Articles by Frances Adcock
Former navy diver plans to dolphin kick his way across the English Channel
Former Navy diver Ashley Semmens has set his sights on becoming the first person to swim the English Channel — in a peculiar backwards manner. To achieve the record, the former Chief Petty Officer will need to swim on his back for more than 15 hours, not in a traditional backstroke, but dolphin kicking while facing the sky, with minimal use of his arms. He said preparing for the 34.2-kilometre swim was as much mental as physical.
Elderly residents may be forced to move after retirement village changes lease terms
Vulnerable residents living in a retirement village near Queensland's Sunshine Coast have had their in-house food service stopped after they were told their long-term lease arrangements would soon change. Seasons Caloundra has informed residents it plans to stop operating as a retirement village and become a "rental-only" facility. The change means the centre will stop being an "independent retirement village" and start to operate under a "commercial flexi lease" arrangement.
Indigenous yarning circle credited with boosting Australia's Olympic success in Paris
An ancient Indigenous practice credited with boosting Australia's performance at the Paris Olympics is likely to become an ongoing feature at future Games. For the first time, a yarning circle was included at Australia's athlete's village. A yarning circle is a learning tool used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures to share stories, build relationships and unite communities. Sunshine Coast-based artist Brad Hore was commissioned to paint the yarning circle at the village in Paris.
Sunshine Coast Marathon races toward major expansion with bold Olympic vision
Sunshine Coast Marathon organisers aim to double the number of runners and create a one-loop course. It is hoped the changes will help ensure the region is ready to host the Brisbane Olympics marathon in 2032. Sunshine Coast's mayor says the council will work with World Athletics and the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee to determine the Olympic marathon route.
House Call Doctors Facing Closure
22 May 2019 Pexels House Call Doctors could be forced to close, amid claims it owes the tax office close to half a million dollars. The Deputy Commissioner of Taxation applied to the Federal Court in Brisbane this month to wind up the business on the grounds it is insolvent according to the Courier Mail. House Call Doctors is accused of failing to pay $475,457 within 21 days of January 25.
Two Boaties Rescued In Separate Bar Incidents
20 February 2019 By Shiftchange (talk) (Uploads) - Own work, Public Domain A warning for boaties to take it easy. The Caloundra Volunteer Coast Guard vessel, the QF4, had to rescue two people in separate incidents after their boats rolled in rough seas on Tuesday. A 73-year-old man had to be rescued at Caloundra Bar, after his boat flipped after entering the bar the wrong way.
Big Swell To Bypass Mackay
Whitsundays. Image Supplied Mackay will miss out on the large swell forecast for Queensland's southeast due to Cyclone Oma, sitting off Vanuatu. The Category Two system is expected to move into the Bureau of Meteorology's coverage area in coming days. Meteorologist David Crock said, at this stage, the larger waves will be seen well south of Mackay. By Frances Adcock & Michelle Price
Local Business Director Sentenced Over Death Of Roof Tiler
A Sunshine Coast director will be sentenced on Thursday after he was found guilty in a Queensland first Workplace Health and Safety trial. After a two day trial, a jury found Multi-Run Roofing and its director Gary Lavin were guilty of a category one Workplace Health and Safety offence. It comes after a roofer died, when he fell six metres off a roof at a Cooroy factory in 2014. By Frances Adcock & Michelle Price
Maleny Cheese Recalled
07 February 2019 By JJ Harrison - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5 Queensland Health have alerted the public of the recall of a popular feta cheese that may contain E.coli contamination. Maleny Cheese's Herb and Garlic Feta is being recalled. The product is sold at Market Stall, IGA, Fruit and Veg Stores and Dairy Stores in Queensland. Authorites say the feta has a use-by date on May 21, 2019 and could cause illness if consumed. By Frances Adcock & Michelle Price
LEGENDARY| Two Doctors Awarded Australian Of Year Accolade for Thai Cave Rescue
25 January 2019 West Australia's 2019 Australian of the Year Craig Challen (L) and South Australia's 2019 Australian of the Year Dr Richard Harris at a 2019 Australian of the Year finalist morning tea hosted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at The Lodge in Canberra, Friday, January 25, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Two legendary cave-diving medics who helped save a boys’ soccer team in Thailand, have been announced as the 2019 Australians of the Year.
LEGENDARY| Two Doctors Awarded Australian Of Year Accolade for Thai Cave Rescue
25 January 2019 Prime Minister Scott Morrison with winners 2019 Australians of the Year Dr. Richard Harris and Craig Challen at 2019 Australian of the Year Awards at The National Arboretum in Canberra, Friday, January 25, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Two legendary cave-diving medics who helped save a boys’ soccer team in Thailand, have been announced as the 2019 Australians of the Year.
LEGENDARY| Two Doctors Awarded Australian Of Year Accolade for Thai Cave Rescue
25 January 2019 Prime Minister Scott Morrison with winners 2019 Australians of the Year Dr. Richard Harris and Craig Challen at 2019 Australian of the Year Awards at The National Arboretum in Canberra, Friday, January 25, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Two legendary cave-diving medics who helped save a boys’ soccer team in Thailand, have been announced as the 2019 Australians of the Year.
LEGENDARY| Two Doctors Awarded Australian Of Year Accolade for Thai Cave Rescue
Prime Minister Scott Morrison with winners 2019 Australians of the Year Dr. Richard Harris and Craig Challen at 2019 Australian of the Year Awards at The National Arboretum in Canberra, Friday, January 25, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Two legendary cave-diving medics who helped save a boys’ soccer team in Thailand, have been announced as the 2019 Australians of the Year.
LEGENDARY| Two Doctors Awarded Australian Of Year Accolade for Thai Cave Rescue
25 January 2019 Prime Minister Scott Morrison with winners 2019 Australians of the Year Dr. Richard Harris and Craig Challen at 2019 Australian of the Year Awards at The National Arboretum in Canberra, Friday, January 25, 2019. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas) Two legendary cave-diving medics who helped save a boys’ soccer team in Thailand, have been announced as the 2019 Australians of the Year.
Search For Fisherman Found On Ship Estimated To Cost $250 Grand
17 January 2019 Image Credit: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue UPDATE | RACQ LifeFlight has commented on the search for a fisherman, found on the vessel a crew member believed he had fallen overboard from.
Search For Fisherman Found On Ship Estimated To Cost $250 Mill
17 January 2019 Image Credit: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue UPDATE | RACQ LifeFlight has commented on the search for a fisherman, found on the vessel a crew member believed he had fallen overboard from.
Search For Fisherman Found On Ship Estimated To Cost $250 Mill
17 January 2019 Image Credit: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue UPDATE | RACQ LifeFlight has commented on the search for a fisherman, found on the vessel a crew member believed he had fallen overboard from.
Search For Fisherman Found On Ship Estimated To Cost $250 Grand
17 January 2019 Image Credit: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue UPDATE | RACQ LifeFlight has commented on the search for a fisherman, found on the vessel a crew member believed he had fallen overboard from.
Search For Fisherman Found On Ship Estimated To Cost $250 Grand
17 January 2019 Image Credit: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue UPDATE | RACQ LifeFlight has commented on the search for a fisherman, found on the vessel a crew member believed he had fallen overboard from.
Qld Coroner Critical Of Police Handling Of Taxi Driver Death
CC0 Creative Commons A Queensland coroner has been critical of the police following the Inquest into the death of a Bundaberg Taxi driver more than 30 years ago. Bryan Hodgkinson was found dead with severe injuries on the 8th of September 1987. No one was charged over his apparent murder. Findings from a inquest this year, were handed down on Tuesday. By Frances Adcock/Michelle Price
Indigenous Boxer Inducted Into Sunshine Coast Sports Hall Of Fame
Image Credit: Supplied Brad Hore Indigenous boxer Brad Hore has been inducted into the Sunshine Coast Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony overnight. A veteran in the sport, Hore competed as an amateur boxer, twice each at the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games before turning professional in 2012. Hore said the transition from amateur to professional was a long road. "It was a bit different at first, especially with the training styles. "You have to take your time more.
AMAQ warns against putting senior doctors on individual contracts
The Australian Medical Association of Queensland (AMAQ) says the State Government's moves to put senior doctors on individual contracts will make working in rural areas unappealing. The AMAQ says most of the state's doctors believe new contracts will expose them to unsafe working arrangements and put them at risk of being sacked if they speak up. The AMAQ president-elect, Hervey Bay-based Dr Shaun Rudd, says it will deter doctors from working in the bush.
Push for fast-tracked Gympie Hospital revamp
Gympie MP David Gibson says the cost of maintaining the Gympie Hospital is too high and it should be rebuilt. Health Minister Lawrence Springborg has used Question Time to highlight the need to improve the hospital. Mr Gibson said the Government should make a commitment to upgrade or rebuild the facility before the next election and a master plan was needed for the hospital to cope with population growth.
Study to help push for reef manta rays protection
The results of a University of Queensland study will be used to lobby the Federal Government to protect one of the world's largest manta rays from commercial fishing. Marine scientists have been studying reef manta rays off Lady Elliot Island near Bundaberg in southern Queensland for the past five years.
Floods help sink Gayndah paper with ads shortage
The local paper in Queensland's North Burnett, the Gayndah Gazette, has been forced to close because of a lack of advertising support from businesses hit hard by the recent floods. The fortnightly publication promotes businesses and informs the local community. Gazette owner Joanna Dowling has worked at the paper for more than 20 years and says it has been a tough time for the whole community. "Businesses have been hurting," she said.
90-year-old saved from scrapheap
The man who led the Bundaberg police through the city's worst disaster has spent 12 months painstakingly restoring a flood-damaged vintage motorcycle. When ex-tropical cyclone Oswald dumped hundreds of millimetres of rain in the catchment of the Burnett River in Queensland, floodwaters rushed through the riverside communities of Mundubbera and Gayndah.
Study offers ray of hope for threatened mantas
A University of Queensland (UQ) researcher says one of the world's largest manta rays remains under threat from commercial fishing. A team of scientists has been studying endangered reef manta rays off Lady Elliot Island, near Bundaberg in the state's south-east, for the past five years. PhD student Lydie Coucurier says in some countries commercial fishing is a problem.
More Wide Bay sites revealed in NBN rollout
The rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) will start in 11 more Wide Bay sites in the next few weeks. Crews will assess where fibre optic cables will be installed in areas including Hervey Bay, Maryborough, Rainbow Beach, Tin Can Bay and Childers. NBN Co spokesman Ryan Williams says the first design phase takes three months but it will not begin until 2015. "So there's a range of different time frames for each one of those areas that we will be going to during that period," he said.
Study finds Hervey Bay in south-east Queensland as a pivotal habitat for humpback whales
A two-decade long research study shows Hervey Bay in south-east Queensland is the world's most important habitat for endangered humpback whales. The study, published this week by Southern Cross University researcher Trish Franklin, is the first comprehensive look at how important Hervey Bay is for the survival of the species.
Bundaberg Spirit team dropped
The Bundaberg Spirit football president, Mark Haster, says he cannot understand why the team has been dropped from next year's Australian Premier League fixture. Mr Haster says the team had been playing strongly in the Queensland State League over the past five years and is financially stable. He is worried regional players will miss out on furthering their football careers without a local team.
The Wide Bay is ready for the 2012 Melbourne Cup
ABC Wide Bay brings you all the action from the Flemington racecourse as they get set to jump in the 2012 Melbourne Cup. The Bundaberg Race Club will welcome its biggest crowd of the year, as they make their way into grandstand as the Melbourne Cup stops a nation. About 2000 people are expected to attend the only Melbourne Cup day race meeting in the Wide Bay, with a five race program on the card.
Getting the right info during an emergency
Thunderstorm warnings here, hailstones and dangerous winds there. It is the peak time for storms in Queensland, and in the clutter of social media it can sometimes be difficult to sift through conflicting information. The Bureau of Meteorology Queensland regional director Rob Webb says when official warnings are issued, the best place to find correct information on social media is through official channels like Queensland Police, QLD Alert, or through your local ABC.
Dry weather boosts Fraser Coast blue-green algae blooms says scientist
An environmental scientist says Queensland's ongoing dry weather is contributing to blue-green algae blooms, like the ones Fraser Coast residents are dodging on local beaches. The state's waterways, dams and beaches have seen multiple outbreaks of blue-green algae, which can cause allergic reactions such as skin and eye irritation. Around Hervey Bay, the Fraser Coast Council is warning people to avoid the algae washed up on beaches because of the potential health risks.
Hervey Bay coach helps Aussie Devils win silver at world champs
A Fraser Coast coach says the Australian Under 25 women's wheelchair basketball team are some of the best players in the world, as the side returns from their second World Championship podium finish in a row. Hervey Bay's Michael Oxley travelled to China this month as the Australian Under 25 women's wheelchair basketball team's technical coach, whose job it is to provide insights from the enemy camp. "My role [is] around the scouting of opposition teams and putting together film on them," he said.
25 Wide Bay sites listed as mobile phone blackspots
The federal Member for Hinkler says he is certain some areas in the Wide Bay will get funding to improve mobile phone blackspots. The Federal Government expects to build upwards of 250 new base stations with funding from the $100 million blackspot program. Six thousand sites Australia-wide and 25 in the Wide Bay, including Hervey Bay, Elliot Heads and Bargara, have been nominated as having poor coverage Keith Pitt says he will be lobbying telecommunications companies to improve services.
Charity applauds decision to remove Rolf Harris painting
A charity, helping victims of sexual assault, has praised a southern Queensland council's decision to remove a Rolf Harris painting from a local gallery. The 84 year-old entertainer was sentenced a fortnight ago to five years and nine months in jail for indecently assaulting four girls in the UK between the 1960s and 1980s. Yesterday, the Bundaberg Regional Council decided to remove an Uluru landscape piece, painted when Harris toured the city in 1992, from the Moncrieff Theatre.
Live fire exercise started grass fire at Tin Can Bay in Qld's Wide Bay, army says
The Defence Department admits an army exercise has sparked another grass fire, this time in Queensland's Wide Bay. Defence has been forced to apologise for starting the biggest blaze in the current New South Wales fire crisis. A live weapons exercise sparked the State Mine Fire near Lithgow, north-west of Sydney, which destroyed homes and blackened almost 50,000 hectares. Today, the Army has admitted a live weapons exercise also caused a fire near Tin Can Bay in Queensland's Wide Bay region.
School sees pitfalls in Indigenous language studies
The principal of Cherbourg State School, south-west of Bundaberg in southern Queensland, says it will be difficult to teach Indigenous languages in some schools. A new report is calling on the Federal Government to introduce Indigenous language education into schools with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Principal Peter Sansby says it is a good initiative but it may not be practical in some schools with a diverse range of students.
Bundaberg trailer firm closure sparks call for Wide Bay to embrace more big mining projects
The Queensland Resources Council says it is disappointing a manufacturing company in Bundaberg is set to close, citing a downturn in the coal and iron ore industry. Twenty-four jobs are earmarked to go from Azmed Global Trailers - the company manufactures side-tipping semitrailers. The Wide Bay Burnett's unemployment rate is one of the highest in the country, despite a small drop to 7.9 per cent in July.
Humpback whale's growing brood: 12 calves in 20 years just the start for Nala
How many times can a female humpback whale give birth? If Nala the whale's brood is anything to go by, 12 calves in 20 years is only a start, according to researchers in Hervey Bay. The Oceania Project's Dr Wally Franklin said Nala was "an incredibly prolific breeding female" who had been observed in the area with a calf a dozen times since 1996. "On average mature whales can have a calf every two years," he said.
Students help boost fundraising for flooded Bundaberg schools
A Brisbane school is providing a much-needed boost to flood-affected Bundaberg schools in southern Queensland. About a dozen schools in Bundaberg were inundated by January's floods. Three months on, Brisbane Grammar School, is still helping out. Community services coordinator Phillipa Douglas says teachers and students at the school have been collecting stationery, books and art supplies to send to Bundaberg schools. She says businesses around the area are also getting involved.
South Burnett council moves closer to finding new operator for Kingaroy Hospital
A decision about the running of the Kingaroy Hospital in southern Queensland is expected to be announced in January. The South Burnett council says it is closer to finding a service provider to run the hospital, after meeting interested parties in Brisbane last week. The council has accepted the operators' offer to visit Kingaroy and tour the facility, after Pulse Health walked away from running the hospital in June.
Bundaberg council divisional representation remains as electoral commission rejects abolishment bid
The 10 council divisions will remain in the Bundaberg Regional Council electorate, in southern Queensland, after the electoral commission rejected council's request to abolish them. The council voted to abolish councillor divisions late last year. It said at the time there was enough community support for all residents to have a direct say in the election of each councillor.
Police take uni crash course
CQUniversity says its crash investigation course has attracted interest from police officers. The course at the Bundaberg campus in southern Queensland is in its second year, with 120 students studying plane, industrial, road and rail accidents. Associate professor Geoff Dell says many officers have enrolled in the course. "We're already seeing signs that police forces are starting to show interest," he said. "We've got a significant proportion of the existing students are serving police officers.
Extra $8m announced for Bundaberg Port gas pipeline
The Queensland Premier has made one major funding announcement for Bundaberg as her Government wraps up a two-day Community Cabinet sitting in the city. The only new announcement from Annastacia Palaszczuk was an extra $8 million for the gas pipeline to be built at the Bundaberg Port. Construction on the project will begin next year, with more than 45 jobs to be created during the build.
Colton coal mine plans don't stack up says Coal Free Wide Bay Burnett
An anti-coal mine group says a proposed coal mine on southern Queensland's Fraser Coast will not contribute enough to the local economy to offset the environmental impacts. The Colton coal mine project earmarked for the area has been delayed as its environmental approval is appealed against in the Land Court. Coal Free Wide Bay Burnett will hold a meeting in Maryborough later this week to hear from a panel of speakers interested in exploration in the region.
Bundaberg council to borrow over $29m for Rubyanna wastewater plant says Mayor
The Bundaberg Mayor says council will have to borrow more than $29 million to complete the Rubyanna Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Queensland Government has given the project $5 million in round two of the Building our Regions fund, while the council missed out on funding from the Federal Government. Council said it would fund most of the project from its reserves and utility charges which included current and planned connections.
Labor to reinstate Maryborough Hospital pathology services scrapped under LNP
The State Government says pathology services will restart at the Maryborough Hospital, in southern Queensland, after the former government scrapped them. The pathology unit was controversially closed in 2012, as part of the LNP's government budget cuts, and relocated to Hervey Bay Hospital. However, Health Minister Cameron Dick said there was a strong demand and need for the return of the service.
Uni researchers to tackle mine fatigue
CQUniversity is set to step up research into fatigue issues in the mining industry. The university has acquired an Adelaide research unit, which has been looking into issues such as shift work and fly-in, fly-out workforces. Vice-chancellor professor Scott Bowman says the unit will work with existing programs at the university. "One of our new programs is accident forensics which is looking at why accidents in mines, in railways and even air crash investigations, why those crashes happen," he said.
Bundaberg part owner of Melbourne Cup winning horse Prince of Penzance 'over the moon'
The Bundaberg part owner of the Melbourne Cup winning horse Prince of Penzance says he is proud the horse delivered so many firsts in yesterday's big race. Jockey Michelle Payne, 30, became the first woman in the cup's history to ride to victory. Bundaberg lawyer Bruce Dalton shares a 15 per cent stake in Prince of Penzance with his brothers. They bought the horse in New Zealand four years ago. Mr Dalton said they never imagined what could become of the horse.
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