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Mission Beach ‘heart’  under threat

18/12/2020

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Photo Jeff Larson 'Very frightened cassowary'
Media Release:
Plans for a Helicopter base in the ‘wilderness heart of Mission Beach’ has gained the ire of residents.

Mission Beach Helicopters owned by pilot Ray Cronin of Victorian Kestrel Aviation has lodged a development application to establish an aviation facility on a vacant block of land separating the villages of Wongaling and Mission Beach.

Residents are calling for the Cassowary Coast Regional Council to listen to the community and deny the proposal because it will destroy the peace and quiet they moved to Mission Beach to enjoy.
Mission Beach is described in regional tourism promotion, as a place where  “People come to experience the peace and quiet, relax and do nothing much, it’s that kind of place…”

The community is questioning the Planner’s report description of the proposal as 'low impact' when Mission Helicopters confirmed “Most of the helicopters to be stationed at the proposed facility are highly specialised multi-role craft capable of aerial firefighting, heavy-lift and aerial crane, and reconnaissance missions”.
The Planner’s report also claims that restricting the hours of operation from between 6am to 6pm 7 days a week will minimise the impact.

Many in the community disagree.  The council received 55 submissions against the proposal in response to the DA and a petition has reached 570 signatures.
​John Brown, who owns a property close to the proposed facility, says the noise level would be unacceptable. Many residents moved to the area for the quiet, believing the nearby reserve was a protected area. “There are so many reasons why this is the wrong location”. John said.  “Tully Airport has all the supporting infrastructure for the services being proposed”. 
 
The flight path is planned to go over a large block of coastal rainforest much of which is under Traditional Owner native title.  John said “It is an insult to the Djiru people that they have not been considered”

Liz Gallie of Mission Beach Cassowaries said the impact couldn’t be higher for the cassowary. “There is a cassowary corridor through the middle of the lot and immediately adjacent to the proposed landing pad”. Liz said “There are regular cassowary sightings at the corridor and we have seen how cassowaries react to helicopters flying overhead”.
“The Cassowary Coast Planning Scheme overlays show the habitat surrounding the proposed site and beneath the planned flight path mapped as cassowary habitat and corridors” said Liz.
 
 “One of the corridors includes Lot 66 which the Federal Government saved from development in 2010 because of the impact it would have on the endangered cassowary” said Liz  “And now this! It makes us wonder if the Planning Scheme actually protects anything at Mission Beach”.

​The community has launched a campaign against the development calling for the council to not allow the proposal at the proposed location claiming there are facilities within the Cassowary Coast already designated for aviation services and able to expand. 

​​Peter Rowles from C4 commented “We encourage the Council to talk with Kestrel Aviation about locating the facility to a more appropriate place to provide a real benefit to the region”.  “The current proposed location would have a high impact on the community and environment”. said Peter.  “The Council needs to acknowledge the long-term importance of Planning Schemes and not allow ad hoc changes”.

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Planning Scheme overlay map showing Cassowary Corridors and Areas of High Environmental Significance
Liz Gallie agreed. “We are asking the council to listen to the people and stick to the planning scheme”.
 
More information about the heliport proposal and community response will be available at a community meeting on Sunday 20 December 1pm after the markets in Ulysses Park, Mission Beach.

​Ends
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For more information:
Liz Gallie
Mission Beach Cassowaries
 0414 402 315
 

Peter Rowles
C4
​
0429 179 152
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2020 MUSIC QUEST FEST – ‘BEST EVER’

18/9/2020

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Guests were "over the moon" when Baden (Chappy) and Angela Chapman decided to go ahead with the 2020 Chappy’s Spiritual Music Quest on September 5th  after initial uncertainty caused by Covid 19.  
 
For the past 14 years Baden and Angela have hosted a rock and roll music quiz at their home to raise funds for a good cause. The fun, private event has a dedicated band of followers, some of whom travel as far away as the Northern Territory and South Australia.  This year has been claimed as the “best one ever”.

Chappy in his traditional ‘ring master’s’ hat becomes his alter ego ‘the Quizmaster’ entertaining from his stage all afternoon. Keeping everyone on their toes and testing the competitors’ knowledge, the 'Quizmaster" delivered questions on rock music from the  60’s, and 70’s and 80’s  as fast paced as TV’s Julie Zamira’s Rock Quiz, 

Guests either join a team of four or become a ‘roust-a-bout’ helper. Teams vie for the top score answering questions fired at them in the ‘Quizmaster’s’ inimitable style. The quiz is interspersed with competitions, raffles and auctions all carried out with lots of laughter and frivolity. “We want to thank everyone involved” said Chappy, “Without  the support from our roust-a-bout staff the show wouldn’t  happen”
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Baden (Chappy) Chapaman as his alter ego 'the Quizmaster'
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Prizes and raffles, donated by sponsors from Cairns to Mission Beach are won during the day. Trophys are awarded for the best performances and to the team with the highest score. Hilarious highlights of the day include the mime and air guitar competitions.


‘The Gutta Boys’ team who travel from South Australia each year are the out front favourites and the team to beat. This year teams also included the ‘Blue Heros’ ‘Casso Warriors’  ‘Raging Revolutionaries’ , The  Tree Huggers, ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Wait a Minute Chester’.  ​
With twelve months planning, the attention to detail is obvious from the days program of topics and questions, the design of T Shirts and trophy’s to the included evening bar-b-que.

​The ‘Gutta Boys’ won again this year but cassowaries are the biggest winners through the generosity of this fun group of people lead by the colourful Chappy, the Quizmaster. 
​
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For the past 7 years the funds raised from the day have been donated to Mission Beach Cassowaries.  These funds have been used to help raise awareness of cassowaries and contribute to projects such as the famed Mission Beach School Kids roadside signs, the Mission Beach Community Cassowary Festival, and, most recently, developing local cassowary corridor mapping.

Chappy sees cassowaries regularly when travelling on roads while working his garden maintenance business. “If you see a cassowary, please flash your lights to warn other drivers of a road hazard ahead” said Chappy .
With their community always in their hearts, Chappy and Angela encourage their guests to go out while they are in Mission Beach to support and enjoy locally owned and operated businesses.  “It’s a great day and wonderful  to get so many people attending from intrastate and interstate which supports our local community ‘Chappy’ said.
​
 “Chappy and Angela are generous, community minded people, who make their ideas reality and have fun doing it”. said Mission Beach Cassowaries spokesperson Liz Gallie. “Their hard work has enabled our group to develop the ‘Mission Beach Naturally’ branding, letting people coming to our area know why it is so special, encouraging visitors to slow down and stay a little longer.”

Next year’s event is already in the planning. Table numbers are limited so if you know your 60’s, 70’s and 80’s music, and would like to be part of the quiz fest being held on August 28th, 2021, call or email Chappy to find out more.  0418 898 940 quizmequick@iinet.net.au

Ends.
Hilarious highlights of the day include the mime and air guitar competitions.
Photos Liz Gallie
For more information;
Baden Chapman 0418 898 940
Liz Gallie 0414402315
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Mission Beach Community calls for culture of 'Caring for Cassowaries'

10/7/2020

 
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Community representatives meet with Crs Jeff Baines and Trudy Tschui (Photo Trudy Tschui)
​Media release 
July 9  2020
Mission Beach Community calls for Culture of Caring for Cassowaries
​A road closure, increased traffic management  and developing  a ‘culture of caring for cassowaries’ were some of the  solutions suggested to protect cassowaries at a meeting held last week with Cassowary Coast Councillors Jeff Baines and Trudy Tschui. 
  • The road death of much loved South Mission Beach cassowary ‘Mrs C’ prompts community meeting
  • Call for councillors  to help develop  'Caring for Cassowaries' culture
Amongst those present to discuss  ways the local council and community can work together to find effective solutions to address threats to cassowaries  were representatives from; Mission Beach Cassowaries, Cassowary Coast Alliance, C4, Djiru Traditional Owners, Mission Arts, Terrain Natural Resource Management, Mission Beach Wildcare, Mission Beach Lions, Mission Beach Community Association (MBCA) Mission Beach State School,(MBSS) Mission Beach Rainforest School, Tropical Coast Tourism (TCT) Mission Beach Community Association (MBCA), Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and local vet Graham Lauridsen.
Mrs C’s death was one of a spike in cassowary road deaths in recent weeks and came just days before Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey visited the region to announce the beginning  of works on a world first dedicated cassowary land bridge being built into a major upgrade to the Bruce highway at Smiths Gap north of Tully.
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Tully Vet Graham Lauridsen, who performed an autopsy on Mrs C. said “She was a very large, healthy female cassowary.  Although he could not give an exact age, Graham said she was at least 25 to 30 years old.
 “With the speed of some of the vehicles it’s like a racetrack”
South Mission Beach residents are calling for a road closure of Mission Drive, the small suburban street where Mrs C was killed.  Mission Drive resident, Helen Vincent, said the road is used as a shortcut through to other residential areas.  “With the speed of some of the vehicles it’s like a racetrack” said Helen. “It is very dangerous”. “It could easily have been a child trying to cross the street”.
There was strong support  for  the El Arish Mission Beach Road to be recognised as a tourist scenic route with appropriate signage  alerting visitors to points of interest. 
​
Mission Beach Cassowaries spokesperson, Liz Gallie said discussions with the TMR Minister and local councilors have been encouraging.”  “There won’t be a single solution." said Liz.  “While there could be a combination of different traffic calming measures incorporating, new technology, signs and enforcement, effective solutions will rely on education and community participation.”
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Much loved South Mission Beach cassowary 'Mrs C'
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Artist impression of possible 'cassowary crossing zone'
A consistent message must be rolled out from top down through governments and reinforced by all community groups”, said Liz. "It can be fun and creative".

​Jeff Baines agreed, adding “We need to give the cassowary “hero’ status”.​


Cr Tschui was enthusiastic about road entrance signs alerting drivers they are entering Cassowary Country and said “A ‘No Feeding, No Speeding campaign had a good ring to it”.
​
"The death of Mrs C on a quiet suburban road highlights the high risk to cassowaries attempting to cross roads throughout the region".
 “A question that could be asked ahead of  local planning decisions and when any activities or events are being proposed, is, “How will this action impact on cassowaries”? said Liz,  “We are, after all, the Cassowary Coast and  the cassowary is so important  to tourism in our area.”
 
Liz said “We want to develop a strong culture of ‘Caring for Cassowaries” “It is  the only way to address an issue that is placing our community under stress and constant heartbreak each time there is news of yet another cassowary dying on our roads”.

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Contact
Liz Gallie;  Mission Beach Cassowaries Inc  0414402315
Cr Trudy Tschui;  CCRC Division 3  (Community and Culture)
​Cr Jeff Baines CCRC Division  5 (Governance, Environment & Finance)

No Helicopters Here campaign

28/1/2020

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A website has been set up  to share information  about the No Helicopters Here campaign against the approval of  a Helicopter aerodrome on 2224 Tully Mission Beach Road Mission Beach.

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www.nohelicoptershere.com

email: nohelicoptershere@gmail.com
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Babinda Community celebrates  Flora and Fauna

13/10/2019

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'Cassowaries' Dinella Cross and Nicki Read with the local constabulary at the Babinda Harvest Festival parade.
Judging by the numbers lining the main street for the  Harvest Festival parade there would have been very few  sitting at home in Babinda yesterday (Saturday 12th). 

This year the festival's theme was 'Flora and Fauna' so it was  without hesitation  Mission Beach Cassowaries responded to the invitation to join in the celebrations. 

​


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All in fun and a good cause

7/10/2019

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2019-10-07
Media Release
All in fun and a Good Cause!
Last Saturday,  Baden (Chappy) and Angela Chapman once again opened their home for an afternoon of rollicking fun activities.  Each year their large garden with rainforest backdrop is set up with marquees, a stage and a number of tables set for teams of four.  Chappy becomes his alter ego ‘the Quizmaster’ complete with a showman costume, entertaining from the  stage all day trying to stump the guests with questions on music from the  60’s, and 70’s and 80’s.
​ 
​
The day rolls along at a fast pace with the quiz interspersed with competitions, raffles and auctions, all carried out with lots of humour and penalties. 
Highlights of the day are the mime and air guitar competitions.​
 
With twelve months planning, the attention to detail is obvious from the list of questions, the design of each year’s T Shirts to the catering.
 
Funds raised on the day through the sale of merchandise, ‘fines’ and fees to compete in activities, are donated to help a local cause.

For the past 6 years the funds have been donated to Mission Beach Cassowaries.  On announcing the funds would once again go to help the cassowary, the Quizmaster said “They are such beautiful birds, we don’t want to see them go the same way as the Thylacine (Tassmanian Tiger)”.
 
Mission Beach Cassowaries spokesperson Liz Gallie said “We are so grateful for the donations. They have enabled our group to develop the ‘Mission Beach Naturally’ branding,  letting people coming to our area  know why it is so special and to contribute to awareness raising projects such as the Mission Beach School kids roadside signs and establishing  the Mission Beach Community Cassowary Festival which will be in its fourth year in 2020.”
 
The private event has been running for 13 years and has a dedicated band of followers, some of whom travel as far away as Victoria, Northern Territory and South Australia. 

Local businesses sponsor the event with donations for raffles. Community minded Chappy and Angela encourage their guests to go out while they are in town to support and enjoy locally owned and operated businesses.

Next year’s event is already in the planning. The number of tables is limited so if you know your 60’s, 70’s and 80’s music, and would like to be part of the quiz fest being held on August 29th, 2020, call or email Chappy to find out more.  0418 898 940 quizmequick@iinet.net.au
Ends.
Photos by Liz Gallie
For more information;
Baden Chapman 0418 898 940
Liz Gallie 0414402315
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Damning report - Qld Gov has no strategy for threatened species

14/1/2019

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Listen to podcast
Download podcast transcript
The following was recently posted on facebook by a former employee of the Queensland Government Threatened Species Unit bringing attention  to the damning  report  from the Government's audit office.  

"A few years ago I resigned from my job in the Threatened Species Unit of the Queensland Government out of sheer frustration. I felt like I was hitting my head against a wall, and achieving very little for conservation.

Today the Queensland Audit Office have released a report into Conserving Threatened Species in our state which summarises many of the reasons that I left. In particular:
"The department has no strategy or framework for conserving or managing threatened species.

"

"The department has no strategy or framework for conserving or managing threatened species. ..."

... Because it has no strategy, its efforts in managing threatened species lack purpose, direction and coordination.​
...The department does not systematically plan where to deploy its available resources to achieve the most effective balance of actions to protect habitats, mitigate threats and reduce species decline. It is not clear how much the department spends each year in total on threatened species management as it does not effectively track and account for funding used on specific activities...

"... Because it has no strategy, its (Qld Gov) efforts in managing threatened species lack purpose, direction and coordination..."

...With few exceptions, the department does not currently know how threatened species are faring and whether management actions are having the desired impact.
...The department’s decisions about which species receive its greatest conservation efforts are often determined by iconic value, individual interests, departmental knowledge and advocacy, rather than by objective assessments of appropriate priorities...

...Despite, managing land with over 1 000 threatened species and having a total 2017–18 budget of $111.3 million, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) does not identify specific allocations of funding for the protection and recovery of threatened species on the land it manages."

Sadly, the main recommendation is more 'plans'. 

We don't need another plan. We know that many species are in decline, but we also know - in great detail - what needs to be done.
​
We need the government to actually support and implement actions on the ground, to DO SOMETHING.
Now".
See Paula Peeter's  original blog post here
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The New Bulletin Issue #1

9/12/2018

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The New Bulletin Issue 1 Dec 2018
A new newsletter is being produced by the Cassowary Coast Alliance to give a voice in support of  an ecologically sustainable future.  The New Bulletin is a collation of articles  provided by individuals or groups who share  the ethos of the Cassowary Coast Alliance.

The Cassowary Coast Alliance (CCA) is a collaborative hub for entities and individuals who are actively seeking good quality and long term public interest outcomes for the World Heritage listed Cassowary Coast in Far North Queensland.


For further information email cassowarycoastbulletin@gmail.com
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Corridors Essential for Cassowaries

6/12/2018

 
CASSOWARIES CAUGHT COOLING OFF IN JUNGLE POND
Source Cairns Post 5 Dec 2018
Peter Carruthers

A CASSOWARY dad and his brood of three chicks have been caught on camera beating the heat by taking the plunge in the refreshing waters of a Mission Beach pool.
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The video was captured by award winning conservationist, Liz Gallie on her iPhone at the junction of two all year round creeks in the Bingil Bay reserve near Mission Beach.

The adult male known to Mission Beach Cassowaries as Joov and can be seen in the clip with three chicks, estimated to be about four months old.
​
"They absolutely love water. They make noises like you when taking a dip in cool water on a really hot day," she said.
"It's obviously a very pleasurable thing to do, especially on a hot day."
 
Not an uncommon sight, Ms Gallie explained proximity to bodies of water was critical to the survival of the species.
 
"Cassowaries have to be near water and access water to drink about 20 times a day, so they are never far from water and in this hot weather we don't see them moving around at all during the middle of the day," she said.
 
Ms Gallie said Joov has struggled in the past to raise a successful brood.

"We are really pleased as it is the best family he has raised so far, he has had a hard time keeping them (alive)," she said.
​

Ms Gallie said the mother of previous chicks had been very intolerant of  the chicks making their survival difficult to ensure.Ms Gallie said the preservation of  wildlife corridors in the Mission Beach area was critical to the ongoing preservation of the cassowary.
 
"A lot of the corridors left around Mission Beach are only there because they are waterways and are really important for them to be able to move around the landscape, without them they have nowhere to go," she said
.
Mapping of the habitat by Terrain NRM was started but never completed in the northern parts of Mission Beach, Ms Gallie said.
 
"So when councils make decisions, they look on their maps and it does not exist and yet the cassowaries are there," she said.

​Ms Gallie has been the recipient of the Cassowary Award presented by the Wet Tropics Management Authority and Mission Beach Cassowaries  won an Australia Day Award in 2 016 .

LAWS INCREASE CONSERVATION/DEVELOPMENT CONFLICTS

15/11/2018

 
Starting about 10 years ago, successive governments have been making changes to legislation that has systematically reduced environmental protection. The changes are allowing development that will have unacceptable, consequential,  combined and cumulative  impacts on our natural and cultural values.

​The Bligh government kicked it off  by taking away the detailed coastal management plans, replacing them with the Qld Coastal Plan. Gone are Areas of State Significance (ASS) and its trigger 'no adverse impact' which protected places like  Clump Point/Boat Bay from the type of development that has now been approved.
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​Next came the Newman government's onslaught against environmental protective legislation sounding the death knell to the Nature Conservation Act (NCA), and the public's democratic right  to be consulted. The introduction of 'Major Projects' gave developments a status that allowed them to proceed  without requiring environmental impacts studies or public consultation. (You may remember Mr Newman and  Mr Abbott's  constant reference to 'Green Tape).
​
​The
Palaszczuk ​government has joined the attack  by breaking an election promise to reinstate the environment protecting clauses in the NCA.  We are seeing the result of that broken promise as our National Parks, particularly wilderness areas now being targeted for 'high end' development with governments offering financial incentives to corporate investors. The Thorsborne Track  being the one on our doorstep. 
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A Mask Sounds the Death Knell by Odilon Redon 1882
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You can sign the petition against privatisation of the Throsborne Trail here
Along with the destruction of  environmental laws came the  restructuring of Federal and State development assessment processes. The Federal Government handed over EPBC Act assessment to the states and the state in turn has devolved ultimate decision making powers not just to local government, but to one person, the Mayor.

The crippling of environmental protection and the reluctance of the state to intervene in local council decisions is escalating development/conservation conflicts at an alarming rate.  ​
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The changes are rapidly becoming apparent in the Cassowary Coast with the local council taking a 'new broom' approach to determining the future of the region. 

Important planning documents, being developed 'in house' are rewriting the  regions vision for the future without reference to the consistent message from the community in feedback over decades of public consultation guiding the development of  plans and strategies.  The latest of these 'new vision' documents  is the Cassowary Coast Tourism Strategy. The word indigenous only  appears  three times in the document and the 
cassowary is only mentioned once in relation to being the namesake of the shire. Descriptions of some of our iconic wildlife ",..It’s not unusual to sight turtles and dugongs playing freely in the waterways ..."  as if they are tourists on holiday,  The public and important stakeholders have not been engaged for meaningful consultation.
Our serious concerns are highlighted in the presentation (see below) which was shown to the Cassowary Recovery Team in Cairns on Tuesday 13th Nov. It  finishes with a question. 
 
What are we going to do?


A recent  tourism promotion released by  Rockhampton council  was  quickly withdrawn after public  outrage  that it was  "...obvious that there has been a real shortage or a dearth of inclusive material, anything that really represents what our community is really made of..."
A recent article in  the Sydney Morning Herald  highlights the trend is widespread. Perth council has dealt with years of protests from community groups over town planning scheme amendments.  A  newly recently drafted strategy caused so much unrest the council went back to the drawing board.  Other councils are copping public revolt at "..being consulted at the end of the process, instead of at the outset..."  "... in a process nicknamed ‘Design, Advise and Defend..."

Public consultation is the cornerstone of democracy.

The community can stand up against this erosion of their democratic rights and gain back meaningful consultation to start turning around this runaway train of environmental destruction.
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See presentation
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