Hervey Bay Gossip

At 5am this morning the Bureau of Meteorology advised that Tropical Cyclone Monica was located 150 kms east northeast of Lockhart River and was moving in a generally westerly direction at 15 km/h

The eye of the cyclone, with wind gusts up to 220 km/h, is expected to cross the coast close to the Lockhart River settlement lat this morning. The cyclone is still expected to cross Cape Yourk Peninsula and move into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

A new telecommunictions tower is being erected up on Ghost Hill. The work of setting the tower in place as well under way yesterday when Ben May was on hand to take this photo.

With over 205,000 registered vessels in Queensland and a growth rate of 5% the number of derelict or abandoned vessels is becoming a problem.

New legislation will soon be introduced into State Parliament aimed at giving Maritime Safety Queensland increased powers to deal with these ghost ships.

Follow the link to read more about the new legislation to help battle ghost ships.

We early baby boomers tend to forget what it was like to go on a motoring holiday back in the 1950’s. There was no air-conditioning to keep everyone cool, there wasn’t much space in the boot for luggage and the old Morrie was never going to get us where we wanted to go in a hurry.

So seeing this old girl with the Globite bags on the roof was like a blast from the past

This early Morris Minor was part of the display of veteran cars during last Saturday’s street party.

I’ve been bumming around the Net since 1996 when I built my very first and very forgetable website that looked at rail and road transport in Tasmania.

Back then the idea that the Internet could grow into the incredible thing it is today was still only a dream to most of us who were trying the new medium.

But now the Internet is a way of individuals communicating with the world. Anyone with a computer and a modem can get online and invite others to look into their world.

One person who is doing just that right here in Hervey Bay is Ben May and you can find his site at http://www.benmay.org - it’s definitely worth taking a look into Ben’s world.

Police Minister Judy Spence said a new bill that she will introduce to State Parliament this week will give police extra powers and reduce onerous paperwork, enabling them to spend more time on the beat.

Ms Spence said the measures were contained in the bill (Police Powers and Responsibilities and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2006) and had been designed to address administrative issues and free up more police time for operational duties.

Ms Spence said two key changes would occur in the policing of domestic violence and in watchhouse duties.

“Domestic violence is not acceptable, and the Beattie Government remains committed to alleviating the effects of it on its victims,” Ms Spence said.

“However domestic violence is a major part of first response policing, and I have been keen to introduce new laws that will provide a more rapid response to victims, and improve the processes for police.

“This new bill will enable police to issue a ‘notice to appear’ to start a domestic violence application, instead of first having to make an arrest or serve a summons.

“This step is expected to save many hours of police time.

“In addition, if a detention for a ‘cooling off’ period is used, a police officer will be able to use a holding cell at a police station instead of having to transport the respondent to a watchhouse.

“This step also has the potential to save hours in police time spent travelling.”

Ms Spence said the Queensland Police Union of Employees had expressed concerns to her about the administrative time spent by police on domestic violence matters, and said this was the first step in addressing those concerns.

Ms Spence said the new bill also included changes in watchhouse officers’ functions and powers, which would also help free up more police time for operational duties.

“This bill provides specific powers to watchhouse officers to enable them to carry out many of the functions presently restricted to police officers,” Ms Spence said.

“This is not unlike the powers currently exercised by Corrective Services officers in jails.

“Under this bill, watchhouse officers will be able to search prisoners and visitors, allow restricted entry of people to watchhouses, control the movement of prisoners within and between watchhouses, and to take identifying particulars and DNA samples.

“They will take on many of the functions that police officers are currently doing, which will release police to perform other operational duties.”

The State Government has now released a detailed marine park zoning plan covering an area from Baffle Creek in the north to Double Island Point in the south and includes all of the coastal waters around Fraser Island.

Under the plan open water fish farms have been banned, commercial fishing has been protected and recreational fishermen will still be able to access most of their favourite spots.

Commercial net and line fishing will still be permitted off most of Fraser Island. Recreational fishing only will be permited at Southern Gutters and 25 Fathom Hole and along the eastern coastline of Fraser Island.

Areas of southern Hervey Bay and parts of Platypus Bay will be protected from trawling but will still be open to other forms of commercial fishing.

The new plan will be reveiwed in five years.

Fuel prices have just risen to over $US70.00 a barrel so be prepared for another rise in fuel prices at the bowser. Experts are suggesting that Australian prices will be around $1.40 within 7 days.

At 4.40am this morning the Bureau of Meteorology reported that Tropical Cyclone Monica had increased in intensity and was now rated as a Category 2 storm.

The centre of the cyclone as located approimately 540 km east of Lockhard River and a Cyclone warning has been declared for coastal and island communities between Torres Strait and Cape Flattery with a Cyclone watch extending south to Cooktown.

Tropical Cyclone Monica is expected to intensify and continue on a generally westward path over the next 24 to 48 hours. The cyclone is expected to cross Cape Yourk Peninsula and continue on into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Yet another tropical cyclone has formed off the Queensland coast and is currently situated approximately 620 kilometres north-east of Cooktown.

Currently the cyclone is rated as a category 1 but the a senior forecaster at the Weather Bureau says that it is gaining in intensity and could be a rated as a severe tropical cyclone by the time it hits the coast on Wednesday.

Tropical Cyclone Monica is currently moving in a westerly direction.