Galactic Gathering At The UFO Festival Cardwell was transformed into an intergalactic hotspot from 8 to 10 August 2025 as the Australian UFO Festival returned for its fourth year, attracting visitors from across the country. After a year’s absence in 2024, anticipation had been building for months, and the festival did not disappoint, offering three days packed with cosmic conversation, community fun, and unforgettable experiences. The action began on Friday with free community events
Read the full storyTec-NQ House grade 11 boarding student Max has his boots firmly planted in two very different worlds: the rugged, hands‑on life of a central Queensland cattle station, and the bustling day‑to‑day routine of boarding school in Townsville. “I live on a station north of Clermont called Mazeppa,” Max explained. “When I’m not here at school, I live there with my family.” Home for Max is anything but quiet. Mazeppa Station is a working property that runs both cattle and crops, keeping everyone on th
Read the full storyWhether you’re settling into a new home, revamping your garden, or simply refreshing your living space, the way we shape our surroundings has a powerful impact on how we feel. A well-loved home doesn’t have to be perfect – it just needs to reflect your personality, support your lifestyle, and offer a sense of comfort. In recent years, we’ve seen a growing trend towards practical and sustainable design choices in both homes and gardens. People are making the most of indoor-outdoor flow, bringing
Read the full storyBy Victoria Velton At Palm Creek, it was a bright and fresh morning for our 20 parkrunners, with a gentle breeze making the course all the more enjoyable. Welcoming three newcomers to the Palm Creek track, two from Team Veteran, four PBs were recorded, including the Fastest timer. Down on the foreshore, 22 parkrunners took to the scenic path under cool, clear skies. Joined by a great mix of locals and visitors, no doubt in town for the UFO festival, with six newcomers stepping onto the course f
Read the full storySince the commencement of the Hinchinbrook Life, I have published weekly updates to keep everyone better informed about State Government and other important local matters from across our region. So much positive feedback has been received, and I am grateful that my contributions are achieving their purpose.
This has only been made possible by the return of a free, local paper and I wanted to take some time this week to give a well-deserved acknowledgement to the Hinchinbrook Life and the hard-working team behind the publication who go above and beyond to not only provide important information and news, but who also create a proud sense of community connection.
The Hinchinbrook Life provides the best of both worlds with an easily accessible online platform for those who prefer to read electronically, as well as a generous supply of printed papers for those who prefer a hard copy. Printed versions can be found at 15 newspaper stands in high-traffic locations and 87 business drop-off points such as cafes, medical clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, takeaway stores, hardware stores, Woolworths and Coles.
As a weekly contributor, I’ve found this paper to be an invaluable platform. As regular readers would have seen, it allows me to engage with the community, provide Parliamentary updates, highlight important local issues, inform policy developments, and celebrate our electorate’s achievements. It’s a direct and personal way to stay in touch with the community.
The proof of Hinchinbrook Life’s success lies in its numbers. Initially, 2,700 weekly copies of the paper were printed, and this has now been increased to 3,000 copies. After being distributed on Tuesday each week, approximately 98% of copies are gone by Thursday.
I would like to specifically acknowledge certain members of the Hinchinbrook Life team. Our local journalist, Victoria Velton, Editor-in-Chief, Rachael Smith, Sales Manager Sherie Hensler-Adams and the brilliant graphic design team, who deserve medals for their patience in creating individual and specific artworks on my behalf and all of the business advertisers. Thank you for all your efforts and the pride you take in the attention to detail.
Equally important are the local businesses whose advertising helps fund the production of this paper. Without their backing, a free community paper like this simply wouldn’t be possible. The combined effort has brought a wonderful benefit to our region.
Contributed with thanks by Nick Dametto MP, Member for Hinchinbrook.