Issue 10 • December 2012 Got a story? Get in touch! Email: theloop@cairns.qld.gov.au Phone: 4044 3020

DECK THE HALLS: Well known Christmas aficianado Barry Prigg puts the finishing touches to his display. His Smithfield home has become an annual pilgrimage for generations of Cairns families. Read Barry’s story on Page 5.

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From CEO’s Desk

> Get involved! Email: theloop@cairns.qld.gov.au

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the final edition of The Loop for 2012.

The spotlight was truly upon our region last month as tens of thousands of visitors converged here for the solar eclipse. And what an amazing event it was.

The majority of residents and visitors, while appreciating and in awe of what Mother Nature gave us for free, would not have appreciated the work that went on behind the scenes to ensure a memorable experience for all.

For most of us this was a once in a lifetime event. We happened to be at the right place at the right time and we were joined by eclipse chasers from across the globe, many of whom were first time visitors to the region.

To everyone, no matter how large or small a role you played in assisting, on behalf of all the Councillors and the Executive Team please accept our thanks and appreciation for the efforts and role you played.

Last month I was also fortunate to be involved in presenting certificates and prizes to the lucky nominees and winners at our recent training awards.

Council’s annual Training Awards are a highlight of our corporate calendar. The caliber of nominations was again of an extremely high standard and the judges had a difficult job in selecting this year’s winners. I congratulate all our nominees and winner. Turn to page 6 of The Loop for the special feature to commemorate your achievement.

Of course many of us are already turning our thoughts toward Christmas and how we will celebrate. It is also a time to reflect on what we have achieved throughout the year.

As we take some time out to celebrate at Christmas functions I encourage you to look after one another. Have fun responsibly and stay safe.

On behalf of myself and the Executive Team, I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year. I look forward to a great year ahead for us all in 2013.

Peter (Peter Tabulo, Acting CEO, Cairns Regional Council)

P3 - Christmas message

A balmy summer’s evening will be filled with the sights and sounds of Christmas when our annual Carols by Candlelight takes over Fogarty Park on December 9.The Sunday night carols concert is the premier event on the Cairns festive season calendar, traditionally attracting around 6000 people.Hosted by WIN TV’s Paul Taylor, the 2012 Carols by Candlelight will start at 6.30pm and feature Christmas songs and carols to get the whole family singing.As always, the 2012 Carols will shine a spotlight on the region’s talent, with performances from Wilma Redding, Chris Lloyds, Rhys Tolhurst and Mitchell Cave – fresh from Australia’s Got Talent – to take the stage alongside seven local choirs and Caroloke winners Juliano and Gabriella Sabbadin.

From 5.30pm, enjoy pre-Carols performances by local dance schools.Santa will be available for photos in return for a gold coin donation to the event’s major beneficiary – the Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Appeal. Battery-operated candles and other fun Christmas merchandise will be available, with all proceeds going to the Appeal, which provides food hampers to struggling local families.Carols songbooks will be available in The Cairns Post on Saturday, December 8.Carols by Candlelight is presented by Cairns Regional Council with thanks to Westco Volkswagon, WIN TV, The Cairns Post, Zinc FM, McDonald’s, RPS, Studio Productions and Progig.

Carols showcase local talent

P4 - Eclipse 2012P6 - Our training winners

P8 - Win a living Christmas tree

Mr Christmas set for festive season

P5-Phil scoops award

See you all in 2

013!

1Issue 10 • December 2012

What our customers are sayingRates“We enjoy excellent relationships with Rates Team; refer a lot of people to them; find they are super helpful. “Survey Services“Their work is always spot on, has to be. The people are great and communicate very well too so they are good just the way they are!”

Accounts Payable“Excellent service – good knowledge, fast responses, nothing needs to change for us.”Payroll“Really responsive and quick service from them all in Payroll. They are accurate and have a positive can do culture that we appreciate .Design Services“They are all pleasant and good fun to work with as well; great bunch of people.”

Revenue“Easy to liaise with them and easy to get them. The whole team is helpful and they communicate well because the relationships are very good. Nothing to improve – service is good.”Don’t forget your customers this Christmas!Remember to update your voicemail and email out of office messages, for information on how to, please visits the employee intranet PhoneFox page.

DECEMBER 1Cyclone Preparation Workshop for people who are deaf or hearing impaired1-3pmCairns Disaster Coordination Centre, 61 Windarra Street WoreeContact Gavin at Gavin.Rose-Mundy@deafsq.org.auThe workshop will be facilitated by Gavin Rose-Mundy, a deaf man who works for Deaf Services Queensland.

Cairns West Family Christmas Celebrations1-10 pmShang Street Park, MoorooboolJoin Cairns Regional Council, the Cairns Youth Advisory (CYA) Tribe and Cairns West Community Focus Group for a fantastic end of year celebration for the whole family!

DECEMBER 2Carols by Candlelight - Yorkeys Knob5.30-8pmCommunity parklands, Wattle Street, Yorkeys KnobJoin us for our annual Carols by Candlelight - bring a picnic and enjoy the atmosphere with singers, bands and the wonderful Yorkeys Knob State School choir, and of course the man himself - Santa! Food and soft drink available, all proceeds going to the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal.

DECEMBER 3-7IDPwD Art exhibition (celebrating all abilities)Daily 10am-4pmCouncil Administration Centre, Front St, MossmanTo celebrate International Day of People with Disability, Council will host an exhibition of art works created by local school students and community members.

DECEMBER 8Wonga Beach Community Clean-up8am – 12noonMeet on beach in front of Wonga Beach Caravan Park.

DECEMBER 9Carols by Candlelight6.30-8.30pmFogarty Park, The Esplanade, CairnsAs the major fundraising event for the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal, Carols by Candlelight is one of the most popular events in the Cairns calendar. This year features a new program and line up with talent from local choirs, performers and the

winners of the 2012 Caroloke competition.

Sinterklaas Feest3-5pmGerman Club, Winkworth St CairnsSinterklaas will arrive at the German Club in Cairns at 3pm. Entrance for non-members $5.00 per family.

For more information on events throughout the region go to Council’s website, cairns.qld.gov.au and click on What’s on.

A word from Service Quality

Council ClippingsQuad bikes snap footpath viewQuad-bikes are taking to the streets as Cairns Regional Council assesses the quality of footpaths throughout the region.

The vehicles are fitted with mounted cameras, which will capture footage of footpath infrastructure that can be reviewed as part of region-wide inspection program.

“The quad-bikes will cover 482km of paths from Babinda to Cape Tribulation,” Mayor Bob Manning said.

“Council officers will review the footage, checking for cracking, displacement and missing segments.”

The footage will be used to identify any hazards and assist in prioritising maintenance and repair work and in delivering the objectives outlined in the Cycling and Walking Strategy to improve connectivity, mobility and safety.

Cameras will capture one frame of footage every four metres and will be angled to avoid detailed vision of the adjacent areas.

The quad-bikes are highly-visible and will be operated outside of peak times to minimise disruptions.

Inspections are expected to take about six weeks to complete.

$75 000 in RADF grants awardedProjects including visual arts, community construction, theatre and workshops are among eleven projects in the latest Regional Arts Development Fund grant round from Cairns Regional Council.

“In this round of funding from the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and regional councils, we will see projects totalling $75 000,” Mayor Bob Manning said.

Successful RADF grant recipients are:

Michael Marzik - $11 546: The artist will produce a series of photographic portraits of practising Cairns artists, to be presented at Kick Arts.

Kuranda Arts Co-op - $4631: A qualified curator will be engaged to work with 10 local artists to host a large-scale exhibition at Kick Arts.

Arts Nexus - $8707: Business Development Workshops for the participants of Culture Muster 2013.

Yasmini Kemen - $4800: A community construction event in Machans Beach -El-Barco – The Boat.

Sasi Victoire - $5000: Experimentation and preliminary preparations towards the exhibition Water-mark.

Julie McEnerny - $7681: Production of a botanical artwork exhibition – Super-foods of the Tropics

Eva Wanganeen - $8700: Researching pattern development and design application techniques to fit patterns suitable for resort wear.

CADCAI - $5200: To engage a professional consultant to identify the storage and display needs for CADCAI’s proposed Chinese Cultural and Heritage Centre.

Nathan David Kelly - $4500: The Road North is a photographic documentation of the people, places and architecture between Cairns and Townsville.

Knock-Knock Contemporary Artists Initiative - $2575: A curator will be engaged for an exhibition featuring work of both emerging and established female artists form the Cairns region and interstate.

JUTE - $11 660: To employ and develop regional theatre-makers to generate quality, distinctively regional work to export nationally and internationally.

Culvert removal to reduce floodingThe Infrastructure Services Committee has recommended the removal of a culvert on McCoombe Street in an effort to reduce flooding in the area.

The culvert has been identified as a restriction on the capacity of the Cochrane Street drain to clear flood water around Swallow Street, Mooroobool.

Removal of the culvert is expected to deliver an immediate improvement in terms of flood mitigation.

It is proposed that consultation be undertaken with nearby residents to determine whether to replace the existing culvert or to leave McCoombe Street as a no-through-road.

Removal of the culvert is proposed to take place before the end of the year.

What’s On

LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Leadership Development

Speed of Trust 4-5 Dec

Everyday Skills

Conduct a PRDP 13 Dec

On behalf on the Learning and Organisational Development team, we’d like to wish everyone a safe

and happy time with your families over Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone and thank you for a great year.

We look forward to bringing you some great programs in the new year.

The training schedule will be out January.

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The Loop is YOUR newsletter, so get involved! We encourage Council staff to submit stories, feedback, ideas, comments, news and anything else you’d like to share with your colleagues.Email: theloop@cairns.qld.gov.au

Issue 10 • December 2012

Backbone of the libraryWhat Services do you provide? The libraries Support Services team are the faces behind the library comprising of a collection team, IT support team, Children’s Librarian, Marketing Librarian and Team Leader. The collection team services include the management of the libraries’ collection and Inter library loans. The IT team provide staff and patrons with technology resources and support. The Children’s Librarian manages specific collections, programs and services and the Marketing Librarian manages the development and marketing of library services. Who are your customers? Our customers include the staff at Cairns Libraries, the public and other libraries nationwide.About the Team. Our team of 12 include, Gen Lehmann - Team Leader, Lee Finkelstein – Marketing Librarian, Tanya Curtis, - Children’s Librarian, Jane Gess – Technical Services Librarian, Cate Washington – CT Supervisor, Alisa Beynon – Library Assistant, Terry Goschnick - Library Assistant, Katrina Robeck - Library Assistant, Karen Chapman

- Library Assistant, Jeremy Irving – Systems Supervisor, Russ Jenkins – Systems Officer, and Kai Sudarsana – Systems OfficerA random fact about the teamThis year the libraries have held over 600 events, catalogued approximately 30,000 new items and since the libraries website upgrade in May there has been 54,065 unique visits and over 134,000 page views.

Gen enjoys bubbles by the pool, Lee loves Sudoku and crosswords, Tanya loves playing trivia with the Champions, Jane loves outrageous jazz and dancing tango, Cate loves the outdoors and fishing, Alisa is known as the queen of Christmas and loves gem fossicking.

Terry loves his indoor cricket. Katrina is a shopaholic and mother of five, Karen is a fabulous cook and a mad Magpie supporter, Jeremy is a gaming/movie enthusiast and loves his weekend morning coffees at home, Russ was born in the Winchester hospital and Kai prefers to rock up to work in a singlet and sarong.

That’s Our Team!

What Services do you provide? Earlville Library offers a full range of services including:Access to seventeen computers; self-service facilities; Storytime and Baby Rhyme time sessions; Online Indigenous Driver Licensing Program; Online Queensland Transport Practice road rules test; Professional Reference and Information Services; and Cairns Regional Council Customer Service Office.

Earlville Library began as Woree Library which opened on 15 October 1983. The library relocated to Stockland Cairns and was renamed Earlville Library on 23 November 2003. On 8 September 2008, it relocated within the same centre and is now at the south-eastern entrance. A Council Customer Service Office is located within the library area, allowing residents the opportunity to conduct Council business at the same time as their library visit. The Earlville branch is the second busiest of our libraries.

Who are your customers? All visitors and Queensland residents can become a member of Cairns Libraries.

About the Team. We have six library staff working at Earlville Library and one Customer Service staff member. The Customer Service team are rotated on a weekly basis to staff the Customer Service Office. The Earlville team provide a high level of customer service and love the opportunity to entertain the children by putting on puppet shows, storytime & baby rhyme time sessions. Marina Speziale the Library Network North Team Leader currently resides at Earlville Library.

A random fact about the team.

Earlville Library has 29,311 items in its collection including DVDs, CDs, newspapers and magazines. In 2011/12, 325,088 people visited the library, borrowed 214,644 items and placed 30,134 reservations.

CHRISTMAS fun at Earlville: Yvonne Dowling, Annette Cook, Courtney Edwards, Kathy Krivan and Anne Bevan –Carolyn Gertig is away on holidays

Region welcomes renewed confidence

Earlville show festive spirit

As 2012 draws to a close, it’s timely to reflect on what has been a year of change.

The Local Government election in March heralded a major change for this organisation, with a new mayor and seven councillors coming into the chamber for the first time.

When this level of change occurs, it can present a challenge for the organisation and its workforce but I believe it also provides an opportunity to review, improve and forge ahead in a new direction.

The city has also experienced a year of change – starting out with a depressed outlook amidst trying economic times, diminished levels of business activity, high unemployment levels, and restrained investment confidence.

However, in the past few months, a number of factors have emerged that give us good reason to be optimistic about the future.

The announcement that Cairns will host the G20 Finance Ministers Summit in November 2014 could not have come at a better time and was a great sign of confidence in the ability of our city to stage such a momentous event.

Cairns is now enjoying the new flights from China Eastern and will soon welcome the flights from China’s biggest airline, China Southern, scheduled to begin this month which has, quite rightly, buoyed the city and overall region as these new air services promise to provide us with a very real and sustainable boost in visitors.

In addition, there is a new confidence emerging in the construction sector, with major projects managing to capture the interest of international investors, resulting in works valued at hundreds of millions of dollars set to start in the new year.

This has, in part, been brought about by Council’s willingness to kickstart this new growth by waiving headworks charges on 22 projects that we hope will all come to fruition.

I believe this year has been a catalyst for change and for a new vision that will see our city again rise to the top – both as international tourist destination and a place that engenders tropical lifestyle at its best.

When we enter the 2013-2014 budget workshops next year, the new Council will be in a position to inject its vision and direction and I look forward to working with you to accomplish those goals.

I very much appreciate all of your efforts over the past year and hope you enjoy the season’s festivities with your friends and family and return to work in 2013 refreshed and ready for the task ahead.

Merry ChristmasMayor Bob Manning

ABOVE back: Kai Sudasana, Russ Jenkins, Jeremy Irving. Middle: Alisa Beynon, Karen Chapman, Katrina Robeck, Jane Gess Terry Goschnick. Front: Cate Washington, Genevieve Lehmann Right: Lee Finkelstein and Tanya Curtis

3Issue 10 • December 2012

Magic event caught on cameraFrom Palmer River to Bramston Beach, Council staff ensured they had the best vantage points to capture the Solar Eclipse on November 13. The Loop was inundated with images, and we thank you for sharing this special moment. We have selected some of our favourite images to share with you.

LEFT: Jeremy Evans from Cairns Water and Waste snapped this celestial shot across Cairns. It just goes to show what a spectacular image the eclipse was, even with a little bit of cloiud cover.

LEFT: One of The Loop’s favourite snaps, Rebecca Hamilton caught the magical Diamond Ring effect while at Halloran’s Hill in Atherton. An amateur photographer, Rebecca had only just purchased her camera nprior to the big event.

LEFT: Richard Ballero made sure all members of the family wore the right gear to view the Solar Eclipse.

BLACKOUT: The moment of totality, thanks to Mark Gwynne for sending through some great shots of totality during the eclipse.

LEFT: Linda Kirchner joined her neighbours high on a hill overlooking Cairns for the solar eclipse. Her image of the event is below.

Following an external review of our IT system security, Council is implementing several steps to tighten password security. These are listed below and have taken effect on Wednesday 21 November.

Council is also increasing the length of time that passwords will be valid, to 90 days.

If your current password does not comply with these new rules, you do not need to change it now. When your password is next due to expire, the system will automatically ensure you comply.

New password rules:

• Minimum password length is 8 characters

• No exact word match from the dictionary

• Does not contain the user name backwards

• Does not start with the first 3 characters of the user name

• Password Expiry is 90 days

The following password rules currently in place will remain unchanged:

• Have upper and lower case characters

• Have at least one digit

• Not be your username

• Not contain your username

• Not be your username with the letters rearranged

• Not be an old password

• Not contain @ & $ space

Good passwords are important, not only at work, but also at home.

Test your password with a password checker

A password checker evaluates your password’s strength automatically. Microsoft offers a secure password checker.

Common password pitfalls to avoid

Cyber criminals use sophisticated tools that can rapidly decipher passwords.

Avoid creating passwords using:

• Dictionary words in any language.

• Words spelled backwards, common misspellings, and abbreviations.

• Sequences or repeated characters. Examples: 12345678, 222222, abcdefg, or adjacent letters on your keyboard (qwerty).

• Personal information. Your name, birthday, driver’s license, passport number, or similar information.

Password protection a priority

4 Issue 10 • December 2012

Solar Eclipse 2012

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Staff at Smithfield Library on Steve Irwin Day 15 November 2012. Pictured from left to right were Russ Jenkins, Katrina Robeck, Alisa Beynon and Di Brown.

Phil rewarded for animal care

Crickey! Libraries catch wildlife bug

Welcome Aboard Recent new starters with Council include:

Shaun Smith, Corporate Services

Matthew Okill, Technical Support Services

Daniel Reghenzani, Cairns Fleet

Sharon Sylvester, Corporate Services

Ann Chalmers, Comm, Sport & Cultural Services

Vincent Elliot, Corporate Services

Casey Zepnick, Comm, Sport & Cultural Services

Harley Wieland, Water & Waste

Taylor Humphreys, Water & Waste

Victoria Bain, Water & Waste

Julie Scharf, Business Support

Sarah Palmer, Planning & Environment

Barry and Rhonda put a glow into Christmas

Council’s commitment to training was highlighted recently, when Senior Local Laws Compliance Officer Phil Easterbrook accepted an award in Brisbane for training excellence in Animal Care and Management at the Queensland Rural Industry Training Awards.

“In this case, it is the work of a Council employee outside of his Council role that demonstrates a commitment to assisting the wider community,” Acting CEO Peter Tabulo said.

“Council is lucky to have people like Phil, who demonstrate such an outstanding work ethic and desire to go above and beyond expectations.

“On behalf of the organisation, I offer my congratulations to Phil (pictured right) and his team.”

From page 1

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and for Water and Waste’s Barry Prigg, it’s been looking like Christmas since mid-October.

For the past “20 plus” years, Barry has been “decking the halls” of his Sidlaw Street home with a little more than just “bells and holly”.

This year he estimates his Christmas display will have more than 50,000 lights, all sequenced to music via a computerised animation program.

With his fellow Christmas Elf wife Rhonda, Barry carefully plans his annual display which is renown throughout the region.

Thousands of visitors come past his Smithfield home with Christmas Eve an annual pilgrimage for many residents, some of whom are second generation Christmas light aficionados.

“I have seen people who used to come here when they were kids and then they bring their kids back, I love that,” Barry said.

“I came from a pretty poor family and I thought that by doing this I could give something to families and they could have this to look forward to every Christmas.

“I am just a sucker when it comes to Christmas.”

Many of the decorations in Barry’s display have been handmade, including his current favourite ornament - a giant

illuminated fan which he manufactured based on a model he had seen in the US.

Even the smallest detail of the display receives special attention.

“Rhonda has also made new outfits for the elves in the animated workshop, their outfits were starting to fade so she made some new ones.”

For those who regularly come past to view Barry’s Christmas display, there will be two noticeable omissions.

“I had two big pine trees out the front and we have taken those out,” Barry said.

“They were going to grow another six metres so they were getting a bit dangerous.

“Everyone says that this has really opened up the display.”

Barry will be adding the final touches on the display right up to December 1 when he officially flicks the switch.

5Issue 10 • December 2012

Our People

General Policies and Administration Instructions Rescinded General Policy Description1:06:33 Memorials on Local Government Owned LandAmended General Policy Description1:04:41 Plaques, Memorials and Monuments Policy1:01:05 Usage of Metered Standpipes Policy1:01:08 Full Pay for use Water Management for all Council Leases Policy1:01:04 Metering of Cairns Regional Council Properties and Public Facilities1:01:13 Irregular Payment Policy for Residential Consumers of Drinking Water1:01:12 Pre-payment Policy for Water Consumption Charges1:01:03 Water Meter Installation Policy1:01:20 Trade Waste Environmental Management Plan1:10:19 Asbestos Disposal Policy1:01:26 Drinking Water Quality Policy1:01:09 Sewer Construction – Replacement of Trees Policy1:04:51 Urban Design Advisory Reference Group Terms of ReferenceNew Admin Instructions Description2:02:112 Community Volunteer Leave2:02:113 Cultural and Ceremonial Leave2:02:114 Flexible Working Arrangements

Note: Please check the Council Intranet for more details on the above.

After

Before

Infrastructure Services latest

Cockatoo Hill culvert replacement, Cape Tribulation: This work involved the removal and relaying of culverts situated at Cockatoo Hill, south of the service station.

Issue 10 • December 2012 6

Infrastructure Services’ Ryan de Vecchi topped off an accolade-filled year when he was named 2012 Apprentice of the Year at the 2012 Cairns Regional Council Training Awards on Tuesday, November 20.

Ryan was a nominee at the annual awards last year and went on to win the Skill360 Australia Electrical Apprentice of the year 2012. He was also selected for the Group Training Australia – Today’s Skills: Tomorrow’s Leaders program where 21 apprentices and trainees from across the country travelled to Canberra for a five-day career development and leadership program.

Acting CEO Peter Tabulo said Council employed 137 trainees and apprentices, as well as providing training opportunities for existing staff.

“Training and professional development is a priority for Council and we make an effort to acknowledge the hard work of those who are starting their careers,” Mr Tabulo said.

“Some of those trainees recognised will go on to become senior members of Council’s workforce, sharing the skills they have learned through their respective programs.

“Others will forge careers outside of Council, with the knowledge they have established a firm grounding in their chosen field through their work in local government.”

Learning and Organisational Development Coordinator Jenni Dillon said the annual awards showcased Council’s ongoing commitment to developing staff.

“Cairns Regional Council is committed to offering the opportunity of training and one of the avenues is apprenticeships and traineeships. Council has maintained the number of trainees and apprentices at 139 over the past 12 months,” Jenni said.

“Council prides itself on being a catalyst for people wishing to build a foundation for a career whether it’s here with Council or out in the community.

“Each year the judges face a significant challenge and this

year is no exception; the quality of nominations submitted was remarkable, it’s fantastic to see the great outcomes from people being involved with and encouraged to participate in a learning environment that we at Council have created.

“In addition we made some changes to the nomination forms to ensure they aligned specifically with the Queensland awards, we included the additional awards of Certificate of Encouragement and Certificate of Acknowledgement.”

2012 Training Awards recipients:Apprentice of the Year – Ryan de Vecchi (Certificate III Electrotechnology)

Encouragement Certificate – Talia Roberts (Certificate III Plumbing)

Trainee of the Year – Jamie-Lee Mew

Certificate of Encouragement – Tyshaya Martens

CRC/Skill360 School Based Apprentice/Trainee of the year – Tyler Bryant

Vocational Student of the Year – Damien Parter

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year – Koza Coburn

Special Recognition Award – Kim Armbrust

Certificate of Acknowledgement – Robyn Duffy

Students top a stellar year

Training awards

Council’s annual Training Awards are a highlight of the corporate calendar - and rightly so. Each year we come together to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of staff undertaking apprenticeships, traineeships and professional development. The awards are not only an opportunity to showcase our talented workforce, but also provide a platform to acknowledge the amazing work of Council’s Learning and Development team.

The 2012 winners of Cairns Regional Council’s Training Awards (left to right): Robyn Duffy, Damien Parter, Tyshaya Martens, Tyler Bryant, Kim Armbrust, Ryan De Vecchi, Jamie-Lee Mew, Koza Coburn, Talia Roberts.

Easy to follow tips for a green festive season

Greensmart Corner

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, a time for family, a time for friends and a time for giving.

However, gift giving and Christmas cheer also results in 20 per cent more waste than any other time of year. So with that in mind, Santa has a few tips for going green this festive season:

1. Be waste smart: set up recycling bins for your lunch guests and limit your use of disposable tableware.

2. Re-think the wrap: get creative with xmas stockings, pre-loved wrapping and store bought wrapping made from recycled paper

3. Be energy smart: turn off Christmas lights at bedtime or use a timer so they don’t run all night

4. Re-gift: Donate unwanted gifts to a local charity’s Christmas appeal

5. Gift experiences: like a massage, guided rainforest

walk or tickets to a show. Experience based gifts are kinder to the environment than buying material goods, plus they make gifts to remember.

6.Gift eco: If giving material goods, consider an ‘eco’ product like a compost bin or a fruit tree. Browse

through local environmental and socially-sound gift shops for gifts that don’t cost the earth.

7. Gift local: Support local businesses and artisans by purchasing gifts made locally.

And finally, before you leave the office for your holidays make sure you shut down and switch off your computer and monitor.

Turning off all non essential lighting in your workplace will also reduce the cost to the environment and to the money spent on electricity this Christmas season.

Be sure to check out Council’s website for other ideas on how to have a sustainable festive season, while reducing your impact on the environment

Merry Christmas ….

Help Santa celebrate a “tropical tree” Christmas

Green shortsSanta goes green: wishes everyone a waste smart Christmas.

Carbon Footprint : Council Greenhouse Gas Inventory now available on CRC website.

Waste Smart: Spence St recycling up by more than 50%

Trapped Mynas: over 16,000 pest Indian Myna birds eradicated via community trapping program.

1. Apart from water vapour, what are the three of the most common greenhouse gases

2. How much gold can be recovered from a tonne of recycled mobile phones?

A.none B. 280g C. 500g

3. Which is rarer - the northern or southern hairy nosed wombat?

4. True or false… aerosol cans are recyclable

5. Which of the following will take the longest to break down in landfill?

A. disposable nappy B. aluminium can C. styrofoam cup

6. What is the fastest growing source of renewable energy in the world?

A. solar B. hydro C. wind D. geothermal

7. How many solar panels does Council have on its buildings?

A. 460 B. 70 C. 1002

8. Who wrote the book ‘The Weather Makers’

9. The amount of energy used to make one soft drink can from scratch, could have made how many cans from recycled aluminium?

A.5 B. 10 C. 20 D.50

10. What are the common names of these feral animals

A. Sus scrofa B. Oryctolagus cuniculus C. Bufo marinus D. Acridotheres tristis

Send your answers to d.walton@cairns.qld.gov.au for a chance to win a stubby cooler or a reusable coffee cup.

Santa will pay an early visit to Cattana Wetlands as part of Tropical Tree Day celebrations on Sunday December 2.

Staff can join Santa and other members of the community as they plant 300 trees at Cattana Wetlands as part of the festivities which will also mark the nature reserve’s third birthday. There will be a free sausage sizzle and entertainment for the family.

Mayor Bob Manning said Tropical Tree Day was held annually in Cairns at the start of summer just before the wet season.

“Our southern neighbours participate in Planet Ark’s National Tree Planting

Day, but this occurs during our drier months. We celebrate Tropical Tree Day as it is the perfect time for planting native trees,” Cr Manning said.

“This year we will be planting 300 trees in recognition of the third anniversary of Cattana Wetlands. It is a fun morning for all the family and if you have not visited Cattana Wetlands before it is the perfect opportunity to visit this great facility.”

Community tree planting will be held from 8-10am on Sunday December 2 at the Cattana Wetlands, via Dunne Road, Yorkeys Knob.

There will be a limited number of trees

available on site for the tree planting.

Santa will be arriving at approximately 9.15am.

Don’t miss your chance to win your very own living Christmas tree, thanks to Council’s Natural Area Management branch. Take our Christmas quiz on the back page and get your entry in for a chance to win. Email and hard copy entries will be accepted. But hurry, due to the Christmas close down entries must be received by COB Friday December 7.

When: 8-10am Sunday December 2Where: Cattana Wetlands, Dunne Road Yorkeys Knob

Upgrading your child’s bike this Christmas? Not sure how to dispose of the old one? Make a difference in a young person’s life and donate the old one to Council’s Active Travel Program.

The bikes will be given to disadvantaged kids for active school

travel, giving them the opportunity to take part in school cycle busses and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Bring your second-hand bikes to Council’s Spence Street building after 14 January, leave them in Oscars and e-mail Sarah Gosling (s.gosling@cairns.qld.gov.au).

Pre-loved bikes roll out Christmas cheer

Green Smart Trivia

7Issue 10 • December 2012

Small steps can make a world of difference.

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Send in your Trivia Challenge and Sudoku answers to theloop@cairns.qld.gov.au or via internal mail to go into a draw to win a beautiful Daintree Pine. This beautiful living Christmas tree has been provided by our fantastic friends in Natural Resources. Get your entry in quick - draw will be held on December 7.

Answers (Issue 9 - November 2012)

Trivia challenge: 1. New moon2. Annular3. True4. Second Contact5. May 17 2231 BC6. Perihelion7. False8. Solar filter9.False10. Jupiter

Sudoku:

Take 10

Got a story?

Email: theloop@cairns.qld.gov.au Phone: 4044 3020 Internal Mail: The Loop, Marketing and Communications. Deadline for stories is the 15th of each month.

Illustration by Robert Cowling, Infrastructure Services.

Do you love Christmas? Then try and solve these festive facts.

1.Which of these companies was the first to use Santa Claus in an advertisement?

A: Pepsi

B: Coca-Cola

C: 7-Up

D: Fanta

2. Which US president was the first to decorate the White House Christmas tree?

3. Which country did the gingerbread house come from?

4. What kind of Christmas does Elvis Presley sing about?

5. In what year was A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, published?

6. What is the name of the Grinch’s dog in the movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”?

7. Where was A Christmas Carol written?

8. Which reindeer helps Rudolph fly at the reindeer games?

9. Which reindeer was Rudolph’s dad?

10. Which Christmas movie has been played on TV more than any other?

A: A Christmas Story

B: Home Alone

C: Frosty the Snowman

D: It’s A Wonderful Life

Trivia challenge

Sudoku challenge

Postcard from the EdgeIn October and November, three of the Property ladies headed off travelling the world and Australia. Martine Care from Property Services and Sport and Recreation’s Ashleigh Lowe took flight to the land of the rising sun. Sharon Gangell and her partner set off on a road trip down the east coast of Australia. Cheryl Dean and her family rounds off this month’s globe trotting accounts with a family holiday to New Zealand.

Hi everyone,

We recently jetsetted off to Japan in style for 13 days to experience all that the co

untry

had to offer. First up was Tokyo where we spent a few days getting lost in the hustle

and bustle of the big city before heading onto Kyoto. The history and culture of Kyoto was

amazing and we got to see some of the most beautiful shrines and even slept on traditional

Japanese style futons on the floor!!

Hiroshima was next where we explored Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima island where

we had a slight run in with a deer or two!! Last but not least was Osaka where sadly our

trip came to an end.

The whole trip was amazing and we would recommend travelling there to experience the

rich culture, history, warm Japanese spirit and especially the traditional style food.

Martine and Ashleigh

My partner and I drove down the east coast to the Snowy Mountains camping , bike riding

and rafting. We visited places like Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Barrington Tops, Jindabyne,

and drove along the Sea Cliff Bridge. I got to play with some ice and wanted to make

ice balls to throw but thought it would probably lead to a trip to the hospital. We even got

a chance to stop in Sydney to spend the day at the Penrith White Water Rafting Centre.

We travelled more than 8000 km’s in three weeks.

Sharon

We flew to New Zealand and spent time skiing and visiting Auckland. I didn’t know that

the mountain my family and I were skiing on was an active volcano (found out about that on

the back door of the toilet). We had four days in a row skiing and did very well for Far

North Queenslanders, there were some snow yoga ski landings (downward dog in the snow)

but no injuries. We can highly recommend NZ as a holiday destination, easy to get around,

not too expensive, very very scenic and they have glow worms. Sorry, no pics, can’t find

the camera cord!!

Cheryl

Taking aim: Sharon finds ice on the snow firlds in Spring.

The stunning Golden Pavillion in Kyoto

On tour: Martine and Ashleigh in Japan.

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