connect Issue 81
Gladstone Regional Council Newsletter
Lions Park on track to open
December 9
Christmas Street Party December 3
C
t c e n on
WITH COUNCIL
PO Box 29, Gladstone Qld 4680 Phone: 4970 0700 Email: info@gladstonerc.qld.gov.au www.gladstone.qld.gov.au
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@GladstoneRegionalCouncil
@GladstoneRegionalCouncil
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Cr Matt Burnett - Mayor P: 4976 6903 E: Mayor@gladstone.qld.gov.au Cr Chris Trevor - Deputy Mayor P: 0437 757 839 E: ChrisTrevor@gladstone.qld.gov.au Cr Cindi Bush - Councillor P: 0437 642 081 E: CindiBush@gladstone.qld.gov.au Cr Glenn Churchill - Councillor P: 0407 289 139 E: GlennChurchill@gladstone.qld.gov.au Cr Kahn Goodluck - Councillor P: 0433 944 302 E: KahnGoodluck@gladstone.qld.gov.au
A message from our Mayor Gladstone boldly making its mark on the state map I was rapt, but far from surprised, that the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) annual conference was such a success when hosted in Gladstone in October.
It is a well deserved honour for all participants who will, in turn, help the baton progress through the Gladstone Region leg of its journey from Buckingham Palace in London to the Gold Coast.
With more than 500 delegates and 90 trade exhibitors attending the event, it proved a welcome boost for the Gladstone Region economy.
The baton will journey through the region on March 24 and I am sure there will be plenty of residents lining up to watch it pass and to cheer on our baton bearers.
The weather was not the best but the event went without a hitch with local retail, hospitality, accommodation and tourism businesses benefitting from the visitors’ stay, many for up to three to four nights.
That link with the Gold Coast is reinforced a little over two weeks later when NRL action comes to Gladstone.
It was an ideal opportunity to showcase what is so great about the Gladstone Region and confirmed the Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre as a first class events venue. The conference placed Gladstone squarely in the eyes of the state and nation with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announcing that the Works for Queensland program would become permanent, and Local Government Minister Mark Furner announcing $60 million worth of Government Grants and Subsidies program projects, including water infrastructure developments for our region. The conference enabled Gladstone Regional Council delegates to exchange ideas with their counterparts from other regions and establish valuable contacts within other local government organisations. Speaking of forging closer relationships with other regions, the Gladstone Region and the Gold Coast will forge an association through sport in March and April next year. Firstly, 23 Gladstone Region champions will enjoy the experience of a lifetime when they participate in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay.
As a massive NRL fan, I keenly await Round 5 of the 2018 season when the Gold Coast Titans host the Manly Sea Eagles in a historic fixture at Gladstone’s own Marley Brown Oval. The clash is the first official NRL match to be played in Gladstone and is the result of Council’s negotiations with the Queensland Government and the NRL. This match presents the Gladstone Region with an ideal opportunity to show that it can host a major event of this type and I thank the Titans for giving us the opportunity to host one of the games they had to move away from their home base due to the Commonwealth Games taking precedence. Gladstone’s Marley Brown Oval on Sunday, April 8, at 2pm is the place to be if you want to catch live NRL action without having to leave the region. Council thanks Minister for the Commonwealth Games Kate Jones, Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher and the Gladstone and District Rugby League (celebrating 100 years this year) for their help in making this event happen.
Cr Rick Hansen - Councillor P: 0448 885 047 E: RickHansen@gladstone.qld.gov.au Cr Peter Masters - Councillor P: 0438 145 780 E: PeterMasters@gladstone.qld.gov.au Cr Desley O'Grady - Councillor P: 0437 837 148 E: DesleyOGrady@gladstone.qld.gov.au Cr PJ Sobhanian - Councillor P: 0412 544 201 E: PJSobhanian@gladstone.qld.gov.au
Mayor Matt Burnett
Gladstone Regional Council
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Baffle Creek catchment the champagne of water sources
“I liken the new water to the Champagne region in France - what you’re drinking is top shelf.” That’s the opinion of water expert Adam Rose on the pristine nature of the Baffle Creek water catchment which is used, in part, as the source for the new Miriam Vale Water Treatment Plant.
area, as both are important to the effective management of drinking water. Council sought the study in order to ensure that the new water treatment plant was able to effectively reduce risks to Miriam Vale residents – something its predecessor was incapable of doing. Adam’s research earned him the Student Water Prize at the Australian Water Association’s Queensland Water Awards in September for his study work on human health risks associated with drawing drinking water from a sub-tropical freshwater catchment.
Adam, an aquatic ecology researcher with CQUniversity, jokes that anyone with the capital behind them could do worse than to start a company selling bottled water sourced from the new Miriam Vale Water Treatment Plant. “The Fitzroy River has a barrage, the Boyne River has Awoonga Dam but Baffle Creek catchment has remained unchanged and its water is as unspoilt by man-made structures regulating its flow as you could find anywhere in Australia. “Whenever I’m there I fill a few bottles with treated water from the park.” Adam, who is based in Yeppoon but grew up in Gladstone, was contracted by Council to study the Baffle Creek catchment system ahead of the construction of the Miriam Vale Water Treatment Plant, completed this year, which sources its water in part from the creek. Adam’s studies concentrated on water quality and the movement of water through the catchment, including during the 2013 floods that caused extensive damage to the
So don’t be surprised if you see Adam carefully pacing up and down Baffle Creek taking samples next time you visit the waterway, plying his trade just as Lieutenant James Cook’s botanist on The Endeavour, Joseph Banks, did nearly 150 years ago. “I’m probably the first real scientist to go into Baffle Creek since Joseph Banks and things would have hardly changed in the time since he was there,” he said of the catchment. “If he was able to return there now, he would probably still recognise it.”
Community benefits from ‘cleaner’ water Construction of the Miriam Vale Water Treatment Plant was the result of the community’s plea for a ‘cleaner’ water supply. For a number of years, residents had voiced concerns at the degree of staining caused to laundry items washed via the town’s potable water supply. Aquatic ecology researcher Adam Rose, who worked with Council on the project, said the new treatment plant delivered a safe, reliable potable water service that was far less likely to cause staining due to a significant reduction in the amount of manganese in the water. “Most complaints about drinking water are related to manganese, but the new plant keeps the levels under the aesthetic limits and well below the required health related limits,” Adam said. “The new plant oxidises or precipitates the manganese out of the water,” Adam said. Adam said toxic algae, which occurs naturally in flood waters and can take refuge in drinking water, was also eliminated by the treatment plant’s activated carbon filters.
A I L A R AUST Family
FREE EVENT
Celebrate
y a D
Fun Day
Tondoon Botanic January 26 - 8am Gardens to noon Water Play, Live M usic, Celebrity BBQ
Cook Off
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Community champions to carry Commonwealth Games baton community heroes hail from throughout the Gladstone Region and have backgrounds as diverse as the many different ways in which their efforts have enhanced the community.
The baton bearers, who were named by Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett at an official function attended by State Minister for the Commonwealth Games Kate Jones in Gladstone on October 18, are among more than 1800 Australians who will participate in the relay.
Gary said it was an honour to be selected as one of the region’s baton bearers.
Councillor Burnett was also joined onstage by two of the 23 baton bearers, former rugby league international Gary Larson and youth ambassador for people with a disability Ruby Lawler, and Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher. Selected via a community nomination program, the 23
“I am pretty humbled by it,” he said. “It’s a historical event and it will be great just being part of it. “I’ve talked to a couple of older people who ran the baton in 1956 ahead of the Melbourne Olympic Games and this continues that type of history. “I think it’s great to be a part of it and to represent the Gladstone Region.” Gary also has some family history associated with the Commonwealth Games with his younger brother Chris having been part of the group which bore the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games baton from Miriam Vale to the Kolan River. Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett said the Queen’s Baton Relay was an ideal opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of some of the community’s champions.
Gladstone Region baton bearers and the relay legs in which they will participate:
Roll of Honour
Twenty-three Gladstone Region residents will help the Queen’s Baton on its journey from Buckingham Palace in London to the Gold Coast for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“The relay will provide great memories for the participants to cherish for many years, as it will for the many members of the community who I’m sure will get into the spirit of the Commonwealth Games by cheering on the baton bearers as they make their way through the region,” he said.
Gladstone: Jonathan Easton (Gladstone) Tracy Hopkins (Clinton) Debbie Knust (Calliope) Laura Koefler (Wurdong Heights) Gary Larson (Tannum Sands) Ruby Lawler (Calliope) Jenny McLeod (Barney Point) Dianne Morris (Thangool) Donald Morris (Thangool) Bob Moschoni (Thangool) Miriam Vale: Deanne Lawson (Camp Hill) Pamela Cawthray (Bororen) Pauline Dahl (Miriam Vale) Larry Halbert (Miriam Vale) Lyn Harms (Bororen) Jamie Hartwig (Eidsvold) Agnes Water: Ian Anderson (Tannum Sands) Allan Davis (Oiartzun) Neale Inskip (Agnes Water) Betty Mergard (Agnes Water) Chris Palfrey (Seventeen Seventy) Mia Poustie (Agnes Water) Seventeen Seventy: Maxine Brushe (Tannum Sands)
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Water safety tips for Summer Did you know? Some portable wading pools and spas need to comply with pool safety laws. For more information, visit the Department of Housing and Public Works website via www.hpw.qld.gov.au
Pool safety standard All pools in Queensland should be fenced according to the safety standard (Queensland Development Code MP 3.4) and registered on the pool safety register. The standard covers things like fence heights, rail gaps and proximity to climbable objects, as well as gate-latching and other things that can result in barriers being breached. Visit the Queensland Building and Construction Commission website (www. qbcc.qld.gov.au) to check your pool is registered and find a pool compliance checklist. More information about the safety standard is also available on the Department of Housing and Public Works website (www. hpw.qld.gov.au).
As we dive into summer, it is wise to review the safety of our pool areas and water activities.
Maintain your pool area’s safety Pools must also meet the Australian Standard (AS1926.1-2007) for swimming pool safety.
How we can help You can ask Council to inspect your pool to either offer advice on the steps to take to make it compliant ($170 service fee) or issue a safety certificate ($300 for a nonshared pool). If you have questions about Queensland and Australian pool safety requirements you are welcome to call us on 4970 0700.
Additional safety tips • • • •
Teach children to swim Learn how to resuscitate Have a first aid kit nearby Supervise children at all times when they are in or near water – even if it is shallow
While owners will have ensured their pools met the Queensland Pool Safety Standard when it came into effect in 2015 (see more information below), it is important to continue safety checks. For the safety of your household members and visitors, please inspect your pool area regularly to ensure it still meets the standard. Ongoing checks include: • There are no climbable objects, including tree branches and outdoor furniture, within 90cm from the outside and 30cm from the inside of pool fences • The pool fence is well maintained with no holes or broken rails • The self-closing mechanisms in gates still work (they may need oiling).
Liam prepares to set sail aboard high seas adventure Gladstone State High School (GSHS) Year 11 student Liam Madsen will undertake a 10-day trip next year aboard the national sail training ship, STS Young Endeavour. Liam said he had keenly applied for the opportunity, offered as part of a Gladstone Region Youth Council initiative, supported by Council. “I knew it wasn't an opportunity I would receive again and that not many people are offered the chance to experience this,” he said. Liam will be one of the GSHS student executive committee in 2018, is heavily involved in the local basketball club and said he tried to take part in as many events as possible in the Gladstone Region.
He said he hoped to gain a sense of direction from the Young Endeavour experience. “I hope to gain life-long friends, memories and skills but also, gain a clearer vision of what I may want to pursue as a career,” Liam said. “I am extremely excited at the thought of this adventure and I am keen to experience all of the aspects of sailing on a replica tall-ship.” Gladstone Region Youth Council Chair Tom Kirchner said the Youth Council was excited to offer the Young Endeavour opportunity. "The Youth Council is excited to be part of this experience and is pleased to support and monitor the process," Tom said.
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u’re invited Ytoomeet our 2018 Australia Day Award winners The search is on to find our region’s outstanding residents, community events or initiatives.
This includes the Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day public holidays.
The public event is Council’s major civic function for the year and is free for all residents to attend.
Categories
Day
Citizen of the Year Young Citizen of th e Year Arts & Culture Aw ard Senior Sportsperson Award Young Sportsperson Award Sports Official Aw ard Community Volunt eer Award Community Event or Initiative Award
at the
Program of Events
Welcome National Anthem Entertainment Guests Speeches by Special ny mo Citizenship Cere tation of en es Pr d Announcement an s ard Australia Day Aw rnett Bu tt Ma r yo Thank you by Ma of the Year en tiz Ci the by ke Cutting of the Ca d Nibbles provide 2822 or Box Office on 4972 Enquiries to GECC ov.au d.g .ql ne to ds e@gla email geccboxoffic
You can help ensure an effective and efficient bin collection service by placing your bin out before 6am or on the night before and not placing bins under low trees or near other obstructions. Also, do not place items for recycling in bags as this prevents them being sorted and can impair machinery used at the Material Recycling Facility in Rockhampton. For more waste collection tips visit www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/collectiondays
Transfer stations For those needing to clear some space in order to accommodate their new Christmas presents, Council’s waste transfer and Benaraby Landfill sites will operate throughout the festive season.
2018
Centre nment Convention Gladstone Entertai Gladstone Goondoon Street, to be held on y, 2018 Thursday, 25 Januar start at 6pm for a 6.30pm
While many operations wind down over the Christmas and New Year period, it will be business as usual for waste collection services this festive season. Council’s contracted household waste and recycling services will continue weekly and fortnightly respectively, unchanged from your usual collection days.
Each year Gladstone Regional Council hosts a combined citizenship and Australia Day Awards presentation ceremony on the eve of Australia Day.
AusAtwraarldisa
Festive waste collection service
Citizenship Council will host a large public citizenship ceremony on January 25 to welcome new Australian citizens to the Gladstone Region. The ceremony will involve our region’s new Australians uniting for a citizenship oath and affirmation with presentation of Australian Citizenship certificates from the Mayor. Join Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett and Councillors to congratulate our new Australian citizens and the Gladstone Region’s 2018 Australia Day Award nominees and winners.
Benaraby Landfill will remain open to the public throughout the period, including all public holidays, with the waste transfer stations closed on Christmas Day only. For Council waste facility operating hours and items that can be disposed of there, many at no cost, visit Council’s website at www.gladstone. qld.gov.au/transfer-stations-andlandfills The page also contains information regarding waste disposal fees and charges and Council’s conditions of entry requirements for the public to access its waste transfer stations and landfill site. Council’s Tip Top shops at the Gladstone Waste Management Centre and Benaraby Landfill are open from 8am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays for the Christmas/New Year Page 6 period.
Our community spreads important message
Mulch boosts garden growth Mulching is one of the best ways to get your garden looking its best this summer. Applying mulch to our gardens helps to retain moisture in the soil and the nutrients released as it breaks down over time means mulch also contributes to soil health. Mulch can also reduce winter injury to plants and help control the spread of weeds. Free mulch is available to the public at Council’s Gladstone Transfer Station, Benaraby Landfill and Agnes Water Transfer Station facilities throughout the festive season.
Gladstone Region schools have an important message for the community: Don’t get caught out this cyclone season. Local musicians, emergency services personnel and community members will join students and teachers from almost 20 schools in Council’s music video to promote the importance of disaster preparedness. Participants will be involved in song-writing, singing and filming for the video, due for release in December and produced by Small Town Culture, a company specialising in community music videos.
Don’t travel without preparing your property
Simply back your vehicle up to the mulch pile at any of the three facilities and load the amount needed to keep your garden healthy and looking great.
Are meds in your emergency kit? If you were cut off from services due to severe weather like flooding, would you have enough medication to see you through?
Mulch is free when loaded by the customer on to a ute or a car trailer no greater than single axle and single wheel. There is a $10 charge for all other vehicles, if loaded by the customer, and a $50 fee to load large tipper trucks at Benaraby Landfill.
It is vital to have enough medications in your emergency kit to last you at least five days.
Mulch is available at all three facilities during normal hours of operation. To view transfer station and landfill operating hours visit Council’s website at www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/ transfer-stations-and-landfills
If you live in or are travelling to a flood-affected area, talk to your doctor about ensuring your prescriptions can cover an emergency period.
If you’re travelling this festive season, be sure to safegu ard your property from severe weather before you leave ho me. • Remove or secure item s in your yard that could become projectiles in a cyclone • Trim overhanging branch es • Park vehicles undercover • Tape windows or secure shutters • R aise perishable items abo ve flood levels
your
one-stop place for disaster info
Get rea dy tips
Road Condit ions
Weath er Warnin gs
RegionWatch
Dashboard
Power Outage s
http://regionwatch.gladstone.qld.gov.au
Flood Camer as
School Closur es
Fire Inciden
ts Page 7
Lions Park on track to open December 9
The old saying ‘Good things come to those who wait’ will ring true for all Gladstone residents on Saturday, December 9 (weather permitting) when a transformed Lions Park is officially opened.
Students visit wastewater plant A visit to the local wastewater treatment plant may not sound like the first step to international stardom, but that’s what an intrepid group of Calliope State School students are hoping to achieve.
“They found out where all of the water that goes down the drain ends up and that the community’s wastewater is treated not far from the school and some of their homes.
Ten of the school’s Years 4 and 5 students visited the Calliope Wastewater Treatment Plant on October 26 as participants in the 2017 international FIRST Lego League competition which challenges participants, aged 9-16 years, to find solutions to everyday hydro dynamic problems that face society.
“The students also learned about the water cycle and how water is recycled all around and through us, raising awareness about the healthy state of our water in the future.”
Calliope State School teacher Sheree Mastromonaco said the team visited the wastewater plant to talk to water management experts and learn about who works with water, what they do and the problems they face in their respective roles.
Ms Mastromonaco said the students eagerly took in information from Council Water Services officers regarding the use of treated water at the Calliope Country Club, how washing inappropriate items down the drain could clog the system, cause damage and affect wildlife, and how Council must remove any harmful chemicals from water before it can be reused.
“The students created their own questions to bring along to try and find a problem relevant to the Calliope area,” Ms Mastromonaco said.
Council wishes the students well in their quest to progress further in the competition and perhaps share their findings with the global first community.
Work at the Kin Kora site started back in July and now, six months on, the wraps are nearly ready to come off the redevelopment project. What will be revealed is a vibrant, modern facility that’s easy to access and can be enjoyed by everyone. It will offer fun, education and excitement for children and adults of all ages and abilities. The park’s redesign focuses on a human being’s seven senses – hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch, physical balance and proprioception, which involves the sense of position and strength of limbs’ movement. Children and adults with various disorders, including sensory and auditory processing, visual impairment, Downs Syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Spina Bifida, will find joy in the experiences they can have at this signature facility. The almost $3.5 million project was funded predominantly by the State Government’s Works for Queensland program and Gladstone Regional Council.
They came, saw and we conquered Gladstone may have turned on the Big Wet for more than 500 delegates who attended the 121st Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference in mid October, but it didn’t stop the gathering from going off without a hitch. While the rain soaked in outside, Council delegates and staff soaked up information inside the Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre (GECC) about how they could improve their business operations and best serve their communities. The conference theme – Waves of Change, Oceans of Opportunity – was a pointer to key note speeches, discussion topics, seminars and motions up for debate. Everything, including sponsors’ trade exhibits, looked to the future of how to practice local
government better in the 21st Century. Best practice will involve increased use of digital technology to inform Councils of where the problems are in their communities from barking dogs to burst water mains and damaged roads. GECC staff began planning the event 18 months ago because that’s how much work goes into putting on a conference like the LGAQ.
For lovers of statistics, the event involved five days of conferencing over six venues with 85 exhibitors and 518 delegates. And for the Gladstone economy, it was estimated the conference benefit was a $3 million boost to the business community’s cash flow.
Council employees from across the organisation, including Parks and Gardens, the Library, Safety, Human Resources, Finance and Fleet all did their bit to ensure success.
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Works to permanently repair ex-TC Debbie damage under way
New approach snares award An innovative way to put old data to new use has earned Council an Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Queensland (IPWEAQ) Excellence Award. Council’s Water Services Division took out the IPWEAQ Asset Management Award in Townsville in October for its CCTV Wastewater Data Management Project. The project, launched last year, utilises data that has been collected for a period of more than 10 years to assist with Council’s long-term financial and remedial planning for its sewer mains network. The use of an online cloud-based portal enables Water Services officers to compare up-to-date survey information with 10 years of CCTV video footage to gain a greater understanding of the condition of the sewer mains. These images, together with historical data and engineering reports, make it possible for the officers to accurately develop annual and long-term capital and remedial plans for its sewer pipes and justify budget allocations. The data identifies which sewer mains need to be upgraded or repaired, and when, as well as providing an estimated cost, ensuring cost savings and improved efficiency in the process. Council’s Acting Manager Water Services Neels Kloppers and Technical Officer – Assets Chris Kelso, who have managed the project from the start, were in attendance at the IPWEAQ Excellence Awards to receive the trophy.
Council has commenced $11 million worth of repair works to road infrastructure damaged by heavy rainfall and flooding generated by ex-Severe Tropical Cyclone (STC) Debbie in March 2017. The restoration of these roads is good news for the region’s smaller communities whose residents rely heavily on them for access. Emergent works were carried out on a large number of regional roads immediately following the flooding events associated with ex-STC Debbie. These works returned the roads to a safe standard for use. However, the emergent works are only a temporary measure and do not return the roads to their pre-damage condition. Permanent repairs are now under way after Council received funding assistance via the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).
The NDRRA is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments and assists disaster impacted communities restore their damaged essential public assets. As residents are aware we had another declared flood disaster event in October 2017. Initial emergent works have been finalised and council is collating details of damage to support an application for NDRRA funding. Council acknowledges that time has passed since initial emergent repairs were completed for Cyclone Debbie. If residents believe that a site has deteriorated since then and requires additional repairs to make it safe, they are encouraged to contact Council on 4970 0700. The NDRRA restoration program is expected to be completed by September 2018.
Road Services fast facts: $167 million
Did you know?
• Has overseen and delivered about $167m worth of flood emergent restoration and betterment works within the region since the December 2010 floods. 5900
• Our region contains approximately 5900 street lights, with responsibility for 25 sets of traffic lights and tens of thousands of signs and guide posts.
120 The Gladstone Region’s sealed road network extends for 1050 kilometres – roughly the equivalent distance of driving to Brisbane and back. The region’s unsealed road network is even larger at 1483km or the equivalent of driving north to Ayr and return. This is in addition to the 300km of roads which are the responsibility of the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
• Council’s Road Services Division has almost 120 employees, more than 100 of who are engaged in construction and maintenance activities. 140
• Managing 140 vehicle bridges including major box culverts, bebo arches and numerous concrete flood ways. 170km
• Road Services also manages about 170km of off-road shared footpaths and bikeways. 22
• Maintaining 22 boat ramps and jetties throughout the region. Page 9
ping m a C across our great region
Permits
All overnight campers at The Oaks and South End will need a camping permit but day visitors won’t. Camping permits can be obtained online at www.gladstoneregion.info or by visiting the Gladstone Visitor Information Office on Bryan Jordan Drive. It’s open seven days a week from 8.30am to 5pm weekdays and 9am to 5pm weekends. Fees for this financial year are:
Locations Seasoned campers will always have their favourite places to enjoy a summer break, especially after a hectic Christmas. If you want to get away and relax here’s some information on Council run camping spots in the region. You’ll have to pay a fee to stay here: • • • •
The Oaks, Facing Island South End, Curtis Island Workman’s Beach, Agnes Water Lilley’s Beach, Boyne Island
Free rest areas
and permits issued after full payment is received.
Chemical dump points There are four public caravan chemical dump points in the Gladstone Region: Calliope - Cnr Taragoola Road and Dawson Highway, Calliope Miriam Vale - Cnr Blomfield Street and Dougall Street, Miriam Vale Seventeen Seventy - Cnr SES Access and Captain Cook Drive, Seventeen Seventy
Free rest areas can be found at the Calliope River Picnic Area, River Ranch and the Futter Creek Camping Reserve in the Boyne Valley.
Benaraby - Boyne River Rest Area, Bruce Highway, Benaraby. Please note: This site is maintained by the Department of Transport and Main Roads so call 131 940 for all maintenance issues.
How to book
Strictly no fires
Families can book a maximum of three sites up to 12 months ahead, with a maximum of six people per camp site. You can pay by cash, cheque or credit card but a booking will only be confirmed
Beach fires are strictly prohibited as they can cause severe burns and escape easily. Wood fires can only be lit in authorised, Council maintained wood fired barbecues.
• Family (2 adults & 2 children) – $19.50 per day • Per person - $6.50 per day • School groups (approved school excursions only) $3.00 per person
Lilley’s Beach, Boyne Island Permits are needed before accessing Lilley’s Beach and must always be carried in your vehicle while in the area. They can be bought online at www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/camping To obtain a permit online you must provide: • Email address • Make and model of your vehicle • Vehicle body type • Vehicle registration number • Vehicle colour An annual permit in 2017-18 will cost $50 while a weekly one is $10. A replacement permit will cost $5. Permits are no longer available from Boyne Island Bait and Tackle.
Happy campers give thumbs up to camping ground Seasoned traveller Bev Groundwater, from Alexandra Hills in Brisbane, is never disappointed when she camps at the Calliope River Camping Ground. The convenient location close to the Bruce Highway provides Bev with a relaxing place to break her journey when travelling up or down the Queensland coast. Bev said the campground was high on her list of places to stop with shade, open spaces, hot showers and a friendly and social atmosphere.
“I came over (to Mary and Peter’s camp) for a chat earlier and I’m still here,” she laughed. Bev praised Council for maintaining the area for restricted camping.
“We highly recommend this campground it’s a beautiful spot,” Peter said. “We’ve been into Calliope and Gladstone, buy groceries, eat out and have spent quite a bit of money,” Mary said.
“I’ve travelled around the country and when people make you feel welcome you spend money in the community,” she said. Mary Primerano from Dubbo, New South Wales and Peter Gallen from Dunedoo, New South Wales agreed.
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2018 Flower crowns offer a stylish option to express SUNfest creativity Gladstone artist/floral artist Chrissie McLaren will share her skills at SUNfest guiding participants to make stunning flower headpieces.
Chrissie said she was looking forward to tutoring and had some simple words for youths interested in joining a SUNfest flower crown workshop.
Chrissie said working with flowers was extremely enjoyable and participants could “explore their creativity, have fun, learn something new and make something really beautiful”.
“If you're a little worried whether you can do it, don't be. Help will be there every step of the way!” she said.
“Being around flowers is very uplifting; with the added bonus of combining nature’s beautiful elements to create something unique that has the ability to really make someone’s day,” she said. Chrissie will host workshops in Gladstone and Agnes Water with participants learning in three hours how to select flowers and foliage and how to prepare and assemble them to create a fresh flower crown.
How to book SUNfest offers 12 days of summer fun with young residents able to select activities from the SUNfest 2018 program on Council’s website.
SUNfest ticket sales open on November 29 at 9am. Tickets can be purchased online, over Other SUNfest activities new in 2018 the phone, or in person at include drama Council centres including the games, yoga, Gladstone Entertainment coding, Convention Centre, Miriam • Council’s annual Youth engineering, Vale Office, Mount Larcom Holiday Program Crossfit and Rural Transaction Centre, • From January 8-19 magazine Agnes Water Rural Transaction • For ages 11-17 design. Centre, Calliope Office, Boyne • Various workshops and events Tannum Community Centre and • Some free activities Gladstone Administration Centre.
What is SUNfest?
“We'll be working with a mix of seasonal flowers and foliage with an array of colours to choose from,” she said. “Each stem is individually wired for strength and pliability before assembling to create the flower crown.”
Proof of participant’s age will need to be provided and an indemnity form must be fully completed and signed for each activity. Some activities are free, while costs apply to others, and multi-day events require participants to attend all sessions.
Controlling mosquitoes around your home
• Remove unnecessary water-holding items from yard • Empty and clean water-holding items weekly, including pot-plant bases, pet bowls, bird baths and fish ponds • Stop water accumulating by overturning items, drilling drainage holes or fill • Screen openings to tanks and other large water containers • Keep drainage channels and roof guttering clear to prevent pooling and keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated or salted Page 11
Keep entertained
Regional tourism spot -
Kroombit Tops National Park
• Located 85km south west of Gladstone • Perfect for a Sunday drive, hike and picnic by the creek Photo courtesy of Icono Images
Some of the great events hosted by Council venues this summer include: Summer Reading Club 2017: Game On Free event for children. Celebrate sports, games and tech through reading. December 1 - January 19 Gladstone Regional Libraries Visit www.gladstonelibraries.qld.gov.au or phone 4976 6400. 2018 Celebrate Australia Free art workshops for primary school aged children Dec 11 in Baffle Creek, Dec 12 in Mount Larcom and Dec 13 in Gladstone. Bookings through Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum. Visit gragm.qld.gov.au or phone 4976 6766
Summer Events
View the full Summer Events Guide at Tondoon Botanic Gardens at www. gladstone.qld.gov.au/whats-on-at-thegardens or the school holiday activities across our Gladstone Regional Libraries at www.gladstonelibraries.qld.gov.au
Capricorn Film Festival For all ages. Virtual reality experiences, masterclasses and short film screenings. December 11. Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre. Tickets $5.50 - $22 Visit gladecc.com.au or phone 4972 2822 Bonsai exhibits and demonstrations Free. December 17. Tondoon Botanic Gardens Japanese Tea Garden and art gallery. Visit www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/whats-on-atthe-gardens or phone 4971 4444
• Great 4WD country with a varied landscape • Includes 800 metre high sandstone cliffs • Waterfalls and woodlands
Agnes Blues, Roots and Rock Festival February 16 - 18. SES Grounds, Seventeen Seventy Three days of blues, roots and rock music in paradise. Visit www.agnesbluesandroots.com. au or phone 4974 7570 Gold Coast Titans vs Manly Sea Eagles April 8, Marley Brown Oval Gladstone The NRL is coming to the Gladstone Region. The Gold Coast Titans will play a home game against the Manly Sea Eagles in Round 5 of the 2018 season. Tickets not on sale at the time of print.
Council urges visitors to Tannum Sands to forego swimming at Wild Cattle Creek and stick to paddling between the flags at the main beach.
Stafford said it was easy for those unaccustomed to the creek, and even those with local experience, to underestimate the power of its current.
Tannum Sands Surf Life Saving Club officials and Council staff have noticed an increase in the number of people swimming in the dangerous creek mouth following the recent sand push to re-profile the creek’s shoreline.
“It looks quite calm but is very strong and near impossible to swim against,” he said.
“During my 10 years as a lifesaver at Tannum Sands, we have rescued at least five people each year who have been swept out to sea on the outgoing tide,” Stafford said.
• Camping permits are required and fees apply. A tag with your booking number must be displayed at your camp site.
Council-supported events.
Swimmers to steer clear of creek
Club President Stafford Sharpe said local beachgoers and visitors to the region had proved equally vulnerable to Wild Cattle Creek’s deceptively calm appearance.
• Or get away from it all and camp without facilities at Griffiths Creek, The Razorback or The Wall
• Rainforests and scrublands • Sweeping gorges • Explore forests of Sydney blue gum, pink bloodwood and rough barked apple trees • Resting place of Beautiful Betsy – a US WWII bomber which crashed in stormy weather in February 1945 carrying eight men and supplies. There were no survivors.
Stafford said it was important that people heed surf lifesaving warnings and only swim in the surf between the red and yellow flags. Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett said the sand push had been necessary to restore the creek’s eroded shoreline. “The sand push was successful in removing a potential threat to public safety, but it is important that the public realise that Wild Cattle Creek’s tidal currents are strong and people have drowned there,” he said.
• Wreckage found in August 1994 after controlled burn off • Crash site 700 metres from 4WD scenic loop Page 12
Did you know?
A nutritious aquatic weed makes perfect compost A thick green ruffled carpet across Lake Tondoon one moment then part of a nutritious compost the next. That was how the acquatic weed, Salvinia, was used after it was harvested from Lake Tondoon at Gladstone’s Botanic Gardens in October. The ‘weed turned compost’ approach is part of the Gardens’ strategy to be more sustainable with onsite resources, by using them as mulch where possible. Salvinia is a free floating weed that appears on still or slow moving water and can grow to cover the entire surface with a thick mat of vegetation. The tendrils below the water are very
Don't forget Feb's utility charges Please remember to budget for the halfyearly water access and sewerage charges that will now be issued in February. As of this year, the annual service charges have been split into half-yearly payments, to assist ratepayers to manage their payments. But this means only half the usual water access and sewerage charges appeared on September’s rate notice. Early payment discounts will be offered again in February. The notice will be accompanied by the usual half-yearly water consumption charges, where this is applicable.
nutritious; perfect for compost. A special machine removed the weed from the lake then unloaded it on to a truck for drying, before it was mixed into the Gardens' compost heap. A floating boom built by the Conservation Team was used to contain sections of future infestation.
The Krefft's Freshwater Turtle is Lake Tondoon’s most popular and is one of several native Australian shortnecked turtles. It is unique to eastern Queensland, growing to around 30 cm in length and living for more than 20 years. Lake Tondoon once formed part of the Tondoon Dam, which served as Gladstone's water supply from 1916-1945. The old pump station and intake tower can still be viewed below the dam wall.
An immediate impact of the harvesting was various birds and the Krefft’s Freshwater Turtle returned to enjoy the weed free water. Now the Gardens themselves will enjoy a healthy boost from the Salvinia’s tendrils in a process that has come full circle.
Festive season operating hours Operating hours of Council services and facilities over the festive season are outlined below. Council information can be sourced at any time via www.gladstone.qld.gov.au. Waste collection services Waste collection services will operate as normal during the Christmas and New Year period, including Christmas Day and all public holidays. Landfills and waste transfer stations On Christmas Day, Benaraby Landfill will open from 7am to 3pm and all waste transfer stations will close. Otherwise, operating hours will continue as normal. Tondoon Botanic Gardens Open every day (except 25 December) from 7am to 6pm. Animal Pound Facility The animal pound facility closes on public holidays and weekends however will operate all other days over the festive season from 3pm to 6pm.
Cemeteries Council's cemeteries will be closed to services between 25 - 26 December inclusive and 1 January. Visitor access to cemeteries will remain as normal. Pools Gladstone Aquatic Centre and Mount Larcom Pool are operated by Lane 4 Aquatics. Visit www.lane4aquatics.com.au Other Council facilities Most of Council's centres will close from close-of-business on December 22 (except Mount Larcom RTC which will close at noon on December 23) and reopen on January 2. This includes all administration offices, rural transaction centres and our Regional Libraries. It also includes the Boyne Tannum Community Centre, Community Advisory Service, Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre and Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum. Page 13
Awards exhibition The 42nd Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards exhibition is on display in the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum until December 7.
Local award winners Among the 377 entries received from around the nation, the works of eight local artists caught the judge’s eye in the 42nd Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards. Kate Simmons, Bindi Waugh, Rosemary Anderson, Beryl Wood, Katrina Elliot, Kyle Piper, Brenda Lyon and Claudia Wehrli were awarded for their varying style of accomplished works. Bindi, Rosemary, Claudia and Kyle will provide insights into their artistic works during free artists’ talks at the Gallery & Museum on December 2 from 10.30am.
Katrina hits a spiritual chord with Hallelujah Over time, when she or her friends or loved ones have experienced a severe blow, artist Katrina Elliot has noticed what a vital role hope plays in helping us rise above difficulty. Hope, the glimmer that everything will be OK, comes in many forms; a sign, a friend or, for some people, God. It was the latter source, and the reference to Him in Leonard Cohen’s revered song Hallelujah, that inspired Katrina’s artwork entered into the 42nd Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards, held
recently at the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum. Hallelujah… a secret chord, a captivating depiction of angel wings formed using piano pieces and glow-in-the-dark resin, received the second-place Three Dimensional and Fibre Works Newprint NRG Award. Katrina said the artwork particularly drew on the song lyrics ‘I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased the Lord’.
“To me, the lyrics convey our need to find hope: if we play the chord, will God hear our prayers?” she said. Katrina is well-known locally as a professional photographer and, more recently, for her facilitation of community arts projects. She said this work to help others express themselves was incredibly rewarding but the creation of her award entry brought a different form of satisfaction: “This artwork is my own expression”.
PRESENT
CHRISTMAS
street party
book today! December 20 @ 10am BOOK ONLINE TODAY AT GLADECC.COM.AU OR CALL BOX OFFICE 4972 2822
Y 3RD S U N DA E R B DECEM
3pm- 8pm
QUARE, L IB R A R Y S T S GOONDOON Page 14
Get your copy
History of Railway Hotels reveals tales and characters The history of four Gladstone Region pubs has been set in ink to feature among the stories of 191 other Queensland ‘watering holes’. Visiting author, railway enthusiast and amateur historian, Scott Whitaker, provided an insight into the history of our local Railway Hotels during a recent talk at Gladstone City and Calliope libraries. Scott has been on a Queensland tour to promote his latest book, Railway Hotels of Australia, Volume Three – Queensland. “One of the most satisfying aspects about
publishing a history book is visiting the regions and meeting the people,” he said. While in the Gladstone Region, Scott stayed at the Calliope Railway Hotel, met publican Brownie (pictured) and was planning to pop in for a drink at other Queensland Railway Hotels along his travels. “In the early days there were Railway Hotels at Many Peaks (in addition to the Grand Hotel), Yarwun and Raglan,” he said. Scott said each of the pubs seemed to have their own tales to tell.
Next year’s production, Shrek, The Musical, is bound to be epic involving 87 cast members from 18 of our region’s schools. Gladstone Men’s Shed members have joined in the fun by cutting out and painting a giant, 2.4m plywood Shrek sign, in the shape of an ‘S’. Look out for the Shrek sign for a chance to snap a selfie at the Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre’s Christmas Street Party, open air cinema event and other community events where Shrek, The Musical will be promoted. The Combined Schools Musical is a highlight on the biennial school calendar and is highly anticipated by primary and secondary students across the Gladstone Region. The Combined Schools Musical was founded in 1999 and has since presented eight full scale, semi-professional musicals, each with a cast and crew of about 100-120 people.
Long yarns… The Raglan Railway Hotel was moved from the old mining centre near Mount Larcom and placed near the old school at Raglan. “It was some distance from the station and the publican purchased another former mining building and relocated it to the site opposite the old Raglan station,” Scott said. “When the publican appeared in the Rockhampton Licensing Court to tidy up licensing paper work, the magistrate quizzed her on the need to move her hotel. “She said it was required, as the old site was too far away from the station for travellers to ‘pop in for a quickie!’”
Shrek, The Musical set to be huge 2018 marks a 20-year milestone for the Gladstone Combined Schools Musical in our community.
Order Railway Hotels of Australia - Volume Three - Queensland at www. railwayhotelsofaustralia. com.au
Scott said the publican at the old Railway Hotel at Many Peaks must have been a very patient man.
Shrek, The Musical is supported by a full orchestra, backstage crew, production crew (Director, Stage Manager, Assistance Stage Manager, Choreographer, Vocal Coach, Music Director) and produced by staff at the Gladstone Entertainment Convention Centre, including marketing, management, budget, technical and facilities. All cast, production staff and backstage crew are volunteers from all walks of life. The Combined School Musical attracts a huge audience with seven performances (five school matinee shows and two community shows) planned for Shrek, The Musical with an expected audience of 4700 people. Tickets for the March 16 and 17 community shows are available online at www. gladecc.com. au
Fre e Sh rek Outdoo r M ov ie
Gladstone Tondoon Botanic Gardens
Saturday, December 9, 6.30pm
“One day, while driving a borrowed buggy, he felt a movement in his trousers. He pulled up the horses just in time to see a big old snake slither down his leg, into the floor of the cart and then on to the ground,” he said. “Fortunately, the snake was not interested in biting him and slowly slid to the roadway below. “The language used after the event by the lucky publican has never been recorded.” “The publican most disadvantaged in Gladstone, when the railway department cut off access to his hotel during construction of the railway to Rockhampton (now the triangular junction near the corner of Little Bramston and Auckland streets) was formerly a bank Manager, who, one would suspect, would have been very prudent,” Scott said. “However, his foray into hotel-keeping was a disaster. His pub was forced to close as there was no access, and the railway authorities only provided a fraction of the compensation he requested.” Page 15
Mount Larcom community rallies behind tennis court project Longer leases On September 14 the thwack of tennis balls on racquets was heard at Mount Larcom for the first time in at least five years when Council handed over the keys for the newly refurbished multipurpose courts in September. Mount Larcom State School students took to the courts alongside Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett and his fellow Councillors Chris Trevor, Cindi Bush, Kahn Goodluck, Desley O’Grady and Peter Masters to test out the refurbished asphalt courts at Mount Larcom Recreation Hub. The $120,000 project, which also included refurbishment of the site’s existing amenities block and the addition of an electric barbecue, was funded by Gladstone Regional Council. President of the newly formed Mount Larcom District Youth and Community Recreation Group Norm Horan happily accepted the keys and said the return of the multipurpose courts, which can also host netball, basketball and volleyball play, was a welcome boost for the community. “The kids have now got somewhere to learn to play the game and don’t have to travel in to Gladstone to have a hit,” Norm said. “We’re going to try to get lights installed
and put a shed on the site and have a social tennis night once a week.” Norm said it had been the best part of a decade since the tennis courts had been in full use and he looked forward to seeing the venue return to life. “Both courts used to be full of players and there’d be more waiting to get on for games, it was quite popular in its day,” he said. The project required the removal of the existing cement slab courts due to concerns over structural integrity, and the installation of a new asphalt surface with all works completed by Council’s Road Services. Local contractors were engaged for the refurbishment of the ablution block and electrical works. Council’s Parks and Environment Division will continue the revitalisation works in the Mount Larcom region at the Youth Centre precinct including a beach volleyball facility and fitness station, and shaded relaxation areas complete with barbecue facilities. The revitalisation works, which are funded via the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland program, were well under way at the time of publication.
benefit clubs
Regional sporting groups leasing public land for sport and recreation purposes will benefit from maximum lease terms, extended from five to 10 years. Council as the land owner (freehold), or the trustee of stateowned reserves, is responsible for the management and control of a large amount of public land used for sport and recreation purposes. Most of this land is leased to sport and recreation organisations under a trustee or freehold lease with Council as the lessor. Numerous clubs had indicated interest in a longer-term tenure, to improve chances of securing large funding opportunities. Extension to a 10-year lease will offer these clubs greater scope to work towards the future and implement strategic planning models. This will enable our regional sporting clubs to grow and develop and incorporate long-term plans into their organisation's vision.
ART OF AGNES
16 DECEMBER 2017 - 17 FEBRUARY 2018 ‘Art Of Agnes’ highlights the incredible skill and diversity of artists in the Agnes Water / 1770 area. Image: David ALLEN, ‘Progress’ 2017, oil and paper on canvas Courtesy of the artist
GLADSTONE REGIONAL ART GALLERY & MUSEUM A community cultural initative of the Gladstone Regional Council
Free admission • Open: 10am - 5pm, Monday to Saturday Closed: 25 December 2017 - 1 January & 26 January 2018 cnr Goondoon & Bramston Sts, Gladstone Qld 4680 4976 6766 • gragm@gladstone.qld.gov.au • gragm.qld.gov.au
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