INSIDE Kids have a blast – Page 4
NOVEMBER 2010
Our Town - Page 5
Building stronger partnerships between Rio Tinto and the Shire
Shire of Ashburton senior executives met with Jack Sato and Brian Donald from Rio Tinto to discuss the future of Tom Price.
A milestone has been reached between the Shire of Ashburton and Rio Tinto, as both organisations move towards strengthening their relationship and building partnerships in the interest of the community. Recently the Shire of Ashburton met with Rio Tinto’s Jack Sato to discuss some of the Shire’s plans for infrastructure projects in town. The plans discussed include the establishment of a grandstand, replacement of
the drive-in theatre, improvements to the skate park, establishing a modern bus facility for passengers and looking at short-term or executive accommodation for visitors to the town. Mr Sato said it was an amicable meeting and he looked forward to continuing to work with the Shire. Shire President Greg Musgrave said he felt that both groups had made great inroads.
Pilbara Aboriginal artists in the spotlight Accomplished and emerging artists, traditional stories and stunning Pilbara imagery were once again on show at this year’s ‘Colours of our Country’ Aboriginal art exhibition in Perth. For the fifth consecutive year, Rio Tinto transformed the walls of the Central Park foyer to house a gallery of diverse Aboriginal artwork from the Pilbara. This year 57 Pilbara Aboriginal artists are showcasing 232 paintings, artefacts and textiles at the exhibition. All work is for sale with all proceeds returning, free of commission, back to artists and art groups in the Pilbara. Several of the artists have become well-
established, exhibiting work both interstate and internationally. Doreen James from Tom Price/ Paraburdoo tribal country was encouraged to pick up the paintbrush again, reinvigorating a passion that previously saw her win the first Indigenous art category in the 2000 Cossack Art Award and have one of her paintings donated to the National Gallery in Canberra. Ms James was joined by two other artists from the east Pilbara, providing an additional perspective for the exhibit. ‘Colours of our Country’ ran from September 20 to October 2 and was officially launched by Premier Colin Barnett.
National quad champ - Page 8
New project provides shade in time for the hot weather Students are learning about the intricacy involved in erecting a pergola as part of the pergola project which aims to provide three Aboriginal communities with a shaded area for meetings and informal gatherings. The company “100% Satisfaction” has been supervising and managing the project, which started in the first week of November at the Bellary Community, before two more pergolas are built at the Wakathuni Community and Youngaleena Community. The Shire of Ashburton provided $30,000 to IBN Corporation towards the project. IBN community progress manager Cecilia Fernandez was involved in sourcing funding from the Shire for the project. Ms Fernandez said the pergolas would improve the amenities of the communities. Nine Indigenous people have received training as part of the project and furthermore to the course will gain their Certificate 2 in Building and Infrastructure. Some of the skills they will acquire from the projects will be concreting, fencing, roofing, welding, painting and building infrastructure. Engineering Services executive manager Jeffrey Breen said that the Shire was excited about the initiative. “The Shire is happy to support a project that delivers positive training initiatives as well as improving amenities at the communities,” he said. “The initiative hopes to not only supply the communities with new amenities, but also to provide the course participants with the training, skills and opportunities to take them further in the workforce.”
Inside this issue Shire President and Gumala Monthly Report
2
School Holiday Program
4
Tom Price Community News
5
Onslow Community News
5
Paraburdoo Community News
6
Pannawonica Community News
6
Rio Tinto Community Information
7
Sport News
8
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A Sad Farewell....
A dinner was held recently to thank our outgoing chief executive Keith Pearson for his effort and achievement over the last nine years. Keith’s term as CEO, a position he has held for five years, concludes on November 13. I initially got to know Keith when he took on the role of town planner at the Shire. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of observing Keith’s academic wizardry and skill when dealing with sensitive matters including Wittenoon, Ashburton North and other mining planning issues. Like any leader I’m sure Keith has experienced some challenges but nonetheless, as our leader, he has achieved many feats and been recognised for his professionalism by Government agencies, local government, the resource sector and from within our Council. Thank you Keith, we wish you and your wife Nicky all the best in the future. Well, as the old saying goes, when one door closes another opens and from this perspective I welcome Council’s decision to appoint Jeffrey Breen to act as our CEO for the next few months, pending the results of the current recruitment situation. We all
look forward to Jeff’s contribution. He has a visionary approach coupled with extensive project management and engineering skills. In other news Tom Price’s E-Pod will be relocated to our local tip as Council felt staff had a better chance of controlling recyclable refuse there. While our E -Pod proved successful the downside was that unfortunately some people were disposing all types of rubbish in it. Over the last month here are some of the things I’ve been involved in: • Flinders Mines - I attended a presentation by Flinders Mines who were looking at developing an iron ore mine about 75kms north of Tom Price (around Mt Sheila). Flinders site is comprised of five possible mines, with a site called Delta being the preferred option at this stage. It will be an open-pit mining operation above the water table with minimal drilling and blasting. It will be a small mine with a FIFO workforce although it’s the company’s policy to buy local as much as possible. • FMG - We met with FMG to discuss their Solomon’s mining proposal with the view of confirming a start date (given the issue with the mining tax), housing strategy i.e. FIFO versus residential and their Buy Local policies. The results of our discussion are as follows: 1. A final business viability costing analysis is yet to be finalised for
Hedland and our Shire, including the Pilbara Cities initiative as a best practice case study of housing infrastructure development. Mayor Howlett presented a combined overview and we followed, putting our own experiences and strategies forward for comments. Very interesting conference.
their Board suffice to say they’re still charging ahead with all the necessary preliminary works including the installation of around 150 dongas at the Solomon site. 2. At this stage they’re only flagging the construction/ procurement of 10 houses and any additional requirements will be determined over time. Therefore it seems their operational staff will be FIFO. 3. Their buying policy certainly appears to be encouraging as it’s their desire not to base any of their operational major engineering/civil contractors onsite. Rather, they made it clear their preference is to base them in Tom Price. This is good news since all of the contractors would, in all likelihood, be looking to buy residential and industrial land allotments. To this end I will be conducting a presentation to all their major contractors, which will be held in Tom Price with invitations extended to Tom Price and Paraburdoo locals. • Resource & Regions Conference Brisbane - I attended a Resources & Regions conference in Brisbane where I featured as part of a Pilbara panel. Our panel examined industry, federal, state and local government collaborations on regional development of Karratha, Port
• Paraburdoo Meeting with Department of State Development (DSD) – DSD project leaders met to update us on Rio Tinto’s position regarding Council’s decision to reject the extension of the camp close to Paraburdoo. The upshot is that Rio Tinto has pulled the plug on any further extension of the camp in question. (It had proposed to increase the size of the camp from 120 to 400 and extend the life for 25 years). Rather, the company has requested a seven year extension of its agreement covering the Paraburdoo Construction Camp given the expiration date is only a matter of weeks. I strongly reinforced our position and that is “Council would like Rio Tinto to release a strategy regarding the sustainable future of Paraburdoo to Council and residents alike.” Thanks,
Greg Musgrave
Learning from the Alaskan experience with Gumala Chief Executive Steve Mav Having recently attended the Alaska Native Federation (ANF) Convention, it dawned on me how Gumala Aboriginal Corporation can learn from overseas experiences on how to maximise returns for the Traditional Owners stemming from our land use agreement with Rio Tinto. I had the pleasure of spending five days in the State of Alaska with three of my Directors – each representing the three language groups/tribes that comprise Gumala – and learning from the Natives (as they’re called in Alaska) about important economic and social development issues.
There are 564 Tribes recognised by the US Government and approximately half are located in the State of Alaska. While a small state in terms of population (700,000), Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area (approx 1.7 million km2). About 20% of the population are natives and there are thirteen Alaska regional native corporations representing the collective interests of the Eskimo, Indian and Aleut peoples. The thirteen corporations have combined assets exceeding $7 billion and have a portfolio of diversified investments in areas including gas, oil drilling, property development, government contracting, fishing, timber and many different types of natural resources. What we found interesting is that the regional corporations were established by legislation and, under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, enjoy special protections. In particular, under US law the regional corporations are deemed to be “minority and economically disadvantaged business enterprises”
which allows them to gain commercial contracts with the US Government on favourable terms. This is designed to allow the indigenous peoples of Alaska to make reasonable returns on their investments, either solely or through joint ventures, to enable annual dividend cash payments to be given to the beneficiaries – Alaska’s natives. While clearly different to our land use agreement, the Alaskan model has a number of attractive features that Gumala will seek to adopt as it relies on international best practice to grow and become Australia’s leading indigenous corporation.
Steve Mav
Ranger Report with Supervisor of Emergency Services Morgwn Jones As summer fast approaches so too does Tropical Cyclone Season and Bush Fire Season. Shire Rangers have commenced block inspections in all of the towns in the Shire. Rangers are inspecting all blocksresidential, industrial and vacant-to see that they comply with the Bush Fires Act and the Emergency Management Act. Tropical cyclones are more common in waters between Exmouth and Broome than anywhere else in Australia. Onslow in particular is right in the middle of what people call “Cyclone Alley”. Ranger Services urge all residents to take advantage of the Shire bulk rubbish collection and help prepare their homes and our communities against the impact of Tropical
Cyclones and Bush Fires. Dingoes/wild dog sightings have decreased but sightings are still being reported. There was some aerial baiting carried out some weeks ago around the outskirts of Tom Price and Paraburdoo. If you do see or have an encounter with a dingo or wild dog please report it to your local Shire office. Motor bikes continue to be a problem around town and although 95% of the community does the right thing there are still those that ignore police, rangers and signage. Recently the police were successful in obtaining a conviction against a young dirt bike rider. A reminder that
under the Road Traffic Act Control off road vehicles, your bike or car can be impounded. Residents may have noticed cattle in and just on the outskirts of town. Unfortunately due to the lack of rain, which has resulted in a lack of feed, cattle are coming to town to look for water and feed. If you see any cattle please do not try to chase or move them; please contact the Shire. Finally a big welcome to Seb Reeves who is our new Ranger in Paraburdoo. Seb comes from the City of Fremantle and will be based in Paraburdoo on a fulltime basis.
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HAVE YOUR SAY
The 2010 Regional Industrial Land Survey LandCorp is undertaking its biggest ever survey in Western Australia to measure the demand for light, general, heavy and special industrial land in regional WA. This is your opportunity to provide vital information about your business’ needs, which will be used by LandCorp, along with the nine regional development commissions, to ensure industrial land is being developed to meet market needs. The survey results will also assist developers, landowners, tenants, industry, owner occupiers and businesses in their feasibility studies and planning. Have your say about your WA regional land needs by visiting www.regionallandsurvey.com.au by 5pm (WST) Friday 3 December 2010.
CHRISTMAS PERIOD HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE COLLECTION AND TIP OPENING TIMES 2010-2011 TOM PRICE AND PARABURDOO Household Rubbish Collection Tuesday 21st December 2010
Paraburdoo
Wednesday 22nd December 2010
Tom Price Central
Thursday 23rd December 2010
Tom Price Area W
Tuesday 28th December 2010
Paraburdoo
Wednesday 29th December 2010
Tom Price Central
Thursday 30th December 2010
Tom Price Area W
A big welcome to new Shire employees • • Accounts Payable Officer Wendy Parish who has been a local resident of Tom Price for more than eight years. • Executive Assistant Building Services Kristy Ranger who relocated from over east with her husband in January this year. Assistant Building Services Jade Landon who has been a local resident • of Tom Price for over 10 years. Assistant Corporate Services Chloe • Shaw who recently moved to town with her partner to pursue work opportunities. Customer Service Officer Karen Tonkin
The Shire of Ashburton has had an influx of new employees to the office over the last month and the Shire extends a warm welcome to new staff members. These include: • • • • •
who moved to town six weeks ago with her partner who works at Pilbara TAFE. Administration Officer Angela Hennah who recently moved to town with her husband who is a police officer Paraburdoo Customer Service Officer Belinda O’Neill who lives in Paraburdoo with her partner. Land Development and Marketing Coordinator Anika Serer who is responsible for bringing industrial/ commercial/retail & residential developments to market in Tom Price, Paraburdoo and Onslow. Paraburdoo ranger Sebastian Reeve who hails from Fremantle. Asset Management Engineer Anand Patel and his wife Sunita who moved to town to experience new opportunities
and meet new people.
Pet Profile
Monday 3rd January 2011 normal services resume. The Tom Price and Paraburdoo Tip Opening Times are as follows: Friday 24th December 2010
OPEN
Saturday 25th December 2010
XMAS DAY – CLOSED
Sunday 26th December 2010
BOXING DAY – OPEN
Monday 27th December 2010
CLOSED
Tuesday 28th December 2010
OPEN
Wednesday 29th December 2010
OPEN
Thursday 30th December 2010
OPEN
Friday 31st December 2010
OPEN
Saturday 1st January 2011
NEW YEARS DAY – CLOSED
Sunday 2nd January 2011
OPEN
Tip will be open on the weekend at the usual times.
Fire and Emergency Services Authority prepares residents for the Cyclone Season This year’s cyclone season is set to be busier than normal with a high possibility of pre-Christmas cyclones; and residents in the Pilbara are being told to take measures to protect their communities and homes. FESA has been doing its part to educate the new and existing residents in the North West on the upcoming cyclone season with cyclone awareness tours, as well as circulating pamphlets and information to the community. FESA’s regional director John Newman said that the upcoming season had the potential to be a lot more severe than previous years. Mr Newman urged the importance of preparing homes and cleaning backyards and debris prior to the beginning of the season. “During the next few weeks you should check conditions of cyclone shutters and screens, remove or
secure loose items around your home and prepare an emergency kit,” he said. Tom Price State Emergency Services local manager Jen Pomery said it was good for residents to be proactive and ensure they had sufficient supplies of fuel, power, gas and food. “In areas that are more inland like Tom Price, it’s important to prepare for flooding; the SES unit has a supply of sandbags which are available to the public and to anyone who wants them. “We urge that if you are in an area which floods to collect sandbags in advance because trying to sandbag whilst in an area already flooded is hard and, most times, useless.” If you have any queries about cyclones and cyclone preparation you can visit the FESA website www.fesa.wa.gov.au or you can call the FESA Public Information Line on 1300 657 209.
Fun Loving Fishing Fanatic Seeks Two-Legged Playmate For Life Name: Milo Age: 1.5 years old. Looking For: Fun, friendship, love and adventure on the high seas. Likes: FISHING!!! Two-legged and four-legged friends, playing, trips to the beach, camping, walking, cuddling, tummy rubs, running – well, you get the idea. Dislikes: None, I love everything. Appearance: Super cute, gorgeous dark puppy dog eyes you can’t resist, medium build. Other Pets Are: Ace! Relationship Status: Single and looking. About me: I am a very active and funloving guy looking for that special someone with whom to enjoy all that life has to offer. I am the ideal Pilbara pooch as I just adore the great outdoors, especially fishing and camping, both of which I have been lucky enough to do a lot of. You can always trust me to stay close to you on our adventures; I am very loyal and will never run away. I am full of beans and can make you laugh and smile every day. As lively as I am, after a busy day, I just love to relax in the evening and cuddle. The key to my heart is through a tummy rub, my idea of ecstasy!
I adore spending time with other dogs and will make an excellent canine companion. I am not the jealous type; the more love in my life, the happier I’ll be! Don’t get me wrong though, I am well and truly ready for a committed relationship. I would love nothing more than to stick devotedly by your side through thick and thin and will always return your love with devotion, affection and complete and utter adoration. You are my perfect match if, like me, you wear your heart on your sleeve and are up for anything! To find out more about me, please call SAFE on 9185 4634 or check out my profile at www.safe.asn.au.
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Shire’s School Holiday Program Children in the North West were treated to an array of activities and exercises in late September when the Shire of Ashburton held school holiday programs in each of its towns. In Tom Price and Paraburdoo, the programs included culinary classes, mini Olympics, arts and
crafts, a cycling trip, pool parties and kids even had a chance to practice their shooting skills at laser skirmish classes. Shire of Ashburton community services coordinator Heather Patmore cited activities put on for the kids as a huge success and said the Shire experienced a great turnout
of kids during the duration of the program. “The programs were booked out well in advance in both towns and parents kept asking me will there be a holiday program running again.... all the feedback we have received has been extremely positive.”
Mini Olympics in Tom Price and Paraburdoo - Wednesday 29 September It all came down to wit and strength during the school holiday Mini Olympics. Activities ranged from a soccer game with a twist, where kids were tied together in pairs, a blindfolded obstacle course, the well-received egg and spoon race and a guessing game where children had to estimate how many M & Ms it took to make a certain weight.
Arts and Crafts in Paraburdoo Thursday September 30 Kids experimented and flexed their creative muscle during the arts and crafts day in Paraburdoo. Animal masks were the rave of the day amongst kids, with the children designing everything from monkeys to elephants. The kids even had a chance to dabble in other crafts including gift cards, with organisers marking the day a success.
Pool party in Paraburdoo Wednesday Oct 6 The school holiday pool party in Paraburdoo had plenty of entertainment including inflatable toys for the kids to run and slide down, with a BBQ lunch to whet their appetites.
Cycling Day in Tom Price - Thursday 7 October Kids took advantage of the warm weather and were happy to ride the distance at the Shire’s cycling day which started at the Community Centre and ended with a BBQ lunch and picnic at Kings Lake. There were 11 kids that participated on the day, with many choosing to cool off by having a water bombing fight before their ride back to Tom Price.
Laser Skirmish Classes in Tom Price and Paraburdoo – Friday October 8 Kids practiced their shooting skills during laser skirmish classes in both towns. The sessions were divided into three age groups with over 40 people attending both sessions.
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Tom Price Community News ARTICLE CORRECTION – OCTOBER 2010
The Shire of Ashburton has reprinted the Moringa crop article with appropriate corrections and apologises for any inconvenience that may have been caused.
Rio Tinto, Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation and Shire of Ashburton together move toward sustainable future
Shire of Ashburton, Rio Tinto and Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation look towards the future after planting a trial crop of Moringa to look at the advantages of using biofuel to aid mining operations in the region.
The first Moringa trial crops have been planted by local school children in the Nameless Valley in Tom Price in the hope that the project can bring a sustainable and economically viable source of biofuel to the mining industry. Local school children were among the first to plant seeds in late September which will grow into two metre high trees within nine months. The trees will be trimmed back, pods harvested and the seeds extracted and crushed for oil. Project funding of $150,000 came from the Pilbara Water Opportunities Program which is managed by the Department of Regional Development and
Lands. The trial, which was supported by Rio Tinto, will determine if Moringa crops can produce an economically viable biodiesel which can be used in the Tom Price mine’s drill and blast operations. Biodiesel has already worked well with waste cooking oils being collected around the Pilbara and processed for the use of the Tom Price mine. Drill and blast superintendent, Dave Keating said the use of biodiesel at the mine had been great. “Processed waste cooking oil has been used in the creation of blast explosives at the mine, the product has had no downfall recorded so far,” he said. Moringa not only can be used as a diesel substitute but also has value as a food crop. Smaller pods can be sold on the vegetable market where there is a large multicultural base of people in Australia who source it. This makes the product different to
that which is currently available and suggests it could be very profitable. Tom Price mine manager Mark Eaglesham said he believed the planting of Moringa would lead to future research and development. “If the crops prove to be sustainable then a larger commitment will be made,” he said. The Shire of Ashburton assisted Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation to source funding for the project and provided the trial site for the Moringa crops. Shire of Ashburton engineering services executive manager Jeffrey Breen said that the Moringa crop trial was just another example of the Shire and Ashburton Aboriginal Corporation working together to establish a sustainable business for local indigenous people. Mr Breen said that the support of Rio Tinto was also crucial to the success of the project. “Both organisations should be congratulated for their innovation and foresight,” he said.
Tom Price to feature in new TV series next month Locals in Tom Price may have spotted a small video crew in late October, who were here as part of a six-part series aimed at showcasing regional towns around our State. The series called Our Town, which airs in late November on WIN and Channel Nine, takes viewers on a scenic journey around our magnificent State. From the picturesque white sandy beaches in Broome to the spectacular natural wonders of Karijini, Our Town will also feature stories that relate to regional and economic development.
Visage Productions producer Lee Loraine said Shires and town councillors had been the driving force behind the program’s success. He said it was important to also highlight the businesses, companies and organisations that helped to make a community prosper and shape it. The Shire of Ashburton was proud to support the program and contributed $10,000 in funding. Our Town’s Tom Price episode is due to air on Saturday December 11, however please check local TV guides for further details.
Onslow Community News Shire of Ashburton Celebrates Safety Month
Job Expo a hit with locals
Shire of Ashburton Human Resources manager Felicia Mudge said people often let safety slip under the radar. “People tend to get complacent in the workplace and that’s why it is important to bring a focus back onto safety.” She said the Shire believed that safety was not just a once off event and was an everyday practice. With last year’s safety events running for only Shire of Ashburton held a nutritional seminar in Onslow as part of Safety a week, the Shire has dedicated the month of Month. October to recognising the importance of safety, The Shire of Ashburton’s Safety Month kicked off with plans in the New Year for the Shire to adopt a in early October in Tom Price, with skin cancer year-round safety practice. Ms Mudge said this year’s Safety Month focused checks for employees of the Shire followed by a on nutrition and lifestyle. nutritional seminar in Onslow that brought workers She said putting the right food into your body together to focus on living healthy lifestyles. Safety Month ran throughout the month was like putting the right fuel into your car. The Shire’s Safety Month culminated with the of October, with the Shire visiting towns in Paraburdoo, Onslow, Pannawonica and Tom Price Shire re-launching its Occupational Health and Safety Manual for its workers. to promote safety awareness in the workplace.
The Onslow community was given an opportunity to look at a range of different career opportunities when the town hosted its 2010 Careers and Employment Expo last month. The day was made possible by Pilbara Joblink together with the Shire of Ashburton, Chevron, the Port Authority and local business and industry and took six weeks to come to fruition, with Pilbara Job Link also conducting similar events in Karratha and Newman. Shire of Ashburton human resources manager Felicia Mudge said it was a successful day and it was surprising how many kids knew what work the Shire was doing. “It was interesting to hear them talk about the new Onslow Multi-Purpose Building and Water Spray Park; they were all excited about the projects in Onslow and it was great to be able to tell them of the jobs that such projects bring.”
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Onslow Community News (cont) Shire of Ashburton denies Chevron’s accommodation proposal to house workers at gas hub citing it would create a “two town scenario” The Shire of Ashburton has rejected a proposal by US oil giant Chevron to house its workers in the vicinity of the proposed Wheatstone Liquid Natural Gas Project, citing the proposal would be detrimental to the long-term sustainability of Onslow. Shire of Ashburton Council, at its Ordinary Meeting held on 20 October 2010, considered the matter of accommodation arrangements for Chevron’s operational workforce. Chevron proposed that 75 per cent of the operational workforce, which would comprise almost 300 to 400 workers, would be accommodated in transient accommodation. The company argued that due to the lack of utilities in Onslow, particularly power, water, waste water, as well as the lack of social infrastructure,
including medical, emergency and day care services it made it inappropriate to locate the operational workforce in the town. The company also suggested that costs involved in housing staff in town could be a significant issue. Council, after considering the matter, decided that it would not support a company-sponsored amendment to the Shire’s Planning Scheme; which would have enabled the company to base its operational workforce in the vicinity of the proposed LNG plant for the 50-year life of the project. Council did, however, resolve that it would support a planning scheme amendment, which would enable the LNG project to proceed but with a workforce based in Onslow. Shire President Cr Greg Musgrave said the
Shire was excited by the prospect of Chevron constructing its proposed Wheatstone LNG project at the Ashburton North Strategic site, however said that development should not be to the detriment of the local community. “While the Shire appreciates the company’s comments relating to existing infrastructure in Onslow, the fact remains that the operational workforce accommodation does not need to be in place for five years and this leaves sufficient time for hard and social infrastructure to be put in place within the town.” He said that the Shire was working proactively with both the company and relevant State Government agencies to ensure these issues were addressed and met the needs of all parties.
Paraburdoo Community News Paracycle Pod
Recycling starts up in Paraburdoo after the Shire held a recycling day in the town.
Last month the very first Paraburdoo recycling day was held with free recycling crates and halfprice compost bins up for grabs. Local kids were given the chance to name the recycling pod and out of 50 entries, Georgea Guenole and Seton Webber-Hyde took out the prize for their
joint effort of “Paracyclers”. Shire of Ashburton waste coordinator Margaret Rowe said community had really embraced the importance of recycling and described the day as a big success. “Since holding the event and educating the public, recycling has picked up,” she said.
New Paraburdoo ranger Sebastian Reeve joins the team Paraburdoo ranger Sebastian Reeve said he is settling into the town well, after leaving his position of ranger/security guard at the Fremantle Council to take up a posting in Paraburdoo. “The work I was doing before was normal ranger duties, plus security work liaising with the Fremantle police and the CBD CCTV camera crew, notifying them if there were any fights, graffiti or anti-social behavior.”
He moved up with his best mate, dog Chi, and said he loved the diversity of his new role. “The job is going great, it’s a totally different style of ranger work up here and a lot more diverse at the moment because the Shire is putting me through a lot of training like reptile handling and even a dog health program. The Shire welcomes Sebastian to the team and wishes him all the best for the future.
Pannawonica Community News Pannawonica local enjoying Australian citizen title
Siarion Punyanitya has been an Australian Citizen for six months.
Siarion Punyanitya has just celebrated six months as an Australian citizen after her ceremony back in April. Ms Punyanitya is a resident of Pannawonica and on April 23, surrounded by friends in a true Australian setting at “The Rocks”, she became a citizen. The ceremony was conducted by Shire of Ashburton Councillor Stephanie Dann and the Shire hopes that Ms Punyanitya is enjoying her new life as an Australian citizen.
Sebastian Reeve joins the ranger team with his best mate Chi.
Well done Ashburton Two towns in the Shire have received accolades in this year’s Tidy Town’s - Sustainable Communities Pilbara Category Awards. Eleven regional communities from WA took part in the program, with judges stating their amazement with the ongoing initiatives carried out by communities to achieve a sustainable future. Well done to Paraburdoo which won the Community Action Category and Tom Price which won the Recycling and Waste Management Award, and in particular the Shire’s own waste coordinator Margaret Rowe who took out a Special Commendation Award. More on the awards will be featured in the December edition of Inside Ashburton.
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In the community
Road Smart Awards
Picnic Days 2010 Over 3000 people enjoyed a great day out at the Rio Tinto Family Picnic Days on 22 and 23 October in Paraburdoo and Tom Price. The picnic days are a great way to bring local families and groups together which, in turn, strengthens our local communities. This year saw more activities for children of all ages including the chair ride, rock climb and not to forget the belly bumpers. Children were mesmerised by Clare Stace and her various characters while Men and Their Sheds provided excellent music throughout the night. The evening closed with a psychedelic display of fireworks that lit up the skies. Thank you to the Paraburdoo Zumba group who had everyone jumping and congratulations to Tom Price Plant Operations for taking out the inaugural tug-o-war competition. Rio Tinto would like to thank all involved for making the events such a success including Toll Ipec, Paraburdoo Inn, Coles, Muzzy’s Hardware, Eco Bins and in particular the various employee volunteers from across Rio Tinto. Thank you also to the many community groups who volunteered their time in assisting Rio Tinto with these events.
The Pannawonica Police Station for the last three years have organised the Road Smart awards. An initiative where they give two children, one boy and one girl, who are enrolled at the Pannawonica Primary School an award at their school assembly. The award being a prize for excellent road safety behaviour. The prizes are donated by Rio Tinto.
Community Recognition Awards
Congratulations Jamie Johnson. Jamie recently received a Community Recognition Award (CRA) from the Tom Price Community Action Group (CAG). Jamie has volunteered his time and energy to support the Tom Price BMX club for many years and as president for the last year. He has played an integral part in the development of the club, spending countless hours upgrading the track for its members. The Tom Price BMX Club continues to grow into a successful sporting club and with the assistance from members like Jamie; the club boasts one of the premier tracks in the North West. Well done Jamie. If you wish to nominate an individual, family or group that add significant value to their local community for a Community Recognition Award then please contact your Rio Tinto community officer: Tom Price - Kris Starcevich Kris.Starcevich@riotinto.com Paraburdoo - Jacquie Price Jacqueline.Price@riotinto.com Pannawonica - Amanda Williams Amanda.williams@riotinto.com
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Sport News Local netball star gets an early start friends I’ll never forget,” she said. Eliza gained a sport in the team after she competed in the North-West Netball Championships in Newman for the under 15’s Tom Price team, before she was accepted to attend a development camp in Port Hedland with thirty other players. There Eliza gained a spot on the North-West under 14’s team with other Local Tom Price girl Eliza Gannaway wowed scouts in Newman players from across the region. and Port Hedland before being selected to compete in the NorthOn September 30, Eliza travelled to West under 14’s team. Perth for a four day weekend where the North-West team spent two days Local Tom Price resident, Eliza Gannaway recently returned from Perth training together and two days competing after she was selected in the North-West against teams from areas including the team to compete in the Regional Netball Wheatbelt, Mandurah and Morley. Eliza said she hoped to one day be a Championships where the team won five professional athlete. out of its eight games. “I’d love to make a State team, it would Eliza, who played centre and wing defence, said the four day event was full be a great achievement.” She also expressed a passion for of fun and memories. “I learnt so much and made so many teaching sport to young children. Tom Price basketball has commenced and is open to women and men. If you want to find out more or head along to a game ring: Women’s Contact: Simone Fraser 9189 1426 or dionsim@bigpond.net.au Men’s Contact: Shannon Keating 041 351 1187 scrancha18@live.com
USA All-Stars pay a visit to budding tee-ballers in Pannawonica
Batter up play ball.
Pannawonica kids had a grin from ear-to-ear when some special professional ballplayers came up from Perth to lend a helping hand. USA All-Stars coach Steve Fish was joined by a raft of other talented players including Balcatta’s starting shortstop Lee Darracott, Peter McCormack and Dave Fenner from the Tee-Ball Association of WA and Victor Bellotti from the Department of Sport and Recreation. The boys ran an all-day sports clinic for the kids which was then followed by a match between the professionals and the Pannawonican kids – with the kids giving the professionals a run for their money. Organisers marked the day a success and said everyone had a great time, especially when the kids’ skills were put to the test. The Pannawonican community thanks Fielders Choice for their kind donation of a tee-ball bag and tee-ball gear, as well as those involved in bringing the talented players to our North.
Local boy takes out Australian ATV title for 2010
Local Tom Price boy Ryan Lancaster sped to victory taking out the champion title in this year’s Australian Quad Motocross Championship.
Our very own Ryan Lancaster, who hails from Tom Price, has done the Pilbara region proud, contesting and winning the 2010 Australian Quad Motocross Championship on October 16 and 17. The two-day event, which was held at the Southern CapesJindong near Busselton, started off shaky after he was involved in a crash which badly bruised his body. However with the champion title in sight he jumped back on the bike determined to not let the accident deter him from winning – and it paid off in the end. Riding his KTM 450 SX Ryan shone on the track with his consistent performance in the Pro Class, finishing with 5-3-3-2-2 results to clinch the title over the five races contested during the weekend. His girlfriend Tash Zeplin who attended the races with Ryan said she couldn’t be prouder.
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