Spring has almost sprung and Saturday Night Fever is coming to the village on 11th September at 6.30 pm at the Community Hall.
Whether you’re a mother or whether you’re a brother, get down and boogie with your friends and neighbours as we go back in time to the 1970’s.
Come as you are, or come in your favourite 70’s themed costume. Grow your moustache, find your flares or flaunt your flower-power. Be a disco diva or a Dylan devotee – everyone is welcome.
The Bar will be open for drinks and please bring a dish to share – hot or cold, sweet or savoury.
The love, peace and joy will flow from the Community Hall with a free drink for the best dressed male and female.
We have previously posted several articles on this website regarding the amazing bowers built by the satin bowerbirds in and around the village of Paluma.
This is a story of two bowers and the concerted efforts of my resident satin bowerbird/s to build and maintain their bower in the face of considerable adversity.
A few weeks ago at the start of the breeding season I noticed that the satin bowerbirds were very active in the garden – in their favourite spot where a bower has been built over two successive years. So, it didn’t surprise me to see work had begun on a new bower (no.3) this breeding season. The construction of the bower was well under way and various blue objects started appearing in the garden as the efforts ramped up to build the bower and tempt the female birds in. There was some frenetic activity going on.
Then…….along came the tree trimmers to prune the vegetation from the transmission lines.
At my place they pruned some sizeable branches and left most of them behind littered throughout the garden. The clean up effort by the crew was pretty poor to say the least. As I cussed (numerous times) and began cleaning up the branches left behind, I noticed that a large branch had been lopped and left right on top of the bower. I promptly removed it to discover that the bower had been flattened to a pulp (along with several of my garden plants). In addition, the large branch left on top of the bower meant that the birds could not get access to the area to retrieve their twigs, sticks, blue trinkets and treasures to rebuild or relocate the bower.
I cussed again (more times than previously) and resolved with some disappointment that the bowerbird courting and breeding in my garden would be over for this year.
But that is not the end of this tale.
Coming back to my garden after two weeks away I was pleasantly surprised to see the bowerbird/s had rebuilt and re-erected the bower. It was bigger and better than before. There were new and many more blue trinkets scattered around the bower, along with pieces of bright green lichen. A new addition was the leaves of the exotic aluminium plant with the silvery upper side of the leaves carefully placed at the bower entrance. In recent times there has again been a hive of courting activity and chortling at the bower and around the garden.
It never ceases to amaze me how adaptable and innovative these birds can be. Not only do they collect and re-use the plastic contaminants we humans leave in the environment (well at least the blue pieces), they also re-adjust quite readily to our invasion of their rainforest home and our constant interference in their breeding and life cycle.
If only we humans were so tolerant and adaptable to the other species sharing the planet!
View of the rebuilt second bowerThe array of blue (plastic) treasures at the bower.
Jamie’s post on 2 August 2021 provided information on the new Paluma rainfall gauge at the Village Green. Most of you have probably seen the new rain gauge by now. You can’t miss it on the lawn near the PEEC side of the Village Green behind the Community Hall.
Since the installation of the new gauge the daily rainfall data has been checked and recorded, mostly by two very dedicated community volunteers. Barry Smith from PEEC has been taking the readings on weekdays and ever reliable Colwyn Campbell has been the rainfall recorder on weekends. The task involves visiting the Village Green every day at the same time to check the gauge and record any rainfall for the past 24 hours on the BOM record sheet.
Last weekend (14 & 15 August) with Colwyn being unwell with severe sciatica, it was my turn to step up and take a turn in checking the gauge. I was looking forward to the task, even more so when it began to rain on Friday evening. How exciting – there would be something in the gauge for my first recording!
Paluma’s gardeners will be pleased to know the rainfall stats for last weekend were 5 mm and 4.2 mm respectively for Saturday and Sunday 14 and 15 August.
Jamie Oliver is still seeking additional volunteers to compile a list of back-up people to assist with the rainfall recording, if and when necessary.
If you would like to volunteer and put your name on the list, please contact Jamie. You might only be called on once in a while to stand-in when other residents are unable to perform the task.
I can attest to the fact that it is a rewarding job in playing a (small) part in contributing to the historical record of Paluma’s rainfall. Not only that, but you can multi-task whilst recording the rainfall and take your best mate for a walk!
Saturday night (14 August) was International Night at Paluma. There was only a small crowd of some 13 people in attendance, but you wouldn’t have known that from the noise coming from the Community Hall. The gathering was loud, enthusiastic and spirited to say the least.
The evening began with Lynn’s various entrée dishes which were consumed in a flash. As always, there was plenty to eat and drink for everyone with a delicious curry, chicken dishes, fried rice, dumplings and other meals. There was only one dessert on the night, so you had to be quick. This was a sumptuous ‘Scottish pavlova’ made by yours truly. Whilst there was much debate on the night regarding the origins of the humble pavlova (from New Zealand or Australia), my rationale is that if someone of Scottish descent makes a pavlova, then it quite rightly can be called a Scottish pavlova?
The small crowd at the Hall were delighted when Paluma’s newest residents Leonie and Mark joined the event. They accidentally discovered International Night when they stopped by to see what all the noise and activity was at the Hall. They were soon invited in for a meal and a welcome drink. Mark and Leonie are the new owners of the ‘Paluma Dreaming’ property on the Loop Road and they are currently renovating the property. It was great to welcome these new residents to the village, Paluma style (and we hope we didn’t frighten them away!).
There was a great deal of fun and laughter on the night. Lennox (who didn’t really want to hang around with us ‘oldies’) made several quick ram-raids on the buffet during the course of the night. He eventually made off with a dish of Mark and Wendy’s chicken wings, but he wasn’t quick enough to get any of the pavlova. There were some strange goings on in the kitchen at one point and what happened behind closed doors between Barman Leslie and Jodie remains a mystery. What happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen…….?
Here’s some more photos of a fun time with friends and neighbours at Paluma International Night.
Did anyone else see the spectacular sunset on the Paluma Range on Friday 6 August 2021?
If there is a singular advantage from being stuck in town at work until late on Friday afternoon, it surely has to be the benefit of driving up the Paluma Range on sunset.
My iPhone photos just don’t do justice to the light show put on by Mother Nature – the colours can’t be captured in still images.
After being away from my mountain retreat for some weeks, I started to wonder – was the sunset on Friday last any more spectacular than it usually is, or was it just a sight for (my) sore eyes…?
On Saturday 7 August 2021 the crew of the HMAS Paluma (4) exercised their right of passage of the township of Paluma by a ceremonial march through the centre of the village. It was organised by Townsville City Council and to everyone’s pleasure it was a perfect winter Paluma day with clear skies, warm sunshine and just a tad of winter coolness.
The main thoroughfare through the village, Mt Spec Road, was closed between PEEC and Smith Crescent from 10.45 am to 11.45 am. The crew were marshalled outside PEEC where they were inspected by Councillor Margie Ryder who attend the ceremony on behalf of Mayor Jenny Hill (who sent her apologies as she was in lock-down due to Covid restrictions).
The party then marched along Mt Spec Road until accosted by Rollingstone Police OIC Tony Jacob. The official framed document which granted them the freedom of entry – conferred on the vessel on 14 October 1990 – was produced and the parade was able to continue the march to its dispersal point on Smith Crescent. Two drummers brought up the rear of the parade – doing a splendid job of keeping the beat, especially since the remainder of the band could not attend the ceremony due to Covid restrictions.
The Rainforest Inn catered light refreshments for the Navy crew and distinguished guests, while the local Paluma residents and some visitors enjoyed a free sausage sizzle provided by the PDCA. Thanks to Jamie and Colin for manning the BBQ and keeping everyone fed. The sausage sizzle proved very popular and supplies ran out before too long.
Inside the Community Hall Margie Ryder made a speech before presenting the Captain of the HMAS Paluma a scroll confirming the “Final Right of Entry”. A copy of this was presented to the PDCA as a momento of the occasion and this was gratefully accepted by Les Hyland, on behalf of the Paluma community, the PDCA and the Paluma History Project. Les assured the gathering that this would be embodied in one of the Paluma History Albums for the four ships named “Paluma”.
There was a great turn out of local Paluma residents to support this event and it’s not every day that we see a Navy crew marching down Mt Spec Road in our little village in the mist.
Text by Les Hyland and Photographs by Denise Soars & Les Hyland
If you were thinking that it was about time to wind down from all the recent social events and outings at Paluma, well think again Paluma residents…..!
You are reminded that next Saturday night, 14 August is International Night in the village. This annual social is to be celebrated at the Community Hall, commencing at 6.30 pm.
Come as you are, or come dressed to reflect your heritage, nationality, your favourite country, place or culture. Everyone is welcome and it will be a celebration of multiculturalism – Paluma style.
Please bring a plate to share – hot or cold, sweet or savoury. International dishes to reflect the theme of the night are encouraged. The PDCA Bar will be open for beverages on the night.
The twentieth anniversary of the “Paluma Push” was different for all the right reasons. Sam Stedman and Aline of “Outer Limits” are to be heartily congratulated for masterminding the operation, but one must also say that it would not have been possible but for all the various helpers who were involved both before, on, and after the day of the race.
The principal difference was the holding of the race on a Saturday [July 17th] instead of a Sunday, as in all previous years. This permitted the Saturday evening to host a huge party at Hidden Valley Cricket Oval right at the race finish.
It was also a most beautiful sunny winter day, although there were a lot of water issues, many of them on the Paluma Dam Road which is in a deplorable condition. It was repaired in November but with material that did not stand up to the Paluma wet season and was studded with deep water filled potholes and gullies through a great deal of its length.
In the Community Hall a collection of 15 of the 20 “Paluma Push” tee shirts over the years was mounted and so much admired that it was moved to Hidden Valley for Saturday night.
The race start was on Smith Crescent in Paluma and there were five categories this year. The new one was the 100km “Crazy Course” with an extra 20km “Mt Fox Loop” at the last part of the race. There was the normal 70km and a 53km course divided between e-bikes and mountain bikes. The popular 42km Recreation Course was well supported. There were almost 650 competitors and although there were mechanical problems there were only two injuries one of which was sustained riding back on the road from Hidden Valley to Paluma after the race!
There were three electronic mats in use recording the competitors passage at Checkpoints 1, 4 and 6 reducing the number of volunteer manual number takers and improving accuracy. For the detailed results and times go to the Outer Limits website and look for: palumapushresults.
The Hidden Valley Cricket Oval was in use for camping on Friday night, but on Saturday it was transformed into a party ground with the bar run by the PDCA, three food outlets and the band “Shots Fired” providing music for dancing and created a good ambience for the really huge number of competitors, volunteers and others who seemed to all be having a great time especially those sitting around the very large bonfire that was kept blazing.
This is but a brief overview of this remarkable event but it hopefully conveys what an outstanding event the 20th “Paluma Push” was.
The Yellow-Breasted Boatbill (Machaerirhynchus flaviventer) is a small flycatcher restricted to rainforest habitats in North Queensland. They are found from the Paluma Range north to Cape York. They tend to inhabit the middle storey of rainforests where they forage for food, mostly catching insects whilst in flight. They have a broad bill with long distinctive ‘whiskers’. The male bird has brilliant yellow and black plumage while the female is duller in colour.
From my recent conversations with some of our local bird watchers at Paluma it seems the Yellow-Breasted Boatbill is not commonly sighted at Paluma. This might be because this small bird tends to frequent the mid-high canopy in its search for food, or perhaps they are not locally common in the village?
On Sunday (11 July) I was lucky enough to come across some keen bird watchers and friends (Greg and Michael) who were eagerly photographing this male Boatbill (below) at the Village Green. The bird was flitting in and out of the canopy in the large trees at the western end of the Green. Greg has kindly shared the photographs below. If you haven’t yet seen the Yellow-Breasted Boatbill, keep your eye out next time you visit the Village Green. Just look for a flash of brilliant yellow way up high in the canopy!
Check out that broad bill…..!
Text by Michele Bird and Photographs kindly shared by Greg Calvert
It was a very busy weekend at Paluma (26 & 27 June) with a hive of activity going on around the place. The rather cool winter weather and the thick veil of mist that failed to lift for several days did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm for the range of activities on offer – from bush dancing, bike riding, bushwalking and shopping.
It all started on Saturday with the annual Paluma Bush Dance hosted by Wattle ‘n’ Gum. While the Dance this year was moved to the earlier time slot of 1 to 4 pm, a good crowd of more than 50 people gathered at the Community Hall to dance the afternoon away. Lynda and Don fed the hungry patrons with a pre-dance tasty sausage sizzle, which was a sell-out. From the hokey-pokey to the heel-to-toe, everyone had a great time dancing with their friends and family. We even had a visit from Sergeant Tony from Rollingstone who dropped in to say hello and sample the sausage sizzle. Barman Les was worked off his feet to keep everyone hydrated with their favourite beverages. The PDCA did a roaring trade with the sausage sizzle, bar takings and tea/coffee sales. Well done to all the Paluma community volunteers and a big thank you to Wattle ‘n’ Gum for the fantastic entertainment. Special mention goes to Jill, Suzanne and Anne who didn’t miss a single dance all afternoon!
After a good sleep on Saturday night, the action was on again first thing Sunday morning!
Sam and a very keen crew of bike riders left the village early and rode off into the mist to make a practice run for the upcoming Paluma Push. Other visitors to the village took off on bush walks and bird-finding expeditions.
At 9 am the Paluma Market opened with Lynda and Don firing up the BBQ yet again for another sausage sizzle. Stallholders at the market reported steady trade for the day. There was a range of goods on offer to buy from plants, books, cards, jewellery, spices and condiments, handmade arts and crafts, fruit and veggies and home-baked sweet treats. Tea/coffee sales went well, boosted by Jill’s delicious fruit and nut slice (many of us ate more than our fair share!). Jill’s fund-raising for the Children’s Cancer Institute was a success and raised important funds for the charity. The winner of the ‘pick the numbers’ competition on the day was Catherine (the Spice Lady from Ingham).
All in all a very busy and action-packed weekend was had in the not-so-sleepy little village of Paluma. I don’t know about everyone else, but I need to go back to work for a rest after the weekend!
Check out these photos of some of the action over the two days…………
Roy Bird really enjoyed the sausage sizzle at the Market.
So did Colwyn and Sonya!
Text by Michele Bird. Photos by Michele, Sonya and Gail.
