s n r i a C
Local News
JANUARY 31, 2025
100% LOCALLY OWNED & INDEPENDENT
COV E R I N G M O S S M A N TO T H E C A S S OWA RY COAS T
l News
l Time Out
l Sport
Citizens of the year across the region
Penpusher’s life far from mundane
Diving in to raise money for surgical robot
Pages 4-6
Page 14
Page 23
On air for the people
No date for dump to reopen l PORTSMITH | Nick Dalton THE Portsmith transfer station and the Cairns Regional Council’s buy back shop are to remain closed until further notice after a fire last week badly damaged the Bedminster processing plant. Firefighters remain at the scene as the fire is still smouldering. There was no mention of the event at Wednesday’s council meeting, the first of the year. A council spokesman said kerbside collection of household rubbish was as normal and being processed before being trucked up the Kuranda Range to landfill south-west of Mareeba. The recycling system was not affected by the fire, he said. The spokesman said the closure of the transfer station and the shop was to “prioritise safety, allow management of the fire within the waste stockpile to ensure it does not reignite, and continue to process our kerbside waste collection”. He said the council had deployed additional staff to the Smithfield and Gordonvale transfer stations (open seven days a week from 8.30am to 5.15pm) to assist with potential extra demand. The spokesman said investigations were continuing into the cause of the fire. CONTINUED PAGE 9
cairnslocalnews.com.au
40 years of entertaining the Far North community l MANUNDA | Nick Dalton
Cairns FM89.1 volunteers and presenters (clockwise from bottom left) Anna Cito, Peter Ricketts, Alan Searle, Mike Friganiotis, Glenn Best, Brian Stevenson and Prapasiri Techo inside one of their Cairns TAFE studios at Manunda. Picture: Nick Dalton
A COMMUNITY radio station, which has been a mainstay of Cairns, is flourishing as it celebrates 40 years next week. Despite being to the brink at least three times, Cairns FM89.1 continues its 24/7 operations involving more than 100 volunteers from its Cairns TAFE base. All its broadcasters and other staff give their time free with just one full-time staff member. Its budget is just $200,000 a year and it relies on grants and donations from federal, state and local governments, as well as other organisa-
tions, with almost no advertising or sponsorships. President Brian Stevenson said the station, first known as 4CCR – the first local high fidelity stereo FM station – had overcome its share of challenges over the years, including financial pressures, volunteer shortages and growing competition from other local and national broadcasters. “But through it all, the station has remained a cornerstone of the community and continues to broadcast 24/7,” he said. “As we begin 2025, the station is thriving. We broadcast from our studios on the TAFE campus in Manunda and our programming has evolved.” CONTINUED PAGE 3
Providing high quality education and care Monday - Friday from 6:00am - 6:30pm. Located at 21-23 Robert Rd, Bentley Park. Small Steps Academy is a QLD Government Approved Kindergarten! Come in and meet our bachelor qualified kindergarten teachers Miss Nicole, Miss Leanne, Miss Jeein and Miss Carly!
www.smallsteps.au
admin@smallsteps.au
Call us now on (07) 4222 3325!