Matt Nicholls, Cape York Weekly

Housing continues to be a major sore point for Cape York communities as the region struggles to keep up with the demands of the population. Both the Hope Vale and Cook Shire councils were quick to voice their concerns to Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch when he visited their communities last week.

Record breaking fuel prices are already starting to have an impact on Cape York residents and businesses but there are concerns the real pain will be felt during the tourist season ... “If these prices stay this high then I’m sure there will be many people reconsidering their travel plans. And if they do still travel, they are likely to have less money to spend on tours, souvenirs and eating out": Dave Donald, Western Cape Chamber of Commerce VP.

Hitting the pause button on a fuel excise tax would provide instant relief for motorists as the federal government faces pressure to act on soaring prices ... Queensland LNP Senator Susan McDonald said the government had to do something, and the fuel excise was the “bluntest instrument” available.

Shona Markham already had a busy life in northern Tasmania, but the pace is likely to quicken in 2022 as she takes the reins of Rio Tinto’s Weipa operations ... Despite her experience with Rio Tinto and previous leadership roles, the Weipa general manager position is a job like no other on the company’s books.

There are 67 days until this year’s likely federal election date and Cape York voters are likely to play a big role in deciding who will be the next Member for Leichhardt.

Lauren McIntosh. The success of the Indigenous Marathon Project has received high praise from a number of former representatives, including Weipa product Bianca Graham ... Founded in 2010, IMP – now a part of the broader health promotion charity the Indigenous Marathon Foundation – supports and trains a select squad of Indigenous people to run a marathon in just six months.

A patch of underwater land in the Gulf of Carpentaria could hold several trillion cubic feet of natural gas or hundreds of millions of barrels of oil – at least that’s what a company with the rights to drill it for exploration is saying.

Mark Knowles. The future of Bramwell Station’s famous tourist park and roadhouse is up in the air after the state government purchased the property last week. The two Cape York hot spots will remain open this year but their longer-term future could be on shaky ground.