Talkabout October / November 2
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100th Edition !!!!! October/November 2011 INNISFAIL & DISTRICT Community Information Newsletter Produced by the WEB PAGE COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTRE www.csci.org.au 13-17 Donald Street, P O Box 886, Innisfail 4860 Phone: 40438400 Fax: 4061 7312 Freecall: 1800 616 001 Email: [email protected] The Community Support Centre is funded primarily by the Department of Communities We look back at the best... DISCLAIMER ALL ARTICLES IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE PRINTED IN GOOD FAITH FOR THE COMMUNITY AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE INNISFAIL COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTRE INC. THE CENTRE ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE ARTICLES. CONTENTS Page 2 Editorial etc Page 7 Rocky Creek Page 13-17 Local Stories Page 3 CAIC & Community Development Page 8 Gwen’s Story Page 18 Recipes Page 4 Show Society & Historical Society Page 9 Volunteers Page 5 The Mount Mulligan Disastor Page 10-11 Local Stories Page 6 Early Days of Flying Fish Point Page 12 Loss of an Icon & Fireman’s Story Talkabout October / November 2 Mary Camilleri who joined Gwen more than 10 years ago, and with her skills in using the MS Editorial Publisher program, sets the layout of Talkabout. Wow! Here we are with the 100th issue of our Phil Pearce has also taken on a dedicated little magazine—and how proud I am to be part Talkabout role. He now distributes some 2,000 of the team that helps produce it. It is copies every 2nd month to over 90 local outlets! distributed to a wide area of the Innisfail, In celebrating this 100th edition we decided to Babinda and Mission Beach areas and I’d publish a selection of the personal interest better include Miriwinni as they rang up for articles that have been printed over the years. extra copies!! It helps everyone to know what is available in our community and sometimes What a difficult job it has been to make this what is going on and where it is happening. I selection that spans over the 16 year period! had the pleasure of going through past copies Consequently we have had to reprint only and what memories they invoked. So please excerpts from original articles. Many of the enjoy this copy and I know that we will keep on original articles have been written and keeping on. So remember this is your magazine researched by a number of contributors and if you have a life story or an interesting (including Gwen herself); there are also articles article please free to bring it in to the Centre. and photographs that were kindly supplied by the Innisfail & District Historical Society - Gwen certainly a reflection of the close relationship we had with the Historical Society after sharing Manager’s Reflections space in the same building for nearly 20 years. Wherever the original article named the It has been more than 16 years since the first contributor/writer we have acknowledged this in edition of Talkabout hit the streets. It has been the reprinting of the excerpts. published by the Community Support Centre Innisfail Inc (previously known as Community In this 100th edition of Talkabout there is a Advice and Information Centre) 100 times; selection of stories about local organizations, every two months since March 1995! local places and local people. Many names will be known to readers, some not, and sadly some The 2nd edition states “Its aims are to provide will have passed on, since their story first people with information about their local appeared in the Talkabout. What stands out is community, especially self-help and community how complex, fascinating and multicultural our services—as well as articles of interest”. community is; and the resilience that has been I think the Talkabout has achieved this aim and demonstrated time and again by its peoples. has contributed to an informed and healthy community. As well as providing a record of I sincerely hope you enjoy this 100th edition of issues and happenings, it has given counsel Talkabout as we take a trip down memory lane. about personal and public wellbeing. Julie French. Manager, Gwen Jackson became voluntary editor of the Community Support Centre Innisfail Talkabout in 1996 and has since committed untold hours in sourcing articles of interest and piecing together information on current topics It is something to be able to paint a and events. particular picture or to carve a statue and This community newsletter is without a doubt so make a few objects beautiful. “Gwen’s baby”. It is her commitment and But it is far more glorious to carve and paint passion that has ensured the continuity and the very atmosphere and the medium permanence of the Talkabout. It has, however, through which we look. been a team effort to print and distribute the To affect the quality of the day- newsletter, with a multitude of CSCI volunteers that is the highest of the arts. photocopying, stapling and delivering it over the Henry Thoreau years. Special mention needs to be made of (Reprinted from Edition 50 June/July2003) Talkabout October / November 3 Margaret Worrall was one of the original volunteers and the Honorary Social worker of the Community Advice and Information Centre (which later became The Community Support Centre Innisfail) when it opened its door in 1975. She took up the first paid position at the Centre in 1983. Talkabout October / November 4 INNISFAIL & DISTRICT SHOW The Innisfail & District Show The horse and cattle sections were well repre- Society was first founded in sented including Tableland stock. For the 1912 and was known as the first time there were dairy cattle from the “Johnstone River Agricul- Silkwood area. There were fifteen contest- tural Society”. ants in the woodchop competition. The first show was held on No Shows were held in 1942 or 1943 as the the Recreation Ground on the grounds were occupied by the Armed Forces old Goondi Road (where during the war. Callendar Park is now ). The hall exhibits were displayed in In 1945 the name of the Society was once the Shire Hall and the horti- again changed to Innisfail & District Show culture was displayed in the Oddfellow’s Hall Society. 1947 saw the Friday pronounced as (then situated in Owen Street). Included in the a gazetted shire Show Holiday. displays were paintings, pencil drawing, wood In 1956 admission prices had risen to 4/- carving, leather work, photography, needle- shillings (40c) adults, 1 shilling (10c) children. work, including work from the girls at the Upgrading and improvements went on every Convent and the Goondi State School. Also year and in 1982 the new administration and jams, cut flowers, fruit, vegetables and farm function halls were used for the first time. produce. In 1914 the gate takings were 40 New ring lights were completed in 1986 after pounds($80.00). cyclone “Winifred” devastated buildings and In 1933, the Society’s name was changed to the remaining overhead power wires and “Johnstone River Agricultural and Pastoral poles. Society” and the overall takings amounted to In recent history Mr. David Dodds was Presi- 479 pounds, 19 shillings & 6 pence. ($959.95) dent of the Show Society from 1976 to 1995. In 1935 the annual show was transferred to The present Show Society President is Bob Goondi Bend (now Pease Park). In 1936 the Allison. show had the most extensive display of sugar cane ever in the Far North. Extract from Edition 8 June/July 1996 INNISFAIL & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY The Innisfail & District Historical Society began in December 1983 when a meeting of interested persons was called by the Chairman of Johnstone Shire Council, Cr. Herb Layt. 17 people attended this first meeting and a steering committee was formed, consisting of: Cr. H. Layt, L. Callegari, S. Sawdy, M. Fallon, V. Fallon, J. Donelan, A. Taylor, M. White, R. Rangiah, J. Mitchell, C. Torre, A. Hutcheon, K. Hutcheon, D. Brooks, A.R. Clews, J. Bryce, P. Daniel and J. Molloy. The next meeting was not held until April 1984 and at that inaugural meeting the first real attempt to docu- ment Innisfail’s history came to fruition. The election of officers was as follows:- President, Peter Daniel; Vice President, Keith Hutcheon: Secretary Jean Matchett; Treasurer, Jim Bryce. Commit- tee members included Mena and Vince Fallon, Nancy Kurz, Marjorie Cairns, Peter Rowles, Elsie Collins, Herb Layt, Alistair Taylor, Jim Donelan, Lex Ferguson, Bill Hargreaves, Robert Basaglia, Yvonne Lean, Andrea Hutch- eon, Mick White, Corrie Torre and June Molloy. Of these original 21 people only Herb Layt, Elsie Collins and Corrie Torre are still members today. Lynn Callegari and Sharon Sawdy were originally on the first steering com- mittee and are still members. The aims of the Society were to collect, collate, and preserve items of historical interest to the people of In- nisfail and District. To make every endeavour to encourage the community, to stimulate interest in the wealth of material in this area. To ascertain what remains of the past, its extent and wealth; keeping in mind its finite nature; preserving this for the enjoyment of our children and future generations. To attempt to document all areas of his- tory, not excluding any group, race or creed. The major accomplishment for the Society was the Shire Council granting the upper floor of the Memorial School of Arts building for a museum and a keeping place for records pertaining to the history and heritage of the Shire. The museum was opened in 1990 and has grown beyond all expectations to a wonderful collection of memorabilia. Comments in our visitors book are very heartening for our members, knowing that our work in keep- ing the history of the Shire together, is being appreciated by our visitors.