Palm Cove News

May 2004

 

Island memorial that didn't happen

THE CAIRNS POST'S recent series of articles published 20 years ago included one about the gift of Double Island by Texas millionaire Gordon McLendon to the people of Queensland. Mr McLendon wanted the island to have an American-Australian war memorial to the Battle of the Coral Sea. In accepting the gift in 1984, Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen said : "The memorial will be a fitting one. There will be no half measures. The project must be carried out to a proper standard. It will be a valuable tourist attraction."
Mr McLendon not only gave us the island, which had been bought by his father four years ago as an investment, but also $500,000 to help start the project. He suggested a huge flame burning from the highest point on the island.
It hasn't happened.

Parking restrictions imminent

PARKING RESTRICTIONS are now the law in Palm Cove after council voted on the issue in November.
However, council spokesperson Anne said the boundary signs have yet to be erected.
"We are chasing up about the signs and expect them to go up in May," she said.
Restricted will be a three-hour zone on William's Esplanade between Harpa St and Cedar Road. Caryota Close will also be policed.
"Council inspectors will enforce the regulation as soon as the signs are erected," she said.

There will be no parking meters.

Editorial

If there's one thing we particularly value about Palm Cove, it's the hillslopes.
The Macalister Range reaches to 670 metres (2,200 feet). It's unspoiled, undeveloped, a few million years old and contains innumerable shades of green.
For those with an eye for natural beauty, gazing at this virginal hillslope with its magnificent rainforest is bliss indeed.
The council's draft town plan shows no undue development of the hillslopes at Palm Cove; the Foley Road development area keeps below the foothills. Not a problem.
But what of the slopes further south? We really want our hillslopes to become a signiture landmark. We want tourists and travel writers to go home and tell their friends, neighbours and readers that Cairns is the place where the locals have forgotten to develop their hillslopes. We want them to point to Cairns and say : "I wish the rest of the world would do that."
But it's no good just looking after Palm Cove's slopes. If the world is going to notice anything we must protect the range right down as far south as Gordonvale.
Submissions to the draft town plan are now closed.....the council received 1,390.
But our voices can still be heard.

Too many adjectives

HAVE YOU noticed that restaurants around town these days have more adjectives on the menus than items on the plate? How about this one : "Slow roasted tenderloin pork with farm fresh mixed vegetables." What happened to "Roast pork and vegetables?"

Correction

Our apologies to Beach Club for calling it Beach Hut in last month's editon.
Outrigger Beach Club is anything but a hut.

Letter to Editor

I recently traveled to Palm Cove and while there I met a few of the locals. They were the nicest people as they let me fish with them on the jetty and cooked me dinner. I promised I would send some photos of that day. Unfortunately I cannot seem to find their address. Could you possibly help me? The man's name was Doug. I believe he is commonly found on the jetty with his amazing looking cart. If you can help me I would really appreciate it.
Jen Reyes, Wyoming, USA.

We obliged Jen with Doug Lennon's address. Incidently, Doug and wife Irene have just taken over management of the caravan park on the esplanade. Doug says he's delighted; he likes the work and it's much closer to the jetty for fishing and the trolley. "Seventeen couples applied for the job, so we feel lucky," he said.

Cooking a la Italiano

LAST week we strolled down to Reef House for a cooking demonstration and lunch by the Italian Stallions, Guy Grossi and Stefano Manfredi.
Guy is from up-market Grossi Florentina Restaurant in Melbourne and Stefano is from his former Bel Mondo Restaurant in Sydney. Top chefs from top restaurants.
Stefano demonstrated how to make the paper-thin pasta which we ate later. Making paper-thin pasta is not easy.
Guy, mixing ingredients like a magician pulling rabbits out of a hat said : "When squeezing the juice from a lemon, make sure you strain the juice through your fingers, it improves the flavour."
The maestros showed us how they prepared the lunch we were about to have and then dished out a truly magnificent four-course lunch: Poached Veal with Tuna and Caper Sauce; Eggplant and Pasta Rotola; Barramundi roasted with sauteed zucchini, shiraz risotto, herb salad with mussel and spinach sauce; and Pralione Semifreddo with chocolate sauce. Premium wines came along with each course.

The 60 strong audience, consisting partly, we suspect, of spies from competing Palm Cove kitchens, appeared to relish the occasion. Your editor and wife certainly did.

We privately asked Guy Grossi why the name Italian Stallions.
He replied : "No idea. Nothing to do with me. All I know is when I open the door of my hotel room there aren't any girls there waiting to see me."

Good Easter for Cove

PALM COVE'S 850 rooms were an average 90 percent full over Easter and are expected to remain in strong demand.
Tourism Palm Cove co-ordinator Colleen Were said southern holiday-makers had taken advantage of cheaper airfares.
"There is also a greater awareness of Palm Cove as a holiday location among national and international markets. Forward bookings are looking fantastic," she said.
Additional rooms becoming available over the next twelve months are : Northern Beaches (15 projects : Yorkey's Knob to Palm Cove) 1,400; Cairns CBD 650; Port Douglas 350.

(Refs: Cairns Post, Apr 15 & 17)

 

Published by Jerry Dukes
52 Terebra St
Palm Cove 4879 QLD
Ph 4059 1610 Fax 4059 0058
Email : jgdukes@ozemail.com.au
On website : http://www.palmcove.net

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