We arrived at Mission Beach FNQ yesterday and we will be staying for at least three months. Took a look at Tully on our way up and repairs seem to be going full steam ahead. We were quite surprised to notice all the way up from Cardwell that there were still many houses with tarpaulins on the roofs.
Of course the wonderful rain forests that are such a feature of this part of the world have really taken a beating but it really is not as bad as we had thought. The sugar cane is looking healthy and the banana plantations are coming along.
Mission Beach is still undergoing repairs mainly to some of the restaurants but to all intents and purposes is open for business. The beach is still beautiful and if anything, cleaner than in the past. Dunk Island of course is not functional and when going past in our tinnie, it looks like a ghost town but we believe that reconstruction is underway and the resort should open again in about 10 months.
The caravan park we are in (Hideaway) sustained very minor damage mainly to the palms and almost all the regular vanners have returned for the "season".
So our message to all is come up to FNQ and support the locals who are still hurting.
Cruising Granny said
11:20 PM Jul 7, 2011
While you're up that way, ask every householder/resident in the region if they've seen any disaster relief funding from the "Premier's Flood/Disaster Relief Fund"? I'd be interested to learn the outcome. When I was up that way in May I asked everyone I saw if they'd had any help, and in every case, whether they were private or a business they had not. One business had received some assistance from a church, not the government or the relief fund. Enjoy your stay in the warm part of the country.
Travel Bug said
11:24 PM Jul 7, 2011
It's the same story all over Qld Chris.
I know many people who are really hurting....and they have received nothing from all of the money that was donated.
It stinks!!
Cruising Granny said
10:37 PM Jul 8, 2011
It sure does. I'm disgusted! The people of Australia and overseas send donations to the appeal out of the goodness of their hearts. Then our wonderful red-headed PM makes an emotional, knee-jerk decision to incur a levy to help flood-ravaged Qld, hitting the heard-working, kind folk again. It seems to me the Premier's funds have been added to general revenue and Ms. Bligh is using it to repair damaged infrastructure. Infrastructure she was too mean to insure. Oh what a tangled web they weave!
jimricho said
07:23 AM Jul 9, 2011
I thought this may have been a positive good news thread about FNQ getting back on its feet. Wrong again Jim!
PS:
quote...
On 29 December 2010, the Premier launched a disaster relief appeal to help those affected by wide spread flooding in Queensland.
The appeal has been extended to assist those affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasi.
The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal is a Trust Fund established to assist those who have suffered a loss due to natural disaster. All money raised by the fund will be directed to address the greatest need. The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal Fund is audited by the Queensland Auditor-General.
The Premier has announced the establishment of a Distribution Committee to manage the disbursement of the donated funds. The Queensland Government committed $11 million to the appeal.
We arrived at Mission Beach FNQ yesterday and we will be staying for at least three months. Took a look at Tully on our way up and repairs seem to be going full steam ahead. We were quite surprised to notice all the way up from Cardwell that there were still many houses with tarpaulins on the roofs.
Of course the wonderful rain forests that are such a feature of this part of the world have really taken a beating but it really is not as bad as we had thought. The sugar cane is looking healthy and the banana plantations are coming along.
Mission Beach is still undergoing repairs mainly to some of the restaurants but to all intents and purposes is open for business. The beach is still beautiful and if anything, cleaner than in the past. Dunk Island of course is not functional and when going past in our tinnie, it looks like a ghost town but we believe that reconstruction is underway and the resort should open again in about 10 months.
The caravan park we are in (Hideaway) sustained very minor damage mainly to the palms and almost all the regular vanners have returned for the "season".
So our message to all is come up to FNQ and support the locals who are still hurting.
I'd be interested to learn the outcome.
When I was up that way in May I asked everyone I saw if they'd had any help, and in every case, whether they were private or a business they had not. One business had received some assistance from a church, not the government or the relief fund.
Enjoy your stay in the warm part of the country.
It's the same story all over Qld Chris.
I know many people who are really hurting....and they have received nothing from all of the money that was donated.
It stinks!!
The people of Australia and overseas send donations to the appeal out of the goodness of their hearts.
Then our wonderful red-headed PM makes an emotional, knee-jerk decision to incur a levy to help flood-ravaged Qld, hitting the heard-working, kind folk again.
It seems to me the Premier's funds have been added to general revenue and Ms. Bligh is using it to repair damaged infrastructure.
Infrastructure she was too mean to insure.
Oh what a tangled web they weave!
I thought this may have been a positive good news thread about FNQ getting back on its feet. Wrong again Jim!
PS:
quote...
On 29 December 2010, the Premier launched a disaster relief appeal to help those affected by wide spread flooding in Queensland.
The appeal has been extended to assist those affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasi.
The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal is a Trust Fund established to assist those who have suffered a loss due to natural disaster. All money raised by the fund will be directed to address the greatest need. The Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal Fund is audited by the Queensland Auditor-General.
The Premier has announced the establishment of a Distribution Committee to manage the disbursement of the donated funds. The Queensland Government committed $11 million to the appeal.
end quote
(http://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/initiatives/disaster_recovery/index.aspx)
Unless you have hard evidence that these funds are being misappropriated I suggest you remove the slanderous comments that imply this.
-- Edited by jimricho on Saturday 9th of July 2011 07:39:54 AM