STRADDIE UP IN ARMS
Apparently one of our stores last month was a concern to many on North Stradbroke Island. We reported how Straddie Island residents are missing out on some of the discounts that were offered by both side of Queensland politics. The trouble for Straddie is that their passenger ferry and barge services are private company services. They are not ‘linked’ or part of the Translink network in Queensland. Their concern is a fair complaint. Unlike the SMB Islands, there are not nearly so many island residents affected. it is a case of around 2000 permanent residents on Straddie compared to 10,000 plus, so the impact on the scene of things, is marginal. Anyway, our new Member for Oodgeroo, Amanda Stoker, is on the job and hopes to have a good outcome soon. Thanks to Dunwich Post Office’s Mark Kruse-Richardson for pointing out the comments and observations to us. Pretty sure Straddie islanders will be pleased with the likely outcome. Watch this space!
LIONS XMAS PARADE NEARLY DIDN’T HAPPEN
The annual Lions Christmas Parade on Macleay Island was held again on the first Saturday in December, and it was in doubt right up until a few days before it was to be held. The reason: The usual site for the Lions Markets that accompany the annual event, was not available due to a major build adjacent to the Macleay Island Community Hall. An energy complex is currently under construction, impacting the entire area. Long-time Lions Club man Wally Crook, has revealed obtaining the necessary approvals to move the end location of the Christmas Parade over the road to the Macleay Island skate park, nearly didn’t happen. He told The Friendly Bay Islander that the approval process at council was not his best ever experience. “It was only three days before the parade that we finally received the council approval,” he said. The parade was held in brilliant weather and the markets were held in their new location. We presume that the regular money Lions Markets will continue to be held in this new location.
KARRA CHRISTMAS AND LIRA LONG TABLE EVENTS
There is a real standout on our smaller islands of Lamb and Karragarra. They really know how to throw a party! Karra has long had such a reputation and islanders who have been lucky to attend any of them, will attest to their fun and vibrancy. Their recent Christmas Party was a fine example of their prowess at partying (check out some of the pixes on our Out and About page!) Lamb Island is fast gaining a similar reputation for holding some magnificent events, particularly under the umbrella of the LIRA (Lamb Island Residents Association) group. Their ‘Long Table’ events are becoming their most popular. The most recent celebrated Christmas with a Wigs, Whiskers and Waistcoats theme for the night and there were plenty to be seen around the Long Table! The amazing food was provided by Chef It Dining from Macleay Island. There was even a Steam Punk and Champagne Fountain! Yes, Lamb Island has it all: friends sharing laughs and great food. What a great night!
12 MONTHS STORMS MEMORIES
It was Christmas night 2023, just over 12 months ago. It was the worst storm many of us had ever experienced. It wasn’t quite so bad here on the islands, but for those who were anywhere near Mount Tamborine, it was a near end-of-time experience. For nearly two hours the mountain was ripped apart, literally, and us islanders just happened to be right amongst it all. It was sheer devastation. Moving 10 metres from a caravan to the main house half way up the mountain was horrific. The sound of crashing all around for so long was the worst experience we have ever been involved with. Just after 4am at Dawn, the sight was extraordinary. Trees had not just been uprooted, but also sheered off, not unlike a giant chainsaw tearing them apart. We were involved in the early clearing up which allowed just small tracks to be opened up to get off the mountain. The rest of the clean-up took months. Even now there are areas where the damage can be clearly seen. It is a night and experience we will never forget.
‘Tis the season to be kind: Energex’s Christmas wish
After supporting disaster-ravaged communities throughout last festive season, Energex and Ergon Energy Network crews are hoping the weather and customers will be kind this time around. Chief Operating Officer Paul Jordon said patience, tolerance and goodwill were the best gifts in tough times. “Community spirit gives our people such a lift when they’re out rebuilding the electricity network after cyclones, floods, bushfires, and storms. “Sadly, a small but vocal minority think it’s okay to lash out at our people who are just doing their job, including in life-threatening emergency situations. “While we understand it is frustrating to have your celebrations disrupted by unplanned power outages, there is no excuse for physical or verbal abuse and we will not stand for it,” Mr Jordon said. Over a year, Energex and Ergon employees reported 111 cases of verbal or physical abuse from customers, including 57 in south-east Queensland and 54 in regional Queensland. “Unfortunately, people working on the frontline of customer service are a target and these incidents can have a lasting impact on their mental health and wellbeing. “Our teams answering your calls, our meter readers going door-to-door, and our crews fixing the network are there to help you. We are appealing to Queenslanders to treat people who are just doing their job as they would like to be treated, not just at Christmas but throughout the year,” Mr Jordon said. As Queenslanders prepare for festive season celebrations, Energex and Ergon and have announced a moratorium on planned outages from Tuesday 24 December to Wednesday 2 January. “We will be working to keep the Christmas lights, aircons, fridges and ovens on at a time of year when celebrations are in full swing, so we will be putting a hold on any planned maintenance that would have required a power outage. “We will still have crews on standby 24/7 to respond to any emergency outages, which are more likely over storm season,” Mr Jordon said. “We are hoping all is calm and all is bright this year, but we will always be ready to support our communities whenever they need us,” Mr Jordon said.
HIS NAME WAS FLEMING
This popped up on the internet and we thought our readers might enjoy this tale.
His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. 'I want to repay you,' said the nobleman. 'You saved my son's life.' 'No, I can't accept payment for what I did,' the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. 'Is that your son?' the nobleman asked. 'Yes,' the farmer replied proudly.’I’ll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.' And that he did. Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and, in time, graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill. Someone once said: What goes around comes around. Fleming isolated the mold, grew it in a fluid medium, and found that it produced a substance capable of killing many of the common bacteria that infect humans. Australian pathologist Howard Florey and British biochemist Ernst Boris Chain isolated and purified penicillin in the late 1930s, and by 1941 an injectable form of the drug was available for therapeutic use. Probably the most important drug ever invented.
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