Council Connections - 26 January 2023

Australia Day Awards and Celebrations, Prepare Your Emergency Kit, Local Disaster Management Group and Local Area Wardens

Australia Day Celebrations

Join us on Australia Day as we come together as a nation to celebrate what is great about Australia and being Australian with free festivities including entertainment, Citizenship Ceremony, Australia Day Awards and cutting of the Australia Day cake.

Date:       Thursday 26 January 2023

Time:       9.00am to 11.00am

Where:    Hinchinbrook Shire Hall, 25 Lannercost Street Ingham

For further information regarding the Australia Day Pool Party and Beach Party, please see flyers below.

Taylors Beach Swimming Enclosure

Please be advised that the Taylors Beach swimming enclosure on Boat Ramp Road (downstream) has been removed due to net damages and is not safe for public use.

For further information please contact Council's Public Spaces Team on 4776 4740.

Vote Now for People's Choice Award

Voting for the People's Choice Award in the 44th Hinchinbrook Art Awards is open until the close of exhibition 4.00pm Sunday 29 January 2023.

To vote for your favourite artwork, come into the TYTO Regional Art Gallery and scan the QR code to the survey. Only one vote is permitted per person.

Emergency Kit Ready

The recent wet weather serves as a timely reminder to make sure you have your disaster season preparations in place.

Being ready will make a world of difference to you and the people you care about during and after a disaster or emergency event.

To be ready, you need to prepare your property and have your Emergency Kit ready.

Emergency Kits need to include provisions for at least three days (but we recommend seven days given the unpredictable nature of our flooding), including food, bottled water, any medications you may need, provisions for pets and animals, a fully charged mobile phone with a SIM card, car adaptor for charging your phone, first aid kit, cash (ATM’s and EFTPOS may not be available for a number of days), a radio, toilet paper and torches.

You can download your Emergency Kit checklist from Council’s website, How to be Prepared page and build your kit so that you are prepared when the need arises.

Prepare your home by removing items around the yard that could become flying debris in strong winds, and securing outdoor furniture and garden items.

Residents in beach areas should familiarise themselves with the Storm Tide Evacuation Guide – available on Council’s website, Storm Tide Information page – to determine whether their home may be at risk of inundation.

Check out our Storm Surge video for some tips on what to do in the event that you need to evacuate.

People with homes in the red or orange zones should ensure they have a back-up plan to move to friends or family should the need arise.

For more information regarding disaster preparedness please visit Council’s website, Disaster and Emergency Information page www.hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au,the Queensland Government Get Ready website, www.getready.qld.gov.au, or the Emergency Management Queensland website www.disaster.qld.gov.au.

Local Disaster Management Group

During a disaster event the Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG), the organisation responsible for delivering the disaster management needs for the Hinchinbrook Shire, provides more detailed information to locals and their families outside the Shire via the Hinchinbrook Emergency Management Dashboard (Disaster Dashboard), Council’s website and the Hinchinbrook Disaster Information Facebook page.

Please visit the Hinchinbrook Disaster Dashboard at
www.disaster.hinchinbrook.qld.gov.au for accurate information regarding current weather conditions and updates including local and state road conditions and flood cameras.

You can now 'opt in' to receive email notifications about weather warnings (choose your locations), emergency news from the LDMG, river flood notifications including choice of river/stations and notification level (Minor, Moderate or Major).

Subscribe via the ‘Opt-In Notifications’ link on the Disaster Dashboard.

Local Area Wardens

The function of the Local Area Warden is to be the community liaison between the LDMG and the community.

Local Area Wardens operate in isolated areas of the Shire and provide the LDMG with information regarding their respective localities enabling effective and meaningful decisions to be made.

All Local Area Wardens volunteer their time and often go above and beyond what is expected of them.

Their assistance in disaster situations is truly invaluable and we would like to convey the community’s gratitude for everything that they do.

Take the time to find out who your Local Area Warden is, and keep their contact details in a safe place.

Local Area Warden contact information is available on Council’s website, Disaster and Emergency Information page and Electronic Community Noticeboards around the Shire.

Flood Height Comparison Charts

The Flood Height Comparison Charts list significant heights at Ingham Pump Station and their probable effects around Ingham and downstream.

There is a specific Flood Height Comparison Chart for Lower Herbert – Halifax.

These charts tell you where to expect flood water at different heights of the river based on past flooding events. For instance, water will start flowing into Palm Creek when Ingham Pump Station reaches 9.6 metres.

Water will start flowing onto the Anabranch Bridge when Ingham Pump Station reaches around 8.99 metres.

If you do not have a Flood Height Comparison Chart, please visit Council’s main office to collect one, or visit Council’s website, Flood Information page to download a copy.

Need to print the Council Connections page? Click on the link below for the printable version. 

COUNCIL CONNECTIONS - 26 January 2023