Author: Admin4

Margie and Nick – A Successful Community Meeting

Nick and Margie…Margie came up in her set of four wheels in case you were wondering.

Last Sunday, on August 20th was our first Community Meeting with Cr Margie Ryder for this year. It was very productive with some rigorous discussion around several issues. There was also an earlier briefing with Nick Dametto, our Hinchinbrook electorate representative in Qld Parliament, regarding the village entrance signage. The issues raised at the community meeting included:

  1. Pet clean up bags and general pet management
  2. Traffic management – speeding in the village
  3. Community security – break-ins, hooning
  4. Road maintenance – verges on road to Dam turnoff and potholes on dam road
  5. Vegetation control – weeds on council land and vacant blocks
  6. Signage at village entrance
Pet cleanup and other resources left by Cr Maggie Ryder will be distributed directly to resident pet owners or left at the Community Hall for pickup.
  • Pet clean up bags: proposal put to council to provide pet clean up bag dispensers has not been approved. Maggie will take it back to council again noting that the PDCA is happy to do the restocking of any installed dispensers with resources provided by council.
  • A ‘letterbox drop’ to residents suggested as a reminder of their responsibilities as pet owners including use of leashes.
  • Pet management: There is currently a ‘local law’ pertaining to cat ownership currently being considered at State level. This resulted from a community survey open to all of the Townsville City Council area. If this law is passed, this community has the option to be considered for its use. It would mean residents will not be able to bring in ‘new’ cats to their home. A grandfather clause will allow those who currently have cats to keep them. It was suggested this also be applied to dog ownership although Margie indicated this would likely not be accepted.
  • The notion of an ‘off leash park’ be established on council land was also put forward.
  • Maggie provided some pet clean up dispenser bags and leashes for distribution to residents with dogs.
  • Traffic management/speeding: Need to report ANY observed offences with the police, online or by phone. Mobile number for Rollingstone Police: 0456096305 If its not reported, it hasn’t happened and no action can be taken.
  • Due to valid concerns of the safety of visiting school groups and visiting families during school holidays walking along the main road, Margie will write to Nick Dametto to approach Education Queensland (Nth Qld Region) and Townsville Catholic Education Office as well as Main Roads in regards to signage and other measures to mitigate the possibility of future casualities due to vehicles speeding through the village. Specific examples of ways other communities have mitigated speeding provided.
  • Community security: Need to report ANY observed offences with the police, online or by phone. Mobile number for Rollingstone Police: 0456096305 If its not reported, it hasn’t happened and no action can be taken.
  • Suggestion residents purchase loud portable air horns to assist in alerting close neighbours of immediate security concerns. This has been effective in reducing criminal activity in some streets in small communities near and within Townsville city.
  • Suggestion to establish a community alert ‘phone tree’ to ensure residents are alerted to any immediate security threats.
  • Suggested to invite Rollingstone Police mobile number to Paluma Community Alert WhatsApp
  • Paluma Dam Road and verges from village end to turn off: Paluma Dam road annual maintenance will occur in September. Request for support for more regular maintenance considered.
  • A request to council to budget for building up and strengthening verges to cope with large vehicles including garbage trucks. Recent repairs due to request by Sam Stedman of Outer Limit Adventure Fitness in preparation for the recent Paluma Push. Noted this took persistent communications to happen.
  • Use ‘Snap Send Solve’ App available on TCC website; Contact Margie directly regards road/verge maintenance (from village to Paluma dam turnoff and the Dam road, Hussey Road) that have been logged with council but not actioned ESPECIALLY if any safety concerns.
  • Vegetation control: Council to be informed to mow verges of loop road as part of their regular maintenance. Margie will query council on their ability to enforce landowners to manage vegetation on their vacant blocks of land. Individuals can register a complaint with council regarding unkempt properties.
Early morning briefing regarding Village entry signage
  • Village entrance signage: Margie will check with council if they can take ownership of the proposed location from National Parks. If not possible, Nick Dametto has agreed to appeal to the appropriate State minister.
  • Other signage around the village: regardless of prior consultation and against Margie’s recommendations, TCC has started installing a range of signs through the village. Some are not appropriately located. Further collaboration and consultation will be sought by Margie.
Some of the community meeting participants in the hall with Cr Margie Ryder. Image supplied by Margie Ryder.

Participation in this meeting by local residents was most appreciated and we are grateful for having a local councillor who is willing to drive up our range road regardless of feeling quite unwell let alone having to manage car sickness with doses of ginger. Appreciation also for Nick Dametto meeting with Margie and the PDCA president at 9am to discuss improving the Paluma Village entry signage. Nick is one ‘ever-ready bunny’ and doesn’t suffer car sickness as he truly enjoyed his motorbike ride up the range road to meet with us.

Margie has noted the tropical BBQ on December 9th in her calendar and our next community meeting will be around this time, if not earlier.

Text: Juanita Poletto. Images: Juanita Poletto unless otherwise noted

And the winner is…

There were a lot of winners at our recent “Game On!” night at the community hall enjoyed by a rowdy crowd of enthusiastic participants, not least, our SES and RFS groups.

Sam presenting cheque to Lyn Hyland
Sam presenting cheque to Charlie Allen
Sam and Charlie

Sam Steadman of Outer Limits Adventure Fitness at the start of the evening, presented $2, 323 cheques to EACH of our local SES and RFS (Paluma and Waterfall Creek) branches in recognition of their support of the recent Mike Carney Paluma Push event. In his speech, Sam said he was happy to give back to our community that provides such a fabulous location and support for this annual event. Having this kind of event that promotes our location nationwide as one to enjoy healthy outdoor activities in a beautiful environment and which helps to grow our essential services at the same time, is definitely a winner!

The games were officially opened by Peter Klump (who seemed to be channeling Bjorn Borg) as names were drawn out of the “boy and girl buckets” to find out who our games partner was going to be. He gave us a rundown on rules and a rousing pep talk and then we were off to our first 15 minute round of foozball, table tennis, indoor bowls, darts, knock-em-downs or hole-in-one golf. It was a lot of fun, a lot of laughs and a great event that encouraged locals to mix it up and get to know each other a little better.

Scoring was monitored to ensure all was fair by Les as recorded by Peter. After some heated and very close competition and triple checking of scores, the champion pair of the night was announced. Mark Crisp and Julia Anderson very happily received their gold trophy and chocolates as their just reward as champions of Game On! for 2023. Great sporting spirit was shown throughout the games including the young accomplished golfer, Kian, who coached his opponents on form to help achieve their hole in one.

Not to be forgotten, our wonderful volunteers including Lyn Hyland who capably organised the sausage sizzle enjoyed prior to the games whilst Lynda Radbone once again had the bar in hand with the delicious addition of spiced mulled wine. The many helping hands on the night cleaning up was appreciated in addition to Wilfred, Colin and Jill Mead as well as Peter and John Klump who were seen by this author in the clean up the day after.

We are lucky to have Peter and Dorothy Klump who have successfully organised this community event for the past three years and we are all very much looking forward to the 2024 games!

Looks like these blokes are getting in some practice already for next year!!

Text and Photos by Juanita Poletto

Push in the Bush Done and Dusted

Photo by Jamie Oliver

The dust ( or rather mud) has well and truly settled for those who recently participated in the Mike Carney Toyota Paluma Push on the weekend of July 15th and 16th. Muscles have recovered and the joy of crossing the finish line is a fond memory along with many formed around the warmth of the bonfire at the Hidden Valley Cricket Oval.

Photo by Len Cook

Paluma village was inundated with rubber, spokes and lycra but mostly smiles and laughter as people prepared for the start of their race. The beauty of the rainforest trails and bush land makes for a truly unique cross country mountain bike race which even had some of our local residents registered as participants including Rob, Sandi and Jamie. All of whom finished their designated distances hale and hearty!

The RFS and SES volunteers plus a few ‘local’ volunteers assisted with registration and monitoring various checkpoints along the routes and were able to enjoy viewing and encouraging the participants going hell for leather along the trails.

Seeing the youngsters set on doing their best in their very own race is possibly my fondest memory of Paluma Push 2023.

Paluma Push is such a great event for our village and a credit to Outer Limits Adventure for again bringing life to our sleepy little misty village on the mountain.

Text and photos (except where indicated) by Juanita Poletto

Vale Ross Eberle

Ross Wells Eberle passed away after a long illness on Friday, June 9th with his family by his side. He was a loving husband, Father, Father-in-Law and Pop as well as a great mate to those who knew him here on the mountain.

Ross and Denise purchased their property on Hussey Road about 20 years ago. They both became well known in the community and Ross was an active member of the Paluma Rural Fire Brigade. Ross worked at the Townsville General Hospital as an orderly and was very active in motor sports. He drove rally cars and enjoyed the thrill of trail bike riding.

A keen fisherman, he loved travelling and camping. He has left his loving wife, Denise, with many fond memories of their adventures together.

Ross’s life was celebrated at Woongarra Crematorium Chapel on June 19th. Our thoughts and hearts go out to Denise, Ross’s family and friends.

Len Cook and J. Poletto