sm139_shift miner magazine

SHIFT MINERMonday 18th June 139th Edition 2012 The Queensland mining community’s best source of local news

Locally Owned and Operated - www.shiftminer.com

WAR has erupted over a controversial mining camp at Blackwater, with the local council now taking legal action to stop it from operating.

Earlier this month, the Central High-lands Regional Council cancelled the lease on the Rosewood Camp - only to have the State Government grant a 12-month extension.

Central Highlands Mayor Peter Maguire said the camp had been approved under the former council as a temporary facil-ity, and did not meet building planning or plumbing approvals.

The council tried to evict the camp 18 months ago, but at the 11th hour the Bligh Government stepped in and extended the lease.

Second time around, and a furious Cr Maguire has had enough, with council now agreeing to take legal action.

“We got legal counsel and are going to the State Government to tell them that there is an illegal activity happening on a State-owned block of land,” he told Shift Miner Magazine.

Cr Maguire said the camp, operated by family-owned company Qantac, had never had any proper building approval.

“It is illegal,” he said.

» continued page 13

MAIN puts on breakfast » More pictures page 17

EARLY RISERS

‘ILLEGAL’ CAMP OUTRAGE Council calls

in lawyers

All accidents and personal injury claims:

Darren Sekac*

Call 4944 2000www.macamiet.com.au

*Personal Injuries Law Accredited Specialist (MACKAY)

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NewsQuarry deaths shock » page 4

NewsMAC camp go ahead » page 5

NewsRail corridors chosen » page 6

Bait Shop BanterSuper species variety » page 22

Off ShiftNew cats to covet » page 23

M A G A Z I N E

WIN $500 IN custom tattooINg - page 15

- Shift Miner Magazine, 18th June 2012

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CONTENTS

NEWS

4 Quarry deaths investigated

5 MAC camp gets go ahead

6 Rail corridors announced

7 Grosvenor mine approved

Regulars 18 Stuff to the Editor 19 Frank the Tank 20 Miner's Trader 22 Weather & Tides 28 Money Matters


139th EDITION. 2012News

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Two die in Qld quarries in a weekTWO young men are dead after separate and horrific accidents at two Queensland quarries in the past week.

A 21-year-old man died last Monday night when he was caught in a conveyor belt at the Moranbah South quarry.

On Saturday, a 25-year-old man was try-ing to unblock a sand processing machine when he was killed at a Darling Downs quarry.

It’s believed he was crushed at Bolzan Sand Supplies when he jumped out of the front-end loader he was driving to check on a bucket of sand he’d just dropped into a processing bin.

It’s believed he may have fallen in while trying to dislodge the load so it would flow onto a conveyor belt.

The deaths are the first on Queensland mine and quarry sites so far this year and are a tragic reminder of how dangerous the industry can be.

The Mines Inspectorate has just released the latest safety statistics for the month of February, in which there were 183 accidents or high potential incidents on mine sites and quarries.

In one incident, a boilermaker was struck

in the neck by a metal shard while using a hammer to break off a loader bucket head block he had been gouging.

The man needed surgery to remove the piece of metal.

In another incident, an operator broke the tip of his finger when the shovel he was using hit a conveyor frame and got caught.

There were more than 50 incidents involving either the loss of control of vehi-cles, or vehicle collisions on site.

Meanwhile, a discussion paper has been released by the State Government on nationally consistent mine safety laws.

Feedback is being sought on the paper by July 23.

“Queensland is currently participating along with other states and the Common-wealth in discussion about the prospects of nationally-consistent mine safety laws. However the process is not without its con-cerns,” Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said.

“Many share the view that Queensland already has the best mine safety legislation in the country.”

About 58,000 people are employed in the Queensland mining industry.

It’s been a tough couple of weeks in the industry with two men killed in separate quarry accidents. The safety first message continues.


139th EDITION. 2012

QR National cuts 500QR National has begun talks with employees and unions to cut more than 500 jobs. The company says the talks are part of proposed company-wide changes under a restructure that began in 2011. The cuts are aimed at reducing costs, improving efficiency and customer service. The consultation period ends on June 22 with cuts to take effect in mid-August..........................................................................................

Mayors join crisis teamTHREE regional mayors have been appointed to the new Bruce Highway Crisis Management Group. Rockhampton Mayor Margaret Strelow, Cairns Mayor Bob Manning and Gympie Mayor Ron Dyne are to join the State Government formed team. Around 60 per cent of deaths on Queensland’s national highways occur on the highway which is a critical route for the state’s mining and resources sector. The crisis management group will lobby the Federal Government for greater funding to improve the highway..........................................................................................

Orica faces chargesORICA has been charged with discharging cyanide into Gladstone Harbour. The State Government made brief details of the allegations public last Friday. Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection Andrew Powell said his department had commenced a prosecution against the company through the Gladstone Magistrates Court. The charges involve allegations of 279 counts of wilfully contravening a condition of a development approval. The company intends to defend the complaints..........................................................................................

Surat expo onTHE 2012 Surat Basin Energy and Mining Expo is on at Toowoomba Showgrounds on June 20 and 21. Added features to the event include a welcome function, “underground” luncheons, networking events and a $13,000 tradies pack up to win. More than 100 companies are expected to exhibit at the expo. Further available from www.suratbasinexpo.com.au

FAST NEWS

THE State Government will take decisive action to solve the housing crisis in mining towns, before handing planning powers back to local councils.

Premier Campbell Newman has announced the Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) would be stripped of its powers, and local councils would again regain control of planning issues.

This process is already underway in the larger councils in the south-east corner.

But Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney has told Shift Miner Magazine the planning burden will not be dropped into the laps of smaller councils - especially those facing acute housing shortages in mining provinces.

“Solving the existing housing crisis in these areas has to be carried out by the State Government,” he said.

“Some corrective action must be made to make up for the years of inertia. We need to normalise the situation before we look at handing it (planning powers) back to councils.”

Mr Seeney said the State Government would talk to councils about how to develop their planning capacity before the hand-over.

Criticism of the ULDA and its failure to address any of the key housing problems in Central Queensland has been widespread.

The Isaac Mayor Anne Baker has described it as the “Urban Land

Devastation Authority” and mining accommodation specialist Chris Jury says it has been completely ineffective.

“It is difficult to be able to point to a lot of successes in these towns that the ULDA have achieved,” he said.

“I don’t think you could go and see and touch a lot in these towns that have benefited from the planning process.”

But Mr Jury said residential growth in mining towns was being hamstrung by a much bigger problem.

“It’s not the lack of basic town planning, it’s about not having the infrastructure to drive growth.”

He pointed to the Western Australian Government’s Royalties for Regions program which has invested heavily

in roads, sewerage, hospitals and other essential services in key mining provinces to open up residential land.

“All new developments need power, sewerage and basic services, it takes some serious money to be spent up front.

“You don’t want a private developer able to hold a small town to ransom. It’s different in the big cities where people have to meet the market. In these centres they can charge what they like.

“One of the issues holding Moranbah back is the 100-hectare Potter’s Land site the council owns needs infrastructure. A bridge needs to be built, for example. Can the current sewerage treatment plant cope with another 1500-residential lots?”

State will deal with housing crisis

THE State Government has given the go ahead for a massive new mining camp in Moranbah, despite calls from the local council to veto the development.

Earlier this month, the Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) approved the MAC Group’s 3250-bed accommoda-tion village in the town.

But Isaac Mayor Anne Baker said the MAC camp was completely inappropriate in size and location.

“It’s a 50-hectare site in the middle of town that could be home to 750 residential

blocks,” she told Shift Miner Magazine.Ms Baker said she had written to the

Premier and Deputy Premier asking them to intervene and “call in” the project.

But the Premier Campbell Newman has ruled it out.

“What I have said in the recent letter that I signed off to Her Worship was basi-cally that the decision had to be made,” he told State Parliament.

“That project, or that camp, has to occur because otherwise a major resource project will be held back because of the inaction of the

previous council really, but it would be held back now if the ULDA did not approve it.”

The Deputy Premier and Planning Min-ister Jeff Seeney was the man who had the authority to “call in” the project, but decid-ed against it.

Last week he told Shift Miner Magazine he was loathe to stop the development, as mining camps were part of the solution for the Bowen Basin’s housing crisis.

“I think it’s important to understand that mining camps will be a significant part of the industry for the foreseeable future,” Mr Seeney said.

“There are people who object to them on principle, but that is unreasonable.”

Mr Newman has also levelled the blame at the previous Isaac Regional Council.

“Unfortunately, the previous council had shilly shallied around and had not creat-ed a town plan for Moranbah that allowed for orderly, sensible development of hous-ing for families and single people that was affordable,” he said.

“Had they done that, I do not think the former Labor government would have gone in and imposed the Urban Land Devel-opment Authority on that community. It should never have happened, but I think the former council does have to take some responsibility for that.”

News

Two die in Qld quarries in a week

MAC in Moranbah poised to go


139th EDITION. 2012

THERE is still confusion and frustration in farming circles surrounding proposed rail lines from the Galilee and Bowen Basins.

The State Government moved to quell disharmony in the bush this week by announcing two rail corridors would be built to service new and existing coal mines.

The industry and affected communi-ties have had to deal with the prospect of up to six proposed lines as companies com-peted for strategic control of the pit-to-port routes.

One Central Queensland landhold-er told Shift Miner Magazine that farm-

ers need more information and some maps of the Newman government’s preferred option would be useful.

He didn’t want to be identified as he is negotiating with mining companies over compensation but did say farmers expect the rail lines to go ahead anyway because the government needs the money.

“It’s Queensland’s get-out-of-jail card,” he said.

His feeling was echoed by other land-holders who are struggling to keep up with the proposals while trying to minimise the impact of the industry on their multi-mil-lion dollar businesses.

The State Government wants an east-west corridor that will be an extension of the existing QR National network from near Moranbah to the central Galilee Basin. This route will provide links to the ports of Abbot Point, Dalrymple Bay and Dudgeon Point.

A north-south rail corridor will be defined along the proposed GVK-Han-cock Coal railway from the southern Gali-lee Basin to Abbot Point.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney described the decision as a “commonsense and co-ordi-

nated” approach to replace the multiple lines being considered by the Bligh government.

“This outcome is a win for the mine pro-ponents, local communities, landholders and the environment,” Mr Seeney said.

He says the two corridors were the only areas in which the State Government was likely to use its powers to compulsorily acquire land for new rail lines.

In making the announcement the gov-ernment said no third party would be dis-advantaged. Major mining companies had been jostling for the right to build the lines so they could control access and their pro-duction from pit to port.

However, in an intriguing quote to media Mr Seeney said: “There will be the option for other large mining proposals to co-lo-cate their own new railway lines within the north-south corridor should they consider that to be more commercially viable.”

Central Queensland cattle produc-ers are planning to meet Mr Seeney to dis-cuss their views on the two rail lines, which could affect up to 100 grazing properties. The meeting was scheduled for today but has been postponed.

“This outcome is a win for the mine proponents, local communities, landholders and the environment.”

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News

Two rail lines, or maybe more?


139th EDITION. 2012

Grosvenor gets lease but needs beds for workersTHE $1.7 billion Grosvenor mine near Moranbah in the Bowen Basin has received final approval with a mining lease granted by the State Government.

Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps said on Friday the Anglo American project had met the environ-mental requirements of both the State and Commonwealth.

Mr Cripps said the lease was condi-tional on Anglo American being able to accommodate local workers. The mine will create up to 1000 new jobs.

“The Queensland Government will work closely with the company and the Moranbah community to address key issues such as accommodation availability and infrastructure support,” Mr Cripps said.

“Residential infrastructure is a criti-cal issue for Moranbah and I am pleased that Anglo American is working with oth-er local coal companies to develop and ensure the availability of accommodation and key community facilities.

“I am advised this company will offer

a range of accommodation options to its workforce and build more than 50 new houses and townhouses in the Moranbah area.”

Despite those efforts it is likely that most of the jobs will be fly-in, fly-out.

The underground mine will be built just south of Anglo’s Moranbah North mine and is expected to produce five million tonnes of coking coal each year over a pro-jected life of 26 years.

The mine represents the first of the company’s new growth projects as it aims to triple production of coking coal from Australia over the next decade.

In its first stages, the mine will consist of a single longwall, but Anglo is investigat-ing adding a second longwall further down the track.

The mine will target the same well-un-derstood Goonyella Middle coal seam as Moranbah North, and coal will be proc-essed at the existing coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) and train load-ing facilities at Moranbah North.

h e i g h t s

News

THE chief executive of Anglo American’s met-allurgical coal business, Seamus French, said late last year that the company was creating a “Moranbah hub”, which would drive a tar-get of 12 per cent compound annual produc-tion growth by 2020.

“Grosvenor and the wider hub will produce some of the highest quality coking coal in the world and represents a major investment commitment for the region,” he said.

“Our longwall design model will enable us to replicate our approach across our expansion footprint, ensuring the transfer of best prac-tice project efficiency, cost control and risk mitigation.”

Anglo American expects Grosvenor site con-struction will begin soon and that first devel-opment coal production will begin in 2013 and longwall mining three years later.

The mine is expected to produce up to 7 mil-lion tonnes per annum of high quality hard coking coal, yielding some 5 million tonnes per annum of product coal for export.

Mine part of Moranbah hub

More cash for GladstoneGLADSTONE is set to get more mon-ey from the Queensland gas industry with $13.5 million earmarked for social invest-ment in the local region.

The Australia Pacific LNG and Queens-land Curtis LNG projects have each volun-tarily provided $5 million and the GLNG Project has voluntarily provided $3.5 million.

This follows recent funding for social impact management plans, or SIMPs, for Gladstone and Surat Basin towns, with GLNG investing $200 million in May and QCLNG $150 million in April.

The latest investment will go to the Gladstone Foundation, a government body that distributes funding for social invest-ment in the local region.

The foundation is a perpetual trust estab-lished by the Queensland Government in February 2011 to manage and allocate indus-try contributions to benefit the community.

The funding will be approved and administered through the Gladstone Foun-dation’s Board of Advice.

The board will follow the Queensland Government’s Social Infrastructure Strate-gic Plan, which includes guidelines for the distribution of funds to the community.



THE Queensland and Commonwealth gov-ernments will work together over the next 12 months to assess the impact ports have on the Great Barrier Reef and to put in place a port strategy.

This was in response to UNESCO’s strongly worded report requesting the gov-ernment halt any new port development outside long-established port areas.

Premier Campbell Newman made the

announcement and told media earlier that there was a bit of a “free-for-all” when it came to development.

The government will undertake a “stra-tegic assessment” of the Great Barrier Reef to ensure coastal development is planned properly and doesn’t compromise environ-mental standards.

The State Government wanted to strike the right balance between environmental protection and ensuring sustainable devel-opment could still occur in coastal areas, Mr Newman said.

The Queensland Resource Council’s chief executive Michael Roche told Shift Miner Magazine he hoped industry would be part of the consultation.

“We will want to talk to government about the strategy and about industry input,” he said.

Mr Roche said later in a statement that the decision to prepare a ports strategy as part of the strategic assessment was a good move.

“This is the proper role for government to provide an overall planning framework for port development, something that has been lacking in recent years.”

Preparing a ports strategy for the Great

Barrier Reef is one of several processes the government will be undertaking over the next 12 months.

It will also refine a Coastal Plan that includes the protection of areas of high ecolog-ical significance and develop statutory region-al plans to better manage land use issues.

A review will also be conducted of the environmental offsets required of devel-opments to ensure funds derived from the Great Barrier Reef region are used to tack-le the most significant issues facing the reef.

Mr Newman said the strategic assessment wouldn’t delay any existing approved projects.

“The strategic assessment will take a broad view of all current impacts on the reef and how the potential impacts of future development can be avoided, mitigated or offset,” he said.

“A strategic assessment should also help minimise duplication of approvals and give more certainty to the industry.

“I stress, we’re not going to hold back the economic development of Queensland, but we are going to make sure that we pro-tect the environment as these new projects come forward.”

UNESCO report pushes port strategy

“This is the proper role for government to provide an overall planning framework for port development, something that has been lacking in recent years.”


139th EDITION. 2012

“All 46,200, 12-metre lengths of pipe have been delivered to sites along the route in preparation for welding and burial.”

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News

Burying Australia’s largest pipeline

IT is one-metre-wide, made of steel and will be buried for more than 540 kilometres across the gas fields to the sea.

Big sections of the largest long-distance pipeline in Australia have begun to be low-ered into the ground as part of QGC’s Queensland Curtis LNG project (QCLNG).

Over 21km of pipeline - or 4 per cent - has been buried near Miles and Wandoan, as it tracks towards its Gladstone finish line.

About 1,250 people are involved in con-structing the pipeline – preparing the ease-ment, welding and testing the welds, digging the trench and burying the pipeline.

All 46,200, 12-metre lengths of pipe have been delivered to sites along the route in preparation for welding and burial.

QCLNG Pipelines Project Director Nor-

man Ingram said that burial of pipe was a significant milestone in construction of the project.

“About 260km of the pipeline easement has been prepared and about 240km of pipe has been laid out along the route,” Mr Ingram said.

“More than 16,000 lengths of pipe have been welded and all the welds undergo rig-orous testing using the automatic ultrasonic testing method to ensure they meet Austral-ian and international standards.

“QGC requires every weld to be inspect-ed, tested and verified before the pipe can be laid in the trench and buried.

“Safety is our highest priority and we are pleased that all of this activity has taken place without a significant safety incident.”

Australia’s longest pipeline project is in full swing with large sections being buried. More than 21 kilometres has been buried and up to 1250 workers are to be involved in the project.



NEW chairmen have been appointed to the Gladstone and Far North Queensland ports.

Mark Brodie, managing director of the Brodie Group, is the new Gladstone Ports Corporation boss.

Brett Moller, partner of regional law practice Marino Moller Lawyers, is the new Far North Queensland Ports Corporation boss.

The changes were announced by Treasurer Tim Nicholls, who said Mr Brodie and Mr Moller brought significant professional experience and leadership to the government owned corporations.

Mr Brodie is the founder of Brodies Mealmakers and chairman of the National Retailers Association.

He has held positions on the boards of Brisbane Marketing and Southbank Corporation and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Mr Moller is Director on the State Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland. He also serves as the Chair of the Far North Queensland CCIQ Policy Council and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In signalling the changes, Premier Campbell

Newman told reporters in Brisbane recently to “watch this space” after stating he had lost confidence in the ports corporation which is in charge of the controversial dredging project in Gladstone.

The project is making the harbour ready for the massive ships needed to transport liquid natural gas.

Two monitoring sites in Gladstone Harbour recorded excessive turbidity earlier this month. There have been other issues with turbidity in the past and there is currently a class action under way against the port.

About 20 fishing and marine businesses are demanding damages from the port for losses incurred through a harbour closure after fish - both dead and alive - were found with large red sores. Fish from the harbour have also been rejected by at least one Brisbane wholesaler because of concerns over their health.

The Premier has clearly had enough with what has turned into a public relations mess for the government. He said the situation was simply not good enough.

Wave of change washes through major ports


139th EDITION. 2012

XSTRATA is confident its Balaclava Island coal export terminal project (BICET) could go ahead without compromising UNESCO’s recommendations into the con-servation of the Great Barrier Reef.

BICET’s project manager Chris Straw told Shift Miner Magazine the compa-ny will continue to work with the Queens-land Government in the months ahead has it prepares a comprehensive ports strategy for the Great Barrier Reef.

UNESCO’s strongly worded report requested the government halt any new port development outside long-established port areas, and that any development was to be carried out along international best practice.

“Consistent with the report’s conclusions about the future management of the Glad-stone port precinct, if approved the Balaclava Island coal export terminal would be a facil-ity that operates in a way that is consistent with the highest internationally-recognised standards of best-practise,” Mr Straw said.

The site for the proposed project is locat-ed on strategic port land adjacent to the long-established Port Alma.

Its environmental impact statement is due

out towards the end of the year, and Mr Straw said Xstrata’s approach has been to exceed standard requirements whenever possible.

“Some studies have prompted the use of new survey techniques, which have never before been trialled in Australia,” he said.

One example is the use of continu-ous underwater acoustic recording devices, known as Cetacean-pods or C-pods, to detect the presence of inshore dolphin species.

The C-pod is the only commercial-ly available monitoring system of its kind that can identify toothed whale and dol-phin species while at the same time remov-ing unwanted noise produced by boat sonar and other sources, Mr Straw said.

Hovercraft have also been used to safely carry out flora and fauna surveys on Balacl-ava Island, which is tidal and known to sup-port populations of estuarine crocodiles.

“We’ve commissioned 3D hydrodynam-ic modelling — rather than the standard 2D modelling — to better understand the impacts of dredging on the area.

“Based on the results of hydrodynam-ic modelling, water quality impacts from dredging are expected to be insignificant.”

Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche singled out Xstra-ta as an example of a company using cutting edge technology.

“Xstrata is actually doing the most lead-ing-edge scientific data collection,” Mr Roche told Shift Miner Magazine last week.

Meanwhile, the Fitzroy Basin Associ-ation released a report into the potential impacts of port development on the region.

It raised concerns over dredging, which

would result in the direct removal of bot-tom habitat and its organisms, and would generate high turbidity, it stated.

It highlighted concerns over noise dur-ing construction, and the generation of coal dust and its health impacts to wetland flo-ra and fauna.

The report stated that lights generated from the ports and shipping could also severe-ly impact on nesting and hatching turtles, and disturb other species, such as sea birds.

“Some studies have prompted the use of new survey techniques, which have never before been trialled in Australia.”

Island project within UNESCO’s recommendations: Xstrata

News

FIRST coal shipments are on target for mid-2014 as construction of stage one of the Wig-gins Island Coal Export Terminal (WICET) in Gladstone is 20 per cent complete.

According to a company spokesperson, all major construction and procurement packag-es have been awarded and there are current-ly 400 workers - mostly contractors - on site.

“WICET has received expressions of interest for more than 175 million tonnes per annum of coal export capacity from

over 20 prospective producers/mines for shipments from an expanded terminal in 2015/2016,” he told Shift Miner Magazine.

A feasibility study for the first expansion of 30 to 32 million tonnes per annum has been completed and a feasibility study for a similar-sized second expansion is expected to be completed mid-2012.

Capacity commitment deeds for the first expansion, when finalised, will deter-mine the amount and timing of expansion

capacity, subject to completion of funding arrangements and aligning development with the producers’ mines and supporting rail expansions, the spokesperson added.

WICET was established by current and

future coal exporters to fund and devel-op the proposed new Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal at Gladstone.

The new coal terminal is owned by its industry users and privately financed.

Wiggins Island terminal on target for 2014

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“All major construction and procurement packages have been awarded and there are currently 400 workers - mostly contractors - on site.”

XSTRATA is confident its Balaclava Island coal export terminal project (BICET) could go ahead without compromising UNESCO’s

recommendations into the conservation of the Great Barrier Reef.


139th EDITION. 2012

Central Highlands council goes to war“The State Government — wheth-

er they have been red or blue — is wiping its hands of it. They issued the lease and someone in that department knew there was no proper planning approval.”

Shift Miner Magazine tracked down man-aging director of Qantac, Graham Leary.

“I don’t want to get involved. I’ve had enough of the media reports,” he said. “I have been getting caned for the past two years and I don’t want to say anything that will upset council.”

In March this year, Qantac applied for a new seven-hectare site to build on, not too far from the current location.

“I’m waiting to hear on its native title in August, and if all goes well we will remove the QR camp and Rosewood,” said Mr Cleary.

Cr Maguire has accused Qantac of deliberately delaying a development appli-cation it had put before council in April 2010. The application would have made the camp legal.

After the company requested four extensions it expired in January 2012, Cr Maguire said.

Shift Miner Magazine has viewed the paper trail and saw when the application was first made, council had stipulated that Qantac would need to conduct an impact study, work with the Department of Trans-port and Main Roads (DTMR), and pro-vide evidence that the camp had building, plumbing, health and fire compliance.

Almost 18 months later, the traffic part of the application was completed but handed in five days after the final deadline. The application was cancelled.

According to Qantac’s town planner, the delay had been due to the complexity of getting the information together for the DTMR. It required a report on the impact the camp would have on the Capricorn Highway and surrounding intersections.

The company went to the Queensland Planning and Environment Court and had the application reactivated in April.

According to Cr Maguire, Qantac took this to the courts to ensure the State Gov-ernment would extend the lease.

The application is now sitting with council, but Cr Maguire said it is still an unlawful use of land as the lease was only

ever a temporary measure, it has not had a social impact statement and there has nev-er been any proper approval process.

However, the company states in its application that it has two operation works for drainage and sewerage, which were provided to the former Duaringa Shire Council.

“They had building approval for 218 rooms, and this was done by a private cer-tifier, but there has never been any town planning,” Cr Maguire said.

“The certifier has been negligent in my mind by approving those buildings without proper planning approvals.”

“We served a notice on this person to go ahead and get this camp compliant - but the lease ran out, and the State Gov-ernment extended it.”

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Andrew Cripps, told Shift Miner Magazine that he is aware that the local Council has alleged that the existing camp

does not meet council’s regulations.“However, the facility’s compliance in

relation to local laws or planning schemes is a matter for the Central Highlands Regional Council to regulate.

“The Department of Natural Resources and Mines is not aware if the CHRC has taken any action in this regard.”

Cr Maguire is not impressed.“Everyone is holding a gun to our

head,” he said.“If we shut down the camp we have 500

people on the street and the mine shuts down. That is why the State Government was always going to sign that lease.”

In the meantime, the issue for Cr Maguire is the quality of camp accommo-dation.

“You can do nice ones, or you can do donga-style. If you want these (Rosewood) sorts of camps, get out of town and get them on a mine site. Let the mines worry about health and safety,” he said.

News

PRESSURE on Gladstone’s accommoda-tion should start to ease now that more than 500 workers have moved to Curtis Island.

By next year, more than 6000 people are expected to enjoy the island lifestyle across three accommodation facilities.

The first stage of the Queensland Curtis LNG temporary accommodation village has been completed and the numbers will con-tinue to increase over the coming months.

Bechtel Gladstone general manager Kevin Berg said getting the facilities up and running remained a priority to ensure the impacts in the Gladstone community were minimised.

The company’s accommodation team has kept housing rentals to less than 6 per cent of the rental market and less than 20 per cent of the local motels rooms over the past year, he said.

“And as more rooms come online in the Curtis Island accommodation, we expect

to continue to reduce the number of hotel rooms and houses we are using. In fact, in recent months, we have returned more than 100 hotel rooms to the market and have reduced our housing needs in the commu-nity,” he said.

The facilities on the island are still some way from being completed and at full capacity, but there was a lot of work being done to make the accommodation as com-fortable as possible, Mr Berg added.

“There has been much activity on the island to get the accommodation facilities up and running. When you think we started with no service - water, power or sewerage - we’ve come a long way.”

While the temporary accommodation is still in early development, each complex will include a range of recreational facilities such as swimming pools, sporting facilities, basketball courts, gymnasium, dining halls, a tavern and barbecue areas.

“The company’s accommodation team has kept housing rentals to less than 6 per cent of the rental market and less

than 20 per cent of the local motels rooms over the past year.”

Curtis Island opens for accommodation

FROM PAGE 1

“If we shut down the camp we have 500 people on the street and the mine shuts down. That is why the State Government was always going to sign that lease.”


SHIFTMINERladder

G E T W H E R E Y O U W A N T T O B E

All the jobs torn out? Don’t worry they are also available at www.shiftminer.com/jobs

Skills Queensland and Kinetic Group have teamed up to undertake a research project aimed at tackling the shortage of workers in statutory roles across the resources sector.

Kinetic Group Chief Executive Officer Derek Hunter said skills shortages already exist across the industry and the turnover

and increasing demand for key statutory roles is a serious concern for companies.

“This research will help employers iden-tify what up-skilling or additional training a worker requires so we have more stream-lined pathways to follow into these jobs,” Mr Hunter told Shift Miner Magazine.

“The growth of the sector is increasing the demand for more workers to fill stat-utory positions such as supervisors, open cut examiners, deputies and occupational health and safety officers.

“Statutory roles were identified as a critical skills shortage area in the recently released Kinetic Group Heartbeat Report, so this research is much needed.”

The Heartbeat Report identified retire-ment as a particularly big issue with statutory roles. Currently, around 50 per cent of open cut examiners in Queensland are aged over

50 with nearly 22 per cent eligible to retire. Compounding this is the fact that near-

ly half of all new examiners employed are also aged over 50.

Skills Queensland Chief Executive Rod Camm said funding had been provided to Kinetic Group to rapidly progress the work as an important component of working with industry to address skills shortages and implement a demand driven training system.

“Statutory positions are only a small portion of the sector’s total workforce, but they are vital for the operation of individual mines and for the overall expansion of the sector in Queensland,” Mr Camm said.

“It is critically important we have a strong understanding of the training models which are successful in preparing individu-als for these roles.

“We are also focused on getting workers in the pipeline and in the last year Skills Queens-land has partnered with a number of resource companies and peak industry groups to invest $37 million to train approximately 5000 peo-ple in some of the sector’s most critical skill shortage areas including mine site statutory positions and mining operations roles.

“These investments are part of Skills Queensland’s four point plan developed with industry to gain a better understanding of the sector’s workforce needs, build the workforce, increase workforce participation and maximise skills development.”

It is estimated Queensland needs about 38,000 additional workers to meet demand in the next decade as major projects come on stream.

Research targets critical role shortages

“The system can easily work on all types of terrain including steepslopes of up to 30 degrees and will play a key role in building our pipeline.”

Welding traineeships for local QueenslandersABOUT 50 new training opportunities are up for grabs for local Queenslanders to learn a specialised welding technique they can put to use working on Santos GLNG’s gas pipeline.

The coal seam gas company announced that the traineeship will be offered in part-nership with its contractor, Saipem Aus-tralia, which is constructing the 420km underground gas transmission pipeline.

Saipem has designed and patented the welding technique and the apprentices will undergo a two-month training course at its PASSO school, to be established in Arcadia Valley, starting in August.

PASSO is a semi-automatic pipeline welding system created and patented in Italy by Saipem in the late 1970s, when the company identified the importance of

research and development of welding as a core part of its pipelining business.

The PASSO machine is light and com-pact making it easy to use for the operator. When in use, the system is monitored and guided by the welding technician and all welding parameters can be modified to spe-cific speeds and ranges.

The system can easily work on all types of terrain including steep slopes of up to 30 degrees and will play a key role in building our pipeline.

According to Santos GLNG, Saipem Australia has received a number of appli-cations from people wanting to work on the construction of its pipeline.

Anyone interested in finding out more about these training positions to contact Saipem at [email protected].


139th EDITION. 2012

THIS is one of the biggest tattoos we’ve seen so far in the competition. It was sent in by Joshua Mullineaux - an underground operator at Ensham.Josh designed and drew the tattoo himself and had it inked a few months ago by Trista at Bundy Tattoos.

“There is still a bit more background work that needs to be done for it to be completely finished,” he said.

“So far it has taken 24 hours. I sat through three eight-hour sessions. The design of the tattoo is Two Day of the Dead girls. The script writing in the scrolls around the girls says: “Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces.”

As usual, we have our resident life guru, Frank the Tank, on hand to “decode” the latest entrants.

What does it all mean? Let’s ask Frank:

It’s that time again. I’ve spent the last fortnight meeting with Australia’s best plastic surgeons, trying to see who can give me a new face.

I can’t even walk down the street without people

grabbing at me like lepers, begging me to interpret their tattoos and expand their minds.

I’ve requisitioned Shift Miner Magazine to provide me with a disguise kit and a taser to protect myself from the snarling masses; I can’t live like this!

This one was also sent in by Josh:

Josh says:This tattoo is on the right side of my body and says:

“With Peace and Harmony Comes Pain and Torture”.

Frank’s thoughts:“With peace and harmony comes pain and torture.” I’ve uttered this phrase many a time in my life — it’s the mantra of the ABBS (Australian Buddhist Bondage Society).

If anyone’s interested in joining we meet every Thursday night to discuss achieving inner peace and the best way to apply nipple clamps.

This is the second Koi fish tattoo we’ve seen, this time on Wade Dunsmore:

Wade says: My tattoo is of a Koi fish, which I recently had done while in Thailand on our honeymoon. My sitting was for 7.5 hours straight due to us flying out the next night.

During this time my beautiful new bride went shopping, which I didn’t mind at all because I would rather sit through 7.5 hours of pain than be dragged around patong shopping LOL.

Frank’s thoughts:I caught a catfish that looked like that on the riverbank in Rockhampton. I swear it was bright red and had eyes as black as coal, and as I hauled it onto the bank it looked me straight in the eye and said: “Frank…forget about driving your wife to her dental appointment…buy some beer and drink it instead.”

To this day my wife still blames that red fish for her missing front tooth.

And now, back to our regular entrant Blackwater’s Grahame Godfrey:

Grahame says: This is my new tattoo. It is along the theme of my family heritage - English and Irish, a medieval knight.

Frank’s thoughts:This tattoo is obviously in reference to the female knights of old. During the middle ages women accused of practising witchcraft would be forced to do battle with one another to determine their humanity – pagans believed witches could not kill one another.

Women who slay witches in battle were conferred with the title of ‘Knight’, allowing them to wear helmets while cleaning and perform kitchen duties with swords.

OFF sHIFT

İnk running in your blood

Welding traineeships for local Queenslanders


139th EDITION. 2012

Holding a social event you want photographed? Call the Shift Miner office on 4921 4333 to let us know. You can also give our office a bell if you’d like a copy of any of the photos in this edition.

arOuNd TOwN

7 FROM 7 FOR BLACKWATER BOXERS

STEPPING OUT

The smiles say it all for the local boxers at a recent Blackwater PCYC boxing Tournament

Moranbah’s High School seniors make their debut

Billy Evans from Emerald won the 38kg division Shearna had her own fan club

Bobby Washington Blackwater defeated Clary Mitchell of Rockhampton. Bobby then fought again to win the 44.5kg division

[L-R] - Back: Zak Jeffrey-Sauer, Darrien Williams, Adam Thompson-Wallace, Jacob How-arth, Chris Martorana, Brenden Gray, Hayden Walker and Samuel Vella. Front: Shantelle Brook, Taila Brook, Breanna Smith, Kiara-Leigh Harragon, Natasha Maher, Brionny Quick, Brandii Wright and Shannon Handley.

Brandii Wright and Hayden Walker.

Kiara-Leigh Harragon and Jacob Howarth.

Brionny Quick and Brenden Gray.

Breanna Smith and Adam Thompson-Wallace.

Natasha Maher and Chris Martorana.

Shantelle Brook and Zak Jeffrey-Sauer.

Talia Gouge and Darrien Williams.

Shannon Handley and Samuel Vella.

Ball Coordinator Judy Nau-mann and event volunteer Megan Austin.

Paukp Morgan (Blackwater)was led into the ring as his family performed the Haka for him. Pauko went on to win the 51kg division.

Shearna Smith and Krystina Jacobs.


139th EDITION. 2012

www.shiftminer.comBUY THIS AND MANY OTHER IMAGES AT

Shift Miner magazine – bringing the mining community closer together

arOuNd TOwN

MAIN BREAKFAST The Mackay Area Industry Network had another successful get together to discuss the future of the expanding Dudgeon Point coal terminal near Mackay

[L-R] - Uuganbayar Tsog, Batzul Gomboobat, Bayarmoa Battsoodol, Tu-mennasan Davaa, Narantuya Sanjaa, Enkhbat Gomboobat, Nyumkhatan Ganbold ( Mining School of Excellence, Mongolia)

[L-R] - Mike Browne - Brown & Bird Finan-cial Planning, Nigel Gardiner - Paynter Dixon QLD, Tony Stevens - Paynter Dixon QLD, Gary Kinnon - CQIT

[L-R] - Jason Sharam - Linked Electrical, Shane O’Brien - ANZ, Ross Butcher - Elite Industry, Brett Sartor - Force Access

[L-R] - Danielle Sanderson - Mckays Solicitors, Liam Keighran - CQ Field Mining Services, Jason Smith - CQ Field Mining Services, Peter Trifelly - Power 2, Suzanne Brown - Mckays Solicitors

[L-R] - Tim Kummerfeld - Flor-Hanly Accountants, Dale Noack - Flor-Hanly Accountants, Amanda Pelagalli - Flor-Hanly Accountants

[L-R] - Darren Krajewski - MAIN, Ryan Hendy - Redwood Training, Alan Hayes - Hayes HR

[L-R] - Murray Gibbs - Kaytone, Sarah Humphries - MAIN, Luke Harrison - Diamond Protective Coating

[L-R] - -vices, Elizabeth Comber - Workforce Ex-press, Stacey Hayes - Workforce Express, Justin Sorensen - Thomas & Coffey

BELL RINGER The miserable weather didn’t lessen the competition at the recent Moranbah bronze title camp draft


139th EDITION. 2012

Got somethinG to share? send us your text messages or phone photos to

0428 154 653 or email to [email protected]

Our front page story last edition on FIFO workers being just as happy with their home base as local miners stirred the pot:

Why is it any surprise that us FIFO work-ers would be happy? That’s why we chose those rosters. Simple. T D, Brisbane

Not everyone wants to live in Moranbah. Why would you? It costs a fortune, there are no good high schools and it’s in the middle of nowhere. That’s why so many live in Mackay and drive to work. It’s not rocket science. R D, Mackay

Mining towns used to be great, before they had the life blood sucked out of them. t is a losing battle. R S, Townsville

The story about John Holland sending out men to carry out handy work for FIFO wives and partners has received applause:

This is bloody genius! Only trouble is my wife might get used to having some-one a lot handier than me around the house. Hang on, this is dangerous! Dave, Brisbane

Go to work. Tick. Missus gets jobs done around the yard. Tick. Come home to no jobs. Tick. Everyone’s a winner. T D, Sunshine Coast

The Great Galilee Basin debate on over-seas workers has miners talking:

There are plenty of young Aussie kids out

there who want work in the mines. They should be given top priority, not import-ed workers. T D, Emerald

Look at how many people are retiring from mining at the moment. There is no way we can run this boom on Australian labour only. E L, Rocky

And Frank the Tank’s admirers continue with the fan mail:

Frank, it’s like you can read my mind. I just hope my daughter never meets you. Jim, Mackay

I told my daughter I saw her boyfriend watching Glee, and it worked a treat. Good job, Frank. W D, Dysart

SEEN SOMETHING WE HAVEN’T?Prizes for the best mining Photos.Take iT on your phone or camera and send iT in

Text to 0428 154 653 [email protected]

sTuFF TO THe edITOr

The musings of a CQ miner...Redmond’s Rantsdarn souThernersEACH Victorian has a charter to fill in a hole that coal dug and place a sheep on top of it.

The secret Victorian plan was to insert large amounts of operatives just north of the Queensland border - typical Victorian behaviour by choosing the coldest part of the state.

One Vic Militia operative infiltrated a vol-unteer group that allowed him access to wide open Queensland soil.

Each day, whilst working with the vol-unteer group, the Operative filled in a few coal holes and placed a sheep on top, meaning many sheep were installed throughout the day.

Then a fence was built around the sheep.

It’s part of a bold campaign Victoria is working on to Victorianise Queensland.

Their aim is to have smuggled in so many

sheep that the coal trucks will have to drive around them.

Once the sheep become a hassle to the mine companies there will be a huge skills shortage in the market for SSME (Sheep Support Mining Enviro) people.

The top and upper management roles would be a walk up start for the average Victorian.

We will need to increase our fines for smuggling sheep across our border.

Any (Victorian) man caught with two or more sheep will be sentenced to be sent

away to a cold distance land inhabited by Victorians and sheep.

The last offender got away by jumping into the middle of his flock thus making him unidentifiable to the naked eye.

Who iS REDMonD?Redmond was born in a cross-fire hurricane and now resides in Queensland. Former Golden Glove champ turned champion shearer, his shearing career was cut short when he entered the adult film industry and made 3467 films in three months. He now enjoys semi-retirement and lives happily on his 100,000 acre property with his seven wives. He has received the annual Golden Pen award from the Writer’s Guild four years in a row in the Truth Telling category...

“Up in the air”Sent in anonymously

“Still a little damp

at Norwich Park”

SHIFT MINERMonday 4th June 138th Edition 2012

The Queensland mining community’s best source of local news

The Partners:

John Taylor - LL.B

Sharon Smith - BEc/LL.B Hons

Craig Worsley - LL.B

Greg Carroll

PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS

Mining Accidents

Work Accidents

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Insurance/TPD Claims

CONVEYANCING ESTATE L

AW COMMERCIAL

LAW Phone 4957 2

944 Fax 4957 2016

www.taylors-solicitors.com.au

email: [email protected]

om.au

Level 2/ 17 Brisbane Street

Mackay

TAYLORS

SOLICITORS

NewsProtect your

hearing » page 4

NewsBMA denies strike

claims » page 5

NewsGalilee Basin opened

up » page 6

Around Town

May Day celebrations

» page 14

Off Shift

Now that’s a

steak » page 21

Locally Owned and Operated - www.shiftminer.com

WHAT’S the difference between a FIFO work-

er and a miner who lives locally? Not much,

apart from where they choose to call home.

A statewide survey of almost 2300 mining

and gas company workers has found about

two-thirds of those who live locally - and

those who live elsewhere and commute to

work - are happy with their current set up.

“There are people out there who, even if a

mining company provided a house, all they’re

going to have in it is a bed and a TV on a milk

crate and leave on their days off,” said mining

accommodation specialist Chris Jury.

“Not everyone wants to live in a mining

town anymore.”

The survey was commissioned by the

Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and,

despite the ongoing public debate surround-

ing FIFO and DIDO workers, it’s believed to

be the � rst time workers have actually been

asked if they are satis� ed with their living

arrangements.

“The answer to that is an overwhelming

‘yes’ with almost two-thirds of resident and

non-resident workers reporting that they are

happy with their current accommodation

arrangements, and would not change,” said

QRC chief executive Michael Roche.

“There is no material difference in satis-

faction with accommodation between res-

idential and non-residential workers. What

this says loud and clear is that it is important

for resources sector companies to be able to

offer accommodation options.”

Mr Jury agrees.

» continued page 8

Around Town

May Day celebrations

»

INDUSTRY TALKS

HAPPY CAMPERSFIFOs/DIDOs just as content as locals

M A G A Z I N ESHIFT MINERHAPPY CAMPERSFIFOs/DIDOs just as content as locals

M A G A Z I N E

NewsProtect your

hearing » page 4» page 4»

WIN $500 IN CUSTOM

TATTOOING - PAGE 13

Mining club catches up in Moranbah

» More pictures page 15

stuff to the editor

THE State Government has made some curious noises in the past week that have started to make it sound like its falling into the dreaded spin cycle.

With landholders and communities increasingly frustrated by the ongoing discussions and negotiations surrounding rail lines from the state’s interior to the coast the government announced the problem was solved.

Easy fixed. There would be two rail corridors not six or seven as has been discussed by companies scrambling for control and certainty of product flow from pit to port.

But the solution seems to have been worse, or just as bad, as the cure even though the LNP Government described the Bligh Government’s rail plans as resembling spaghetti.

Landholders spoken to by Shift Miner Magazine aren’t just short on patience after costly and time consuming meetings. They don’t even have maps that clearly show where the proposed lines will go and how it will affect them.

The government appears to be saying more than its doing.

One beef producer eloquently put it to the magazine this week that the government should just “show some balls” and tell the companies and communities where the lines would go and not continue to be pushed around.

He said the governments and their departments were all sounding the same, despite promises and media statements.

In support of the confused cocky one comment from Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney stood out last week when announcing the north-south and east-west corridors solution.

He said: “There will be the option for other large mining proposals to co-locate their own new railway lines within the north-south corridor should they consider that to be more commercially viable.”

So once again, the need for more information is compelling. As our insightful cattle farmer added: “Just how wide will these corridors be?”

He suggested an up to date map from government would also be useful.

FROM THE EDITOR

Greg Sweetnam


139th EDITION. 2012

IN THE UNITED STATES - Chocolate fix without the guilt?

Aero Bars, your “bubbles of nothing that make it something”, are like soooo 1980s. “Whaffing” an AeroShot is where it’s at in the noughties and their bubbles of nothing really are...nothing!

Harvard professor David Edwards has launched AeroShot Chocolate, an inhaler that provides the taste of chocolate in breathable form.

Using a small lipstick-sized tube, users draw fine particles of chocolate into their mouth to experience the taste of pure chocolate “re-imagined”.

The product taps into the new-age food trend of “whaffing” or inhalable eating and follows the release of caffeine product AeroShot Energy earlier this year. So apparently this means no calories as the product allegedly works because the particles are small enough to enter the mouth and too large to go beyond it.

A moment on the lips no longer need land on the hips?

ALSO IN THE USA - Toothpicks, you are either a fan or you’re not.

Well someone in the States is such a serious devotee they stole about 400,000 of the trusty splinters from a manufacturer in Athens, Georgia.

The toothpicks were worth nearly $3000, and police say there were no signs of forced entry.

The owner believes it is an inside job with a current or former employee potentially in the frame.

A man selling containers of toothpicks was spotted at a flea market.

Move over pirated DVDs and fake designer Ts...there is money to be made in a toothpick racket.

IN JERUSALEM- The Holy City is getting heavy with poo patrols.

In a crackdown on public dog poo, the Jerusalem municipality is planning to compile a DNA database for dogs in a bid to trace droppings back to offending pooches.

In a statement, the municipality said it would first be collecting saliva samples from dogs in the city before inputting them into a citywide database.

The program will then begin trying to match faeces to the offending fiend, fining each dog’s owner about $A200.

City veterinarian Zohar Dvorkin told Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz that the system would create a much more efficient way for the municipality to combat the problem.

“This way, there will be nowhere to run,” he said.

Fair Dinkum!

Alexis, I think the best thing to do in this situa-tion is sit down with your husband and present the hard facts to him.

It sounds like he’s not seeing the big picture, that is, how his spending may be

affecting your financial security. Put together some figures, show him

how much frivolous spending he did last month compared to your mortgage repayments.

You could also put together a budg-et for him that will still allow him to buy some of the things he wants, but to also save a lot more.

Seeing facts like that on paper might be just what he needs to encourage him to be a little more frugal.

Susan

Sensible Susan

Frank the Tank’s “Streakin”

good love advice

Dear Frank,My husband has a spending problem. Every time I turn my back for five minutes, his nose is buried in the Miner’s Trader or he’s online perusing spare parts on eBay. He tells me he is just “looking” — but I have noticed the sneaky credit card purchases and the money that just disappears from our account on payday. How can I make him realise he’s crippling us financially?Alexis

Have I stepped through an interdimen-sional gateway into a parallel universe?

A woman complaining about a man spending too much money? Now that’s ridiculous. The next thing you know we’ll have a female prime minister.

I will say, however, I have been known to splurge on the occasional treat for myself.

I used to shout my friend Thommo — and myself — a lap around the block with the local ‘escorts’ every now and then for a bit of fun.

Once my credit card got declined, though, so Thommo had to use his work card to pay the ladies … didn’t pan out too well for him.

Now, Alexis, I must inquire: have you asked your husband why he’s buying all these spare parts from the Miner’s Trader and eBay?

He could be working on an invention that will change the world or — far more likely given your obvious predisposition towards whinging — a super-intelligent cyborg programmed to confine you sole-ly to the kitchen.

I’m sure many people would disagree with me, but I’m going to go on the record and say that we’ve gone overboard with women’s rights in this country.

Back in the good old days you wouldn’t have had to concern yourself with boring stuff like finance or how to vote. As long as the roast was succulent and the house was kept in good order, life was sweet.

It is the new millenium, however, so if you’re not prepared to live a sim-pler, stress-free lifestyle here’s what you should do.

Since your husband can’t manage the money properly, you need to set up a pun-ishment system to teach him where he’s going wrong.

Tell him that every time he carelessly spends money, you’re going to bring home a gentleman caller, and the more he spends the more disgusting the callers will be.

I can virtually guarantee you that there’s no spare part on eBay that will be worth the anguish of coming home to find your wife french kissing a morbidly obese dock worker with hooks for hands.

Frank

If you have a question for Frank and Susan Email Us at: [email protected]

FaIr dINKuM

The musings of a CQ miner...


HOUSE FOR SALESUNSHINE COAST

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139th EDITION. 2012OFF sHIFT

Tune into the Michael J. Breakfast show from 7:35 am every Monday for 4RO's CQ Mining Update, with special guest Angus from Shift Miner.

Greg CaryMichael BaileyWeekdays 5am - 9am Weekdays 9am - 12pm

Weekdays 12pm - 1pmAlan Jones

Weekdays 1pm - 6pmLaurie Atlas

SALES ENQUIRIES: (07) 4920 2000PHONE: 1300 872 911WWW.4RO.COM.AU

NOW WITH MORE NEWS, MORE TALK AND THE MUSIC YOU LOVE

Shift MinerHandy 15A blank gridShiftMInerHandyblank.pdf©Lovatts Publications 2010

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ACROSS 1. Arguments 5. Fabled land of gold, El ... 9. Objects on display 10. Fired (at) from cover 12. Imperils 13. Noisy confused fight 14. Frankenstein’s creator, ... Shelley 16. Smallest & weakest 19. Booting (out) 21. Inquisitive 24. Diameter halves 25. Snags 27. People from Baghdad 28. Keep apart 29. True 30. Weighs up

DOWN 1. Waits in line 2. Blackflies 3. Redbreasted bird 4. Raffle 6. Balms 7. Deeply shocked 8. Leftover pieces 11. Quickly (1,1,1,1) 15. Skills 17. Minor battle 18. Polluted shower (4,4) 20. Gallivants (about) 21. Spruces up 22. Fragments 23. Doormen 26. Supporting beam

Last editions solutions

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SHIFT MINERHandy Cross 1964 - (15A grid)ShiftMinerHandy103s. pdf© Lovatts Publications 26/11/2010

T E S T T U B E C U R A T EE I I L N M XA D L I B B E D H U M A N EM V I M O S T ME L E V A T I O N U S E U PD R S C A U T

E T C H E N L A R G ES V I L S DW H I N G E S W A Y SA G E O E P AT R I E R D I A M E T E R ST L S A S Q L II M A G E S B E G U I L E DN N Y L A E EG U T T E D I S O L A T E S

MOVIE REVIEWBY JUSTIN CARLOS

men in Black sequel is worth the waitIt’s been a long time between drinks for the Men in Black, with fans having to wait a solid decade for the third install-ment in the franchise.

The film again follows agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) as they attempt to monitor and regulate extra-terrestrial activity on earth.

Unfortunately, one of Agent K’s old enemies, Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords) breaks out of a top-secret alien prison and sets about travelling back in time, killing K, and destroying the planet.

Agent J must follow him back through time, meet up with young agent K (Josh Brolin) and save the planet.

Overall Men in Black III is a solid film. Like most movies based around time

travel, the plot is propelled by the char-acters trying to make, or in this case stop, something from happening in the future.

MIB 3 is fairly well-paced, with the plot gradually being revealed to the audience as agents J and K fight to stop Boris the Animal.

Fans of the Men in Black series will particularly appreciate the ending, which brings all three films together.

Josh Brolin is excellent as the young Agent K, perfectly capturing Tommy Lee Jones’ accent and mannerisms.

One of the real surprise packages is Jemaine Clement, who plays Boris the Animal.

Reasonably well known in Austral-ia as part of Flight of the Conchords, he is fantastic as the malicious villain, more than holding his own on screen with

Hollywood heavyweights Smith, Jones and Brolin.

The special effects in the film are well done, and there are cameos from come-dy favourites Will Arnett and Bill Hader.

Men in Black III hasn’t really bro-ken any new ground, and it’s probably not going to take home any Oscars; it is, however, a very entertaining movie.

Fans of the franchise are sure to love it, and the film is appropriate for kids so there’s sure to be a whole new genera-tion of alien hunters who will discover the series.

Check out Men in Black III if you’re into action/adventure movies with a sci-fi twist.


139th EDITION. 2012

FISHING IN YEPPOON

Whack the chook, the winds seem to at last be winding it up for a spell.

The waters are clearing and all is looking up in universe fish.

Bob from Capricorn Sports Yeppoon reports the mackerel are coming back in and they are still catching blue salmon along the beaches.

There is also the occasional queen fish plus a few whiting and dart getting about.

And in more good news the grunter are starting to move around the creeks.

Bob reckons a nice 65-odd centimetre specimen was caught at Coorooman Creek and, more impressively, that it was hauled in when the winds were still making waves.

Out wide is going to be getting the green light very shortly and when you make it to your favourite fishing field you can look for-ward to big jew and macs too.

According to Bob there will be a bit of eve-rything about. “You just have to have a look around and I reckon you’ll find something.”

FISHING IN GLADSTONE

It is looking calmer Gladstone way too, which is tip top news for those craving a jaunt on the higher seas.

Josh from Pat’s Tackle World says the

better conditions should successfully see a few people off shore.

Lets hope teeming hordes of red emper-or, red throat emperor and coral trout are there to greet you.

Josh reckons there are also big Spanish mackerel about to brighten up your day.

Closer in there is sport to be had with quite a few blue salmon on the beaches and black jewfish in the harbour.

The creeks and rivers are throwing up steady streams of grunter and flathead, plus there are some nice crabs to be caught.

MACKAY IN GLADSTONE

The skies have been equally glorious round Mackay so get set to tool up and have a go.

Whiting, flathead and bream are your potential prize, according to Brendan from Nashy’s Compleat Angler. Hit the Pioneer and the beaches if you want in.

Brendan says while the Spanish mack-erel haven’t quite come in there is still the odd good trevally hanging around inside and out of the harbour.

So when will those macs get it on?According to Brendan: “We just need

to wait for the breeze to swing around to a northerly for a couple of days and that should bring them in and feeding up.”

Arm yourself with spoons, trolled or cast or rig up some pilchards on gang hooks.

And don’t completely give up on crabs, there are still a few crawling the creeks.

BaIT SHOp BaNTER

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Gla

ds

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TIDE TIMES June/JulyMon 18 Tue 19 Wed 20 Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Sun 24

Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht

0226 1.07 0300 1.00 0335 0.95 0410 0.92 0447 0.92 0524 0.94 0605 0.97

0827 3.24 0901 3.24 0934 3.24 1007 3.24 1042 3.23 1120 3.21 1204 3.19

1411 0.87 1444 0.84 1519 0.83 1554 0.86 1631 0.92 1710 1.03 1753 1.16

2041 4.05 2114 4.08 2148 4.08 2223 4.06 2300 4.01 2339 3.93

0423 1.27 0456 1.24 0527 1.23 0558 1.23 0000 5.42 0036 5.34 0114 5.21

1005 4.27 1035 4.25 1106 4.25 1139 4.24 0633 1.23 0709 1.25 0750 1.28

1607 0.93 1638 0.93 1709 0.93 1743 0.97 1215 4.23 1255 4.20 1342 4.17

2227 5.43 2257 5.45 2328 5.45 1819 1.07 1857 1.22 1943 1.41

Mon 25 Tue 26 Wed 27 Thu 28 Fri 29 Sat 30 Sun 1

Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht Time Ht

0023 3.81 0113 3.67 0213 3.53 0322 3.43 0435 3.38 0000 1.13 0103 0.88

0649 1.02 0740 1.05 0841 1.04 0948 0.98 1054 0.87 0547 3.39 0653 3.45

1255 3.18 1358 3.21 1511 3.31 1626 3.52 1736 3.78 1158 0.75 1258 0.62

1847 1.32 1956 1.44 2122 1.47 2246 1.35 1837 4.06 1932 4.29

0159 5.04 0255 4.84 0404 4.67 0520 4.59 0040 1.54 0152 1.25 0255 0.95

0837 1.29 0935 1.26 1042 1.17 1151 0.99 0631 4.60 0737 4.65 0838 4.72

1438 4.17 1547 4.25 1706 4.48 1818 4.84 1257 0.78 1356 0.58 1453 0.41

2039 1.61 2152 1.76 2318 1.74 1923 5.25 2022 5.64 2114 5.94

If you have a good photo or fishing yarn

send it through to our resident bait chucker- [email protected]

Week 1 The cold nights continued all due to a deep low off the Gold Coast (see map). This low caused 5-7 metre waves from Yamba to the Gold Coast and drove cold dry air into the Coalfields.

The cold nights continued all due to a deep low off the Gold Coast (see map). This low caused 5-7 metre waves from Yamba to the Gold Coast and drove cold dry air into the Coalfields. As the low developed off the Capricorn Coast it caused one or two isolated brief showers with an isolated moderate fall; on the June long weekend for CQ. Some falls (mm) of note: Taroom 17, Wandoan 12, Sunny Park 12, Rewan 9mm, Fitzroy Dev. Rd 5 and Middlemount 5. As the low moved south cold dry southerly air was advected over the Coalfields. This caused minimums of 1C at Clermont and 3C at Moranbah and Rolleston. And dry sunny days (max 21-23C) with humidity down to 30-35% in the afternoons. As the winds eased early mist/fog caused problems with motorists late last week. A small trough caused warmer temps (max 25-27C), a brief shower and northerly winds last Saturday. Then a short burst of cool to cold southerly air, early in the week. Winds should turn warmer NE’ly by Wed with a chance of early mist/fog heralding a late shower Thr. Boaties! If you missed the pristine conditions early last

weekend there’s a glimmer of hope next weekend. Mon-Tue: SE 15-20 offshore easing during the day Wed-Thr: ESE10-15 (13-18 in the north) with a brief shower

squally (gust to 23 knots in the north. A small trough develops off the coast. This could disturb flow if it moves close to coast.

Fri: ESE/ENE 14-8 as trough weakens flow. And tends NE’ly 7-11 Sat. As the trough moves south winds should tend S/SSW during Sun then S/SSE 15-20 by early Mon. Week 2 Cooler temperatures overnight early in the week with a frost risk in the south. Still the dry sunny days unique to Australia’s inland winter continue. There is a hint of cloud developing in the Darling Downs which could affect the southern Coalfields later in the week.Marine Lovers! The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) of the Capricorn coast has dropped to around 19.8C. This is one of the coolest in some years for winter.

Again a low in the south will affect the SE winds off the coast early in the week. Inshore the winds will tend more SW early and light. Then overnight winds offshore should increase and tend SSE 15-20 before easing during the day. This all depends on low developing near Frazer Island which could cause strong winds and squally showers.

YOUR WEATHER FORECASTWith Mike Griffin

OFF sHIFT

FISHING PARADISE

FOUNDCalling all serious fisherman to the best fishing

location on the coast. Close to mining areas (You have probably driven

past the turn-off!)Fully s/c accommodation silly season, 2011 & 2012

Crew bookings available

Phone: 49373145email: [email protected]

web: www.stanagebay.com

Not sure if the red claw are out, but it is a pretty picture for you to enjoy.

COOlER SEa SURFaCE TEMpERaTURES


139th EDITION. 2012

YOUR WEATHER FORECAST

OFF sHIFT

IF boating is your thing, then head to the Mackay Marine Festival next weekend at the Mackay Harbour (23-24 June).

It’s the second year the event has been run - and this time 44 exhibitors will make up the Tinnie and Tackle Show component of the two-day boating extravaganza.

“The exhibitors come from far and wide from the Gold Coast to interstate right through to your local dealers,” said event spokeswoman Nicholle Smith.

“It’s the most diverse display of boats, marine electronics and fishing accessories that you could find.”

This year, boats will be on display on the land and in the water, including the world release of the 2012 Lipari 41 cruising cata-maran [pictured].

If you prefer some motor action to the wind in your sails, then head to the harbour wall.

One of the weekend’s main attractions will be the Mackay leg of the National Off-shore Superboat Race - and you should see teams hitting speeds of up to 270 kilometres an hour through the watercourse.

“Mackay has the best viewing platform in the country, there is such a drop off at the rock wall that it becomes deep fast and they come close in,” said Nicholle.

“You won’t get a better view of the action.”All this while the kids can be kept hap-

pily entertained at Mulherin Park, where there are free fishing clinics including tips on yabbying and casting off.

The event runs Saturday and Sunday 23 & 24 June.

Accommodation starts from $189 per night (min 3 nights)

Stay 3

nights or more and

receive a complimentary

$100 restaurant

voucher.

OFFSHIFT SPECIALSYabbies, superboats

& brand new cats

ON SHOW: There will be 44 exhibitors at the Tinnie & Tackle Show KIDS KORNER: Anyone for yabbying?


139th EDITION. 2012

IF hearing the word culture teleports you back to the ‘90s and the crooning of Kiwi boy band Kulcha, perhaps a night at the theatre might help erase “Boom shaka sha-ka jam” permanently from your brain.

While FIFO, 4WDs and XXXX might be easily recognisable mining bedfellows, the attraction between mining and the arts may not at first be so readily apparent.

Touring Central Queensland in June, Tales of the Underground is an evening of three short plays about mining.

Tales of the Underground examines the social impacts of mining through the expe-riences of three playwrights-in-residence in the ex-boom gold mining towns of Mount Morgan, Mount Perry and Cracow.

Given only three weeks, the playwrights uncovered the stories that shaped the his-tory of these communities – tales of vision,

dedication, sacrifice and madness – and examined what can be learned from these mining towns of the past.

Rod Ainsworth, creative producer and one of the three playwrights, spent his three-week residency at the Cracow pub soaking up a sense of the place, and helped himself to a slice of local life by volunteer-ing on the meals on wheels run.

“I spent my time listening to locals, hear-ing their tales of fortune and flop and really exploring what makes Cracow tick now that the mining boom is over,” Mr Ainsworth said.

“At its peak the town centre was littered with cafes and shops and the closure of the gold mine, which was established here in 1931, meant it became a bit of a ghost town, but is rebounding now that a new mine was opened in 2004,” he said.

According to Mr Ainsworth, mining was

an obvious theme to explore as it is such an inescapably hot topic.

With all of the emotional and political cla-mour surrounding the mining industry, Mr Ainsworth believes the beauty of the project is that no moral judgements are made.

“We are just telling three different sto-ries, presenting three different emotion-al worlds. It is about the emotional truth of the characters and their communities and it is for the audience to make up their own minds as to what that might ultimately mean,” he said.

Bringing these stories of love and isolation together are two of Queensland’s best actors, Hayden Spencer and Louise Brehmer.

The need to change characters rapidly is the biggest challenge in performing the trio of plays according to Mr Spencer.

“Each play is in a different style – a dif-

ferent way of telling the story – so each time you visit a play you have to change your headspace,” Mr Spencer said.

Asked what audiences could look for-ward to, Mr Spencer said they could expect to be treated to a cavalcade of wildly differ-ing performances, including a talking goat called Clara, a tall one-eyed man unearth-ing demons of the past and a woman stuck at the bottom of the world.

“Initially they’re going to be laughing heaps with this story of the showman and a goat who are going to tell the tale of love.

“And then they’re going to turn on a six-pence and things are going to get very heavy and dark and very intriguing – they’re going to enter a completely different world.

“Rounded all off with a wonderful, poet-ic, lyrical play which is full of love, life and loss all in one. It’ll be a five-course meal that’s for sure!” he said.

So if you think theatre is just a pack of artsy fartsy, airy fairy, namby pamby non-sense, a frequent coarse language warning should help convince you that this ‘culture’ belongs in your world.

OFF sHIFT

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NEWS YOU WON’T GET ANYWHERE ELSE

Get a bit of culture up ya

Cracow, Mount Perry and Mount Morgan communities have provided the inspiration for the three plays on tour, ‘The Showman, The Goat and the Girl with the Sea in her Eyes’ by Victoria Carless , ‘The Tall Man’ by Angela Betzien, ‘The Extraordinary Fall of Wheezer Hennessy’ by Rod Ainsworth.

TOUR DATES:

BUNDABERG Friday 22 June, the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre

MT PERRY Saturday 23 June, Mt Perry Hall

THEODORE Wednesday 27 June, Theodore RSL Hall

TAROOM Thursday 28 June, Taroom Town Hall

MT MORGAN Friday 29 June, Mt Morgan School of Arts

ROCKHAMPTON Saturday 30 June, Walter Reid Cultural Centre Auditorium

Louise Brehmer and Hayden Spencer get into character for the upcoming Tales of the Underground production while in rehearsal at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art.


139th EDITION. 2012

For those too busy or embarrassed to ask the important questions about their healthEXPERT ADVICE

Tammy Farrell is a registered nurse, nutritionist and author of ‘The Real Man’s Toolbox – A DIY Health Manual for Men’. Tammy grew up in the Hunter Valley with two brothers in the local coal mines. In 2007, she started to give health talks in the Hunter, and that’s when she began compiling the book, helping hundreds of men answer questions about their bodies.

EVERY hour more than five men die prematurely in Australia from potentially preventable illnesses, yet more than one-third of men have not seen a doctor in the past year!

June 11-17 was Men’s Health Week so what better way to celebrate than for all you blokes to get your friendly GP for a full health check – think of it as like taking your car in for a full serv-ice at the mechanics!

Research shows that Aussie men, on average, have a shorter life expectancy than their female counterparts, dying at 78.7 years while women tend to live on until 83.7 years.

Unfortunately many men tend to put any health concerns they have on the backburner until it’s too late.

If you have a concern about a health issue, men, now is the time to speak up and get help.

According the Department of Health and Ageing, men under 75 years are almost three times more likely to die from coronary heart disease, stroke and vascular disease.

Aussie men also have the second highest rate of bowel cancer in the world and fall prey to suicide and road accidents in alarming numbers.

Here are just some of the health checks you should get:

Prostate: All blokes aged over 50 and those over 40 with a family histo-ry of prostate cancer should be tested annually. Some 20,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in this country.

Mind: If left untreated depression can lead to family breakdowns, a low quality of life and suicide. Seek help for diagnosis and treatment options.

Skin: Skin cancer is rife among men. Almost twice as many Aussie men die of skin cancer than women. An annual skin check-up is a must.

Smoking: Smoking causes about 90 per cent of lung cancer death in men. It’s time to quit. Your GP can help you with a quit program.

Obesity: More than two thirds of you are overweight or obese. Obesity can spark a multitude of health problems from coronary heart disease through to Type 2 diabetes.

Alcohol: 72 per cent of men binge drink. Moderation is the key. If drink-ing is an issue for you, ask for help.

Bowel: If you have blood in your bowel motions, experience fatigue and weight loss, speak to your GP. Cancer of the bowel hits 14,000 people each year.

Until next time, Stay healthy, stay

informed.

YOur HealTH

Makes 18

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD: Tip: For a bit of spice, add some fresh chilli to the mixture

Fish Cakes

Zest Eatery Open 4.00pm to 8.00pm daily

CALLIOPE | COPPABELLA | DYSART | MIDDLEMOUNT | MORANBAH | NEBO

1300 732 911themac.com.au


139th EDITION. 2012

Dysart - not ready to lie down yet

Eagles numbers upCOACH of the struggling Dysart Bulls Peter White has encouraged the club’s sup-porters to stick with them and expect some big things from the team in the second half of the season.

“Keep on supporting the young fellas. There’s plenty of life in the team,” he said.

“They’re not ready to lay down and die yet.”

The Dysart Bulls were virtually unbeat-en in 2011 - except for the crushing grand final loss, which robbed them of a premier-ship that looked almost certainly to be theirs.

Ending a great season on such a bad note also probably contributed to a slow start this year.

They lost most of their 2011 team to retirement and work changes, and as a result they are currently sitting on the bot-tom of the table - tied with Blackwater.

While not making excuses for his side, coach White says the side playing this year is almost completely new.

That has meant finding the cohesion and

high completion rates they had last year has taken longer.

“Basically we are a young new side,” coach White said.

“We only have about three old-heads in the team this year, and like a lot of young teams we have struggled to get consistency on the park.

“The only time we have played a full 80 minutes of football was in the last game and we beat Emerald Cowboys 36 points to 18.

“But we are going to get better this sea-son, and we have set ourselves the goal of making the finals.”

Coach White identified Dane Reid, Mat-ty Shell and Captain Sean Macklin as three players who were providing the young team with “go forward and leadership”.

Looking at the other teams in the com-petition, he identified Clermont as the team he felt was most likely to make a claim on the premiership.

Although he also said the Emerald Tigers had managed an enormous turn around on their performances in 2011.

THE Emerald Eagles soccer club has reached a major milestone this week that will benefit their seniors for years to come.

The club now has more than 200 juniors playing soccer - more than double of what it had on its books last year.

What the Eagles have tried to achieve this year has been more than just fielding two Emerald-based sides in the Central Queensland Premier League - a big task on its own.

It has tried to single-handedly raise the profile of soccer in Central Queensland - a region best known for its rugby league cul-ture.

Media officer, player and sometime coach James Barley says it has been a huge amount of work.

“Yes, it has been a lot of work for the six or seven people within the club who have been regularly involved,” he said.

“We made a decision to go with a small-er number of people doing a lot rather than a large number of people doing a lit-tle, because we felt that was the best way to

ensure things are getting done.“We are putting together a U17’s devel-

opment squad that we hope will feed into the seniors and rescue some of the talent-ed U14, U15 and U16s who might normally drop out of the sport.

“And as far as the seniors are concerned, last weekend was the first game we have had in about a month, and we are still sit-ting at about sixth or seventh in A-grade and about eigth in reserves.

“Obviously we would like to be high-er, but given all the challenges of travelling and shift work, I think we have done really well to have a squad of 30 or 40 to play eve-ry weekend.

“I don’t know what changes there will be to the competition next year, but I do know that we will be back again, and all this work we have done branding ourselves will pay dividends.”

The Eagles have an away game against Berserker this weekend in Rockhampton, before two home games on the trot against Southside and Centrals.

www.riotintocoalaustralia.com.au

We support a range of local projects through the Clermont Region,

Kestrel Mine, and Hail Creek Mine Community Development Funds.

For more information contact:

• Clermont Region - Alissa Gordon on 07 4988 3505

• Kestrel Mine - Maureen Tutton on 07 4984 7694

• Hail Creek Mine - Marie Cameron on 07 4951 6437

Rio Tinto Coal Australia is proud to be a part of the Clermont, Emerald, Capella, Nebo, Sarina, Mirani and Mackay communities.

The Hail Creek Mine Community Development Fund is pleased to partner with Mackay District Special School to support the Library Training Programme.

This initiative provides students with special needs the opportunity to develop skills to pursue paid or voluntary careers at local, public, TAFE or university libraries.

The programme includes assisting students in fi nding work experience in commercial offi ces such as the Rio Tinto Mackay Offi ce.

sPOrT

CommUnitY CALenDArsporT evenT daTe venue

Rugby league Blackwater v Clermont 23/6/12 Blackwater

Rugby League Dysart v Middlemount 23/6/12 Dysart

Rugby league Bluff v Cowboys 23/6/12 Bluff

Rugby League Pirates v Tigers 16/6/12 Tieri

Rugby League Moranbah Miners v souths (rescheduled ladies Day) 23/06/12 Moranbah

Rugby Union Moranbah v Capella 23/6/12 Tieri

Rugby Union Clermont v Rolleston 23/6/12 Rolleston

Soccer Emerald v Southside 30/6/12 Emerald

Soccer Emerald v Centrals 7/7/12 Emerald

What’s happening in your sport? Call Shift Miner 07 4921 4333The wet and miserable weekend didn’t stop competitors giving their best shot in the Moranbah Bronze Title Camp Draft recently.


139th EDITION. 2012

What’s happening in SpORT in your town?

Winds of change for industrial sailing clubNOT even the historic Port Curtis Yacht Club at Gladstone is immune from the winds of change that have swept Queens-land’s fastest growing town.

As the Gladstone Harbour foreshore is redeveloped there are plans that could see the historic clubhouse replaced for some-thing more modern.

Meanwhile the CSG boom has delivered a spike in sailing participation and a wind-fall for the clubs finances.

“Yes we have been getting more and more people coming down to the sailing club looking for a ride on a boat,” Commo-dore of the PCYC Jeff Paul said.

“We now have our adult learn-to-sail classes running on a continual basis, reflect-ing the increased number of people new to town who are wanting to get involved.

“So much so that we are starting to wear out our volunteers.

“If there is anyone new to town, or work-ing on the island, who have qualifications or sailing experience, we would love you to come down and give us a hand.”

Financially the club has benefited from increased turnover from the bar and bistro.

On the water it has received two new

sailing dinghies and a start boat courtesy of CSG company QGC and a rigid inflatable boat courtesy of QLNG.

However, with the development of the harbour, the Gladstone Port Authority cur-rently has an action in the Supreme Court to overturn the heritage listing placed over the club house.

The GPC are taking the matter to court because the sailing club’s current footprint could possibly be included in stage two of the Eastern Creek development plans.

Many sailors are opposed to plans for a wholesale redevelopment of the iconic clubhouse, although they will concede that some changes at the site are required.

But the issues affecting the sport off the water hasn’t derailed competition on the water.

The club championship for the yachts this year came down to a controversial last race.

Going into the last race, an outright win by David Mann in his boat Situation Nor-mal would have guaranteed him an overall win in the club championship.

If he finished second or worse, and his nearest competitor Jeff Paul in his yacht Immigrant won, he would have lost the

Club ChampionshipOn the day of the final race, however,

winds were so light that no boat could finish the race in the allocated time, meaning that no result was recorded. This was despite the fact that Immigrant was in first place and Situation Normal in fourth.

Thus the coveted Club Championship

title went to David MannIn the dinghy classes Jackson Coop-

er won the club championship in his radial laser, and most improved was 55-year-old Maria Moulthard.

The sailing calendar will resume fully in September and interested newcomers are welcomed to get involved.

sPOrT

Changing conditions on Gladstone Harbour for sailors


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Unit prices down, but sales are upTHE number of units sold in Queensland to first home buyers and investors is well and truly up, and the price they are paying is down, according to the latest real estate data from the March quarter.

In fact, the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) has found that sales of units and townhouses are up by 11 per cent across the state compared to the December quarter last year.

The most enticing price bracket?

Between $250,000 and $350,000 - with sales in that area jumping by 22 per cent.

“This increase in more affordable unit and townhouse sales is being driven by demand from first home buyers and inves-tors, who often target properties at the low-er end of the market,” said REIQ CEO Anton Kardash.

In more good news for buyers, prices dropped in a number of areas due to this demand for more affordable properties.

In Central Queensland, Mackay the medi-an price of unit and townhouses plummeted by almost 13 per cent to $310,000. In Town-ville the price fell by 6.4 per cent to $286,000.

Further south, and the Fraser Coast and Bundaberg recorded drops of seven per cent and 8.6 per cent to sit at $251,000 and $245,000 respectively.

Brisbane’s median unit and townhouse price fell by 3.1 per cent to $387,500 - but sales were up by more than 20 per cent.

On the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coasts the beachside suburbs recorded the biggest increase in sales including Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach in the south, and Moolool-aba and Noosaville in the north.

The Sunshine Coast also bucked the trend of lower median prices, with a rise of 2.2 per cent to $332,250.

The news wasn’t so good in Cairns, where the unit market continued to strug-gle and sales fell by a third.

A snapshot of Queensland’s unit & townhouse market

Location Median sale March ‘12

Quarterly change (%)

Median sale 12 months March ‘12

Fraser Coast $251,000 -7.0 $276,900

Bundaberg $245,000 -8.6 $271,000

Gladstone $358,250 5.1 $370,000

Rockhampton $284,000 -1.2 $285,000

Mackay $310,000 -12.7 $316,000

Townsville $286,000 -6.4 $315,000

Cairns $212,500 -1.2 $222,000

Brisbane $365,000 -2.9 $373,000

WHAT’S HOT: Units in the $250,000 to $350,000 price range, like these in Mackay, are selling well


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THEY’VE been on the sidelines now for a couple of years, just waiting for the right “time” to enter the market.

No, we’re not talking about your wife’s divorced friends - we’re talking about first home buyers.

The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows first home buyers accounted for one in five homes financed in April in Queensland.

That’s up by 35 per cent on the same time last year.

According to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) chairman Pamela Ben-nett, the high interest rates of 2010 coupled with the removal of the First Home Owners Boost (FHOB) around the same time saw many first home buyers stay away.

“There is little doubt that the FHOB was a successful policy during the GFC which brought the buying decisions of many first home buyers forward and helped to underpin our market during uncertain times,” she said.

“It has taken a few years for underly-

ing demand from first-timers to strength-en once again and that is what we are now starting to see in the market.”

If you are thinking about buying your first home - and apparently you’re not the only one - there are plenty of reasons to jump into the market now.

Interest rates are significantly down, there is a $7000 First Home Owners Grant on offer and stamp duty concessions of up to $15,000 available.

Houses prices in Queensland are much more affordable than they were several years ago - and compared with other states.

“The REIQ median house price for Brisbane is $425,000 compared to $641,000 in Sydney and $535,000 in Melbourne,” said Ms Bennett.

“Our regional centres also offer plenty

of affordable property with Cairns, Rock-hampton, the Fraser Coast, Bundaberg and Toowoomba all having median house prices of $350,000 or less.”

Unit prices down, but sales are up They’re back! First home buyers find their feet

“Interest rates are significantly down, there is a $7000 First Home Owners Grant on offer and stamp duty concessions of up to

$15,000 available. Houses prices in Queensland are much more affordable than they were several years ago - and compared with other states.”


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WHAT is financial freedom? For most peo-ple, winning millions of dollars in the lotto would be necessary for them to feel finan-cially free while others would consider them-

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However, the real benefit of this process is the peace of mind that you gain by know-ing how much money you need and having a workable plan to get there.

Defining what financial freedom means to you removes the stress of not knowing where you are heading, and having some vision of the end result provides motiva-tion when times are tough. Of course, having your definition in writing (somewhere you can often refer back to!) is key to maintain-ing your focus.

If you want to define where you want to be financially, you need to clarify the differ-ence between happiness and wealth – a fine balance. This is not to say that wealthy peo-ple are not happy; some people just need more wealth to be happy than others!

So, what makes you happy? What do you enjoy doing? You need to understand the activities, possessions, relationships and pas-sions that resonate with you, because finan-cial freedom will be having sufficient wealth

to enjoy these things as often as you desire. Clearly, to be able to do that you need a

certain amount of wealth, and this is how you should be defining financial freedom: sufficient wealth to enable you to enjoy your heart’s desires. Once you know the end result, you need to come up with a definite plan to achieve this result (and don’t forget, the timeframe you want to do this in is a big consideration).

You will more than likely need some expert assistance to make sure your plan is viable and to help you keep on track. You also need to ensure that your plan is written in language you can understand. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – it’s a lot less painful to learn from mistakes that other people have made, and the time you save in achieving your goal will be well worth the investment.

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