Author: Admin2

LOOP ROAD UPGRADE

The Loop Road at Paluma is finally getting a face lift.

Anyone who has visited McClellands’s Lookout and the various walking tracks via the Loop Road in recent years will have noticed that the margins of the roadway were looking very much the worse for wear.  The old wooden sleeper retaining walls along the roadway were mostly collapsed, termite infested and dilapidated. Old sleepers, soil and vegetation were strewn along the roadside and not only was this very unsightly, but the drainage of stormwater from the roadway was impeded during heavy rainfall.

The work being undertaken at the Loop Road includes the installation of a new retaining wall made from steel posts, concreted into the ground along a concrete base and drainage channel. A permanent retaining wall of concrete ‘sleepers’ is being erected between the steel posts. 

This appears to be a great solution to what has been one of Paluma’s less attractive spots and an ongoing maintenance problem. The new retaining wall will be a termite proof, permanent and attractive solution, at the same time managing drainage and water flow from the roadway. 

Contractors for Townsville City Council are undertaking the upgrade works and be aware that the northern end of the road is closed to vehicles during this work. The main car park and walking track to McClelland’s Lookout remain open.

Some views of the new retaining wall under construction are shown below.

Bush Dance & Paluma Market

There are two upcoming events at Paluma to mark in the calendar for the month of June………..!

The Wattle ‘n’ Gum Bush Band invite everyone to attend their annual Bush Dance at the Paluma Community Hall on Saturday 29th June at 7.30 PM. Details are provided in the flyer below.

After dancing the night away, you can then catch up on your shopping at the Paluma Sunday Market on Sunday 30th June between 9 AM to 1 PM. Celebrate the end of the financial year with a sausage or two at the PDCA Sausage Sizzle.

We are looking for new stall holders for the Paluma Sunday Market so if you have some goods to sell please contact Lynn Hyland at email address: lynnhyland@optusnet.com.au

See you there!

Another Day In Paradise….

An early morning walk to Mc Clellands’s Lookout at Paluma is always a treat, but especially so at this time of the year. With the humidity and cloudy skies of summer and the wet season now gone, the early mornings are crisp and clear, without a cloud in the sky.

For the first time this year, the temperature dipped to single digits on Sunday morning (12 May) with a cool 9 degrees in the village.  Gone is the heat-haze of summer, so that the view from the Lookout is particularly special. So clear is the view of the coast and offshore islands that you can clearly see their outline and you can even identify each individual island – especially with the assistance of the interpretive signage from the Lookout’s best vantage point.   

There is no better place at Paluma village to sit and contemplate the view, whilst thawing out and soaking up the warmth of the sun’s early morning rays. On Sunday morning the visit to the Lookout was enhanced by the sound of dingoes calling from somewhere downslope, deep within the rainforest. With the cool clear air, the eerie sound of their calls seemed to carry for miles. 

A cup of lemon myrtle tea and a slice of mandarin and almond cake at the Rainforest Inn topped off a rather delightful early morning stroll.

Just another day in the paradise we know as Paluma.

Len Cook Ceramics is OPEN

Len Cook would like to advise that the new Gallery is OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

Len Cook Ceramics (formerly known as Paluma Pottery) is located at 29 Lennox Crescent, off Mount Spec Road. You can’t miss the sign on the corner of Lennox Crescent.

The Gallery will be OPEN on a regular basis over the coming months, with the usual business hours of 10 AM to 4 PM.

2019 Pioneers Luncheon

The Rollingstone Community Centre will host the 2019 Pioneers of the Townsville Northern Beaches (TNB) Luncheon on 7 June 2019. The event will be held at the Rollingstone Community Centre, commencing at 12.00 noon.

As part of the greater TNB community, Paluma residents 65 years and over are invited to attend the luncheon. Places are limited to 120 people, so if you would like to attend, please RSVP to the Rollingstone Community Centre by 27 May 2019. The flyer below contains relevant information.


A Celebration of Roy Mackay’s Life

On Sunday 21 April many of Roy Mackay’s long-time Paluma friends and acquaintances joined the Mackay family to celebrate and pay tribute to Roy’s long and wonderful life.

Duncan and David Mackay spoke about their father’s life and work, outlining some of their childhood experiences and reminiscences growing up with their naturalist and explorer parents in the wilds of Papua New Guinea. The Mackay family presented a photo essay of Roy’s life, with some unique and remarkable photographic images capturing Roy’s absolute passion for his family, nature, wilderness and the people of PNG.

The afternoon of remembrance was bittersweet as Roy is no longer with us, but sharing his memory with others was a happy and heartfelt occasion.

The overwhelming theme of Sunday’s celebration was that Roy Mackay was a true gentlemen – he was a devoted family man and his time and generosity in sharing his vast knowledge of the natural world was extended to all people from all walks of life. Roy’s passion for nature and for making the world a better place was ever-present right to the end of his life.

The admiration and respect for Roy Mackay is enduring in the village of Paluma. His spirit resides in all those who loved and admired him and he will never be forgotten by the many people whose lives he touched.

The Paluma community sincerely thanks the Mackay family for arranging this celebration of Roy’s life, for sharing their memories and for the wonderful luncheon in his honour.

The Mackay family who attended Sunday’s celebration of Roy’s life and work.

The following are some selected photographs from the event.

Local Hero Awards

ATTENTION: Paluma Residents, Friends & Neighbours

DO YOU KNOW A LOCAL HERO?

This year our coastal neighbours from the Rollingstone Community Association have invited us to join them in launching a new and revamped initiative of the Townsville Northern Beaches (TNB) Local Hero Awards.

I have been assured that all of us mountain residents in the village of Paluma are considered to be an important part of the (hinterland) TNB community.

The Local Hero Awards are all about recognising individuals who make an outstanding contribution to their local community. Residents of Paluma are invited and encouraged to nominate someone from OUR local village community. Information has been provided by the Rollingstone Community Association as follows:-

Our aim is to celebrate the good works done by the pioneers of the TNB Communities selecting someone to become the “Local Hero” for the TNB for a year. We would like nominations to come from anyone in a community but the nominee MUST be over 65 years of age. We would like that their association with their community be a significant contribution over time and that it was delivered with sincerity and with absolute genuine good intention.

We will have a selection Committee; a winner (our TNB “Local Hero”) will be chosen and presented with a plaque and $200 cash, with  smaller plaques going to the nominated Pioneer from each TNB community – NORTH of the Black River. This includes the village of Paluma!

We’d really like your input and support to make this project a success.  PLEASE get behind it and spread the word within your communities and groups.

Please note that nominations are required by: COB on Friday 22 May 2019.

Send your nomination to: The Secretary, Rollingstone Community Association, 44 Community Crescent, Rollingstone QLD 4816 or send an email to: rollingstonetc@bigpond.com