Hervey Bay Gossip

The tropical cyclone outlook for the next three days, issued by the Queensland Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre at 2.30pm today, reports that the potential for a tropical cyclone to develop along the monsoonal trough over northern Australia is high.

Currently there are three lows along the trough with the one furthest to the east - south of Papua New Guinea - being identified as the one with the greatest potential to turn into a tropical cyclone on Wednesday or Thursday.

This low is currently moving west-southwest at around 5 knots.

In case you haven’t noticed it there has been some increased sabre rattling going on in the Middle East. Little George (who couldn’t win a fight with a blow-up doll) has now decided to get tough with Iran and that’s going to push the price of oil up in the weeks ahead.

While economists are expecting a modest rice at the bowser of around three or four cents recent history shows that the greed factor will possibly make it go higher.

You may not be able to save money on fuel

But you can save heaps on the cost of a new car

The Department of Natural Resources and Water released the 2007 land valuations today. A total of 38 local government areas were reviewed for this year and Hervey Bay was one of them.

Land values for residential properties in Hervey Bay have gone up by 20% and you can see all the details - on a suburb by suburb basis - here

The Sunday Mail seemed to take great delight in announcing yesterday that a design fault was keeping Brisbane’s new trains - built over at Maryborough by EDI - out of service and suggested that the new trains were unlikely to appear any time soon.

However the reality is that the introduction of any new train rarely goes without some hitches and teething problems and no one but journalists seem to expect that it will. The airconditioners are only one of a number of problems that have come to light during pre-delivery testing of the new trains.

Each one of these problems will be rectified by the builders before the trains are handed over to Queensland Rail and delivery seems to be within the agreed timeframe.

The Sunday Mail suggested that the delivery deadline for the new trains was now expected to blow out  from an “early 2007 deadline” but late yesterday the Minister suggested that the trains could be in service within the next four weeks.

One of the new sets photographed in the yard at Maryborough
West in November last year.

Dr Robert Adler was totally unknown in Hervey Bay, in fact Dr Robert Adler was virtually unknown in most parts of the world … and yet many homes throughout the world have an indispensable piece of equipment that Dr Robert Adler helped invent.

Because here in Hervey Bay we live in a relatively affluent part of the world it’s quite likely that almost every house here in Hervey Bay has that vital piece of equipment. And what might that piece of equipment might be?

Yes, Dr Robert Adler was one of the people who invented the TV remote control.

According to yesterday’s Courier Mail Hollywood is coming to Hervey Bay next month.

It seems that the production crew for Fools Gold will be in Hervey Bay next month to shoot the last scenes for the movie.

You can read all about it right here 

The local authorities do a lot of things to market Hervey Bay and we residents could a lot to help in those marketing efforts.

But I bet no one has thought of marketing Hervey Bay this way  - The Guerilla Tourism Board

A hat tip to Seth’s Blog for the story

Hervey Bay City Council have been busy adding a new feature to the joint bikeway/footpath on the Esplanade over the last few weeks.

Exercise stations have been appearing at regular intervals along the pathway. Each station is fitted with two pieces of equipment that are free for anyone to use. Instructions are provided on plaques adjacent to each piece of equipment.

These two photos were taken at two stations located near Aquavue at Torquay.

In Hervey Bay, where every second person seems to own a boat of some description - and some people own several, the Police Minister has something important to say.

Police Minister Judy Spence has issued a wake-up call to Queensland boaties after receiving a poor report card from water police following the annual ‘Summer Safe’ campaign.

Ms Spence said the annual blitz of Queensland’s waterways during December and January showed boaties continue to take too many risks while out on the water by failing to carry prescribed safety equipment.

“Simple safety precautions such as taking suitable Personal Floatation Devices or Commercial standard life-jackets, EPIRBS and flares on board, and teaching passengers how to use them, can save lives,” Ms Spence said.

“However, during the past two months, of the total 5874 vessels intercepted, 1340 infringement notices were issued for failing to carry the right safety equipment.

“Boaties who don’t carry the appropriate safety gear on board their vessel risk a $150 fine.

“Out on the water, conditions can change very quickly and it’s vital that boaties and their passengers are prepared for all possibilities. Operators must also ensure vital equipment including radios, navigation lights and engines are in good working order.”

Ms Spence said she was disappointed with the results, which were similar to those from last year’s summer holiday water blitz.

Ms Spence said 5601 recreational vessels and 273 commercial vessels were intercepted by water police units during December 2006 and January 2007.

“Fortunately, the message is getting through about not drinking and operating watercraft, as only 13 recreational skippers and four commercial skippers were charged with drink driving-related offences,” Ms Spence said.

“However simple safety measures continue to be overlooked.”

Laura Cecelia Ruttiman passed away here in Hervey Bay on February 18 at the Bayhaven Nursing Home. Mrs Ruttiman was 103.

The funeral service will be held tomorrow at St Johns Anglican Church Hervey Bay and will commence at 10.30am.