It’s been a hectic few months topped off with another successful Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo. I certainly hope everyone enjoyed the Rodeo Week of entertainment as much as I did. From the street festival featuring Jessica Mauboy, to the rough and tumble of the rodeo arena, I don’t think anyone left disappointed. Our thanks goes to everyone involved in this event, the biggest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Congratulations to professional bull rider 23-year-old Nathan Burtenshaw of Coonamble, NSW, who took the Isa Rodeo Buckle. Hats off to Champion All Around Cowgirl, Elley Hulls, and Champion All Around Cowboy, Shane Kenny. Well done also to this year’s Rodeo Queen, Moz Miller and Charity Queen, Alison Gibbs and entrants Caitlynd Gardner and Samantha Eaton. There was a cast of fantastic stars of the future at the Outback Youth Has Talent quest, featuring Timomatic on the judging panel. Well done to everyone, especially the winners, 12-year-old modern jazz dance duo, Maddison Dolzan and Willow Shaw.

In other news, we have completed the next stage of sewage augmentation works. That may not sound exciting, but it means we now have a lot more re-cycled water to keep the city’s parks and gardens green, even in drought. In an environment like ours, its vital we use our water wisely and this is smart technology.

As a council, we are working hard to ensure Mount Isa continues to be a great place to live, with a focus on growth, renewal and innovation. The budget and the economic development strategy released in July is all about giving current and future generations new job and business opportunities. While we will always have mining as a backbone, Mount Isa has the capability to develop new industries around tourism, education, agriculture and more. Being between Darwin and Townsville makes us the perfect northern Australia hub for a range of services. A new freight transport hub is just one of the projects we are working to make reality.

Before I go, thanks to everyone who helped at the Great Northern Clean-Up; also to the Kalkadoon community and Indigenous artist Sheree Blackley for the new reconciliation mural (pictured) at the Mount Isa Fun Park precinct. It’s a wonderful piece of work. Until next time.

Mount Isa mayor Joyce McCulloch