LocalBriefs

l FERRY SHUTDOWN

we were part of the launch of the first Fun in the Sun (Cairns Festival).

“Bibi had one son, I had one son; it’s like we planned it,” she said.

Ms Skerritt said the secret to preserving their friendship through the years was turning to Ms Simpson during the good and bad times.

“When you want to keep something precious, you’ve got to find a busy friend that you can always ask, and they will always find time to help you,” she said.

“When my husband died, I needed someone to pick up my son from the airport, and I needed someone who knew what to do.

“Gail picked up my son from the airport, and they went to a delicatessen shop and bought snacks to bring home so we could hold a little open house service.

“I think things like this is how our relationship kept growing.”

On Friday, February 24, the women officially celebrated their 60th friendship anniversary, and between anecdotes and tea, they vowed to stay friends until the end.

“I know how much this means to Gail, so I agreed to have a cuppa,” Ms Skerritt said.

“It takes a long time to grow an old friend; this is a rare thing.

“We’ve had our moments where we haven’t agreed, but we’ve never fought. I look back, and I can’t believe it’s been 60 years today,” Ms Simpson said.

“I feel very lucky that things have been this way, and I would do it all over again.”

THE Daintree River vehicle ferry will be closed for five days from Monday, March 6 so the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) can conduct an out-of-water safety inspection and for vital maintenance tasks to be completed. It is expected to start operating again on Saturday, March 11.

A 50-person passenger vessel will take people across the river during the closure, all day from sunrise to sunset.

l FREE ANT WORKSHOP

A FREE invasive ant identification workshop is being held at the Kuranda Recreation Centre on Saturday (March 4) from 10am-1pm. The workshop by the Yellow Crazy Ant Community Taskforce will help people identify yellow crazy or electrIc ants.

l FUNDING EXTENDED

DISASTER assistance has been extended to seven more flooded local councils following extreme monsoonal rainfall and flooding across northern and central Queensland. Support is now available for the Local Government Areas of Aurukun, Cassowary Coast, Douglas, and Tablelands through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

IN-HOME CARE AND SUPPORT

As we age, we remain connected with our homes and the lives we have established in them. Many ageing Australians have a strong wish to maintain their independence and to continue living where they are comfortable and close to their hobbies.

Living at home can become more challenging as we age. However, with the correct types of support in the home, it is definitely possible to live at home for longer with our St John’s Community Care in-home support service trials of hearing devices are being offered in the Far North this week as part of Hearing Awareness Week.

It is a diverse service that may include domestic assistance, home and garden maintenance, and help with tasks around the home such as bathing and showering, dressing and grooming, preparation of meals, housework and laundry, shopping, nursing and allied health and other services. Related to this service is our home maintenance service. This can include minor building repairs, minor appliance repairs, and structural modifications, or sourcing accredited contractors for more major works.

AUDiOHEALTH is offering the free tests and trials of hearing devices in Cairns, Smithfield and Atheron.

AUDiOHEALTH director Joanne Magee said Hearing Awareness Week was an annual event in Australia organised to raise awareness of hearing impairment and is held from March 1 to 7.

“It aims to highlight the issues affecting Australians living with hearing loss,” she said.

“The initiative is a vital part of the ongoing effort by the Federal Government of Australia to improve the issues that people with hearing loss face.

“It aims to improve the social inclusion of the one in six Australians who are deaf, have a hearing impairment, or have chronic ear disorder.

“According to a recently released report by the Hearing Care Industry Association, these 3.5 million Australians represent 22 per cent of the population aged 15 and over.

“The core mission of the week is to help all Australians with hearing loss achieve a better quality of life by sharing their experiences and knowledge and inspiring people to understand their needs and aspirations better.

“Hearing Awareness Week is also about encouraging the general public, especially employers, to offer more support, make society more inclusive, and the workplace more conducive for Australians with hearing loss.

“The government aims to spread awareness about the positive impact of looking after our hearing health, which contributes to our quality of life, social engagement, career, confidence, and communication.

Call AUDiOHEALTH on 4041 7860 to make an appointment for a free test or trial.