Mount Isa News July 2022 – Your Local News
Latest Mount Isa News for July 2022
Isa Street Festival’s Back
*Mount Isa news – After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Isa Street Festival is back for 2022, with Australian music legend Daryl Braithwaite to headline the concert, which will also feature Queensland country music trio Vixens of Fall and Mount Isa-born The Voice Australia 2022 favourite Lane Pittman.
The Isa Street Festival will be held during Isa Rodeo Week, on Wednesday, August 10, in the Mount Isa CBD (West Street, Miles Street, and Rodeo Drive).
The event will include the popular Isa Street Parade (this year’s theme is “horses”), in which local schools and community groups will participate in various decorated and themed floats. The Street Parade route will travel from the Isa Street Bridge and Isa Street across to Miles Street.
The Isa Street Festival will also include a Sideshow Alley, food and market stalls, a beer garden, fireworks, and a Kids’ Zone, featuring family favourites The Crackup Sisters from Winton.
Mayor Danielle Slade said she is ecstatic the event is making a welcome return for 2022 and is looking forward to seeing what it has to offer.
“The Mount Isa Mines Rodeo is the biggest event on Mount Isa’s annual calendar and Council is proud to bring the Isa Street Festival to the community during Rodeo Week,” Cr Slade said.
“With excellent entertainment, food and fun for people of all ages, the Isa Street Festival attracts thousands of people who flock to the Mount Isa CBD to soak up and enjoy that great rodeo party atmosphere.
“It is definitely not to be missed and will be a night to remember, and I’m really looking forward to singing along to Horses with Darryl, but most of all, seeing it come back bigger and better than ever.”
Mount Isa News by Councillor George Fortune
I have been very impressed and pleased by the work that Council has been doing for, and in, the community in recent weeks.
At Council’s Ordinary and Budget Meeting in mid-June, several sponsorships and grants were confirmed or presented, including $60,000 in sponsorship to be a Presenting Partner of the 2022 Mount Isa Mines Rodeo, $15,000 for Opera Queensland’s “Composed in Queensland” community engagement project, $35,000 for the 2023 Outback Masters golf event, and almost $21,000 for the inaugural round of our new Environmental Grant Program.
The number of applications we received for the first ever round of the Environmental Grant Program was encouraging, and it’s anticipated that once this very good initiative becomes more well-known, more community organisations will come forward to make the most of it for the betterment of the local environment. For example, this could include educational programs to help with the identification of noxious plants in and around Mount Isa.
At the June Ordinary Meeting, Council also conducted a presentation for the most recent recipients of our Community Grants and Events Sponsorship funding program, with more than $90,000 presented to local community groups and sports clubs for various events, initiatives and works.
That figure goes up to almost $106,000 when you include the two Camooweal recipients – the Drovers Camp Association ($8000), and the Camooweal Campdraft Association ($7891), which were presented with their sponsorship during a Council community consultation meeting in late May.
Council also agreed to waive rates and charges for two years for 36 sports clubs and not-forprofit groups, potentially saving them more than $400,000.
This is an excellent result and shows the Council’s commitment to the community, and to the clubs and groups that work so tirelessly to make it such a great place in which to live but which have been doing it tough of late.
Latest Mount Isa News Information
• Council is holding a Pet Photo Competition to coincide with Pet Day. Submit your photos at www.surveymonkey.com/r/V5T8299 – entries close on Sunday July 3). Pet Photo Competition winners will be announced at the event and prizes awarded. All photos will also be uploaded to Council’s Facebook page for a People’s Choice Award (photo with the most likes).
• Queensland Ballet will be in Mount Isa on Monday July 11 and Tuesday July 12 to conduct free regional ballet classes as part of its 2022 Community Regional Tour. Young dancers aged 2–17 years, adults, and senior participants are invited to join Queensland Ballet at the Mount Isa School of Dance on Isa Street for a range of inclusive workshops that will inspire your inner creativity.
To register, visit https://qldballet.eventsair.com/regional-tour-2022—mount-isa/mountisa2022/Site/Register
Mount Isa Events
Pet Day
Date: Saturday 9 July 2022
Time: 10am-1pm
Where: Buchanan Park
Mount Isa Campdraft
Date: 7-10 July 2022
Time: From 8am
Where: Mount Isa Campdraft Grounds
North West MPX
Date: 13-14 July 2022
Time: 8am-5pm
Where: Mount Isa Civic Centre, 23 West Street
Outback Queensland Masters
Date: 16-17 July 2022
Time: 8am-5pm
Where: Mount Isa Golf Club
City Council Updates
Presentation
A very special donation was made recently when Council presented two completely refurbished mobility scooters to the Mount Isa Mates Men’s Shed.
Staff – including apprentices – from Council’s Workshop worked on the mobility scooters for more than two months. All of the switches, electricals and battery-charging systems were repaired or replaced, the harnesses were repaired, and the seat covers and reversing mirrors were replaced. The tyres were replaced with solid tyres that don’t need to be inflated and are puncture-proof.
The old existing paintwork was sanded down and the scooters were repainted – one orange and one red.
“A lot of work has gone into them to get them to the point where they are now. All the guys here are proud to have been part of this project – the scooters are going to a good cause. It’s a great project and we enjoyed doing it,” Council Workshop Supervisor Nico Deysel said.
“The more we fixed, the more the guys wanted to put into it. I take my hat off to all of my staff here – they did a great job and I’m really proud of them for what they’ve done.”
Mayor Danielle Slade and Deputy Mayor Phil Barwick were there for the handover and were full of praise for the Workshop teams.
“This will definitely make life easier for people in the community. I’m so proud of everyone, thank you very much for all of your work,” Cr Slade said.
The scooters once belonged to local resident Sue Sykes’ late husband, John.
Sue approached Council CEO David Keenan to ask if Council could dispose of the mobility scooters for her, and Mr Keenan looked into whether the vehicles could instead be repaired and donated to a local charity.
“I would like to thank everyone for doing this, especially David Keenan – he started this ball rolling. I didn’t realise this would be the end product – I just thought they’d get taken to the tip. I’m really impressed, you’ve done a wonderful job,” Ms Sykes said.
Mount Isa Mates Men’s Shed secretary Phil Norris thanked Council and Workshop staff for their work.
“You’ve done a fantastic job and you’re going to make life for people in this town that much better,” Mr Norris said.
Canberra Meetings
Councillor Peta MacRae and Deputy Mayor Phil Barwick attended the Australian Local Government Association’s annual National General Assembly in Canberra in late June.
During the visit, they met with Federal Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and for Rural and Regional Health, Emma McBride, to talk about health services in the Mount Isa area.
Also, there were North and West Remote Health CEO John Cain, and National Rural Health Alliance CEO Dr Gabrielle O’Kane. The Councillors also met with Australian Mining Cities Alliance (AMCA) members during their visit; Cr Barwick is also the AMCA Chair.
They met with Kalgoorlie-Boulder Deputy Mayor Glenn Wilson and CEO Andrew Brien; Broken Hill Mayor Tom Kennedy, Deputy Mayor Jim Hickey, Councillor Alan Chandler and CEO Jay Nankivell; and Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker and Councillor Viv Coleman.
Local News Update
*JJ Richards to Deliver Kerbside Waste Collections in Mount Isa and Cloncurry
Published: 18th July 2022
Following a competitive joint tender process, Mount Isa City Council and Cloncurry Shire Council have resolved to award JJ Richards with contracts to deliver kerbside waste-collection services.
Cloncurry Shire Council indicated that the joint tender process was an opportunity to secure operational efficiencies within its waste-management operations.
Mount Isa City Council undertook a broader market testing exercise around kerbside waste-collection services commencing in late 2021, with a view to identifying the most efficient, cost-effective means of delivering high-quality waste services capable of meeting community expectations well into the future.
Mount Isa Mayor Danielle Slade said there would be a minimal impact for residents during the transition from Council-run services expected to take place in late 2022.
“Mount Isa City Council is one of few Councils across Australia that provides a waste-collection service using its own equipment and labour. This change will bring us in line with most other Councils, where services are provided by private companies,” Cr Slade said.
“In addition, the two new rubbish collection trucks that Mount Isa City Council took possession of late last year will be purchased by JJ Richards as part of the new agreement.”
Cloncurry Mayor Greg Campbell identified the benefits of working together, stating: “The approach taken by Cloncurry and Mount Isa here has meant that we have found a way to improve service levels at the same time as reducing operating costs, which is a great outcome for both Councils.”
*Online Database of Historical Images for Mount Isa’s Centennial Year
Published: 7th July 2022
The Mount Isa City Library will have an online database of local historical images that should be up and running by the city’s 100th birthday in February 2023, thanks to $24,000 in funding received from the Queensland Government’s 2022 Public Library Strategic Priorities Grants program.
The Library will use the funding to implement the Recollect image database platform, which will enable historical images of Mount Isa to be made freely available online for anyone to view.
“The Recollect image database platform will enable Mount Isa City Library to showcase our historical photographs to the public digitally while keeping the delicate originals safe,” Library Services Coordinator Lois Huston said.
“It will be a permanent online collection, searchable, and contain not only photographs but also historic maps, videos and oral histories.
“The platform is very user-friendly, and community members can also donate digital copies of their own historical photographs while keeping their originals.”
The Library will soon begin the 12-week implementation process, designing the system to suit the community and beginning to upload the photographs. After the implementation period is over, the Library will be asking for members of the public who would like to be beta testers to volunteer to help scan images and upload them into the system.
The Mount Isa Recollect database is expected to be officially launched on February 23, 2023 – Mount Isa’s 100th birthday – as part of the Mount Isa 100 Years Celebrations.
Mayor Danielle Slade said she was delighted the City Library will have an online database of images, which will help people to view rarely seen images of Mount Isa’s past and better appreciate its history.
“There are thousands of historical photographs and documents in the City’s Library’s Historical Collection showing the establishment of the town and mine since 1923,” Cr Slade said.
“With this database, not only can we preserve these important documents by keeping a copy of them online for anyone to access at any time for free, but we can also safely store the originals.
“I hope that when the Library puts the call out for volunteers to help scan the images into the system, we will see heaps of local residents put their hands up to help digitise these important snapshots of Mount Isa’s history. I want to thank the Queensland Government for making this online database initiative possible.”
Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government and State Library of Queensland.
