
Climate Risk Map Now Available
THE Climate Council has just released a Climate Risk Map of Australia. Douglas Shire residents can enter your suburb, local government area (LGA) or postcode in the search bar of the map below to understand risks in our area.
The Douglas Shire has a low risk of 7% at risk in 2030 increasing to over 30% in 2100.


Meteoric Sky Candy This Weekend
SO long as the sky stays clear, look skyward this weekend for the annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower on Saturday and Sunday morning a couple of hours before sunrise.
While the shower peaks on the weekend, you might also catch some meteor action early next week.
The meteors are easy to locate, with a line-up of four bright planets pointing where to look. The moon will have set before the point in the sky where the meteors come from (” the radiant”) rising above the eastern horizon.
While meteor rates will be consistently good wherever you are in Australia,the further north you are, the better. In the Douglas Shire, expect to see around to 24 meteors per hour.
To catch sight of the meteors, you need to scan the sky rather than stare at one spot, paying attention, because these meteors are fast, and looking for persistent vapour trails.
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Devil’s Thumb Walk Set for Closure to Public
THE summit of Manjal Jimalji (known popularly as Devil’s Thumb) in the Daintree National Park is culturally sacred to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people.
The site is expected to close to the public altogether in the coming months as Eastern Kuku Yalanji traditional owners restrict access because of its sacred cultural significance.
Licensed tour operator, Back Country Bliss, has already decided to stop hosting guided walks at the site.
The national park is now jointly managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and traditional owners.
Public access to the trail remains open and signage will be installed once a restricted access area is declared.
Access has not yet been restricted but traditional owners are asking visitors to respect their wishes. Anyone considering hiking the trail in the meantime is encouraged to approach traditional owners or Jabalbina for a conversation first.

Daintree Properties Returned to Eastern Kuku Yalanji
THREE non-profit organisations met in the Daintree Rainforest on Wednesday April 25 to handover ten properties to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people for conservation.
The Stronger Together partnership, a collaboration between Rainforest 4 Foundation, Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation, and HalfCut, has collaborated to buy freehold land in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest and return it to Traditional Owners.
Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation administers land on behalf of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, the Traditional Owners of the Daintree Lowland Rainforest.
The ten properties handed over were created through a subdivision in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest that occurred in 1982. They total 25.9 hectares and are undeveloped rainforest.
The properties handed over in 2022 are:
Lot 85 Cape Tribulation Road, Diwan
Lot 176 Quandong Road, Cow Bay
Lot 2 Thornton Peak Drive, Forest Creek
Lot 110 Palm Road, Diwan
Lot 21 Camelot Close, Cape Tribulation
Lot 505 Cedar Road, Cow Bay
Lot 18 Daley Close, Kimberley
Lot 213 Teak Road, Cow Bay
Lot 242 White Beech Road, Cow Bay
Lot 257 Silver Ash Road, Cow Bay



Joe Camilleri and the Black Sorrows
AUSTRALIAN music legend Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows have landed back in top place on the ARIA Blues chart three times so far with the album Saint Georges Road. This album is a milestone for Joe Camilleri being his 50th album release. To commemorate, Joe and the band are popping in to the Wonderland Spiegeltent as part of Carnivale celebrations on Sunday May 22 for a local gig that promises to raise the roof off the ol’ teepee….
Bookings via http://www.wonderlandspiegeltent.com.au
