As the 2025 Ingham Marka Festival “Music thru the Ages” concludes, the organisers extend their deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this year’s Festival a resounding success. The event brought together the vibrant spirit of the community, showcasing the best of what Ingham has to offer. The Ingham Maraka Festival Committe would like to extend special to those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Their commitment and passion made the festival possible. Thanks to their efforts, the Ingham Marka Festival remains a cherished tradition and a highlight of the year. The community looks forward to celebrating together again in the future. See the highlights on pages 3 and 20-21
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Spooky Weekend At Mt. Fox The Mount Fox Community Progress Association hosts its annual weekend Halloween Party on Friday, 31 October and Saturday, 1 November at the Mount Fox Campgrounds. This family-friendly event promises plenty of eerie excitement, with costumes, treats, games, movies, raffles, and spooky surprises planned throughout the day and night. The fun continues on Saturday with market stalls, and the kitchen is open for lunch and dinner, ensuring everyone is well-fed for the festivities. Camping is available for just $10 per car per night, with donkey hot water showers and toilets on site for campers’ convenience. Info Updates: 'Mount Fox Campgrounds' group on Facebook Nightmares In Ingham Families are invited to join the spooky fun on Friday 31 October, starting from 5:30pm, a street-wide Halloween celebration that promises spooky fun for the whole family. The highlight of the night is the walk-through front yard experience at 12 Gardiner Street, a hauntingly fun stop for brave trick-or-treaters! Trick-or-treating will continue along the street until 8:00pm, when residents will no longer be accepting visitors. Water coolers will be placed at several properties, so feel free to refill your bottle or grab a cup of cold water. Please dispose of cups responsibly in the bins provided. For safety reasons, please leave pets at home, with crowds and vehicles around, it’s best to keep our furry friends safe. Info Updates: 'Ingham Halloween 2025' on Facebook Cardwell’s Halloween Drive This year’s community trick-or-treat adventure will take families on a spooky drive through Cardwell and Kennedy, with participating homes and businesses offering sweet surprises along the way. While some stops are scattered across the two towns and best reached by car, several Cardwell’s business district locations are within walking distance, making it easy to enjoy the fun safely on foot. Keep an eye out for Halloween decorations to spot participating sites. Info Updates: Emma Raymond & 'What's the go in Cardwell. NQ?' group on Facebook Before The Events Begin – Important Information: – All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. – Follow the designated times for trick-or-treating in your area. – Out of respect for residents who do not wish to participate, only approach homes that are clearly participating. Participating houses will have a balloon out the front, Halloween decorations, or someone outside. – Remember to stay hydrated. It can get very hot, and children in costumes can overheat easily. – When walking and crossing roads, exercise extra caution and child supervision. Vehicles will still be on the roads. – Be respectful. Residents are participating out of the kindness of their hearts. Use your manners, be courteous, and enjoy the evening responsibly.
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The February 2025 floods left an undeniable mark on Hinchinbrook Shire, affecting every corner of the community and testing resilience like never before. In response, Hinchinbrook Shire Council is introducing a new category in the 2026 Australia Day Awards — the Flood Hero Recognition — to honour the countless individuals who selflessly stood up to support their neighbours and help rebuild our community. Mayor Ramon Jayo said the overwhelming spirit shown during those difficult days. “These floods impacted us all, and throughout the crisis, ordinary people showed extraordinary kindness and courage,” Mayor Jayo said. “They didn’t seek recognition; they acted out of love and a deep sense of responsibility to their community. “This award is about recognising their quiet heroism and the strength they gave us when we needed it most. “This is the community’s chance to thank those who gave so much without expecting anything in return.” The Flood Hero Recognition category is unique. It’s not about a single winner but about honouring the many hands that held us together. Council invites the community to nominate anyone who inspired them from volunteers to emergency responders to neighbours who simply helped in small but meaningful ways. From celebrating outstanding citizens of all ages, to recognising cultural and sporting achievements, community events, and acts of heroism during the 2025 floods — there’s a category for every kind of contribution. Judges may reassign nominations to ensure they’re recognised in the most fitting category. Nominations across all categories are now open and will close at 5.00pm on Monday 15 December 2025. Visit www.hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au/community-environment/australia-day-celebrations/how-to-nominate/ for more information, visit the Council office at 25 Lannercost Street, Ingham or call 4774 4600. Award recipients will be celebrated at the Australia Day event on 26 January 2026 at the Hinchinbrook Shire Hall.
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Warrina Lakes came alive from 2–4 October as families and anglers of all ages gathered for the annual Tilapia Tournament — a much-loved Cassowary Coast tradition that unites the community while protecting the local environment. A record 710 participants took part in this year’s event, reeling in 604 tilapia, an invasive pest fish species that threatens native aquatic habitats. Cassowary Coast Regional Council Mayor Teresa Millwood said removing tilapia from local waterways plays an important role in restoring the health of Warrina Lakes and protecting native species. All fish caught were deep-buried on site to ensure safe disposal. “The Tilapia Tournament shows how local events like this can have a real impact, not just by removing tilapia from our waterways, but by bringing people together to learn, work as a team and care for our rivers and lakes for years to come,” Mayor Millwood said. Mayor Millwood and Councillors Nick Pervan, Renee McLeod and Jeff Baines joined participants throughout the event, encouraging catch efforts and discussing future opportunities for Warrina Lakes. Warrina Lakes is a great open space, and once you have been there you can’t wait to return,” Councillor Pervan said. “Seeing families, including mums, dads, aunties, uncles, and grandparents down there and catching fish shows how much the community and in particular the kids love attending each year,” he said Travelling families from Brisbane, Tully and Mission Beach also joined in, highlighting the event’s regional appeal. Councillor Baines presented 32 prizes across 18 categories, recognising the skills and enthusiasm of the region’s most dedicated young anglers. The tournament’s success was made possible through 32 local sponsors, who contributed over $9,600 in prizes and helped run activities such as face painting and a sausage sizzle. Special thanks were extended to Bek & Joe’s Donuts, Innisfail Mini Rail, and Goodstart Early Learning for helping create a festive, family-friendly atmosphere. As the last fish were measured and buried, one message was clear: that events like the Tilapia Tournament not only bring people together but help safeguard the Cassowary Coast’s natural beauty and biodiversity.
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The 2024 cane season came to an abrupt finish, leaving an estimated 130-140,000 tonnes of standover cane in the fields.
Storms and heavy rains on the evening of the evening of the 17th of December forcing the sugar mills on the 18th of December to receive the last cane for the 2024 season. Numerous fields were unable to harvested being stood over till the next harvesting season or to be mulched out, to allow farmers to have somewhere to plant in 2025.
Queensland Cane, Agriculture & Renewables (QCAR) Herbert District Manager and Senior Agricultural Officer, Lawrence Di Bella, said towards the end of crushing season the sugar content in the cane was significantly declining due to new shoots (called suckers) coming through.
“These suckers don't have a lot of sugar in them,” explained Lawrence.
“Due to the difficult harvesting condition more extraneous matter being trash, dirt and mud was entering the factory also.”
“It was quite difficult for the mills to process the cane that was coming in because it was laden with a lot of mud, debris and trash; the harvesters couldn't physically clean it because of the wet conditions that prevailed at the end of 2024.”
Lawrence said the crush should conclude in November, but due to wet weather, industrial action, the late mill starting date, and mill performance issues, the whole season was disrupted. All our industry research on season length supports a conclusion to the harvesting season before December annually.
QCAR has already proposed to Wilmar a mill starting date for the 3rd of June (pending weather events) 2025. The early start will allow us to get the crop off in a timely manner, with the mill finishing date to be locked in for early- mid November.
“We should complete harvesting our ratooning cane by around Melbourne Cup and then we could have roughly two more weeks towards mid-November to get the plough out blocks out,” said Lawrence.
“Any cane that we want to ratoon after Melbourne Cup is at a high risk of low yields the following year failed ratoon crops, or having cane left behind in the field because of wet weather; which is what has happened in 2024.”
“Two important drivers of cane productivity in this district are the 2 W’s. The weather and Wilmar crushing the crop in a timely manner. Getting the crop off before December will give the industry the best opportunity maximise profits, which flows through the whole supply chain and community. It will also allow growers to attend to new crops before the onset of the wet season, while allowing the harvesting and milling sectors ample time to complete maintenance before the start to the next season.”
This is the second time in four years that there have been standover crops left in the field.
Lawrence said that research clearly shows that significant rain events in November and December set the stage for next year’s crop yields.
“The late finish had a significant ripple effect right through into 2025 to the point that a lot of growers could not finish fertilising their fields into early to mid-January,” said Lawrence.
There was also a shortage of fertiliser and chemicals, due to companies closing over Christmas New Year period; preventing growers from getting vital farm work done.
The combination of a late crush and rains at the end of 2024 harvest season led to many growers having to wait for field conditions to dry up enough to commence work again. Driving around the district on Christmas, Boxing and New Years days, tractors and spraying equipment was in use, while growers took the opportunity to undertake farm work before the next rains.
Lawrence said, “Last year was a challenging season and he is looking forward to a better 2025 cane season. We can’t continue doing the same old thing every year and expect a different outcome. All sectors of the industry need to come together to ensure that we get the crop harvested in a timely manner, year after year.”
“We need to get the crop off at a reasonable time, because what happens is, if you don’t, you end up with these low-yielding crop the following year, then subsequently you then have a short season, it affects your productivity, affects your viability, right through the whole value chain”
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