Paluma’s very own living legend and our tireless champion volunteer of anything and everything Sir Leslie Hyland will celebrate his 91st birthday on Tuesday 14 June.
Our sincere and heartfelt congratulations on this birthday milestone Leslie and from your many friends and your Paluma family we wish you many happy returns for the day and continued good health and happiness for the year ahead.
Everyone is invited to join Leslie at the Rainforest Inn this coming Saturday 18 June at 11 am to mark the occasion with some birthday cake.
In normal Paluma fashion Colwyn’s Watercolours & Wine Workshop scheduled for 16.00hrs on Saturday May 14th got underway at 16.30 hrs. There were no less than 18 participants and although it was a quiet start, as time went by there were whispered conversations and not-so-whispered conversations. It was remarked that the barman was a trifle noisy.
Everyone was engrossed in putting brush to paper and to the untutored eye some wonderful shapes seemed to appear with minimal tutoring. Around 17.30 hrs there was a break while people had quite plentiful snacks which had been spread out in the meeting room and there was a mini rush to replenish wine glasses at the bar.
But then it was back to work and brushes were being wielded until around 19.00 hrs. The event was obviously a resounding success and the enthusiasm of the painters was extremely evident. Many thanks to Colwyn for the effort in providing such an interesting afternoon. The happy artists are looking forward to a second workshop later in the year.
The total rainfall recorded in May (to date) in the BOM gauge at the Village Green is impressive.
Paluma Village (at the BOM gauge) has had a total of 343.2 mm of rain as of today (Friday 13th May). Some 296 mm of that total was recorded this week alone.
The word (from a very reliable source) is that Paluma Dam is at about 80% capacity and about 1 m below the spillway and still rising.
Thanks to Barry for passing on these rainfall figures today.
A reminder that local artist Colwyn Campbell will host her Watercolours & Wine Workshop this coming Saturday 14 May. The Workshop will commence at 4 pm at the Paluma Community Hall. The Workshop is FREE.
Colwyn plans to bring along a few objects to set up as subject matter for a still-life. However, if you have your own trinkets or treasures that you’ve been wanting to paint, please bring them along. Colwyn asks that each person bring along three small items like a jug, bottle, vase or jewellery box, of varying sizes and shapes, that can be suitably arranged into simple compositions for a painting.
Colwyn has some art supplies, but if you have your own brushes, paints, paper and other supplies, please bring them along. Bringing along your own brushes if you have them (size 7 or 8 or thereabouts) would be most helpful.
The Workshop will be a fun activity and hopefully the participants will have something to take home to show for their efforts!
The Bar will be open for drinks and please bring along some nibbles to share if you feel so inclined.
The crowd was rowdy, the enthusiasm was high, the competition was fierce and the skills were varied……
That about sums up the second annual Games Night hosted by Peter and Dorothy Klumpp last Saturday night (7 May) at the Paluma Community Hall.
More than 25 people attended the Games Night and we started the evening with a practice run of the various games set up by Peter Klumpp and his volunteers. There was carpet bowls, table tennis, mini-table tennis, darts, mini golf, throwing cans and the very popular table soccer. Before the main event, the crowd enjoyed a sausage sizzle cooked by Lynda, complete with her delicious coleslaw.
The competition began with the drawing of 10 teams of 2 people – 1 male and 1 female in each team. Peter’s roster for the rotation of the 10 teams through the various games had us all organised with a system to rival the best mathematical tables. The system worked (a bit like herding cats) and the games began. There was frenetic activity, sweating, cheering, shouting, laughing, swearing and a fair bit of cheating as the competition heated up, especially at the carpet bowls, table tennis and the table soccer. ‘Bend it like Beckham’ took on a whole new meaning at the soccer table!
Without any doubt the evening was a great success and a great deal of fun. The Grand Champions on the night were Big Mark and Ros taking out first prize as the overall winning team. There were four teams who came second as runners up – Jill and Neil, Jamie and Jodie, Michele and Mark and Dorothy and Les. The winners were presented with trophies, gold medals and chocolates.
Big Mark gets the award for the most athletic moves of the games whilst simultaneously playing table tennis and carpet bowls. We will call it the ‘A over T back flip in pike position, ending in a front tuck reverse commando roll’. The ground definitely moved for all those who witnessed this feat and who were in close proximity!. Come to think of it, Mark spent quite a bit of time rolling around on the carpet bowls mat on the night?!
Despite the thrills and spills of the night, fortunately no injuries were sustained (or none that we’ve heard about), but it’s possible that some participants were reaching for the Dencorub by Sunday morning…..?. My only complaint was a sore face from laughing and cheering (mostly for myself) on the night.
Barman Les reported a roaring trade for the evening. The takings for the bar and sausage sizzle were some $420.00, so the big winner from Games Night is the community with important funds being raised for the PDCA.
A very big thank you to Peter and Dorothy for the initiative and for running the Games Night and to Lynda for volunteering at the BBQ. It was great to see new residents Ros and Wayne from Lennox Crescent join in the fun and we welcome you to the village. We hope that we haven’t scared you away!
Well done Paluma. A great night, a lot of fun and a community spirit that shines. Check out the following photos from the night!
Text by Michele Bird, with photos by Michele Bird, Wendy Crisp and Les Hyland.
A reminder that the second annual Games Night at the Community Hall will take place this coming Saturday 7th May from 5 pm.
Hosted by Peter and Dorothy Klumpp this not-to-be-missed event will include a range of indoor and outdoor games (the latter will be weather pending and/or until it gets dark). Whether you are into darts, table tennis, carpet bowls, pétanque or hop-scotch, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Come along to beat your friends and neighbours in a bit of friendly rivalry and competition.
For those who have worked up an appetite from the games, a Sausage Sizzle will be held from 6pm to 7 pm on the Hall verandah. Lynda will be cooking the snags on the bbq and she is making her delicious coleslaw. The Sausage Sizzle will cost $3.00 per serve with all proceeds to the PDCA. The Bar will be open from 5 pm with Barman Les in his usual role.
Come along and join in the fun. If last year is anything to go by, there will be a lot of laughs, some fierce competition and a fair bit of cheating!
Anyone who spent some time at Paluma Village over the ANZAC Day long weekend doesn’t need me to tell them it was wet, wet, wet!
Finally there has been some respite from the relatively dry weather over the early months of 2022 with good rainfall totals in the BOM gauge at the Village Green over the past few days. In case you were wondering how much rain we’ve had in the village, here’s a quick snapshot of the weekend totals, noting that these recordings are made each morning between approximately 7.30 am and 8.30 am. Recorders are Barry Smith, Peter Cooke and/or Michele Bird.
Friday 22 April – 145 mm
Saturday 23 April – 48.5 mm
Sunday 24 April – 24.8 mm
Monday 25 April – 65.4 mm
Tuesday 26 April – 144 mm
That’s a whopping total of 427.7 mm over the past five days!
The good news from around the village is that many of the empty rainwater tanks on the outer village blocks (in the Republic) are now overflowing. Don at Hussey Road reported that his dam is full and that was early on Monday morning before the additional 144 mm of rain over the 24 hours to Tuesday morning.
Fortunately, the rain eased off slightly at 6 am Monday morning just in time for fifteen very hardy Paluma residents to mark ANZAC Day with our version of the Dawn Service. Daylight broke with the raising of the flag, the Last Post and a minute of silence. We shared ANZAC biscuits and then headed home for a hot cuppa. Special thanks to Len and Lynda for their efforts in contributing to the Dawn Service.
An added note is that the good rainfall means that the drive up and down the Paluma Range Road is pretty spectacular just now with all creeks and waterfalls in rapid flow. I snapped a few iPhone photographs yesterday (25 April) at some of my favourite spots along the way.
Twin Falls 1Twin Falls 2. Looks like the geotech guys have added some notes to the rock wall!Crystal Creek Bridge 1Crystal Creek Bridge 2The beautiful Fairy Falls.
Text & Photos by Michele Bird with recent rainfall readings contributed by Barry Smith and Michele Bird.
Paluma Rural Fire Brigade (PRFB) wish to sincerely thank the following people for the very successful fundraising event of $400 for the Brigade at the recent Book Stall at the Easter Sunday market.
Peter and Jan Cooke and George and Kathryn McNaughton for their very generous donation of many books for resale which were pouring out the doors in people’s arms. Also to Jan for donating the proceeds of her home-made cooking to the cause and for her brilliant idea in the first place and making it happen. It is very much appreciated.
Ross Hyne, PRFB First Officer & Sonya Bryce, PRFB Secretary/Treasurer
The Paluma Community Market was held Easter Sunday (17 April). After two days of splendid fine and sunny Autumn weather on Good Friday and Saturday (15 and 16 April), the rain descended early on Sunday morning and it didn’t lift all day. It was a cool, drizzly and generally miserable day weather-wise, but that didn’t stop large crowds from attending the market.
All stall holders reported brisk trade on the day. The Sausage Sizzle did a roaring trade and was all sold out by lunch time. There was a queue at various times throughout the morning at Jill and Colin’s coffee and tea stall, with hot-cross buns and cake on offer. Peter and Jan’s book stall to raise funds for the Paluma RFB was a great success. Stand-by for a further report from Sonya regarding the proceeds from the stall. Ross and Sonya had the fire truck on display with some important messages about fire safety in the home and in the bush. Ross treated the kids (big and small) to a few short bursts of the fire truck siren. The kids were given free RFB torches, stickers and colouring-in books, putting smiles on many little faces. Many happy customers left the Paluma Market with a new hand-made garment, a plant, pottery, painting or piece of jewellery. Just about everyone left with a book, some of us with a box of books!
Despite the rainy weather, the Paluma Easter Market was hailed as yet another successful market, contributing important fund raising to the PDCA and Paluma RFB. Thanks to all stall holders and volunteers for making the market a success and we will see you all in the last weekend in June (Sunday 26 June) for a bumper Bush Dance Market.
Text by Michele Bird & Photos by Michele Bird & Juanita Poletto.
The Paluma community came together last Saturday evening (20 March 2022) to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. An enthusiastic crowd of about 30 people joined in the celebrations at the Community Hall, many adorned in shades of green.
As usual, there was a feast on offer with many Irish inspired dishes including colcannon, Irish stew, corned beef, Guinness pies and an array of other gourmet dishes. Just when you thought you could not possibly eat anymore, Tony arrived with BBQ chicken and the best roast potatoes I’ve eaten for a long time. What good Celt can resist a spud, so I found room for two more! Dessert then followed with apple crumble, lime cheesecake and Jennie’s Guinness chocolate cake. It was melt in the mouth.
Leprechaun Leslie entertained the crowd with some (clean) Irish jokes. Peter Cooke impressed with his vast knowledge of Irish history and culture taking out the St. Paddy’s night quiz. Jack was banned from using Google this year, so for once he didn’t win the competition. Even with some rampant cheating, Michele could not beat Peter to take out the prize of a free drink at the bar. Several patrons were lucky enough to find a ‘Shamrock Scratchy’ under their seat, but no one will be giving up their day job any time soon as there were no big winners on the night. The luck of the Irish…..?
It was great to see so many attendees at this Social and a very good time was had by all. Several of our newest residents to Paluma attended and we had the opportunity to welcome them to the village and introduce them to new friends and neighbours. It’s all about community!
