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
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Sporting 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
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Locally 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
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Former 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 Though no longer active, the Wallaman club holds a proud place in local sporting history.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 storyI recently travelled to Canberra with the northwest Queensland delegation after notification from Glencore that they would be closing the Mount Isa copper smelter.
The closure of the smelter has significant flow-on effects for us who rely on agriculture.
About 17,000 jobs affected across various sectors will have a significant impact on our economy in North Queensland, of which we are a part. In addition, it puts our fertiliser supply under real pressure.
One of the by-products of that copper smelting is sulphuric acid and that’s key for making phosphate fertilisers.
In the Hinchinbrook region, some of our soils are phosphate-deficient.
The phosphate is mined at Phosphate Hill, about 200km from Mount Isa, and then blended with urea and other products in Townsville to make the fertilisers we all rely upon.
From there, it’s sent out to the cane fields, not just here in the Hinchinbrook region but across the east coast.
If that smelter shuts and we lose local acid supply, we’d have to start importing phosphate from overseas and then truck it all the way back to Phosphate Hill. Imagine the cost of that.
What’s that going to do to the price of our fertiliser?
These issues were raised with politicians. They listened, seemed to get it – now let’s see what they do about it.
On a brighter note, we just want to sincerely congratulate the Forrest Beach Surf Life Saving Club on their nomination for Club of the Year.
It just goes to show what a well-run group of dedicated volunteers can achieve. We wish them all the success going forward.
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