Category: Village news

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!

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

PALUMA AT RISK OF LOSING RURAL FIRE BRIGADE

ATTENTION PALUMA RESIDENTS

The Paluma Rural Fire Brigade (RFB) is formed of residents from the Paluma community and it cannot function without members and their involvement. With the recent resignation of several senior members of the brigade we are presented with the challenge of trying to keep the brigade functioning and to maintain its assets within the community. If the brigade is unable to recruit new members, the Rural Fire Service may need to close the Paluma brigade and move the fire truck to another community. If this occurs, the only guaranteed response if there is a fire in the Paluma area will be a Fire and Rescue (red) truck from Townsville, Ingham or the Waterfall Creek RFB – and these services are not always available.

This notice is to advise Paluma residents that we are planning to undertake a recruitment drive with a lunchtime BBQ on Saturday 1st May 2021.

You are invited to attend:

A Public Meeting/Recruitment Drive, Saturday 1st May 2021 at 11 AM.

To be held at the Paluma RFB Station (Community Hall).

Without your support this vital community service may be lost from the Paluma community. Staff from the Rural Fire Service Townsville Area Office will be in attendance to discuss the future of the brigade with the community, including explaining what it means to be a rural fire brigade member.

If you have any questions and to RSVP to attend this meeting, please contact the Rural Fire Service Area Office on (07) 4796 9082.

You can also ring the local contact person and serving Paluma RFB member Ross Hyne on 0427 447 415.

We look forward to seeing you at this meeting.

Paluma Easter Market

A misty morning and threatening rain, did not bode well for the Easter Sunday Mountain Markets, but we did get mentioned in “Townsville Eye” and seemingly people were determined to get out over Easter.  As a result, despite the mandatory wearing of masks, a steady crowd appeared in the Community Hall and the nine stallholders were kept pleasantly busy and all seemed pleased with sales.


Over in the gazebo, Don Battersby and Glen Parker were kept busy on the sausage sizzle, while Les was the cashier, thus no conflict in the food handling. Customers were lining up before 09.00hrs and there were only odd occasions when there was no one at the counter.  Two short light rain showers did not deter the crowd, many notably  being family groups and by 12.00 hrs the sausages had sold out. 


Altogether it was one of our most successful  Market days.  Hopefully, we will also do well on Sunday June 27th  – the day after Wattle ’n Gum have their annual Bush Dance in the Hall.

Text & Photo by Les Hyland

St. Patrick’s Celebrations at Paluma

A small but enthusiastic crowd of revellers met at the Community Hall on Saturday night (20 March) to belatedly mark the occasion of St. Patricks Day which falls on 17 March. Crowd numbers were down at this Social with several villagers away working or attending the Cowboys home game in Townsville.

Despite the small crowd of only 13 people, Les was kept busy at the bar which did very well with takings. With the mix of local villagers, was a couple who were staying in the village who dropped in for some drinks and helped boost the bar takings and the camaraderie. The Guinness was a hit, given the Irish theme of the night.

Lynn ran the usual Irish quiz which was won by Colwyn who took home a bottle of pink champagne in reward for her Irish knowledge. The quiz illustrated the distinct lack of knowledge of all things Irish at Paluma Village! The Lucky Shamrock Competition didn’t afford any fortunes amongst the“scratchies”. Obviously the Leprechaun had given away all his  good fortune.

Lynda and Lynn decorated the hall in a sea of green and shamrocks. As always, the gourmet delights meant everyone had plenty to eat, this time with a distinctive Irish theme.

Text & Photos by Les Hyland

Chinese Lunar New Year at Paluma

The incessant Paluma rain stopped on Saturday evening (20/02/21) just in time for the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations at the Community Hall. Twenty-something very enthusiast residents gathered under red lanterns at the Hall to mark the occasion.

While it’s well known that Paluma has some great cooks, they really excelled on Saturday night. The Chinese-inspired banquet was good enough to rival any restaurant – even without the fried rice! Funnily enough, everyone assumed that everyone else would cook rice, when in fact no-one did (with the exception of Colwyn’s coconut milk and peach dessert). One thing was certain, everybody had more than enough to eat and plenty to share.

Lynn hosted her newly invented game called “The Chinese Tree of Good Fortune” whereby some residents got to try their luck with a Lunar New Year Scratchie. Unfortunately no major winnings were ‘scratched’ on the night. Chinese horoscopes were read in this the Year of the Ox. Fortune cookies were shared, with some residents still contemplating the profound messages contained in their cookie. My own fortune cookie read……”Judge not the horse by its saddle”. Mmmmmmm…..I’m still thinking on that one! A planned game of ‘Chinese Whispers’ was abandoned because the lively noise reverberating from the Hall meant that anybody ‘whispering’ would have gone unheard.

The Bar did a lively trade as always with some profits in the kitty for the PDCA. Thanks to all those who attended and for embracing the theme of the night.

Our next Social will be held on Saturday 20 March for St. Patrick’s Night celebrations. Time to put the Chinese clobber away and start thinking Irish GREEN!

Text & Photos by Michele Bird

Reminder: Chinese New Year Social this Saturday

Ni hao (pronounced “nee haow”)!

Don’t forget this Saturday evening Paluma will celebrate Chinese New Year with a Social at the Community Hall. Festivities begin at 6.30 PM.

Please bring a dish to share with your friends and neighbours – savoury or sweet. Your best Chinese-inspired delicacy would be most appreciated!

And don’t forget to bring your spare change to purchase a few beverages from our Barman Les.

See You There!

Paluma Social Events for 2021

Dear Members of the PDCA, Paluma Residents, Friends & Neighbours,

Please note that your PDCA has a newly formed sub-committee known as the ‘Social Committee’ (or perhaps more aptly termed the ‘Any Excuse for a Get-Together Sub-Committee’!!).

Your new Social Committee Members are:- Lynn Hyland, Les Hyland, Colwyn Campbell, Lynda Radbone and Michele Bird.

The inaugural meeting of this new sub-committee was held just recently and we have set about in planning an array of Social Events over the coming year. We hope there will be plenty of opportunities in 2021 for you to get out of the house, dust off your best outfit, catch up with friends and neighbours and also dress up and be a bit silly on the odd occasion, should you feel inclined…..!

We do encourage all Paluma residents and PDCA Members to contact us with your thoughts, ideas and feedback on upcoming and future Social Events. We are sure many of you have some great ideas for future Social Events and we would love to hear from you.

A working list of the planned Social Events for 2021 is outlined below and regular posts will be added to the website to remind you of upcoming events. Please join us to support your PDCA, to share some great food, good company, good humour and the odd beverage. All are very welcome.

The exciting events to come are:-

Saturday 20 February Chinese New Year Social (Evening)

Saturday 20 March St. Patricks Day Social (Evening)

Sunday 4 April PDCA Paluma Markets

Saturday 24 April PDCA Annual General Meeting with BBQ (Lunch)

Saturday 15 May Petanque (Bocce) and Nibbles on the Green (Afternoon)

Saturday 12 June Les Hyland’s 90th Birthday Party (Evening)

Saturday 26 June Bush Dance – Wattle n Gum

Sunday 27 June Paluma PDCA Markets

Saturday 17 July Paluma Push Bike Race (Outer Limits Event)

Saturday 7 August International Night Social (Evening)

Saturday 11 September Back to the 70’s Social (Evening)

Sunday 3 October PDCA Paluma Markets

Saturday 9 October ‘Paluma-Fest’ Social – BBQ, Beer and Bonfire Night

Sunday 24 October Community Hall 20th Anniversary (Morning Tea)

Sunday 31 October Paluma Trail Run (Outer Limits Event)

Saturday 6 November Return of the Monsters & Mayhem on the Mountain

Saturday 11 December Tropical BBQ Social (Evening)

Community Centre Garden Beds now completed

On Sunday, with the enthusiastic help of several volunteers, the project to enhance the appearance of our Community Centre with new garden beds and a selection of native plants provided by the Townsville City Council was finally completed. Last year saw the construction of some the garden beds using black wattle logs sourced from Ann Bruyeres’ property, and the sourcing of a large selection of native plants courtesy of a grant from the Council. Ann played a key role in selecting the plants and getting them up to Paluma, where we kept them in a well-watered location until we could finish preparing the remaining garden beds and find a suitable time after the rains had set in to undertake the planting-out.

Working in the rain turned out to be much more pleasant than toiling in the blazing sun!

Anne provided much needed guidance in assigning a suitable spot for each plant, while the rest of us (Colin, Jill, Don, Michele and Jamie) dug the holes. Even now, the Centre and surrounds look much improved, and with a continued good wet season the plants will all take hold and begin to fourish and further transform the site. It’s good to have some pictures from the start so that we can record the changes as the plants grow over the next 5-10 years.

Thanks again to Megan Taylor (TCC) and Councilor Margie Ryder for their support in getting the plants for this project.

The finished product