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NEWS
Cairns Local News
Art to save iconic hall MACHANS Beach residents are holding an art exhibition and sale at their local Community Hall to raise funds for urgent renovations to the beloved 70-year-old building. The ‘Save Our Hall Art Show” will be held from Friday March 12 to Sunday March 14 in the Machans Beach Community Hall on Tucker Street, Machans Beach. The exhibition will feature work from more than 50 emerging and established artists from around the Far North and entry will be via a gold coin donation with refreshments available. All pieces in the exhibition will be for sale, with 80 per cent going back to the artists and 20 percent being donated to the Machans Beach Community Association’s ‘Save Our Hall’ Fund. A VIP Opening Night on Friday will be followed by two days of display while allowing visitors to mingle with the artists and meet the locals. Machans Beach Community Association treasurer Judi Hughes said the funds would go towards much-needed renovations to save the hall. “As with all older Queenslanders, the building requires
constant care and maintenance and to finance this the Hall is rented out for private functions and events, everything from Yoga, Tai Chi, Dance, Music and private functions for a very modest fee,” she said. “We are now looking at doing some major works on the building so are looking towards grants and fundraising to help with these costs.” The hall is the only one in Queensland solely owned and run by its community. The land was purchased in 1953 by The Progress Association and the building of the Hall began in 1953 by volunteers. The hall is run by the Machans Beach Community Association, a group of volunteers who work to keep the community connected and organise projects via regular meetings and Machinations, the town’s monthly newspaper. Ms Hughes said the Hall was a treasured part of the close-knit community of about 400 homes in Machans Beach.
Friday March 05, 2021
Machans Beach Community Association member Michelle Millne, president William Van Bakel and treasurer Judi Hughes at the iconic Machans Beach Community Hall.
Small Business Oscar for tour company CAIRNS-based educational tour company Small World Journeys, a female-owned small business that operates multi-day tours for student groups, has won the Tourism category in the Australian Small Business Champion Awards. The business was recognised for its ongoing contributions in the tourism sector and its focus on sustainability at the awards night in Sydney on Saturday February 27. The Australian Small Business Champion Awards - also dubbed “The Oscars of Small Business”— is the only national recognition program for Australian small businesses.
The awards seek to recognise the hard work that business owners contribute to the local community in generating employment for millions of Australians, as well as their contribution to the Australian economy. “After a really dark year in tourism, this award feels like a ray of sunshine for the business,” said Small World Journeys Managing Director Laurie Pritchard. “Thanks to a huge amount of support from state and federal grants, Tourism Tropical North Queensland and the Cairns community, we have been fortunate enough to have been able to keep afloat in one of the toughest times for tourism ever.
“Like small businesses all over the country we’ve done it tough, but we are now seeing our domestic business enthusiastically return. “Coupled with this award, that’s two big wins.” Small World Journeys was named a finalist in the 2020 awards competition, along with 13 other Australian tourism companies, but the awards were postponed for a year due to the pandemic. Small World Journeys runs tours ranging in length from four to 14 days for domestic and international school groups that work in with curriculum to meet class academic, cultural and sustainability goals.
Activities on these trips include community engagement and contribution activities such as a mangrove education and clean-up projects, coral bleaching surveys at The Great Barrier Reef, and creating comfort packs for Cairns’ homeless and needy, in addition to “traditional” tourist activities such as snorkelling, visiting farms and exploring the rainforest. It is also company policy to include an activity with an Aboriginal guide in every tour offered to support Traditional Owners and promote pride Small World Journeys Managing Director Laurie Pritchard in culture.
New Cairns Early Parenting Centre
New service
T 07 4052 8077 | cairnsprivate.com.au
Cairns Private Hospital has launched a four night residential program for parents experiencing challenges with their infants aged six weeks to two years. The program includes 24 hour one to one support and daily group education sessions, addressing concerns such as: • • • • • • •
Adjustment to parenting Feeding/Breastfeeding Infant sleep and settling Unsettledness/Irritability in infants Maternal exhaustion/Anxiety Establishing routines Bonding with your infant
Cairns Early Parenting Centre’s experienced, multi-disciplinary team includes: • • • • • •
Registered Nurses/Enrolled Nurses Lactation Consultants Midwives Clinical Psychologists Paediatricians Allied Health Professionals
Ask your doctor for a referral. See ‘Early Parenting Centre’ under ‘Our Services’ at cairnsprivate.com.au
