The Country Caller

Vaccines roll out across Western Downs, South West

By HARRY CLARKE

6 August 2021

THOUSANDS of residents in the Western Downs and South West Queensland have received Covid 19 vaccines and a portion of those are already fully immunised, as the vaccine rollout ramps up west of Toowoomba.

Several medical clinics in the Western Downs have supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine, but the Western Downs Health Centre and Myall Medical Practice at Dalby are for the moment the region’s only clinics administering Pfizer.

Clinics in Chinchilla, Miles, Tara and Jandowae have all been allocated Pfizer stocks and expect to begin immunisations with both vaccines within weeks.

Under the Darling Downs health sevice umbrella, government vaccination clinics are currently only operating in Toowoomba, Warwick, Stanthorpe and Murgon.

A Darling Downs health service spokesperson told the Caller a clinic would be held at Chinchilla from August 9 – 10, but only for patients receiving their second dose of vaccine.

“Our vaccination rollout has been a staged approach in accordance with available supplies of vaccines, and under the latest advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation,” the spokesperson said.

“We are starting to see increases in supply and anticipate this to continue in the coming months.
As supplies become available, we plan to deliver more clinics in rural areas.”

WDHC immunisation nurse Sheralee Story said while demand at private clinics was higher for Pfizer vaccine, many patients from all age groups were happy with the AstraZeneca option.

“The government’s messaging was mixed when it started but I’ve given plenty of vaccines to people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s,” Ms Storey said.

“But people are still holding out for Pfizer. There’s been too much bad press about it, but we’ve given about 1,500 AstraZeneca jabs since March and haven’t had any problems.”

She said there was an “eight-page” waiting list of patients wanting Pfizer, despite the AstraZeneca vaccine being available to anyone over the age of 18 under the guidance of their GP.

In the South West government health service area, clinics administering predominantly Pfizer are currently operating at hospitals in Roma, Mitchell,, Wallumbilla, Injune, Mungindi, St George, Morven, Cunnamulla, Quilpie, Thargomindah and Augathella.

For details about clinic dates and availability, visit the South West Hospital and Health Service Facebook page.

Kids to Cairns thanks to mid year Christmas cheer

(ABOVE: Trivia night winners Deb Wright, Kelly Henry, Jacque Wall, Jenna Symes, Cameron Pitkin, Trisha Pitkin, Jo Stiller, Jodie Hall, Rachel Walsh, Alex Hall and Ross Stiller kept Santa happy with their Christmas music knowledge.)

By JACINTA CUMMINS

IT LOOKS like the kids from Wandoan State School have been good this year if the results of Friday night’s Christmas In July Trivia Night are anything to go by!

Parents & Citizens Association President Greg Zillman estimates the event, which attracted more than 80 people, will make about $5000 profit to help subsidise the Wandoan State School high school students’ trip to Cairns in early September.

“Every four years, the high school has a major camp, but we made the decision last year to head to a Queensland destination given the Covid restrictions, so they’re off to Cairns,” he said.

“We’ve been fundraising all year from car washing to catering to sorting cans after the Wandoan Show and the trivia night was the pinnacle of this.

“A huge thanks goes to Senex Energy for not only sponsoring the night, but for also sending a team along to compete.”

Amy O’Farrell, Monica Deller and Rebecca Cadzow
Brooke Budden, Bronte Stewart and Caitlyn Illangasinghe
Father and son duo Lee and Sam Irwin kept the Christmas cocktails coming
Hollie Budd and Paul Blanchard
Jacynta Booth, Carly Baker and Kristy Hawkins
Jo and Ross Stiller
o and Ross Stiller sneaking a kiss under the mistletoe
Kate Mathewson, Laura Reedman and Ash Lund

PHOTOS BY JACINTA CUMMINS

“This trip is a huge event and will be the first time many of the students have flown on a plane, so we really appreciate Senex making Friday night possible and contributing to this opportunity for our kids.

“A big shout out goes to Santa, aka quiz master extraordinaire Mick Fry, who kept the crowd entertained and fined a few tables that ended up on his naughty list!

“We must also thank Santa’s Elf Lis Irwin who is also the PE teacher. Lis has put a lot of energy and time into organising the trip with Jack Mathewson and helping parents and students with all our fundraising.”

Senex community relations manager Trevor Robertson said Senex Energy was proud to help deliver the trivia night.

“Not only will this allow Wandoan’s students to go further afield than some of them have ever been, the trivia night was also a good opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy some time with each other.

“These kids may become the leaders of Wandoan and surrounding communities in the decades to come and Senex is grateful to be able to help them experience more of the broader world.”

PHOTOS BY JACINTA CUMMINS

Queensland mega miner calls for 40 new apprentices

By HARRY CLARKE

INTERNATIONAL new mining giant Glencore is on the hunt for about 40 apprentices to launch their careers throughout the company’s major operations in north and central Queensland.

Applicants have until Sunday, August 8, to make job submissions, and those successful will begin work in January 2022.

Apprenticeship program offers occur throughout the year. The current offers are for the metals apprenticeship program. The latest round of coal apprenticeship program is closed.

The metals program offers opportunities in the electrical, auto electrical, diesel fitting, fitter welder, radio technician, boilermaker, mechanic, fitter turner and refrigeration trades.

A 3rd year plant mechanic and mechanical apprentice at Oaky Creek Coal. IMAGE: supplied

Glencore’s regional human resource lead, Jodie Hope, said the company was offering a range of entry-level programs, including for school leavers and university graduates, and people of all ages looking for a new challenge or career opportunity.

“We’re proud that we have been able to continue hiring and providing exciting and well-paid jobs to support Queensland’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ms Hope said.

As one of state’s largest jobs providers in the resources sector, Glencore currently employers 8,590 people and generates $8 billion in economic revenue.

The new recruits will join Glencore’s existing cohort of 266 apprentices and 115 graduates currently building their resource sector careers with the company.

The metals program offers electrical, auto electrical, diesel fitting, fitter welder, radio technician, boilermaker, mechanic, fitter turner and refrigeration trades. IMAGE: Supplied

“From Mount Isa and Cloncurry in the north-west, to Clermont and Tieri in Central Queensland, our employment programs provide a challenging mix of on-the-job experience and mentoring by some of the best leaders in the business,” Ms Hope said.

“Not only do we have a large number of apprentices across many different trades, we have a high completion rate of 96% over the past five years, significantly above the general industry rate of 56% for trades.

“We look for bright, curious and confident people and provide them with the tools and support they need to succeed.”

For more information read Glencore’s media release.

Shell QGC fined $60k for coal seam gas water spill

By HARRY CLARKE

MAJOR Australian coal seam gas developer Shell QGC has been fined $60,000 over the illegal release of water from one of the company’s Western Downs pump stations.

Lawyers for Shell QGC in January pleaded guilty in the Dalby Magistrates Court to a charge of contravening an environmental authority, issued by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.

Today the company was sentenced. In addition to the $60,000 fine, the company was ordered to pay $1,750 in legal costs and $2,292.90 in investigation costs. No conviction was recorded.

The spillage of 1.1 megalitres of coal seam gas water occurred on June 11, 2020, from what has been described to the Caller as an accidental leak from a pump station.

It’s not yet known exactly where the leak occurred, but Shell QGC said it happened on a property owned by the company.

Shell QGC has extensive coal seam gas extraction and treatment operations between Dalby and Chinchilla, and around Wandoan.

“Shell’s QGC business accepts the outcome of court proceedings relating to a breach of our Environmental Authority, following a water release that occurred on QGC-owned land in June last year,” Shell QGC said in a statement.

“QGC takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and is committed to protecting the environment across our operations.

“Immediately following the incident QGC undertook a detailed investigation and action accordingly to ensure future risks are minimised as far as possible.

“We will continue to drive better environmental performance and have programmes in place to improve the reliability of our facilities.

A department media release said: “DES welcomes the fine that was handed down in the Dalby Magistrates Court. As Queensland’s environmental regulator, DES treats breaches of the Act very seriously and will take strong enforcement action.

“People are urged to report all pollution events and environmental emergencies by calling the 24/7 Pollution Hotline—1300 130 372.”

DO YOU KNOW MORE? Contact Country Caller by email: news@countrycaller.com

Shell QGC’s water treatment plant at the “Kenya” site, south of Chinchilla. It’s not yet known at which site the water leak occurred. IMAGE: Supplied

Talisman Sabre wrap: “We’re preparing for war”

By KATE BANVILLE

THE “enemy” were no match for Australian and US combined forces as they stormed a compound and gained control of an urban populated area.

The occupying force, and it’s sympathetic local population may have only existed on paper but held against a backdrop of rising tensions with China, this year’s Exercise Talisman Sabre had a sense of what could be.

Held at the Townsville Field Training area, the urban clearance included many moving parts on the ground and in the air as V-22 Osprey helicopters dropped soldiers in the tactical zone, M1A1 Abrams tanks provided fire cover for US marines and Australian engineers as they stormed the compound taking control as part of a joint mission.

“The urban training facility that we do here, it really captures the environment that we can see ourselves in the future,” said Captain Scott Ferguson, Crew Commander of Townsville’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

“We train and prepare for a broad range of contingencies, but I think most of them involve some form of urban area so that’s why doing actions like this.

“This is a realistic scenario where at relatively late notice, a foreign group such as the US Marines or army coming in to join us, we don’t have the luxury of time to integrate those capabilities so we just have to execute the plan for what we have, and I think we’ve done that.”

Much of regional Queensland resembled a warzone over the past three weeks as Australia and the United States came together with the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Republic of Korea to battle test at sea, on land, in air, and across the information/cyber and space domains.

U.S. Army paratroopers with the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), jump onto a drop zone as part of a simulated Joint Forcible Entry Operation during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 in Charters Towers. IMAGE: Supplied

One mission played out in a western Queensland paddock usually reserved for cattle. Instead, 120 US paratroopers leapt from the side doors of an Australian C-17A Globemaster into the open sky above Lakeview Station near Charters Towers.

They’d flown from their base in Alaska on a direct flight to Darwin, before ending up on Australian soil to earn their Australian wings and launch straight into the exercise.

Despite constraints caused by the global pandemic, this year’s exercise had a sharper edge to its complexity, achieving many firsts for the exercise which has been running since 2005.

Australia welcomed the Republic of Korea as a participating nation for the first time. Their Destroyer, ROKS Wang Geon, contributed to a maritime warfare scenario involving around 20 ships and 60 aircraft.
Capable of speeds up to Mach 4, or 5,000km per hour, the US MIM-104 Patriot surface to air missile was fired for the first time on Australian soil.
Amphibious forces from Australia, United States, Japan and the United Kingdom operated from the same ship (HMAS Canberra) for the first time as an integrated landing force.
US Space Command deployed to Australia for Exercise Talisman Sabre for the first time. This team exercised important new capabilities in the space domain.

All of this was carried out with the eyes of China watching on in its two spy ships loitering off the coast.

Their attendance wasn’t a surprise, and in fact added to the realism of the exercise, allowing Australian and US commanders to gather intelligence on how the Chinese navy operates.

“What the Chinese intelligence vessels are doing off the coast are really irrelevant,” Exercise Director, Air Commodore Stuart Bellingham said at a closing ceremony in Townsville.

“They didn’t impact on the exercise at all we planned for these contingencies. “We’re preparing for war, that’s what we do. This exercise is about combat readiness.

“We are preparing together, because our defence force is all about being prepared for any contingency. Our strength is as a group. The alliance is strong.”

Speaking on behalf of the Defence Minister Peter Dutton at a special ceremony to mark the end of the exercise, Federal MP Phillip Thompson said Talisman Sabre demonstrated “that we are here for the betterment of not just our own nations, but the Indo Pacific.”

Roma Cities drive into finals as firm comp favourites

By HARRY CLARKE

WERE it not for a painstaking two-point loss in the opening round, Roma Cities’ top footy side would now be only one win away from an undefeated regular season.

Such is the dominance displayed throughout 2021 by the men in blue, who walloped a near full strength Chinchilla Bulldogs side desperate for redemption at Saturday, playing in front of their home crowd for the final time this year.

The final score was 44-18 to Cities, whose coach said the young and fit side had this year shown the commitment to training and travel that invariably distinguishes the top teams in the Roma rugby league competition.

It was clear from the sidelines that Cities are a well oiled machine. The have an attacking mentality. They put themselves in to a scoring position from anywhere on the park and know how to strike when the time is right.

Coach Fred Cherry wasn’t even prepared to single out strong individual performers from the blistering 17-man effort.

“We went out with a plan to try and dominate the game early. We took the foot of the throat a little bit but we got back on the horse and stuck to the game,” Cheery said.

“The young fellas are dedicated and enthusiastic. They turn up to training and that’s half the battle. If you can get full numbers to training that’s a big thing.

“They all play well. Across the park they all do their job. They do it for their mates. They’re a very close group of young fellas and I’m proud to be associated with them. I watched them come through as young fellas and thought ‘I wouldn’t mind getting involved.'”

Before facing the Miles Devils at home for the last round of the season, Cherry said his team would need to maintain the discipline its displayed all season in order to come away with the premiership.

“I just tell the boys to play each game as we see it. They don’t get carried away. They’re old heads on young shoulders,” he said.

“We’ve got to dig a bit extra. Do those little on percenters properly and just get our defence right on song.”

Chinchilla winger Romada Barnes looks for space against Roma. IMAGE: Lachlan Steinohrt

Chinchilla’s last fixture for the season will be the notoriously tough assignment of playing St George at Rowden Park, in a game that will determine who secures the fourth spot for the finals.

Chinchilla will need to win to keep their season alive.

“It will be a tough ask. We’ve got a few fellas out with injuries,” Bulldogs captain Hayden Bender said.

“We’ve got to start better and be more consistent throughout the whole game. We need a bit better communication in our attack.

“We were a bit disjoined there, at some stages.”

“But it was good to see the locals coming out to support for our last home game.

“We’re gonna give it a red hot crack in St George this weekend.”

Northern war games rage as Chinese spy ship hovers

By KATE BANVILLE

QUEENSLAND’S central coast exploded into a mock warzone, as the United States and Japanese militaries joined their Australian allies in a “show of might” during combined fire strikes from the land, air and sea.

The ninth iteration of Exercise Talisman Sabre launched into action as the Australian Defence Force continued tracking a second Chinese high tech surveillance vessel as it approaches the Queensland coast through the Solomon Sea past Papua New Guinea.

It comes just days after the Prime Minister confirmed another Chinese spy ship was sitting off the coast of Queensland. It’s not uncommon for the Chinese presence, however it is the first time there has been more than one ship deployed to monitor the joint military training.

“[Talisman Sabre] sends a very strong message to our friends and our foes,” Defence Minister Peter Dutton said.

“The only objective for Australia is to have peace within our region and our partnership with America, and with Japan, with the United Kingdom and with New Zealand, and with others within the Indo-Pacific region should send a strong message to the Communist Party and others that we have a great capacity, we have a great deterrence and we will do whatever it takes to keep peace in our region.”

Talisman involves more than 17,000 army, navy and air force personnel from Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. As well as observers from France, India, and Indonesia.

The show of force began on Sunday north of Rockhampton when Australian, Japanese and US warships positioned off Shoalwater Bay launched gunfire aimed at “enemy” targets on Townsend Island, testing their lethal weapons and battle management systems in joint scenarios.

Alaskan based paratroopers from US Army’s 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, are dropped at the Townsville Field Training Area, by an Australian Army CH-47 Chinook, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021.

The military’s expensive hardware was on display, and its interoperability between forces was watched by Australian top brass located on land inside the Shoalwater Bay range complex who had front row seats as Australia and the US carried out fixed and rotary wing air strikes by AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters, UH-1Y Iroquois, F-35 JSF, FA/18E Super Hornets, and EA/18G Growler fighter jets.

But it was the artillery component that drew increased attention as Australia looks for options to build its long range weapon systems capability.

With a range of more than 300km, the United States Marine Corps launched its multimillion rocket system – High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HiMARS) – into the sky destroying fictitious enemies, and assisted in the mock battle by Australia’s M-777 Howitzer.

Minister for Defence The Hon Peter Dutton MP, onboard HMAS Canberra, as she sails off the coast Queensland, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021.

Commander of ADF’s Deployable Joint Force Headquarters Major General Jake Ellwood, said acquiring long range artillery systems would provide a “significant” bolsturing to the ADF

“I certainly know Australia is looking at long range now what type it is, as in what specific type, that is a decision to be taken but long range fire is very important,” he said.

“The significance of it is it allows very long range strikes with high precision weapons and it can engage in a number of different targets which goes beyond the range of what we consider normal artillery.”

A veteran of many Talisman Sabre exercises, Maj Gen Ellwood said Australia was “concerned but not alarmed by the Chinese presence.

“The way we operate is to make sure that we keep our capabilities, and our people secure, and we do that in peace and in conflict. I have no concerns,” he said.

The peak of the mock war-games action will occur in the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area in Byfield, north of Rockhampton, as well as further north in Townsville and off the east coast of Australia between July 14-August 1, with smaller components anticipated to extend as far north as Darwin and Weipa, west to Hughenden, down to the Whitsundays and Evans Head in NSW.

This week, elaborate scenarios will include complex amphibious beach landings as the ADF puts its most advanced equipment put to the test, including M1 Abrams Tanks, chinook helicopters, integrated technical systems, HMAS Choules, a 16,000 tonne 176 metres long warship capable of carrying more than 350 troops.

Kernaghan’s “high octane” show at Mount Isa Rodeo

By HARRY CLARKE

LEADING the lineup of entertainment at the 2021 Mount Isa Mines Rodeo will be Australian country music icon Lee Kernaghan and pop star Guy Sebastian.

Kernaghan, a regular at the annual event, spoke with the Caller about some of his fond (and not so fond) memories from years gone by, dating back to when he was in his teens touring the country with his father.

The other two performers at the Rodeo Rock Concerts are country music artists Casey Barnes and Mick Lindsay.

CLICK PLAY TO HEAR THE INTERVIEW

Bollywood superstar’s new life in country Queensland

By HARRY CLARKE

A WORLD away from where she rose to stardom in the Indian mega metropolis of Mumbai, Bollywood celebrity Evelyn Sharma has settled into a new life in the Queensland country town of Chinchilla.

Ms Sharma, a German-born Indian actress and model, spent close to a decade starring in big budget Bollywood productions such as cult classic Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, romantic blockbuster Ishqedarriyaan and action thriller Saaho.

She became a regular subject of Indian tabloid and mainstream news media, amassed millions of online followers and was followed relentlessly by paparazzi in the country of 1.2 billion people.

But “at the right time”, just as the then 30-year-old was contemplating the next phase of her life, Ms Sharma met Australian-Indian dentist and entrepreneur Dr Tushaan Bhindi.

Dr Bindhi, originally from Sydney, met Ms Sharma through mutual friends while he was on an extended visit to India, and a long distance romance blossomed following their first date.

Eventually Ms Sharma made the radical decision to leave the big screen spotlight and follow her heart to the small town of Chinchilla, where Dr Bhindi had recently purchased the dental practice.

Ms Sharma has not shot a film since, and in her first interview since moving to Australia, she sat down with the Caller to talk about her unique background and new life in country Queensland.

Country crowd congregates for Q-Cup coasty clash

Burleigh Bears’ Dylan Kelly looks for the offload against Wynnum-Manly at Chinchilla. IMAGE: QRL Media

By HARRY CLARKE

IT’S been hard for organisers to quantify exactly how many spectators came through the gates of Bulldog Park, when it hosted two of Queensland’s iconic rugby league teams for the Intrust Super Cup’s annual ‘Country Round’.

But all agree it was the biggest sporting crowd to congregate in the region for decades.

More than 1,200 adults purchased tickets at the gate on Saturday, but there’s no tally on the hundreds more youngsters aged under 18 who came through free of charge.

Spectators in the famous ‘Dog House’ tin can bar spilled across the southern hill of the local footy ground. The grandstand was packed to the rafters and it was ‘standing room only’ along the whole western sideline.

It was a classic afternoon at Bulldog Park, with the highest standard of rugby league out west in living memory on display as the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls clashed with the Burleigh Bears.

Anyone who’s played at the ground before would have enjoyed watching professional kickers from the two coastal clubs trying to contend with the notorious winds that can blow a gale overhead at Bulldog Park.

Homegrown heroes Sam Scarlett and Luke Bateman were on the field for Wynnum and had family in the crowd, but it seemed any supposed home-ground advantage wasn’t enough to win.

Burleigh Bears captain Luke Page celebrates winning the Adam Watene (Cook) memorial trophy with local Chinchilla kids

The renowned footy club from Brisbane’s Bayside was overcome by Burleigh, who headed back to the Gold Coast having secured a nail-biting 26-20 victory.

“It was unreal to be back at Bulldog Park, aside from the loss” said Sam Scarlett, former Wandoan boy and now Seagulls captain and halfback.

“I hadn’t actually lost a game here. We were undefeated when I was playing for the Bulldogs in under-16s, so it’s a shame we got the loss.

“But I think we started too slow today, and with a side like Burleigh you can’t give them a lead. They’re too clinical. The ref really let the game flow. It was very quick and I think we ended up tiring in the end.

“But either way it’s really good to get back to play here and seeing friends and family. I love playing in the country, so credit to the Bulldogs for putting on a good show.”

Wandoan product, former Chinchilla Bulldogs and Wynnum-Manly captain Sam Scarlett spreads the ball. *IMAGE: QRL Media*

The day began with an on-field upset when Chinchilla toppled ladder heavyweights, the Wallumbilla Red Bulls, in Reserve Grade.

In a novel scheduling idea by the Bulldogs committee, the Intrust Super Cup game was played before the local A-grade derby, meaning the bush footy players could enjoy the experience of running out and playing in front of the huge crowd.

“It was good to see a lot of people here watching,” Bulldogs veteran Anthony Horswood said.

“The town obviously really got behind the day and I think all the boys enjoyed being a part of it.”

The Bulldog were close to securing an upset in A-grade as well. The Red Bulls are premiership contenders and currently sit at second on the ladder behind the undefeated Roma Cities.

Red Bulls coach-captain Ricky Wright said getting “the simple things” right paved the way for the win. He acknowledged the efforts 17-year-old Matt Yorke, who was playing his first A-grade game.

“It was a big game. We had seven players away for rep football, so we had a lot of reserve graders and debutants step up and it was a really good effort.” Wright said.

“One game you always dread is coming to Chinchilla and playing in front of their home crowd. They really get behind them, especially in the Dog House.

“The crowd here today was unbelievable.”