Ron McCullough is still fighting the good fight for the city of the Mount Isa and rolling up his sleeves for a big challenge. Mr McCullough has lived in the city for 60 years and he was mayor for 18 years from 1990 to 2008. He is now appointed chair of the city's 2023 100 Year Celebration advisory committee and he wants everyone to get involved. "We want to bring the wow factor back to Mount Isa," Mr McCullough said. "We need to re-energise the city and get people talking about the good side of Mount Isa. We want to be planning the next big thing." Mr McCullough said the anniversary celebration was an opportunity not just to create memorable events but set the city up to begin the second 100 years of its life after 2023.
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Repairs to the Mount Isa to Townsville line were completed on schedule, following a derailment of an Aurizon freight train near Charters Towers on Wednesday December 30. Queensland Rail's Acting CEO Kat Stapleton said by working in collaboration with Aurizon, a taskforce of 50 people repaired the line in less than a week, despite challenging wet weather conditions.
An old photo of Mount Isa Rodeo has sparked memories on social media. In January the Ansett Museum posted a photo of a Ansett ANA Boeing 727 coming into land behind the 1973 Rodeo. This was when the rodeo was held at Kalkadoon Park immediately north of the airport before being moved to Buchanan Park in 2007. Photographer Richard Mansell snapped the 1973 image in what was Mount Isa's golden jubilee year and it was also shared on the Mount Isa & District History and Heritage Facebook page.
Mount Isa community members came together on Australia Day to celebrate and thank the recipients of the 2021 Mount Isa Australia Day Awards. The Citizen of the Year is Bob Jakeman, who for many years has tirelessly and faithfully worked for the Mount Isa Touch Association, Mount Isa Leichhardt Lions Club, Town Rugby League Club and the Mount Isa Golf Club. Bob arrived in Mount Isa more than 45 years ago to play rugby league for the Town Leagues Club. Through his involvement as a player, committee member and builder of the club's clubhouse, he was eventually named a Townies life member. He still plays an integral role in keeping rugby league alive in Mount Isa and officiates rugby league games. He has also refereed, played and been a committee member of the Mount Isa Touch Association for many years, and helps keep their grounds in top condition. He is now the president of the Mount Isa Golf Club and dedicates his time to improving the club's facilities and course. While now retired, during his years running his building business, Jakeman Constructions, Bob gave generously to many sports and associations in Mount Isa in both monetary form and valuable building advice.
The Prime Minister visited North West Queensland saying the experience he learned here during the 2019 floods has helped the country deal with COVID-19. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in Cloncurry for a breakfast with local mayors and a visit to a property before he headed out of the region. Mr Morrison had a meet and greet with locals on his third visit as PM in two years (and another as treasurer) and he told his audience the experience in the region after the 2019 floods helped inform his government's response to disaster management. He also announced $11 million support to the CopperString 2.0 project to help progress the project to Final Investment Decision in 2021.
Colin Saltmere was one of more than 5500 people nominated for an Australian of the Year Award for 2021. he 62-year-old Camooweal native is a proud Indjalandji-Dhidhanu man who lives and works on his traditional country. Mr Saltmere has a long career helping develop Indigenous communities' skills and employability and he formed the Myuma Group 15 years ago after seeing first-hand the problems facing indigenous people while working at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
Urandangi residents could be forgiven for seeing treble around the school playground this year. Triplets Parker, Jasper, and Mackenzie Dunn have started school at the remote town making up a quarter of its pupils. The trio, soon to be turning four years old, will have plenty of moral support - dad Leigh Dunn is the Urandangi school principal.
Boulia has claimed country music fame, with one local receiving a Golden Guitar Award from the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Boulia grazier Ryan Garland was recognised for his contribution in writing Six Decks To Darwin, which received the prestigious award of Bush Ballad of the Year. The song was a collaboration alongside recording artist Dean Perrett and writers Kelly and Marion Dixon who all received a Golden Guitar/
The sixth Mount Isa Sign On Expo took place in February and over 60 community and sporting groups across the city are reaping the benefits of new members and new connections.
Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell has welcomed the announcement of the filming of Australian Survivor in his shire as"fantastic news". Season 6 of Australian Survivor produced by Endemol Shine Australia for Network 10 and hosted by Jonathan LaPaglia, will inject an estimated $14.6 million into the state's economy and create 150 jobs for Queensland crew.
Mount Isa's oldest born resident died in February. Arthur Morris died aged 90. He was the husband of Ann Morris, also aged 90. Mr Morris was born on August 3, 1930 on the banks of the Leichhardt River when Mount Isa itself was just six years old. His parents and their five children travelled by train in 1929 only months after the completion of the Duchess-Mount Isa railway extension of the Townsville rail line. Arthur married a widow, Anne Vardy and both were dedicated to Mount Isa through voluntary works.
A national hotel group Endeavour Group has snapped up The Barkly Hotel Motel in Mount Isa for an undisclosed sum. The group has bought the hotel from the privately owned Irvin Hotel Group who put it up for sale in 2018. Located at 55 Barkly Highway, Mount Isa the hotel is a multifaceted business consisting of gaming, food and beverage, drive through bottle shop and accommodation facilities.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
