Tasman Turtle Picnic Day Shire Success Scores of locals and travellers flocked to TYTO Wetlands as Tasman Turtle returned with craft, food, activities, and family fun. With a rock climbing wall, circus acts, laser tag, pony rides, and a petting zoo, there was something for everyone. Music filled the air, even getting Tasman dancing, and the park buzzed from start to finish. Faces were covered with ice cream and fairy floss, but most importantly big smiles. Deputy Mayor Mary Brown happily remark
Read the full storyTwo respected members of the Hinchinbrook region have been named in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours, receiving national recognition for their dedication to the community and their service over many years. Patrick Brown, Officer in Charge at the Ingham Ambulance Station, has been awarded the Ambulance Service Medal, one of the highest honours available to an Australian paramedic. With 46 years of experience, most of it in rural and regional Queensland, Mr Brown has long been regarded as a stea
Read the full storyBy Victoria Velton In the quiet coastal town of Taylor’s Beach, Jayden McNeill is solving more than just colorful puzzles; he’s solved his way to global recognition. A Rubik’s Cube champion with international acclaim, McNeill’s story is one of perseverance, precision, and passion. It all started when a seven-year-old Jayden received a Rubik’s Cube for Christmas. Like many, he shelved it after failing to solve it. But years later, inspired by classmates in high school, he revisited the cube and
Read the full storyA Tool For Real-World Readiness When most people hear “LARPing” (Live Action Role-Playing), images of medieval knights and fantasy creatures might spring to mind. But for a growing community in Townsville, LARPing has evolved far beyond weekend cosplay, it’s becoming a valuable tool for real-world training and personal growth. The newly launched Townsville chapter of Swordcraft, Australia’s largest medieval battle and role-playing game, brings enthusiasts together every fortnight. What began as
Read the full storyOver the past few weeks, my message has reflected on waste disposal issues and the importance of seriously embracing recycling as a way to divert waste from landfill and meet State Government targets.
Whilst our staff are very active in educating the community and promoting the need for recycling, you’ll be pleased to know that Council has been doing its bit lobbying the big end of the State to get serious about creating markets for recyclable products — pronto — so we can actually get the circular economy happening. As well as looking to future targets, you may recall there’s growing support for recycling as a catalyst for creating new jobs as circular economy principles and recycling markets strengthen.
Council has also been actively lobbying the State Government about the need to find a solution to the end-of-life tyre disposal problem. Used tyres are a major headache and fast becoming an environmental nuisance, with stockpiling and unlawful dumping happening at significant rates. The reason, of course, is the hefty cost of lawful disposal. Complaints are regularly received that the cost of disposing of used tyres at Council’s waste facility is too high. The reality is Council only recovers about 50% of the cost of disposal from the disposer and continues to subsidise tyre disposal through general community rates — and this is not sustainable.
With a desire to drive change, Council has introduced crumbed rubber in bitumen reseals on Council-controlled roads, with rubber sourced from end-of-life tyres recovered from our waste facilities and local tyre service providers. The added cost was around $0.06/m² — a small price to help create a sustainable market.
The use of crumbed rubber in bitumen isn’t new — it’s been used in Australia for decades and has proven performance benefits. Townsville City Council and the Department of Transport and Main Roads are also on board. With the support of other North Queensland councils, we’ll continue to push for a State mandate — to create value for end-of-life tyres, just like what’s happened with recycled containers.