The Townsville Zine - May by The Townsville 'Zine

MAY 2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

School holiday activities

RECIPES

Townsville or Cairns?

An Easter recipe for kids

Cattle deaths in Queensland

Picnic recipes

Mystery of Mick Isles

Easy Camp-fire recipes

Mountain biking in Townsville

Tasty savoury mince

Historic pubs of Townsville

Ma pa tofu

Easter Townsvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upgrades Surviving the tropics A piece of heaven The ultimate camping checklist Places of adventure Paluma Word search Choosing a dog that is right for you Fun facts Ghosts of North Queensland May gaming madness Bushfires

Produced by the participants of the Workways West End Townsville Work for the Dole Community ZINE project. Cover: Geoffrey Howe

School Holiday Activities Are you looking for something to do with your children?

School holidays are coming up and if you are having trouble finding something to do with the kids here are some ideas. Some of these are free some cost money but gettiing the kids out of the house is worth it in the end.

Creative Science 4 Petunia street Aitkinvale Starting off with the first day of the school holidays we have a creative science activity. It is at the Aitkinvale city library and of course this is free to the general public. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the 8th of April starting at 10 am til 12noon. Bookings are essential, you can book by either calling this number 47278310 or by emailing library@townsville.qld.gov.au

Rock climbing 17 Madden street Aitkinvale During the holidays at 4-5: 30 pm you can make a booking for your kids to learn how to rock climb with Hot Rock Adventure Center. Cost is $20 per child you can book by calling 47251451or email them at admin@hotrockadvanture.com.au

picnic lunch and your bathers and go for a swim. You can feed the kangaroos or have a cuddle with a koala or hold a baby crocodile if your brave enough. Family entry is $110 thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for two adults and two children. There is no need to book just make sure they are open

Water bugs 86 Thuringowa Dr, Thuringowa Central Learn with Annmarie from Townsville water and waste about water bugs and the life cycles and use a mini magnifying glass to see better and have a ton of fun learning new things. It is a free event you just need to book you can do that by calling 47738811 or email library@townsville.qld.gov.au

Chinese paper lanterns 86 Thuringowa Drive, Thuringowa Central The Thuringowa library are offering to help your kids make and decorate lanterns. It is free to do you just need to book and you can do that by calling 47738811 or email library@townsville.qld.gov.au

Billabong Sanctuary 11 Country road, Nome Is it that time of the year to go and see the animals, you can take the kids to see them and make a day out of it. Take a Author:(N.T and 04/19) | Acknowledgments:https://www.pexels.com/photo/4k-wallpaper-adorable-blur-boy1148998/,https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/54934/SchoolHolidayGuide-Autumn2019-web.pdf

Townsville or Cairns? The Eternal Question

Townsville and Cairns, neighbouring cities, have a long standing rivalry mainly due to the ongoing claims of being the ‘capital’ of Far North Queensland. Sometimes this rivalry can be less than friendly and reaches far back in time. Cairns is considered the agricultural, tourism hub whilst Townsville is the centre of administration, finance and industry. Today, we are going to look at some points of view on why each city sparkles and should be considered the ‘Jewel of the North’

Capital city of Far North Queensland ? – Experts from the Queensland government agree that one of the most important factors when considering the ‘capital’ is the ‘urban area population’ of each city. For years each city has been ‘fudging’ population figures in regards to their specific areas. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) future figures as of June 2019 Townsville - will reach 192,732 by the end of June 2019 Cairns - will reach 152,798 by the end of June 2019

Weather -Townsvilleshines -

With a dry, hot climate ,

Townsville summers ‘wet season’ generally brings bursts of monsoonal rains and thunderstorms. Average temperatures in summer range from 24 to 31°C. Winters are mild and warm

DSH 12/4

with some cooler nights. With over 300 days of sunshine, don’t forget your sunscreen, umbrella and mossie repellent. The climate in Cairns can range from blue skies and gentle breezes to raging tropical cyclones and monsoonal rains. The wetseason spans November to May, with some months averaging over 400 mm of rainfall. The dry season runs from June to October with rainfall averaging approximately 35 mm. Humidity is the killer!

Attractions – Cairns and Townsville cities are nothing special in themselves, they are more like ‘hubs’ to radiate out to explore places of natural beauty. Cairns has the nearby rainforests and the reef, whereas Townsville has The Strand, Maggie Island and drives to the Whitsundays. Cairns is more the backpacker headquarters and if the tourists don’t turn up there are very few other options on the table. Townsville has both the administrative and Armed forces base to fall back on if there is a downturn in the tourist market. All in all, each city offers similar and different opportunities. I believe if the two cities work more together and co ordinate for the better travel and living experience, the better advertisement FNQ will be!

Cattle deaths in Queensland Queensland Floods Farmers who managed to keep their cattle alive for seven years, through one of Australia’s worst droughts in history, have watched their herds wiped out in a matter of days after unprecedented floods devastated much of Queensland. If the cattle have not drowned or frozen to death in the elements, devastated farmers now face having to kill thousands of animals. The situation is so terrible that there are reports the farmers have run out of bullets. Some farmers are estimating almost 100 per cent stock losses while the state’s cattle industry as a whole is expecting about 500,000 dead cattle. Graziers typically sell cows for $500 a head with farmers estimating the 500,000 dead cattle could mean losses of up to $300 million. When the first rain started to fall in the state’s west two weeks ago, drought-stricken farmers felt they could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It’s been more than seven years since the region received a substantial downpour but the monsoon, which saw clouds dump three years worth of rain in 10 days, is expected to cripple farmers for decades. The sheer devastation has been labelled a national disaster and it’s left desperate farmers facing three years without any income, begging the government for help. “We do not want handouts, but sometimes we do need government financial support when these natural disasters occur. Most of all, we need Australians to buy Australian Products,” grazier Jacqueline Curley wrote in a heartbreaking Facebook post shared more than 10,000 times. Most properties are still only accessible by air, forcing farmers to express their heartbreak on social media. “As we begin to access our paddocks we are being confronted with death and devastation at every turn. There are kangaroos dead in trees and fences, birds drowned in drifts of silt and debris and our beloved bovine family lay perished in piles where they have been huddling for protection and warmth,” Ms Curley wrote. “This scene is mirrored across the entire region, it is absolutely soul destroying to think our animals suffered like this. “The rain and wind was so intense they piled on top of one another for warmth. Many of these were still alive but we

had to shoot most of them. We lifted the live ones out with helicopters to try saving them, but only a few survived.”

Grazier Nigel Simmons was celebrating the rain at the end of January, not realising the monsoon trough would continue for weeks. “The stock losses are going to be horrendous. My heart breaks from the number of deaths I have seen within walking distance of the house,” Mr Simmons wrote on Facebook. “It sickens me to think what I will find further afield when I can get around. My cattle are my life, my passion...to all the people in the same boat as us, there will be tears, there will be break downs, there will be so much pain. But we will get up, we will carry on, we will come out the other side of this, and we will have an excellent grass season for the surviving livestock.” Speaking at the National Press Club earlier today, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an immediate non-gratia $1 million for shires inundated by floods. “This payment will be for them to use on priorities they deem most urgent - whether that be rate relief for impacted properties, infrastructure, or the disposal of cattle which have perished,” he said.

Sarah Macartney, a farmer from the regional town of Mount Isa, captured a snippet of the devastation from her helicopter on Saturday as she filmed dozens of dead cows lying on the flooded ground.

Jane McMillan, another grazier from rural Queensland, has been on the ground trying to help others understand the true extent of what farmers are facing. Most graziers in rural Queensland are facing zero income for the next few years as they work from the ground up. Ms McMillan has a cattle farm in Cloncurry, a tiny town near the Northern Territory and Queensland border, and is looking at at least 50 per cent losses. “We don’t know what’s going to happen next … people have lost their income for the next three years. We can’t pay the banks back. We need Australia to back us,” Ms McMillan said on Facebook.

Author: JWAG (02/2019) | Acknowledgments: https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/floodaffectedfarmers-witness-entire-cattle-herds-wiped-out-by-catastrophic-deluge/news-story/f49ee8b2d5ed0cca27283afb45bf9477

Mountain Biking in Townsville Kings of the Mountain

Whether you are interested in the extreme action of “Downhill” or “Freeride” mountain biking, the slightly more relaxed “Gravity Enduro/All-Mountaining”, the comparatively peaceful discipline of “trail/cross country” riding or you’re entirely new to the sport and none of these labels make any sense to you. Townsville has something to offer. The sport of mountain-biking has long been on the radar in Townsville but has in recent years seen a surge in favour from the locals. With support from both the local and state Government. The sport itself and the local tracks are getting bigger and better. As a result Townsville has recently been host to the Nth Qld Leg of the UCI and XCM National Championship events as well as a number of yearly local events that anybody can take part in. (see www.rockwheelers.com.au) Whether you ride casually, socially or competitively the local events here are open to everyone.

informative when first starting out on this journey. So you’ve done some research, you have an idea of what type of riding suits you. Straight away when considering mountain-biking you will notice it is a very expensive endeavour. With your average “capable” entry level trail/cross-country bike costing around $800$1500. And more capable bikes designed for the bigger more serious Downhill or Enduro tracks Starting around $2500-3500 with the option to spend a lot more. Getting a chance to “try before you buy” might be the only way to be even remotely sure you want to proceed. At the end of this article I will include some of the places around town you can do just that for a reasonable fee. Usually around 40-80 dollars.

Now, with that said if you are interested in taste testing mountain biking. You can find all manner of pushbikes for sale around town, online or down the road at oldmates place. But for off-road mountain-biking one will need something that is engineered for the task. So it is well advised to do some research and familiarise yourself with the types of hardware available. Even a trip to your local mountain bike shop can be very revealing and

Author: (Your Initials and mm/yy) | Acknowledgments:

Author: B.W 02/2019

Acknowledgements: Pictures: www.rockwheelers.com.au

From the outlay you will of course, need a bike. This will be followed by the essentials. 

A Helmet



Riding Gloves



Knee/Elbow/Chin Guard (If/when you are inclined to tackle some of the more serious tracks.)



Hydration (Camelbak/Water bottle and bottle carrier)



A Bike carrier for your car. (There are multiple options available for this. Consult local bike shop for details.)



A small multi-tool/set of “trail tools” (optional)

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Small portable pump. (Optional)

at the end of this article have various skill-training days/workshops. Otherwise a personal instructor might be more your pace. I will include a link for that too. Mountain biking, while expensive, is very family friendly with many local families choosing to “hit the trails” as their primary family exercise routine. Having been overtly inactive myself before finding this sport, and being a very good way to keep active, stay fit and have fun. No one is happier than myself that mountain biking has carved out its place in this dusty sunburnt part of the world. So if this sounds like something you would like to become involved in. Here are some good local places to start:

Now that you have your equipment prepped and ready you are going to need somewhere to start riding! The first choice for most locals is the Douglas Mountain-bike reserve. Located off Angus Smith Drive near the James Cook University. Douglas Mtb Reserve, lovingly referred too by the locals as “dougy”, offers an extensive collection of networked tracks. Ranging from tracks suitable for first day beginners all the way through to the seasoned dirt dogs. For a more relaxed surrounding with a more “hiking track” feel and less obstacles or difficult terrain one might try the Pallarenda “Under the Radar” track. If you are committed to learning the skills required to tackle some of the more difficult sections at these locations and do not have access to an experienced rider willing to teach you. You might be interested in taking some lessons. Most of the local shops I will include Author: B.W 02/2019

(Each one of these shops offers trial rides) 

Crank’d Cycles (4728 5838)



Top Brand Cycles (4725 5083)

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BNG Sports (4772 2929)

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Run’n’Ride (4779 1130)



Cycle De Vie (4420 1433)

For personalised training/workshops 

Borys Zagrocki (https://www.extremebicyclestunts.com/booking s)

Acknowledgements: Pictures: www.rockwheelers.com.au

Historic Pubs of Townsville Some Historic Photos of Pubs in Townsville

Criterion Hotel 1902

Tattersalls (Molly Malones) 1989

Great Northern Hotel 1986

Seaview Hotel 1906

Queens Hotel Year Unknown

Empire Hotel (Republic Hotel) Year Unknown

Author: (GH 04/19) | Acknowledgments: Photos from the Lost Townsville Facebook page

Metropole Hotel Year Unknown

Exchange Hotel 1986

New Market Hotel 1986

Rising Sun Hotel Year Unknown

Aitkenvale Arms Hotel (Vale Hotel) Year Unknown

Mansfield Hotel Year Unknown

North Australian Hotel Year Unknown Author: (GH 04/19) | Acknowledgments: Photos from the Lost Townsville Facebook page

Easter Sacrifice So, christians believe Jesus as a saviour To remember this, christians do have sermen in the church and then have bread which is the body of Christ and the wine is the blood of christ as symbol of Jesus death.

Actually, in our world,There are different beliefs and every religion has its own special cerebration. Among those religions are: Christian, Islam, Buddhist, chinese tradition religion, Bahai religion,Judaism, African tradition religion,Hinduism religion and many many more. Today, I will be writing about christian belief. According to this religion, they believe that there’s one God and Jesus is his son. Christian has the book called holly bible. In the bible its where you can find God’s words. Christian read bible everyday and they use it for preaching. Bible has 78 books in total, 51 books for the old testament and 27 books of new testament. Christians have two spacial days for cerebration, one is christmas and another one is Easter. So, today I will comment about Easter, because its nearly Easter cerebration. According to the bible, God created the first men and woman after that, those people sined against God, so God panished them , in the panishment death was among them. Because, all generations came from the first created Adam and Eve it’s why we face the consequences. The bible says because of that sin, man could face eternal death,but God is love, he felt sorry for his people, its why he sent his son Jesus to save us. People cerebrate this in Easter, because Jesus died for us so that we can not be perished but live forever. Bible says no one could save human being’s because we all sinners, so God sent Jesus from heaven to earth, because he didn’t sin. Author: (Your Initials and mm/yy) | Acknowledgments:

Townsville’s Upgrades New Improved Townsville

Townsville bus port Townsville City Council are building a new bus station it is situated in Ogden street and Hanran street which will allow Sunbus services to pass through a single arrival and departure points in the CBD I think this will be a good addition to Townsville with being close to Flinders street and near all of the shops easy to get to from anywhere in the CBD.

to build next to the existing toddler area at riverway your kids don’t want to miss it

Mount Louisa Open Space master plan

Castle hill

The city council is upgrading the hill in Mount Louisa they will put walking tracks and bike trails with entrances from Bayswater Road and entries from Cosgrove. They are going to put a café in, there will be a place for people to sit and look out over Townsville and there will be an area where bands can go and perform.

Castle hill’s upgrades expected to cost a big half a million dollars. They are planning on upgrading all of the walking tracks and the look out area I think that its going to look alright by the end all the upgrades are supposed to be finished by the end of June. Keep a look out for new handrails,barriers there will be new seating and signage it will be a whole new castle hill hopefully bring in more tourists this upgrade will bring in more jobs they are even talking about bring a zipline to the Seaview hotel

Heatley park is getting an upgrade with a refurbished remote controlled car track, there will be upgrades to the community centre they are even making brand new play equipment theres gonna be airoplane shaped tunne. They wwill also be getting a modular pump track and a new fitness course for the adults while the kids are playing and new park will do good it might even get all of the kids playing out side again.

Heatley Park Upgrade

North Queensland stadium The new stadium is getting built for the 2020 NRL season the stadium was supposed to be an upgrade from 1300 Smiles but it was supposed to be bigger but it has the same amount of seats and 1300 smiles means more games can be held here at the same time Townsville city council is also redoing the parks and surrounding areas to revitalise the city the new stadium has brought a high-rise high end hotel they will be getting built.

Riverway Splash Water Park The new Splash park is going to be built to target children under five there are there will be four different areas to play in starting with: the Billabong, the Shallows,the Lilly pad waterfall forest and Inquisitive play are this new area is going Author:(NT04/19)|Acknowledgments:https://www.google.com/search?biw=1680&bih=939&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=QtezXIIDoHw9QOHh5eoCw&q=townsville+city+council&oq=townsville+ci&gs_l=img.1.1.0l7j0i8i30l3.44135.52921..54994...2.0..0.244.2499.0j14j1..... .0....1..gws-wiz-img.......0i67j0i24.NIJ8crurPPw#imgrc=8itghEbGfvirkM:, https://www.google.com/search?q=modular+pump+track&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjtuO6cv9PhAhVHfX0KHc8wC 5MQ_AUIDygC&biw=1680&bih=939#imgdii=Bpx7WWl81SHAmM:&imgrc=EW_81zeCdMev_M:

Surviving the Tropics How to get through that next Townsville summer… NUMBER 1 – Mozzie spray We all look forward to those long tropical nights, relaxing outdoors, drink in hand, gazing at the stars… … until the mosquitoes arrive! Let me warn our international friends, only Aussie made spray will work on these little pests. Instead of the nightly run indoors, grab a can of spray and enjoy your long summer nights.

NUMBER 2 – Drinking Fluids Hydrate ! Hydrate ! Hydrate ! The drinking of fluids is a must! Dehydration will creep up on you and before you know it you will be off your feet with heatstroke! REMEMBER… apart from water, juices and coffee and tea are all good!

NUMBER 3 - Sunscreen

Townsville basks in over 300 sun filled days per year and is a very relaxed Aussie destination. With a tropical savannah styled climate it is drier than the more rainforest type weather of Cairns. To embrace the sun, sand and sea on your doorstep you must be ready to face both the upsides and the downsides whilst living in this “Gateway to Paradise”

Take my advice… SPORTS SUNCREAM is the way to go. Why? Because, if they are good enough for marathon runners over 42 kms in the blazing sun, good enough for me. Keep slapping it on with all the slip slop slaps you have!

NUMBER 4 – Sense of humour This is one of the greatest assets you can have to survive those long hot days and steamy nights, sweat marks, sunburn and sweaty greasy hair will be your constant companions. To help you and for the sake of others in your close proximity, remember the DEODORANT !

Townsville average Climate Max - A HOT 30+ degrees – October to April Min - A mellow 13 degrees - May to September

This article will try and help you with the top four survival tips to make your lifestyle more relaxing and stress free! Acknowledgments: DSH 03/19

Although this is not a comprehensive list, the tips should help you make some adjustments and live and enjoy this enviable lifestyle !

Word Search Complete the Word Search

AIRCON CHILDREN FESTIVALS GREEN KOALA RAIN THE WATER

Author: (N.T and 05/19) | Acknowledgments:

BEACH CROCODILE FLOODS HOTAIR MUSIC SAND TOWNSVILLE YELLOW

BROWN FAMILY FRIENDS KANGAROO PURPLE STRAND WALK

http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/code/BuildWordSearch.asp

A piece of heaven 10 places explore in Townsville you choose how much you want to walk.There are little waterfalls and pools where you can stop and cool off on the way. The best feature would be the natural rock water slides with two that lead to the pool there is also rocks which you can jump into the water . You may also encounter fish, turtles and eels playing in the water and rocks. Rolling stone national park is our next destination with free camping sites. It is suitable for a family on a budget. There are many things to do there such as swim in the creek, visit the markets that occur the first Saturday of every month as well as other family and community events that are held out there. For those of you not into the nature aspect there is a Big 4 camping ground that has cabins. There is also a museum and the Rollingstone Pub witch has a bouncing pillow for the children and live music on the weekends and also has been known to hold arts and crafts markets.

Townsville is a tropical oasis that offers everything from the hustle and bustle of city life to the quiet country like life. In this article we will show you ten things that you may have not known were right in your backyard. So that exploring your own backyard can become a new adventure that is exciting for everyone. The first hidden gem is Keel Bottom creek located of Harveys Range road is a great location to spend the afternoon or even camp overnight. Once over the bridge there is a place where two wheel drives can go that lead to camp grounds and little pit stops perfect for a picnic with the family or for spending the afternoon fishing. On the other side is only four wheel drive accessible and has tracks that you can follow. This is at the top of my list because it is dog friendly and can cater for families that have different interest all at the one place. Number nine is Alligator Creek a beauty that provides fun for all. Located in Bowling Green national park the creek has camping grounds, bbqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, picnic tables, flushing toilets, showers and camp grounds. The fees at the camping ground are $5.45 for a single person or $21.80 for a family pass. There are many activities you can do at alligator creek from climbing the rocks in search of rapids to go down to watching wild life such as turkeys and wallabies pass by, unfortunately it is not pet friendly but that is so the precious wild life does not get hurt. The next location is Little Crystal Creek, unfortunately you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t camp here but it makes for an excellent day trip for the family. It does require walking but the good thing about Author bb 04/19 Photos by https://www.pexels.com / connect nq

Number six is a beautiful place, Palleranda Beach. Located in Rowes Bay. While most people are aware of its existence I feel like its beauty is not as acknowledge as some of the other beaches in Townsville. It is a dog friendly beach with stinger nets, a boat ramp, children playgrounds. It also has tracks that you can walk through if you go down towards the quarntine station which leads to a separate part of the beach which is a nudist beach. The quarantine station is an eye-opener to how our ancestors lived and dealt with infection control. Walking through the place it has displays of old medical equipment and items left behind by the patients its has boards explaining the history and the procedures that they had to go through to make sure the disease did not spread. There are also other buildings where the patients stayed which you can look at and see the old architecture.

Crystal Creek Beach is our fifth piece of heaven to explore. This location brings the beach and the scrub together in a beautiful mix. While some parts are accessible to two wheel drive, a four wheel drive will get you anywhere you want to go. There are camp sites along the beach as well as in the bush so you can choose to go for the beach front views or

the creek view and be more private. It is also dog friendly and its free so yopu can make a day trip of it or stay for a few nights the choice is yours.

is great for a day trip is Geoffery Bay this bay is home to a reef and another ship wreck so it makes it a perfect location for snorkelling and diving.

The fourth locations of pieces of paradise is Cungulla Beach.Cungulla is a beach which you can camp on and bring your dogs although you are restricted to where you can use four wheelers and motorbikes as there are houses near the beach but the landscape is beautiful it also makes for an excellent for an afternoon stroll, the water is crystal clear and is not very busy as it is a 20 minute drive from town. It also has excellent fishing whether it is on the beach itself or from one of the creek outlets.

For those wanting to do the more tourist thing Horseshoe Bay is your best bet as they have a stinger net that allows people to swim in the ocean, and then they also have jet ski hire or you can do a tour on the jet ski there is also playgrounds for the children, there is also a local market that is held on the second and last Sunday of every month show casing local art, food and trinkets. It has a pub that has the most amazing food ranging from your roast of the day with yorkshire pudding to a fishermanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basket with local caught seafood. After that you can go to the local coffee shop that sells traditional gelato which I rich and creamy.

The third place that is a hidden gem is The Strand Esplanade. While it is a known location it is underestimated as everyone goes there for the events the council holds there. The Strand has some of the best restraunts, bars and coffee shops that offer a wide variety of foods. It also has separate beaches that are swimmable all year round with the help of stinger nets. The rock pool is also a major attraction as it lets you swim in the ocean water without being in the ocean and has one of the many playgrounds that litter the strand. Dogs are welcome on the footpaths but are not permitted to go on the beach but it is a great place to be able to walk the dog get some exercise, while you are doing this you can look at the ANZAC memorial or let the kids play in the water park.

The place that makes it to the number two spot is Big Crystal Creek. Is located in Paluma range national park, so there is no animals and no camping, but there is a beautiful BBQ and picnic area that also has shower and toilet amenities. To get down to the water hole you need to walk down a short path that will lead you to a natural boulder. You climb down that and you have reached the water. It is quite cold and can run fast in certain areas. It has rocks that you can jump off but it also has areas which younger children can get into the water calmly. The number one hidden gem is Magnetic Island. While there are certain areas that are well -known such as Picnic Bay and Nelly Bay there are other beaches that are not as well known either because they are not as easily accessable. One of the beaches is Cockle Bay, this has two holiday houses and one permanent resident. The beach is a sand and mud beach. You can fish, go crabbing and when the tide is out there is an old ship wreck which you can walk out to and look at as it has started to form barnacles and you can witness what the sea is cabable of. Another beach that

Author bb 04/19 Photos by https://www.pexels.com / connect nq

These are just ten of the hidden gems that are available to explore in townsville, there are many more locations in Townsville to make your own adventure and memories that will last a lifetime for you and your family that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cost an arm and a leg.

The ultimate camping checklist A checklist to make sur you enjoy your camping experience need to go to the bathroom you can see where you are going.

Camping can be a fun adventure for the whole family but fail to prepare or forget a certain item and it can make a weekend away a chore. In this article we will give you the basic checklist that you can tailor to suit you and your family for your prfect get away.There are five categories that are on this checklist, they are camping gear, kitchen items, Clothing and footwear, personal items and other items that you may require such as campsite confirmation and pet supplies.

Kitchen items The kitchen is the heart of any get away and not having the correct tools may mean you are eating cold spaghetti from the tin instead of eating a hot meal. 

Hot plate (butane burners are light and fairly cheap)

Camping gear

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Fuel for the hot plate

Camping gear is the main foundations of a camping trip. Depending on where you are going depends on what gear you need to pack, for this article we will be focusing on beach camping so the things you will need are,

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Cooking utensils

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Camp oven

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A frying pan and pot

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Tent or swag, poles and stakes

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Food storage

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Tent flooring (something to put underneath your tent to protect it)

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Garbage bags

Sleeping bag or blanket for everyone

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Eski

 

Matress for everyone

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Ice

Pillows

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Water bottles

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Chairs

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Eating utensils

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Flashlights and batteries

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A bucket to wash up in

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Lanterns and fuel or batteries

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A clothe and dish washing soap

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Paper towel

These items will make sure you have a comfortable place to rest your head, and make sure the bottom of your tent/swag is protected from rocks or sticks. The chairs ensure you have somewhere to sit that’s not the ground. And the lanterns give you light around the campsite when it becomes dark so you can still do things without difficulty, the flashlight allows you to save the battery life of the lanterns while you sleep and if you

Having all these items gives you the option of cooking on the gas burner or cooking on the fire which widens your choices of food you can bring. This list does not include food as everyone has different taste just make sure that you do as much prep at home so you can enjoy family time.

Author: (BB and 04/19) | Acknowledgments: https://www.cozi.com/blog/family-camping-checklist-and-a-few-great-tips/ www.pexels.com

Having all these will assure that you don’t get sunburnt, reduce the risk of getting bitten by insect and make sure you can always get clean.

Clothing and foot wear When making a checklist for the appropriate clothing and footwear to bring you must first think about where you are going and what the weather is forecasted to be like the basic checklist contains, 

Day time clothes ( such as sun safe clothing)

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Warm clothes

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Sleepwear

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Swimmers

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Sneakers, a pair of flip flops and a pair of water shoes

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Rain gear (such as raincoats and gumboots)



A hat

Other items Other items can mean a broad range of things that are used to make your plans and preparations for your camping trip finalised, and can add extra fun to your trip.  Cameras(video and digital)  Campground reservation and contact information of the grounds  Pet food and supplies  Quads, bikes and any other toys required

With these basic checklist your next camping trip should be not only fun, exciting and adventurous, but also relaxing and easy as most of the prep has been done beforehand and because you checked all your list before you left you will have everything you need at your fingertips.

Personal Items Your personal items checklist is different for everyone, some may not even feel the need to bring any of these items, but they can prevent damage to your person or fix damage that you accidentally do to yourself. These include 

Sunscreen



Insect repellent (Bushmans is the best for keeping everything off you)



Any prescription medication



A first aid kit 

Toiletries

Author: (BB and 04/19) | Acknowledgments: https://www.cozi.com/blog/family-camping-checklist-and-a-few-great-tips/ www.pexels.com

Places of adventure In North Queensland

Townsville is one of the popular areas of Queensland. It has unique attractive things for people especially for tourists. Townsville’s population is growing, it has different cultures, different languages and of course people from different countries.

2. Kick Back and Relax at Paluma

Townsville has a perfect weather for most of the year. Compared with other parts of Australia, Townsville’s weather isn’t as extreme. For that reason, I’m very proud to be here in Townsville and I will tell everyone who does not know about Townsville. Townsville has many beautiful places to visit but I want to present some of them: 3. Magnetic Island

1. Chase a waterfall, Wallaman Falls

Author: (IK 4/19) | Acknowledgments:

4. Bird watch at TYTO wetlands

•

• 5.Castle Hill • •

6. Hike Hinchinbrook Island

7. Check out Charters Towers, Townsville’s outback. I have been to some of those places and will visit others very soon. I know I will be excited because it will be my first time, I will take a camera with me so that I can take photos and keep them for the souvenir. Adventure in life is good, especially when you are on holiday, it is good to choose your favourite place and go with couple of people. Sometimes you can feel like life is boring but this feeling comes when you keep staying same place. I picked seven places where we can visit in Townsville, I would like to give some important information about them. • Chase a waterfall, Wallaman Falls is a cascade and horsetail waterfall at  Stony creek and is two hours and thirteen minutes drive from Townsville.

Author: (IK 4/19) | Acknowledgments:

Kick back and relax at Paluma : This one is in the national park located between Ingham and Townsville and it’s 57.5 km from Townsville. Magnetic Island: Is an Island 8 km offshore from the city of Townsville. This 52 km mountainous island in Cleveland Bay has effectively become a suburb of Townsville with 2,107 permanent residents. Bird watch at TYTO wetlands: It’s a very good area with an accessible walking loop through the wetlands. Lots of birds and wallabies. Castle hill: This place is very popular in Townsville, almost everyone here knows about it. Hike Hinchinbrook Island: is located 8 km from the Queensland coast at Caldwell. Charters Towers: is a town in northern Queensland, it is 134 km inland from Townsville on the flinders highway. The town boomed as rich gold deposits under the city were developed.

When you are preparing to go on an adventure, don’t forget to take a first aid kit, dry bag, candy and multi- fuel stove if you can, hammock and slops, these are very important and can serve you. So let us discover the beautiful places of Townsville

Choosing a dog that is right for you Things to consider before choosing a dog develop a "tough dog" attitude, seemingly to compensate for their small size. Make sure you consider this possibility Very large dogs will require more space to move about.

Choosing a dog that is right for and deciding to bring a new member into the family can be a major decision. You must consider if you are ready for a dog before you start the search.

Big, happy dogs with long, whip-like tails need "wagging space" to avoid both tail injury and damage to household items, a other thing to consider would be expenses: the larger the dog, the more expensive items such as food, dog supplies, and medical treatments become. Training is also an important factor here. When you get a big breed puppy that has been allowed to act as a lap dog when younger it will grow to walk all over you quite literaly!.

It is paramount that people understand the costs of owning a dog, but if you decide that you are ready and the time id right then congratulations it is now time to figure out what type of dog would best suit your lifestyle. There are many thing to take into consideration when choosing a dog , most importantly, consider you current lifestyle and how you would need to adjust and are willing to make to accommodate a dog into your life. Consider the needs of your family , especially if you have children or other animals in the home , those with allergies or those who would prefer a low-shedding dogs, may want to consider a hypoallergenic dog breeds Next , consider the size, energy level, and age of the dog breed , just remember that getting a dog is a commitment to responsible dog ownership Some tips to help with selecting a dog best for your family are,

Size You may be considering a little lap dog u can carry around , or, you might be set on a large or giant dog breed. If you are unable to make a choice between these two perhaps a medium sized dog breed would be best. Remembering that smaller dogs tend to be more delicate and venerable. Being stood on or mishandled can cause injury. Also, small dogs can be much more sensitive to colder temperatures, so be prepared to have a way to warm your dog in the winter months , it is importance to remember all dogs need obedience training too! Some little dogs can

J.D 27/3

Activity level Most people realize that some dogs have more energy than others. The level of this energy is generally determinate of breed, but this does not mean you can rely only on breed alone to know how energetic your dog could become. All dogs require exercise regardless of breed or size, so be sure to provide this, if you are a busy person who can't commit to more than 1 to two casual walks a day, then you should consider a lower energy dog breed, such as the basset hound, however if you are looking for a dog to exercise with on a regular basis consider a breed like the border collie Always be willing to make adjustments to the amount of exercise and attention you give your dog, a pet that is barking a lot, digging up the yard, and destroying furniture, or just acting out in general is most likely in need of extra activities. Most behavior problems are a result of excess energy and no output, sadly many pets are given up or Even euthanized because of a behavior problem that could have easily been avoided with the proper attention and exercise.

Phisical maintinence The appearance to do with his maintwnance needs. All dogs need basic grooming, but certain types need more based on the type of hair coat, if you get a pet with hair that constantly grows , then a more advanced routine of grooming will be nessessary, most short haired, smoothcoated dogs are shedders, be get ready to do some extra cleaning. Some grooming tools can help reduce shedding.

are less likely to be adopted and often end living out their lives in shelters of getting euthanized. Older dog can make great companions , especially if your looking for a low energy dog. It is, however, important to know that senior dogs require special attention, more frequent vet checks, and is more likely to develop a health condition that cost time and money to address. Unlike a puppy or adult dog,you need to know that you will not have as many years with a older dog. If your willing to accept the responsibilities, consider adopting a older dog. It can be one of the most compassionate things you can do for these wonderful creatures.

Le tit be noted that dogs that have long, floppy ears are more prone to ear infections and will require thorough ear cleanings. In addition, some types of dogs can drool a lot. Many owners of mastiffs, bloodhounds, and similar dogs actually carry a â&#x20AC;&#x153;slobber clothâ&#x20AC;? with them to wipe the drool. If they shake their heads. Watch out!

Age Puppies require the greatest amount of training and attention, especially over the first few months, Be ready to dedicate a lot of your time to your new puppy during the housebreaking and raising your new puppy. Your puppy will most likely have a few accidents in the house and will most likely chew furniture and other items, but these issues should gradually resolve with dedicated training, patience is a must! You should also be ready for the reality that your puppy may grow up to be something different than you expected, especially if you adopt a mixed-breed dog, This is not necessarily a bad thing, just something to remember.

Adult dogs Adult dogs can be a great choice. An adult might be a better choice if you have a idea of the true energy level, attitude, and temperament of your new dog. Just because your new dog is a adult does not necessarily mean that he will be trained, So you should still expect some degree of dedicated training at first. Fortunately, many adult dogs have been trained and socialized to some degree and can easily adjust to their new lives in their forever homes.

Senior dogs Older dogs should not be forgotten! Welcoming a senior dog into your home can be a great thing to bring joy and love to the golden years of a dog, unfortunately, senior dogs J.D 27/3

Breed There is no denying that purebred dogs are popular. Many people are interested in a specific breed for various reasons. Perhaps you grew up with one as a child and want the same breed. Maybe you love the look or the attitude of a certain breed. Or, you believe the breed is right for you based on something you have read or watched. If your thinking of getting a purebred, be sure to do your research. Determine that you are willing to face the potential challenges with temperament, grooming needs, and health problems. Make sure the breed will be a good fit with your family and the way you live, including other dogs. Then, be sure to look for a responsible registered breeder. Mixed breed dogs can also be a wonderful additions to your life. The combination of two or more breeds can often balance out their personalities and their physical characteristics. Just be ready to expect the unexpected, especially when adopting a "pound puppy", it is impossible to know how the puppy will look when its matures, and you cannot be sure of its future health conditions. Many experts Believe that mixed-breed dogs end up with less health problems than purebred dogs. Overall they tend to be good-natured and intelligent. Plus, adopting a mixed-breed dog usually means you are saving that dog from euthanasia or a lonely shelter life.

Paluma A great place

Paluma is located, an hour north of Townsville. Originally the township was called Cloudy Clearing, before being renamed Paluma. T he name Paluma, came from the HMSPaluma; which was used as a survey ship for the Australian Navy and travelled up and down the coast of North Queensland. The township was first established in the 1870’s, after the discovery of tin and than later better known for logging. Paluma is located in the southernmost point, of the Heritage Listed Wet Tropics; in a area known as the Mount Spec Ranges. The climate is cooler and a break from the warmer weather, that comes with living in the Tropics over summer. The Paluma Dam is located only 15km’s from the township itself. The Dam does not allow any motorised watercraft and as such is perfect for the family. You can choose to swim, kayak, sail, windsurf or try your hand, at stand up paddle boarding. These are just a few of the water activities you can choose. If you prefer to do land based activities, why not go for a bushwalk in the rainforest; or around the dam. There are a variety of trails, that can cater for the casual bushwalker right upto the experienced bushwalker. Separate trails exist for the avid mountain bike rider. These again vary in difficulty, based upon your experience.

For those amongst us, that enjoy getting up close and personal to the regions flora and fauna, than Paluma could be just what you have been looking for. With over 2000 species, you are bound to come across one that you have not seen before. Some of the flora you can see include;  Black Tree Fern.  Blueberry Ash.  Fig Trees. The area has Little Crystal Creek and Big Crystal Creek. These are both renown for their natural beauty, including freshwater swimming holes, waterfalls and free flowing creeks. Hidden Valley offers accommodation and is only a short distance from Paluma. Here you can find, beautifully located and maintained powered log cabins and home cooking. Take a tour to spot platypus or take in the natural bush surroundings from your frsSont door. There is also the opportunity to spot a variety of wildlife. These range from the Kookaburra, through to the Wallaby and Brush Turkey. The area is a great place to visit with not just family and friends; but also Interstate or Overseas visitors.

Author: (JH and 04/19) | Acknowledgments: https://images.app.goo.gl/jiN642tJmNS6XzEbA

Fun Facts Facts you Might not Know

1. Did you know: The African golden jackal is actually

4. Did you know: Namor the Sub-Mariner was Marvel

the African golden wolf.

Comicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first Superhero.

2. Did you know: Tyrannosaurus Rex was as intelligent

5. Did you know: Goats can climb trees.

as a Chimpanzee?

3. Did you know: They used real skeletons in the 1982 film Poltergeist.

Acknowledgements JG / 04/19

6. Did you know: Sharks can tan and not get skin cancer.

10. Did you know: Australia’s first prime minister was 7. Did you know: The first film actor was Florence

Edmund Barton.

Lawrence, referred to as “The First Movie Star”.

8. Did you know: There are 24.6 million people that live in Australia.

11. Did you know: Bats are not rodents, they are their own unique group called Chiroptera, but they also are related to primates the same group that includes tree shrews, lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans.

9. Did you know: The Box Jellyfish is the most poisonous animal in the world.

Acknowledgements JG / 04/19

12. Did you know: Bishop Rock Lighthouse is the smallest island in the world.

16. Did you know: The Amazons of Greek mythology were real warrior women related the Scythians, a ancient tribe of nomadic warriors.

13. Did you know: Doctor Occult was DC Comicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first superhero.

17. Did you know: We are orbiting a supermassive black hole that is in the centre of our galaxy.

14. Did you know: Robert Towns founded Townsville in february 1866.

18. Did you know: Tom Cruise became an expert helicopter pilot in a short period of time, for a very dangerous stunt in the 2018 film Mission Impossible: Fallout that most pilots wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even attempt.

15. Did you know: Wilhelm II the last german Kaiser (Emperor) and King of Prussia is the eldest grandchild of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

19. Did you know: There is 7 metre long 907 kg male Nile crocodile that lives in the small african state of Burundi called Gustave who is notorious for being a man-eater, and is rumored to have killed over 300 people from the banks of the Ruzizi River and Lake Tanganyika since the 1990s. He is so large that he has even killed adult Hippotamuses, which are known to kill adult crocs with their jaws. He is over 68 years old and was born in 1949 which would explain his large size. He is considered the most prolific serial killer alive today, and because of this he has gotten lengendery status akin to Loch Ness Monster. The last reported sighting of Gustave was in june 2015 where he was devouring an adult cape buffalo.

Acknowledgements JG / 04/19

20. Did you know: Adolf Hitler had a friendship with a little Jewish girl named Rosa Bernile Nienau which shared the same birthday has him, and he continued the friendship even after finding out about her heritage untill contact was cut off just before world war II. She eventually died of polio in 1943 during the war.

23. Did you know: Tigers stripes are also on their skin not just their fur.

24. Did you know: Corvidae or corvids for short are a 21. Did you know: The longest word in any of the major English language dictionaries is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, a word that refers to a lung disease contracted from the inhalation of very fine silica particles, specifically from a volcano.

22. Did you know: The horror novelist Stephen King has writen at least 71 novels eight of which are non-fiction, and 128 short stories. You may know him for such great works as It, Pet Sematary, Carrie, The Green Mile, Cujo, The Shinning, Misery, Christine, The Mist, and The Dark Tower series. All of these novels have been adapted to film in various degrees of success.

Acknowledgements JG / 04/19

family consisting Crows, Ravens, Magpies, Jays, Rooks, Nutcrackers, Treepies, Jackdaws, and Choughs are more intelligent than the great apes, in fact their cognition is on par with humans and other primates. They have been shown to be advance problam solvers and can use/make tools more efficiently than apes without being taught. For example the New Caledonian Crows are famous for their innovations and tool-making, including knives made out of stiff leaves, they also can set traps for prey like using bread crumbs to bait fish or drag fishing lines out of the water to get at the hooked fish. Crows have been known to do reconnaissance of their fallen comrades and other birds to investigate how the bird died so they can lern how to avoid the same fate in the future, and alert the other crows in the area of any potential danger. In captivity, ravens can learn to talk better than some parrots. They also mimic other noises, like car engines, toilets flushing, and animal and birdcalls. Ravens have been known to imitate wolves or foxes to attract them to carcasses that the raven isn't capable of breaking open. Magpies can recognize themselves in a mirror. The only other animals known to share this ability are Chimpanzees, dolphins, elephants, Giant Manta Rays and humans of about two years of age and older. For example Gertie, a Eurasian Magpie look at herself in a mirror, notice a spot on her throat put there by a researcher, and try to remove it. Magpies have complex emotions and are known for holding funerals for a fallen friend, including bouquets of grasses.

Ghosts of North Queensland Various Ghost Stories of NQ

BOWEN Holbourne Island, thirty-five kilometres north of Bowen, is associated with the appearance of a ghost ship, sailing the waters where it met its doom. The Adelaide Steamship Company’s 3,644 ton vessel Yongala, commanded by Captain Knight, called at Mackay en route from Brisbane to Townsville. At 1.40 pm on 24 March 1911 it steamed out of Mackay harbour with forty-eight passengers and a crew of seventy-two on board. Minutes later the harbourmaster at Mackay received a report that a fierce tropical cyclone was bearing down on the coast, directly in the path of the Yongala. Without radio, it was impossible to warn the ship. At 6.30, that evening the Yongala was sighted baffling mountainous seas and gale-force winds at the northern end of the Whitsunday Passage. Later that night or during the early hours of the next morning, the Yongala sank with the loss of all on board. Mailbags and wreckage came ashore south of Townsville but the wreck was not located and identified until 1958, twenty-five kilometres east of Cape Bowling Green. In 1981 the Yongala was declared an historic wreck under the Commonwealth Shipwrecks Act. And so the official file closed on one of Queensland’s worst shipping disasters, but long before then the ill-fated Yongala had entered the folklore of the sea. In 1923 a party of fishermen from Bowen in a small boat were trying their luck off tiny Holbourne Island (near the main shipping channel the Yongala would have used) when a large ship steamed into view from the south. Although it was rusted and barnacle covered, the fishermen, who had seen the ship before, recognised her-

it was the Yongala, steaming placidly by in the bright sunshine twelve years after her sinking. The fishermen watched in amazement as the Yongala disappeared behind Holbourne Island, then their amazement turned to incredulity when it failed to appear out the other side. They raised anchor and sailed around the island but could find no trace of a ship- it had completely vanished. Until the discovery of the wreck of the Yongala ninety kilometres further north in 1958, many believed the ghost ship had appeared to the fishermen to indicate that it lay off Holbourne Island. There are two interesting postscripts to this story. A Mrs Lowther, who lived on in Mackay until 1969, recounted her own strange experience at the time. She was booked to sail on the steamer on its final voyage but at the last moment had a premonition of disaster and, although she was halfway out to the ship on a tender, refused to go aboard and demanded to be taken back to shore. That fateful night a family staying in a hotel at Eton, west of Mackay, also had a vision of the disaster. There was a kerosene lamp on the table in their room and suddenly one of the children pointed to it and said: “Look at the big ship!” The flame had blackened a portion of the glass, creating a clear picture of a large ship riding a mountainous sea. As the fascinated family watched, the image faded and was replaced by another the distressed face of a young girl. The next day news of the Yongala's disappearance broke, and while the father was walking down a Mackay street, he saw a poster for a touring theatrical company with the face of the young girl on it. He later learned that she had been among the unlucky passengers on the Yongala.

TOWNSVILLE Townsville's historic West End Hotel on Ingham Road (Bruce Highway) is reputedly haunted by the ghost of a Chinese cook, employed there last century. Records show that the licensee of the hotel stabbed the cook after a marital dispute in 1891. In 1990, patrons and staff of the hotel recounted their personal experiences of the ghost to the local press. “I’ve seen the ghost many times. It is like a mist and follows me around when I go upstairs at night, one boarder was reported as saying. The same man claimed that the ghost’s presence was strongest in the kitchen at the spot where the Chinese cook was murdered. One of the hotel waitresses related how she had also seen the

Author: (Your Initials and mm/yy) | Acknowledgments: Stories http://www.chapelhill.homeip.net/FamilyHistory/Other/QueenslandHistory/TheGhostsofQueensland.htm

ghost several times and could feel its presence whenever she entered the upper floor of the building. “He’s quite harmless,” she was quoted as saying, “he just follows me around like a shadow.” There is also a ghost in a north Queensland motel (the location and name of the motel are well-guarded secrets). A guest in Room 12 during the 1970s recounted the experience she had after retiring to her room on a hot, still night. She closed the hopper window, pulled down the blind and got into bed. During the night the wind suddenly howled, sucking the window open and sending the blind shooting up. To her surprise and alarm, the woman then saw the figure of a man wearing a white shirt and shorts, his hands on his hips, inside the room staring out of the window. “He didn’t appear solid,” she said, “more like a photo mock-up of dots with some dots missing. I poked him with my toe and he disappeared.” The next morning the guest described her midnight visitor to the proprietors of the motel, who did not seem at all surprised. The proprietor’s wife explained that Room 12 had originally been 13 and that they had changed the number after a young Russian man who had stayed in it had drowned in a nearby lake.

RAVENSWOOD Ravenswood is another town that owes its existence and its decline to the vagaries of gold mining. In one of the boom years, 1870, the Roman Catholic Church built itself a large weatherboard cathedral but when the gold ran out and Ravenswood almost became a ghost town, the cathedral was left without a priest. In the 1940s, a Father Deveraux used to drive over from Charters Towers to celebrate mass once a week, accompanied by his fox terrier and an altar boy. The three would sleep overnight in the two sacristies opening off the cathedral’s sanctuary. To the amazement of the man and boy (and the terror of the little dog), they often heard footsteps in the cathedral at night- and not ordinary footsteps but a “stomp” followed by a scrape, the sound a man with a crippled leg would make. The sound progressed down the centre aisle, up the sanctuary steps then back to the front door and nothing was ever seen.

Somerset was established in 1864 as the administrative centre for Cape York and the Torres Strait. A Government Residency, barracks, officers’ quarters and an infirmary were built overlooking the ocean and Captain John Jardine, formerly of the 1st Regiment of Dragoons, was appointed Resident Magistrate. Jardine was joined by his two sons, Frank and Alec, who accomplished the remarkable feat of driving 250 cattle and forty horses all the way up from Rockhampton. One day in 1873 a mission ship called at Somerset carrying Sana Solia, the German- educated niece of King Malietoa of Samoa. Frank Jardine fell in love with Princess Sana and persuaded her to marry him. Jardine Senior and Alec returned south and in 1877 the government abandoned Somerset. Frank and Sana Jardine moved into the former Residency. For the next forty years they lived there, prospering from their pastoral interests and the pearling industry. They raised four children and entertained the officers of passing ships and celebrities who visited their remote tropical paradise. Visitors always remarked on the Jardine’s magnificent silver dinner service, which had been cast from part of a half-ton of Spanish doubloons and pieces of eight recovered from a nearby reef by one of Frank’s pearling luggers. Frank Jardine died in 1919 and Sana in 1923. They were buried side by side on the beach below the Residency. The lease on Somerset was taken over by their grandson, Herbert Somerset Vidgen, and his wife, who ran the place as a copra plantation and holiday retreat until forced to evacuate it during World War II. Later it was taken over by the Department of Native Affairs and is now part of the Bamaga Native Reserve. The old Residency was burned down by vandals in 1960 but until then, the native caretaker always placed a dish of food and a mug of beer on the shore every eveningfor Frank Jardine, whom he and the few locals believe walks the beach at night searching perhaps for the spirit

of his dusky princess

Records show that the last resident priest at Ravenswood, who died under mysterious circumstances, had been severely crippled.

SOMERSET There’s not much left of the old settlement at Somerset on the tip of Cape York: a few stumps, a couple of rusting cannons, some anchor chain, two graves- and a ghost. Author: (Your Initials and mm/yy) | Acknowledgments: Stories http://www.chapelhill.homeip.net/FamilyHistory/Other/QueenslandHistory/TheGhostsofQueensland.htm

May Gaming Madness Your guide to gaming in May Plague Tale

Welcome to a gamers guide to May, here are my picks for May covering Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo Switch

Rage 2

Plague Tale is another game being released on May 14 to both Xbox One and Playstation. The game is a series of survival puzzles, mostly consisting of methods to scare away or distract the hordes of hungry rats, or direct them towards murderous knights. The main method of scaring rats off is fire, as rats will seldom enter within a radius of burning torches and braziers. The player controls Amicia, a sling-thrower who can throw rocks to break drawbridge chains or stun guards long enough for the rats to ambush them. She can also craft special ammunition and supplies, which include fire-starting sulphur stones that ignite braziers. The two younger brothers can be directed towards specific tasks when Amicia is busy.

Rage 2 is set for release May 14 on both the Xbox One and Playstation 4. It is a firstperson shooter developed by Avalanche Studios and iD Sofware and has been published by Betheseda Softworks. Players assume control of ranger Walker, who is free to explore the game's postapocalyptic open world. Players are given control over some of Walker's attributes, such as their gender, skills, or attire. Walker is able to wield various firearms and tools to fight against enemies, including returning weapons such as the wingstick. Players can further develop Walker's skills with Nanotrite based powers and as soon as enough energy is collected, activate a mode called Overdrive. As a result, Walker's guns do more damage, enemies drop more energy and he gets healed constantly - providing players with an aggressive way to mow down enemies. Nanotrites from the first game, which act as special powers and ability boosts, can also be used to increase combat efficiency. The game also features vehicular combat, including trucks, buggies and gyrocopters, with the player being able to drive any vehicle in the game's world

Team Sonic Racing TSR is being released on Xbox, PS4 and Nintendo Switch on May 21. It is an upcoming kart racing game and a spinoff from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. Controlling of one of fifteen characters from the series' cast, players compete in races using sports cars. They view gameplay from a third-person perspective while performing tricks, drifting, and collecting powerups. Team Sonic Racing differs from traditional kart racers Author: (GH and 04/19) | Acknowledgments: sonic team racing https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57553766, Rage 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rage_2 PixArk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PixArk Plague Tale https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Plague_Tale:_Innocence Sword Art Online https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Art_Online:_Hollow_Realization

because of its focus on cooperative gameplay; the player is part of a team of racers and wins races through efficiency rather than speed. Game modes include earning competing to earn points, time trials, customizing the racing rules, and a story-driven campaign that serves as a tutorial.

Fly on the back of a dragon and smite your enemies with a magic wand, or ride a mighty T-Rex and blast your foes with a rocket launcher. In the world of PixARK, how you play is up to you â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as long as you survive!

Sumo Digital, which worked on Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (2010) and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012), is developing Team Sonic Racing. Sonic Team head and game producer Takashi Iizuka conceived the cooperative gameplay, and Sumo Digital used the team-based Sonic Heroes (2003) as a point of reference. Unlike Sumo Digital's previous racing games, Team Sonic Racing only features characters from Sonic, as the team wanted to expand the series' world and character roster. They aimed to make the game stand out compared to other racing games and developed it using a modified version of the AllStars game engine. Musician Jun Senoue composed the soundtrack, with assistance from a variety of other artists, it is his first major work in the series since Sonic Generations in 2011.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization

PixArk PixArk is being released May 31 on Xbox, PS4 and Switch. A vast, wild world filled with vicious dinosaurs, magical creatures and endless adventure! To survive in this mysterious land, you must tame creatures both ferocious and cuddly, craft high tech and magical tools, and build your own base out of cubes. With a robust character creator, an infinite number of voxel based maps and procedurally generated quests, your PixARK adventure will be completely unique. Team up with friends to form a tribe, or play on your own. Spend your time building a towering fortress or go on a quest in a sprawling cavern.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is being released on switch May 24; Hollow Realization takes place in Sword Art: Origin, a restoration of Aincrad titled Ainground, with intentions of research and development in the year 2026, three years after the original Sword Art Online event. However, unlike in Sword Art Online, Aincrad is one large floor, instead of multiple, while the castle itself was renamed to Ainground, where several monsters can be battled. The main character of the game is a 14-year old AI, known as Premiere, that travels with Kirito. Although she is part of the game's initial release, a later patch would tweak her "vocabulary and personality" in-game to a "specific character", based on keywords in Twitter tweets as part of a promotional campaign featuring the character. These conversations with Twitter users would dictate her personality over time and ultimately decide if she would become a "good girl" or "bad girl" in-game. Other prominent characters from the franchise such as Asuna, Leafa, Sinon, Lisbeth and Silica also feature.

Author: (GH and 04/19) | Acknowledgments: sonic team racing https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57553766, Rage 2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rage_2 PixArk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PixArk Plague Tale https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Plague_Tale:_Innocence Sword Art Online https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Art_Online:_Hollow_Realization

Bushfires Is climate change making them worse?

We do have a beautiful nature around us, our natural world provided everything beautiful so that our life can be possible, this can be weather, water, any kind of environment like trees, animals, rocks etc. To run our life perfectly, we need to take care of our nature without any exception. Unfortunately, because of the climate change, the weather sometimes can be critical, and people can be hurt like getting sick or lose some important things. Any thing is possible,if this is true, means that even climate change can be fixed.People can make a big difference to climate change, specially the politicians because this matter need high possibility for example stop the big industries which laungh the smokes chemicals in the sky and affect our nature. I guess ordinary people doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t destroy as much as peoples who has big companies and industries. It is very sad when I see the bushfire appear because of the hot weather and sometimes the fire can be out of control and people lose their life and their own things. Every bushfire season , if people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t die, they lose their stuffs as well as living in fear. The effect of the fire of keeping coming every time show that nothing have been done yet about climate change to stop those bad things happening.

Author: (IK 4/19) | Acknowledgments:

Someone said, if you take care of the nature, it will take care of you but if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it will not take care for you too. How its beautiful to see plants are nice and green all time, even if we have different seasons and can make some changes to our environment but I think this can not make any problem, its us who play a big role to the planet earth. So let us take care for it for our benefit.

An Easter recipe for kids A fun and easy easter recipe to keep the kids entertained 6.

Preheat oven to 160°C and cover baking tray with baking paper and put aside. 7. Roll out dough on a flour dusted surface using a rolling pin and roll it to a thickness of 5 mm. Dip your cookie cutter into flower and cut out the shapes, place them on the tray and sprinkle with caster sugar. 8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until slightly golden, allow to cool for 5 minutes on the tray and then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Icing 1.

Easter egg cookies

READY IN: 45 minutes SERVES: 8-12

INGREDIENTS

125 gras unsalted butter 5.

1 cup caster sugar 1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups plain flower ½ teaspoon baking powdee ¼ teaspoon of salt 1 tablespoon caster sugar Icing 2 egg whites 1 teaspoon lemon juice 500 grams icing sugar Food colouring Sugared decorations METHOD 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Mix butter and sugar in a food prcessor until combined. Add egg and vanillaand mix In separate bowl sift dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add flour mix into food processor until the dough starts to form a ball. Shape into a disk and chill for 1 hour.

Author: (Your Initials and mm/yy) | Acknowledgments:

Using hand mixer, mix the egg whites until frothy. Add the lemon juiceand the sifted icing sugar gradually until fully combined. Pour icing mixture into four bowls and add food colouring to each bowl. Using a knife spread half the icing over all the biscuits. Pour the rest of the icing into ziplock bags to use as piping bags. Snip the top of the bags and decorate the cookies and then add the sugared decorations on top.

Summary   

Fun for kids to help you put together. Great for kids. An excellent idea as an easter party favour or easter presents to children that are not allowed chocolate at easter time.

Picnic recipes Easy and healthy recipes for the family picnic Pumpkin, feta and cous cous salad

Potato salad

READY IN: 1hr SERVES: 12-15

READY IN: 2hr SERVES: 10

INGREDIENTS

¼ pumpkin

1 kilo potatoes

100 grams feta

400 grams bacon

1 punnet of cherry tomatoes

12 eggs

4 spring onions

A bunch of spring onions

1 cup of cous cous

A bunch of basil

1 can ofchickpeas

440 grams of whole egg mayonnaise

Water Juice of 2 limes Table spoon olive oil METHOD 1. 2.

3. 4. 5. 6.

7. 8.

Cut pumpkin into cubes and roast for ½ an hour or until soft. Place cous cous into a bowl and squeeze the juice of 1 lime and cover in boiling water then either wrap in cling film or cover with a tea towel for 5 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Quarter the cherry tomato and drain the chickpeas. Slice the spring onions. Fluff and separate cous cous with a fork. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and squeeze the lime juice and olive oil over the ingredients. Mix through until ingredients are coated and the crumble the feta cheese on top. Serve with meat of your choice or eat it as it is.

Author: bb 04/19 Acknowledgments: pexel images

METHOD 1. Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. 2. Salt the water and boil until a fork can go into the potatoes without the resistance. 3. Boil eggs until they are hard-boiled. 4. Dice bacon and grill until crispy 5. Slice spring onions and basil 6. Peel and quarter boiled eggs 7. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mayonnaise and serve. Summary  an indulgent side dish good for both winter and summer

Easy Camp-fire Recipes fun and simple recipes for camping that everyone will enjoy

Simple Camp oven Damper READY IN: 35 minutes SERVES: 4-8

Molten Mars bar banana

INGREDIENTS

READY IN: 10-20 minutes SERVES: 2

2 cups of self-raising flour

INGREDIENTS

A pinch of salt Water TO SERVE Butter Jam METHOD 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7.

In a large bowl sift the two cups of flour and the salt. Slowly add water to dry ingredients until they combine mix don’t knead until it forms a dough. Slowly mix dough with your hands then shape into a round ball shape. Put damper on a floured foil covered wire rack in the camp oven and put lid on it. Dig a hole next to the fire and put coals down the bottom then place camp oven in then place the coals on top. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Brush the coals off the top and remove the damper tap the bottom if it sounds hollow it is cooked. Slice and serve with spreads or with a main meal.

2 bananas 1 Mars bar Foil METHOD 1. Slice banana through the middle making sure that it does not go all the way through. 2. Cut up the Mars bar 3. Place the Mars bar pieces in the middle of the banana. 4. Wrap the banana in foil and cover in coals anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes depending on the size and amount of coals. 5. Allow to cool and unwrap the foil 6. Either use a spoon and eat straight out of the banana skin or take the skin off and serve as a topping.

Summary  Cheap dessert  It is a children friendly recipe

Summary  

Quick and easy and can be used for many dishes Kids can easily help with this dish

Author: (bb 04/19) | Acknowledgments: https://www.snowys.com.au/blog/how-to-make-damper-in-a-camp-oven/, Pexel images

Tasty savoury mince A healthy dinner

Cooking time 20 minutes. Serves 4. INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon of olive oil. 500g beef mince. 1 brown onion, finely chopped. 1 cup tomato puree. 2 tablespoons instant beef gravy powder. 400g desiree potatoes peeled and diced. 200g button mushrooms, quartered. 300g carrots, peeled and diced. Steamed white rice to serve. 1 cup of frozen peas and corn mixture steamed.

Author: (Your Initials and mm/yy) | Acknowledgments:

METHOD. 1. Heat in a saucepan over a medium to high heat. Add onion and mince. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up the mince for 6 to 8 minutes or until mince is browned. 2. Add gravey and tomato puree and one cup of cold water stir to combine. 3. Add carrot and potato. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. 4. Reduce the heat from medium to low. Simmer, stiring occasionally until potato is tender. 5. Add pea and mushroom mixture. Cook for 5 minutes. 6. Serve with rice.

Ma Po Tofu An Authentic Spicy and Numbing Sichuan Dish

Ma Po Tofu READY IN: 35 minutes SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS ½ Cup Oil (¼ cup for chilli oil ¼ cup for cooking)

METHOD 1. Cut the tofu into large cubes (approx 2cm) place into a pot of boiling water add a pinch of salt and cook for 1-2 minutes, remove and set aside to drain 2.

Make the chilli oil (if you have bottled chilli oil skip this step). Heat wok or small saucepan on a low heat, add oil and chilli’s stirring occaisionly until oil turns a reddish color making sure the chilli’s don’t brown. Remove from heat and set aside (the longer it sits the redder it will get)

Heat ¼ cup of oil over medium heat in clean wok or saucepan, add sichuan peppercorns and fry gently for 2-3 minutes, add the ginger. Turn heat up to medium high lightly fry the ginger.Add the garlic then turn the heat up to high and add the pork mince. Break the pork mince up and fry until cooked through.

Add the Doubanjiang and stir in in well. Add 2/3 cup of chicken stock and simmer for 1-3 minutes.

Add the cornstarch mixture. Let it cook until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the chilli oil and stir into sauce, add the tofu and gently stir through trying not break up the cubes. Cook for a further 3-5 minutes then add the spring onion and stirl until the spring onions until just wilted.

Serve hot over white rice

Small handful of fresh or dried chilli’s (or both) 1 tspn Sichuan peppercorns*,crushed 3 tbsp minced ginger 3 tbspn minced garlic 250g pork mince (any meat is fine or use mushrooms for vegetarians) 1-2 tbsp Doubanjiang* (spicy bean paste) 500g regular or soft tofu* 1 ½ tspn corn starch mixed with ¼ cup of water 1 large spring onion finely chopped 2/3 cup chicken stock or water *Sichuan peppercorns, doubanjiang and tofu can all be bought from asian groceries ** Try to get Pixian brand doubanjian if available

Author: LC 04/19|Acknowledgments:https://www.thewokoflife.com/ma-po-tofu-the-real-deal/, https://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/mapo-tofu/