Bulloo Buzz 4 September 2019 MAYORS MESSAGE ……………..………….……………………….

We were fortunate this month to have the Hon Mark Furner, Minister for Agriculture, Industry Development and Fisheries (DAF) visit with Council on Tuesday 27/8/2019. He had been to Charleville and Quilpie and came out here to meet with Council as well as Mr Anthony Glasson to discuss Mr Glasson’s work with Merino Sheep and current trends in the sheep industry. The Minister was impressed with the work that was happening in Thargo and he was very interested in the Warri Gate road project and the development of the Low Care Independent Living Centre. I informed him that we couldn’t ever remember an Agricultural Minister coming to Bulloo and the last State Minister was Minister Crisafulli who opened the VIC when the National Party was in Government. At Council’s last Ordinary and Special meetings, we approved the purchase of three utilities, a Prado, 1 Landcruiser, 2 Caterpillar Multi Tyred Rollers and 1 Caterpillar 12m Grader. All up this was a total spend of $1.1 million. This is part of Council’s commitment to ensure that we have a modern fleet of vehicles and plant that reduces our Maintenance and gives us a better resale value when we come to trade them in. It also gives local people the opportunity to buy vehicles at a reduced cost that they know have been serviced regularly. We have more plant to purchase but these are our major items for this year. The CEO attended a SWRED meeting in last week. Items discussed included new funding programmes, the need for Councils to undertake a review of the SWRED Strategic Plan, and reports from the various Government departments that attend and that interact with the 6 Councils that make upthe organisation. With the Local Government Elections coming due next March 2020, I would suggest that members of the community may wish to start thinking about an opportunity to put their names on the ballot paper. Whilst being a Councillor can be complex in its operation and abiding by the rules and legislation can be frustrating, it can also be very rewarding, and its where you can have the opportunity to help your community become sustainable and build on the good work of past councillors. Mayor John “Tractor” Ferguson

Failure is not the opposite of success; it is part of success

Bulloo Shire Council PO Box 46 4492 T: 07 46218000 Fax: 07 46553131 A/H Emergencies: 0429 611 872 Email: [email protected] Website: www.bulloo.qld.gov.au FROM THE CEO’S DESK …….…………….………………………. Well its back to reality. ‘The Carnival is over’ so sayeth the Seekers.

It was a very pleasant arrival too I might add. I came back to a very well run organisation with no hand grenades waiting to go off. I slipped back into the chair like I hadn’t been away. I attribute this to the good work of Ms Tamie Warner who was our acting CEO and to all the staff who provided her with support. It was a totally local show with no imports to mind the seat in my absence. So congratulations to everyone for supporting Tamie and the Council and meeting the expectations of our operation.

Now that the budget is adopted, we are full swing into the New Year with a new budget and new goals to achieve. We have our usual TIDS programme which will commence shortly to finish the Innamincka Road. This is funded 50/50 by Council and TIDS funding and then we will move across to the Quilpie Road to work on sealing the missing links. This programme will be extended over the next three years.

We have also submitted an EOI to the Cross Border Authority in NSW who have money available for any work that supports the cross border communities. It was indicated that we may be eligible for a grant to commence sealing the Warri Gate road from the border north toward . This will be an interesting scenario if we get the funding because it will be the NSW government funding works on a Qld road. That is a strong argument for our state Government to get on board with our project to seal the Warri Gate completely.

For our infrastructure, we will be commencing to put solar panels on all of Council’s assets to reduce our electricity cost. It is also an opportunity for the Bulloo Shire to become the “greenest shire in the west”. We already have solar powering our new Tourist tech installations so this is the logical next step. Also we will follow that with a small geothermal plant to power our cooling towers and help reduce the temperature of our water by 30 degrees.

You may have heard on the grapevine that we are preparing a submission to obtain funding for a low care Independent Living complex. This will be a possible 3 stage development that will meet the needs of retirees who wish to stay in Thargomindah and be in a communal supportive environment where we will be able to provide a more centralised medical and wellness service to the residents. It will initially be established next to the 4 existing units with 4 single units and a support building that will contain a Recreation room,a consultation room, an office, a kitchen and a place for ambulance access. This in the future will also support the other stages to come. The benefits of this project is that it will help people to stay in Thargomindah if they have or don’t have any family support and ensure they don’t have to leave the community they have lived in for all their life. It will also increase the argument for additional medical specialist services into the area that everyone will be able to access. Once established, Council sees the opportunity for additional jobs in the area of HACC, cleaners, and maintenance. This is a project that will help sustain our population, if not grow it and help to provide a better wellness environment for the whole town.

It’s going to be an exciting year and I can’t wait to get started.

Lew Rojahn

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT - managing Council’s most significant resource ……………………...

The month of August was an action packed month for Human Resources, starting off with an LGIAsuper Employer Education Session in Roma. During this session, the new changes within superannuation for this financial year were outlined, as well as the exciting news that within the next year, a Local Government Super Hub will be released – with the benefits of this Hub aimed at Council Employees. Employees will be able to use this Hub to interact with LGIAsuper customer service, visit FAQs that are updated regularly depending on relevant issues. Another great benefit of this Hub is that employees can book a Super Health Check Online to make sure that their steps towards having enough funds for retirement are in place.

Staff have been treated with a BBQ Lunch once again and during this we saw who needed a new Akubra! Akubra Hats are an Aussie tradition which offers a 50+UPF rating and are made to withstand the brutal Aussie climate. We love that we can provide our staff with the Aussie version of a hat, especially when we add our Bulloo Shire Council logo to it.

Jen from LGIAsuper also came out to complete Super Health Checks with Staff and to do an information session on the things that as employees, we can do to ensure that we are going to be set up and are completing the right steps to get to where we want to be in the future. This session was a great success with over half the workshop coming in to improve their retirement. Throughout this session there were so many discussion based questions, that we ended up going over the couple of hours that we had booked in for this session! During the three days that Jen was in Thargomindah, she completed almost 30 superannuation health checks! Thank you to all employees that made Jens’ trip worthwhile.

To finish off the month with an exciting event, Lisa Patterson-Kane from Mead Perry Group joined us for some organisational and workforce training which included analysing each individuals personality. Lisa joined our work teams to look at the dynamics of the workforce and to help us understand that everyone is different and everyone needs different techniques to communicate effectively, as well as reinforcing that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses that we can use to make our departments great!

Lisa is also a part of Councils’ EAP (Employee Assistance Program) service that provides employees and their immediate family assistance with any problems they may be facing in their day-to-day life. This is a service that is fully paid for by Council in recognition that mental health is something that many individuals deal with, one way or another and it would be wrong for us to ignore the fact that talking to someone can help someone cope with the harsh realities of mental health. Please contact Human Resources if you would like Lisa’s’ number for you or one of your family members to contact her.

RURAL LANDS ……………….....….……….....……….………… Council has recently received new Carp-Free signs for installation along the Bulloo & Wilson Rivers and . This project was started by long time local fisherman and all round environmentalist Andrew (Ferret) Selmes. Ferret came to Council to discuss the importance of keeping our rivers carp free and how we can better educate visitors and our local community about this issue. Council’s Rural Lands Officer, James Theuerkauf then set about working with the Department of Agriculture to design the sign in line with Departmental and Council requirements.

Thanks Ferret for your solution based approach to James & Ferret at the newly installed sign on the at Thargomindah. community issues. Carp are a medium-large introduced freshwater fish that were originally imported into as game fish. They have since spread throughout many waterways, including the Murray-Darling Basin. Carp pose a major environmental threat, as they can rapidly outnumber native fish and greatly disturb aquatic environments through their destruc- tive feeding habits. The introduction of invasive fish species such as carp into Queensland’s natural waterways affect native fish and habitats through:  Direct competition for food and space  Predation  Habitat alteration  Introduction of exotic diseases and parasitise

PARKINSONIA SPRAYING Council’s rural lands officer, James Theuerkauf, is currently spraying and monitoring Parkinsonia on the Bulloo River following the floods at Easter as the warmer weather will germinate Parkinsonia seeds.

SPORT AND RECREATION ....….……….....……….………… Community Centre WINTER TIMETABLE

 New fly screens have been fitted to the widows at the Community Centre to help deter flies this summer.  The new tennis net is up and there are also new racquets and balls so come and enjoy a game of tennis at the Community Centre.  Netball is still going strong on a Tuesday Nights @ 6pm with some close competitions so far.  Jackpot bowls is on Pay week Thursdays with our next competition on the 5th September. Cost is $5 a player with teams of two for a fun night out.  Our senior ladies have been exercising their artistic streak with Paint by Numbers Art at the Library every Monday and Wednesday @ 11:00am.  Looking for some extra exercise? Don’t forget our river walking sessions at 10:00am Monday and Wednesday and Walk and Weights session Tuesday @ 6:00am.

………………………….….…… OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT Operations have had quite a busy month: Firstly we had our hire camp arrive and what a beauty it is, we have hired this for a minimum of 6 weeks and it seems to be going well with cozy rooms and a great set up. Our Council crew are very impressed and getting a bit spoilt. This camp has been put on the Bulloo Downs Road while maintenance and flood damage works are scheduled in. Another part of the Bypass Road has been sealed and what a smooth ride it is up to the first floodway and also completes the intersection seal on the Cemetery Road. The widening on Gilmour Street is also completed so don’t be scared to drive along the new section of road. Kerb and channel along Dowling Street outside the Police Station and Gilmour Street outside the post office has also been sealed, feel free to let us know what you think. Works coming up is another 2km of sealing on Innamincka Road, we are getting to closer to sealing to the South Australian border. One more year to go and that road will be fully sealed. We have 2km of seal on the Warry Gate Road in future works as well as 4km of seal on the Quilpie Rd. Thank you for everyone’s patience with road closures and we hope you are all happy with the works that have been accomplished. ………..………….….…… INFRASTRUCTURE DEPARTMENT

KERB SIDE COLLECTION

Bulloo Shire Council are offering to collect oversized rubbish from households in Thargomindah on the Monday the 9th September 2019 Please have all items on the footpath ready for pick up prior to Monday morning. If you have large items eg: truck bodies please advise Council as soon as possible so that trucks, Loaders etc. can been organised to carry out removal of you items. Phone 4621 8000

ACCEPTABLE ITEMS: UNNACEPTABLE ITEMS:  Household Appliances • General Household Waste  Empty Paint Tins • General Garden Waste  Small and Large Furniture • Dangerous Goods eg chemical, motor oils  Car Bodies • Asbestos or other hazardous waste  Glass and China (Securely Wrapped) • Gas Cylinders  Large Drums and Rain Water Tanks • Building and Renovation Material  Push Bikes and Lawn Mowers • Cement sheeting and Bricks  Timber & Branches (Up to 1.5m)

…...... ….………...………………….….……. ECHIDNA PLACE Precisely Mine Acrylic Earring Making Workshop with Teagan Cook.

Pineapples, Echidnas, Bulls, Melons, Horses and Dachshunds. You name it, we made it!

th Sixteen crafty ladies participated in Teagan “Queen of Acrylic” Cook’s workshop on Saturday the 24 of August .

While we enjoyed a healthy lunch, our D.O.N, Allan provided a seminar on the services that the Thargomindah Outpatients Clinic has to offer.

This day was made possible by Bulloo Shire Council and Health and Wellbeing funding.

Bulloo Shire Community Grants Program Calling for Applications - Round 2 (Projects/Events held 1 January – 30 June 2020)

Community Groups that require support from Council for events/projects being held 1 January to 30 June 2020 are asked to submit their Applications by Friday 29 November 2019.

Grant Categories include:  Sport & Recreation  Events  Community Development  Environmental

Applications are to be made on the “Community Grants Application Form” available on Council’s website. Council will provide a maximum of 50% total project funding to successful applicants, with a maximum limit of $5,000.

Please note that funds are limited

Please contact Donna Hobbs at the Council Administration Office on 4621 8000 if you require further information. Signed applica- tions should be submitted to: [email protected] or Bulloo Shire Council PO Box 46 Thargomindah Qld 4492 PUBLIC NOTICES …………….……………………………….….… OUR CONDOLENCES

It is with much sadness that we acknowledge

the passing of Mr Fenn Miller, late of Cameron RATE NOTICES Corner.

Rate notices for the period 1 July - 31 December Bulloo Shire Mayor, Councillors and staff offer 2019 were issued on 15 August 2019. our sincere condolences to the Miller family in Rates are due FRIDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2019. their time of grief. Discount will be allowed if payment is received by Fenn’s passing is a great loss to the Corner 5.00pm on the applicable due date. Interest is applicable after this date. Country, he will be missed by many.

It is the responsibility of the property owner to advise Council of any change of address.

Ratepayers who have not received their rate notice should contact the Council office immediately on 07 4621 8000.

Payment options are outlined on the back of the rate notice as well on the Rates Information Brochure.

Cunnamulla Doctor Visits

30 September - 1 October 25 - 26 November 16 - 17 December

2019 DATE CLAIMERS

21 - 22 Sept THARGOMINDAH MOTORBIKE GYMKHANA - Daryl Byrne Ph: 0499 698 056 5 - 6 Oct HUNGERFORD MOTORBIKE & HORSE GYMKHANA - David & Stacey Keane Ph: 4655 4828 12 - 13 Oct NOCCUNDRA CAMPDRAFT AND RODEO - Jackie Degamouis Ph: 4655 4315 18 - 20 Oct LADIES DAY - Thargomindah 11 Nov HUNGERFORD REMEMBRANCE DAY - Sheree Parker Ph: 4655 4064 31 Dec CAMERON CORNER NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY - Cheryl Miller Ph: 08 8091 3872 PUBLIC NOTICES …………….……………………………….….… COMMUNITY GRANTS APPLICATIONS - LETTER TO CLUBS RE ENTRY FEES

Council wish to advise residents of a recent Council Resolution 2019/182 regarding the re-introduction of entry fees at community events. Please see below extract of letter sent to all Bulloo Shire Community Groups advising them of this resolution.

Dear XXXX

RE: Entry Fees at Community Events

Council has been fortunate to have received Community Drought Funding over the past 8 years to then distribute to clubs so they did not have to charge an entry fee to their event. This was done as part of drought relief measures to assist all community members to attend events, regardless of their financial situation. The Department of Communities Community Drought Funding has now ceased. Council is no longer in a position to continue its support at previous levels.

It is suggested that the re-introduction of entry fees at community events could produce the valuable income that the club requires to be sustainable and hold successful events into the future.

During the past twelve months, two events have charged an entry fee. The Channel Country Quick Shears received $3,145 and the Channel Country Music Muster (estimated in excess of 600 Attendees) took gate fees of $26,461.42.

During the August Meeting, Council also resolved to capture the “in kind” expenditure for each event and inform the committee after the event.

If you have any queries or require further information in relation to this matter, please contact the undersigned by email [email protected] or by contacting the Council office on (07) 4621 8000.

Yours faithfully Lew Rojahn Chief Executive

THARGOMINDAH SCOUT GROUP THE INVESTITURE OF A SCOUT

The Scouts Promise On my honour, I promise To do my best, To be true to my spiritual beliefs, To contribute to my community and our world, To help other people, And to live by the Scout Law.

YOUR Cr Donna Humphris Cr Shirley Girdler Ph: 0427 553 145 Ph: 0459 980 869 COUNCILLORS E: [email protected] E: [email protected] Cr John (Tractor) Ferguson, Mayor Cr Allison Petty Cr Jon Cobb

Ph: 0427 418 438 Ph: 0428 593 386 Ph: 4655 4366 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected] …...... ….………...………………….….……. ECHIDNA PLACE If Only These Walls Could Talk Have you ever walked into a building and felt the whispers of the past prickle up your spine to the back of your neck and then wondered about the stories contained within?

Located in the south west corner of Outback Queensland in the Bulloo Shire, nestled on the banks of the Bulloo River is the small town of Thargomindah, famous for being the third place in the world after London and Paris to produce hydroelectricity for electric street lighting.

Thargomindah continues to be ahead of its time for a little town in the outback and is leading the way with their recent tourism experience upgrade of their hydro power plant, old hospital and jail.

The statement, “If only these walls could talk,” is what inspired me to bring these buildings to life with the history, stories and characters of the past. The lifestyle, hardships and humour of past events are imprinted into the walls of these buildings, but without a story teller being onsite at all times, it was impossible to impart this knowledge and history on to our visitors.

Bringing these buildings to life held a very literal meaning to me, as static displays never seem to convey the emotion that goes hand in hand with the stories. The use of technology gave us the ability and flexibility of being able to present a lot more information using a variety of mediums, even the documentary side of the experience is dynamic, fun and interesting.

I also wanted to find a way to keep adding or changing the experience to encourage visitors to revisit these attractions year after year. With the use of technology, nothing is set in stone and it is relatively easy and inexpensive to change the digital displays to convey different characters and stories.

The story telling side of the experience is delivered by actors in hologram or projection form and there’s even a couple of spookily, life-like mannequins who now live in one of the jail cells. The life-like interpretation of the stories was instrumental in creating an enjoyable, everlasting and must-do experience for our visitors.

The actual process took hours and hours of gathering information and conducting interviews with current and ex-residents of Thargomindah, their family members, past and present matrons, doctors, boiler maker, police and Museum staff, but was so worth it to hear the feedback from our visitors. A huge thankyou to our Senior Tech Savvy program participants who helped me immensely with the gathering of photos, information and interviews, especially Joan Beavis.

The hydro boasts a series of experiences inside which climaxes as the old hydro starts by itself, generating electricity for the lighting within the building. The experience continues outside as you walk along a newly constructed deck where you can look out at the far, red horizons of the Bulloo Shire or walk down the steps to feel the warmth of the water that comes from 820m below the surface of the ground from the .

Visit the old jail and listen to the devastating documentary of the Bulloo Downs murder or listen to Mrs Trixie Schnitzerling, Sergeant George Schnitzerling’s wife, talk of her love of cooking and life in the old jail kitchen. Step next door into the original jail cell and listen to the banter between the mannequins of Sergeant George Schnitzerling and his prisoner about the crime that he committed which placed our prisoner in jail! Walk over to our historic old hospital and settle in to bear witness to the history and stories of the old morgue, Matron Freda Tite in the dispensary, Dr Chester Wilson in the doctor’s surgery and Matron Sylvia McGregor in the matron’s quarters.

Our visitors now have the freedom to experience these tourist attractions at their own leisure and combined with over 5km of brand new concrete walking paths, we now have a tourist trail which keeps our visitors in town for three days or more.

The Bulloo Shire Council are always trying to find ways to walk the talk with their commitment to developing tourism in our region, creating win/win experiences for both locals and visitors. The project has created a sense of pride within the community with the showcasing of their ancestor’s proud history. It has also provided a necessary boost to the town’s economic growth through the creation of an experience that encourages visitors to stay longer in our town.

Do You Need a Hand to Complete Your Town Animal Permit Applications?

Council will be holding two (2) sessions where Council will provide assistance to community members to fill in the new Permit Application forms to keep their animals. Dalena McNamara will be available to sit down with owners and go through the new application process and to answer any questions that you may have.

Where: Kullilli Room located at Echidna Place When: 1st Session - Thursday 5 September - 4:00pm to 6:00pm 2nd Session - Friday 6 September - 11:00am to 1:00pm

Council sent letters and the new Permit Application forms to all owners who previously had a permit for livestock, poultry over 15 and third dogs. Until Council receive the completed application forms all livestock, poultry over 15 and third dogs are not compliant with the new Local Laws and infringement notices may be issued.

Animals Prohibited by Local Law With the adoption of the new Subordinate Local Law No. 2 (Animal Management) 2019, the keeping of particular animals is absolutely prohibited.

Part 2. Keeping of Animals

S5. Circumstances in which keeping animals prohibited—Authorising local law, s 5(1)

For section 5(1) of the authorising local law, keeping an animal or animals mentioned in column 1 of schedule 1 is prohibited in the circumstances described in column 2 of schedule 1.

Schedule 1. Prohibition on keeping animals (Section 5) Column 1 Column 2 Animal Circumstances in which keeping of animal or animals is prohibited 2 Livestock (A) An animal to which this item 2 applies — (i) on an allotment in the centre zone in the designated town area of Thargomindah; or (ii) on an allotment in a designated town area with an area less than 1,500m2.

(B) If the livestock is cattle — cattle over the age of 9 months on an allotment in a designated town area.

6 Pig (including a An animal to which this item 6 applies on an allotment in a designated town area. miniature pig) 7 Deer, camel, An animal to which this item 7 applies on an allotment in a designated town area. alpaca, llama, bull, buffalo or ox 9 Peacock, ostrich An animal to which this item 9 applies on an allotment in a designated town area. or emu

Keeping any of these animals is in violation of the Local Law and may result in an infringement fine and the animal being impounded if it is not removed from the designated town area.

PARVOVIRUS FACT SHEET What is Parvo? Parvo is a common and potentially serious viral disease in dogs. The virus is officially known as Parvovirus. The virus first appeared clinically in 1978, and there was a widespread epidemic in dogs of all ages. Since no dogs had been exposed or vaccinated. dogs of all ages died from the infection. The virus can "adapt" over time, and other strains of the virus have appeared since then, but properly administered vaccinations are the best protection. Canine Parvovirus is thought to

be a mutation from the feline Parvovirus, also known as Feline Distemper virus.

What are the signs seen with Parvovirus infection? There are three main manifestations of Parvovirus infection: 1. Asymptomatic - No signs seen. Common in dogs over 1 year old and vaccinated dogs. 2. Cardiac - This form of the disease is much less common than the intestinal form due to widespread vaccination. Severe inflammation and necrosis (cell death), of the heart muscle causes breathing difficulty and death invery young (less than 8 weeks of age) puppies. Older dogs that survive this form have scarring in the heart muscle. 3. Intestinal - This virus causes extreme damage to the intestinal tract. This can leave the patient open to secondary bacterial infection. Most of the affected dogs (85%) are less than one year old and between 6-20 weeks old before the full set of vaccinations can be given. The death rate from infection is reported to be 16-35% in this age group.

The intestinal signs include:  Lethargy • Vomiting • Loss of appetite • Fever • Diarrhoea - usually bloody, and very foul-smelling  Intussusception - when a section of the inflamed intestinal tract telescopes into itself. This is an emergency. The onset of clinical signs is usually sudden, often 12 hours or less. The incubation from exposure to seeing the clinical signs varies from 3 to 10 days. How is Parvovirus infection diagnosed? This disease is diagnosed by physical examination, signalment (age, vaccination status, breed), and a faecal Parvo test. Additional diagnostics include blood work and radiographs. Dogs infected with Parvo typically have a low white count.

Radiographs help rule out other potential causes.

How is Parvovirus infection treated? There is no treatment specifically for the Parvovirus at this time. Treatment is supportive care, which includes any or all of the following: Oral electrolyte fluids - if the case is mild and the animal isn't vomiting  Subcutaneous or intravenous fluids- to maintain hydration in the face of the extreme fluid losses  Anti-vomiting/nausea medications- to prevent further damage from vomiting and to keep the animal comfortable  Antibiotics- to protect against secondary infection because the virus has potential to slough the intestinal tract,  Blood or Plasma transfusions - to replace protein loss, provide antibodies, help with anaemia. Many puppies infected with Parvovirus need to be hospitalized for supportive care. Hospitalization is typically about 5 days, sometimes longer. Surviving the first three days is usually a good sign for long term survival.

How long does Parvovirus last in the environment? The Parvovirus family of viruses are particularly long-lived in the environment, commonly surviving 5-7 months in an outside environment. Due to the large amounts of virus particles shed in the faeces of an infected dog (shedding lasts two weeks or more after exposure) and the longevity of the virus, complete eradication of the virus is often impossible.

How can I disinfect an area contaminated by a dog infected with Parvovirus? There are many Parvovirus disinfectants on the market, but regular old bleach is still 100% effective against Parvovirus. The dilution for bleach is one part bleach to 30 parts water. DO NOT use a bleach preparation on the animal at any time!

Be sure to keep faeces (and any vomitus) picked up in the yard and kennel area as well.

How can I protect my dog from becoming infected? Vaccination is the key to prevent this disease and protect your dog. Breeding bitches should be vaccinated priorto becoming pregnant to ensure that the pups get the best start at immunity. Vaccinations should start at 6 weeks of age, and be boostered at 9, 12, and 16 weeks of age. Speak with your veterinarian about what vaccination protocol is the best for your pet and your lifestyle.

I heard that some breeds of dogs are more susceptible, is this true? Yes, it appears that some breeds, most notably the Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherds, Pit Bulls, and Labrador Retrievers are at an increased risk for this disease. It is important to remember, however, that any breed can get Parvovirus. Be sure to keep your dog's vaccinations up to date.

…...... ….………...………...…… THUMBS UP FOR THARGO

Information sheet Transport and Main Roads policy on closing of state-controlled roads during wet weather and flooding (depth of water over road) November 2018

This informationsheet providesguidance for Transport Each situation is considered on a case-by-case basis, and Main Roads' regions and contractors involved in the with road safety and protection of government restrictionand closing of state-controlledroads (SCRs) infrastructurebeing the prime considerations. during and flooding. A more detailed wet weather Under section 46(4) of the TransportInfrastructure is in the department'sEngineering explanation available Act 1994, access to particular locations can be managed Po\icy EP147 Road closure for wet weather and policy through an approval process. flooding, avai\ableat https://www.tmr.qld.qov.au/business-industry/Technical- More detailed informationis available in EP147 Road flooding. standards-publications/Enqineerinq-policies. closure policy for wet weather and

Policy statement Benefits Transport and Main Road's policy position on when a The benefits of a clear understanding of when and why during flooding road should be closed is as follows: roads are closed wet weather and include: Still (static) water ? improved safety of road users and other people SCRs be during and flooding may closed wet weather ? consistencyof processesacrossthe state events when the depth of still water is 300 mm or more. ? clear policy in the event of a legal claim. Flowing water Reference If the water is flowing, regional discretion can be used to close the road at a lower depth, depending on the speed ? Transport and Main Roads EP147 Road closure of flow. The faster the flow of water, the lower the depth policy for wet weather and flooding for closure should occur. In some circumstances, roads ? Transportand Main Roads Information Sheet may be closed at lower depths if upstream catchment Temporaryrestrictions on state-controlledroads rainfalls or flows are likely to cause water levels to rise to during wet weather and flooding levels greaterthan 300 mm in the foreseeablefuture (and if practical to do so). ? Transport and Main Roads Road Drainage Manual 2nd edition Motorists https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/business-industry/Technical- Motorists should always drive with due diligenceand to standards-publications/Road-drainage-manual.aspx the condition of the road. Road rules and road signage should be complied with and flood markers taken into Contact information consideration. Policy and standards Exceptions to the rule timanagement(d}tmr.qld.qov.au Road Operations, Engineering & Technology Exceptions to the general rule can be made, following discussions between the departmental regional office and the local road steward (Road Maintenance Performance Contract (RMPC) / Road Asset Management Contract(RAMC) contractor, RoadTek, Regional Council, private contractor or Transport and Main Roads road inspector / officer on site), and taking into consideration a number of factors.

Queensland Govemment UPDATEFROMYOURLOCALABCBUREAU

Dear John ,

I wanted to share with you some exciting news.

We are pleased to roll out updatedbranding for our local ABC bureaux across regionalAustralia.

We've updatedsome of our on-air programintros and music, and if you connect with us on digital platforms, you will see our logo and our website look a little different too.

If you haven't been to our localwebsite recently, please make time to visit https://www.abc.net.au/radio/westqld. Now it's even easierto stream our radio station live, or you can catch up on local program audio from the past week.

This Regional bureau brand refresh has long been planned to follow the ABC's Capital City local Radio brand update which was rolled out two years ago.

A consistent approach helps audiences recognise us across allthe platforms we are availableon - across broadcast, websites, social media and even podcastingapps and smart speakers.

But don't worry - we're still the same ABC, coveringthe same region, telling our local stories,talking about our localissues and providingyou with localnews, weather,information and sport.

Please find enclosed some of our new marketing collateral

All the best,

Damien Larkins Chief of Staff ABC Western Queensland 07 4658 4010 [email protected]

about.abc.net.au