Hervey Bay Gossip

Times are tough here in Hervey Bay and on the Fraser Coast; families and small businesses are struggling to survive as costs go up but income either remains the same or falls and now council rates are going up.

You would think that in times like these you might see some real attempts by the Fraser Coast Regional Council to rein in costs but it seems that such thinking is just plain delusional.

Here’s the story of an $80,000 vehicle for the council’s chief executive complete with very expensive added extras that, if you believe council are standard equipment but the motor industry says are not.

You might also wonder how someone who was only the interim CEO could have the confidence to order such a vehicle three months before he was confirmed in the job.

It will come as no surprise to local residents that rainfall along the Queensland coast in the last 24 hours has reached record levels.

Here in Hervey Bay we’ve had 22.8mm between 9am and 4.30 and some roads around town are partially covered by water. Potholes are also beginning to appear so it would be wise to drive a little cautiously if you’re out and about tonight and tomorrow.

The rain is expected to clear tomorrowand temperatures should reach 20C ahead of a more pleasant weekend.

At the Point Vernon end of The Esplanade last night the moon shining on the waters of Hervey Bay made a memorable site. Earlier in the evening the sunset over Point Vernon was stunning.

At the Torquay end of The Esplanade two people died around 11.30pm in what has been described as a “multi-car” pile up caused by a driver who police allege was both drunk and unlicensed. The driver has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

Just about a month ago we told about Hearty Foods, a new business here in Hervey Bay that had just opened it’s doors. You can find that story here.

Hearty Foods opened to supply fresh, ready made gourmet meals to both residents and visitors of Hervey Bay and business has really been booming. Business has been so good for Alex and Chantal thay they’ve expanded the range and now supply gourmet pies, vegan pies and high protein meals for bodybuilders and athletes.

You’ll find them at 7 Banksia Park Drive, Scarness and if you visit their website you can download their menu. They’ll deliver to homes and tourist accommodation throughout Hervey Bay or you can call in to their shop.

If you saw the local Channel 7 news on Friday night you will have seen the story about the new webcam installed on top of the Widelinx building just off Boat Harbour Drive Hervey Bay.

It would have been a nice but unremarkable story if the reported had restrained herself and not doused it with a lot of spin in an attempt to link it to the current rash of pedophile stories that are going around and so give it some notoriety. Sadly, in her effort to spin the story in that way the reporter failed to do much research into webcams - instead she went for the Shock! Horror! value and didn’t bother about the facts.

Fact
There are webcams just like the one on the Widelinx building all over Australia … and all over the world for that matter. They’re on beaches, high-rise buildings, tourist attractions and anywhere else that will attract interest. In fact there are already several webcams installed in Hervey Bay so this one is really nothing new.

There’s one on top of the Boat Club building at Urangan, it looks as though there’s another one on the same pole as the eagle’s nest at Point Vernon and there’s a fixed webcam on the wall of Aquavue at Torquay.

Webcams help to boost tourism, they show potential visitors … and potential residents … what it’s like to visit and live in the towns where the cameras are located and this one that has drawn so much criticism is going to do something more.

Fact
Our town is growing and one of the major traffic arteries - and throttle points - is covered by this cam. In a few years people will be logging on to that camera before they head for work to make sure that the roundabout isn’t blocked.

Fact
Ordinary users of the camera are limited to one-minute sessions and after that they are put back to the end of the queue so as more people both in and out of town use the camera there will be less chance for the camera to be misused.

Fact
This camera is going to be an invaluable tool for the local police. Today Automated Security - the business that installed the camera - have agreed to provide a direct feed to the local police and give them the power to over-ride the camera in case of emergency. All IP addresses of anyone who accesses the camera will be logged so that it will be possible to trace everyone who accesses the camera and everything that the camera sees will be recorded and made available to the police.

Instead of being some tool for perverts to use to spy on people this camera will become an important tool in the hands of the police.

When you know the facts suddenly this webcam in Hervey Bay isn’t so bad after all.

Olive Riley from Woy Woy in NSW became the world’s oldest blogger when she began recording her memories in February last year. She passed away yesterday aged 108.

Her last post to her blog was made on June 26.

You can read the full story here

Maryborough Sugar has announced that the 2008 crush will begin this week so expect to see some heavy vehicles around the roads in Hervey Bay and Maryborough.

Cutting in the Childers area and further north has been in progress for a couple weeks so if you’re heading north be prepared to stop at cane train crossings. A few seconds before this photo was taken the driver of the white car you see here behind the bus was trying to overtake the bus as the bus driver prepared to stop at the warning lights.

The shadow of the pier at Torquay looks like some strange flying contraption in this earling morning photo we grabbed yesterday morning.

This group of people were one a few of the many who found the beach in Hervey Bay the best place to be first thing in the morning.

There’s no doubt that it has been rather chilly here in Hervey Bay the last few mornings with 3.1 degrees being the lowest on Thursday morning. Fortunately the forecast is better for the next few with the possibility of a low of 14 and a high of 24 on Sunday and Monday.

The temperature at 5am this morning was 9C at the airport but with those temperatures ahead then places like Enzos on the beach at Scarness and Aquavue on the beach at Torquay are definitely going to be the places to kick back and relax this weekend.

Last week the State government held a Community Cabinet meeting here in Hervey Bay and here are the benefits for Hervey Bay that the Premier would like you to remember.

In the week since the Bligh Cabinet met in the Fraser Coast region outcomes are already flowing.

The State Government will contribute $30,000 to a new patient transfer facility for the Royal Flying Doctor Service at Hervey Bay, Premier Anna Bligh said yesterday.

Ms Bligh said that the funding boost will assist the Fraser Coast Council’s planned construction.

“I’m pleased that the Department of Emergency Services is supporting this project,” Ms Bligh said.

“This decision is one of the success stories of the Community Cabinet meeting held just five days ago.

“This facility will provide a more streamlined method of transferring patients from RFDS aircraft into Queensland Ambulance Service ambulances, which will ultimately mean a better service for Queenslanders.

“Upon listening to the deputation put forward by the Council and further investigation within the Department, we acted,” she said.

Member for Hervey Bay, Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation Andrew McNamara said it was a great decision for the region.

“In 2007, the Royal Flying Doctor Service made 550 landings at Hervey Bay Airport,” Mr McNamara said.

“I congratulate the Council on this initiative and the Department of Emergency Services for their support,” he said

The Premier said that there other examples of her government’s quick response.

Mr McNamara met Mrs (’Aunty’) Frances Gala’s regarding her application for a permit to conduct a ‘Women’s Business’ tour on Fraser Island.

“The application was taking too long. Aunty is a Butchulla elder and the President of the K’gari Corporation, managers of Fraser Island’s K’gari Educational and Culture Centre.

“Aunty Gala came to Community Cabinet to discuss her application and see if she could have her application processed faster,” said the Premier.
“Mr McNamara told Aunty Gala his department would do what it c ould to speed up the process.

“I can say today that the assessment of her application has been completed and formal approval will be issued on next Monday (14 July 2008.)”

The Information Notice accompanying the permit will include a number of sustainable activity conditions that still need to be discussed and agreed.

“Another success in the days since Community Cabinet is that the Department of Primary Industries is further investigating funding to help fishers be more efficient in their targeting of specific catches - especially Hervey Bay scallops.

“DPI believes that the more refined approach will cut catch wastage by up to 77% and greatly improve trawler fuel efficiency by reducing drag on their nets.

“As well a submission to Cabinet is being expedited so that by next month a redirection of funding to the fisheries sector will be in place to improve marketing and supply chain issues.

“This is a direct result of the emergenc y meeting held with the sector,” she said.