Qld

For the first time ever, Costa, Australia’s leading fresh produce grower, have sent a shipment of their premium Lovocados to Singapore by sea freight. The order of 3200 trays left Brisbane in May and arrived in Singapore in June, and there have since been twelve more containers shipped to locations across Asia including Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.

Torres Strait lawyer C’Zarke Maza has been appointed as the state’s inaugural commissioner for Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa. “The Torres Strait culture to this day continues to be alive and strong and I am committed to fulfilling the task towards the legal recognition of our traditional child rearing practice,” Mr Maza said.

The highly anticipated 150ZK Truth Telling: Coming of the Light 150 Years (150ZK) exhibition was officially opened with great fanfare at the Gab Titui Cultural Centre on Thursday night. Commemorating 150 years since Coming of the Light, the exhibition is the result of a successful collaborative curatorial project with Torres Strait Artists, Badu Arts, Erub Arts and Moa Arts. It investigates the impact of the London Missionary Society and Christianity on Torres Strait Islanders and the region’s way of life.

Queensland is one step closer to building its next passenger train fleet after shortlisting three leading train manufacturers to enter the next phase of the Rollingstock Expansion Program (REP). Train manufacturers Alstom, CAF and Downer Rail have been shortlisted to manufacture the first 20 trains of the new fleet in a purpose-built Maryborough manufacturing facility following an extensive Expression of Interest process run by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The Territory Government is creating investment opportunities for the resources sector with today’s announcement of a new acreage release for onshore petroleum exploration. Applications and submissions for an exploration permit are now invited over two areas in the southern Georgina Basin, on the Northern Territory/Queensland border.

Food Agility CRC invites you to join us for our free June virtual seminar Crop Design for Adaptation to Variable Production Environments with Professor Graeme Hammer (Queensland University of Technology).

Attracting government officials, international dignitaries, visitors and community members from across Cape York and Australia, the Cooktown & Cape York Expo 2021 came to a spectacular close last night with the final performance of the Warrma and a fireworks display over the Endeavour River. The largest event in rural Queensland since the COVID-19 lockdowns, The Cooktown & Cape York Expo 2021 – which ran from 11-20 June – delivered more than 150 events, exhibitions, performances, installations, workshops, and a two-day Dynamic Business Symposium.

The 2021 Rockhampton Agricultural Show has proved to be a great success, attracting 33,000 visitors over three days last week. Rockhampton Region Mayor Tony Williams said the community has well and truly supported this year’s event. “Whilst the majority of ticket holders were from the local Rockhampton Region, it was wonderful to see outside visitors in attendance, experiencing what our community has to offer," said Mayor Williams.

South Burnett Regional Council Mayor Brett Otto has welcomed the State Budget announcement regarding funding availability for local water infrastructure, saying it is the first step in protecting the community from an impending water crisis ... “We are seeking meetings with Minister Keith Pitt to highlight the importance of water infrastructure for our region. I think when it comes to water infrastructure and protecting and growing our communities, we need a holistic approach which involves all levels and all sides of government,” he said.

Last week, Griffith hosted the first annual Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) River Reflections conference. It was with much reluctance that I headed up to the event, but I am glad I did because the gospel, according to the MDBA, appears to be more rooted in propaganda than guiding the whole basin to a prosperous future ... The high ranking officials included MDBA Chair, Sir Angus Houston; Federal Environment Minister and Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley; Minister for Water, Keith Pitt; MDBA Chief Executive, Phillip Glyde; MDBA River Operations, Andrew Reynolds; and Acting Head of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, Hilton Taylor.

The Queensland Minister for Main Roads and Transport, Mark Bailey, says he is blown away with the progress of the Lockhart River community every time he visits the place. “What they are doing there is absolutely trailblazing,” he said on Friday after his visit. “They are the leading community in the Cape in what they are doing in terms of having a vision and getting it done.”

A turtle that was found trapped in a crab pot in the Torres Strait has been rehabilitated and released back into the wild. After four long years, a group of wildlife carers were overwhelmed with emotion as they finally released a turtle which had been found as a juvenile.

Visitors at the Le Harvre Natural History Museum in France will get to witness artwork from Erub (Darnley) Island in the Torres Strait after last week’s exhibition opening. Erub artists were pleased to once again work with curator Geraldine Le Roux on an ambitious ghost net project.

McKinlay Race Club

Rockhampton Regional Council is encouraging residents to report any sightings of feral pigs after some recent activity in the lower Mount Archer, Frenchville Road and Moore’s Creek/First Turkey areas.

The Teebar Show, Rodeo and Campdraft is set to come back this weekend bigger and better than ever before. With campdraft and rodeo, ute muster, hall program, kids activities and movie night, live music and various stalls, there is sure to be entertainment for the whole family.

Doonan Creek Environment Reserve in Peregian Springs is now the largest reserve in Sunshine Coast Council’s conservation estate thanks to the acquisition of an additional property. The latest purchase adds 94 hectares to the existing reserve and brings it to an impressive 474 hectares in total.

Richmond Field Days coming up!

Somerset Regional Council is using new materials in its resurfacing works of some sections of the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. Somerset Mayor Graeme Lehmann said council was using a new plasticised binder in its resurfacing project ... “It feels distinctly different from the old surface."

Armed with a list of issues that need addressing in the Far North, the remote mayors and council CEOs from the Torres and Cape Indigenous Councils Alliance were met with a warm welcome. “We felt like we were listened to,” said Lockhart River mayor Wayne Butcher, who is also the chair of TCICA.