Matt Nicholls, Cape York Weekly

There will be no Laura rodeo and races this year after both committees decided to pull the pin for a second straight year. Last year’s events were made impossible by the closure of Cape York to outsiders and this year’s event was abandoned as a result of strict COVID-19 rules.

A misleading front page story went viral on social media pages last week, causing great angst for Cape York tourism operators. The Cairns Post ran the headline “CAPE ACCESS DENIED”, with a story pointing to a number of Cape York locations that were closed to visitors.

Known best for her snake catching exploits, there’s more to Lauren Dibben than wrangling the odd reptile. For years she has been the go-to woman for removing snakes from the yards of Weipa residents. What many don’t know is that Lauren has two degrees, has more knowledge of the Western Cape ecosystem than most others and is now the owner of a medium-sized business with more than a dozen employees.

Inspired by the influential women in their lives, Marie Pitt and Florence Charger are now inspiring the next generation. The two chairs at Western Cape Communities Trust – Marie is the head of the main trust and Flo leads the coordinating committee – are out to pave a stronger future for Traditional Owners.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui says last week’s trip to Weipa was a “positive experience” and that she left with a better grasp of issues facing the Western Cape. It was the MP’s first trip to the area after more than 550 days and constituents were happy to have face time with the elected member.

Domestic violence survivor Lydia Gah will share her story with the women of Weipa on Sunday in what will be a thought-provoking luncheon.

New arrivals to Weipa this year are still on foot as they wait for their vehicles to arrive on the Sea Swift barge. School teachers, child care workers and hospital staff say they are desperate for their cars and can’t get an answer on when they will arrive.

Weipa will roll out the red carpet for passengers on a cruise ship that is expected to dock in October. The 100-odd passengers aboard Caledonian Sky will get the VIP treatment, says Weipa Town Authority chair Michael Rowland.