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

Monday May, 26 2003 116th Edition

Science expo has right formula
Trinity Bay State High School drew record crowds at their recent Science and Technology Expo in Cairns, winning the school an award for excellence. Over 5000 people visited the bi-annual event which featured hundreds of displays and experiements, transforming the school into the centre of science and technology in the Far North. The school was also awarded Education Queensland’s 2003 Showcase Award for Excellence for the expo. School principal Stephen Savvakis said “The award is great recognition that the work we are doing at the school is cutting-edge.”

Banana wines tempting Australia
A prototype winery at Mission Beach is processing its first crush of banana juice to produce four banan-based wine blends, created by Mary Lankester. Mrs Lankester, wife of Tony, manager of the La Manna banana farm at Bingil Bay, is the first Australian to make a commercial wine from bananas. Their new winery at Mission Beach has four fermenting vats and four processing vats, with the capacity to produce 3000 litres, making 16 000 bottles of wine. Their ‘Paradise Wine’ label was showcased for the first time to the public at an Export Pathways dinner in Melbourne recently.

Cairns companies take up green challenge
Cairns companies have taken up a greenhouse challenge which was developed by the Federal Government to reduce energy use and environmentally harmful emissions. The challenge will see eight Cairns companies convert some of their energy wasting systems into ‘green friendly ones’. Labor Member for Barron River Lesley Clarke said green business saved money as well as the environment. “When hotels and resorts adopt practices that are good for the environment it helps to promote our credientials as an ecotourism destination,” Dr Clark said. Companies involved include
the Cairns International Hotel, Matson Plaza, Paradise Palms Golf Resort, Radisson Plaza Hotel, Pier
Market Place, Cairns TAFE and Palm Royale Hotel.

Paronella Park well balanced
Paronella Park is striking the right balance between tourism management and ecological sustainability, according to Tourism Minister Merri Rose. Ms Rose was present for the launch of the historic park’s new $250 000 open air cafÈ and mezzanine deck recently. The park is situated beside Mena Creek Falls and was created by Spanish immigrant Jose Paronella. While most of the concrete works are in ruins, Ms Rose said proprietors Mark and Judy Evans had restored the park to a high environmental standard, heightening public awareness and balancing ecological, commerical and cultural issues.

TAFE trainees feeding Australian troops
Apprentice chefs at the Tropical North Queensland Institute of TAFE in Cairns are taking lessons in how to feed Australian defence force troops. The students are looking at the ways the correct foods and new processing and packaging technology help keep soldiers in peak physical condition. Chefs will also be analysing ration packs and army base menus. TAFE nutrition teacher Dorothy Richmond said “ration packs no longer contain just bully beef, beans and luncheon meat, but a variety of foods including noodles, muesli bars and even M&Ms supplemented with iron and Vitamin C.”

Building boom fuels economy
Hundreds of subcontractors and skilled workers are in demand in the region with Cairns’ $1.6 billion construction boom sending the industry crazy. Recent figures say the region will be struggling to supply enough labour for the Far North building industry this year. “We have already had guys crying out for help,” Mike Watts of the Queensland Master Builders Association said. Scott Hutchinson of Hutchinson Builders said the company will need 127 workers for construction of the $650 million Bluewater Estate to be built at Trinity Park, north of Cairns. “In all the work so far, we haven’t brought any labour from down south – we’ve been using local subcontractors,” Cairns manager Richard Field said.

Local tour opertors sccop awards
Far North Queensland tour operators have managed to nab the majority of awards at the recent 2003 Australian Tourism Export Council Symposium. Major award winners were Andrew Dineen, from Parker Travel Collection, receiving the Len Taylor Young ATEC Award for Excellence, Down Under Tours who received the Transport Excellence Award and The Oasis Resort took out the First Class Accommodation Excellence Award. The three were among 11 national operators to receive awards at the symposium, held in Perth recently.