Minute With The Mayor

Mayor Ramon Jayo

It was great to see more than 170 seniors at the Get Ready Week lunch at Hinchinbrook Shire Hall last Friday.

Gathering like these are important not just for sharing a meal, but for sharing knowledge, connecting with others, and reminding ourselves why preparation matters.

The reality is, when disaster hits, it’s too late to start thinking about what you should have done.

Getting ready is personal — no matter how old you are, where you live, or how many times you’ve been through it before.

It’s about having a plan, knowing your contacts, checking your supplies, and making sure your medications are sorted.

Hinchinbrook has the oldest demographic in Queensland, and while our seniors are strong and capable, we all need to take responsibility for our own preparedness.

Talk to your family, your doctor, your pharmacist, your neighbours — and take the time now to make your home and yourself safe.

We also need fresh blood in our SES.

If you’ve got kids or grandkids, encourage them to get involved.

It’s rewarding, it builds real skills, and it’s a great way to make lifelong friends while helping a community that truly needs it.

Lastly, there has been ongoing community concern about a prominent structural eyesore in the town centre.

Over the past decade, Council made two attempts to enforce remedial action but was unable to proceed due to legal challenges and the need to prove structural deficiency under previous legislation.

To address this, Council advocated for legislative change to allow enforcement based on visual impact and loss of amenity, not just structural integrity. This change has only recently been approved. Various assessments have been carried out over the years, with some minor repairs undertaken. However, these did not improve the building’s appearance or resolve long-term concerns.

Council has continued to monitor the site with community safety as the priority. However, following recent flood and rain events, further deterioration has been observed, raising serious structural concerns. As a result, Council has initiated another formal enforcement proceedings to address the issue. Due to the legal and procedural nature of this process, we are unable to provide further details at this stage. However, we are committed to keeping the community informed as key milestones are reached and outcomes are confirmed.

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