TOP NEWS

Is It A Bird?

No, It's Rally Racers! By Victoria Velton Chris and Tracey Castles have taken to the skies on a 26-day, 10,500-kilometre journey as part of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Outback Air Race 2025. Flying under the banner of Team 15 – Rookies, the pair are navigating their fire engine red A32 Vixxen through some of Australia’s most remote regions in a rally that is less about speed and more about navigation, timing, and precision. Their mission is twofold: to embrace the adventure

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Thorsborne Trail Set For A Thoughtful Refresh

The renowned Thorsborne Trail on Hinchinbrook Island (Munamudanamy) is receiving a significant upgrade, with works currently underway to enhance visitor experience while preserving the island’s unique natural and cultural values. Led by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the project is being delivered in close collaboration with Bandjin and Girramay Traditional Owners. The aim is to improve infrastructure along the 32-kilometre trail without compromising the remote and pristine characte

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Remembering Our Vietnam Veterans

All around the Shire, and Australia, Vietnam Veterans' Day was commemorated in remembrance of the Battle of Long Tan and other Australian operations in the Vietnam War. “Vietnam Veterans Day holds profound importance in Australia's national consciousness. It is not merely a day etched into the calendar, but a moment of collective reflection, a time to pay tribute to those who served to acknowledge the complexity of their experiences and to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.” “The sto

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Nominations Open for Ingham’s Prestigious Sportstar Awards

The Lions Club of Ingham is once again proud to present the annual Ingham Sportstar Awards, celebrating the outstanding sporting achievements and contributions of local athletes, teams, and volunteers. Nominations are now open, and the Club is calling on the community to help shine a spotlight on Hinchinbrook’s sporting heroes. The awards recognise achievements from 1st September 2024 through to the nomination closing date, and all nominees must be Hinchinbrook residents or represent a local sp

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First Solo Exhibition For Nephi Denham

January 21, 2025

In just two weeks, Cardwell’s own Nephi Denham will be showcasing his talent at his very first solo exhibition at the Umbrella Studio in Townsville. A journey that started nearly 15 years ago, Nephi's passion for art was sparked when his auntie took him to the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre back in 2010, and it’s been a creative adventure ever since.
Nephi’s connection to his culture has been a driving force behind his work.
“I’ve always wanted to learn about my culture, to understand and listen to the stories told through art,” he says. For his upcoming exhibition, Nephi will be presenting a diverse collection of paintings, weavings, and ceramics.
“I’ve got 46 pieces ready so far, but I’m aiming for 60 to 70 artworks,” he shares.
Nephi said his favourite art styles are weaving and ceramics, he enjoys that it involves more hands-on work.

“When you're weaving in, I sit there for hours. It takes my mind to another place and relaxes me, I suppose, as a person,” Nephi said.

“With ceramics, you can build a form that's possibly in your mind; you can shape it how you want to shape it, shape the clay, be the boss of the clay, and mould it how you'd like it to come out.”

Nephi is not the first in his family to be given the opportunity to display his artwork, art runs in his family.

“There were four other people before me, my father, auntie, sister, and another auntie from Mission Beach and now they have decided to put me up to display my artwork,” laughed Nephi.

“It’s exciting that it’s my first ever exhibition after so many years of helping other artists prepare for their own.”

Over the years, Nephi has learned the three styles of weaving and how to create ceramics. He uses these skills to teach other enthusiastic artists in workshops.

Nephi travels to Tully twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday.

“I teach a lot of ceramics, and also painting,” he said.

“Most years, we have specific themes; higher up gives that out every year, and we try to focus our work for that specific topic or theme.”

Nephi Denham with his cockatoo painting
Inside the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre
Tiles Nephi Denham had created that will be on display in Townsville Photo credit: Daniel Heggie

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