Mark 10th Birdlife Art Awards More than 280 people gathered to celebrate Hinchinbrook Shire Council’s 10th Birdlife Art Awards at the TYTO Regional Art Gallery on Friday night, 1 August 2025. This milestone event continues to honour the rich birdlife of the Hinchinbrook region through the eyes of talented artists from across Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. It features an impressive 106 entries across various mediums, including drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, and m
Read the full storySporting and recreation clubs across North and Far North Queensland impacted by early 2025’s severe flooding can now apply for a share in a $30 million funding package to help repair and rebuild their facilities. The Sport and Recreation Recovery Program (SRRG) — a joint initiative by the Albanese and Crisafulli Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) — offers up to $1 million per facility for eligible not-for-profit sport and racing clubs, as well as local cou
Read the full storyLocally loved artist, Katie Louise, has graced the region once again, painting a beautiful mural on the wall of the infamous Frosty Mango building located 40km South of Ingham along the mighty Bruce Highway. Hailing from Townsville, Katie’s paint brushes have coloured many surfaces across North Queensland where she has artistically captured the unique qualities of several communities including the Atherton Tablelands, Charters Towers, and now Cardwell. Katie’s recent piece within the shi
Read the full storyFormer players, supporters, and families reunited in Ingham over the weekend of 18–19 July 2025 to celebrate the 55-year-long legacy of the Wallaman Rugby League Club, with attendees travelling from across Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and all corners of Queensland. Though no longer active, the Wallaman club holds a proud place in local sporting history. Formed in 1970 under challenging circumstances, the club faced early struggles just getting a team on the field. With determina
Read the full storyHinchinbrook Shire residents will be thrilled to see a dedicated printed local newspaper circulating our district once again. I’m sure many would agree, we have missed reading a region-specific paper that is focused solely on the Herbert District.
Local papers do more than just report the news – they help bind a community together. For a region like ours, it’s crucial to have a platform where we can share our victories, address the challenges, and keep informed about the things important to us.
The Hinchinbrook Life sets out to provide our community with a direct line to stay connected and engaged with what’s happening across every corner of Hinchinbrook.
As a weekly contributor, I will be using the Hinchinbrook Life to share updates on the work we are doing in Parliament, to highlight key local issues, and keep you informed on progress regarding policy and projects important to our community.
Having a dedicated, local publication will mean communications from our office, that are pivotal to the Hinchinbrook Shire part of the electorate can be more focused and specific.
This edition of Hinchinbrook Life coincides with the first parliamentary sitting week of the 58th Parliament of Queensland, the first since the October election, which I will be attending.
The week will begin with formalities and the swearing-in ceremony. After the initial two days of formalities, proceedings will commence as per usual. I’m already looking forward to the first round of Question Time and the introduction of bills.
As your re-elected Member for Hinchinbrook, I would like to reaffirm my commitment to every one of you. I’m committed to using my time in the office and parliament to advocate for legislative and policy changes that directly affect the way we live, work and play here in North Queensland. I will continue to fight for the infrastructure necessary to support the liveability and growth of our region.
Nick Dametto MP
Member for Hinchinbrook