Rollingstone & District Lions Club Inc.

from June Rollingtone Rag 2023

Fisherman’s Landing Fishing & Social Club Inc

G’day Rollingstone, and welcome to some cooler weather! And let me start this report with a huge Congratulations to the group of volunteers who staged such a great Community Morning Tea to raise awareness of and funds for the Qld Cancer Council. A great morning of entertainment, fun and yummy food.

Well done everyone!

So what have the Lions been up to in the last month. Our Service Projects this month have included;-

 The Lions stall at the Balgal Beach Markets promoting “Who are the Lions and what do we do?” Some yummy food for sale there too!

 Another Bunnings BBQ with proceeds helping to provide Interpretive Goggles to assist Cancer Patients in their recovery at the Townsville University Hospital.

 Conducted our Monthly Sunday morning Brunch – this time we “visited” Mexico and enjoyed some great Mexican Food

 The Lions Sponsored “Your Pace or Mine” Walking Group continues– why not join the group every Wednesday afternoon for a social walk in a different location. All about promoting healthy lifestyle and Wellbeing. Check out the “Your Pace or Mine” Facebook page for details of next weeks walk, or contact Troodz Atkins direct!

 Provided Beverage Support to the Community Associations “Pot Luck Dinner”, and what a great night and guest speaker Leigh Caldwell is, promoting the terrific work she is leading by providing opportunities through dance to the “Happy Feat Dancing Group” of people with Special Abilities. Such a shame more residents didn’t avail themselves of this opportunity to support another Community hosted Activity. And very pleased too that our Club has provided Financial Support to the ”Happy Featers” on several occasions over the years to support them and their activities.

See you again next month, most probably in our Community supporting local Activities, and if you are looking for an opportunity to join a dynamic group and volunteer a little of your time to “Make a Difference” in your Community, please give me a call. We would love to talk with you!

Michelle Ambia President 0490 338 668

Rollingstone & District Leo Club

Hello Rollingstone, and a quiet month for our Leo Club. Planning continues for several events on our horizon including our Stall at the Balgal Beach Markets in July and the Rollingstone Pineapple Festival in August.

For one of our members, Past President and Townsville Youth Councillor Morgan McMahon, it has been a very exciting period with Morgan jetting off to Brisbane after being nominated for the 7NEWS QLD Young Achiever Awards. Morgan’s Family accompanied her and all enjoyed the occasion, with Morgan being a very worthy Semi-Finalist.

Congratulations Morgan on such an achievement. You are a great asset to the Rollingstone and the greater Townsville Communities, and a wonderful role model for other young people to follow. You have brought much credit to yourself, your Family and Community, and we are all incredibly proud of you and your Achievements! Well Done!

Want to know more about Leos and what we do in our local community? Please talk to any of the Leos, or contact one of our Leo Advisors:- Travis Johnson: Mob 0439 540552 or Shirley Muller: Mob 0458 156 646. It’s great to be a Rollingstone and District Leo Club Member!

LEOs = LEADERSHIP, EXPERIENCE, OPPORTUNITY (Let’s Enjoy Ourselves)

The role of a wildlife carer is fraught with challenges, sadness, elation, and complete exhaustion but we keep going on, trying to save the lives of the native animals that come into our lives.

There are many simple things that the member of the public should be aware of if they find a native animal on the ground. Most natives do not live on the ground, possums and wallabies and kangaroo babies do not live on the ground.

If you find a young one laying on the ground, it means most times the mother is not nearby unless you can see the possum mother up in the tree above you. If this happens then the baby could be reunited with its mother, but checks need to be done to make sure this does happen. Wallabies and kangaroo young laying on the ground usually means that the mother has been chased by something and has thrown her baby to save it (in her mind). The mother could go for miles and not know where she left her baby as she has been in a sheer panic. In these instances, it is unwise to leave the baby where it is as the chance of the mother returning is very slim and it leaves the baby open to all sorts of prey and the weather also. The very young are more susceptible to the weather than older furred babies and need a certain temperature to survive.

Many young birds are kidnapped by well-intended people as fledglings need to learn to fly and often land on the ground and cannot figure out how to get back up to their parents. In time the parents will sort this out but not if the bird has been taken to the vet and must go into care. Some birds will mimic an injury causing good Samaritans to remove it once again from its area.

A lot of time when animals are taken to a vet, the place it came from is not told, so the animal is unable to be returned and they could have young there or a mate in the only place they know.

If a joey is still in the pouch on the teat, you cannot pull it off as they are attached to the teat, and you can do damage. It is best to take the whole animal to someone who knows how to detach. Or you can ring wildlife care, and someone can come out. If the joey is not attached, then you can remove and keep it warm remembering if not furred they cannot radiate their heat so need to have a heat replacement. Your body or a heat pad is fine for this and will save their life. Wrapping in a blanket or towel, does not work.

These are just a few tips on how the general public can help a carer ciao

Thank you to those wonderful people who have been donating the books for our Little Library. Rudi has done a fantastic job sorting through them all. He just needs a bigger library!

Sadly, we have lost our long-term resident of Toomulla who lived here for around 30 years. Gunther (George) Duvel passed away on 25th May. He will be so happy being up there with his beloved wife & friend Sue. George will be sadly missed by his friends and especially by his boys Ben, Shane, their partners & his grandchildren who George loved to talk about. George also didn’t mind a cold VB on a hot day along with the many interesting & funny stories he would tell his friends. RIP Gunther.

Congratulations to Chloe on winning our Mother’s Day Giveaway Gift Basket. Hoping you enjoyed all the lovely gifts. Our next giveaway will be Father’s Day in September for all financial members.

Congratulations to all five Lucky Numbers winners for Round 2. Each winning $50 -Shelly S, Daryn G, Eddie R, Debbie W &

Dan C. Thank you to everyone who supported this round of lucky numbers. Round 3 will start in September. Tickets in our Winter Raffle will be for sale early July.

Just wondering if anyone has any unwanted gifts suitable to giveaway for Bingo prizes. I call Bingo each Tuesday at the St Vincents Aged Care Home in Douglas. This is my 3rd year of doing this as well as personally donating the prizes each week. So, if you would like to donate any unwanted gifts to me for prizes please give me a call – Rhonda 47707813 & I can pick them up or you can drop them at 64 Herald Street. The residents on Level 2 at St Vincents look forward to Bingo each week and winning a prize is a bonus for them. Thank you to Eddie R for your generous donation of gifts, the oldies will love them!

Well, I hope everyone enjoys the cooler weather we are experiencing now, shame it couldn’t be like this all year round. Our wonderful author Len will be back next month to write the July newsletter. Happy Birthday to all those celebrating in June. Enjoy your day!

Cheers………..Rhonda.

The working-bee on Saturday May 6th was attended by Colin, Anneshka, Julia, Ian, Don, Charlie and Wilfred. They continued track and drainage work on the rain forest track. This centrally located track allows even people with limited capabilities to experience our rare and special Wet Tropics Rain Forest on this 600m long track constructed with steps and viewing platforms. It now even has a park bench (made from recycled plastics) installed at the halfway mark. Jamie and Juanita continued cleaning up the corner of Mt Spec Road and Loop Road to make visible the previously overgrown signs directing visitors to McClelland’s Lookout and various businesses and accommodation places in the village. The next working bee will be held on the 3rd of June and will focus on giving the Community Hall a much needed spring (or autumn) clean, as hopefully we now head into the dryer months and will attack the mould in and outside the building. Come along and lend a hand, refreshments will be served after the event.

After the recent attempted break in at the Rain Forest Inn there has been a reported case of squatters taking over one of the residences along the main street, when they found the key to the property that was hidden in a "safe" place. The "visitors" helped themselves to some of the alcohol, left a mess and caused some water damage when they left a tap running. Just another reminder that our little village is not immune from these kinds of acts of wilful damage and vandalism. All property owners should reconsider and upgrade their security precautions!

The History Display reopened on Tuesday May 9th and will be open on most Tuesday Mornings through the winter months from 1100 hrs to 1300 hrs. There is no admission charge and all visitors are welcome to view the extensive photographic collection. Tea or coffee is available for a gold coin donation and there is normally a slice of cake as well. The Bird DVD is showing on the screen and copies can be purchased for $12. This is a superb collection of bird photos and videos taken by Brian O’Leary which runs for just over half an hour. We also have for sale Linda Venn’s “Paluma - The first 80 years” and an excellent book on the walking tracks in North Queensland. And if you just want to chat about the area that is OK too.

On Saturday June 24th Wattle ’n Gum will provide their Annual Bush Dance in the now regular afternoon slot from 1300 hrs to 1600 hrs. This will be preceded by a Sausage Sizzle run by the PDCA from 1200 hrs till the dance begins. The bar will also be open from 1200 hrs. This is a most entertaining afternoon and only costs a gold coin donation entry. The sausage sizzle and drinks are at very reasonable prices.

The following day, Sunday June 25th, there will be the June Markets at the Community Hall from 0900 hrs to 1300 hrs. There will be some diverse stalls and the community Cake stall in the hall and a Sausage Sizzle outside in the Gazebo. Even if you only come up for the day bring the kids who can enjoy the playground and do the Rainforest Walk. New stall holders may contact Lynn (lhyland@optusnet.com.au)

On Saturday 1st July there will be a Christmas in July social evening in the Community Hall starting at 1830 hrs. This will be on the usual “bring a plate to share” principle and it has been decided that there will be no present giving this year. Keep the date on your diary - visitors welcome.

It is with regret that we have to record the recent passing of Sid Roveda - a long time property owner of Paluma. The winter has come in with a very decided cool change seeing smoke rising from many chimneys in Paluma. Certainly it is more pronounced at our higher altitude. Day time temperatures are still hitting high 20s but overnight single figures have been the norm. However it is decidedly more pleasant than the 30º plus we have been enduring earlier in the year

It is entitled “Fire and Rain” and following on from an opening on Friday May 12th at the Perc Tucker Gallery, Len Cook - a long time resident of Paluma - will have his exhibition of some 40 years of pottery on view to August 13th. Len Cook is one of Australia’s foremost wood-fired potters. The exhibition draws together nearly 80 artworks created over 40 years of ceramic practice with loans from public and private collections, as well as key works from the artist’s own collection. The exhibition highlights the artists lifelong passion for wood-fired kilns and pots that are glazed by natural ash deposits over extended firing in traditional Japanese anagama (cave) kilns. Len Cook’s practice encompasses domestic ware, ceramic sculpture inspired by the coral forms of the Great Barrier Reef, and his anagama-fired work.

Rumour has it that there will be a celebration of Les’ 92nd Birthday on Saturday 17th June - three days after the event. There will be the usual “bring a plate to share” arrangement starting at 18:30 hrs at the hall.