Town's campaign soldiers on

Saturday, August 16, 2008

THEIR township is named after a famous World War I battlefield and now proud residents of El Arish want it to be a war memorial in its own right.

The tiny community south of Cairns between Innisfail and Tully, which boasts town streets named after World War I generals and outlying roads named after battles, is hoping to bring history to life for countless generations to come.

"We live in what we believe is the only surviving soldier settler town in Queensland to keep its character," El Arish Community, Sport and Recreation Association president Wayne Kimberley said.

"We’d love to see it recognised as a memorial and to keep history alive."

Memories of the Diggers and the wartime are rife in the small community, whose population explodes on Anzac Day when several hundred people arrive for the popular dawn service.

Townspeople have been amassing historical records ranging from the original ledger for settlement in 1922 to old photographs and oral histories of soldier settlers from World War I and World War II.

Historical officer Marie Carman mans a museum in an old railway station building and is hoping walking tours will become a regular occurrence.

Cassowary Coast Regional Council’s Cr Jennifer Downs yesterday said there was huge potential for El Arish as a tourist town and the council would look into whether memorial status was achievable.

<strong>Push: </strong> Wayne Kimberley and Marie Chapman want El Arish to become a war memorial.

Push: Wayne Kimberley and Marie Chapman want El Arish to become a war memorial.

<strong>Discipline:</strong> The boy was suspended for seven days from Bentley Park College.

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A HAPPY snap of a bikini-clad woman taken on a family day out has landed a Grade 4 Cairns schoolboy a seven-day suspension from class. more

<strong>Shortage:</strong> Cairns Base Hospital had no bed for Lynette Thompson who is visiting Cairns with husband Doug.

Two-day emergency stay

CAIRNS Base Hospital is again at bursting point, with patients being kept overnight in the emergency department because of bed shortages. more

<strong>Mountain men:</strong> Troy de Haas, the 2005 and 2006 winner of the Great Pyramid Race, limbers up with last year's runner-up, Steven Page of Hervey Bay. Both men will tackle the mountain today in the race for glory.

Pyramid dash the pinnacle

IT will be man against mountain as legs ache, people fall, ankles twist and lungs burn when those crazy enough to do so stretch their bodies and minds to be the first to conquer Gordonvale's mighty Pyramid today. more

<strong>Life lost:</strong> Bob Mutton on his 87th birthday last year.

Ambo bosses say sorry

AMBULANCE bosses admit a series of blunders may have contributed to the death of World War II digger Bob Mutton and have apologised to his family. more

<strong>Speak up:</strong> The Queensland Ambulance Service will only investigate allegations by paramedics that they are being overworked and bullied by superiors if staff are willing to come forward.

Staff told to put names to complaints

THE Queensland Ambulance Service will only investigate allegations by paramedics that they are being overworked and bullied by superiors if staff are willing to come forward. more

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