Dunk Island Looks Close Because It Is

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Dunk Island sits just offshore from Mission Beach, making it one of the most recognisable landmarks along the Cassowary Coast.

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The island’s forested slopes rise dramatically from the sea, creating postcard-worthy views from the mainland. For generations, it has inspired artists, adventurers and day-trippers looking for a tropical escape.

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Seeing it from the beach is impressive. Visiting it adds another layer to the experience. Go boating around it: cassowarycoasttourism.com.au

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On the 6th of September 1869, William Mc Dowell took up a conditional selection of 300 acres. He and Maurice Geoffrey O’Connell, who took up a 360 selection on 1st May 1869, are credited as the first Europeans to attempt to grow cane on the Herbert. Their land was later taken up by the Mackenzie family that established Gairloch.

Parents looking for ways to keep the kids entertained these school holidays can put away the wallet, with Hinchinbrook Shire Library preparing a full program of free activities from September 21st to October 3rd.

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The library will be the place to be throughout the holidays, with a different mix of activities giving children plenty of opportunities to create, play, discover and enjoy some time out.

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The program includes arts and crafts, LEGO, games and interactive projector activities, giving young visitors plenty of hands-on entertainment.

For movie lovers, there will also be Mystery Movie Mornings, with the films kept under wraps until it is time to settle in and watch.

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Library Bingo will add a little friendly competition to the holiday calendar, while First 5 Forever Playtime will provide activities specifically designed for younger children and their families.

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With activities running throughout the two-week holiday period, families can choose what takes their fancy or make a few trips to the library across the break. Best of all, the activities are free, making it an easy option for families looking for affordable things to do locally while the children are off school.

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Registration is required for Library Bingo, with families encouraged to secure their spot through Hinchinbrook Tickets.

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From building with LEGO and getting creative with arts and crafts to watching mystery movies and playing bingo, Hinchinbrook Shire Library has plenty planned to make sure the spring school holidays are anything but boring.

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With two weeks of free activities on offer, it looks like the school holiday calendar is already booked.

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WHAT: Free school holiday activities
WHEN: September 21st – October 3rd 2026
WHERE: Hinchinbrook Shire Library

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A knight and page at the Townsville Medieval & Fantasy Festival 2026, by Sebastian Maccarrone

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(With thanks to the Ingham Photography Group)

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eBird Turns Sightings Into Science

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Casual birdwatching can become global science when logging your sightings on eBird turns a walk around TYTO Wetlands into a contribution to research and conservation. Every jacana you spot, every raptor overhead, every finch in the reeds adds to a worldwide dataset that helps scientists, park managers and fellow birders understand species movement, habitat health and trends over time.  

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eBird tracks your personal observations, builds bar charts, maps your activity and shows how your morning fits into the bigger picture. Today’s sightings could guide conservation decisions tomorrow or help a visitor plan the best time to see something special. Birdwatching here isn’t just relaxing — it’s purposeful, collaborative and quietly powerful. You’re not just seeing birds; you’re helping protect them, one checklist at a time. Log it: hinchinbrookway.com.au

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Gilroy Santa Maria College students preparing supplies and mixing colours. Photo credit: Victoria Velton

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By Victoria Velton

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A new mural has blossomed into life in the Shire Hall Laneway giving Hinchinbrook a colourful new way to celebrate the community it is today, with local artist Kristina Fontana, owner of I Love Boutique Amber Pollock, Gilroy Santa Maria College(GSMC) Art Teacher Georgia Dametto and GSMC students joining forces on the project.

Supported by Hinchinbrook Shire Council and a Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) grant, the mural is a modern counterpart to the historic mural in Mercer Lane, reflecting the changing identity of the region.

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"Because it’s a revolving history, isn’t it?” Kristina said.  

“That is past Ingham. This is us now.”

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The mural was designed to be bright, colourful and interactive, with each section representing an aspect of Hinchinbrook life, from fishing and the Herbert River to Italian food and the region’s tropical lifestyle.

“We wanted to make it in an interactive laneway. We wanted to make it so that people are drawn down here, and take the time to take photos - but we also wanted it representative of Hinchinbrook,” Kristina said.

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Amber, whose shop, I Love Boutique, shares the mural’s wall, said the transformation had already changed the feel of the laneway.

“It’s super exciting! I just love seeing all the colours. Walking past it just makes you smile,” she said.

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The concept evolved through workshops involving the GSMS students, with their ideas incorporated into Kristina's design. Georgia said the aim was to create a space that showcased the creativity of local young people.

“We want them to think of Ingham as a creative, artistic space for youth,” Georgia said.

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“Seeing that youth have been involved in painting this, I think people really understand that this community has such a talented and creative bunch of kids.”

Year 11 student Kaitlyn said the mural’s motifs were chosen to represent things significant to the local community.

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“I was working on the big fish, the barramundi - everyone here loves fishing,” she said.

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“I hope they like it, but I also hope we see people taking photos at the mural and looking at the mural, because there’s a lot of hard work that goes into it,”  

Fellow Year 11 student Daniel felt ‘lucky’ to be involved with the project and contribute to his community.

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“Very lucky, like extremely lucky. Very grateful, and just happy to help around.”  

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Daniel hopes the finished mural leaves visitors with “a sense of pride to be part of the community”.

Amber hopes the laneway will eventually become a destination in its own right, an extension of the Tones and I mural that the pop star signed on a regional tour visit to the town earlier in the year.

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“I just hope it’s a space where people can come, take photos, spend time and feel excited and happy,” Amber said.

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With ideas already circulating about extending the artwork further down the laneway, the project could become another evolving piece of Hinchinbrook’s story, capturing not just where the region has come from, but where it will go.

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Tuesday 25 August

Cardwell RSL BINGO, 9am, 36-38 Roma Street, Cardwell

BINGO at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 9am, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

Art from the Heart Acrylic Painting Group, 10am-12:30pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Pottery Session with Michelle, 5pm-8:30pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Trivia Night at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 7pm, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

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Wednesday 26 August

Cassowary Coast Multisport Club Run Speed Sessions, 6am, Bottom Oval, Mission Beach School, Mission Beach

Cardwell RSL Cardwell Craft Group, 9am-11:30am, 36-38 Roma Street, Cardwell

Pottery Session with Justin, 10am-2pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Tully RSL Resin Art Class with OzArtz the Home of Resin, 2:30pm, 65 Bryant Street, Tully

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Thursday 27 August

Oiled Painting Group, 9am-12:30pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Mums Club Collective Coffee Catch Up, 9:30am, Castaways Beach Bar & Grill, Mission Beach

Pottery Session with Trudy, 5pm-8:30pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Innisfail Community & Services Club Trivia Night, 6pm, 18 Fitzgerald Esplanade, Innisfail

BINGO at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 6:30pm, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

Trivia Night at Innisfail RSL, 7pm, 18 – 28 Fitzgerald Esplanade, Innisfail

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Friday 28 August

BINGO at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 9am, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

Cassowary Coast Multisport Club Social Run, 6pm-7pm, Mission Beach, Mission Beach

East Palmerston Hall August Dinner, 6:30pm, 2101 Palmerston Highway, East Palmerston

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Saturday 29 August

5 Annual Kurrimine to Karumba Ride, 6:30am-12pm, King Reef Hotel, Kurrimine Beach

Paradise Run Mission Beach, 6:45am, Seaview Street, Mission Beach

Cardwell parkrun, 7am, Cardwell Foreshore, Cardwell

Innisfail Gem Festival, 8am-3pm, Innisfail State College, 45 Flying Fish Point Road, Innisfail

Etty Bay Surf Life Saving Club Beach Carnival, 8am-3pm, Etty Bay

VISION Clear Seeing & Clairvoyance Exploration Workshop, 9am-10am, 29 Bryant Street, Tully

Cardwell RSL Cardwell Seaside Quilters, 9am-11am, 36-38 Roma Street, Cardwell

3D Acrylic Workshop with Cheryl Bigger, 10am-2pm, MARCS Park, Mission Beach

Empowerment FREE Self Defence Class, 10:30am-11:30am, Cardwell Coastguard Building, 1 Victoria Street, Cardwell

Riverfest Queen Black & White Cocktail Night, 6:30pm, FNQ Motor Group, 115 Edith Street, Innisfail

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Sunday 30 August

Cassowary Coast Multisport Club Long Run Group, 6am-7am, Casuarina Park, South Mission Beach

Cassowary Coast Multisport Club Sunday Cycling Group, 6am-8am, Mission Beach Police Station, Webb Road, Wongaling Beach

Etty Bay Surf Life Saving Club Beach Carnival, 8am-3pm, Etty Bay

Fat Bastards Car Club Inc. Coffee & Cars Monthly Meet Up, 9am, Flying Fish Point Beach Café, Flying Fish Point

Homemakers Swap, 10am, Rotary Park, Rotary Park, Reid Road, Wongaling Beach

3D Acrylic Workshop with Cheryl Bigger, 10am-2pm, MARCS Park, Mission Beach

Cardwell RSL Sunday BBQ Lunch, 12pm, 36-38 Roma Street, Cardwell

Cardwell Sportfishing Club Monthly Sausage Sizzle & Presentation Day, 3pm-5:30pm, St Albans Street, Cardwell

Cassady Connections live at Scotty’s, 5:30pm, Scotty’s Bar & Eatery, Mission Beach

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Tuesday 1 September

BINGO at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 9am, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

Art from the Heart Acrylic Painting Group, 10am-12:30pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Pottery Session with Michelle, 5pm-8:30pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Trivia Night at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 7pm, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

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Wednesday 2 September

Cassowary Coast Multisport Club Run Speed Sessions, 6am, Bottom Oval, Mission Beach School, Mission Beach

Cardwell RSL Cardwell Craft Group, 9am-11:30am, 36-38 Roma Street, Cardwell

Pottery Session with Irene, 10am-2pm, Mission Arts Pottery Studio, Mission Beach

Haha’s Trivia, 6:30pm, Silkwood Hotel, 1 Edward Street, Silkwood

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Thursday 3 September

Diggers Day at Innisfail RSL, 3pm-7pm, 18 – 28 Fitzgerald Esplanade, Innisfail

Pottery Session with Trudy, 5pm-8:30pm, Mission Beach Community Arts Centre, Mission Beach

Innisfail Community & Services Club Trivia Night, 6pm, 18 Fitzgerald Esplanade, Innisfail

BINGO at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 6:30pm, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

Trivia Night at Innisfail RSL, 7pm, 18 – 28 Fitzgerald Esplanade, Innisfail

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Friday 4 September

BINGO at Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail, 9am, Brothers Leagues Club, Innisfail

Tully Arts & Cultural Precinct Inc. NAIDOC Community Event, 10:30am-12:30pm, Tully Masonic Centre, Tully

Pizza for Hearts Charity Night, 5:30pm, Social Coffee Co, 35 Ponzo Street, Woree

Cassady Connections live at Innisfail RSL, 6pm, 18 – 28 Fitzgerald Esplanade, Innisfail

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Saturday 5 September

Paradise Run Mission Beach, 6:45am, Seaview Street, Mission Beach

Cardwell parkrun, 7am, Cardwell Foreshore, Cardwell

Cardwell RSL Cardwell Seaside Quilters, 9am-11am, 36-38 Roma Street, Cardwell

Cardwell RSL BINGO, 2pm, 36-38 Roma Street, Cardwell

Mission Beach Film Club’s Screening of An Unfinished Film, 6:30pm-9pm, C4 Theatrette, Porters Promenade, Mission Beach

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Cassowary Coast musician Jeffrey McLaughlin, better known as Dr Flouride, is bringing decades of musical experience and a passion for culture, language and community to the region. Photo credit: William Thompson

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By Chelsea Ravizza

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With a natural instinct for sound, Jeffrey McLaughlin, better known by his distinctive stage name Dr Flouride, has always viewed music as a way to connect people, preserve culture, share stories and, ultimately, heal.

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Now calling the Cassowary Coast home after years spent working across remote communities in the Northern Territory, the musician, producer and one-man-band has brought decades of experience to the region.

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“I moved to the Cassowary Coast region for a sea change after living in the desert for so long – and also to give my children more opportunities,” Jeffrey said.

“This is a beautiful part of the world with the rainforest meeting the reef.”

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Over the years, Jeffrey has built an impressive career, from helping establish the Winanjjikari Music Centre in Tennant Creek to working alongside some of Australia’s most respected Indigenous musicians. Much of his work has centred on using music and technology to create opportunities for artists, while supporting the preservation and celebration of culture and language within communities.

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Jeffrey’s own musical journey, however, began almost three decades ago when the stage name Dr Flouride was born during a karaoke night with former bandmates on the Sunshine Coast when he was just 19.

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Now, after spending the past three decades working on and producing approximately 40 albums for other artists, earning national radio airplay, contributing to festival performances and working alongside award-winning musicians, a typical day in the life of Dr Flouride centres on creating and developing his own independent music.

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Since settling on the Cassowary Coast, Jeffrey has wasted little time immersing himself in the region’s music scene, helping establish a local live venue where open mic nights have brought him together with a new generation of musicians and friends.  

He has also transformed an old dance school into a creative space, where he’s currently working on two albums; one incorporating multiple Indigenous languages and another featuring new original works. Alongside his solo one-man-band performances, Jeffrey’s also preparing to take a new big band to the stage later this year.

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With two albums in the works, several local performances scheduled across the region, a new big band on the horizon and an ever-growing local music community around him, Dr Flouride shows no signs of slowing down, and after three decades of following his passion from the Northern Territory to the Cassowary Coast, he continues to find inspiration in the sounds, stories and people around him.

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“Music is something that always draws me back and is healing to me. I love finding sounds and ideas and putting them down.”

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Mission Beach artist Jenn Payne, better known as Coconut Jenn, has painted almost 650 coconuts! Photo supplied

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By Chelsea Ravizza

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Some artists travel the world searching for inspiration, however Mission Beach's Jenn Payne, fondly known as Coconut Jenn, found hers right on her doorstep. Surrounded by tropical islands, coral reefs and ancient rainforest, she has spent more than two decades capturing the colour and magic of Far North Queensland through her distinctive artworks.

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“From the very beginning, the ocean’s inspiration stirred my imagination,” Ms Payne recalled.

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“It was the islands and the reef that first called to me, the soft silhouettes of Dunk and the Family Islands on the horizon, and the extraordinary world beneath them – the colours, the patterns, the way light moves through water and over coral – that was my first art school.”

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Ms Payne describes the reef as a depiction of pure abstraction, drawing inspiration from the layered forms and luminous hues of staghorn, plate and brain corals, while the meeting of the reef and the ancient Wet Tropics Rainforest at Mission Beach has shaped her distinctive use of colour and artistic style titled, magical realism.  

"I do not need to invent it – I just try to keep up with what's outside my studio door every morning," she said.

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"No two days are the same – a different tide, a different storm light, a different season of growth after the wet. After all this time, I'm still painting the same stretch of ocean and islands that first inspired me, and I'm still noticing more."

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What began as painting tropical scenes on coconuts for local markets soon became one of her signatures, as Ms Payne's love of coconut palms earned her the affectionate nickname Coconut Jenn! Meticulously recorded in our Coconut Logbook, the Mission Beach artist has painted almost 650 coconuts to date, many of which have found homes with visitors from around the world.

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"Someone called me Coconut Jenn one day and it stuck," she laughed.

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"I loved it because it's not fancy – it's friendly and a bit cheeky, and that's what I want my art to be. Approachable. Joyful. Something that makes people smile and remember a holiday or a place they love."

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Among the many highlights of Ms Payne's career, one moment stands above the rest. After years of creating her colourful painted coconuts, one eventually found its way into the hands of legendary American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, who famously walked onto the stage at a Brisbane concert holding Ms Payne's artwork aloft before declaring her Australia's number one Parrothead.

"I remember laughing and crying at the same time," Ms Payne said.

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"Here I am, a girl who started out working on Dunk Island and skippering boats on the reef, and there's a music legend holding my coconut art up in front of thousands of people who all get exactly what that tropical life means! It felt like the whole circle completed, from the islands and reef that first inspired me right back to the music that celebrates that life."

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In the early 1980s, Ms Payne settled into a position on Dunk Island where, immersed in the extraordinary beauty of the tropics, she developed a deep appreciation for the landscapes that would later define her work. Inspired by the islands, reefs and rainforest around her, she eventually taught herself to paint, transforming the vibrant colours and natural wonder of Far North Queensland into striking works of art.

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“When you live and work on an island, you see it differently. I was surrounded by that island beauty every day, and I started wanting to hold into it – that’s when I started really drawing and painting it.”

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Over the years, Ms Payne's colourful works have been exhibited in galleries and art competitions across the state, earning widespread recognition for their vibrant celebration of tropical life. In 2008, her painting Cassowary's View received a Highly Commended award at the Cardwell Art Prize, while her artwork Brammo Bay Boathouse featured on the front cover of the internationally circulated Artist's Palette magazine in April 2010, when she was also named the publication's Artist of the Month. Later that year, she was profiled in an eight-page feature and painting demonstration titled Island Lady. In 2018, her artwork Tropical Wonderland was chosen for the front cover of The Magic of Mission Beach, Queensland, Australia, further cementing her reputation as one of the region's most recognisable artists.

More than two decades after first picking up a paintbrush, Ms Payne continues to celebrate the place she calls home, inviting others to experience the beauty of Mission Beach long after they've left its shores.

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"Most people who take my work home have a connection to this place," she said.  

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"I hope every time they look at it they are taken straight back to that feeling – the salt on your skin, the turquoise water and the sound of palm fronds in the breeze. A little holiday that never ends."

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Vicki Mackereth proudly displaying off her Roaming Reads trailer. Photo Supplied  

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By Sian Bantock

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A travelling bookshop is making its way across the Cassowary Coast, with Owner Vicki Mackereth steering the venture. Last week, Roaming Reads visited The Pocket at El Arish, drawing strong interest from locals.  

“They have been so welcoming at The Pocket. It was lovely to have so many people visit the bookshop,” Vicki said.  

Based in Mena Creek, Vicki established the project based on a longtime dream.  

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“I started the travelling bookshop as I've wanted to be surrounded by books and be a bookseller for a long time,” she explained.  

“My passion is reading and i think it’s so important for people in rural areas to have access to books, as well as browsing inside a bookshop and not just order online. Bookshops are a part of the community.”

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Vicki and her family have transformed a simple trailer into a warm, inviting space that encourages visitors to linger and discover new worlds between the shelves.

The concept at the heart of Roaming Reads is bringing books to rural communities and making reading more accessible. The trailer carries a broad mix of genres suitable for different ages as well as showcasing titles from independent authors.  

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Roaming Reads held a soft opening two weeks ago in Innisfail and will appear at the Mission Beach Markets on Sunday 30th August. Follow Roaming Reads on Facebook for location updates.  

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Cassowary Coast Business Women’s Network Committee Member Christine Blair with president Kerry Clow and fellow Committee Member Peta Abela  

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Mission Beach’s village green was buzzing with energy on Thursday 20th August as ‘Business Bazaar’ transformed the heart of the town into a lively marketplace.

Proudly organised by the Cassowary Coast Business Women’s Network (CCBWN) the town was adorned with fairy lights, colourful pop up stalls as well as musical delights from Alisha Q.

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The CCBWN brought together local entrepreneurs, artisans and service providers to showcase the regions diverse business landscape and strengthen the local network.

“What a fantastic night, the Business Bazaar was a wonderful celebration of local businesses, community and connection. I’m so proud to have been apart of it,” said Vice President for the Cassowary Coast Business Women’s Network Alicia Roelofs.

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See more photos here: www.hinchinbrooklife.com/social-pics/business-bazaar-buzzes-in-mission-beach

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This week’s Readers of the Week are Fiona and Kiki who are flicking through Cassowary Coast Life between serving great coffee, delicious sandwiches and homemade cakes in the relaxed atmosphere of Bowery Bird Pantry!

The Wet Tropics rainforest is one of the oldest surviving tropical rainforests on Earth. Some plant lineages found here can trace their origins back tens of millions of years.

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Walking through these forests feels like stepping into another era. Towering trees, ancient ferns and dense green canopies create an environment that has remained remarkably resilient through time.

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Every walk becomes a journey through living natural history. Hike it: cassowarycoasttourism.com.au

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Tuesday 25 August

QCWA Forrest Beach Branch’s Connect & Chat, 9am-12pm, 6 Palm Street, Forrest Beach

Weekly Community Bingo (Tuesday Session), 10:30am, RSL Herbert River Sub Branch, Ingham

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Wednesday 26 August

Hinchinbrook Stitchers, Social Sewing Group, 9am-3pm, Victoria Mill Social Club Hall, Ingham

Tai Chi, 9am-10am, Forrest Beach Surf Life Saving Club, Forrest Beach

Friends of Forrest Beach, Conversation and Games, 9am-12pm, Progress Park Shelter, Forrest Beach

Canasta & Cards, 1:30pm-3:30pm, The Centre, 71 Townsville Road, Ingham

Social Darts, 7pm, Brothers Sports and Community Club, Cooper Street, Ingham

Ingham Probus Bus Trip, TBC, El Arish Hotel, El Arish  

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Thursday 27 August

Senior Men's Social Group, 9am-12pm, HCSC The Centre, 71 Townsville Road, Ingham

CWA Craft Group, 9am-12pm, Forrest Beach CWA Hall, 6 Palm Street, Forrest Beach

Technology Classes, 10am-1:30pm, Hinchinbrook Shire Library, 73-75 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Playtime At The Library, 10:30am-12pm, Hinchinbrook Shire Library, 73-75 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Mahjong, 1pm-3pm, The Centre, 71 Townsville Road, Ingham

Weekly Community Bingo (Thursday Session), 6:45pm, RSL Herbert River Sub Branch, Ingham

Ingham Theatre Group Inc. Cruise Club Theatre Restaurant, Ingham Bowls Club, Ingham

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Friday 28 August

August 2026 Tea and Trivia, 9am-12pm, TYTO Conference and Events Centre, 73 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Seniors Morning Coffee Club, 9:30am-11:30am, Noorla Bowls Club, 32 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Friday Night Music with Kevin Spencer, 6pm-9:30pm, Herbert River Sub Branch RSL, Ingham

Ingham Theatre Group Inc. Cruise Club Theatre Restaurant, Ingham Bowls Club, Ingham

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Saturday 29 August

Parkrun, 7am, Palm Creek, Ingham & Cardwell Jetty Foreshore, Cardwell

Trebonne State School Past Students Catch-Up Afternoon Tea, 2pm, 71 Stone River Road, Trebonne  

Rewind 80's Mixtape Show, 5pm, Hinchinbrook Shire Hall, Ingham

Ingham Theatre Group Inc. Cruise Club Theatre Restaurant, Ingham Bowls Club, Ingham

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Sunday 30 August

Lees Hotel Sunday Sessions, 1pm, Lees Hotel, 58 Lannercost Street, Ingham

Catholic Women’s Group’s Springtime Afternoon Tea, 2pm, Mercy Hall, Ingham

Ingham Basketball Association Inc. Social Sundays, 3pm-5pm, Ingham State High School Auditorium, Ingham

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Monday 31 August

FREE Mobile Women’s Health Clinic, 9am, Community Health Ingham Hospital, Ingham

QCWA Forrest Beach Branch’s Healthy Living Workshop, 9am-11:30am, 6 Palm Street, Forrest Beach

Ingham Basketball Association Inc. Monday Comp Night, 4:30pm-7pm, Ingham State High School Auditorium, Ingham

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SEPTEMBER

Tuesday 1 September

QCWA Forrest Beach Branch’s Connect & Chat, 9am-12pm, 6 Palm Street, Forrest Beach

Weekly Community Bingo (Tuesday Session), 10:30am, RSL Herbert River Sub Branch, Ingham

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Wednesday 2 September

Hinchinbrook Stitchers, Social Sewing Group, 9am-3pm, Victoria Mill Social Club Hall, Ingham

Tai Chi, 9am-10am, Forrest Beach Surf Life Saving Club, Forrest Beach

Friends of Forrest Beach, Conversation and Games, 9am-12pm, Progress Park Shelter, Forrest Beach

Brothers Bingo, 9:30am, Brothers Sports & Community Club, Cooper Street, Ingham

Ingham Probus Meeting and Bring & Buy, 10am, Herbert River RSL, Ingham

Canasta & Cards, 1:30pm-3:30pm, The Centre, 71 Townsville Road, Ingham

Social Darts, 7pm, Brothers Sports and Community Club, Cooper Street, Ingham

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Thursday 3 September

Senior Men's Social Group, 9am-12pm, HCSC The Centre, 71 Townsville Road, Ingham

CWA Craft Group, 9am-12pm, Forrest Beach CWA Hall, 6 Palm Street, Forrest Beach

Technology Classes, 10am-1:30pm, Hinchinbrook Shire Library, 73-75 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Playtime At The Library, 10:30am-12pm, Hinchinbrook Shire Library, 73-75 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Mahjong, 1pm-3pm, The Centre, 71 Townsville Road, Ingham

Weekly Community Bingo (Thursday Session), 6:45pm, RSL Herbert River Sub Branch, Ingham

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Friday 4 September

Seniors Morning Coffee Club, 9:30am-11:30am, Noorla Bowls Club, 32 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Exhibition Opening Night: Fairytales – A Student Exhibition by Ingham State High School, 6pm-8:30pm, TYTO Regional Art Gallery, 73 McIlwraith Street, Ingham

Live Music with Obsession Duo, 6:30pm-9:30pm, Herbert River Sub Branch RSL, Ingham

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Saturday 5 September

Parkrun, 7am, Palm Creek, Ingham & Cardwell Jetty Foreshore, Cardwell

Dean Schifilliti Shield Under 8’s Carnival, 8:30am-6pm, Crushers Grounds, Sportsman Parade, Ingham

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By Joe Bond

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Ever so slowly, we’re getting out there and sharing what we’ve learnt from growing our own food, with the hope that other locals feel confident enough to give it a go too!

This month, we thought we’d talk about two questions we’ve been getting asked a lot lately at the markets: paw paws and bananas.

Paw Paw, also known as papaya is a fantastic fruit tree for our local climate. You’ll find them growing in many front and backyards around our area, and they can be incredibly productive once established.

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They’re also packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, making them a great addition to the backyard garden. And if you’ve ever had a paw paw tree that really gets going, you’ll know they can produce A LOT of fruit!

We currently have more than 50 paw paw trees growing in our yard, and while driving around our local area we’ve noticed many trees, including some of ours, developing black spotting on the leaves.

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As the weather changes and warms up, it’s worth keeping an eye on your paw paws.

If you’re seeing signs of fungal spotting, consider using copper oxychloride as a fungicide, following the product label directions carefully. We’ve also found that giving the trees a little extra nourishment, such as Dynamic Lifter around the base, can help support healthy growth.

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Another hot topic we’ve been asked about at the markets is banana plants. If you have bananas growing, remember, they are thirsty plants!

They need plenty of water to grow well, particularly as the weather warms up. We suggest giving them a good drink twice a week, adjusting this depending on rainfall, soil and how quickly your garden dries out.

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And don’t forget their food! We fertilise ours about once a month with something like Dynamic Lifter or worm juice/worm wee, whatever you like to call it!

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Gardening Tips for The Coming Spring:

Now is a great time to get cucumbers, rockmelons, watermelons and sunflowers started.

Mulch, mulch and more mulch! Keep a good layer of mulch around your garden beds and especially your fruit trees. It helps retain moisture in the soil and protects the roots as the sun starts to really warm things up.

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And remember… You don’t need a huge garden to grow your own food. Start with one plant, learn as you go and build from there.

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Happy growing! - Joe

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If you’d like to see what we’re growing or pick up some fresh, locally grown produce, you’re always welcome to visit our fruit stall at 63 Forrest Drive, Forrest Beach.

Have a gardening question? Feel free to give Joe a call on 0403 532 549. I’m always happy to chat about gardening, share a few tips, or help you get started.

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