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Notice to all Residents

Waterfall Creek Rural Fire Brigade wish to advise that they will be conducting hazard reduction burns in the Blackfriars area, this Saturday September 16th September 2023 (weather and conditions dependent).

Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Sonya Bryce on (0474) 324 153 or 1st Officer Josh McAllister on (0437) 694691.

Notice of Annual Paluma Garden Competition

The annual Paluma Garden Competition will be held in the month of October.  Competition judges from Bunnings will be escorted by a member of the PDCA executive committee around gardens of Paluma residents and businesses including the blocks along and adjacent to Hussey Road.

If you do not wish to be included in this competition please let Jamie Oliver, Lynn Hyland or any other member of the PDCA committee know as soon as possible.

All contact details of the PDCA committee are accessible on this website under ‘contact’.

Vale Trish Jackson

Patricia Mary Jackson (1947 – 2023)

Trisha was born Patty McGahan on May 26th 1947 in GawlaSA. She was estranged from her father at a very early age and was raised in her Mum’s family clan Ramsay around Naracoorte and Kingstone in southeast SA. After leaving school Trish became a Medical Receptionist/Typist working in Doctor’s surgeries in Adelaide and sharing an apartment with two friends who she kept in touch with throughout her life.


Trisha was married at twenty-one and they spent the next seventeen years moving regularly. From Adelaide to Peterborough and on to Ballarat. Their two boys were born in that time. Trish owned and operated a Fashion Studio, a Photographic Studio and an Antique Store some of these at the same time. She was heavily pregnant when an errant antique wardrobe fell off a truck and pinned her to the ground. In true Trisha fashion she got up, dusted herself off and finished unloading the truck.

From Ballarat the family moved into Queensland buying a property at Laidley. From there on to Emerald and then Innisfail.

Trish arrived in Townsville in 1985 and was employed as an Admin Officer/PA at the same company as James where they met. Trish moved on and was employed by Commonwealth Pathology Laboratory where she met Doc (Ron) and Sue Rimmington. When Doc discovered that Trish and James spent most weekends camping around Paluma and PalumaDam he offered the Rimmington house at any time it was not being used.

Trish and James were married in 1989 when they both resigned from their respective positions and embarked on a shared but personal journey of self-discovery. With that out of the way and a stint at running a pub under their belt they moved to Paluma permanently, living in the Tubman/Jackson Family house that had been built of the site of the old Willowdean cottage. Trish worked around the village in different part time and full-time positions that her knowledge, experience and flexibility allowed. Her last trick before leaving Paluma was a multiple resignation and return from and to PEEC. I can remember Baz saying, ‘no more retirement cards for you’ They had a beautiful working relationship.

The Paluma community was very welcoming, and Trish made many ‘forever’ friends that she loved and kept in contact with. Cooking had always been a passion, no doubt inherited fromher Mum. Cooking for kids at the two Centers were some of the happiest times. Trish contributed to the community she loved, she worked hard for the Community Association, Mount Spec State Emergency Service and Paluma Rural Fire Brigade, earning a Australian National Service Medal and a QFES Diligent and Ethical Service Medal. She was humbled by the awards and would say ‘all I ever did was make the sandwiches. Mind you when you’ve been on the fire ground for six hours ad someone turns up with a sanga and a cold can of coke you’d bloody well give them a VC.

Trish and James moved on from Paluma after twenty-five or so years to build a retirement home and lifestyle at the foot of the Cardwell Range near Ingham. The family house changed hands and Tracy put the finishing touches to it that we had never gotten around to. (Looks fabulous Trace).

The owner-built house in Bemerside was completed in 2019 and by 2022 Trish had started her Hoogle Culture beds off with their first seedlings when she received the diagnosis. Trish and James left immediately for the Gold Coast where a specialist team (not available in North Queensland) began treatment. Unfortunately, a combination of factors including the fact that there is no early diagnosis currently available for Ovarian Cancer, hence most are not diagnosed until stage three or four, there are very few unusual or noteworthy symptoms and treatment options are very limited when compared with more common cancers. Trish passed away at home in Bemerside after a year of intense treatment, but she was wrapped in a cocoon of love by family, friends and even Doctors for that whole period. Trish was pretty easy to love.

James Jackson

Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation – Donate to Patricia Mary Jackson (ocrf.com.au)

Spring clean at Star Valley lookout

Last Saturday, Sept 2nd, three keen workers joined Wilfred and did a lot of hard work cutting back the vegetation at Star Valley lookout to ensure it wasn’t getting too overgrown. Visitors (and locals) can now enjoy the view over the ranges. When was the last time you stopped for a look out over Star Valley?

Our community working bees are usually held on the first Saturday of the month.

Removal of the vegetation overgrowth by the working bee team has got to be seen to be appreciated! Many thanks to the September working bee team.

Text: Wilfred Karnoll and Juanita Poletto. Image: Wilfred Karnoll

Notice To All Paluma Ratepayers

You are invited to attend a public meeting on Saturday the 30th September at 10:00 am at the Paluma Community Centre.

The meeting is being held to discuss the setting of the Fire Levy for 2024. 

Come along for chat and also find out what the brigade is up to over a cuppa and piece of cake.

If there are any queries in the lead up to the meeting, please contact:

Sonya Bryce – Treasurer/Secretary of Paluma Rural Fire Brigade on email: sonyab360@gmail.com

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

Reminder: Community Meeting with Councillor Margie Ryder – Sunday, August 20th

On Sunday, August 20th at 10 am the PDCA is hosting a community meeting with our Townsville City Council representative, Margie Ryder.  This will provide an opportunity for Margie to report on what the Council has been doing and to listen to any concerns that Paluma residents may have relating to council facilities and initiatives.  Items that we will be inviting Margie to comment on include:

  1. Plans for signage at the village entrance, and upgrade of other signs around the village
  2. Dog Poo bag dispensers and other issues on animal control (Cats, noisy dogs)
  3. Community security in the light of multiple recent events in and around the village
  4. Road Maintenance
  5. Vegetation control (weeds)

The meeting is open to all Paluma Residents.  Please come along to have your say.