With my contribution to the Councillor Column falling on Christmas Eve, I feel it’s appropriate to begin by wishing you all the very best Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year, to you and your families.

Well, hasn’t another year come quickly? By the time this column is printed, we would have seen another crushing season come to a close. Again, another challenging year for all in the industry, while we can’t control the weather, we remain positive that industry stakeholders can solve some ongoing issues that seem to continuously hamper the crushing season.

The New Year will come quickly, and there are many things under my Corporate, Development and Regulatory Services Advisory Portfolio that I look forward to assisting in progressing, advocating and lobbying for. One of these is the Dungeness Sea Wall and Dredging, acknowledging the years of hard work that have been put in by previous Councillors and staff. Seeing this major improvement come to fruition will no doubt not only help drive tourism in our Shire, but will also give the Coast Guard access when needed to deploy and attend to emergencies. Such things cannot happen without funding assistance from the State and Federal Governments and to strike a fair balance to not just maintain and repair critical infrastructure, but to deliver on new projects to increase liveability in our Shire.

Having such a great newspaper that is Hinchinbrook Life, this very paper that you are reading for free, has been a very welcoming platform for the community to engage with on all things happening within our Shire. To Mayor Ramon Jayo, fellow Councillors, staff and the team at Hinchinbrook Life, thank you for having the initiative and drive to get this paper on the stands in the community.

Monday 20 July 1953, the usually calm atmosphere of the Station Hotel bar was shaken when patrons rubbed their eyes in disbelief when they witnessed an extraordinary guest casually entre the establishment—a baby elephant named Jo Dee from Wirth’s Circus.
Accompanied by her trainer, Jo Dee confidently strolled through the doors, much to the astonishment of the crowded bar. Showing remarkable composure and impeccable manners, the young elephant approached the bar, where she was promptly served a beer. With effortless skill, she used her trunk to sip her drink, gave a playful wave, and departed as gracefully as she arrived.

The greatest concern I have that may follow a disaster event is the inability to communicate with our community. As you are aware, this situation may arise following a cyclone when transmission towers and associated infrastructure are damaged.
Unfortunately as a society, we are becoming more and more reliant on social mediums and digital platforms to receive our news and to communicate with each other. Digital communication is almost totally reliant on towers for transmission.
To address these concerns, the Hinchinbrook Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) has adopted a communications plan which essentially sets out the various types of communication methods that can and will be deployed before, during and after an event so as to maintain communications and delivery of information to the public as necessary.
Obviously, the primary source of communication at present as indicated earlier is phone and internet service due to the speed at which information can be delivered. However, other means available and which are utilised include radio broadcast services and television. Fortunately, the television and radio broadcast services are facilitated from transmitters located well away from our district which lengthens the odds of being damaged when our district experiences a disaster.
Another option and a very important component of our supplementary means of communication is the humble CB radio. As you may or may not be aware, we are very fortunate in Hinchinbrook to have the services of many dedicated people who volunteer as our Local Area Wardens. The function of a Local Area Warden is to assist the HLDMG with situational awareness of circumstances in their particular areas and to assist members of the community with information both to and from the HLDMG, particularly when other primary sources of information are not working.
In situations when primary sources are down, The HLDMG will converse with Wardens utilising Channel 9 (Mt Mercer), Channel 16 (Wallaman) and Channel 5 (Ingham). Rural Fire Service personnel can utilise Local Area Warden channels from their Rural Fire Service Queensland vehicles. The Halifax LDMG subgroup operates under normal CB radio (Channel 3).
So if you have a CB radio in your vehicle or know a neighbour or friend that has one in a car or tractor, you may be able to utilise this medium to receive information or to send information to and from the Hinchinbrook LDMG.
Other forms of supplementary communication that may be used, depending on circumstances include: door knocking, loud hailer fitted to vehicle, roadside messaging boards and pamphlet distribution.
Hopefully we do not find ourselves in that situation, but it is important for you to know how to get information when needed. Further information on communication strategies can be found on Council’s disaster management pages at https://www.hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au/community-environment/disaster-and-emergency-information.
As Christmas is almost here, I would like to take the opportunity to wish our community the best for the festive season. I hope you get the time to relax and enjoy Christmas with family and friends. I would like to also thank everyone who donated to the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal. The response was phenomenal, and I have no doubt that your donations will make someone very happy on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone.

Before opening the vibrant community sewing hub, Barnes Sewing Centre, owner Sue Beatts was a nurse and midwife at the local hospital, but she has always had a passion for sewing.

When she retired, Sue began helping out the previous owner and her dear friend Elma at Barnes Sewing Centre, so taking over the store was a natural transition.

For Sue, sewing is a hobby as well as a profession and that’s what makes her friendly store such a relaxing environment.

“I like it, it's creative and is something I could do by myself,” said Sue.

“It’s not something you have to have other people with you to do and I find it relaxing.

“You can set yourself up at home, in your own little area of the house, and it's all yours.”

Sue’s favourite things to make are patchwork items and she loves making bags, purses, and quilts.

To make quilts easier to produce, Sue decided to invest in a new piece of equipment, the long-arm quilting machine, it took her some time to master it because of the complexity of the technology, but now she loves using the machine.

At Barnes Sewing Centre, they offer a variety of services from machine repairs to material supplies, work wear logos, a range of fabrics, and quilt making.

Sue expressed that the store does very well, and she even gets visitors from Cairns and Townsville.

Sue also said stores like hers are becoming rare, many are closing down, and she is proud to offer a unique and charming space for sewers from across the region to enjoy the love of fabric and sewing together.

Come and explore her haven of sewing bliss, it’s always a wonderful experience chatting with Sue who has expert advice on almost any question you may have about sewing.

‍

‍

Local business SpinFX Electrical has all your electrical and air conditioning needs and in the last six months owner Jesse Spina says they have added solar panel installation and maintenance to the business.

“"We got into solar as a lot of our clients were enquiring about it and have had numerous reports of their power bills going up",” he explained.

“And what better place to do it other than North Queensland? We have the best sun in the world, and there's an abundance of it,” said Jesse.

“Solar wasn’t really affordable a few years ago but prices have since dropped and with government incentives, it is much easier to afford it and we also provide finance options to help cash flow"

SpinFX also install solar batteries, that store energy generated by solar panels that can be used later, this in turn reduces electricity bills and can be used for a period of time if power goes out.

Solar is new to SpinFX, starting only six months ago, and before that, the company focused primarily on electrical and air conditioning.

SpinFX are experts in installing air conditioning units and adept at maintenance, electrical renovations and repairs.

Jesse said that they sell what they think is the best air-con, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to help beat the humidity and heat here in North Queensland.

SpinFX cover a large area including Hinchinbrook Shire, Etheridge Shire, Croydon Shire, and the Shire of Carpentaria.

Jesse is a local guy, and he loves the Hinchinbrook Region, and when he first set up his business, it was important to him that all customers are completely satisfied with their work.

“We strive to make sure all of our customers are happy,” shared Jesse.

“We won't leave a site unless the customer's happy and I have based my business around that since it started.”

Hinchinbrook residents have once again thrown their support behind the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal in the spirit of Christmas. 
 
Mayor Ramon Jayo said, “The Hinchinbrook community has shown their overwhelming support for community members that need a little extra help at this time of year.  The donations to this year’s Mayor’s Christmas Appeal, by way of gifts and financial contributions, have been heart-warming.”
 
“Contributions made by community members gives spirit to those less fortunate at a time of year that can be very difficult on families.” 
 
The Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre is currently busy distributing all donations to those in the community who require help this year.  I sincerely thank all those members of the community for their generosity and support of the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal.
 
On behalf of all Councillors, I would like to wish all a very Merry Christmas and best wishes for a Happy New Year.

This holiday season, the true spirit of giving has touched the lives of 120 local families, thanks to generous donations from the community, small businesses, and other not-for-profits. The Christmas hampers, brimming with food, festive treats, and gifts, were packed and distributed by HCSC, bringing joy and relief to families in need.

The initiative, supported by the Hinchinbrook Shire Council, aimed to ensure no family goes without this Christmas. Contributions poured in from small businesses and community members, who gave generously to support their neighbours.  

“It’s heart-warming to see the community come together like this,” said Natalie, HCSC Emergency Relief Coordinator. “These hampers don’t just provide practical support—they remind families that they’re not alone and that people care.”  HCSC would not be able to complete this massive task without our team of dedicated volunteers who gave their time to organise the hampers.

Families receiving the hampers expressed gratitude for the thoughtful gesture, with many highlighting the impact of the assistance during tough economic times.  The Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre strives to ensure no family goes without. The annual Christmas Appeal serves as a testament to the power of community and the enduring spirit of Christmas.

Contributed with thanks to The Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre

Fishways are helping fish species, including barramundi and mangrove jack, to breed up in local waterways.

Six fishways built in the Ingham region, and in other places between Tully and Crystal Creek, have removed barriers for juvenile fish. Together, they’ve opened up more than 100 kilometres of creek and river systems – and recent surveys at these sites have shown they are fish highways.

More than 1000 fish were recorded moving through one of the fishways – at Insulator Creek north of Townsville - in one day. And in more recent surveys, over 4500 fish were caught and released during monitoring work at four rock ramp fishways.

“Sixteen native species, including juvenile barramundi, empire gudgeon, rainbow fish, tarpon and long-finned eels, were recorded,’’ Terrain NRM’s Deb Bass said.

“Of the 80+ species of native fish we have in the Wet Tropics region, up to half need to move between salt and freshwater habitats to complete their lifecycles. Barriers like weirs, pipes, culvert crossings and weed chokes can stop these species from thriving.

“In recent surveys at our fishways, eight of the 16 native species recorded are species that need that movement - from their beginnings in saltwater to safer freshwater nursery grounds as juveniles and then back downstream to the saltwater to breed as adults. So we can see the fishways are providing access for these species, from barramundi and mangrove jack to shrimps.”

Terrain NRM has been working with OzFish Unlimited, Catchment Solutions and Australasian Fish Passage Services on the ‘Fish Homes and Highways’ project, which is funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust. Fishways are a relatively new solution in the region – a series of underwater stairs for fish, with deep pools between each one for resting.
Catchment Solutions fishery ecologist Matt Moore said rocks were placed strategically, sometimes in S-bend and sometimes a straight line, to achieve the right gradient to create a slower flow while also being able to withstand floods.

“To pull in our monitoring traps and see all the fish – a lot goes into the design of these structures, so we love seeing a result like this,’’ he said.

A ‘nursery slot’ is a new feature, trialled in one of the fishways, to help super small juveniles move upstream.

“It needs 20mm or less of water going through it to create the right conditions for weaker-swimming juvenile fish,” Matt said. “We recently recorded the smallest snakehead gudgeon ever documented in Australian fishway studies travelling through the slot. It was 16mm long.”

Oz Fish Unlimited’s Geoff Collins, an aquatic ecologist and Adjunct Research Fellow at James Cook University’s TropWATER, said the new fishways had been monitored for five days to assess the diversity and size of fish moving through. Results showed they would make an impact on the health of fish species and the waterways themselves.

“We are opening up habitat that many juvenile fish haven’t been able to access, particularly in low-flow situations, for decades in some cases,’’ he said.

“These structures are enabling migration for tens of thousands of fish. And the more habitat we can give fish access to, the more productive our fish stocks will be. Freshwater wetlands, creeks and rivers are important nursery grounds with abundant food resources that will help our native fish to grow fast, and to travel back downstream and breed in the tropical wet season.”

The ‘Fish Homes and Highways’ project began with extensive survey work in the Herbert and Murray River catchments between Crystal Creek near Paluma and Tully, where more than 3,500 potential fish barriers were identified, leading to on-ground inspections of over 300 sites.

The fishways were built at barriers like causeways and, in other places, bed-level crossings were built to replace causeways, or creek crossings were completely removed.

“We’ve also removed aquatic weeds and there has been revegetation in an area where fish passage works were completed,’’ Terrain NRM’s Deb Bass said.

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables 2024 crushing season in the Herbert region has drawn to a close under the shadow of significant challenges that have left some growers grappling with the harsh economic reality of standover cane. Wilmar announced the cessation of operations at Victoria Mill last week, citing a lack of adequate cane supply amid continuing wet weather and forecasted rainfall.
This year’s season has been fraught with setbacks, starting with early industrial action, wet weather, and factory breakdowns that delayed the start of crushing operations. These compounding problems left the region playing catch-up, only to be further hindered by the arrival of the wet season.
Wilmar reported that the decision to end crushing was made following consultations with grower representatives and harvesting contractors, as it became clear that operations were no longer commercially viable. Farmers now face the grim reality of standover cane, which not only impacts this season’s bottom line but also has ripple effects on next year’s harvest.
Harvesting contractors who were cutting were asked to make every effort to get the last bins on the line by 6pm on the 18th of December.
The company’s spokesperson acknowledged the collective effort, stating, “We thank all growers and harvesting operators for your hard work this season and wish you a safe and relaxing Christmas with family and friends.”
According to grower representatives, the difficulties that have characterised the 2024 season and the ongoing challenges predicted for 2025 must be addressed.

Often found nesting along the north-east Queensland coastline, little terns are small seabirds which frequent Hinchinbrook beaches during the summer months each year. Birdlife Australia’s Simon Kennedy hosts regular free workshops to educate attendees on the nature of little terns, and how the community can care for the bird if they come across a nesting area.
“The nesting population of little terns in eastern Australia is about 1,200 from the whole east coast from Tasmania to the Daintree, and one of the important areas is the Hinchinbrook coast,” Simon explained.
Workshop attendees are guided through a little tern monitoring process to support the work of Birdlife Australia and are educated on how to watch the birds within their area from when they’re hatched, to fully grown. As well as accessing the information available on Birdlife Australia’s website, birdlife.org,au, Simon also encourages the community to reach out to the Hinchinbrook Shire Council for advice on how to care for the little terns in the area if they’re unsure.
Although the area previously hosted harsh conditions, the little terns hatched at Lucinda Spit earlier this year have now reached flying age, a milestone achievement Birdlife Australia has certainly celebrated.
“Last year, and the year before, the little terns which nested at Lucinda Spit lost all of their eggs to storm tides, but this year, a couple of young ones have made it to flying age, - they’ve made it, and that’s great, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Over the past three years, Simon has ran successful workshops from Innisfail to Townsville, with up to 15 attendees each session, and following on from his recent workshop on Friday the 13th December at Forrest Beach’s Mungalla Station, Simon invites those interested to reach out to him via simon.kennedy@birdlife.org.au for more information.
“15 people isn’t many, but the workshops are worthwhile even through the turnout isn’t very big,” added Simon.
“If some of those people are out and keep an eye on the local little terns in their area and report sightings, then that’s great for us.”

The Ingham Coast Guard sprang into action earlier this month to assist two locals stranded near Pelorus Island after their boat encountered engine trouble.

The incident occurred in the early morning when the pair called for help. Ingham Coast Guard's volunteer crew promptly launched their rescue vessel, "JJ," and headed eastward to locate the stranded boat.

Fortunately, conditions were favourable at the time of the rescue, allowing for a smooth operation. The vessel was found inshore of Pelorus Island, where a tow line was secured. The return journey was uneventful, though Coast Guard officials noted that a delay of just two hours would have resulted in significantly rougher seas due to the strengthening Nor’easter winds.

2024 has seen the Ingham Coast Guard called out 31 times, rescuing a total of 91 people.

With the holiday season upon us, the Coast Guard reminds all boaters to prioritise safety and ensure their vessels are well-prepared before heading out on the water.

For emergencies, remember to contact your local Coast Guard for assistance.

Contributed with thanks to Steve Whipps, Commander, QF14 Ingham Coast Guard.

‍

On the morning of 18 December 1942, an American B-24 Liberator Bomber, known as the Texas Terror, crashed into Mount Straloch on Hinchinbrook Island killing all 12 on board.

The men on board were American soldiers who were assisting Australian troops in World War II.

The Texas Terror left Garbutt Field in the morning of 18 December 1942, headed towards Iron Range. On their journey they had engine troubles so they turned around and headed back to Garbutt. Sadly, they ran into a violent storm in the Hinchinbrook region, and crashed into Hinchinbrook Island.

Remembering The Texas Terror

The 31st Battalion Association in Ingham hold a ceremony in honour of the people who lost their lives during the Texas Terror crash every year.

Each year on a date closest to the 18th December the 31st Battalion Association in Ingham hold a ceremony in honour of the Texas Terror.

Felix Reitano, President of the  31st Battalion Association Ingham Branch, said the ceremony is an important time to remember those involved in the crash and a way for the broader Hinchinbrook community to acknowledge the history of the tragedy.

“It is so we can remember those men who were killed on an island close to us, which is the closest major accident we had during the war,” explained Felix.

On Sunday 15 December the ceremony to commemorate the tragedy was held.

Locals Judy and Felix Reitano became more involved in preserving the memories of those who passed away on that fateful day when a son of one of the victims, Carl Silber, visited the region to observe the crash site and see where his father had died.

Initially, loved ones of those who had passed were informed that the crash occurred as part of the Battle of the Coral Sea, so many assumed the wreck was at the bottom of the ocean.

Carl did some research into the crash and discovered that the crash site was on Hinchinbrook Island, something locals had known about for some time, in 1997 he came to North Queensland and climbed to the wreck site.

Judy, Felix and the rest of the association were extremely moved by his story.

“He seemed to be so sad and so wanting to know about his father and what happened there, that we decided to erect a memorial to the Texas Terror,” said Judy.

“We erected the memorial on ANZAC Day in 1999 in the Botanical Gardens, and we invited him to attend.

“He was then situated in Hawaii in the Air Force and he came with the brother of the co-pilot on the plane and together they unveiled the memorial as part of our Anzac Day ceremony.”

The Texas Terror crash site remains on Hinchinbrook Island to this day, and is now regarded as a grave site by authorities.

‍

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all had a great week.

This week I embraced the Christmas spirit at the Lucinda Carols, the warm weather and blue skies reminded me of Adelaide, where I grew up.

I am approaching my first month here in Hinchinbrook and I am experiencing my first wet season, it is exactly how imagined it . . . wet! We get wet weather down in Adelaide, but nothing could prepare me for this. I do however, enjoy watching the thunderstorms,  especially when the sky lights up in flashes.

This time next week will be Christmas Eve, and the team and I will be enjoying some much-needed time off. I will be in Adelaide with my family, and I hope you all enjoy some time with yours too.

I am looking forward to going back to my home town for the holidays and spending some time catching up with all my friends too.

I am not sure if many of you know this, but I have been travelling up and down the coast since I started this position with Hinchinbrook Life Newspaper.

For almost a year prior to taking on this new position, I have been living in the Whitsundays working for our sister publication Mackay and Whitsunday Life Newspaper.

For the last four weeks, since we started Hinchinbrook Life, I have been travelling between the Whitsundays and Ingham every week, that’s eight hours of driving per week!

In the New Year however, I am pleased to announce that I will be committing to a full-time position here and living locally. I will always be around and ready to attend all of your events and I can’t wait!

Daniel

"Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings." – It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

‍

Ever year St Peter’s Catholic School students hand-write, and draw Christmas cards for Ingham Meals on Wheels clients.

President of Ingham Meals on Wheels Rita Phillips said the clients really enjoy when the students take time to write these cards.

“It's beautiful and the clients always comment on how the children have taken time to do something for them,” said Rita.

“The clients love that, and the school has been doing it for the last five years at least.”

Rita’s favourite part about Meals on Wheels is helping others in the community, not just by providing and delivering hot meals, but by doing more to ensure client’s health and wellbeing.

“Our drivers and delivery people have a very conscience job in the sense of they know who they deliver to,” she said.

“We always make sure that the wellness of the person is going okay and that's something that some other food providers don't do.

“Drivers get to know their clients, because they are on the same run each time.

“Our drivers can tell if someone is looking a bit down, so they have a quick chat, and if it's still not right, they let our admin people know, and then we ring one of their relatives or whoever's looking after them to go and have a check on them.

The final sitting week of Parliament for 2024 included significant debates and decisions that will.

The Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) moved two disallowance motions aimed at standing up for regional Queensland. The first, opposed the former Government’s gill net fishing bans in the Gulf of Carpentaria, similar to what was done on our East Coast to the detriment of many local commercial fishers in Hinchinbrook. The other motion challenged overzealous lifejacket regulations that impose unnecessary conditions on
boaties. The first motion was voted down by both major parties and the second motion was adjourned to 2025.

The Government’s Queensland Community Safety Bill passed with the support of the KAP. The new laws will amend the Youth Justice Act 1992 to remove the provision of detention as a last resort. It will also mean juvenile offenders could now serve adult sentences for certain offences.

On behalf of Hinchinbrook constituents, I submitted three Questions on Notice. The first was to the Premier, enquiring about the need for a Minister for Men, similar to the current Ministerial portfolio for Women. I also delivered a parliamentary speech on this topic. The remaining two questions were directed at the Health Minster about enhancing public dental services at the Ingham Hospital and revisiting the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS).

Ministerial meetings were another key focus. I met with the Deputy Premier and Environment Minister to discuss projects like Port Hinchinbrook, Dungeness, and the trunk infrastructure required to unlock housing blocks across Hinchinbrook. I also met with the Minister for Transport and Main Roads to brief him on critical road projects in Hinchinbrook including the Woolcock Street/North Shore Boulevard corridor, Gairloch, and Dallachy Road projects.

Although it’s early days, I must say each meeting last week was positive and I look forward to updating everyone on the progression of these projects in the New Year.

Contributed with thanks to Nick Dametto MP Member for Hinchinbrook

‍