Moreton Border News - 6th March 2026

Moreton BorderNews

Drive-in drives away PAGE 32 MORETHAN26YEARSOFSERV

Friday,6March,2026

Not rare, yet rarely seen

INSIDE, we begin a photographic series on the native birds of Rosewood and surrounds. We’ll highlight the distinctive array of birds in our area, the need to protect our wetlands and forests and to consider planting native species in our gardens. With photography by LYLE RADFORD, we’ll add a short commentary on each.

NANKEEN NIGHT HERON

Notararebird,butrarelyseenasitfeeds at night in shallow waters. Nomadic, it follows the rain. The adults have rich cinnamon upper-parts, white-buff under-parts, a black crown and yellow legs and feet. Breeding adults display three white nuptial plumes along the back of their head. And there’s equality between the sexes as both parents incubate the eggs in a nest of sticks built like a platform over water.

SEE PAGE 8

(Lyle Radford: 536922)

A seasonal change

AS summer becomes autumn the districts fauna and flora don’t need a calendar reminder of the change.

Photographer Lyle Radford captured this image in Rosewood on 1 March.

Soontreeswilllosetheirleaves and animals will adapt with the change as they’ve always done.

As summer becomes autumn the district’s fauna and flora don’t need a calendar reminder of the change.

Photographer Lyle Radford captured this image in Rosewood on 1 March.

Looking ahead, the Bureau of Meteorology has released its long range forecast through to April.

It suggests above average rain-

fall is likely for much of Australia’s north and parts of the east and west.

There’s an increased chance of unusually high rainfall for parts of western, northern and eastern Australia. Warmer than average days are likely across much of southern and eastern Australia, and parts of the tropical north.

According to the BOM, warmer than average nights are very likely across Australia, with an increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures.

But,acrossthelocallandscape, you get a sense that the summer season is behind us and cooler Autumn weather is on its way.

Soontreeswilllosetheirleaves and animals will adapt with the change as they’ve always done.

Cops probe fatals and a robbery

A 29-year-old Rosewood man is dead after a two vehicle traffic crash in Purga on Monday afternoon.

A police spokesperson said emergency services were called to the intersection of Bands and Ipswich Boonah Road around 3.05pm after reports of a crash involving a white Toyota Yaris and a white and blue UD truck.

The driver of the Yaris was declared deceased at the scene.

The driver of the truck was not physically injured. The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding

the crash.

If you have information for police,contactPolicelinkon131444.

GRANDCHESTER FATAL

The FCU is investigating a fatal two-vehicle traffic crash at Grandchester last Friday afternoon.

About 5:45pm, a grey Mitsubishi Triton and a blue Toyota Corolla were travelling in opposite directions along Rosewood Laidley Road before colliding.

The driver of the Corolla, a 17-year-old Gatton girl, was initially airlifted to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a critical condition, and on Satur-

daypassedawayfromherinjuries.

The driver of the Triton, a 38-year-old Walloon man, was not physically injured.

Police are appealing to anyone with relevant information, CCTV or dash cam vision to come forward.

IPSWICH ROBBERY

Police have charged an 11-year old Leichhardt boy and 12-yearold Riverview boy, following a robbery offence in Ipswich on Sunday.

About 2.40pm, a 63-year old woman was walking along Brisbane Street when she was allegedly approached by three

THIS week is the start of a four part series that celebrates the birdlife in and around Rosewood, with Lyle Radford’s beautiful images and Wendy Creighton words.

Jess Leis was at Tivoli Drive-in’s last screening. She asked patrons if there’s a place for for drive in theatres in today’s world. We’ve got their answers.

Denleigh Stenzel is a colourful character who spent three decades working in the pound for Moreton Shire and then Ipswich City Council.

Read his story inside, along with photographs of him wearing his trademark hat.

Almond milk, oat milk, cows milk, goat milk and camel milk are some of the milk options in this modern world.

SummerLandCamelssell camel milk products and are looking to break into the lucrative wellness industry in the United States.

A heritage listed building was in the running to be named an icon of Ipswich in a competition to mark the founding of the city 166 years ago.

Findoutwhichbuildingit was inside.

Happy reading - Lara Hart

- Lara Hart

youths who pushed her to the ground before stealing her handbag and leaving the scene on foot.

Police tracked two of the youths nearby Ipswich train station where they were arrested and taken into custody.

Both boys have been charged with one count of robbery and faced Ipswich Children’s Court this week.

Our own icon building, stationed close by

By WENDY CREIGHTON

A local heritage listed building was in the running to be named an Icon of Ipswich in a competition to mark the founding of the city, 166 years ago.

Residents were asked to cast their vote for one of four landmark public buildings – the Grandchester Railway Station, the old Ipswich Town Hall and Clocktower, the Queensland Museum Rail Workshops and Brighton Homes Arena.

MayorTeresaHardingsaidthe competition recognised the date Ipswich was proclaimed a municipality on 3 March, 1860.

The competition also celebrated the area’s built heritage.

“As a community we are so proud of our incredible built environment,” Cr Harding said.

The competition ran for nine days.

Cr Pye Augustine said the shortlisted icons each showcased a different chapter of the city’s story.

“As Queensland’s oldest provincial city, we’re proud of the way our heritage and modern growth sit side by side,” Cr Augustine said.

“These places tell the stories of our community and continue to inspire pride in our past, our present and our fast-growing future.”

Council architect Mark Tendys said the four shortlisted ‘icons’ held significant cultural and architectural value that has shaped the city’s identity.

“Grandchester Railway Station may be modest in stature, but this beautiful country station

is a giant for rail as Queensland’s first railway,” Mr Tendys said.

STATION HISTORY

Grandchester railway station was built in 1875 to 1876 on Queensland’s first railway line.

Originally known as Bigge’s Camp, the locality was renamed Grandchester by the then Governor Sir George Bowen when he officially opened the first stage of the Ipswich to Toowoomba line on July 31, 1865.

While Bigge’s Camp was not considered prestigious enough for the locality’s place in history, the name did have strong heritage links.

Pastoralists Frederick and Francis Bigge used the banks of the lagoon as a camping ground when they rested a mob of cattle there during their search for suitable land to establish a station run.

According to a 1932 article

in the ‘Brisbane Courier ‘by the owner of Cressbrook Station, AJ McConnel, they were known to their friends as Bigge (Frederic) and Little Bigge (Francis).

On their overland trek up from Sydney, while crossing the Darling Downs, they met up with Thomas Archer, one of the seven Archer brothers who also played an integral role in the settlement of Queensland.

They travelled together towards the Brisbane River, and on reaching what is now known as Grandchester, the Bigges’ cattle were held there while Frederic Bigge looked at the country further ahead.

“When he reached the neighbourhood of Mount Brisbane, which had been discovered and named in September, 1825, by Major Lockyer [he selected the boundaries of their station run] … and the Bigges made their

head station on Reedy Creek.”

The land taken up by the Bigges, became the Mount Brisbane stationrun.Theywereamongthe first in the state to stock their run with cattle, rather than sheep.

Mount Brisbane station covered 23,300 hectares (57,600 acres).

Meanwhile their staging point at today’s Grandchester became colloquially, and then officially, referred to as Bigge’s Camp.

The day scheduled for the official opening of the railway line at Bigge’s Camp was considered a national affair and the scheduled date was declared a public holiday.

On that same day, the Governor mooted the name change and it became, for a while, the ‘Town of Grandchester’ at Bigge’s Camp … and not so long after, it was simply referred to as Grandchester.

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Cathy and Lynelle calling to the class of ‘76

By Lara Hart

IT has been 50 years since Cathy Rebelo and Lynelle Wagner graduated high school and a reunion is being planned to celebrate the milestone.

The women went to Boonah State High School and it’s been that long between drinks that the 1976 cohort could be living anywhere in the world.

“I want to get the word out that theeventhasbeenplannedsothat as many former students as possible can attend,” Cathy said.

“I’ve put the word out on social media as well.”

The women are confident they’ll find enough former classmates to fill the tavern’s events’ room.

The people they’re looking for started in 1972 and graduated in 1976.

“Some students started high school the same year we did but left in Year 10 to do an apprenticeship,” she said.

“Nowadays students can do a school-based apprenticeship and carry that through to Year 12.

“With that in mind, we’ve opened the reunion up to everyone who started high school in 1972.”

The school has undergone

drastic changes since the cohort of 1972 were educated there.

“The was no swimming pool and a lot less buildings, student’s had Block B and Block C, which arestillthereandacoupleoftemporary blocks,” she said.

“Between A Block and B Block was the quadrangle where

we all played.

“It was just a big open space and quite sparse in comparison to what they’ve got now.

“The office was in A Block upstairs, and we also had the lovely playing fields down the bottom.”

She remembers playing ‘American basketball’ on the quadrangle with her mates and the savoury mince rolls bought from the tuck shop.

“Back then there were were four classes for students in Year 8, 9 and 10,” she said.

“Student numbers in Year 11 and Year 12 dropped off because a lot of kids left when they turned 15.”

The reunion will be at the Boonah Tavern in July.

If you started your schooling at Boonah State High School in 1972, Cathy and Lynelle would love to see you at the reunion.

Email Lynelle at lynelle.wagner983@gmail.com or Cathy at crebelo@bigpond.com.

Today is the World Day of Prayer, so join us

By BYRON PESZKO

ST John’s Lutheran Church Ipswich is cordially inviting the local community to attend the World Day of Prayer event this Friday, as it joins alongside 135 countries gathering united in prayer for justice and peace.

Held on the first Friday in March, the annual celebration of the World Day of Prayer is an ecumenical prayer movement developed from a Christian women’s perspective as a creative response to issues of concern around the world.

“This year’s service will be hostedbytheLutheranChurchof Ipswich, from 10.00am on Friday March 2026,” a Lutheran Parish House spokesperson said.

“We look forward to you joining us and celebrating World Day of Prayer’s alongside 135 countries gathering united in prayer for justice and peace.”

In 1926, North American women distributed the worship

St John’s Lutheran Church, Ipswich. (Supplied: 538082)

service to many countries, however 1927 marks the first official World Day of Prayer in countries around the globe.

Proceeds from the World Day of Prayer help offset the costs of service preparation, resource printing and distribution in addition to enabling the ongoing

nates yearly between the worship centres of St Pauls, St. Thomas, St. Mary’s and St John’s.

In 2027, St. Mary’s will be hosting World Day of Prayer’s centennial of one hundred years of Christian women.

Ipswich World Day of Prayerlocationsinclude: IpswichCentral:

St John’s Lutheran Church, 32 Roderick St, Ipswich10.00am.

Ipswich East (Booval / Blackstone):

Ipswich Uniting Church, Glebe Rd and Eileen St, Booval - 10.00am.

program work of the WDP, Australia.

The 2026 World Day of Prayer sees Nigeria as its focus country where the Good News call is bringing bibles, healing, help and hope for the displaced communities of Nigeria.

In Ipswich, the venue alter-

Rosewood:

Rosewood Baptist Church, 84 John St, Rosewood10.00am.

Lowood/Mindin: Trinity Lutheran, 43 Park St, Lowood - 9.30am.

Investors plan to sell camel milk in the US

By LARA HART

A milk option poised to enter the lucrative United States market is camel milk from Harrisville’s Summer Land Camel Farm and Dairy.

While there are camel milk options already in the US, Summer Land hope to cash in on the country’s lucrative health and wellness industry.

There’s good reason why people should be buying from milk exported from Australia and that’s our robust biosecurity.

Australia have the world’s only disease-free camel populations and that’s an advantage that is hard to replicate elsewhere.

To leverage this position, the company launched a crowd funding campaign using the app OnMarket.

Summer Land wants to attract investors so that more camel milk can be produced and the production levels can go from manualscale to a high volume using industrial equipment.

The organisation’s founder

and director Paul Martin said the rise was a pivotal moment for the business.

“We have proven our vertically integrated model works,” Mr Martin said.

“Nowweare breakingthrough our production ceiling.

“By investing in industrial automation and progressing US dairy and FDA accreditation, we will be positioned to supply one of the world’s most dynamic and lucrative health markets at scale.”

The company’s expanded

portfolio includes fresh and frozen milk, long life milk powders, baby milk formula, camel milk cheeses and value-added products like skincare.

But why camel milk?

Mr Martin said the milk was rich in protein, vitamins and minerals and lower in fat than traditional dairy.

“The United States alternative dairy sector continues to expand rapidly, driven by rising consumer awareness around digestive health, food sensitivities and premium nutrition,” he explained.

“Summer Land Camels has aligned regulatory pathways, export-ready formats and supply capability to meet US market requirements.

Australia has the world’s largest population of feral camels and there are more than a million of the animals roaming the outback.

The crowd funding campaign opens on 26 March and retail investors can invest for a minimum of $250.

The business hopes to raise $1.5 million.

Feast your eyes on our feathered residents

By WENDY CREIGHTON

LITTLE EGRET

A common sight in our wetlands, it has dark grey-black legs, a black bill and a bright yellow naked face. In the breeding season, the plumage includes two ribbon-like head plumes and abundant plumes on the back and breast. The Little Egret can be seen shuffling along in shallow water as it uses a foot to stir up a meal of small fish or amphibians. It also hunts small fish with its wings raised. It forms up a nest of sticks over water in the breeding season.

AZURE KINGFISHER

A close cousin of the kookaburra but far from easy to spot as it tends to perch above water and only darts down when it spots a meal such as small fish, insects, frogs or tadpoles. Easily identified (if it sits still long enough) from its bright blue and deep orange colourings. It flies swiftly from perch to perch only a couple of metres above water when actively seeking food. It nests in earthen tunnels on creek banks. While not considered rare, the population is in decline due to development and predation.

EASTERN SPINEBILL

The curved bill is a giveaway that this bird is belongs to the honeyeater family. When feeding it hovers as it sends its bill up the tubular neck of native flowers, such as Grevilleas, in search of nectar. There is a distinction between the sexes as the males have a grey-black crown extending down to black stripe on either side of the breast. The female builds a cupped nest of twigs, grass and bark, combined

with hair and spider’s web.

BRUSH BRONZEWING

This small pigeon is only found in Australia and its name points to the iridescent bars of blue

and green across the inner secondary feather of each wing (as glimpsed at the base of each wing). In our districts, it is most often found where there’s a thick underbrush of native plants like

acacias (such as the Scrub Rosewood – Acacia fasciculifera) and melaleucas (such as our rare Swamp Tea-Trees). The pigeon finds its food on the ground –seeds, berries and insects.

Farewell, as Tivoli projector shines its last

By JESS LEIS

RAIN splashed on the Tivoli Drive-In’s towering screen last friday as cars with foggy windows streamed through the gates and families settled in for a final event to conclude 50 years of movies at the site.

Presented by Goodness Enterprises and Radioactive Pictures, TAKEOVER: After Dark, was a one-night cultural festival, blending car culture, live music and food.

Fred Muys, CEO of Goodness Enterprises remembered with a laugh an early preview for ‘The good, the bad, and the ugly’. “It started off good, because we got a picture,” he said. “The thing that was bad, was we never got the sound synced with it, because we put it on the wrong lens, and the thing that was ugly was the last linked movie. We taped it back to front and instead of riding into the sunset, they rode out!”

Geoff North, who built the Tivoli, remembered Crocodile Dundee. “We were the first to show it,” he said. “We were doing two sessions a night and for that reason we were packed out, lined right around to the highway.”

The Moreton Border News asked patrons if they thought there was still a place for drive in theatres.

Ipswich local Bec Johnston: “Absolutely. It’s the memories that you create. It’s the whole atmosphere. And roller skating girls!”

Parked in their 1962 EK Holden, Deb and Paul McLean remembered decades of family outings. “My kids come here. My grandkids come here. We come

here. All of us used to.” said Deb. “For people our age, it just takes us back to memories when we’re young.” said Paul.

Others agreed. “It’s nice to be able to get outside and get in the community, and actually see people and do something together,” said Eliza Shaw.

“It’s my first time at a drive in theatre, and it’s an awesome experience. If there is another one, we’d definetely go there.” Sellwyn Dsouza.

“I think people will definitely miss it. They’ll miss it when it’s gone.And we’re losing things like that.” said Jack Mackey.

Maxine Hamilton: “We started coming regularly because it was better than coming to a cinema.

You’re away from people. You get more freedom to move around. We are going to miss it. We upgraded the car to be able to sit in the boot and watch it.” she said. Addressing the crowd, Mr Muys thanked the community for their support.

Horns sounded in chorus and headlights blinked a farewell salute.

So, kid, you hurt your nose, but did you die?

By LARA HART

MY husband and I have four children, three are grown men and then there’s our happy little accident who is 11 years old.

As adults whose childhoods were in the 70s and 80s, we raised our boys to be tough and able to take a knock.

And we were raised the same way, if were hurt ourselves and called out for mum, she’d answer, ‘is there blood?’ or ‘but did you die?’

That was the barometer as to whether an injury was ‘mama drama worthy’.

Yesterday afternoon my daughter was throat punched by a foam surfboard.

For context, if you’re reading this on Friday, the incident happened on Monday.

Little miss is 11 years old and she was having surfing lessons during her Year 6 camp at an adventure park on the Sunshine Coast.

The teacher phoned and told me what happened and said my daughter had a raspy voice, sore throat and coughed up a little bit of blood.

“We need to take her to see a doctor and get her checked out as a duty of care,” she said.

I agreed and the nightmare of trying to find a drop in medical centre in Caloundra ensued.

Her teacher’s hunt turned into a hospital visit and a very long wait to see a doctor.

I spoke to my daughter around 7.30pm and she seemed fine and was enjoying being the centre of attention.

I reminded her how I used to surf and ride a fibreglass surfboard.

One day while paddling out, I didn’t duck dive quick enough and the board hit me on the nose.

Blood streamed and there was bruising but as soon as the flow stopped, I went back into the ocean.

‘Hart girls are tough’, I reminded her.

I come from a generation that

Stock photograph

marinated in sunburn, cassette tapes and mild neglect.

When my younger sister cut her forehead after jumping on the bed, mum cleaned it then closed it using butterfly plasters.

No doctors needed.

My kid has parents who had her at a time when their knees had already started making noises.

We grew up on playgrounds made of concrete and rust.

Teacher supervision was a head count shouted vaguely across a paddock.

We drank cordial that was 90 percent sugar and 10 percent hose water yet somehow developed immune systems forged in steel.

We believe scraped knees are a rite of passage and if there isn’t a scar, did childhood even happen?

Back to this week, my kid and two of her teachers were at the hospital for hours.

The doctor organised an x-ray that didn’t pick up anything unusual.

By now she was being wheeled around the hospital by teachers who said they’d nicknamed her ‘lady muck’.

I was more concerned about her missing time spent with her classmates back at the camp than the injury.

Around 8.30pm a specialist phoned and said while my daughter appeared to be fine, she wanted her to come back the next day (Tuesday) for a procedure where a camera is fed down the throat to check for lacerations.

While I appreciated the close attention of care, I was 99.9 percent certain that the procedure would find nothing amiss, and she’d miss out on a camp she’d been looking forward to since 2025.

Older parents don’t love their kids less, we just express it differently.

We don’t hover, curate a snack platter shaped by a woodland creature or download apps to track their breathing.

We are from an era of second hand smoke, sunburn that peeled in sheets and playground equipment was built from what appeared to have been spare bridge materials.

But we will defend them like a feral magpie if someone messes with them.

We just refuse to pretend that falling over is a medical emergency because we survived the 80s.

Denleigh’s life is a song of our communities

By Lara Hart

BUSH poet and rural rambler Denleigh Stenzel draws creative inspiration from the Great Dividing Range and the baying of cattle.

He lives in the Fassifern district, he’s retired and keeps himself busy visiting friends and singing at events.

Last week the Moreton Border News caught up with Denleigh Stenzel at a Rosewood coffee shop.

He was on his way to Marburg to visit friends and he has many of those in the district.

The area is close to his heart because he worked for the council during the amalgamation from Moreton Shire to Ipswich City Council.

He’s well known and liked for his artistic abilities and you’ll never see him without his trademark stick and popped crown Akubra hat.

Denleigh worked in the council pound for 30 years but his personal life is much more creative because it’s filled with poetry and entertaining people through his songs.

And people are entertained because he sings well.

He sings songs that tell stories and takes the listener on a journey.

“I never learned to play an instrument,” Denleigh said.

“But my aunt played the piano her whole life, almost to the day she died, and she was in a band.

“She learned music when she was about three, she told me she’d sit on the steps and pretend to play the piano.

“And my grandfather, poppy, said, “oh well, you’d better go and learn how to play”.

“So she learned how to play but also played by ear because she had a natural gift.”

While the man looks the part of a country larrikin, he doesn’t sing many country songs because his favourite genre

is Irish music.

However, the music loving poet’s working life was as far from the arts as Australia is to North Africa.

“I’ve never worked a job I didn’t like, I just can’t do it because we have one life and it’s important to enjoy the journey,” he mused.

“I left school at 13 and picked spuds for a year or two, I’d always ridden horses but eventually used a motorbike for transport.”

He married in 1967 and began work at Dinmore, a meat processing facility now owned by JBS Australia.

When he decided to retire, the out of box thinker planned the moment down to the smallest detail.

“I worked for the council until retirement on the 12 of the twelfth month in 2012 at exactly 12.12pm,” he said.

When the meticulously planned line up of digits took him out of the workforce, he was presented with an Akubra hat as a gift.

The retirement Akubra is the one he wears to this day and has become part of his persona and they are seldom apart.

“I coloured the hat pink when I went to an event some time ago,” he explained.

“Then I washed it and dyed it black, and I respray it black from time to time.”

The hat no longer looks like a traditional Akubra because its crown has popped out but it still does its job in keeping the sun off Denleigh’s head.

“I have about three or four hats and they are all the same with flattened bands,” he said.

“I’ve cut the rims down and adjusted them because I’m not always out in the sun.”

If you see Denleigh out and about, say g’day because it’s the colourful characters that give south east Queensland its charm.

Valuations up - with space for entertainment

A renovated home in Alfred Street on 1.55ha of usable land in Grandchester sold this year for $880,000.

The property features a dam, sheds and large entertainment spaces.

Inside, the home has been completely renovated. There’s fresh paint, updated flooring and lighting and a soft neutral palette gives the four bedrooms and main bathroom a calm, contemporary feel.

The bathroom features a freestanding tub, walk in shower and quality fixtures, while the internal laundry and separate toilet

keep everyday living practical and easy.

The new country style kitchen has a farmhouse sink, stone

bench tops, brass tap ware and classic white subway tiling. It flows directly into the large open plan dining and living

area, where air conditioning and a fireplace make the space comfortable all year round. Outside, there’s a wide front verandah, which easily accommodates separate lounge and dining zones.

At the rear, there is an additional verandah.

The acreage provides a mix of cleared paddock and established trees.

Privacy is another feature of the property, with the home set well back from the road and surrounded by natural bushland.

The property last sold in 2023 for $595,000.

Sidetrack leads readers to the Arctic circle

By WENDY CREIGHTON

I found a photo of a Cessna that had landed in a paddock in Lanefield in 1967.

The photo appeared to have been taken in haste.

There had to be a story behind that downed Cessna and it was while I was chasing that story, I found another.

I was seriously sidetracked by a vague reference in one newspaper to a story circulated in eastern Australia first in1898.

Personally,Iwascuriousabout why a happening in the Arctic circle would capture the interest of readers in Australia.

It was written in an incredulous style as if the writer anticipated gasps of ‘oh my goodness’ from readers.

A ‘white’ baby had been born in an explorer’s base camp in northern Greenland.

My first thought on reading it was ‘sure that’s a bit different’ but the Inuit have been celebrating births in the Arctic circle for a thousand years or more and probably the same applies for the cultures who were there before them.

One line in the story gave a clue to the anticipated interest in the story – the baby was the “daughter of the great Arctic explorer”.

First, we’ll dip into the story.

It opens with: “Little Miss Peary, the daughter of the great Arctic explorer, has the distinction of having been born at a

Marie Ahnighito Peary dressed for the Arctic during one of the polar explorations led by her father. (Wikipedia - Library of Congress USA)

higher degree of northern latitude than any other white child, living or dead.

“It was during the winter 1891-92 [actually on September 12, 1893] that she made her appearance in the quarters of the Peary exploration party somewhere in northern Greenland [the Bowdoin Fjord].

“Her first outfit, given by an Esquimaux [Inuk] nurse, consisted of a layer of superfine seal oil, after which she was slipped into a

double sealskin bag, with fur inside and out.

“After 48 hours of hibernation, she announced that she was hungry, and the nurse said she was the sweetest baby that ever lived.

“The nurse became godmother, and bestowed her own unpronounceable name on the little white stranger [actually, her second name, as the child’s full name was Marie Ahnighito Peary].

“The proud nurse assured the mother that, protected by that

name, which has special powers within the Arctic Circle, it would be safe for the baby to take an airing.

“But it is 40 degrees below zero!” said Mrs Peary.

“Yes, so nice and mild. It will soon be noon of the year,” replied the nurse.

“So little Miss Peary, who had been promoted to a garment of fur … was gently lowered into another bag of reindeer skin that tied around the neck.

“Over the head was slipped a sealskin hood that enveloped the face and neck. Little holes were left to admit air.

“She was then put on a sledge, with a polar bear rug under her and an eider feather blanket over her, and the whole was drawn by a spanking pair of Esquimaux dogs, decorated with bells, the nurse trotting along beside her charge.

“The baby came back as pink as a rose and afterwards, unless the weather was really severe, she had on airing every day.”

All in all, it was a remarkable birth of a baby who would spend much of her childhood in base camps around the Arctic circle.

Marie was the daughter of famous Arctic explorers, Robert and Josephine Peary.

Robert Peary would go on to claim to be the first to reach the North Pole.

That was in 1909, during his eighth Arctic expedition.

And now, about that Cessna, does anyone know why it landed in a paddock in Lanefield?

Ipswich environment wins toad battle

THE environment was the winner in the first ever Ipswich Cane Toad Challenge, with more than 41,000 cane toads captured.

Councillor Jim Madden said the challenge, organised by council and environmental group Watergum Community, was a resounding success.

“Residents removed more than 41,000 cane toads from our environment, including more than 5,000 mature cane toads and

more than 36,000 tadpoles,” Cr Madden said.

The launch event at Haig Street Quarry in Brassall involved around 30 participants who caught 839 cane toads in under an hour.

In total, 44 groups took part in the challenge, racking up 378 volunteer hours.

Cr Madden said it was incredible to see so many residents

respond when asked to pull on some gloves, grab some buckets and collect cane toads.

“While Ipswich’s natural environment is the ultimate winner – first place went to Steve and Dexter Royle who removed 1,020 cane toads along with 36,565 tadpoles,” Cr Madden said. “Team Sharpes with 705 cane toads claimed second place while Team Pikes came third with 438 cane toads.”

Councillor Jim Madden said the first Ipswich

Toad Challenge, co-delivered by council and environmental group Watergum Community, was a resounding success.

Footy season is here, Jets are ready to roll

By CLANCY NUGENT

JETS Head Coach Tye Ingebrigtsen has said the side has had a strong pre-season and has made some adjustments from last year to ensure they do not regress in 2026.

It was a bounce-back year for the Jets in 2025; they reached their first finals series since 2018 and won their first finals game in 2,563 days.

Ingebrigtsen completely changed the prospects of the club in his first full season as head coach.

This year he has made some major signings, headlined by former NRL players Moses Mbye and Treymain Spry as they look to improve on last season.

“This year we have taken a different approach,” Ingebrigtsen said.

“Last year we really had a set goal on what we wanted to achieve and obviously that was to play finals because the club hadn’t for so long, whereas this year we’re kind of going in with a bit more of a week-to-week mentality.

“Wewillstayfocusedonwhat’s in front of us in that next sevenday period, rather than looking at what’s in front of us in three to six months time.

“We want to make sure that we hit every box and every target this year.

“It was one of the things that we reflected on last year, how we were riding so high mid-season and probably started thinking ahead about playing finals footy and we started to dip away with our results towards the back end of the year,” he said.

The new players will be a major drawcard for the Jets this year and, at their new home ground in Goodna, the club is hoping fans can get out in force for the round one match this Sunday against the Townsville Blackhawks.

The Jets have not beaten the Blackhawks in eight years and are using that as motivation to get their first win.

“I think the last time the club

beat them was 2018, so we understand how important this round one game is,” Ingebrigtsen said.

“They’ve got a strong roster. Last year they didn’t have an NRL affiliate but this year they’re back with the Cowboys so they’ll get plenty of players this coming week because the Cowboys are going to have a week off.

The jets are showing off their star talent, as there were no trials in Ipswich this pre-season.

“We got Treymain Spry back this year, who’s a really exciting Ipswich junior,” Ingebrigtsen said.

“He played in our junior pathway system but then left for the Titans so he hasn’t actually debuted at Cup level for the club yet.

“We are hoping that we can make Goodna a real fortress and get a really hostile crowd out there.

“At North Ipswich Reserve (which is currently under construction), the opposition really doesn’t feel the effects of the crowd because it’s so far away from the action, but at Goodna the crowd is right on top of you.

“So if our supporters get out there and make it well known that they’re backing our club at

home games, it can have a really positive effect for us,” he said.

Jets Round One teamlist (players 20-24 are Titans contracted players who could be subbed in dependent on their NRL selection)

1. Brenton Baira

2. Beau Newlands

3. Treymain Spry

4. Jodeci Baker

5. Jonathon Reuben

6. Dantoray Lui

7. Moses Mbye (c)

8. Logan Bayliss-Brow 9. Tyran Ott

10.Blake Lenehan (c)

11.Ioane Seiuili

12.Rashaun Denny

13.Brayden Guyan

14.Ken Maumalo

15.Corey Ross

16.Nicholas Halalilo

17.JJ Natapu

18.Lachlan Mears-Crabbe

19.KJ Kali

20.Jaylan De Groot

21.Dean Ieremia

22.Tony Francis

23.Josh Patston

24.Oliver Pascoe