TIME, YOU GOOSE
a mission. He wants to have an unmade bridge at Cungulla’s Recovery Creek officially named the Reg Hinspeter bridge after the man who did so much for the fishing and retirement village south of Townsville in the 70s and 80s. Dennis says the name of the bridge would give Reg the recognition he deserves. You may think Recovery Creek is named after some sort of expeditionary force or exploration party who rested at this creek after enduring months of physical hardship in the field. I’m sorry to have to inform you this is not the case. Dennis informed me it is so named because once upon a time, fishermen returning from the beach would lie in the shade of its banks while recovering from hangovers. They should have called it Hangover Creek.
A good Point
DON’T rule out Abbot Point being in contention for a slice of the Federal Government’s $270 billion investment in national security. The coal loading port 30km north of Bowen comes with a 19-metre deep harbour, making it ideal for amphibious craft and naval vessels. You might have to kick a few wallabies and king browns out of the way, but there is 16,000 hectares of land within the Queensland Government’s Abbot Point State Development Area waiting for someone to move in. Plenty of room to set up a base for the glorious “green machine”.
Good news for someone
Who is starting up print editions of community papers around the region now that News Corp has switched its community papers over to digital platforms? Rumours abound. There’s one doing the rounds about a publisher who thinks there might be an opportunity. Wait and see. In any case, new-chum newspaper publishers who think they can do it on the whiff of free advertorial in return for paid advertising will be in for shock. The readers will smell a rat and drop it in the bin. Strong news sense, an energetic sales staff and knowing your community inside out are prerequisites.
Packer picker pickle
IT’S a case of so far so good as far as the North and far North Queensland horticulture harvesting season goes. A few weeks ago it was an unknown as far as labour supply was concerned. We are of course referring to the availability of backpackers to do the picking. Bowen-gumlu Growers Association president Carl Walker says labour is okay so far this year, but he is scared stiff what will happen next year if international borders open and the 150,000 backpackers currently in the country vamoose back home to see mum and dad. “If they go home and no one comes into Australia to take their place, that’s what I’m worried about. Who will pick our produce?” Mr Walker said.