkwood Valley Beef at this year’s Feast of the Senses Market Day.

Members of the Greek Orthodox Community of Innisfail, sold out of their fried haloumi cheese platters and Greek sweets.

Johnstone River Community Garden’s, Bernard Holden with cheese fruit during the Feast of the Senses Northern Food Trail tour.

Gavin Tesch from Mount Mirinjo Farm during the Feast of the Senses Northern Food Trail tour.

Alison Salleras from Fruit Forest Farm with her grandson, Jack Orsmond, aged two.

Brenda Koolman, Amy and John from Brenda’s Exotic Fruit stall.

Kathryn Jackson cooked up one of her family favourites using mangoes on the Canecutter Court stage.

Members of Cassowary Coast Banana Growers Association gave away free fresh bananas and sold shirts, caps, tote bags, cases and water bottles.

Romance writer, Rachel Armstrong from Townsville kept in the tropical theme.

Ingham, Halifax, Mt Fox, Lucinda, Trebonne, and Forest Beach

Hinchinbrook Shire Council Councillor Declaration of Office and Statutory Post Election Meeting

HINCHINBROOK SHIRE COUNCIL

YESTERDAY, Wednesday, March 27 2024, marked a significant moment in our community as the newly elected Councillors officially took their Declaration of Office and convened the Post-Election Council Meeting.

As part of the Statutory Meeting, the election of a Deputy Mayor also took place. We extend our congratulations to Cr Mary Brown on her appointment to the position of Deputy Mayor.

Congratulations to Mayor Ramon Jayo, Deputy

Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Mary-Anne Uren expressed "Congratulations to our Councillors for the 2024 to 2028 term. We are confident they will serve our community with dedication and integrity."

Mayor Mary Brown, Cr Andrew Carr, Cr Patrick Lynch, Cr Donna Marbelli, Cr Kate Milton, and Cr Mark Spina.

Mary-Anne Uren emphasised, "It was considered of great importance for this Statutory Meeting to be held as soon as possible following the Declaration of Office for Councillors to get back down to business. Our focus remains on serving the needs of our residents and driving positive change in our community."

Cr Patrick Lynch, Cr Mark Spina, Cr Andrew Carr, Mayor Ramon Jayo, Cr Kate Milton, Deputy Mayor Mary Brown and Cr Donna Marbelli.

School

IT was a very egg-citing morning at Playgroup with a visit from the lovely Easter Bunny. Participants would like to thank the girls at Ingham Disability Support for providing the Hinchinbrook community with such a wonderful experience.

Easter at Lourdes Play Group

Happy Easter from all of us at Abergowrie State School

MAY your day be filled with joy, laughter, and lots of chocolate eggs! Wishing you a wonderful holiday spent with loved ones.

#smallschoolsbigheart

El Arish

Resident out for a spin

Michael Dean 0400 029

PETER Graham managed to capture his frog friend living who has been living in the Kombi Van on his wall on his back veranda for the last few months taking the van for a spin.

RONNIE set personal bests in both his events while representing MBSS and Peninsula Region at the Queensland School Sports.

TROPICAL WOODCRAFTS Priestley Cabinetmaker Mob: 0419 711 946 Office: 4068 8099 tropwd60@bigpond.net.au Specialising in Kitchens, Shops & Office Fitouts Vanities & Robes

Bowls News

Innisfail Men’s Bowls

MICHAEL de Vries’ team won last Thursday afternoon’s social bowls.

Visitors and new members are most welcome with names to be in by 12.30 pm for a 1.00 pm start.

On Sunday, April 14, Innisfail Bowls Club will host a selected 2-bowl Triples mixed competition with prize money for the winners.

Club A-Grade Singles games results - David Irwin defeated Wayne O’Neill, Michael de Vries defeated Peter Ryan, Tony Burns defeated Sam Pagano, Bob Chaplain defeated Robert Croatto, whilst Sergio Dalla Pozza defeated John Kremastos.

In Club Fours, Michael de Vries, Ian Humphreys, John Phillips and Sergio Dalla Pozza defeated Bob Chaplain, Doug Juhas, Sam Pagano and George Edgerton.

2024 Pennants start on April 13 with 1st Division team having a bye and 3rd Division playing against Tully with the format home and away over a 10-week period.

Ingham Ladies Bowls

CHAMPIONSHIP Rinks results:

RD 1: M. Spano, J. Casanovas, J. Fenoglio, N. Evans 27 v D. Gosney, J. Johnson, A. Foti, D. Tomba 16.

RD 2:

G. Wright, L. DiBella, L. Melvin, E. Piotto 20 v T. Mawson, B. Eddleston, M. Moore, A. Rutherford 13.

M. Spano, J. Fenoglio, J. Casanovas, N. Evans 20 v I Byrnes, K. Rotondo, J. Craven, S. Ryan 11.

Social play pm:

I. Byrnes, T. Mawson, E. Piotto 16 v D. Gosney, A. Foti, J. Fenoglio 14.

B. Eddleston, D. Tomb a, A. Rutherford v J. Johnson, M. Moore, J. Casanovas 18 a-tie.

B Grade Singles:

The final saw a very close final played between Maria Spano and Trudie Mawson.

The game being tied several times with Maria taking a full count of 4 on the last end, good game ladies.

Congratulations Maria for winning 25/15.

A Grade singles:

E. Piotto defeated N. Evans 25/4, S.Ryan and Jan Craven also had a very close game with the ends tied often, Sandy won 25/15.

Social play:

J. Johnson, B. Eddleston, K. Rotondo, J. Fengolio 25 v I. Byrnes, D. Tomba, I. Mahon, L. Melvin 13.

Innisfail Ladies Bowls

INNISFAIL Ladies enjoyed another lovely day of sunshine last Wednesday, March 27.

Two rounds of Championship Singles took place, with both vastly different games.

Ann Rule defeated Bev Anderson 26 - 1 with the game all over before afternoon tea.

Diana O’Brien and Dell Steve had a tight contest which lasted over two hours.

Steve was leading 11 - 0 before O’Brien even scored.

However, O’Brien managed to find form and defeated Steve 25 - 17.

In the two social games, Maisie Smith and Jan Dunn defeated Daphne Kirkman and Margaret Johnston 28 - 5.

Sue Morrison, Dian Catelan and Carol Cash defeated Lyn Stevenson, Cheryl Higgins and Carol Cash (she played for both teams) 16 - 10.

Innisfail Ladies are looking forward to taking part in the TFNQ Graded Triples at South Johnstone Bowls Club on Monday, April 8.

Innisfail Ladies enjoyed the fine weather on Wednesday, March 20.

The first round of the Club Championship Singles for 2024 took place, and a fantastic game ensued.

After being ahead 9 - 0, Marilyn Allen led all the way until the 31st end when Eileen Hamann led 24 - 23.

After 32 ends, Marilyn Allen defeated Eileen Hamann 25 - 24.

More rounds took place last week.

In the two social games, Bev Anderson and Cheryl Higgins defeated Maisie Smith and Carol Cash 11 - 4.

On March 20, Marilyn Allen (bowling) won the first round of the 2024 Innisfail Ladies Club Championship Singles, with a thrilling 25 - 24 win over Eileen Hamann.

Diana O’Brien, Vera Rowe and Lyn Stevenson defeated Ann Rule, Margaret Johnston and Lyn Stevenson (who played for both teams) 16 - 8.

Tully Bowls Easter Triples

THE Tully Bowls Easter Triples was held at South Johnstone Club due to our green being out of action.

Tully Bowls Club Members would like to thank South Johnstone Bowls Club for the use of their Green and Club House for the running of our Easter Triples.

We had a very successful day and even the sun was shining!

We would also like to thank Weipa Bowls Club for their generous donation for sponsoring the day and to all other clubs who supported us at this time.

Sixteen Teams competed on the day.

The Winning Team was Bruce Hopkins Team, followed by Kevin Foords Team and Peter Smiths Team. Congratulations to all.

Raffles and Lucky Door were drawn, and members enjoyed a lovely Afternoon Tea and Socialising.

Thanks to all those Members who helped to organise the day and to the Ladies who worked in the kitchen.

Margaret Johnston and Vera Rowe played social games on March 20.

Winners Bruce Hopkins Team

Runner up Kevin Foords Team

3rd Peter Smiths Team

SPORT

A full green for South Johnstone Bowls Club’s Men’s Lightning Fours

ON Saturday, March 23, a full green of 56 bowlers from across the region participated in South Johnstone Bowls Club’s Men’s Lightning Fours, sponsored by Weipa Bowls Club.

Teams included players from Innisfail, South Johnstone, Silkwood, Tully, Cairns, and Tablelands, who played five games of 10 ends or to the bell.

The day started with two games, lunch, followed by three games and concluded with afternoon tea and presentations.

Throughout the day, players braved hot and humid conditions, then torrential rain.

Over five games, teams scored two points for wins

plus margins and one point for a draw, whilst losses attracted zero points, as well as minus the losing margin.

Innisfail’s Michael de Vries, Ian Humphreys, Wayne O’Neill and Mark Elliott, finished as winners with a score of (10 +22) and each player received $150 in prize money.

2nd place: Jason Harrop, Ray Downing, Sean Prinsloo and Darryl Stumbles (9+26) from Tully - each player received $100.

3rd place: Justin Hyytinen, Rhys Gillman, Frank Obah and Michael Kowalczyk (7 +20) - each player received $75.

4th place: Cole Rowbotham, Kevin Deegan, David Leach and Brian Stevens (7 +14) - each player received $50.

Golf News

Innisfail Golf Club

THE grounds crew mowed as best they can, to get the course in playable condition for the Easter weekend.

Andrew Rose put in big hours to get the greens under control and machinery maintenance for when he is away from April which is great appreciated by the club.

He has been in contact with Golf Queensland to assist with the greens management.

Golf Queensland has partnered with Tim Hoskinson, who will visit Innisfail today to assist with the club’s greens maintenance planning.

Wednesday All Sporters competition - March 13

Results

1st: Norm Stewart 27pts

2nd: Jeff McGrath 24pts c/b

3rd: Vaughan Smith 24pts c/b

NTP - Jeff McGrath

Friday Sporters competitionMarch 15

Results

1st: Colin Bidgood 19pts

2nd: Craig Alman 18pts

3rd: John Lombardi 17pts

NTP - Luke Peters

A field of 48 players took to the course for the Monthly Medal on Saturday, March 16, with six ladies in the morning session.

The match committee decided it was play it as it lied, and scoring was tough.

Whilst the morning groups struggled with some wayward shots, four players held the clubhouse lead, with Hayden Caltabiano eventually claiming the win on countback.

The afternoon groups also found it hard to score and the eventual winner popped up in the last group of the day.

Jim Ferguson held his nerve to card 72 Nett and advanced to the Medal of Medal finals in June.

Under 55s

Results

1st: Hayden Caltabiano 73 Nett c/b

2nd: Paul Tattam 73 Nett c/b

3rd: Scott Nuttall 73 Nett c/b

Over 55s

Results

1st: Jim Ferguson 72 Nett

2nd: Des Hensler 73 Nett

3rd: Allan Gould 74 Nett

NTPs

1/10 - Ian Street 4/13 - Craig Alman 7/16 - Amandeep Singh

2/11 - Des Hensler 5/14 - Robert Butorac 8/17 - E Nest

3/12 - Caine Cockle Jnr 6/15

- Stephen Lyons 9/18 - Bryce Hoad

On March 23, scoring was tough for the morning groups in the Stableford, with Allan Gould and Luke Peters tied for the

lead after 18.

The afternoon groups turned up to play, however torrential rain caused a wash out.

Results

1st: Allan Gould 34pts /b

2nd: Luke Peters 34pts

3rd: Darren Ritchie 32pts c/b

NTPs

2/11 - Colin Bidgood

Upcoming events

Wednesday All Sporters competition - from 12.00 pm & 3.00 pm

Friday Sporters competition - from 12.00 pm & 2.00 pmonline bookings

Innisfail Classic April 13 - 14 - online bookings via MiTournament

Norm Stewart, winner of Wednesday’s All Sporters on March 13.

Colin Bidgood, winner of Friday’s Sporters competition on March 15.

Jim Ferguson, winner of the Over 55s Monthly Medal on March 16.

Allan Gould finished third in the Over 55s Monthly Medal.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA GIRGENTI

South Johnstone Bowls Club President Shane McInerney (far right) congratulated the winning Innisfail team of Wayne O’Neill, Mark Elliott, Ian Humphreys and Michael de Vries.

South Johnstone Bowls Club President Shane McInerney (far right) with the second placed Tully team of Jason Harrop, Sean Prinsloo, Ray Downing and Darryl Stumbles.

South Johnstone Bowls Club President Shane McInerney (far right) with Justin Hyytinen, Rhys Gillman, Frank Obah and Michael Kowalczyk who finished third.

South Johnstone Bowls Club President Shane McInerney (far right) with Brian Stevens, David Leach, Kevin Deegan and Cole Rowbotham who finished fourth.

SPORT

Innisfail and District Tennis Association is in full swing

MARIA GIRGENTI

IN late January, Innisfail and District Tennis Association held its Open Day and despite extremely hot and humid conditions, thirty children and adults participated in the free activities on offer.

Coach Libor offered coaching tips to the children, whilst coach Ron ran Pickleball and passed on valuable coaching tips.

Everyone enjoyed a sausage sizzle, ice blocks and give-away merchandise, supplied by the club and Tennis Queensland.

After the Open Day, IDTA held its AGM, with strong attendance, a dedicated management committee of 10 members put their hand up to run the club for 20242025.

During the AGM, club member, Margaret Tinney received Life Membership in acknowledgement of over 15 years of volunteer work.

Tinney has held the positions of Treasurer and Secretary for more than 11 years, as well as volunteering as Canteen Convenor.

She also spent many volunteer hours with cleaning, maintenance and gardening.

The club is pleased to acknowledge its members for their selfless hours of volunteer work.

A special thank you to Margaret and all members, and their families who volunteer their time, as the club would not exist without you.

The 2024 season is in full swing with social and competitive tennis and pickleball, so for further information, please visit the club’s Facebook page and website.

EVEN though Saturday March 23, was wet and miserable in Tully, the members of Tully Pickleball were still able to play in the Igloo.

They had twenty-three players from aged sixteen to seventy-eight years,16 to 78 years, five of whom were new players.

Atherton Tableland Gun Club’s monthly shoot results - March 24

ON an overcast day in Atherton and odd showers, twenty-four shooters took part in four events.

Event 1 - 25 Target Continental Double Barrel

AA - 1st: Christopher Santarossa (Silkwood) 25/25 and Jar Smaniotto (Silkwood) 25/25

A - 1st: Barry Lansdown (Silkwood) 24/25, Jason Sapuppo (Silkwood) 24/25, Clint Wilkinson (Atherton Tableland) 24/25, Andrew Casella (Atherton Tableland) 24/25 and Peter Threlfall (Silkwood) 24/25

B - 1st: Edgar Collins (Atherton Tableland) 22/25; 2nd: Greg Braid (Atherton Tableland) 21/25

C - 1st: Peter Collins (Atherton Tableland) 23/25; 2nd: Matthew Chuck (Atherton Tableland) 22/25 and Chris De Brueys (Atherton Tableland) 22/25

Event 2 - 25 Target Continental Single Barrel

AA - 1st: Jar Smaniotto (Silkwood) 21/25; 2nd: Brian Harrison (Silkwood) 20/25

A - 1st: Clint Wilkinson (Atherton Tableland) 25/27; 2nd: Peter Threlfall (Silkwood) 24/27

B - 1st: Edgar Collins (Atherton Tableland) 23/25; 2nd: Greg Braid (Atherton Tableland) 24/27

C - 1st: Joe Collins (Atherton Tableland) 23/25; 2nd: Chris De Brueys (Atherton Tableland) 21/26

Event 3 - 30 Target Continental Medley

AA - 1st: Brian Harrison (Silkwood) 48/50; 2nd: Christopher Santarossa (Silkwood) 47/50

A - 1st: Andrew Casella (Atherton Tableland) 46/50; 2nd: Maurie Costa (Atherton Tableland) 45/50

B - 1st: Greg Braid (Atherton Tableland) 64/75; 2nd: Edgar Collins (Atherton Tableland) 61/75

C - 1st: Peter Collins (Atherton Tableland) 50/50; 2nd: Chris De Brueys (Atherton Tableland) 43/50

Event 4 - 15 Pair Double Rise

AA - 1st: Christopher Santarossa (Silkwood) 23/30; 2nd: Peter Threlfall

(Silkwood) 22/31

A - 1st: Andrew Casella (Atherton Tableland) 24/30; 2nd: Clint Wilkinson (Atherton Tableland) 23/30

B - 1st: Bradley Price (Atherton Tableland) 23/30; 2nd: Barry Lansdown (Silkwood) 22/30

C - 1st: Matthew Chuck (Atherton Tableland) 27/30; 2nd: Peter Vit (Atherton Tableland) 30/40

IDTA President Barry Anderson with Margaret Tinney, IDTA’s newest Life Member.

Shooters dodged showers during Atherton Tableland Gun Club’s monthly shoot on March 24. Photo: Atherton Tableland Gun Club.

AND PHOTOS BY MARIA GIRGENTI

ON Saturday, March 23 Innisfail Brothers and Tully Tigers junior rugby

SPORT

league teams faced off in Round 2 of trial games at Callendar Park in a Super Saturday of rugby league action.

Tully’s Under 16 team registered a 32

- 18 victory over Innisfail, whilst Tully’s Under 13 team went down to Innisfail.

Tully’s Under 16 try scorers: Ryan Millard 2, Phillip Mow, Kaedyn Ketchell and Reggae Dorego Goals: Tamakaimoana Wilson 4.

Innisfail’s Under 16 try scorers: Ashton Stepanoff 2, Dallas Terewaamu. Goals: Bishop Wickcliffe-Adams 2 and Christopher Brown 1.

Tully’s Under 15 team had a solid 40 - 30 win over Innisfail.

Tully’s Under 15 try scorers: Blake Scikluna 3, Liam Quabba, Kaedyn Ketchell, Lance Ivey and Alexander Greenwood. Goals: Riley Berge 6.

Innisfail’s Under 15 try scorers: Jack Croatto, Leo Mauloni, Mason Sohl and Zyon Toms. Goals: Ashton Stepanoff 5.

Innisfail’s Under 14 team had a comprehensive victory over Tully.

The FNQRL junior season officially kicks off on Saturday, April 20.

STORY

Cooper Millwood (with ball) in action for Innisfail in the Under 13s game against Tully.

Rugby league action in the Under 13 trial game against Innisfail and Tully.

An Innisfail player (with ball), tried to fend off a Tully player in the Under 13 trial game. Innisfail and Tully Under 14 teams in the trial game at Callendar Park.

FISHING NEWS with Tony Mossop

THE Late wet season rain and wind spoilt reef fishermen's plans to fish over the Easter long weekend; even getting out to the islands would have proven difficult, so Fishing in the rivers and sheltered bays was about all that was available over the weekend.

Amidst the floodwater everywhere, some of us decided to take on the challenge and travel down to the Hinchinbrook channel. The thrill of the catch was not far behind, as we achieved mixed results.

Barra was the main prize, caught mainly on suspending hard-bodied lures like the Jackall squirrel and the Redic DS80 jerk bait, adding an extra layer of excitement to our fishing adventure.

Bait fishermen reported catching good-sized red bream in the snags, some in the mid-40 cm mark.

Mud crabs were also caught in reasonable numbers and of excellent quality. Fresh fish frames achieved the best results. Always make sure the funnels in your crab pots are nice and tight. Crabs are fast learners, and chances are they have been in and out of plenty of crab pots before.

Sometimes, using a different type of crab pot in the same area will do the trick. Local fishermen tend to fish the Hull River in flood times; this system has a relatively small catchment compared to other rivers. If you head out around the mouth, you can always find a place to have a fish. Grunter, Salmon, trevally

Please email, post or drop your photos into our office, along with your name, phone number and details of your catch for your chance to win the monthly voucher. Your photo will appear in the following issue of the Wet Tropic Times, and the winner will be drawn on the last Thursday of each month. info@wettropictimes.com.au PO Box 1100, TULLY, 4854 70 Butler Street, TULLY

queenfish and barra can all be caught, either bait fishing or luring, making it an ideal place to take the kids for a fish. Always be careful around any estuaries system, especially early morning and late afternoon large saltwater crocodiles that live in our rivers can be very active at this time of the year.

As always, remember to prioritize your safety. Before heading out, ensure you have an up-to-date weather report and stay vigilant. Your safety is paramount, and we want you to enjoy your fishing experience without any worries.

Good Luck

Tony Mossop Tackleworld Tully

Last

Thursday, March 29, Julian Santarossa from Innisfail caught this lovely 71cm Mangrove Jack at Ellison Reef on a rod with a floater with a full pilchard as bait.

Daniel Colombini.

SPORT

SPORT

Innisfail faced Tully in the second round of junior rugby league trial games.. Page 22

Tully Tigers’ senior rugby league teams faced Innisfail in the local derby

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA GIRGENTI

ON Saturday, March 23, Tully Tigers’ senior rugby league teams faced their Cassowary Coast rivals, Innisfail Leprechauns, in the highly anticipated local derby showdown at Callendar Park, Innisfail.

In A-grade, Tully displayed gritty determination to go down by six to last year’s grand finalists, Innisfail Leprechauns, in a hard-fought and tight contest.

Before kick-off, players and spectators observed a minute’s silence for Terry Aquilina, Innisfail Leprechauns premiership-winning coach in 2003 and 2006, and Mr Signorini, the oldest life member of Innisfail Brothers Rugby League Football Club, who recently passed away at the age of 101.

Tully’s try scorers: Kenneth Fonoti, Morgan Black and Samuel Ulutui. Goals: Phil Nona 2.

Innisfail’s try scorers: Ethan Vick, Starrison Whaleboat, Tomasi Skelton and Ashton Galea. Goals: Michael Morton 2 and 1 penalty goal.

At full-time in Reserve grade, Tully registered their second straight win of 24 - 6 over Innisfail.

Tully’s try scorers: Emmanuel Mukindi, Darian Burton, Nathan Muriata and Louis Carlaw. Goals: Luke Fitzgerald 3 and 1 penalty goal.

Innisfail’s try scorers: Uriah Anning. Goals: Cameron Anning 1 penalty goal.

Innisfail prevailed over Tully in the Under 19s clash and recorded a 16 - 4 victory.

Tully try scorer: Cameron Nelson.

Innisfail’s try scorers: Floyd Sakail, Tyrell Townson and Malachi Donaldson 2.

FNQRL Round 2 fixtures - March 23 -24

Results:

A-Grade

Innisfail 22 def Tully 16

Atherton 32 def Mareeba 12

Cairns Brothers 48 def Southern Suburbs 10

Edmonton 48 def Yarrabah 22

Ivanhoe Knights vs Kangaroos - game postponed due to wet weather

Bye: Mossman-Port Douglas

FNQRL A-Grade ladder - Round 2: Edmonton 4, Cairns Brothers 4, Innisfail 4, Atherton 4, Ivanhoe Knights 2, Mossman-Port Douglas 2, Tully 0, Yarrabah 0, Kangaroos 0, Mareeba 0 and Southern Suburbs 0. Reserve Grade

Tully 24 def Innisfail 6

Atherton 32 def Mareeba 6

Cairns Brothers 32 def Southern Suburbs 10

Yarrabah 22 def Edmonton 18

Ivanhoe Knights vs Kangaroos - game postponed due to wet weather

Under 19

Innisfail 16 def Tully 4

Cairns Brothers 24 drew with Southern Suburbs 24

Atherton 16 def Mareeba 10

Edmonton 20 def Yarrabah 4

Ivanhoe Knights vs Kangaroos - game postponed due to wet weather

After a week’s break for Easter, in Round 3 fixtures, the Tully Tigers host Atherton this Saturday, whilst Innisfail travel away to Jilara Oval for a Sunday afternoon clash with Yarrabah.

The Tully Tigers A-grade team observed a minute’s silence, prior to kick-off against Innisfail.

Emmanuel Mukindi (with ball) scored Tully’s first try in the Reserve-Grade clash against Innisfail.

Tully’s Colin Wilkie (with ball) looked for space in the A-Grade game against Innisfail.

Jayvee Field and Martin Van der Walt brought down Innisfail Under 19 player, Floyd Sakail (with ball).

Ed Long (with ball), made a strong run for Tully and proved a handful for Innisfail’s ReserveGrade defence.

In Reserve-Grade, Tully’s Jonathon Lavell (with ball), looked to fend off two Innisfail players.