Desert Yarns
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Diamantina Shire Council Desert Yarns December, 2012 Distributed free to all residents. Volume 4 Issue 58 Upcoming Events Council Meeting - December 14 Message from the Mayor Council Christmas Break-up - It was an honour, as Mayor, to represent the Diamantina Shire at the Diamond December 14 Jubilee Community Barbecue in Longreach for their royal Highness's Prince of Wales Council Office re-opens - January 2 and the Duchess of Cornwall (Prince Charles and Camilla). My wife and I were privileged to speak to Prince Charles for some time and we found him entertaining Visitor Information Centres re-open - and humorous. He said he preferred the 39 degrees heat in Longreach to the January 2 humidity of PNG "which made one perspire badly". Council Employees Resume - The event was also attended by Her Excellency Ms Penelope Wensley, AC, Her January 15, 2013 Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, AC Governor-General of Australia, and The Hon. Australia Day Ceremony Bedourie - Campbell Newman, MP Premier of Queensland. About 300 people attended a very January 26 pleasant evening. The next day was Melbourne Cup day, and cup day at the Longreach Races was a slightly different affair. Hope you backed a winner because I didn't! The CEO Scott Mason and I attended a series of meetings over two days in Message from the Mayor 1 Longreach. These meetings included Remote Area Planning and Development (RAPAD), Outback Regional Road Group, (ORRG) Outback Regional Water Group Writings from the CEO 2 (ORWG) and the Central West Regional Pest Management Group. The State Government is making legislative changes to return some of the authority From the Tourism Desk 3 to council. It would be an exciting time to be in the Department of Local Government. DSC Media Release 4-5 This weekend is Bikehana day in Bedourie so I hope a cooler day is forthcoming. I Works Report 6 wish organisers and competitors well. Mayors Message 1 Council News 7-9 As the wet season approaches I urge all stations and towns to prepare for extended Health News 10 wet periods by stocking up on fuel and supplies, remember you may be cut off for Housing News 4 week at a time. Emergency Services will always assist if necessary, but do not be like the place that got two pallets of supplies helicoptered in only to have the Manager PoliceLibrary News News 11-124 drive out two days later for holidays! CommunityPositions Catch-upVacant 13-154 As this is my last report before Christmas, I would like to wish everyone a great Christmas and a wet New Year. Don't overdo the good things and avoid the bad The Outback Loop Cel- 16 things. ebrationsFundraising Walk from Gulf Christmasto Gulf Flyers 175 Mayor Cr Geoff Morton SchoolHealth News News 18-196 DiamantinaCommunity Triathlon Notice Board 207 Cr Garth Tully, Cr Jody Barr, Ladies Day Durham Downs 21 Cr Geoff Morton and Tourism & Community Calendar of Events 22 Manager Steve Baldwin Diamantina Shire Council 07 4746 1202 17 Herbert Street 07 4746 1272 BEDOURIE QLD 4829 [email protected] www.diamantina.qld.gov.au Page 2 Desert Yarns Writings from the CEO On behalf of Council I take this opportunity to with everyone a safe and fun-filled Christmas. I sincerely thank all staff and contractors for their efforts this year. A lot has been achieved again this year due to the efforts of all workers. Council’s last Ordinary Meeting for 2012 will be held on December 14 which is also break up day. All being well, our meeting will finish at lunch time where we can join you all in celebrating the achievements of 2012. Scott Mason Page 3 Desert Yarns From the Tourism Desk It’s now Summer and the flow of visitors has slowed to a trickle. We launched the new Destination Brand for ‘the Diamantina’ in Longreach last month and in Birdsville at the November Council meeting. We have gone with ‘The Diamantina’ as the destination with the tagline being ‘where the Desert meets the Channel Country’. The new brand will be used to promote the shire externally and to provide consistency in our marketing approach so you’ll see it appearing in our 2013 advertising. Council has provided a submission to the Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business & the Commonwealth Games on their draft Drive Tourism Strategy. This is especially important giv- en that the majority of visitors to the Diamantina come by vehi- Richard Cooley, Jeff Smith and Steven Baldwin at the 2012 cle. Outback Qld Tourism Awards in Longreach November 17. Council staff break for Christmas on the 14th December but there will be reduced town services staff operating in both Bedourie and Birdsville over Christmas. At the November council meeting in Birdsville council inspected the playgroup facilities and agreed to renovations which will allow playgroup to continue operating when the Birdsville Hall is in use. At the same meeting council approved a trial which will provide access to the Birdsville State School Swimming Pool for one day a week over Summer. We are now seeking community members with either Bronze Medallion or first aid qualifications to fill the roster on Saturdays. Contact me for further information We now have a large number of new display cabinets that arrived in Birdsville this week. The majority will be used in Birdsville but several are earmarked for Bedourie. These new cabinets are lockable and backlit so we are asking for anyone who has any historic or significant items to contact the Wirrarri Visitor Centre staff as we’re seeking items for display The new artwork installed as part of the ‘Dust, Sand & Gibbers’ project has been extremely well received and Jo is currently preparing signs which explain a little bit about the art and the artists. Have a great Xmas and drive safely. See you in 2013. Steven Baldwin Tourism & Community Manager Lyn and Donna Rowlands Outback Qld Tourism Awards The Diamantina Shire Council’s Tourism Team recently joined some 300 industry leaders at the Outback Queensland Tourism Awards held in Longreach in 15-17 November. Sixteen categories were awarded, with the Birdsville Hotel sweeping the pool winning three categories including the Best Tourism Restaurant and Catering Service, Best Outback Queensland Pub and Young Achiever Award for Hotel Manger Kate McDonald. Congratulations Kate, Jo and the entire hotel staff on a job well done! Congratulations also to DSC staff- ers Jeff Smith, Alison Angus and Kim Wildman for entering submissions. The three day event included a symposium on tourism during which the Council’s new “Diamantina” branding was unveiled. Page 4 Desert Yarns Page 5 Desert Yarns Page 6 Desert Yarns Works Report We have come to the end of another successful year. In this year we have accomplished good improvements in road network. We have done few bitumen jobs making road networks more safer. We have carried out a lot of road network maintenance and re-sheeting work. All the Crews have done a great job in completing projects on time. I would like to thank the members of all the Crews, Contractors, Suppliers, Freight Companies and Local Businesses for their support and co-operation throughout the year. Special thanks to the Workshop Crew for the fleet maintenance. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and safe holidays. We will see you next year. Harin Karra Assistant Works Manager Above: Multi Skilled Crew doing culvert work at Browns Creek Above: Sealing the Durrie Horse Paddock on the Betoota to Birdsville Road. Betoota. First Aid Course Approximately 50 Diamantina Shire Council employees attended the First Aid training delivered by Alina Graham from Austswim. With the community hall utilised by the school camps the First Aid course was run out of the airport terminal building. In a classroom situation at the airport Above: Robert Butler gets bandaged up terminal. by Doug Sullivan. Left: Cr Garth Tully who also did the training . Below: Garry Mills bandages Bryony Stewart and Dave Beardmore wraps Lea Woods while Alina Graham the trainer looks on to make sure it’s done correctly. Page 7 Desert Yarns Christmas Shutdown for 2012 Outside staff December 14, 2012 and return to work January 15, 2013 Office staff December 14, 2012 and return to work January 2, 2013 Workshop December 14, 2012 and return to work January 2, 2013 Staff on call Trevor Stewart 4746 1021 / sat phone 0424 211 815 Emergency contact numbers Trevor Stewart 4746 1021 / sat phone 0424 211 815 Scott Mason 0428 461 202 Scott Mason CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Page 8 Desert Yarns Call for Nominations Diamantina DIAMANTINA SHIRE YOUTH Shire Council COUNCIL NOMINATION Australia Day NOTIFICATION Awards 2012 Nominate now for 2013 membership of the Di- Nominations are now called for Australia amantina Shire Youth Council. Day Awards for 2011/2012. The categories are as follows: As part of the Youth Council you will: Citizen of the Year Be a member for a one year term. You will attend meetings in either Bedourie or Young Citizen of the Year Birdsville. Community Event of the Year Award Undertake youth projects that are aligned with to the Diamantina Shire Council Senior Cultural Award Corporate Plan. Senior Sports Award Develop your skills as a future leader. Junior Sports Award Sports Administrator of the Year Award To nominate please fill out one of the nomination forms that are currently available from the Due to the shortage of nominations in Wirrarri Visitor Information Centre in Birdsville or previous years, awards presentations are now held every second year in alternating the Shire Administration Centre in Bedourie. towns. The celebrations and award cer- Nominations close Friday, December 7, 2012.