Cultural Centre works Improving museum environmental conditions

A safe home for two regionally significant wommera collections

Thanks to the Mitchell River Group, formed at Kowanyama in 1990, the Atherton and Palmer Wommera Collections have a safe space in the Kowanyama Collection room. John Brisbin, of the Mareeba based Group donated and transported a cabinet surplus to office needs, by road, 9 hours travel to Kowanyama for our museum.

CULTURAL CENTRE WORKS

Improving museum environmental conditions

Works are ongoing to address the 2018 Recommendations to protect the Kowanyama Collection.

Very late in 2018 Ian Miles of Sic Air Conditioning, Townsville raced to beat wet season rains to upgrade the air conditioning system in the residential part of the building, and to improve the existing ducted system into the museum.

Jane Woolcock of the Anthropology Museum at the University of QLD provided advice on the environmental requirements for protection of the Kowanyama Collection against the high temperatures and mould. Tropical hot wet weather is not a museum’s best friend. Recommendations were that the beehive be removed from the back of the building allowing the safe removal of the cluster fig trees there. Trees were damaging the foundations of the building and the roots were lifting the ducting of the air-conditioning system letting moist air in through a tear in the ducting. This was a threat to keeping the humidity down during the wet season. A roof over the main cabinet was recommended to protect the container from the weather.

The bees were removed by Joe Adams to the Men’s Shed Farm to allow works to begin. Council had the main tree removed and later Rangers Anzac Frank and Fitzy Lawrence cut out the remaining two smaller trees already growing over the Centre’s storage shed and rainwater tanks. Bartlett’s Builders erected a roof over the cabinet just before the wet season. Work will begin early this dry season to remove the damaged duct and removal and grinding of the stump to allow the final necessary repairs to the system.

The Cultural Centre’s first Cyclone Management Plan is our next job this year to keep Kowanyama Collection safe. Thank you everyone for your supporting maintenance work at the Cultural Centre

SERIOUS CROCODILE WARNING

Do not swim in Magnificent Creek

For a long time now, people have swum at Car Crossing and many other places in the creek near town.

Children and their parents are asked not to swim in the creek especially when the saltwater crocs are moving about in the floods.

They could be anywhere in the waters near town and we do know that there are two large animals that do live in the creek behind the Ranger shed. Rangers have seen them in a roll together and dogs were taken last year. Video was posted on Facebook of one incident.

It is no longer safe to swim in the creek and any fishing while the creeks are in flood should be done with care. Keep at a safe distance away from the edge of the water. Wet season fishing for jewfish and silver perch is a popular traditional practice but must be done with care so everyone survives to enjoy their catch. Social media posts and community notices have been out. Do the right thing and use the community swimming pool when it is open. What a crocodile can do is clear with the example seen in the photo of a beast’s skull punctured by a crocodile whose front teeth punctured the brain of the animal and bitten off its nose. Stay safe and out of the water.

The power of a crocodile’s jaws

Photograph taken of the skull found by Teacher Aaron Davey and Viv Sinnamon at Starfish Story at Mu’ar, popular mud shell gathering place on the South Mitchell River bend.

Gracie and Cecil Rutland with Grandson Murphy with their flour drum full of fresh water: Topsy Creek 1970’s

WANTED

Believed to be lurking about on a shelf or in a back shed somewhere on the Cape

Once seen in their thousands Now rarely seen

Blue silver or red No matter

One only Defiance Flour Drum

Secure firmly & report the sighting

Kowanyama Collections Curator

0427 124 666 or 0447 387 449

Kowanyama Township April 2009