Cape York Weekly FREE – #274 | Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Editorial: lmortimer@region.com.au|Advertising: sales@region.com.au
New faces at TCHHS
INSIDE TODAY
INTERSECTION SLAMMED Page 3
COCKATOO BREAKTHROUGH Page 5
New Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service nursing graduates Amelya See Kee, Akaysia Boyle, Caitlin Sansom, Madi Kakogiannis, Mayvis Thompson and Amie-J Fookes. Photo: Torres and Cape HHS. Full story page 2.
LOVE FOR LODGE
by CHISA HASEGAWA
GETTING the golden gong at the Australian Tourism Awards never gets old, but for third-time winner Cape York Peninsula Lodge, it is so much more than just a win for the business. The community-owned organisation brought home gold in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences category at the 2025 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards earlier this month. Run by Bamaga Enterprises, the lodge
also won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences category at the 2024 edition of the coveted awards, and the 4-4.5 Star Accommodation category in 2023. Bamaga Enterprises executive officer Sharon Sloane said the announcement was a surprise year after year, especially with some tough competition in this year’s award season. “It’s definitely not something we take for granted,” she said. “We’ve done it in the past, but we thought we may not have been successful this year, so
it was a surprise and it was just the same surprise last year. “It’s still that mind-blowing moment of ‘we put Cape York on the map’ yet again.” Ms Sloane said the increase in competition was “bittersweet” – wanting to succeed as a business, but also to see Australian cultural tourism grow as a whole. “You really want to see other First Nations businesses thrive and succeed in tourism and cultural experiences, but then we win, it’s also a huge moment,” she said. – Continued page 3
AUSTRALIA DAY CELEBRATIONS Pages 8 & 9 BACKING FOR BOARDWALK Page 7
CAPE WOMEN CELEBRATED Pages 10-11
WHAT’S ON @ THE ALBY... MONDAY $18 PASTA
NIGHT
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