TMR Range Road Update: Notice of Upcoming Works in May-June
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Reminder: Petanque on the Village Green, Saturday 15th May
A reminder that the next Social Event at Paluma will be ‘Pétanque on the Village Green’ this Saturday 15th May, commencing at 4 pm.
Come along to show off your championship skills at Petanque, or come along to learn how to play the game.
Please bring a plate of finger food or nibbles to share on the deck of the Community Hall after the game. The Bar will be open for low cost drinks in support of the PDCA.
Please come along to share in some good sport and friendly, but feisty rivalry as the ‘Village People’ (those that live in the village) take on the ‘Republican Bush Whackers’ (from the western outer blocks). It is sure to be a riveting competition. See you there….!!
Recycling bins at Gumburu available again
The Townsville City Council has recently emptied the recycling bins at Gumburu, which had been full to capacity for some time. Paluma residents can once again use these bins to dispose of recycling material.
Community Hall Spring Cleaning – Call For Volunteers
Calling all enthusiastic volunteers who love to do a bit of spring cleaning!!
The Paluma Community Hall is in dire need of a ‘spit and polish’ in preparation for all the upcoming social events and bookings over the next few months.
We are calling for keen volunteers to help clean the Community Hall on Sunday 23rd May at 9 AM.
If you can swing a broom or mop, wash a window or wield a duster – WE NEED YOU!
Many hands make light work, so if you can spare an hour or two on Sunday morning the 23rd May, please come and join the cleaning crew. A free cuppa is on offer for all cleaners! See you there!
Botanical Books Now Available to Order…..
For those with an interest in Botany, I find these two books by former Paluma resident, my mentor and good friend, Emeritus Professor Betsy Jackes, invaluable. Betsy has offered to have a limited print run done, primarily in support of my friends at Savannah and Wet Tropic Guides, but I thought some Paluma people may also be interested. The cost of each publication should be under $50.00 (Betsy mentioned $35), but we won’t be certain until printing is completed. This price will not include a retail mark-up, so will be very affordable.
Plants of the Tropics is my go-to for rainforest plants. A somewhat technical book, it covers rainforest plants of the Wet Tropics of the Kuranda and Paluma ranges, along with the dryer areas of the Herberton-Stannary Hills and Hidden Valley, and a section on Bryophytes by specialist Dr Andi Cairns. There is an excellent section with illustrations explaining botanical terms, leading onto identification keys for families. This book has a strong focus on identification using leaf characteristics, using similar features to those we used during the botanical workshop. Both my copies are well-worn, copious notes taken on pages and I find it invaluable as a starting reference for identification.
Plants of Magnetic Island is perhaps an easier book for people to use. Whilst the focus is on Maggie, many of the plants described in this book can be found throughout Northern Australia, including offshore islands. It contains many of the plants found in “dry” (monsoonal, vine thicket) rainforest, and it also includes many introduced species and weeds. This book features two guides to genera, based on flower colour and obvious fruit features, before leading onto a key to groups, based on leaf characteristics. For me, the outstanding feature is the illustrations; most plants are represented with excellent images.
To order, please contact me at swan.sarah@bigpond.com. Taking orders until end of May, to give everyone an opportunity to purchase. Payment will not be required until after the printing is completed, as an exact price will not be known until then.
Text & Photos provided by Sarah Swan.
Rainforest Tree of the Month, April 2021 – Fuzzy Lemon Aspen
The Fuzzy Lemon Aspen (Acronychia vestita) is endemic to northeast Queensland occurring in upland wet sclerophyll forests and rainforest margins or disturbed areas from Kuranda to Paluma. It is generally a shrub to small tree but can grow up to 20m. The ovoid deep green leaves are simple with obvious lateral veins running at an angle from the mid-vein and then looping up before reaching the leaf margin.
Flowering occurs from February-March and the fruit develop as globular fruit with a lumpy wrinked surface that turns from green to white or yellow when ripe.
This is not a particularly common tree around Paluma but there is a good example on the edge of Potters Park off Lennox Crescent that is currently bearing numerous developing fruit that should turn yellow in the next month or so.
The fruit are eaten by Cassowaries, Wompoo Fruit Doves and the Musky Rat-kangaroo. The leaves are one of several species eaten by the larvae of the Ulysses Butterfly.
Several other species of Acronychia including the Lemon Aspen (Acronychia acidula) are edible and used as a garnish or flavouring in drinks and chutney. A. vestita is noted as being edible in the original Rainforest Fruits book by Cooper & Cooper (1994) but I could not find any other references to edibility.
Text and photos (unless indicated) by Jamie Oliver
Reminder: Paluma Rural Fire Brigade – Public Meeting & BBQ this Saturday 1st May
A reminder to all Paluma residents that the Rural Fire Brigade (RFB) will be holding a Public Meeting, Lunchtime BBQ and Recruitment Drive at the Community Hall this coming Saturday 1st May at 11 am.
Please come along to support your local RFB and please consider signing up to join the Paluma RFB so that we can retain this vital service in our community.
Without your support this service may be lost from the Paluma Community.
For further information please contact local RFB representative Ross Hyne on mobile: 0427 447 415.
See you there!
Anicca exhibition opening a great success
On Friday evening the exhibition of new artwork by our local artist Colwyn Campbell was opened by Sue Tilly and Ross McLennan at the Drill Hall in Townsville.
The event was well attended and dominated by Paluma residents who not only admired the stunning pieces on display but also purchased several of them.
The Buddhist concept of Anicca (impermanence) clearly pervaded the artwork. The detailed depiction of fallen leaves and other organisms associated with decay and recycling of life, combined with the repetitive colourful patterns resulted in images that were (to me at least) both abstract and yet highly realistic.
Congratulations to Colwyn on the success of the exhibition, which will remain open until May 20th.
Text by Jamie Oliver, photos by Juanita Poletto
Meet & Greet with Councillor Margie Ryder – April 30; 3:30 pm
Our local representative for the Townsville City, Councillor Margie Ryder will be visiting Paluma on Friday April 30th and would like to meet with any residents who are interested in chatting with her about local Paluma issues. Please come along to the Community Hall at 3:30.
Coffee and afternoon tea with be available.
Reminder: PDCA BBQ and Annual General Meeting this Saturday 12pm.
Don’t forget to come along for a BBQ lunch and the Annual General Meeting this Saturday. We are keen to seen new residents come along and warmly welcome anyone who might be interested in joining the Commitee.
See you there!