No tears on big day
A MAJOR study to assess gas reserves in northwest Queensland could herald a boom for the Mount Isa region.
Mayor Joyce McCulloch said the Geoscience Australia and CSIRO assessment of the Isa Superbasin could open the way for a huge boost in investment and jobs.
“With support from the Mount Isa City Council and the Barkly Regional Council in the Northern Territory, construction of an $ 800 million northern gas pipeline linking Tenant Creek and Mount Isa is already under way,” she said.
“Securing additional gas supplies to feed into that pipeline and the east coast gas market will be game changing in many ways.”
The Isa Superbasin assessment will investigate the geology, water quantity and quality.
Geosciences Australia and the CSIRO will brief the Tennant Creek to Mount Isa Cross Border Commission – comprising the Mount Isa and Barkly councils – in March.
“I couldn’t be more excited and optimistic,” Cr McCulloch said.
“There is growing demand for the northwest’s vast reserves of minerals and resources, much of it comprehensively mapped but still untapped.
“Our economic development strategy is all about exploiting our natural advantages so that we can grow, diversify and give families in regional Queensland a secure future.
“The Isa Superbasin assessment is another piece of the puzzle that is falling into place.”
Work on the assessment will start early this year. “We met our new teacher and pulled out all our books, my favourite part was meeting my new teacher.” TYLER BRENNAN- REID, 9 TOWNSVILLE schools have opened their doors to 2018’ s newest group of learners.
Sisters Sienna Watson, 4, and Khloe Watson, 5, enjoyed their first days of kindergarten and Year 1 at St Clare’s Catholic School.
Mum Allysha Watson said both girls were bursting with excitement to get back to school and to go to kindergarten for the first time.
“Khloe couldn’t even sleep last night, she came in to me and said ‘ Mum, I can’t even sleep, my head is full of all this stuff’,” Ms Watson said.
“She was up before all of us to have breakfast too.”
Ms Watson said sending the kids to school on the first day was easier with practice.
“I’ve been waiting for Sienna for quite some time, she seems like she’s well and truly ready,” Ms Watson said.
“She’s gone to the same kindy as Khloe went to with the same teacher, so she knows them and I know them so it felt a bit more comfortable.” “We had to write about what we did on the holidays, my favourite part was playing soccer at lunchtime.” LACHLAN BRENNAN- REID, 7
While there were no tears on the first day for the Watson family this year, many other parents couldn’t help but feel emotional about the first day of school.
“I had no dramas this morning. I felt sorry for some of the other mums there though. They were crying and I’m thinking ‘ I know how you feel’,” Ms Watson said.
St Clare’s principal Kath Tarttelin said crying levels were surprisingly low this year.
“We’ve had a really smooth start to the year, particularly our Preps and Year 1s are very settled,” she said. “I don’t remember much, but I remember the end of the day – free time. My best BFF is in my class.” KHLOE WATSON, 5
“It was lovely to see some smiling faces and to hear about their holiday adventures. Even our new Prep parents and families are embracing school with open arms.”
Belgian Gardens State School students, brothers Lachlan, 7, and Tyler Brennan- Reid, 9, got straight into their schoolwork.
“We met our teacher, read a story about the day the colours quit and we had to write what we did on the holidays,” Lachlan said.
Mum Stephanie Louise Reid said excitement was tinged with a few nerves. “I played Play- Doh, painted, I sang a song and I made friends.” SIENNA WATSON, 4
“Lachlan was a little bit nervous at the start about having a new teacher and new friends in his class, but he settled in fine,” she said. “Tyler was excited, he couldn’t wait to get up and go to school.”
Ms Reid said yesterday was her first day without the children for a long time.
“My daughter goes to daycare as well, she’s had some time off over the holidays so it was her first day back as well,” she said. “I’m on holidays from work for another week, so I get to chill out at home and catch up on all the house chores.”