Category: PDCA matters

Notice of PDCA Annual General Meeting, March 21, 2026

Members (and prospective members) are advised that the Annual General Meeting of the Paluma & District Community Association Inc. will be held on:

Saturday, March 21 2026,at 12pm for a BBQ lunch followed by the AGM at 1:15pm in the Community Hall

Nominations are open for all Executive Committee positions. Nominations should be forwarded to any member of the Executive Committee or by email to PalumaPDCA@gmail.com. Please use the nomination forms, which can be downloaded here.

Positions are:

  • President, 
  • 1 or 2 Vice-Presidents
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • General Committee members (numbers flexible)  

Members are reminded that Annual Subscriptions are now due and should be paid prior to the commencement of the AGM.   Membership is $45.00 Please use the subscription form here to submit your dues. New members are more than welcome and should use the same form. Forms will be available on the day if you wish to pay your membership and join prior to the start of the meeting.

Please note that you must be a PDCA member to nominate someone to the Committee or vote for any Committee member.

The AGM will be followed immediately by a normal General Meeting with the new Committee.

If a member and wanting your vote to count but unable to attend, a signed notice of your proxy (must be a PDCA member) can be given to any member of the exec committe or by email to PalumaPDCA@gmail.com, prior to the meeting.

AGM AGENDA

  1. Opening – circulation of attendance sheet
  2. Apologies & Proxies
  3. Minutes of previous AGM May 24th, 2025
  4. President’s Report
  5. Treasurer’s report
  6. Election of Officers for 2026-2027
  7. Election of Auditor for 2026-2027
  8. Close of Annual General Meeting

Normal General Meeting Agenda

  1. Open General Meeting
  2. Royal Flying Doctor Medical Kit
  3. Review of status of range road closure/opening
  4. Hall Maintenance/Renovation projects
  5. Proposed Events/Fund-raising for the coming year
  6. Any other business
  7. Close of General Meeting

Reminder – PDCA Annual General Meeting, May 24, 2025

Members (and prospective members) are advised that the Annual General Meeting of the Paluma & District Community Association Inc. will be held on:

Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 12pm for a BBQ lunch followed by the AGM at 1:15pm in the Community Hall

Nominations are open for all Executive Committee positions. Nominations should be forwarded to any member of the Executive Committee or by email to PalumaPDCA@gmail.com. Please use the nomination forms, which can be downloaded here.

Positions are:

  • President, 
  • 1 or 2 Vice-Presidents
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • General Committee members (numbers flexible)  

Members are reminded that Annual Subscriptions are now due and should be paid prior to the commencement of the AGM.   Membership is $45.00 Please use the subscription form here to submit your dues. New members are more than welcome and should use the same form.

Please note that you must be a PDCA member to nominate someone to the Committee or vote for any Committee member.

The AGM will be followed immediately by a normal General Meeting with the new Committee.

AGM AGENDA

  1. Opening – circulation of attendance sheet
  2. Apologies
  3. Minutes of previous AGM April 24th, 2021
  4. President’s Report
  5. Treasurer’s report
  6. Election of Officers for 2025-2026
  7. Election of Auditor for 2025-2026
  8. Close of Annual General Meeting

Normal General Meeting Agenda

Normal General Meeting Agenda

  1. Open General Meeting
  2. Proposed Events/Fund-raising for the coming year
  3. Any other business
  4. Close of General Meeting

PDCA email to Minister re Range Road Permits

Having received no response from the Director General and no meaningful response to our questions in the last Range Road Update, the PDCA has now written to the Minister asking for a response to our original questions and some additional ones that arose from information provided in the last update.

Wed 21/05/2025 9:17 PM

The Honourable Brent Mickelberg MP,
Minister for Transport and Main Roads

Dear Minister,

On Monday morning I wrote, on behalf of the Paluma and District Community Association, to the Director General of TMR  asking for clarification on a number of matters relating to the opening of the  Mt Spec Range Road (see attached). We asked that TMR provide answers to the Community through its regular update on several important questions regarding the opening of the road and the implementation of a restricted permit system to allow interim access to selected residents.  We are very disappointed that there has been no departmental response to our email and that the latest Range Road Update has failed to substantially address any of our questions, while at the same time providing new information which only serves to raise more concerns and questions.

Our initial questions as per the email of May 19 were:

  1. Will TMR share with the community the engineering reports and risk assessments that are being relied upon to deny public access?
  2. What are the specific criteria and the underlying logic for each criterion which will be applied when determining who will get a permit?
  3. Is it TMR’s intent to provide permits to high-frequency users of Paluma – including weekenders who are not property owners?
  4.  Is it TMR’s intent to regulate the number or identity of passengers in vehicles driven by permit-holders?
  5. How long will it take to issue permits?
  6. Will TMR undertake to implement the system by a specific date and to process all permit applications within a specific time?
  7. When does TMR anticipate allowing unrestricted use of the Mt Spec Road, and what are the criteria that will be applied to that decision?

The update repeatedly provided assurance that information on who would be provided a permit and how the permit system would be overseen would be provided “soon”.  This vague timeline does not provide any comfort to the residents of Paluma and district, who have been without all-weather and all-vehicle access to and from Townsville and Ingham for nearly 4 months. We believe TMR should permit access to the range road during daylight hours through to at least 7pm to all property owners and residents in the district.    

 TMR has now indicated that there will be daily vehicle limits, but does not indicate what that limit will be, how the limit will be calculated, and how vehicle limits serve to increase public safety (as opposed to reducing administrative costs).

TMR has only committed to giving “priority” to permanent and part-time residents for permits, implying that it may deny some residents permits if this would result in the daily limit being exceeded. We ask that TMR clearly define “residents” and confirm that all home owners as well as those renting homes as their primary domicile be given equal access to permits.

The Community is also very concerned that no information has been provided as to when and under what circumstances the range road will be opened to the public. Public access is absolutely essential for the viability of several businesses in the District who are already severely stressed by the closures to date.

We ask, as a matter of urgency, that your department:

  • fully answer all the questions above
  • provide additional clarity on how the permit system and vehicle limit will be administered
  • provide copies of the internal TMR Policy and Operational Standard which it states governs the permit system
  • commit to allowing permit access to the range road during the early evening to cater for shift workers and weekenders who travel to Paluma after work on Fridays

Yours sincerely,

 Jamie Oliver
President, Paluma and District Community Association

Cc:  The Honourable Bob Katter MP, The Honourable Nick Dametto MP, Cr. Paul Jacobs, Acting-Mayor Cr. Anne-Maree Greaney.

Att: email to TMR Director General, May 19, 2025

PDCA Letter to TMR re Range Road permits

Attached is the text of an email from the PDCA to the Director General of Qld Transport and Main Roads regarding the lack of clarity on the proposed permit system and the plan for full opening of the range road.

From: Jamie Oliver <j.k.oliver@outlook.com>

Sent: Monday, May 19, 2025 7:17 AM

To: director-general@tmr.qld.gov.au <director-general@tmr.qld.gov.au>

Cc: ann-maree.greaney@townsville.qld.gov.au <ann-maree.greaney@townsville.qld.gov.au>; paul.jacob@townsville.qld.gov.au <paul.jacob@townsville.qld.gov.au>; engagement.northern@tmr.qld.gov.au <engagement.northern@tmr.qld.gov.au>; Bob.Katter.MP@aph.gov.au <Bob.Katter.MP@aph.gov.au>; Nick Dametto <hinchinbrook@parliament.qld.gov.au>

Subject: Permit System for Mt Spec Range Road

Dear Ms Stannard

The Paluma and District Community Association supports and represents the residents of Paluma Village and surrounding districts including Black Friars and Hidden Valley.  

The community acknowledges TMR’s efforts to keep residents of the District informed about progress to reopen the Mt Spec Range Road since the closure in early-February.

After more than three months we were disappointed to be informed that a full road opening is not presently contemplated (nor apparently scheduled). The current alternate routes have provided infrequent access to some members of the community but are not acceptable means of access in the medium- or long-term because they are rendered impassable by adverse weather, are not suitable for all vehicle types and are unusable by persons with health issues that make them sensitive to the rough surfaces.

The advice that there will be a limited opening of the road under a permit arrangement did assist the community to continue the significant patience that it has exhibited to date. However, TMR’s approach to the implementation of the permit system – as outlined in TMR’s update 22 of 16 May 2025 – has caused great concern. 

The failure by TMR to detail the criteria that will be applied when determining whether a permit is to be issued is unacceptable.  That failure leads the community to the view that TMR is either unsure what criteria will be applied or is unprepared to provide the detail necessary to openly discuss the merit of any decision.   Given TMR’s corporate experience, it would be very surprising if TMR does not already know what criteria it will apply.  In that regard we note references in prior TMR updates to the decision being made in compliance with established policies and processes. We observe that our review of TMR’s website does not disclose a relevant policy.  To assuage community concern, we also ask that TMR detail the logic that underpins its adopted criteria.

Further, TMR’s advice to date about the permit system leads to views that:

  • permits will not be equally provided to “full-time” and “occasional” residents.
  • permits will not be issued to non-residents, even if those people are high-frequency visitors to the district.

The advice states that travel will only be permitted between 6 am and 6 pm.   A Friday night closure of the road prior to 7pm, effectively prevents weekenders from utilising their properties until Saturday, reducing their weekend visits to one-night only.  That this  impact is unacceptable was made very clear to TMR during TMR’s road works campaign some years ago and TMR has adequately accommodated the community’s concern until now.  It is disappointing that lesson has been ignored (we assume in the interest of managing budgets and 12-hour shifts).

We ask that TMR provide the following information to the community in its next Update scheduled for Tuesday May 20 – the urgency arising from our desire to not further delay the opening of the road:

  1. Will TMR share with the community the engineering reports and risk assessments that are being relied upon to deny public access?
  2. What are the specific criteria and the underlying logic for each criterion which will be applied when determining who will get a permit?
  3. Is it TMR’s intent to provide permits to high-frequency users of Paluma – including weekenders who are not property owners?
  4.  Is it TMR’s intent to regulate the number or identity of passengers in vehicles driven by permit-holders?
  5. How long will it take to issue permits?
  6. Will TMR undertake to implement the system by a specific date and to process all permit applications within a specific time?
  7. When does TMR anticipate allowing unrestricted use of the Mt Spec Road, and what are the criteria that will be applied to that decision?

Yours sincerely

Jamie Oliver
President Paluma and District Community Association

Cc:  The Honourable Bob Katter MP, The Honourable Nick Dametto MP, Acting-Mayor Cr. Anne-Maree Greaney, Cr. Paul Jacobs.

Planning for the next Rain Event – mobile and internet services

In various discussions within the community and with external bodies, a common message arising from the recent severe rain event involving prolonged power outages and road closures has been the need to maintain or restore communications via the internet and mobile phones when the power was out.  This post provides an update on progress to improve the resilience of our Comms connections during and after any future event.

Mobile Phone Service

  • For the last few years, mobile phone service has cut out shortly after any power outage in the village. Service has been reported to cut out anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after Ergon power is lost.
  • There is a battery bank and a diesel generator at the tower. The generator never comes on during an outage. There is no procedure for refuelling the generator even if it is working.
  • Following the rain event:
    • The PDCA initiated a formal complaint about the lack of operational power backup at the tower. 
    • The council was asked to discuss this issue with Telstra and is exploring the possibility of authorising staff from Townsville Water to refuel the generator.
    • The office of our state member for Hinchinbrook (Nick Dametto) also wrote to Telstra requesting information on its power backup policies.
    •  Wilfred Karnoll used his contact within Telstra to lobby for action on this matter.
  • The combination of these various contacts with Telstra has finally yielded some positive results
    • Telstra confirmed in writing that a combination of batteries and the diesel generator is intended to provide power for mobile service for “several days” after a power outage
    • Telstra has committed to installing a new generator at the Paluma tower, and Wilfred has been informed that the generator is currently in Townsville waiting for some additional gear before it is ready to be installed.
    • Telstra has indicated that the Council will need to formally negotiate directly with Telstra to arrange authorisation

Free internet at the Community Hall

  • After some persistent emailing, Townsville City Council has acknowledged that the current MiTownsville wifi hotspot is throttled back to a level where it is only barely usable by a single person and virtually unusable when multiple people log in.  They have agreed to increase the bandwidth permanently to 5Mbs which should greatly improve usability under moderately heavy use, and allow for effective mobile wifi calling when the Telstra tower is down, or to those subscribers using other carriers.
  • Wilfred has successfully negotiated with Telstra for a $500 grant to purchase a Starlink terminal/dish that the PDCA can set up during prolonged outages. This would provide much higher bandwidth compared to the free MiTownsville hotspot, and serve as an independent line of communication via internet mobile calling as well as normal internet service. The PDCA would cover subscription costs. It would set this up only when needed and would use a monthly Starlink usage subscription so that costs would only be incurred during months when the system is used.
  • During a power outage, backup power will be required at the hall for both MiTownsville and (when set up) the PDCA Starlink terminal.  The PDCA, together with SES and RFS currently have backup power facilities in place to provide power to electronic devices during an outage.

Notice of PDCA Annual General Meeting, May 24, 2025

Members (and prospective members) are advised that the Annual General Meeting of the Paluma & District Community Association Inc. will be held on:

Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 12pm for a BBQ lunch followed by the AGM at 1:15pm in the Community Hall

Nominations are open for all Executive Committee positions. Nominations should be forwarded to any member of the Executive Committee or by email to PalumaPDCA@gmail.com. Please use the nomination forms, which can be downloaded here.

Positions are:

  • President, 
  • 1 or 2 Vice-Presidents
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • General Committee members (numbers flexible)  

Members are reminded that Annual Subscriptions are now due and should be paid prior to the commencement of the AGM.   Membership is $45.00 Please use the subscription form here to submit your dues. New members are more than welcome and should use the same form.

Please note that you must be a PDCA member to nominate someone to the Committee or vote for any Committee member.

The AGM will be followed immediately by a normal General Meeting with the new Committee.

AGM AGENDA

  1. Opening – circulation of attendance sheet
  2. Apologies
  3. Minutes of previous AGM April 24th, 2021
  4. President’s Report
  5. Treasurer’s report
  6. Election of Officers for 2025-2026
  7. Election of Auditor for 2025-2026
  8. Close of Annual General Meeting

Normal General Meeting Agenda

Normal General Meeting Agenda

  1. Open General Meeting
  2. Proposed Events/Fund-raising for the coming year
  3. Any other business
  4. Close of General Meeting

Community Meetings and BBQ now scheduled for April 12th.

Prior to the meetings below the PDCA will provide a BBQ lunch at noon, April 12th at the Community Hall

A community meeting to review our experiences during & after the February extreme weather event will now be held on Saturday, 12th of April, commencing at 1 pm in the Paluma Community Hall. The objective is to record lessons learnt for the future, discuss known problems & see what we can do to improve how we manage such events. All members of the community are encouraged to attend. See agenda here.

If you are unable to attend but would like to have a specific issue included for discussion, feel free to contact Charlie Allen, Peter Cooke, Anneshka Brown or Jamie Oliver to let them know.

There will also be a regular meeting of the PDCA Council at 3pm, after the community meeting. This PDCA meeting will cover various ongoing items (see agenda below). While these meetings have traditionally been considered as business meetings attended only by the elected members of the Council/Executive, we welcome any residents to attend and to raise any items that they would like the PDCA to consider in addition to what is already on the agenda. Here is the proposed agenda.

Postponement of Meetings this Saturday

As a result of the recent additional rains, and the closure of the Star River Bridge on the inland access route, the upcoming Community Meeting, PDCA Meeting and PDCA BBQ have all been postponed until the following weekend – March 29th. The times and places are the same:

Paluma Community Hall March 29th

  • PDCA BBQ at 12 pm
  • Community Meeting at 1 pm
  • PDCA Meeting at 3 pm

Community BBQ and PDCA Meeting this Saturday

In addition to the Community Meeting to review experiences and lessons learned from the recent rains (Saturday at 1pm) the PDCA will be hosting a BBQ lunch at the Community Hall at 12 pm before the meeting.

There will also be a regular meeting of the PDCA Council at 3pm, after the community meeting. This PDCA meeting will cover various ongoing items (see agenda below). While these meetings have traditionally been considered as business meetings attended only by the elected members of the Council/Executive, we welcome any residents to attend and to raise any items that they would like the PDCA to consider in addition to what is already on the agenda. Here is the proposed agenda.

AGENDA

  1. Apologies
  2. Action Arising
    • History project – mining and timber history; “What to see and do in Paluma” flyers and linked QR code.
    • Monitoring of Telstra generator and back-up battery
    • Updating Paluma online presence:  PDCA activities; Paluma.org update; Facebook page;
    • Access to PRFB funds to share costs in hall upgrades eg: Solar panels and battery storage
  3. Suggested PDCA actions arising from previous Community Review Meeting on lessons learned during February’s extreme rain event
  4. Paluma Community Information and News network options – for urgent and non-urgent items
  5. Future events and Hall bookings
  6. Treasurer’s Report
  7. Any Other Business
  8. Confirm next meeting date – Annual General Meeting (election of officers) to be followed by exec meeting