A weekly re-cap of the events that have made news in Cairns over the past week.

Monday October, 21 2002 88th Edition

This week in Cairns, many Far Northerners showed their support for the Australians injured in the Bali bombing by donating generous amounts of blood. Locals also helped out in charity events this week for the Royal Blind Foundation and Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Chew for Charity a Cairns first
The world's biggest pizza eating event sponsored by the Eagle Boys chain raised more than $1000 locally for the Royal Blind Foundation last week. More than 700 people ate 270 pizzas combined in the Cairns and Tableland stores. Chew for Charity was held in stores Queensland with 50 000 slices of pizza being consumed by more than 20 000 pizza lovers in total. Pizza eaters could have as much pizza as they desired for a gold coin donation. Local Eagle Boys franchisee Kim Siegmann said, "Most people donated much more than they had to."

Aquatic festival a success
The highlight of this year's Mission Beach Aquatic Festival was certainly the three-metre floating gumboot in the Boat that isn't a Boat competition, held last week. The gold painted gumboot was mounted on a raft. Judges voted the gumboot the most creative out of the decorated floating artwork. It now joins other winners in the hall of fame including the Sydney Opera House, the Ettamogah Pub, and Priscilla, queen of the pool.

Sporting complex facelift begins
Construction on the multi-million dollar extension to Cazaly's sporting complex has begun. The upgrade will cost around $3.2 million and will extend the site, making it on of the biggest and up to date sporting social clubs in Queensland. The construction is likely to be finished in June 2003 and the grand opening is to coincide with the hosting of international cricket at the Cazaly's Bundaberg Rum stadium. The extension will include new foyer and administration area and a 600-person multi purpose function room.

Cyclist raises money for charity
A young cyclist has covered 6500 km on his bike to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Andy Hume, a 21-year-old Adelaide adventurer arrived in Cairns recently on his trip from Augusta in Western Australia, across the desert and up to Bamaga in Cape York Peninsula. He has managed to raise $9000 that he is donating to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in the states he travelled through. Mr Hume is no stranger to epic journeys. In 1999 he kayaked 2500km to raise money for Landcare.

Farnham to perform in Cairns
Singing legend John Farnham will visit Cairns next year as part of his Last Time tour. The Australian singing star will perform four concerts in Cairns, which will be the last performances in his epic regional tour. The Cairns shows will take place from May 31 to June 3. Bookings have been strong for the capital city gigs taking place at the end of this year.

JCU teaches in Singapore
James Cook University will begin teaching in Singapore next year in a bid to attract more Asian students to Cairns. JCU's international affairs director Graham Bradley said the university had signed an agreement with a Singapore college to teach there. "The institutional link will lift JCU's profile in Asia and enable it to attract more international students to Cairns and Townsville campus," he said. About 100 international students enrolled at the Cairns campus and 800 at the Townsville campus this year. Mr Bradley expects to enrol 100-200 Singapore students in JCU courses in Singapore next year, with the hope that these students will complete the degrees in North Queensland.

New zoo for Far North
A new wild animal park is to be set up near Mareeba with the first animals to arrive at the site in December. Mareeba Wild Animal Park is expected to open early next year and is taking shape on a 40ha property at Koah, northeast of Mareeba, Far North Queensland. The park will home lions, tigers, brown bears, leopards, hyenas and monkeys. Developer David Gill says he aims to develop the park as the largest and most conservation-aware animal attraction in the region.

Blood bank inundated with donations for Bali victims
The Australian Red Cross has thanked the Far North region for their blood donations during the past week for the Australians injured in the Bali bombing. Over 350 blood donations and 50 plasma donations have been taken. From the donations collected in Cairns, 110 were dispatched to help state and national needs. The remaining donations were left in the region to top up local stocks, which were used in Darwin and Brisbane.

$500 000 cash paid for property
A local real estate agent was shocked when a property which she had only just listed for sale, was bought by a buyer who walked in and offered more than $500 000 cash. Debbie North, a veteran of the Cairns property market, was left stunned. "We didn't even have a price set and you don't get a lot of people in the half-million range," she said. "It all happened so quickly." The four-bedroom house is located on a large block, but it is the spectacular view spanning across the city to Trinity Inlet that makes it highly desirable.