Rollingstone State School

Hi Community. Well, we are back to business for 2023. The festive season and spending those hot days wading in the cool fresh water creeks or down at the beach watching the kids catching some waves feel like long distant memories. But don’t we have an awesome back yard! We are so lucky to be able to raise our families in such a fantastic area.

Rollingstone State School currently sits at 62 students. We have 3 multi-level classes with around 20 students in each class and the older students move between classes for certain subjects. We welcome our 4/5/6 teacher, Miss Ukosich to the team, and all of our new families who joined us this year. A special welcome to our big guns, our 9 prep students who are having a great time learning

Our goals haven’t changed too much from the previous years. We aim to make school as fun as possible, to focus on reading, writing and numeracy while mixing the old ways with the new. We continue to be a 1:1 iPad school and fingers and toes crossed; we should soon receive a bandwidth upgrade. This term we will begin training for cross country (if it ever dries out) while also competing in the Townsville netball competition, learning volleyball and Chappy Travis is introducing Ultimate Frisby at lunch times. We are teaming up with Bluewater State School for our Wearable Arts Designs and are working with various schools and experts all over the state when learning online with the Thuringowa State High School Virtual Stem Academy.

Term 1, wet weather always brings out our artistic students who enjoy spending lunches doing karaoke and dancing. Mrs B is now teaching music for a lunch time activity for those musical musicians. Bushkids are running an E every Tuesday in our library area. If your child is ready for Prep next year, and is currently not attending a kindy or day care, please contact our office and we can give you further information on who to contact.

Calling Out to Any Volunteers To Help with Reading:

Many of our kids no longer read at home for various reasons. Times and priorities are always changing! What we have found though, is that when reluctant readers have a chance to share and read with others, reading isn’t such a big issue. It even becomes enjoyable to the extent where they are asking to read with others every day. Students have a book/text of their choice and read with a volunteer for 10 to 15 min. Volunteers only have to sit, enjoy, and share in the story or discussion with the student. Reading for enjoyment! :). If you have some spare time in the afternoons between 1:45 to 3pm, please give the office a call on 47707313. Your support is truly appreciated.

Possum and Pumpkin Cafe and Djindal Bayanyu EcoRetreat.

In December 2022, a new cafe and guest house was opened at Paluma. It is located opposite McClellands Lookout and was previously called Paluma Dreaming, and various other names over it’s 40 year history. Unfortunately it was closed for a decade and the buildings became run down, and the garden overgrown with weeds.

It was discovered in July 2021 by Leonie and Mark (Possum and Pumpkin) who were travelling around Australia, and they decided to rescue and restore it. For the next 18 months they repaired and renovated the cafe and guest rooms, and planted a variety of native and exotic trees and flowers in the garden. The name Djindal Bayanyu which means “Singing Waterfalls” in Nywaigi was chosen to acknowledge the indigenous people who thrived in the rainforest for centuries. They walked up from the coastal plains to escape the heat and moved through a network of paths connecting many waterfalls and pools. Some of these paths are still used as walking tracks today.

The cafe is open Thursday to Sunday from 10.30am until 4.30pm and serves excellent coffee, a selection of teas, and other hot and cold drinks. Home-made savoury and sweet food is available including scones jam and cream, bruschetta, ham and cheese croissants, and variety of cakes and slices. Gluten free treats are also freshly baked. The cafe’s covered deck provides patrons with strategic viewing for butterflies and birds that are attracted to the lush grounds. Accommodation is also available with ensuites and kitchenettes, plus the option of adjoining rooms for groups and families.

Phone or text: 0490 387 650 for accommodation or 0405 319 931 to check opening times for cafe, or to book a catered group event. Email: 7Djindal@gmail.com

AED (Defibrillator) available at Paluma Community Hall for public use (near the main entrance door to the hall up the ramp)

It is quite momentous to be reporting a new business opening in Paluma and when it is a Second Eatery it is quite an occasion for the Community. On Wednesday December 28, Mark and Leonie opened the doors of “Djindal Banyanyu” Eco Resort on Loop Road as a café and accommodation venue and were surprised how busy they were on that first day. There are full details in an article elsewhere in this “Rollingstone Rag”. In addition to Coffee and Teas the Café provides a selection of non-alcoholic drinks and some excellent scones and other pastries as shown on their blackboard. The café is open Thursday to Sunday. The weekend is usually busy with families and bush walkers. On Thursday and Friday it has been mainly travellers or people coming up for a drive or bike ride who are surprised there is a cafe open. They were also pleased to have guests in their accommodation right at the beginning.

It was a great boon to have it open over the January School Holiday period as the “Rainforest Inn” was closed at that time because Jenny and Neil were away when Jenny’s mother passed away. The Inn re-opened on January 28 and at present is open on Saturday and Sunday.

Socials: Although it was a day early Paluma welcomed the Chinese New Year on Saturday January 21 with a dinner at the Community Hall. The Paluma Community Hall was bathed in red on Saturday night for the Lunar New Year with a large crowd gathering to mark the event. Where else but Paluma could you spend your Saturday evening commemorating Chinese New Year, Water Rabbits, four birthdays and a Scottish poet. But celebrate we did. There was a banquet of the most amazing food, many Chinese inspired dishes plus an array of other sumptuous treats. Michele’s vote for the dish of the night was Tony and Julie’s contribution of roast pork – cooked to perfection and a very generous contribution to the community dinner. Many were heard to comment that the pork crackling was the ‘best they have ever tasted’. Quite a few people tried to ply Tony for his secret in creating the perfect pork crackling, but I don’t think anyone was successful in extracting the secret recipe.

January is filled with Paluma birthdays and so we celebrated with black forest cake and other desserts. Don’s birthday was Sunday 20 and Colwyn’s birthday was the week before. Whilst Colwyn couldn’t join us on Saturday night she is ever-present in our thoughts. Mark and Leonie celebrate their birthday mid week – on the same day. A rowdy chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ echoed from the Hall. Speaking of singing, Les paid tribute to Scottish poet Robert Burns with a rendition of his own favourite Burns poem in song. He belted out a tune, helped along the way by Beth. Burns Night was on Wednesday evening, so a good excuse for a wee dram.

The next Social will be on Saturday March 18 and will be the annual St Patrick’s night at the Hall at 18.30hrs. Bring a plate to share and if it is a bit Irish so much the better. There will be a few black bottles [Guinness] at the bar and, of course, the usual beer, wine, and spirits. These will be dispensed by Lynda Radbone - after some decades Les has had to hand over the bar person’s job to someone who has better hearing of what the customers want!

Working Bees: Wilfred announced that he would be having two work days on the Tracks, particularly the Village track, on January 7 and February 4. He got good support for both which were held from 14.00 hrs on each Saturday and there is a marked improvement in the Village track. They normally end with a visit to the bar in the Hall.

Weather: We can only say that the wet season has started with a vengeance. The fact that we have regular reporting of rainfall on the BOM site by Barry Smith, Peter Cooke, Rick Roveda and Tracy Cooper and occasionally others, is wonderful after a dearth of information from “Ivy Cottage” over many years. The new gauge is situated at the rear of the Community Centre but still retains the “Ivy Cottage” name and number. The total recorded for the year 2022 was 2377.1mm. Quite a high total but nowhere near the huge totals in 1981[4676mm] 1998 [3553mm], 2009 [3933mm] & 2019 [5762mm]. The last three are Les’ recordings out on the 5 acre blocks. Although in 2023 there have been a very few dry days January 6 recorded 106.4mm and was bettered on January 29 with 108.00mm. February brought 96mm on the 4th and 99.6mm on the 10th so we have been well saturated and anyone with a dam is full and likewise for those with tanks. Fortunately there have not been many trees blocking the roads and only a few small slips on the range road.

Easter Market: Our favourite Easter Sunday market will be on again this year. 9.0013.00 on 9th April. A good variety of stalls will be set up in the hall and the Sausage Sizzle will run out in the park gazebo. The Village Green is a great place for the kids to run about or utilise the playground. Why not venture down the refurbished Rainforest Walk with the family. Stall holders can contact Lynn <lynnhyland@optusnet.com.au>

Diary date: Paluma & District Community Association Inc. A.G.M. Sat. 1st April. Free BBQ Lunch 12.00-13.00 to be followed by AGM and General meeting.

Leonie & Mark with Birthday cake [both on the same day] with Don Battersby

St. Patrick’s Layered Jelly Slice.

Ingredients:

Layer 1: 2 cups pretzels, crushed, 3/4 cup butter melted, 3 tab. sugar

Layer 2: 1 x (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 x (8 oz.) container cool whip (about2cups),food coloring, green

Layer 3: 1 x (6 oz.) box lime jelly, 2 cups boiling water, 1 x (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained

Layer 4:1 x 8-ounce container cool whip (about2cups)

Directions:

Layer 1:1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Mix pretzels, butter and sugar. Press into 13×9″ baking dish and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Layer 2:1. Beat together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in cool whip, and tint green with food coloring. 2. Spread over cooled pretzel crust and refrigerate until well chilled.

Layer 3:Dissolve jelly in boiling water. Add pineapple. Allow mixture to cool and set slightly beforepouring over cream cheese mixture.

Layer 4: Top with cool whip when layer 3 is completely set.