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Mayor’s Christmas Appeal launches to help locals in need

Local can help locals with ease this festive season with the new-look Mayor’s Christmas Appeal.

Townsville City Council has revamped the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal to help make it simpler to donate directly to local community organisations that are making a difference across the city.

Mayor Jenny Hill said Christmas time was about connecting with family and community, as well as a time to give to those less fortunate.

“The Mayor’s Christmas Appeal this year is focussed on putting the spotlight on the wonderful charities across our city that work hard all year round to support locals,” Cr Hill said. “We have developed a campaign to showcase these groups more widely and have also developed a website with information and links to local charities and organisations for people to provide their support and donations directly. By generously giving to these organisations people will be able to support locals in need during Christmas.”

Cr Hill said Christmas was the perfect time to connect community, especially following a tough year.

“Our city has had a few challenging years, with the unprecedented monsoon last year and coronavirus this year,” she said.

“It’s more important now than ever for our community to come together to support each other. It’s as easy as checking the website and asking what you can give to help make Christmas brighter for everyone in our city.

“You can donate money, gifts, or food by heading to mayorschristmasappeal.com.au.

“The organisations and charities involved are in close contact with those in need across the city, so this is a great way to ensure that they are getting the right kinds of donations this Christmas season.”

For more information, head to mayorschristmasappeal.com.au.

Flinders Lane open to the community this Sunday!

Construction on a brand new Melbourne-esque laneway in Townsville’s CBD is complete and open to the community from this Sunday.

Flinders Lane, which has been delivered in partnership with Martin Locke Constructions, links the central business district to the Bus Hub, Queensland Country Bank Stadium and City Lane precinct.

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the laneway would provide the community with more premier eating and entertainment experiences.

“Flinders Lane has been a highly anticipated project and I’m thrilled the construction is complete and we can open it to the community,” Cr Hill said.

“This development will complement the existing City Lane which is already quite popular among both residents and tourists.

“Now that Flinders Lane is open, it will be the major thoroughfare from the CBD to the Bus Hub, Palmer Street and the Stadium precinct.

“I look forward to seeing what future dining and retailing experiences will be brought to the Lane and how it transforms the CBD.”

Developer Martin Locke said his team was proud to have worked together with Council to deliver the project, and excited to showcase Flinders Lane across opening weekend.

“Flinders Lane is a great example of how the private and public sector can come together and achieve special things,” Mr Locke said.

“Our vision was to seamlessly combine our two properties to create an outcome whereby both the community, and in time my tenant partners would benefit.”

Flinders Lane has ramp access, a stepped seating amphitheatre, performing stage, synthetic grassed area and a balcony boardwalk overlooking the lane, as well as extensive lighting features including the Halo chandelier.

“It’s a small but important project because of its location and ability to connect and activate the CBD,” Mr Locke said.

“Our opening night tonight, will bring together 250 community leaders, business people with our trade and supply partners to celebrate the achievement and really show what Flinders Lane can bring to Townsville as a drawcard, not only for those living and working in the CBD, but for all residents.

 

Mr Locke said he was being very selective with his preferred tenant partners to ensure only those who share his vision for Flinders Lane are involved.

 

Announcements are expected to be made prior to Christmas.

Community living reimagined by Townsville student

An Oonoonba State School student has won top honors in a state-wide competition that encouraged students to create and plan their perfect community.

 

Grade 3 student Victor Jensen has recently presented a $2,500 cheque by Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill for his winning entry in the Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) Better Communities competition.

 

The Better Communities competition challenged primary and high school-aged students to build a community while balancing realistic economic, environmental and community factors.

 

Cr Hill said Victor had a promising career in town planning ahead of him.

 

“The judges commended Victor on the great look and feel of his community, especially the range of housing types and good access to services and parks,” Cr Hill said.

 

“You never know – one day Victor might join the team at Townsville City Council working to make our city an even better place to live and work.”

 

Students used the Better Communities simulation game – which the LGAQ developed with award-winning Queensland game development studio Bail! Enemy Jet and local communications experts Articulous – as the platform to create their entries.

 

LGAQ CEO Greg Hallam said: “The entries we received from across the state showed a lot of creativity and innovative thinking. Town planning and civic leadership require out of the box thinking and it is clear there is a lot of ingenuity and big ideas out there in Queensland’s schools.”

 

The competition judges were former Attorney-General, former Minister for Local Government and lecturer in Strategic Metropolitan and Transport and Infrastructure Planning Paul Lucas, planner and University of Queensland School of Earth and Environmental Sciences associate lecturer Laurel Johnson, and LGAQ CEO Greg Hallam AM.

 

Queensland Border Restrictions

Queensland puts restrictions on Sydney travelers

Queensland has today declared the greater Sydney area a COVID-19 hotspot, following increasing cases across the NSW capital.

Today, 34 (31 new plus three previously declared) local government areas have been declared hotspots by the Chief Health Officer Dr. Jeannette Young, meaning as of 1 am Saturday, August 1, people who have been there within the last 14 days will be turned away at our border unless they are residents.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said community transmission had increased.

“We have seen more cases of community transmission spreading across a wider area of Sydney,” The Premier said.

“This includes areas frequented by tourists, travelers, and large numbers of Sydney locals.

“Throughout this pandemic, we have acted quickly to put the health of Queenslanders first.

“And that’s what we’re doing here.”

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Steven Miles said that since the weekend, cases of community transmission had arisen in Potts Point, the local government area that included Kings Cross.

“While overall case numbers in NSW have remained reasonably stable – between 10 to 20 a day – there are more cases, across more areas with an unknown source of infection.

“As of Friday, if you come from Sydney or anywhere in Victoria, you will be turned away at the border or be required to quarantine if you’re a Queensland resident.”

Dr. Young recommended any Queenslanders currently in these hotspots to make their way home before 1 am Saturday.

“If you are in Sydney please take this opportunity to come home to the safety of Queensland,” Dr Young said.

“If an area where you are staying or visiting is suddenly declared a hotspot while you are there, once you return to Queensland, you will have to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel at your own expense,” she said.

The only exception to this is people who are needed in Queensland for essential purposes and Queensland residents – these people can enter the state but will be required to quarantine in government-provided accommodation at their expense.

“Our job is to protect Queenslanders and, given the situation in Sydney and in Victoria, we need to implement tough measures.”

The fees for two weeks of accommodation, meals, and room cleaning are $2,800 for one adult; $3,710 for two adults in the same room; and $4,620 for two adults and two children in the same room.

For more information about public health directions, visit www.health.qld.gov.au.

Dr. Young encouraged all Queenslanders to remember hygiene basics, stay home if they were unwell, and to come forward and get tested if they had any symptoms.

ENDS

Media contact – Amy Hunter 0423 651 484

NSW declared hotspots as at 1 am August 1, 2020. This includes LGAs already declared.

Bayside
Blacktown City
Blue Mountains City
Burwood
Camden
Campbelltown City
Canada Bay City
Canterbury-Bankstown
Central Coast
Cumberland
Fairfield City
Georges River
Hawkesbury City
Hornsby Shire
Hunter’s Hill Municipality
Inner West
Ku-ring-gai
Lane Cove Municipality
Liverpool City
Mosman Municipality
North Sydney
Northern Beaches
Parramatta City
Penrith City
Randwick City
Ryde City
Strathfield Municipality
Sutherland Shire
Sydney City
The Hills Shire
Waverley
Willoughby City
Wollondilly Shire
Woollahra City

Care Army Journey Begins in Townsville

Here at YWAM Townsville, we are helping to extend the reach of Queensland’s Care Army across the state’s north by coordinating our local volunteers to provide much-needed support to seniors through the pandemic. The Minister for Communities and Minister for Disability Services and Seniors and Member for
Mundingburra Coralee O’Rourke visited us today to see first-hand the role we are playing in rolling out the Care Army in Townsville.

The Care Army was announced on April 1 by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, as a way to look out for those most at risk from COVID-19. Mrs O’Rourke said the Care Army’s main aim was to help seniors stay home and stay safe.

“We know that people who are aged over 70, 65 years and older with a chronic health condition or over 50 if they’re of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent are particularly at risk of serious complications from this virus,” she said. “The Care Army plays a crucial role in making sure older Queenslanders have enough food, access to all their medication needs, and are able to stay socially connected while isolating in their homes.

Here at YWAM we play a key role in coordinating the Care Army in Townsville, working with local community groups to pinpoint the greatest need for volunteers. We will connect vulnerable Queenslanders to the volunteers and community groups that can deliver the requested support.

For more information, visit:  https://www.covid19.qld.gov.au/carearmy

Interview with Coralee O’Rourke Final .wav