SM156_Shift Miner Magazine

SHIFT MINER The Queensland mining and gas community’s best source of local news

Locally Owned & Operated

www.shiftminer.com

Monday March 4, 2013 156th Edition

M A G A Z I N E

JOBS RUSH WELDERS IN SHORT SUPPLY

If you’re a first-class welder Bechtel wants you now for its Curtis Island LNG project.

Âť Â Â More Page 13.

/ 9 ",-" /",-

The Partners: John Taylor - LL.B Sharon Smith - BEc/LL.B Hons Craig Worsley - LL.B

Greg ĂŠ

Carroll

/ ĂŠ* ,/ ,-\ ÂœÂ…Â˜ĂŠ/>ĂžÂ?ÂœĂ€ĂŠÂ‡ĂŠ ° -Â…>Ă€ÂœÂ˜ĂŠ-Â“ÂˆĂŒÂ…ĂŠÂ‡ĂŠ VÉ ° ĂŠ ÂœÂ˜Ăƒ

Ă€>ˆ}ĂŠ7ÂœĂ€ĂƒÂ?iÞʇÊ ° Ă€i}ĂŠ >Ă€Ă€ÂœÂ?Â?

* ,-" ĂŠ 1,9ĂŠ -

/7", ĂŠ

/ "/",ĂŠ6 ĂŠ

/URY CLAIMS -1, É/* Ê

"

6 9

*…œ˜iĂŠ{™xÇÊә{{ĂŠĂŠ >Ă?ĂŠ{™xĂ‡ĂŠĂ“Ă¤ÂŁĂˆ ĂœĂœĂœÂ°ĂŒ>ĂžÂ?ÂœĂ€ĂƒÂ‡ĂƒÂœÂ?ˆVÂˆĂŒÂœĂ€ĂƒÂ°Vœ“°>Ă• i“>ˆÂ?\ʓ>ˆÂ?JĂŒ>ĂžÂ?ÂœĂ€ĂƒÂ‡ĂƒÂœÂ?ˆVÂˆĂŒÂœĂ€ĂƒÂ°Vœ“°>Ă• iĂ›iÂ?ÊÓÉ£ÇÊ Ă€ÂˆĂƒL>˜iĂŠ-ĂŒĂ€iiĂŒĂŠ >VÂŽ>Ăž

ĂŠĂŠĂŠĂŠĂŠ -/ / ĂŠ 7ĂŠĂŠĂŠĂŠĂŠ " , ĂŠ 7

World-first pipe-laying feat in Gladstone Harbour.

Âť Â Â See pictures Page 11.

Shift Miner Magazine

CONTENTS NEWS 11 11

4

Cairns gets FIFO boost

6

Coal dust tests start

9 Moranbah

airport opens

6

14

12 Pipeline hits

10

19

Numbers You Numbers Numbers Can CountYou On** You

Can Count On Can Count On* *When audited by the CAB Numbers You audited * by the CAB *When audited the *When CAB On CanbyCount *When audited by the CAB

M A G A Z I N E

www.shiftminer.com M AE G A www.shiftminer.com I N E M AMGA AG ZA I Z N I N E Z www.shiftminer.com

Queensland mining community's best source of local news

SHIFT MINER

Proudly Audited by

Proudly Audited by

Proudly Audited Proudly Audited by by

Locally Owned and Operated

new depths

Regulars

7 Stuff to the Editor 1 18 Frank the Tank 24 Miner’s Trader 25 Sport 27 Money Matters

www.shiftminer.com

Phone: (07) 4921 4333 Fax: (07) 4922 6908 angus.peacocke@shiftminer.com Editor: Greg Sweetnam Advertising: Angus Peacocke 0428 154 653

www.shiftminer.com

M A G A Z I NForEmore information visit www.auditbureau.org.au For more information visit www.auditbureau.org.au

Published fortnightly by Fitzroy Publishing Pty Ltd A.B.N 72122739879 PO Box 1440, Rockhampton Q 4700

For more information visit www.auditbureau.org.au

For more information visit www.auditbureau.org.au

Invoice Today & Get Paid Today!

*

Yes, there is an alternative to a business overdraft.

We’ll show you how to take the handbrake off your business & put your cashflow back into gear.

Call: 1300 788 945 or Bruce Meredith: 0448 052 069 www.cashflowfinance.com.au

Reliable Debtor Finance Solutions *Conditions apply.

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Cairns shares in FIFO love

Cairns is to get 250 more fly-in, fly-out workers with 1000 people applying for the roles in less than a day and this could be their home.

25 people as a trial, but they are taking 25 per cent of their workforce out of Cairns.”

Mr Blockey’s role is part of a federally funded pilot project that came out of the National Resource Sector Workforce Strategy in 2011 to look at ways

rate,” said FIFO coordinator Jeremy Blockey, who has been working for three years to get Cairns a slice of Queensland’s mining pie.

“It has been an achievement,” he told Shift Miner. “BMA could have said they would take

LESS than a day after BMA’s announcement that it will recruit its fly-in, fly-out workforce exclusively from Brisbane and Cairns, more than 1300 Cairns residents had applied for the 250 positions.

“A pretty strong response

to fill the skills shortage in the mining industry.

The Cairns Institute at James Cook University was commissioned to undertake research to better understand the strengths and capability of the existing and the potential FIFO workforce based in the Cairns region.

“FIFO was one of the strategies and the pilot project arose out of Cairns’ higher level of unemployment and its relative proximity to mines,” he said.

Mr Blockey said one of his first meetings was with BMA in November 2011 and there has been a continuous dialogue about the company’s recruitment needs.

“I tried to understand what their needs were and then things went a bit quiet.”

Then BMA announced it would start production at its Daunia mine this year and at Caval Ridge in 2014.

“Of the 1000 jobs, 250 of them are out of Cairns. It is certainly where we were aiming at,” he said.

“We can talk all we like about liveability, but we have to show the mines that we have the people with the set of skills.”

There are now almost 4000 applicants for the positions, which includes those with no mining experience.

Cairns Mayor Councillor Bob Manning said the announcement was significant in that it reflected a confidence in Cairns to be a major labour reservoir for FIFO operations.

“This is the first announcement of this type from such a major corporate alliance,” Cr Manning said.

“The workforce required for these two ventures could have been sourced entirely from Brisbane, but they have chosen to share the opportunities with Cairns and we are very appreciative of that.

“The entire Cairns community will benefit from the flow-on effects of this decision because it represents a potential injection of upwards of $60 million into this economy annually.”

If you build it, they will come

People want to choose where they live.

IF YOU create a liveable town, people will choose to live there.

This is the message from Capricorn Enterprise chief executive, Mary Carroll.

“I do find it humorous when towns argue who has more FIFO or DIDO,” she told Shift Miner. “If you make your regions attractive to live in, have sports, recreation, and partners of miners have opportunities, then ultimately people will make their own choice.”

COAL TRAIN STANDARD 11

4

4th March 2013

able to negotiate where we work,” Ms Carroll said.

“The good thing about the mining industry is that it gives that choice and families can choose to live where they want.”

No one can force people to live where they don’t want to live and because mining has a finite life, 90 per cent of people choose to live on the coast, she said.

“If any town wants to grow their residential share of mining

$500 Surface (normally $650)

$550 Surface & Underground

ON SALE

www.coaltrain.com.au

Ms Carroll said governments need to stop fighting FIFO and instead allow people to make the choice as to where they live.

This is after a senate inquiry into FIFO/DIDO warned that if its recommendations were ignored, current FIFO/DIDO practices could destroy regional towns.

“We live in a more sophisticated society where we are financially better off than our parents were and we are better

61 Queen Street Yeppoon 4703

(normally $800)

THROUGHOUT MARCH AND APRIL

Ph: 07 4939 1445

Email: admin@coaltrain.com.au

families, then councils and the community need to make the place great to live in.”

Coastal cities will always get the lion’s share of mining residents, she argued.

“Wives and children need to be in towns where there is retail, sports, education and community events. That won’t change, so growth of in-migration to Rocky and Capricorn Coast will continue.”

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Land use questioned FAST at council table NEWS LOCAL councils and the coal seam gas sector are on a collision course over what is suitable agricultural land use.

Last Wednesday Western Downs Regional Council had before it at its regular meeting a proposal by QGC to plant thousands of white gums over 750-hectares at Woleebee, about 35km south-west of Wandoan.

QGC owns the land, known as Greenacres, and also plans to put irrigation in for beef cattle and crops.

But trees are an emotive issue in rural areas and there are many graziers in the Surat Basin that are angry good cropping land may go under trees for 20 years or more.

Mayor Ray Brown said the issue had created a lot of discussion and debate and

that had prompted council to seek advice and input from the state government before making a decision.

“To me it’s a poor man’s evaporation plot,” he told Shift Miner.

“It’s good quality land beef and light cropping. A lot of landholders are upset that there will be no food or fibre produced off it for 25 years (if planted).

“Is that beneficial to the region?”

Cr Brown, himself a landholder and someone that has always been open and pragmatic about industry coming to the region, said appropriate intensive land use had to be good for locals and good for the country.

He said there were some concerns that the plot would be the first of many

Mayor Ray Brown

planted by coal seam gas companies across Queensland as they tried to manage water generated by their processes.

New ways had to be found to use the water Cr Brown said, and not just use it to water trees.

The irrigation component of the proposal was “okay” he said but the forest and irrigation were put before council as one item and so

had to be dealt with together.

QGC’s application covers a total of a 1000-hectares or about 20 per cent of the Greenacres property.

The scheme would use drip irrigation for a regionally endemic Chinchilla white gum timber plantation for three-quarters of the land.

The property is presently approved for farming and QGC was seeking a change to intensive agriculture.

If the project eventually proceeds, the trees will be irrigated with about 20 megalitres of treated water a day from QGC’s gasfields around Wandoan.

A decision on whether the project proceeds as presented

by QGC will be made by council later this year after it receives feedback from the state government.

Investment drops

MONEY spent in mining is to dip in the next financial year, says the Bureau of Statistics. Latest figures show the 201314 expectation for mining investment was expected to drop by 8.9 per cent.

Investment this year is projected at $105.1 billion, compared with $108.1 billion three months earlier. Mining companies expect to spend $100.2 billion in Australia next year. Economists had been expecting investments of between $130 billion to $150 billion.

Mastermyne warning MASTERMYNE has warned earnings will fall in the next six months. The Mackay-based company released its figures late last week. It posted a 2.2 per cent rise in half-year profits to $8 million, off revenue growth of 14.3 per cent to $142 million. Margins fell due to lower equipment hire rates and relocating equipment. Full-year profits could be between $12 million and $13 million, the company predicts.

Rooms NOW Available Stay a day, a week, a month.

All inclusive special rates.

Bookings 1300 622 222

themac.com.au 4th March 2013

5

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Rail users back independent coal emission tests

INDEPENDENT monitoring of coal dust escaping from uncovered train wagons passing through Brisbane starts this week.

The Queensland Resources Council has confirmed the move and said the tests would be paid for by the users of the line.

New Hope Group, Peabody Energy and Yancoal and infrastructure providers Aurizon, Queensland Rail and Queensland Bulk Handling are members of the South Western System User’s Group that will chip in for the tests.

Resident action group Stop Brisbane Coal Trains (SPTC) has been agitating for all loads to be covered, but that would add an estimated $1 million to $3 million to the cost of transport on the corridor per year. The group has mounted a clever social media campaign to highlight the issue and gain support.

An estimated 9.2 million tonnes of coal is expected to be exported from the Port of Brisbane this financial year, up from 6.3 million in 2009-10.

The trains pass through more than 30 suburbs including Darra, Goodna, Tennyson, Yeronga,

Coorparoo, Norman Park and Lindum. Regional centres have also had problems with uncovered coal trains as have residents close to large coal storage areas when wind can blow dust for long distances.

Queensland Resources Council Chief Executive Michael Roche told Shift Miner tests will obtain baseline information on dust and particle levels at key sites adjacent to the rail corridor.

Monitoring will be conducted for a month at Oakey, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Tennyson, Fairfield and Coorparoo. Monitoring will also be done at Chelmer which is not adjacent to the coal corridor to give a control measure.

“Where possible, the monitoring is being conducted at the same locations used for a Queensland Rail coal dust monitoring study in 1999,” Mr Roche said.

An independent agency – the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Sciences Branch of the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA) – is conducting the monitoring.

Chinchilla rents realistic in CSG boom HOUSING pressure in the burgeoning CSG town of Chinchilla has eased over the past few months.

Rents have come down and supply is good, according to local insurance broker and the newly-elected President of Chinchilla Community, Commerce & Industry Inc. Jason Johnstonn.

“There is constant development going on to manage the demand that comes with all resource towns,” he told Shift Miner.

“There are still people sleeping in caravan parks at the showgrounds but I think that may be by choice because they believe the rents are too dear.

“There are a large number of houses

Quality doesn’t have to mean slow Mining, Earth moving, Hydraulics and Agriculture

Transport

General manufacturing and Fabrication

Motor sport, boating and leisure

Specialising in the timely delivery of on-spec components for your business.

www.dweonline.net

M: 0448 243 343 E: darylweng@gmail.com

6

4th March 2013

dwe Daryl Watson Engineering

being developed and the rents seem realistic for rents in resource centre towns. The types of rents here go handin-hand with what happens in resource centre towns.”

The cheapest rental listing for Chinchilla on www.realestate.com.au this week was $320 for a two bedroom, unfurnished unit in Mann Street. Pick of the day was a fully furnished two bedroom cottage on a farm at $400 a week. A four bedroom executive home in Ainsworth Street was listed at the top end of the range at $1200 a week.

The same website lists a 16 unit development with 2 and 3 bedroom units for sale at $960,000 each off the plan.

Professional property market watcher Terry Ryder reckons Chinchilla has the potential for some double digit growth in value this year.

That’s on top of a similar performance in 2012, making it attractive for investors.

When he spoke to Shift Miner he highlighted that Chinchilla had risen 11 per cent in average value over the past year, slightly behind Roma (13 per cent)

and on par with Miles (11 per cent).

“They have had good strong growth but it hasn’t been astronomical,” he says. “That’s because the resource projects around these towns have a big life cycle in them.”

Mr Ryder says the Surat Basin towns also had the advantage of having a reason to exist beyond coal and gas and that made them a safer longterm investment location compared to places, such as Moranbah, that are totally reliant on mining.

Since 2003 Chinchilla house prices have increased by more than 370 per cent and during the same period the value of homes in Miles has increased by more than 400 per cent.

Perhaps now those prices are slowing and taking some of the financial pressure off locals. In the meantime Mr Johnstonn says business people are working hard to retain a country feel to Chinchilla.

“Our focus is on liveability,” he says.

“We want healthy growth and we want to hold onto that small country town liveability.”

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Give local business a go GEA general manager Carli Hobbs.

A GLADSTONE industry group says it broadly supports a policy that gives Australian businesses an increased opportunity to tender for major projects.

This comes after the federal government’s recent

announcement that large companies will be required by law to give local firms the opportunity to bid for contracts before they are sent offshore.

Gladstone Engineering Alliance general manager Carli Hobbs told Shift Miner this approach was not a new idea to the GEA. “We try to assist our members to gain an introduction in major projects by encouraging them to be innovative, develop competitive capability and improve their capacity,” she said.

Ms Hobbs said the GEA has been assisting members to have systems in place to meet industry best practice so they can tender for big projects, and there was

a strong emphasis on industry development.

“Gladstone companies working on major projects continue to demonstrate that they can successfully compete against global competitors to win work supplying goods and services to the LNG, coal and other major projects currently under constructions in the region,” she said.

Over the past few years, local engineers have lost out with resource companies taking to modularisation, where different parts of a large piece of infrastructure are built separately in lower cost Asian countries and then assembled on site.

“Australia is an expensive

place to live, and in a way we are our own worst enemies as we continue to compete with each other resulting in paying ourselves more and more,” Ms Hobbs said.

“So we do have to think smarter and be innovative, while those who are purchasing need to think about the quality and end product. It is all very well to continue to have modules for major projects built overseas, where labour costs are cheaper, but it is imperative to make sure quality is 100 per cent.”

A common criticism has been that getting a piece of the CSG action is very difficult unless you are large and have a proven track record.

Queensland Resource Council

has criticised the plan as being another hindrance on the sector and one that’s not necessary.

“The additional local content regulation proposed for the resources sector is based on a completely misplaced premise that Australian industry is not getting a fair shake in being able to supply goods and services to resources sector projects and operations,” chief executive Michael Roche said.

“In fact, the opposite is the case.”

Mr Roche said analysis by the Minerals Council of Australia showed that in 2009, of the mining industry’s total demand for goods and services of $86 billion, some $76 billion (88 per cent) was supplied by Australian business.

Western Downs families Rumoured CSG ear bleed to get online medical help report never released WESTERN Downs families will be able to connect with medical specialists from the middle of this year with the establishment of an innovative telehealth service.

Coal seam gas company QGC is investing $1.3 million into the service, which will enable families in Dalby, Chinchilla and Miles to have online consultations with specialists in Brisbane and Toowoomba.

The investment also funds the telehealth service’s running costs for the first two years..

The Health e-REGIONS service will be run by The University of Queensland’s Centre for Online Health, with assistance from the university’s main research commercialisation company, UniQuest.

Patients will have access to the broadest online network of specialist

paediatric, geriatric and aged-care services in Australia at participating hospitals, general practitioners and aged-care facilities.

Under this system patients can have specialist appointments by video conference, reducing the need for long-distance travel for face-to-face consultations which can be expensive and physically demanding for the ill and frail.

QGC vice president sustainability Brett Smith said the project reflected QGC’s commitment to rural health services.

“Community health is a key focus of our $150 million social contribution through which we manage social impacts and maximise benefits from our Queensland Curtis LNG project,” Mr Smith said.

The service will start at Dalby Hospital by the middle of 2013.

QUEENSLAND Health has issued an urgent communiqué to medical staff across the Tara gasfields to be on the lookout for nausea, vomiting, headaches, nose bleeds, rashes or bleeding from the ear.

Any medical staff observing the symptoms have been requested to report to the Toowoomba based public health unit.

The decision by Queensland Health to issue the warning, follows rumours that a just - released - independent study

has found evidence of high levels of methane and carbon dioxide on a coal seam gas field near Tara.

However Shift Miner can confirm that no such studies have been completed or released, and the rumours are likely to have come from “unconfirmed” web based reports in the media.

At the time of printing Shift Miner was unable to reach Queensland Health or key CSG industry professionals for comment .

Shift Miner Magazine can confirm that no such studies have been completed or released, and the rumours are likely to have come from “unconfirmed” web based reports in the media.

4th March 2013

7

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Dredging threatens WWII crash site

The dumping ground for mud from the dredging for the Abbot Point coal terminal expansion is in jeopardy after revelations the site is 1.2 nautical miles away from a World War II plane crash site (pictured).

THE proposed sea dumping ground for the Abbot Point coal terminal expansion is in jeopardy after revelations the site is 1.2 nautical miles away from a World War II plane crash site.

In 1943, a Catalina A24-24 came down and sank about five nautical miles off Bowen.

While two RAAF servicemen were rescued, another 14 went down with the plane, and their bodies remain with the wreckage.

Bowen dive instructor Ann Mecklem and her husband Brian have been diving the wreck for nine years.

She told Shift Miner she was shocked to find out the proposed

dumping ground for three million cubic metres of dredging material was so close to the site.

“I just don’t think the NQBP [North Queensland Bulk Ports] knew it was there; they couldn’t have known,” she said.

“But it should make all of us stop and think that just dumping something out at sea doesn’t make it out of sight out of mind.

You don’t know what is going to be buried.”

Ms Mecklem is one of many local business owners in Bowen to have lodged a submission about the impact of the dredging project. But most in town don’t want to see the project derailed.

In fact, there is a huge level of support for the expansion that will bring much-needed jobs and growth to the region.

“We run a hotel in town too, and we want this project to go ahead; we are by no means antiport,” said Ms Mecklem. “But we are against the mud being dumped at sea, and especially in its current location, given its potential to cover up the Catalina wreckage.”

“I would just be shocked if it was allowed to go ahead, given how many people perished. It would be a disgrace if it was allowed to continue.”

The Federal Member for

Dawson George Christensen has been listening to local concerns, and he too has grave reservations about the dredging project.

The port, in order to achieve the depths required for new coal berths, needs to move up to three million cubic metres of material from an 180 hectare site.

NQBP is proposing to dump that material about 25 kilometres offshore in 40 metres of water.

While the project is far smaller than the 26 million cubic metres being dredged further south in the Gladstone harbour for the LNG industry, Mr Christensen is still concerned about its impact on fishing.

“The big problem is the location of where they are going to dispose of the dredging material. Nobody is happy with that,” he told Shift Miner.

Mr Christensen would prefer to see the material dumped on land but has been told it would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. He wants a proper figure produced so the real cost can be considered, and the federal government could look at offsetting it.

He also believes the NQPB has significantly underestimated the fishing activity that occurs in the current dumping ground.

“One commercial fisherman told me that between April and September he took 15 tonnes of Spanish mackerel in the area.

That is going to destroy people’s livelihoods,” he said.

As for its proximity to the World War II crash site, Mr Christensen said there were already discussions underway about how to protect the site by having it properly listed as a heritage landmark.

“It’s just not appropriate to dump this right next to a World War II crash site. We wouldn’t do something like that on land, so why would we do it in the water?”

Mr Christensen said if dumping the material on land is ruled out because of costs and environmental consequences, then a new position out at sea must be found.

“My preference is not out at sea, but apart from extreme green groups nobody wants this project stopped. The expansion will be a catalyst for business opportunities and grown in Bowen and it’s a town that has stagnated for some time. So a solution must be found.”

Tune into the Michael J. Breakfast show from 7:35 am every Monday for 4RO's CQ Mining Update, with special guest Angus from Shift Miner.

Michael Bailey

Greg Cary

Alan Jones

Laurie Atlas

Weekdays 5am - 9am

NOW WITH MORE NEWS, MORE TALK AND THE MUSIC YOU LOVE WWW.4RO.COM.AU

8

4th March 2013

Weekdays 12pm - 1pm PHONE: 1300 872 911

Weekdays 9am - 12pm

Weekdays 1pm - 6pm

SALES ENQUIRIES: (07) 4920 2000

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Hastings apprentices on, but no new jobs

Hastings Deering has set up a facility in Brisbane which holds over $200 million of parts to support an expanded product line.

EIGHTY apprentices have been put on at Hastings Deering’s Central Queensland workshops, but that’s where the new jobs end in 2013.

“We have put on those apprentices, but certainly we are moving towards a time where we look at efficiency, and upskilling

our existing workforce through training,” Managing Director Scott Cameron told Shift Miner.

“The outlook for jobs is steady as she goes, not grow, grow grow.”

It’s been a massive 12 months for Hastings Deering since it took over the former Bucyrus distribution network to become

the world’s first Caterpillar dealer to sell, service and support the expanded range of surface and underground mining equipment.

There are a huge number of legacy Bucyrus machines on Queensland mine sites, and Mr Cameron said the acquisition wasn’t smooth sailing at the start.

“The first few months were pretty rocky, but I’d say we have settled down substantially since then. Am I happy with where we are? Not entirely, because there are always things you can do to improve.”

Mr Cameron said the part support program for those former Bucyrus machines would be progressively integrated into the standard Cat system - but it would take time.

Over the past 12 months, the company has sold a record number of mining trucks and equipment including a number of hydraulic shovels, long wall systems and electric rope shovels.

To keep up with demand, $90 million has been invested into parts and component inventories.

Cat has set up a facility in Brisbane which hold over $200 million of parts to support the expanded product line.

Given lower coal prices, Mr Cameron said optimism in the sector had certainly shifted.

“But I have been with the company for 20 years and over that period we have seen

strong growth, and there is certainly strong opportunity there in the future.

“In the short term we would probably see our period of rapid growth is coming to an end, and it is becoming more about efficiency so our money goes to training and upskilling.

We have inventory we have to lighten up on, but of course that is part of the normal cycle and will be managed.”

The company has its eye to the future, and recently purchased a $2.6 million piece of land adjacent to its current site in Mackay’s Paget industrial precinct. Its current workshop sits on 5.5 hectares, but another 17,000m2 has been added with the purchase.

“We don’t want to find ourselves landlocked when we need that room in the future,” said Mr Cameron.

“The land is there when we need the branch to grow, it is currently being used as a laydown area and for storage but in terms of buildings that’s probably a few years away.”

Dysart gets help to Owners call for ban cope with FIFO health in Lake Eyre Basin A NEW medical centre in Dysart is a need, not a luxury, according to Isaac Regional Mayor Anne Baker.

She was speaking at the announcement of $750,000 Royalties for Regions funding for the centre. Three-quarters of a million dollars may seem like a lot but it isn’t much when you’re a council area that is bearing the brunt of Australia’s boom in fly-in, flyout workers and your services aren’t coping.

“This project is a must, not a luxury or a bonus – it is simply the right thing to do for a community that has struggled under the weight of intensive resource activity,” Cr Baker said.

“That’s why we fought so hard to get this funding, in collaboration with local health practitioners, passionate community members and Dysart Councillor Nick Wheeler.”

Cr Baker described existing medical facilities as sub-par and also had an uncertain future under lease arrangements.

She said the funding was desperately needed to provide the levels of care required for any self-sustaining community, let alone one of Queensland’s most historic mining communities such as Dysart.

“Isaac has been doing the economic heavy lifting for Queensland for decades

now, and all we need in return is the right level of support to deliver more family housing of an affordable nature, so our community can grow sustainably.”

She added that Isaac should be receiving a large portion of the Royalties for Regions funding, given the region is home to 29 of the State’s 56 active coal mines, substantially more than any other region in Queensland.

“Despite being ground zero for the population, development and other challenges of the resource industry expansion, Isaac receives very little support from key stakeholders and government,” Cr Baker said.

Dysart has a residential population of around 3450 people but when nonresident workers are taken into account, the population is around 5530 people.

The town’s general practice currently operates from a renovated Department of Communities house on a temporary basis.

The new medical centre with have three consulting rooms and two treatment rooms on Queensland Health land at the hospital. It will house two GPs, two part-time practice nurses and visiting allied health specialists such as dentists, chiropractors and optometrists.

A CONFERENCE in Longreach has set out a communique to government to outline how it wants the Queensland Channel country managed and preserved from mining.

Graziers, scientists and traditional owners in Western Queensland attended the Longreach meeting last week and came to what they were describing to media as an “historic” agreement that calls for a special Act of Parliament to manage rivers in the Lake Eyre Basin.

They have sent their concerns to the Queensland and South Australian premiers and the Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke. There has been no reaction from state or federal government as yet.

The group wants no further irrigation in the basin and is also demanding a ban on mining in the rivers and floodplains of Queensland’s Channel country.

Speaker at the conference Tom Crothers, a water consultant, says he believes mining expansion is going to be a big issue in the region.

“Since 2004 up to 2012, there’s been a huge expansion in the tenements issued in the Lake Eyre basin,” he said.

“It has potential for a lot of impact

both with mining operations or even construction of pipelines on the floodplains. It’s got some big potential to divert water in places.”

At the same time, the Queensland Government has announced the release of 2364 square kilometres of land for mineral exploration near Bedourie in the southwest of the state (see story page 13).

That land was formerly classified as restricted or greenfield land which allows the government to control the release of the land to exploration.

The Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps says there’s sufficient data to suggest the land is rich enough in minerals to warrant exploration.

“Historically and currently has got a lot of operations which are yielding copper and gold, silver, lead and zinc and even of course rare earths and in the future, hopefully, uranium,” he said.

“The government maintains the restricted areas and controls the release of the areas until we’ve got disaster supporting the prospectivity of the land.”

“It’s got some big potential to divert water in places.”

4th March 2013

9

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Industry strengthens communities one job at a time

First-year hospitality trainee Robin Redshaw is one of the first of potentially hundreds of young people to start working under QGC’s three-year Strengthening Local Workforces Program.

AN industry-backed scheme matching apprentices with nonresource sector businesses is putting more young people into work in the regions.

First-year hospitality trainee Robin Redshaw is one of the first of potentially hundreds of young people to start working under QGC’s three-year Strengthening Local Workforces Program.

She is one of two trainees at Dicey’s Bar and Grill in Gladstone who has been enjoying the program and is completing her Certificate III in Hospitality.

Launched in February 2012 as part of QGC’s Social Impact Management Plan (SIMP), the company has partnered with apprentice solutions organisation BUSY At Work to match young apprentices and trainees with businesses outside the coal seam gas industry in regional Queensland.

The $3.2million program provides support, mentoring and coaching to help boost retention and completion rates of apprentices and trainees. It was launched to overcome the shortage of apprentices in nonresource industry jobs.

Grill manager Ray Manning says Robin is doing well and is a supporter of the program.

“This program allows everyone to achieve and fulfil their goals and Robin is very trustworthy and reliable,” he says.

“The program offers an extra pair of hands for the manager as they don’t always have the time to spend with the trainee.

“The mentoring and coaching is a great support for us and Robin also, the extra support takes a load off management.”

Recently Robin was awarded employee of the month at Dicey’s Irish Bar and Grill so she’s already on the right path.

The QGC Strengthening Local Workforces Program supports local businesses in Western Downs, Gladstone, North Burnett and Banana Shire local government areas. Participation is free for businesses in those regions.

The program matches local businesses with the right apprentice or trainee and then provides a structured mentoring program to support participating apprentices and trainees towards completing their qualification.

Moranbah airport no longer a virgin IF you leave it until the last minute, a one-way plane ticket into - or out of Moranbah can cost you $700.

But when Virgin Australia enters the marketplace in April - bringing with it three return flights on weekdays, and one return service on Sundays - it’s hoped fares will drop.

“A bit of competition never hurt anyone,” said Lyn Busk from the Moranbah Traders’ Association.

“At the moment, unless you book well in advance a plane ticket out of Moranbah can cost $700 and locals can’t afford that. It really is designed around fly-in, fly-out and it hasn’t been helping our community much at all.”

But with Virgin announcing fares will go on sale starting at $99 one way, Ms Busk is feeling more optimistic.

“That is worth it for locals who would otherwise have to drive three hours into Mackay with all the roadworks and pay to park at the airport,” she says.

“It’s also great news from a business point of view, making it much easier to get down to Brisbane for meetings and workshops.”

The town’s airport is owned by mining giant BMA, and the company has recently spent $46 million on an upgrade including a new terminal, pick-up and drop-off areas as well as parking.

Traffic at the airport has increased dramatically over the past few years as the region’s workforce grows along with project activity.

In 2010-11 there was an average of 13 flights a week, jumping to 80 return flights in the current financial year.

Virgin’s announcement adds another 16 flights per week to the mix.

Virgin flights between Brisbane and Moranbah will commence on April 2.

The airline has also announced flights between Brisbane and Bundaberg will commence on May 4.

Airlines have signalled FIFO is an important growing sector for them as tourism and more traditional business fares struggle. Improvements to Brisbane domestic terminal have also been carried out in past months, including parking and in terminals, to better cater for growth from FIFO.

“It’s also great news from a business point of view, making it much easier to get down to Brisbane for meetings and workshops.”

10

4th March 2013

Shift Miner Magazine

www.shiftminer.com

Pipe feat a super effort

News

In an engineering feat worthy of a beer commercial, pipes were winched into place between the mainland and Curtis Island over five days - that’s a world first.

A BLOODY big project calls for a bloody big effort - and in this case engineers have laid two, 1-metre diameter pipelines stretching 2.3kilometres under the Gladstone Harbour.

In an engineering feat worthy of a beer commercial, the pipes were winched into place between the mainland and Curtis Island

over five days - that’s a world first.

QGC engineers managed the project, which saw the pipelines for both the Queensland Curtis LNG project and the Australia Pacific LNG project laid in the same trench.

“This engineering feat is significant on a world scale in terms of scope and complexity,” QGC pipelines project director

Norman Ingram told Shift Miner “Its completion keeps us on track to become the world’s first project to convert coal seam gas to liquefied natural gas.”

The segments will connect each project’s main pipelines from the Surat Basin gas fields, about 300 kilometres inland, to liquefied natural

gas plants on Curtis Island.

Mr Ingram says the pipelines were installed at the same time in the same trench to minimise environmental impact and disruption to boating.

The harbour crossing has involved construction of temporary facilities including a 2km-long road, two bridges and a railway

line to move the pipes across two creeks, marshes and mudflats.

The harbour crossing used a temporary 450-tonne capacity winch on Curtis Island to pull the pipes – which together weigh 8000 tonnes – through the subsea trench. The trench will now be filled with gravel and rock to protect the pipelines.

Brigade gets a new building

Fundraising on fire - emergency services in Jondaryan have been given $10,000 by New Hope Group toward building a new, larger building to house vital equipment.

EMERGENCY services in Jondaryan have been given $10,000 by New Hope Group toward building a new, larger building to house vital equipment.

The three-bay shed, which will assist all emergency services during future incidents throughout the region, will be constructed to

the rear of the existing fire station building in Jondaryan.

Rural Fire Brigade treasurer Barry Byrne said the donation would be a huge benefit not just to

Jondaryan, but also to the many communities around the district.

“The Jondaryan brigade covers a large area from Oakey to Bowenville, south to the Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road, and north to the other side of Acland,” he said.

“We also get called upon to support other brigades in this area – for example just before Christmas our new truck went to the Goombungee-Maclagan Road for a fire, and then on the same night to a fire at Haden.”

The new shed will store equipment including a communications vehicle and the new water tanker truck that was allocated to the Jondaryan station late last year which will be used for the whole region west of Toowoomba.

“The donation from New Hope has definitely allowed us to build this new shed sooner rather than later,” Mr Byrne said.

“It makes the whole project more viable and achievable. New Hope’s assistance has made this all so much easier.”

Mr Byrne said the need for the

larger facility was brought home during the 2011 floods and the more recent severe weather.

“On the recent Australia Day weekend we were used as a central point to monitor any flooding and coordinate all the different agencies involved such as fire trucks, council crews, police and others,” he said.

“This donation will in future enable us to use our existing shed as a central local emergency centre and a training facility for the entire group of nine rural fire brigades in our region.”

Mr Byrne hoped the improved infrastructure would have another important spin-off effect.

“As a voluntary organisation we hope this new building will allow us to have a more professional presence in the community, which we hope will help attract more volunteers,” he said.

“We have 19 volunteers at the moment but like many volunteer groups, we always need more people.”

The brigade hopes to lay the slab for the new building in the next fortnight and have the project completed by the end of May. 4th March 2013

11

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Sedgman on the money, and Downer is up EARLIER this month, mine services company Sedgman predicted it would make a half yearly profit of $12.3 million - and it has.

However, this was down 36.5 per cent from the same period last year and revenue also plummeted a whopping 20.9 per cent, dropping from $324.1 million to $256.3 million.

Chief executive and managing director Nick Jukes said while this was disappointing, it was a reflection of difficult market conditions, particularly in its traditional coal market, which was impacted by lower coal prices, the strong Australian dollar and subsequent project deferrals.

“We have responded by reducing costs and improving efficiency, as well as renewing our focus on our diversification strategy across commodities and regions.”

“The next six months will be challenging for Sedgman”, Mr Jukes said. “However, the market is showing some signs of improvement with some increases in commodity prices and opportunities emerging in the Australian market and our other key regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas.”

Meanwhile, Downer announced a 12.7 per cent increase in its earnings for the six

Party hard - being in major debt is a dangerous situation to be in when working in the mining industry’s cyclical environment. Workers have to be realistic or face a debt hangover.

months to the end of December, compared with the same time the previous year.

Its profit increased 24.1 per cent to $105.5 million.

“The business has performed very well over the past six months,” said Downer’s chief executive Grant Fenn. “Each of our three divisions achieved substantial revenue growth, underlying earnings before interest and tax has grown over 12 per cent and our cash performance was strong once again. We have continued to build momentum in our operational and financial performance.”

“The Eastern region of Australia performed strongly once again across both road infrastructure services and resources based projects,” he said.

Total revenue rose by 20.2 per cent to $4.7 billion, including $0.3 billion of contributions from joint ventures. Downer Infrastructure’s revenue rose by 23.9 per cent to $2.6 billion, Downer Mining’s by 17.8 per cent to $1.3 billion and Downer Rail’s by 27 per cent to $0.7 billion.

Operating cash flow was strong at $184 million, up 71.8 per cent from the previous corresponding period.

“We have responded by renewing our focus on our diversification strategy across commodities and regions.”

Road corridor the last stand NEGOTIATING access to 35 kilometres of prime agricultural land east of Springsure for a haul road is one of the last obstacles Bandanna Energy says it needs to overcome to become a coal exporter - and it is still negotiating.

Managing director Michael Gray told Shift Miner the company was looking at a number of different options to minimise its impact on cropping land, properties and flooding.

“We are making good progress and looking at finalising a location. We’re in discussions with multiple landowners but identifying ones that have least impact on cropping land,” he said.

The company has flagged the idea of a rail line connecting from the underground mine to link to the Blackwater line.

“We are building a haul road rather than a rail line because we are concerned about the impact of flooding. It will be a low-level road along the floodplains,” he said.

“We recognise the road will flood, but if we lose it for a couple of months a year that is better than the impact of a flood.”

Springsure Creek has a measured coal resource of 60 million tonnes and an inferred resource of 150 million tonnes.

Under the current feasibility study, Bandanna would mine the coal using two

underground longwalls each producing around five million tonnes a year.

The company released its environmental impact statement last week and this is available for public comment for until March 27, 2013.

“We are in a tough market and we’re working with our venture capital partners, but I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t proceed,” Mr Gray said, when asked if he was confident the project would go ahead.

Bandanna is going through the process of making submissions to the Central Highlands Regional Council for a single person’s quarters.

Mr Gray said the company hoped to get approval in the New Year and will be looking at mix of fly-in, fly-out and residential workforce.

“The village will be out of town, as it seems to work best, and we don’t want it at the mine site as that would increase traffic and have a greater impact on cropping land.”

Bandanna will begin construction next year if all approvals are made by the end of this year.

“I am confident about the long term,” he said. “So if we start getting first coal out in 2015, prices should be back. We’re looking at the long term.”

“We are in a tough market and we’re working with our venture capital partners, but I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t proceed.”

12

4th March 2013

Shift Miner Magazine

News

www.shiftminer.com

Welders wanted now - but you must be world class

WELDERS are at the top of the mostwanted list for construction giant, Bechtel, but you have to be world class and have industry experience.

That is the message from the Curtis Island LNG recruitment supervisor Joel Herbert, who said the the project will be reaching its peak workforce this year as construction ramps up.

“Relevant industry experience is essential on these projects. We’re building world-class LNG plants, and we need world-class people to construct them,” he said.

About 4000 locals are already employed, but the projects are moving into a new phase of construction which will require a new range of workers, he said.

“Along with special class welders, we are currently targeting candidates with three to five years industry experience in the areas of crane operators, riggers, pipe fitters, boilermakers/welders and scaffolders,” Mr Herbert said.

“Our projects have a focus on ethics and safety in all areas at all times,” he said.

Bechtel is also looking for electrical and instrumentation tradespeople, sheet metal workers and laggers, as well as insulators throughout 2013. Labourers and trades assistants to complement these positions will also be required over the course of the year.

Mr Herbert said it is crucial to update your registration on a regular basis.

“It‘s critical our potential employees understand our project requirements, to better arm them with a registration that packs a punch,” he said.

While the call is out for tradies, apprenticeships have been short on the ground and there are even fewer being offered in Central Queensland.

Bechtel Gladstone general manager Kevin Berg told Shift Miner that the nature of the construction industry makes it impossible for a first-year apprentice to complete the training requirements for their trade on our projects.

“Bechtel is also working with local industry to identify opportunities to support the development of local apprentices.

These discussions continue,” he said.

Meanwhile, special class welder Dean Batterham, a local currently

working on the Curtis Island LNG Projects, is one of the lucky ones.

The long-term local got his first taste of construction as an apprentice boiler maker, which he completed through Gladstone Area Group Apprentices Ltd in 2009.

“I’ve been working with the tanks crew as a special class welder for about a year now,” Mr Batterham said.

“This is the first time I‘ve worked on an LNG tank so this is something new to me.”

Mr Batterham said the opportunity to learn and further develop his welding skills while working with an experienced team is the highlight of his job.

The 24-year-old made the transition to Curtis Island after previously working for Bechtel on the construction of the Yarwun Alumina Refinery.

He said it is the satisfaction of seeing the end result that attracted him to a career in construction in the first place.

“It‘s great to work on something and see the finished product at the end. I like being able to say ‘I built that’,” Mr Batterham said.

To register go to www. gladstoneprojects.com

Floods hit rail system New exploration hard: Aurizon areas to open Aurizon says its losses from January flooding is in the millions.

AURIZON says it faces multi-million dollars worth of costs from disruptions caused by the Australia Day long weekend floods.

The company gave the warning as it reported a 10.3 per cent drop in first half profit.

Ex-tropical cyclone Oswald and the resulting floods caused significant damage to Aurizon’s Blackwater and Moura rail systems.

The Moura system was re-opened after a 26-day outage, while the Blackwater system had re-opened after six days.

The company estimates the repair costs will be between $10 million and $15 million.

It also estimates that it will lose four million tonnes in coal volumes as a result of the floods, which will result in an estimated $22 million hit to earnings.

Chief executive Lance Hockridge told the market he expected the company’s coal volumes this financial year to be in the range of 192-195 million tonnes.

“We will continue to work with our customers with the objective of all parties recovering lost tonnages, noting the average weekly coal railings in the 13 weeks prior to the floods was 3.94mt,” Mr Hockridge said.

Aurizon’s net profit fell to $175.7 million in the six months to December 31 - down from $196 million in the previous corresponding period.

Revenue for the company, which changed its name late last year from QR National, rose to $1.9 billion from $1.7 billion.

The group’s net profit result was dragged down by $88 million in redundancy payments. Underlying net profit rose to $222 million from $175 million.

New and renewed coal haulage contracts since July for the company include Whitehaven (up to 16mtpa), Rio Tinto (up to 12mtpa), Jellinbah (up to 4mtpa) and Cockatoo Coal (up to 3.5mtpa).

“These contracts have been negotiated under more favourable commercial terms than current legacy arrangements and provide significant growth for Aurizon well into the next decade,” Mr Hockridge said.

THREE new areas of greenfield land in the north-west of the state are to be opened up for mineral exploration.

About 2364 square kilometres of land near Bedourie in the resource-rich North West Queensland Mineral Province has been slated for release. Currently the land is restricted.

Mines Ministers Andrew Cripps told Shift Miner the restrictions block any exploration but these are soon to be lifted.

“Restricted areas are established to protect highly prospective land for controlled release for future exploration,” he said.

Recent airborne geophysical and ground gravity survey data collected as part of the Queensland Government’s $20 million Smart Exploration program has indicated the area is potentially rich in a range of minerals and rare earth elements.

Minister Cripps said that was why the

government would now open the restricted areas to allow companies to apply for exploration permits for minerals.

He said the the planned land release continued the promotion of exploration opportunities in north-west Queensland through the government’s $18 million Greenfields 2020 program which is designed to encourage exploration in under-explored areas of the state.

“Six previous land releases comprising 23 restricted areas have been conducted in Queensland, with 67 applications for exploration permits for minerals received from companies throughout Australia and overseas,” he said.

Further information on the releases are available by calling the Department of Natural Resources and Mines on 07 3035 5308 or visiting atwww.mines. industry.qld.gov.au/mining/mineralsopportunities.htm.

“Restricted areas are established to protect highly prospective land for controlled release for future exploration.”

4th March 2013

13

Shift Miner Magazine

SHIFT MINER ladder

www.shiftminer.com

Get where you want to be

Older apprentices a gold mine for industry

Chris O’Brien and Ben Anderson are trailblazers in the resource and energy sectors after coming through the National Apprenticeships Program.

INDUSTRY is backing older apprentices.

National Apprenticeships Program (NAP) director Alan Sparks told Shift Miner intakes had continued for large companies, despite the slowdown in the sector.

Mr Sparks said Bechtel, Anglo American, John Holland and Leighton were all involved in the program and more companies were set to follow.

The program is an advanced entry adult apprenticeship program that upskills workers in a bid to address the skills shortage in the mining and energy sector.

“We’ve got good buy-in now from industry, and each month going forward there are signs that 2013 is going to be a very positive year,” Mr Sparks said.

That’s on the back of 18 months of hard work selling the concept to industry and individuals so they understood the NAP model and what it offers.

Latest figures from a Price Waterhouse Coopers report show that workers in the program boost their income by about $113,000

over the time of the apprenticeship and that the employer saves $127,000 by having an older worker on the job site.

Even the government benefits with an additional $124,000 generated in additional taxes and savings. That could be through extra taxes from increased productivity generated by the more mature apprentice that gets on with the job once employed.

The average age of the program apprentices is 35 and they generally have to attend just 12 weeks of training before being qualified.

The Price Waterhouse Coopers data showed that worker resource of about 6000 skilled Australians represents a potential wealth of $2.1 billion in net cash benefits to those in the pool.

Mr Sparks described the talent pool in Australia as “like a gold mine”.

He says the pool includes men and women who have partly completed trade training, exmembers of our defence forces, resident Australians with overseas qualifications and experience,

generated at BeQRious.com

14

4th March 2013

those seeking dual trades and trades assistants with extensive knowledge and skills.

“Candidates’ profiles are exceptional. For companies needing skilled workers, this is a gold mine.”

Chris O’Brien, the first graduate of NAP, is a diesel fitter now working for Anglo American and a great example of the potential of the program.

He went from being a shift co-ordinator for a Brisbane bus service to working on an Anglo site as a diesel fitter in Central Queensland.

During training Chris attended six weeks of off-the-job training at SkillsTech Australia and graduated last June before accepting a full-time job with Anglo the same day.

NAP was launched and funded by the federal government in 2011l, one of the initiatives to emerge from the National Resource Sector Employment Taskforce into skills shortages.

More information is available at www.nationalapprenticeships. com.au.

Shift Miner Magazine

SHIFT MINER ladder

www.shiftminer.com

Get where you want to be

$2500 a week? Tell him he’s dreaming

Being in major debt is a dangerous situation to be in when working in the mining industry’s cyclical environment.

BEING in debt and living from pay cheque to pay cheque is a dangerous situation to be in when working in the mining industry’s cyclical environment.

This is the warning from a Mackaybased workplace consultant, Craig Joy, who said the industry has created unreal money expectations that can’t last during a downturn.

“It is largely because people get over-enthusiastic,” he told Shift Miner. “It is also the mining companies. When it is all go-go-go and the mineral prices are up, the company says it wants something done now and they don’t care how much it’s going to cost.”

Mr Joy said the good times have over-inflated the cost of labour and contracts, and employees - as well as businesses - need to understand what they are actually worth.

“When they were being paid $90 an hour as a boilermaker, it’s not what you’re worth but it’s what the situation is worth.”

Mr Joy said he had heard at least three different businesses told by prospective employees that they would only take the job if they got $2500 a week after tax. This was the amount

they needed to service their debts.

“I think they’re dreaming . . .

There is still plenty of work around in Mackay, but you’d be looking at $1500 - and that’s still good money,” he said.

“People need to take a bit of a chill pill. When the money is here, they are getting the jet skis, the Land Cruiser, the boats. What happens when it stops?

“You can protect yourself and the main protection is to realise it is cyclical. So if your job goes, ask yourself how will you fare?”

Big business is also guilty of over-committing too and getting into financial trouble when things slow down, according to Mr Joy. “Rio Tinto has done the same thing.

While things were good, it bought a number of companies at top price and now the prices have dipped,” he said.

Mr Joy said it wasn’t a new phenomenon and the booms and bust will continue to happen.

“I was working at Hay Point when coal went down to $10 a tonne - there were no redundancies, just over-time was cut. A friend in Mackay said that within a week of that, 300 houses went on the market - all because of cut overtime.”

Injured miners getting back on the job WORKPLACE injuries happen in a fraction of a second, and a whole life can be changed.

Last year, there were 3255 claims lodged by Queensland miners with the workers’ compensation authority Q-COMP, and $38million paid out in statutory claims.

The average individual payout for lost time injuries was $29,292, and in most cases it took about 50 days to have the claim sorted out.

Over a third of claims in the mining sector were related to sprains and strains - and 10 per cent of those related to back injury.

In encouraging news, more than 90 per cent of injured workers returned to the same role with the same employer. In fact, all but 0.6 percent of injured workers rejoined the workforce in some capacity.

To highlight the great things happening on Queensland mine sites when it comes to getting

injured workers back on the job - Q-comp is on the lookout for uplifting stories for its Return to Work Awards.

For every rehabilitated worker there is a team of people - family, friends and professionals - that help get them back to work.

Project manager Angela Chapman says the workers that are nominated are pleased they get to tell their story and by doing that help others.

“The awards are to give recognition to people that don’t get a lot,” she says. “And it helps spread the message that by returning to work it helps a person recover from their injury.”

Last year Gus Wilson won an award for getting back to work

after a serious injury, with Jack Nielsen highly commended. Both work in mining, and Xstrata and Mt Isa Physiotherapy each won awards for their efforts in getting people back to work after injury.

To lodge your nomination, go to www.qcomp.com.au.

“The awards are to give recognition to people that don’t get a lot. And it helps spread the message that by returning to work it helps a person recover from their injury.”

4th March 2013

15

Shift Miner Magazine

Around Town

www.shiftminer.com

JUST BLUFFING

More than 1000 people turned up for the Bluff Races just recently - tripling the small town’s population!

(L-R) Ellie Beak, Jake Rice, Tash Smith & Zara Black

(L-R) Justine Fletcher, Shari Chong, Tracey Anderson & Kacey Booker

(L-R) Adam Mooney & Tiani Kavanagh

(L-R) Penny and Charli Muller with Kylie Bateman

(L-R) Hayley Mitchell, Caitlyn Byrne, Moo Howells, Brooke Kelly, Jayne (L-R) Alex Hansen, Ben Prior, Brenton Kidd, Gothmann, Brook James, Karley Broderick and Christie Marschke Dean Evans and Owen Barton

(L-R) Cait Yarrow & Angela Trimble

(L-R) Nicky Dalton and Sophia DaltonAllen

(L-R) Tristan Martin & Jack Brumby

(L-R) Dave, James, Bec & Madeline Wiskar

(L-R) Carley Smith, Stephen Jablonski, Sarah Fernyhaugh, Lisa Jablonski, Chris and Shearni Smith and Ben Chirgwin

Ollie McLaughlin

(L-R) Chris Lindeman, Grant and Tracy Burrows

(L-R) Izaac Gordon, Tyler Morshcell & Trent Williams and Jake Dixon

Buy this and many other images at

www.shiftminer.com Shift Miner magazine – bringing the mining community closer together Holding a social event you want photographed? Call the Shift Miner office on 4921 4333 to let us know. You can also give our office a bell if you’d like a copy of any of the photos in this edition.

16

4th March 2013

Shift Miner Magazine

Off Shift

www.shiftminer.com

FROm THE EDITOR HAS the coal sector been caught out by well organised environmental groups opposing the shipment of uncovered loads through 30 Brisbane suburbs?

Just as public opinion was building behind the Stop Brisbane Coal Trains group veneering is to start this month along with testing of dust levels escaping off trains.

The public could expect dust emissions will drop if veneering occurs so the testing is likely to show there’s not much of a problem.

The questions remains over what would industry have done now if there was no media coverage and no harsh statements on the SBCT Facebook page?

Much gets said by companies about social licence and what they do for communities. Its Marketing 101 to know that good community engagement is good for business and even makes staff of a business feel better about working for a company if it talks to its neighbours and other stakeholders.

If coal companies and coal carriers want to carry loads through 30 suburbs they have to realise times have changed.

Social licence means the community has to want your activity rather than just allowing it because it’s always happened.

And they have to agree to major changes - even if the law doesn’t require it.

Even with millions being spent by coal and gas companies every week in this state they will have to continually improve community engagement rather than rely on jobs created or dollars donated to get them out of tricky spots.

The public is smarter than that and many aren’t swayed by jobs or dollars.

Industry has to get smarter and faster or there will be more groups like SBCT and Lock the Gate in the future to fight campaigns on every front. The first salvo fired every time will be social licence.

How does your company stack up?

Comment or SMS 0409 471 014

Photos to THE EDITOR

Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/shiftminer

SEEN SOMETHING WE HAVEN’T? Prizes for the best mining photos.

Take it on your phone or camera and send it in - Text to 0409 471 014 alex.graham@shiftminer.com

Stuff to the Editor FIFO the go?

(FIFO a cancer or cure of bush communities P4 SM155) You don’t see this much public outrage about the consequences to the families of our armed forces and they’re away a lot longer than a week at a time and for a hell of a lot less pay. Nobody is forced to work FIFO rosters. It’s a choice. Just like joining the armed forces. If it’s not suited to your family lifestyle... don’t apply! As for FIFO becoming the “cancer of the bush”... please. I’m sure the $90 million that BMA had to inject into Moranbah as part of their FIFO approval will go a long way to finding a cure. That may just cover the lost income this year of the exorbitant house rentals set by greedy landlords. They’re the real “cancers” of every small mining community. K.B, Coppabella I didn’t realise the government was also helping out FIFO and DIDO miners. Isn’t it enough that we have the mining companies trying to offer the FIFO and DIDO workers special benefits that the rest of us don’t get? We have got plane loads of out-of-town workers flying into Moranbah, while half an hour down the road good old Dysart is struggling to survive. Craig, Collinsville

Safety shortchanged (Mine rescue service takes a hit, P5 SM155) Why do you reckon there are more accidents on average when coal prices are lower? It’s because cost cutting affects safety, and the plan to shelve the Dysart QMRS expansion is just stupid. Whether it is this year or next year, everyone in the industry knows we need these trained people now and in the future. The same thing will happen, the prices will kick again and everyone will be screaming for personnel, and it will be five years before they are trained and ready to go again. Dan, Dysart

Redmond’s Rants (Lost in Translation P21 SM155) Redmond, you are the real deal aren’t you? I would love to know what site you’re working at.

Keeping it real man. Des, Biloela I was laughing out loud at this.

That is exactly what is meant and everyone knows it. I am glad you’re there to say it out loud.

Whoever you are?

Dallas, Glenden Hey Redmond here is another one.

HEAD HONCHO: Currently this mine is in a loss-making position, and we all have to work as a team to turn that around.

TRANSLATION: This mine is making money hand over fist, but head office thinks they can lower costs by scaring everyone into thinking we are going broke. Wayne, Moranbah

Redmond’s Rants

Public health warning THE annual meeting of the General Surgeon’s Board has identified the most dangerous threat to our community health.

Less than a quarter of couples trying to conceive are successful. The birth rate in 2012 was the lowest ever recorded. A research and study group has found the automobile is a common factor in the low birth rate figures. The design and application of some models is causing damage to a significant number in a test study group. The most common problem is floor pan design with front wheel drive transaxles.

Due to the weak substructure, this configuration will not support

reproductive organs. The testicle lacks support and strains the adjoining flexangle cartilage to such a degree the testicle is found to migrate internally to the left-hand floor pan and settle normally in the female partner’s handbag.

A male owning a front-wheel drive stands almost no chance of stopping this testicle relocation syndrome (TRS).

The flooding of our markets with these ‘anti-testie’ cars is a problem that our Family Planning Department is working hard to sort out. This week’s announcement that Holden is to build the VF V8 Commodore will no doubt help to offset this imbalance. Australia’s health

minister has flown to the United States this week to meet with officials in Detroit to discuss a bi-lateral trade agreement where Australia will import some V8 rear-wheel drive Chryslers, Camaros and Fords. They will be given to couples who are trying to have a family. In earlier tests the figures were very encouraging.

One young professional couple from the inner city had their Camry impounded by the Family Planning Police and were reissued with a 67 Fastback Mustang with loud pipes. This model is a proven provider of pregnancy and did not fail the couple. Another couple had success with a supercharged two-door black 57 Chev,

which caused pregnancy almost instantly.

As of July 1, front-wheel drive manufacturers will be made to attach compulsory warning decals to their cars warning of TRS, and any front-wheel drive car less than 5000km or two years old will be made to have pink flowers painted on a forward-facing body panel (bonnet) to have its registration renewed. With this planning and legislation, the next generation can look forward to a life on this planet where they can still sit on a park bench in a playground with all the neighbourhood children and smile as an ear-pounding, loud and wild street car rolls past.

Who is Redmond? Redmond was born in a cross-fire hurricane and now resides in Queensland. Former Golden Glove champ turned champion shearer, his shearing career was cut short when he entered the adult film industry and made 3467 films in three months. He now enjoys semi-retirement and lives happily on his 100,000 acre property with his seven wives. He has received the annual Golden Pen award from the Writer’s Guild four years in a row in the Truth Telling category...

4th March 2013

17

Shift Miner Magazine

Off Shift

www.shiftminer.com

Frank the Tank’s Dear Frank,

yourself of something that’s almost involuntary, but if you focus hard enough you can do it.

I remember the exact moment that I silenced my conscience.

I had just purchased a brand new Polaroid camera and was walking home to try it out. Suddenly, a freak gust of wind lifted the skirt of the woman walking in front of me, and to my amazement, she wasn’t wearing any underwear.

That tiresome voice in my head piped up and tried to convince me that it would be wrong to take a Polaroid of such a spectacle, but the opportunity was far too perfect.

My mind was thrown into all out war to photograph, or not to photograph?

Thankfully, reason prevailed, and even more fortuitously the woman’s skirt had become tangled in her walking frame, so there was ample time to settle my internal debate and capture the image on camera.

the turkey, I decided to show her sister the inside of my tool shed.

I should probably clarify at this point that ‘tool shed’ is a nickname I have for my trousers.

Thankfully an unfortunate incident involving a defective iron had rendered my wife temporarily deaf, so she was blissfully unaware that the turkey wasn’t the only bird getting stuffed at that Sunday dinner.

Honestly, I have no regrets about doing it either...although it was pretty annoying when my wife’s sister kept phoning me to ask for help with her math homework.

It seems to me the unfortunate thing for you, Mark, is that you’re suffering from what liberal crackpots term a ‘conscience’.

Instead of telling your mate what you’re up to, you’d be far better off working earnestly to unburden yourself from that annoying voice inside your head.

I won’t lie to you. It will take a significant amount of willpower to rid

I have a secret.

For the past few months I have been having it off with my mate’s sister behind his back.

We’ve been best mates for years and I don’t know how to tell him.

I need your help.

Mark, Roma I know exactly how you feel, Mark.

I once had it off with my wife’s sister behind her back. I remember it like it was yesterday. My wife’s sister came over for Sunday dinner and while my wife was busy in the kitchen stuffing

“Streakin” good love advice SENSIBLE SUSAN Mark, Sometimes I start to feel like a broken record in this column, but you could have avoided a lot of stress here if you’d just talked to your mate in the first place. The fact that you’ve carried on for so long behind his back has only complicated the situation further.

Your friend may have no problem with you seeing his sister. After all you and her are both consenting adults. I highly recommend coming clean with him as soon as possible.

If you’re honest I’m sure you’ll feel better, and even if he is upset at first - if he really is your best mate - he’ll forgive you in time.

Susan

Frank

If you have a question for Frank and Susan Email Us at: franksusan.shiftminer@gmail.com

IN THE US -

Fair Dinkum!

Animal rights activists have successfully protested a circus boxing match between a kangaroo and a human.

Police in the town of Oxford, Mississippi confirmed the marsupial would not enter the ring after outrage from Australian and American animal rights groups.

Activists started a petition against the boxing match citing YouTube footage from a previous circus, which showed ‘Rocky the Kangaroo’ competing in the ring against a clown.

STILL IN THE US

- A Philadelphia judge has ordered a mistrial after a witness’ prosthetic eye popped out while giving evidence.

John Huttick was testifying

Some locals in Japan have asked that their replica David don some undies for modesty’s sake.

PUZZLES

6 8 3 5

3 1 8 9 7 2 7 9 1

7 MEDIUM

18

4th March 2013

2

4 2 8 5 3 9

9

1

2

3

4

5

9

6

7

8

10 11

12

4 2 7 3

13

14 17 19

15

16

18 20

21 22

24

27

25

26

28

23

about the fight that cost him his eye, when to his surprise his prosthetic eye popped out, startling jurors.

Judge Robert Coleman was satisfied that the “unfortunate, unforeseen incident” warranted the granting of a mistrial.

IN ROME - A

lightning strike in Vatican City is being hailed by many as a sign from God. Hours after Pope Benedict XVI’s shock resignation, a freak thunderstorm swept over Rome, with lightning striking the top of St Peter’s Basilica.

Thunderstorms are not uncommon in the Italian winter but are more frequent during the summer months.

According to the book of Psalms, “The voice of the

ACROSS 1. Dreamt 5. Sailor’s yes (3,3) 9. Growth 10. Running chore 12. Southern US state 13. Lustre 14. Feel angry 16. Asian language 19. Revolved around 21. Requests, ... for 24. Extreme malice 25. Juvenile delinquents 27. Heavy smacks 28. Footwear fastener 29. Magic saying, open ...!

30. Next (to)

Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.”

Coincidence, or divine intervention?

IN JAPAN - A

replica of Michelangelo’s David, erected (no pun intended) in a local park has ruffled a few feathers, with some locals calling for the statue to be given underpants.

The park also received a replica of Greek masterpiece, the Venus Di Milo.

Both statues were donated by a businessman who lives in the area.

While many residents are reportedly in favour of the art, some locals claim the statues are frightening children and have called for David to be given underpants to protect his modesty.

DOWN 1. Frozen water spike 2. Amass 3. Articles 4. Put into bondage 6. Measuring rod 7. Re-evoked (memories) 8. Place in jeopardy 11. Body powder 15. Final proposal 17. Jailbirds 18. Dumps # 41 20. Responsibility 21. Humiliated 22. Leave empty 23. Consent 26. Amphitheatre centre Handy Cross 2892 ©Lovatts Publications

29

# 42

30

LAST EDITION’S SOLUTIONS D E F I N I T I I W E A C A D EM I N C S C OR C H E S T E E N S L E D E Y P A DM I R E S S I I A S ON I C M E I E A B A N I S H C T L E V E N S O

5 6 8 1 3 2 7 4 9

3 9 7 5 6 4 2 1 8

4 1 2 8 9 7 3 6 5

7 3 1 2 4 5 9 8 6

E C

G R A R B

I G E P L I G N U I T E E

M A U T I L I E E N H A E P J E T T

6 8 4 3 7 9 5 2 1

9 2 5 6 1 8 4 3 7

2 4 9 7 8 1 6 5 3

U A N E A C HO N L D A T S A T O N C K I S

1 7 3 4 5 6 8 9 2

N A P S E R S T U E R E E E D I E S O ON

8 5 6 9 2 3 1 7 4

Shift Miner Magazine

Off Shift

www.shiftminer.com

Bait Shop Banter

been some king salmon caught around the creeks, and there’s still some action on offer out wide.

“It was glassy over the weekend and a few people got some good table fish,” said Bruce.

Fishing conditions around Mackay can be expected to improve once the water clears up a bit.

runs into a big creek is a good place to start.”

Live mullet has been the bait of choice for barra and blue salmon, although some anglers have had success with lures.

There’s been some nice cod and jew caught out wide, but if you’re heading out make sure you watch the weather.

“There’s been a few blokes caught out recently. With the westerly blowing it looks flat, but once you get out past Baron Island it’s pretty woeful,” said Adrian.

There’s plenty of action in the freshwater too. The Keppel Bay Sportfishing Club had a cracking outing to Cania Dam recently, bagging some nice saratoga, sooty grunter and silver perch [pictured].

Gladstone

The recent run of freshwater has sparked plenty of action around Gladstone.

While the numbers aren’t quite as big as 2011, there’s plenty of barra being caught in the Boyne River.

Greg from Pat’s Bait and Tackle says the mouth of the river is as good a place as any, with live prawns and lorikeetcoloured lures the best bait.

If it’s mud crabs you’re after, now’s a great time to throw your pots in too.

“The mud crabs are plentiful at the moment. A few weeks after the fresh they’re moving around and filling up nicely,” said Greg.

Offshore the conditions have been a little trickier, but those who toughed them out did okay, with some nice grunter caught off the wrecks.

Mackay

The Keppel Bay Sportfishing Club saw this silver perch pulled out of Cania Dam.

Yeppoon

Preparation is the key to catching fish around Yeppoon at the moment.

Adrian from the Secret Spot reckons Coorooman Creek and Corio

Bay both have a bit to offer, if you fish the conditions.

“To get good results at Coorooman you need to fish the tides with a bit of flow in them. Anywhere a little creek

You might be better off dusting the golf clubs than the old Alvey at the moment, with not much happening fishing-wise around Mackay.

The recent rain is making life difficult for anglers, with everything running a bit fresh, according to Bruce from Nashy’s Compleat Angler.

“They’re eating a lot of dirt at the moment - that’s about the strength of it.

There’s still a few grunter about, but most of the fish have taken a dive.”

If you’re keen to wet a line, there’s

your weather forecast T

MACKAY Gladstone

MACKAY Gladstone

Mon 4

Moonsoon restarts over northern Queensland.

Week 1 - Extreme rainfall (100-200mm) hit the Capricorn Coast early last week, which verged into the Coalfields. This also extended into the Wide Bay/Burnett with major flooding and the loss of a life.

Storms with hail hit Springsure and Dingo and possibly the Callide. Some five day totals (mm) rainfall to February 28: Upper Dee 134, Goovigen 103, Tieri 71, Springsure 63 (February 24), Thangool 58, Capella

48, Middlemount 48, Blackdown 47, Emerald 44, Clermont 39, Comet Weir 28, Woodleigh 26, Collinsville 19. Moranbah recorded a storm on February 23 which produced 76mm of rain. The cloud and light rain continued for the following five days. More storms and rain should cause more heavy rain mainly for the coastal areas again in the days ahead. Then increased winds along the coast with a squally shower should keep the cloudy conditions reaching inland. Tropical Cyclone Rusty, besides causing flooding and destructive winds over the Pilbara,

i

d

If you have a good photo or fishing yarn send it through to our resident bait chucker-

angus.peacocke@shiftminer.com

With Mike Griffin

e

T

i

m

e

s

Tue 5

Wed 6

Thu 7

Fri 8 Sat 9 Sun 10

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

0130 0759 1356 1958

3.67 1.56 3.19 1.43

0252 0933 1525 2129

3.59 1.59 3.09 1.48

0426 1103 1700 2259

3.69 1.40 3.21 1.35

0546 1214 1815

3.93 1.10 3.47

0018 0647 1309 1911

1.12 4.18 0.83 3.73

0116 0736 1354 1958

0.87 4.34 0.63 3.93

0203 0818 1435 2038

0.69 4.41 0.51 4.07

0319 0957 1554 2210

4.77 2.03 4.06 1.70

0452 1141 1736 2346

4.79 1.92 4.08 1.62

0624 1310 1903

5.08 1.53 4.40

0109 0735 1415 2008

1.31 5.48 1.09 4.79

0215 0830 1505 2058

0.96 5.81 0.76 5.10

0307 0915 1549 2140

0.71 5.99 0.57 5.31

0352 0955 1627 2218

0.57 6.03 0.50 5.46

Mon 11

Tue 12

Wed 13

Thu 14

Fri 15 Sat 16 Sun 17

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

Time

Ht

0245 0856 1512 2116

0.59 4.39 0.47 4.16

0324 0931 1547 2152

0.58 4.30 0.51 4.19

0359 1006 1621 2228

0.66 4.14 0.63 4.14

0434 1040 1650 2301

0.82 3.92 0.81 4.03

0506 1112 1715 2334

1.04 3.65 1.04 3.86

0536 1142 1735

1.29 3.36 1.27

0009 0610 1216 1800

3.66 1.54 3.09 1.51

0432 1032 1702 2254

0.54 5.97 0.50 5.54

0510 1107 1734 2329

0.61 5.80 0.57 5.55

0545 1141 1804

0.77 5.53 0.72

0005 0619 1214 1833

5.45 1.04 5.16 0.97

0038 0652 1245 1859

5.25 1.38 4.74 1.28

0112 0727 1315 1928

4.98 1.76 4.29 1.64

0151 0809 1354 2005

4.66 2.13 3.86 2.02

is forcing the Monsoon into northern Queensland. If “Sandra” (the next cyclone) develops then the question is - what shape or form will it take?

Coral Sea or the Gulf. The first Scenario will

Boaties! Yes – more cabin fever! Monday to Thursday: South-east/east-south-east 1621 with gusts to 30 knots in squally showers mainly north of Yeppoon. Friday to Sunday: South-east 15-20?

the second week of March being a very

Week 2 - The SOI has risen rapidly from -8 to -5. This could signal “Tim” (the cyclone after Sandra) being a Queenslander. The ensuing developments could be in the

cause winds to be rather fresh to strong for the coast. The second could be a follow-up on Cyclone Oswald. This makes eventful monsoonal time for the northern part of Queensland which could impact on the northern coalfields.

Marine Lovers! Very difficult to forecast here! In this situation be very vigilant before venturing out. This could be a wise move during an active Monsoon.

4th March 2013

19

Shift Miner Magazine

www.shiftminer.com

Sometimes it’s nice to have a quick escape for a few days when you’re off shift. And what better place to explore than your own backyard?

With airports dotted throughout Queensland and decent roads when they’re not under water you can venture far and wide.

Four ways to spend

four days Y

OU have four days up your sleeve and rather than spending it doing maintenance around the house or pissing it away in the pub, why not pack the family up and explore a bit of Queensland?

With the hottest months now behind us, this is the best time to travel, and if you have school-aged kids the holidays are fast approaching. So let’s have a look at four ways you can spend four days.

1. Resort Islands Dotted along the entire Queensland coast are beautiful islands, and if you prefer a resort style, here are the islands you can visit for a bit of R&R.

If you fly to Cairns, the following islands are easily accessible via ferry and some by light aircraft.

Haggerstone Island lies 400 air miles north of Cairns. It is incredibly remote and

20

4th March 2013

was voted by Vogue magazine as the most secluded and unspoilt island retreat in the world. It has four guest lodges, access is only by light aircraft and is only open at certain times of the year.

Lizard Island is 240 km north of Cairn and sports the five-star Lizard Island Resort. It has its own national park and offers some of the best scuba diving, snorkelling and game fishing in the world.

Green Island, a small coral cay of 15 hectares surrounded by a magnificent coral reef, lies just 45 minutes off-shore from Cairns. It is one of Australia’s premier environmental heritage sites and manages a sensitive balance between the needs of visitors and the protection of a unique environment.

Fitzroy Island Resort, a 45-minute ferry ride from Cairns, this island is surrounded by a reef system that forms part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

It sports white sandy beaches and sheltered

waters that are safe for swimming.

Just eight kilometres off the Townsville coast is Magnetic Island, a relaxing residential seaside village. The island offers a variety of family apartments, resorts and backpacker hostels. There is plenty to do on the island, including kayaking, sailing, peruse art galleries, learn to scuba dives or enjoy the string of wonderful cafes, taverns and restaurants The resident crocodile has since been removed!

Further south is the Whitsunday Group, located off the coast of Airlie Beach. You can fly to Proserpine and you can either organise a transfer from the airport, or a shuttle to either Airlie Beach or Shute Harbour for a ferry.

Hayman Island is the most northern island in the Whitsunday Island group and has a five-star resort. It is the only Australian island to be accepted as a member of the prestigious organisation

The Leading Hotels of the World.

Hamilton Island has the widest range of accommodation in the Whitsundays, from adults-only to family units. And you have the beautiful beach.

Daydream Island Resort & Spa, also in the Whitsundays, is surrounded by national park and you can go there to recharge your batteries or take the kids for a well-deserved break.

Long Island Resort is managed by Club Crocodile and offers relaxation, lots of activities and an array of entertainment.

Just off the Capricorn Coast is Great Keppel Island. Just a half-hour ferry trip from Rosslyn Bay and you have access to white sandy beaches and crystal clear water.

You can go for a day trip or stay for several nights in the campsite or in the cabins.

There are plans underway for a resort.

In the southern Great Barrier Reef islands are some little-known gems.

@ Home Heron Island, which you can access via ferry from Gladstone, is an exclusive island for guests only - no day trippers.

With television-free rooms, and no mobile reception, it’s ideally positioned to take you back to nature. The natural coral cay is a accessed via ferry from Gladstone and is situated on the Great Barrier Reef, which means you can snorkel right off the island.

Wilson Island is a remote coral cay, located just eight nautical miles from Heron Island, and offers seclusion and the freedom from modern-day living. You can camp out in style in comfortable designer-inspired tent accommodation for a maximum of just 12 guests. It’s a private island and surrounded by pristine reef and beach environments.

Lady Elliot Island is located within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in the highest possible classification of Marine National Park Zone, and you can fly there from either Hervey Bay or Bundaberg.

It’s famous worldwide for its green and loggerhead turtle rookery, along with its extensive manta ray population and bird nesting grounds. You can step right off the beach to snorkel, swim and dive in one of the world’s richest marine eco-systems.

Now we get to the southern Queensland Islands, the most well-known being Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island and home to largest population of purebred dingoes. Here you will find Kingfisher Bay Resort, which provides adventure and excitement - and relaxation. Kingfisher Bay is built to strict environmental standards, so its guests may enjoy the best of the natural surroundings. Hotel rooms and villas are available. If you want a different way to explore the island, consider Fraser Escape Bareboat Charters, where you can cruise around the island in the luxury and privacy of your own floating holiday haven.

Moreton Island, which has white sandy beaches and untouched national parks, is the second largest sand island in the world. An you can stay there in luxury at the Tangalooma Island Resort. There is a range of accommodation options to suit all travellers, and whether you are seeking an action packed, educational, nature based or relaxing holiday, Moreton Island is the perfect choice.

2. Camping Camping is a great way to experience the Australian bush and see native wildlife, and you can take your pick from around 470 camping areas in Queensland’s parks and forests.

There are camping opportunities to suit everyone, from remote camp sites with few or no facilities to camping areas equipped with toilets, showers, picnic tables and sites for camper trailers, caravans, motorhomes and tents. Camping areas in parks and forests don’t have electricity.

Camping in Queensland’s parks and forests requires a permit and fees apply.

There is usually high demand for campsites during peak times like school holidays and long weekends, so it is advisable to book well in advance for these times.

Formal camping areas are provided at most parks and forests where camping is allowed. The facilities provided at each camping area differ so make sure you read the detailed camping information provided for each individual park or forest.

Bush camping, where there are few or no facilities, is allowed in some parks but you must camp well away from streams, lakes, walking tracks and picnic areas. Camper numbers are also limited. Camping permits are required and fees apply.

Vehicle access permits are needed if you want to drive on Cooloola, Fraser Island, Bribie Island or Moreton Island.

Some places to throw up a tent include Hinchenbrook Island, which is eight kilometres off the coast from Cardwell and is the largest island national park in the world. If pitching your tent isn’t really an option, you can explore the region with Hinchinbrook Houseboats. This is one of Australia’s premium fishing destinations, and the rivers are teaming with with barramundi, mangrove jacks, sooty grunter and mud crab. Around the islands you may hook a coral trout.

Back on dry land, and just 110km east of Emerald is the Blackdown Tableland National Park. The park protects deep gorges, spectacular lookouts and scenic waterfalls.

Still in the central highlands is Carnarvon Gorge, which features towering sandstone cliffs, vibrantly coloured side gorges, diverse vegetation

and ancient Aboriginal art. Camping is only available during the Queensland school holidays, but not in summer. For something a bit more upmarket, there are the Takarakka Bush Resort and Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodges, which adjoin the park. Both provide cabins, with Takarakka also offering camping facilities and powered sites.

Eungella National Park, about 80 km west of Mackay, is another easily accessible place to camp. The mountain refuge is one of Queensland’s most ecologically diverse parks with 860 species and a wonderful a wonderful variety of wildlife, including platypus.

Cania Gorge is 25 km north of Monto and 95 km south-east of Biloela. It is 3000 hectares of spectacular landscape, prominent sandstone cliffs, caves, eucalypt forest and dry rainforest with mosses, orchids, figs and vines growing in moist, sheltered areas. This secluded area is home to a variety of Australia’s native flora and fauna including kangaroos, rock wallabies, and over 100 species of birds.

There is a caravan park with cabins as well as camping facilities.

Go to the Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sports and Racing for a detailed list of the national parks in Queensland and how to get there. There are little known ones that are within a couple of hours drive of the main centres in CQ and give you the opportunity to explore some unique terrain.

Useful websites www.queenslandholidays.com.au www.capricornresort.com www.greatkeppel.com.au www.bramptonisland.net www.dunkislandaustralia.com www.seefraserisland.com www.hamiltonislandholidays.com www.heronisland.net www.ladyelliotisland.net www.lizardisland.net www.wilsonisland.net www.nprsr.qld.gov.au www.dreamworld.com.au www.whitewaterworld.com.au www.fraserescape.com.au www.nprsr.qld.gov.au www.whitsundaysailing.com.au www.caniagorge.com.au Camping is not for everyone, but you can still experience the great outdoors with a nice soft bed and a clean bathroom with running water. Welcome to the world of glamping. All across Queensland’s vast and beautiful backdrop, you will find the semi-permanent structures of luxurious glamping next to the more traditional tents.

Queenslandholidays.com.au has a complete list of glamping sites around the state.

4th March 2013

21

Shift Miner Magazine

@ Home

www.shiftminer.com

hands dirty, Rubyvale is also where you can buy a bucket of ‘wash’. All the digging has been done for you and all there is left to do is sieve and sort for hidden treasure.

Anakie is also worth a visit. The town hosts the annual Gemfest Festival of Gems in August.

4. Gold Coast theme parks

3. The road trip If you prefer to pack up a car - whether it’s yours or a rental - and just drive, there are so many spots. You can catch a flight to Cairns and drive inland to explore the beautiful Atherton Tablelands, staying at a different town each night.

Or head out several hours west from

22

4th March 2013

Rockhampton and explore the Gemfields.

The towns of Rubyvale, Sapphire, Anakie and Willows Gemfields make up the area.

Rubyvale is home to two underground sapphire mines, where you can venture beneath the earth and experience for yourself how sapphire mining is done in the ancient riverbeds. If you’re curious about fossicking but don’t fancy getting your

If you have kids - or are a kid at heart - head to the Gold Coast and spend four days at the theme parks. Just be prepared for your bank account to take a bit of a gouging!

It isn’t called Australia’s theme park capital for nothing. The difficulty will be in choosing where to go: Sea World, Sea World Resort and Water Park, Warner Bros Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World, Dreamworld, White Water World, Australian Outback Spectacular or Paradise Country?

For the best deals, book either a VIP pass for access to Warner Bros Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild and Sea World, or a World Pass for Dreamworld and White Water World. This way, you get unlimited access for up to three weeks and you can go to each. And do it online or through your hotel - otherwise you will be lining up for most of the morning and missing out on valuable riding time.

Consider taking a day’s break and making the most of the Gold Coast beaches, which are spectacular. And there is plenty of shopping to be had at Robina.

You will be amazed what you can pack into your four days off!

If you need to stop off in Rockhampton, why not stay at the Comfort Inn? It boasts: A private pool Air-conditioning Undercover parking Room service Good off street parking for large vehicles and boats Tea and coffee in every room Foxtel

Shift Miner Magazine

@ Home

www.shiftminer.com

Two steps to easier child support There are limited and binding child support agreements.

Binding child support agreements require a solicitor certificate to confirm you have received independent legal advice about the advantages and disadvantages associated with the agreement.

Private agreements can also provide a lot of flexibility about how child support is paid and what is used for, e.g. education expenses including school fees, medical expenses including dental and private health cover and other expenses as well.

PARENTS almost always complain about the child support system, both paying parents and parents who receive child support. However there are certain things that

Agency. Parents have the ability to be able to enter into a private child support agreement, which is registered with the Child Support Agency provided a certain process is followed.

can parents can do to make child support easier.

1. Private agreements A lot of parents would prefer not to deal with the Child Support

2. Communicating with the agency If you are dealing with the Child Support Agency it is important you keep them informed and you keep records of your contact with them, especially when telling them important information.

The Child Support Agency is a large organisation and you will not always be able to deal with your case officer. Making a note in your diary (or electronically) of the person you spoke to, the

date and the receipt number will make it much easier for you to refer back to in the future. Make a note of any time deadlines given to you by the Agency (to appeal decisions or provide information) and comply with them.

Educate yourself about the child support system.

There is an online estimator, which you can find by doing a google search, to tell you about what child support is likely to be paid and received based on different factors.

There is also a source of information on the internet called “The Guide� which is very comprehensive and can answer most questions.

Sometimes the system can be confusing and people often comment they feel like they receive little assistance or are treated poorly when dealing with the agency. Getting some legal advice in these circumstances can help guide you through the problem.

Supplied by: James Bailey Partner - SR Wallace & Wallace

N Cairns

Townsville

Rockhampton

Sunshine Coast Brisbane

4th March 2013

23

CAR FOR SALE

BOAT FOR SALE

2008 TOYOTA AVENSIS VERSO

Offshore Marine Master 2012 Mac5 Cuddy.

68000 Ks, 4 doors 7 seats, 4 cyl. A1 condition. New tyres. Complied 2009 Rear nudge-bar. Full logs. All Toyota serviced. Always kept undercover. With 7 seats there’s plenty of space for the whole family. $21,900 NEG Phone: 0413 913 042

Brand new! 90HP Suzuki 4 stroke, Hydraulic steering, Live well, Bimini, Bait station, self draining fully welded floor, Kill tank.

4mm bottom, 3mm sides.

Comes on Dunbier Glider trailer. Fishermans dream $39,950 Phone: 0404 891 776

CAR FOR SALE

CARAVAN AND CAR FOR SALE

2010 TOYOTA HILUX

2010 SOUTHERN CROSS 5th WHEELER

Mine Spec, BMA Thiess Mac Coal Certified, New 265 Maxxis Iron Mud Tires, ADB Bull Bar, Lightfrce Driving Light, Twin Battery, Snorkle, Iron-Man Lift Kit, Mine Radio x 2 UHF, 135 Litre Fuel Tank, Oconners Tray. Toolboxes, Fire Ext 1st Aid MSDS

8mtrs, vcomplete with all upgrades. Ford F250 V8 deisel w/ gas injection. tow vehicle. Full details on request. Will pass any inspection.

$40,000 Phone: 0421 000 789

Phone: 07 4162 5730

BUSINESS/HOME FOR SALE

CAMPER AND CAR FOR SALE

SELF-SUSTAINABLE living on a sapphire mine claim 5 km west of Rubyvale. Small house, off grid, solar/ rainwater/composting toilet, great view. $75,000 ono Phone: 0428 538 869 DINGHY FOR SALE

2012 Horizon 3.1M Aluminium Dinghy, 6HP Yamaha Motor and Redco trailer – All New, Registered 11/13 with safety gear.

$4,500

2006 DODGE RAM 3500 SLT Lonestar Edition Heavy Duty 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel Allison auto transmission Wood grain inserts 5th wheel hitch, tow bar 4 door dual cab Dual wheels, new tires and chrome Call for more detail.....

Genuine sale!!!!

104000klms

LAND FOR SALE

NORTH OF YEPPOON

2.5 ACRES FARMLET

40ha. Open country, House, Dam, bore (1100gl/ ph) Submersible pump, Yards & ramp. Excellent garden & views. 50ks nth of Yeppoon Turnoff. 1.3ks off highway, bitumen road, School buses from Highway

Bitumen Road and Phone to front Gate. School, PO, Garage, Hospital, Hotel kindergarden and stores 15 min Drive.

New gold mines in area.

$595,000 ono Phone: 07 4937 3564

$48,000 Phone: 0413 501 222

HOUSE FOR SALE

HOUSE FOR SALE

3 beds, 2 bath big yard, fenced

Gracemere acreage and residence. Large well appointed 5 bedroom home on 10 acres.

Stables, yards, shed, bore. 3 km from new shopping centre.

CAR FOR SALE 1991 TOYOTA TROOPY

Currently leased @ $385 inc gst/week Includes shares in Rockhampton Cab Company Perfect sideline income

$320,000 neg

Phone: 0407 373 664

With large capacity cranes, 4 Trailers Bundy based.

Soild work contacts, carrying house frames and trusses to Gladstone, Rocky, Mackayand Central Highlands. Established 1981 T\O approx $380,000 Call for more info and pics Asking $350,000 WIWO Phone: 0408 988 866

LAND FOR SALE YEPPOON Acreage Living, City Conveniences!

4000 sqm North facing, corner premium block, 5 minutes from CBD, schools, transport.

Plenty of space for shed, pool, kids to play. $300,000 Phone: 0409 391 254

$15,000 Phone: 0429 112 396 CAR PARTS FOR SALE

Front Bumper Land Cruiser 2012 $150 Standard Exhaust System 2.5 Inch $500 4x Standard GXL Rims $750 each Air Intake Snorkel (Top Only) $50 5 Dunlop Tyres 265/70R16 111RLT $250 Full Suspension Front Coil, Rear Leaf & Shockies $1000

Phone: 0429 831 021 TRAILER FOR SALE Home built camping trailer, built to carry 3 full sizes bikes or a quad and bike, camp slides forwards or backwards to balance picture taken back for bikes to sit on 5 months rego. Tows very well $4,500 Phone: 0429 112 396 HOUSE/LAND FOR SALE MOUNT PERRY ”Main Top” Best most usable 40 acres in town.

Good large level flats, great mountain veiws, hay shed, machinery shed, dam, House requires work.

Power to house.Plenty of feed, Potential to work 7 on 7 off roster at mount Rawdon Gold mine, Bus travels daily to mine site. $235,000 Phone: 0488 079 675

HOUSE FOR RENT

LAND FOR SALE

HYDEAWAY BAY Stunning modern 3 bedroom, Gourmet Kitchen, large open living, office, aircon.

3 bay garage. Opposite beach. School bus to Proserpine. Excellent fishing & diving reef 50metres offshore.

$700,000 Phone: 0749 333 106

Phone: 0414 381 330

UNIT FOR SALE

HOUSE FOR SALE Immaculate 4BR home.

BIR. 18 solar panels. Fully insulated & A/C. Ceiling fans. 2 bathrooms. 2 Toilets. Double lock-up garage. Stainless steel kitchen appliances.

Spacious open plan kitchen, dining & lounge.

Potential rental return above $22 000p/a. $429,000 Phone: 0418 796 074

HOUSE FOR SALE EMU PARK Beach front, Keppel Island views. Upstairs large main bedroom with large ensuite, 2nd bedroom, office, lounge, kitchenette and balcony. Downstairs 2 bedrooms lounge,kitchen, dining, formal dining, bathroom, laundry plus self contained granny flat $995,000 ono Phone: 0407 659 181

Phone: 0428 227 623

1hz motor, turbo diesel and gas which gives more power and econ.

New suspension , injectors, timing belt, new paint ,windscreen, clutch, 12 months rego, 90% tyres.

2 PRIME MOVERS

$350,000

The solution to accommodation in Mackay. Stay a few days, earn income while you’re away. 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom Beachfront Resort living, pool and restaurant on site.

$310,000

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Phone: 0419 020 566

MACKAY

TAXI LICENCE IN BOOMING GLADSTONE

OPEN TAXI LICENCE FOR SALE IN ROCKHAMPTON

BUSINESS FOR SALE

HOUSE/LAND FOR SALE

brick at Emu Park.

Ph. 0419 672 181

CAR FOR SALE

Phone: 0419 788 599

Excellent low set 3YO

Phone: 0409 630 311

Phone: 0407 913 914

Compass slide-on camper on Ford F250 ute.Camper sleeps 2 plus makeup 3rd. 3way Electrolux fridge, 2 burner stove, wired 12 & 240 volts, 100Lwater, PortaPotti, space for 2x4.5kg LPG and 2 batteries, steps and legs carried below floor. F250XL 2001, 4.2L diesel, 190,000km, strengthened springs, UHF, compressor.

Whole unit $45,000 ono.

Camper only $11,000 ono.

BUSINESS FOR SALE

Sale price includes shares in “Gladstone Taxis”.

CAR FOR SALE 2008 H3 HUMMER Luxury 6.2lt V8 LS3. Auto transmission. Full leather, BOSE sound, 22” American racing rims.Only known H3 V8 in Australia. Collector’s item. 27000kms.

Excellent condition.

Very classy vehicle with performance to match. $73000 ono Emerald.Q. Phone: 0427 189 834

$79,000 ono Phone: 0432 429 264

EMU PARK

BOAT FOR SALE 2004 PowerCat 2600 Sports Cabriolet. Twin 115hp Yamaha 4 stroke engines.

Sleeps 4, Toilet, Shower.

Road registered tandem trailer. Always maintained and kept in a shed. All safety gear. Excellent condition. Registered until September 2013.

Reduced to $108,000.00 Must be sold. OFFERS, OFFERS, OFFERS Very Negotiable

PROSERPINE Rural land 15 min cbd proserpine 2x200 acre lots good grazing land and house sites will sell separately POA $ 520,000 the pair Phone: 0447 031 588 HOUSE TO SHARE YEPPOON Ocean views with one other person Enjoy your days off at the Beach Lockable car cover, heaps of lockable garage space and storage

$110/week Phone: 0429 451 196 after 5pm please

Shift Miner Magazine

Sport

www.shiftminer.com

Sixth team for Highlands rugby Newly elected president of the Central

Highlands Rugby Union competition Eddie Shaw said a sixth team could be playing in the competition this year.

The Capella-based farmer and rugby tragic has returned to the helm of Central Highlands Rugby after vacating the position in 2010.

At an annual general meeting held last week, Mr Shaw took over the role of president

and said there is a large population of Pacific Islanders in Emerald who could field a side.

“Well I am trying to get a sixth team going,” he said.

“There are lots of Pacific Islander families working on big horticultural operations at Emerald and they are currently bussing into town and playing 20-a-side touch football.”

“They come from a rugby-playing

culture and I am hoping that they might play in the competition.”

“They are probably not going to be regulars this year, although they might be interested in playing a few scratch games against the other teams on bye weekends.”

For the first time since 2010, representatives from all five of the existing rugby teams were present at last week’s

AGM, making Mr Shaw confident that it will be a strong year for rugby in the region.

Meanwhile the Capella Cattle Dogs have shifted back to their spiritual home in Capella after the mining correction evaporated their player-base in Tieri.

The scaling back of Xstrata operations in the area has meant a large part of its 2012 player base has left town.

League hero takes a break after 17 years After 17 years on the committee of the

The Brigalow Bushwhackers have returned home from a successful trip to the Thailand 10s.

The Bushwhackers are a composite team from across the brigalow belt (the Central Highlands).

The tournament was held at the British International School in Bangkok and proceeds go to a local disadvantaged children’s charity.

The competing teams included a celebrityladen South African team, which had former World Cup Springboks Bobby Skinstad and Breyton Paulse.

Despite the quality of the competition the

Bushwhackers made it as far as the semi finals before being beaten by a team from Southern Thailand.

At the end of the carnival a players player award was presented to Burdekin Winger Lachlan Gullota who blazed the attack with five tries for the tournament.

He was presented with a rugby ball signed by all the touring party.

The Bushwackers are committed to increasing the opportunities of elite amateur players who wish to tour internationally.

Photo and details sent in by Eddie Shaw

Rio Tinto Coal Australia is pleased to continue its support of the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter service in 2013 The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter comes to the aid of central Queenslanders in their time of need.

We have been a long term supporter of this invaluable service and a formal sponsor since 2008.

The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter completed a total of 435 tasks, assisting over 400 people and logging over 1000 hours of service in the Mackay, Bowen Basin and Whitsunday regions in 2012.

Pictured: RACQ CQ Rescue chief executive officer Mark Shield and Hail Creek Mine community relations specialist Fiona Kruger.

Central Highlands Rugby League (CHRL), president Pat Booker has finally stepped back from the administration of rugby league in Central Queensland.

You would have to go a long way to find anyone in the sport of rugby league that has made such a large contribution to the sport, with many of this year’s first grade players not yet born when Mrs Booker first took on the role.

Ironically after being the voice of CHRL for so long, Mrs Booker was without a voice when Shift Miner spoke to her this week.

She did manage to say she was looking forward to a break with her husband, who has just taken 12 months long-service leave after 43 years with BMA. Filling her place as president of the CHRL is Emerald-based police officer Darren Sargood, who has returned to Emerald after a stint in Mt Isa, where he was president of that league competition.

He said the dynamics effecting league in any mining area are the same.

“I moved back to Emerald in 2011 and when it [the presidency] was suggested to me, I wasn’t sure whether I had the time.

But here I am,” he said.

“The rosters are the thing we are up against, and having FIFO and DIDO makes it hard for teams to have a good team two weeks in a row.”

“But there is no easy way around it.”

“Gone are the days where some of the mining towns used to build a football team around their work.”

With the draw just released, Mr Sargood said they have tried not to be too prescriptive about game times.

“Basically we have left game times up to individual clubs,” he said.

“They have better knowledge of when they prefer to play. Some like a Friday night game, others prefer to play on Sundays when they think they get a better crowd.

“The draw we have released today is only a guide and if clubs can come to an arrangement that suits them better, that is fine.”

However in some less positive news, the number of players turning up at training for the Central Highlands representative teams has been disappointing.

Both the seniors and U20s had training in Emerald last week - with numbers well short of a team.

Mr Sargood is hoping the joint NRL and State of Origin pedigree of the coaching staff of PJ Marsh and Steve Bell will draw in more players as the season gets closer.

“They had their first training on Saturday, and the turnout wasn’t good,” he said.

“But Belly does have a list of players, and I am hoping that with the enthusiasm and standing both coaches have within the game, more players will be drawn in.”

Proud to be part of the central Queensland community and committed to the future.

We support a range of local projects through our Community Development Funds. For more information: Clermont Mine – Travis Bates on 4988 3503 or clermont.cdf@riotinto.com Kestrel Mine – Samantha Faint on 0447 599 990 or kestrel.cdf@riotinto.com Hail Creek Mine – Fiona Kruger on 4840 4401 or hailcreek.cdf@riotinto.com

www.riotintocoalaustralia.com.au 4th March 2013

25

Shift Miner Magazine

Money Matters

www.shiftminer.com

MONEY TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

BOTH my wife and I work in mining and we earn a high joint income and consequently pay a lot of tax. What can we do?

To stimulate the building industry, the federal government implemented a number of tax benefits for property investors.

Building a new home in a wellresearched location is the best way to make the most of the money you currently pay in tax.

Did you know when you invest in a new property, the portion of the ongoing cost that comes out of your own pocket can be as

What is the best age to start investing?

You can start investing at any age but most investors are between the ages of 20-50. More important

than age is either having savings or equity in your home to cover the purchase costs. You will also need enough income to service the loan. Many of our clients who work in the mining industry have the income but are not sure if they have the savings to purchase an investment. It takes self-discipline to save for a house but you could be surprised at how little you need.

With a strong income, banks will lend up to 95 per cent of the purchase costs. which means you could buy an investment property with as little as 5 per cent deposit.

Another point to consider when starting your investment portfolio is getting the right help. Mistakes made with your first investment property can delay your ability to get into more properties. When your portfolio grows in value, you can use that ‘equity’ to purchase more properties. When that growth is delayed, you will be unable to buy more, potentially setting you back years. With the right team, you can use the expertise of others to help avoid many of the big pitfalls a young investor can run into.

Information provided by Josh Green of IPGA. Phone: 1300 321 963 | www.ipga.com.auvv

Whether you are starting out, building wealth, or in retirement, RBS Morgans can help you with customised advice and services designed to form a long term relationship based on trust.

Help secure your financial future.

Want to know more about saving, investments or superannuation?

little as 3 per cent? The money that you currently pay in tax as well as the tenant’s rent cover as much as 97 per cent of the costs.

Besides the savings in maintenance costs on a new property, the big savings is in something called ‘depreciation’.

Just like you can claim wear and tear on a car purchased for income producing purposes, you can also claim the depreciation of your investment property against your taxable income.

There are two types of allowances available: depreciation on plant and equipment (such as blinds, carpets and air conditioners) and depreciation on building allowance, which refers to construction costs of the building itself, such as concrete and brickwork. The biggest depreciation allowances are in the first few years which is why buying brand new is such an effective way of turning your tax money into an investment for your future.

• Direct shares advice • Planning for retirement • Insurance

Become a member of the Davidson Institute to access free online learning and articles.

davidsoninstitute.edu.au

• Superannuation strategies • Self managed super funds

Rockhampton 4922 5855 Yeppoon 4939 3021

www.rbsmorgans.com

Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457141 Australian credit licence 233714 02/13

Discover Australia's 2013 top investments and slash money off your taxes Is this you?

Put yourself in the picture.

NSG - tailored financial solutions.

Our team your future.

G

26

4th March 2013

CALL NOW:

Call us or visit our website to learn how you can secure your financial future

1300 884 379 www.nsg.org.au

Shift Miner Magazine

Money Matters

www.shiftminer.com

Market maintains momentum

THE Queensland real estate market maintained its momentum during the last three months of 2012, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ).

The REIQ December quarter median house price report showed sales activity was robust for the historically quieter December quarter.

Compared to the same quarter in 2011 the preliminary numbers of house sales in Queensland increased by 8 per cent in the December quarter last year.

REIQ chief executive Anton Kardash said the latest quarterly result demonstrated that the second half of 2012 was one of improvement.

“This is the second consecutive quarter where the market has exceeded expectations,” he said.

“Historically the December quarter is quieter than the September quarter- and we did have a very strong September quarter last year - but what these figures are showing us is that buyers continue to be more active than the year before.

“There is no doubt that the Queensland market is improving due to the low interest rate environment, increasing confidence levels, an element of pent-up demand, as well as a more settled economic outlook here and overseas.”

A number of regions experienced a substantial jump in activity compared to the previous year and this was especially true of Queensland’s tourism centres. The numbers of house sales were up 27 per cent on the Sunshine Coast, 25 per cent in Cairns, and 19 per cent on the Gold Coast compared to the December quarter in 2011.

“Buyers are once again looking at our beautiful tourism regions, perhaps attracted by the lower price points that are now available in some of these areas,” Mr Kardash said.

When it comes to median house prices, Toowoomba posted price growth of 6.2 per

cent to $308,000 over the quarter. Mount Isa also did well, recording a median price increase of 8 per cent to $370,000.

Across Queensland’s major regions, median house prices mostly posted stable prices over the quarter with some small reductions or small increases depending on the type of properties that sold over the period.

The Brisbane median house price increased 0.4 per cent to $510,000 over the quarter – the second quarter of positive price growth. The numbers of house sales also increased 8 per cent compared to the same period the year before.

“Upgrader suburbs in Brisbane did particularly well over the period with many buyers taking advantage of low interest rates to make their move,” Mr Kardash said.

“Unfortunately, however, the numbers of first home buyers active in the Queensland market continues to trend down following the removal of the First Home Owners Grant in October last year.”

Rockhampton’s median house price remained steady over the December quarter reporting a 0.9 per cent decrease to $315,000.

REIQ Rockhampton zone chair Noel Livingston said the minimal change in median house price was reflective of the reliability that characterised the Rockhampton housing market.

“The region continues to perform solidly, as it has for the last 12 months, regardless of the mining industry and employment concerns,” he said.

The December figures are also representative of the season with the transfer of the student population, he said.

Interest peaked in the affordable end of the residential investor market, he said, with properties in the $250,000 to $400,000 price range seeing significant movement.

“Beyond the affordable price range, owner-occupiers were the most prominent group over the December quarter,” he said.

The suburb of Frenchville reported a 7.4 per cent quarterly increase in median house price to $365,000, which Mr Livingstone credited to the quality and modern housing of the suburb.

4th March 2013

27

Blackwater average annual yields 12%* *Blackwater 1997-2012. National Property Research

Blackwater has returned an average annual yield of 12%* on 3 and 4 bedroom homes over the last 15 years.

Blue Ridge, a new residential community, is an ideal opportunity for anyone wanting to invest in Blackwater. Once complete, Blue Ridge will offer up to 200 homes conveniently located close to shopping, entertainment, schools, childcare, and packs. Call us today!

HOUSE & LAND FROM $187,400#

Visit blueridgeblackwater.com.au CALL NOW 1300 338 964 Or visit Blackwater Real Estate at 15 Mackenzie Street, Blackwater #Prices correct at time of printing, terms and conditions apply. Visit blueridgeblackwater.com.au for more details.