Category: Village news

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

Chinese New Year Social, Saturday 20 February

The year 2021 is flying by and it’s time for the first Paluma Social Event of the year. Chinese New Year will be acknowledged and celebrated in true Paluma-style and you are invited to attend. 2021 is the Year of the Ox.

When: Saturday 20 February 2021 at 6.30 PM

Where: Paluma Community Hall

What to Bring: The usual. A Chinese-inspired or other delectable savoury or sweet dish to share with your friends and neighbours.

Dress: Yes please, whatever you like to wear, but clothing is preferred. If you have a Chinese outfit, please don’t hesitate to come along in costume.

Barman Les will be open to serve all kinds of beverages at bargain prices.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend. We look forward to seeing you there.

The Fast and the Furriest…..

Many dog lovers reside in the little village community of Paluma and it’s not uncommon to see people out and about walking their beloved canine companions in the fresh mountain air. But just lately, there are two very precious pooches who have taken to getting a bit of help when it comes to regular exercise. Let’s face it, some days it’s just hard to get out of bed and go for that vigorous walk, especially when you are well into your senior years.

At the outset of this tale (tail!) I must for the sake of clarity confirm the main characters in the story. The canine characters are Bailey and Flossie. Their well trained and dedicated human companions are Bruno and Colwyn, respectively.

Both Bailey and Flossie are well advanced in dog years. Arthritis, a bit of deafness and a few other ailments have made taking a stroll a bit of a challenge some days. The solution, get your human to invest in a new mode of transportation. Both these pooches now take their walk, or at least part of it, on wheels. They are the fast and the furriest!

Bailey has been seen recently in a bright red, rather flashy four-wheel drive version of a child’s pram. With mag tyres, a pillow and seatbelt, Bailey is ready for action. His pram is red because it goes faster. Strapped in on the top deck of his pram he can reach much greater speeds than he can on foot with his degenerative arthritis. There is a great view from the elevated deck so that Bailey can see everyone coming and going. There are no missed opportunities in getting free pats and loving attention from every passerby. Most importantly, Bailey no longer gets left behind at home when his favourite person in the world (Bruno) goes for a walk. 

Bailey off on a walk in his flashy red pram.

Flossie also has a new pram, but hers is the deluxe version as far as canine transportation is concerned. Flossie’s wheels are like a ‘Pooch Porsche’, decorated with motifs and flashy designs. After all, a girl should be able to travel in style. Her pram has ample room for sitting, reclining or snoozing. When she gets tired of the walk (and her mum stopping to chat) she can settle herself down for a dog nap in transit.

Flossie is ‘hot to trot’ in her new wheels.

So, next time you are walking in the village of Paluma and you see someone approaching with a pram, do not assume it will hold a human baby or small child. No, around here the pram is much more likely to contain a ‘fur baby’ and a much coveted, spoilt and beloved pet.

These mobile pooches in prams are a testament to the devotion of both Bruno and Colwyn in caring for their elderly, increasingly fragile and very special best friends and canine companions. It also goes to show that sometimes you can teach an old dog a new trick!

Bruno and Bailey on a walk in the village.
Colwyn and Flossie preparing to take a morning stroll.
Bailey on a walk, catching up with his good pal Miss Molly.

Text & Photos by Michele Bird

Rainforest Inn is Closed until 30 January 2021

Paluma residents, visitors and holiday-makers please note that the Rainforest Inn at Paluma will be closed over the period 30 December 2020 to 30 January 2021.

This means that with the exception of the vending machine (for snacks) at the Paluma Education and Environmental Centre (PEEC) there are no places or facilities to buy food, drinks or other supplies whilst visiting the village. Please bring your supplies with you to avoid disappointment (and being hungry!).

Tropical Festive Cheer at Paluma

The PDCA ended the year on a high note on Saturday night (12/12/20) with the final social event of the year, the Paluma Tropical BBQ.

The Community Hall was lit up like a Christmas tree (literally!) and the tropical shirts were as loud as the lively chatter emanating from the hall. The residents of Paluma came armed with a feast of sumptuous dishes and Don fired up the BBQ with his usual finesse. Barman Les reported a lively trade and he made sure that everyone remained hydrated with their favourite beverages on the night.

Colin and Jill were the outright winners of the ‘Best Dressed’ tropical costume, arriving as if they had just stepped off the cruise boat (hopefully not the Ruby Princess!) adorned in sarong, board shirts, frangipani leis and tropical cocktails in hand.

Despite a challenging 2020, the community spirit is alive and well at Paluma as these few photographs clearly show. Merry Christmas Paluma-style!

Text & Photos by Michele Bird

Paluma Tropical Breeze BBQ

The final Social Event for 2020 is the Paluma Tropical Breeze BBQ to be held on Saturday 12 December at 6.30 pm at the Community Hall.

All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please bring along:-

  1. Your own choice of meat/protein for the BBQ.
  2. A Plate for sharing – nibbles, salad bowl or dessert.
  3. Dress is Casual Tropical. Please wear your favourite tropical outfit. There will be a free drink for the person who most embraces the Tropical theme.
  4. Your Xmas spirit and good humour is essential.

The Bar will be open as usual with low cost beverages for thirsty people.

Please come along and join your friends and neighbours in marking the start of the Silly Season and the closing of 2020. See you there!