Skytrans would like to congratulate all the participants in the Deadly Girls Lower Gulf workshops over the last few weeks! A special shout out to the finalists -
From Normanton - Rheanna Fisher, Shakia Owens & Tarni Bruce
From Doomadgee– Raleesha Bismark & Shantarnie Jacob
From Mornington Island - Tianna Thompson, Deandra Paul & Merinda Cameron
We look forward to seeing you in Normanton next week where we’ll be delivering a segment of the intensive workshop at the Deadly Girls Grand Final!
Don’t wait for a disaster to happen before you think about how you and your family are going to survive.
In a major disaster, high winds, rising floodwaters, debris or damaged roads can prevent emergency services from reaching you.
Your community could be isolated and essential services disrupted for up to three days or more.
During a large scale event emergency services will focus on assisting the most vulnerable in the community.
You may not have immediate access to support and will need to rely on the supplies and equipment you have on hand at home.
If you were isolated right now, would you be prepared?
For more information contact;
Emergency Management Queensland
Community Engagement Officer Christopher Wegger
Christopher.wegger@dcs.qld.gov or 40328682
Skytrans is proud to support the inaugural Deadly Girls Lower Gulf competition.
Deadly Girls is a new exciting program for young women in the Lower Gulf Region, focused on leadership, personal style, fashion and fun! The 3-day workshops will be run in Normanton, Doomadgee & Mornington Island throughout October & November, so if in or around these communities and you’re an Indigenous young woman aged 18-25, sign up free – there are prizes to be won!
Deadly Girls Lower Gulf Dates:
Normanton: 16 – 18 October
**click here to see Normanton’s Deadliest Girls!
Doomadgee: 23 – 25 October
**click here to see Doomadgee’s Deadliest Girls!
Mornington Island: 30 October – 1 November
**click here to see Mornington Island’s Deadliest Girls!
For more information or to enter visit deadlygirls.com.au
The Gulf Hockey Competition was held last month from 18 – 20 September, as part of the Karumba Festival of Sport.
Over 120 Students were in attendance from Georgetown, Distance Ed, Croydon, Normanton, Burketown & Karumba, as well as Development officers from the Remote & Indigenous Hockey Program (RIHP), who conducted workshops and training with senior and junior players, as well as local coaches.
Congratulations must go to the Gulf Hockey winners; Junior Competition winners were Normanton, and Senior Competition winners were Gulf Christian College (Normanton) defeating the runner up 
Georgetown in a very close and high quality final.
16 young locals were also selected by the RIHP talent identification team, who will have the opportunity to travel to Cairns for a specialist hockey development camp.
Skytrans is proud to support the RIHP who continue to provide pathways and development opportunities for young people from communities across North Queensland.
Burketown Hockey Team
Junior Competition Winners Senior Competition Winners
The Remote and Indigenous Hockey Program (RIHP) is an initiative in conjunction with Hockey Queensland and Hockey Australia, aimed at creating playing opportunities and development pathways for Indigenous youth in remote Queensland regions. By providing greater support and opportunities to Indigenous players, coaches and umpires, the RIHP is also working towards the goal of getting more Indigenous players in state and national squads.
Photo by Hockey Queensland Sep 6, 2012
The North Queensland Rubies team is a celebration of the work and achievement of the RIHP program. As the first Indigenous hockey team to complete internationally (coming in 3rd at the Singapore Sixes competition) and also receiving a nomination for an international Beyond Sport Award, the North Queensland Rubies have gone from strength to strength.
Australian Women’s Health Magazine have now nominated the RIHP North Queensland Rubies for TEAM OF THE YEAR in their WOMEN AND SPORT FEATURE. We’d like to invite you to get on board and support this great team and initiative.
Please VOTE FOR THE RUBIES HERE
Skytrans are proud to support the transport of RIHP Program staff throughout remote Far North Queensland
The managing director of Skytrans, Simon Wild, has announced that the airline will increase its in-kind support of Gulf Savannah Development with a two year agreement valued at $14,000 in flights.
Since 2010 Skytrans has supported the organisation with flights equivalent in value to $5000 per year.
Rob Macalister, CEO of Gulf Savannah Development said it is great to see Skytrans coming on board with increased sponsorship that will underpin the future success of its small business service.
“Skytrans support will make it easier to get our business mentors into the field and provide valuable, personal advice. The Gulf Savannah is a region of economic growth and the small business service is helping our business community take advantage of the many opportunities that are emerging in our part of the world.
“Latest ABS statistics show that the Gulf Savannah economy enjoyed strong growth between 2009 and 2011 with the total number of businesses increasing by almost 10 per cent. In addition there was a whopping 89 per cent increase in businesses employing over 20 employees. Similarly, businesses turning over more than $500,000 per annum increased by 33 per cent in the same period,” said Mr Macalister.
According to Mr Macalister the growth phase, in spite of the Global Financial Crisis, was initiated on the back of extensive government investment in Gulf infrastructure that included the replacement of the Einasleigh River bridge, sealing of the Karumba airstrip and various road upgrades.
Mr Wild said he is confident Skytrans increased support will help Gulf Savannah Development in its quest to further develop population and economic growth in the Gulf of Carpentaria and while reinforcing its message that the Gulf Savannah is well and truly ‘open for business’.
“We know the value of doing business face to face, particularly in remote areas – and trust that our provision of flights will go a long way to heightening the success of Gulf Savannah Development’s ‘small business’ initiative,” he said.
Mornington Island Mayor Bradley Wilson, Burke Shire Mayor Ernie Camp, Skytrans’ Steve Jones and Carpentaria Shire Mayor Fred Pascoe at the Gulf Savannah Development Board Meeting in Cairns.
The Managing Director of Skytrans, Simon Wild announced today details of a community partnership with Frontier Services that will strengthen the provider’s network of services and care delivered to remote families across Queensland.
Under the partnership, Skytrans will provide Frontier Services’ staff with flights to remote locations across Queensland to enable the provision of vital services; particularly children’s services for young families and health care in remote communities.
“Skytrans operates to some of Queensland’s most isolated and remote 
communities and understands
the challenges that people in these communities face on a daily basis, in terms of quality of life. Through our partnership with Frontier Services we feel that we are making a contribution that offers people access to a service that provides social and emotional support to those in need,” he said.
According to Frontier Services Regional Manager, Karen Harvey, the partnership will assist child care workers with the Frontier Services Remote Family Care Service to reach isolated families and provide relief child care for up to three weeks a year.
The Remote Family Care Service works alongside the Frontier Services Remote Area Families Service (RAFS). FiveRAFS teams of trained early childhood specialists travel out to remote properties and communities in four-wheel-drive vehicles, jam-packed with educational toys and activities for the children. They also provide resources, advice and support to the parents.
Frontier Services also has two health care services in Queensland; the Savannah Regional Health Service and the Bollon Bush Nursing Centre. The Savannah Regional Health Service, based out of Georgetown, played an active role in helping the community recover from Cyclone Yasi.
Ms Harvey said that in effect, “The families, who are a long way from mainstream child care services, can access the service when they need it most, for example during shearing, mustering or hardship.
“Being able to access the flights to get our child care workers around the state will make a huge difference. It will give us more flexibility to respond to a family’s request, particularly if there is an urgent need. It will also greatly reduce travel time for the child care workers, many of whom are on the road for weeks at a time.
“We are delighted to begin this partnership with Skytrans that will strengthen the whole region as we work together to support remote Queensland,” she said.
Pictured:
John Dickinson, Frontier Services National Development Manager with Skytrans Managing Director Simon Wild.
Karen Harvey, Frontier Service QLD Regional Manager; Anna Burley, Frontier Services Primary Health Care Nurse & Team Leader of the Savannah Regional Health Service; Steve Jones, Skytrans Commercial Manager of RPT Services; Billy Gordon, Skytrans Community Development Manager.
Alwyn Owens and Rod Lucas have combined their talents to bring us the children’s book, “Hey Brother””. This quirky rhythmic story celebrates the universal themes of mateship & fishing, with a lively local feel.
Author Alwyn Owens grew up in his home town of Croydon, with both his parents of the Takalak tribe from around the Croydon area. He has a bachelor degree in Adult Education from the University of Technology in Sydney & and an Advanced Diploma in Community Management from the Macquarie University in Sydney. Alwyn now resides in Normanton, and has taken an interest in writing children’s stories and poetry.
Illustrator Rod Lucas grew up in Gulf country where his father worked on cattle stations. He now resides in Karumba where he is a respected artist, painting on canvases, murals and writing & illustrating books.
If you’d like to get a copy of “Hey Brother” and support local Indigenous talent, you can purchase a copy online from Black Ink Press.
http://www.blackinkpress.com.au/?page_id=735&category=13&product_id=73
On Tuesday 17th July Skytrans officially launched the company’s first ever Social Investment Report. The Social Investment Report will be produced annually and showcases the richness and depth of the company’s giving back to the communities that give to us.
The Skytrans Community Development team has been working on the inaugural report for some time, and are proud to finally launch the document which gives a comprehensive view of the valuable corporate social responsibility work that the company is involved in throughout the state. By making social investments into the delivery of programs, activities and initiatives that support youth development, leadership, sports, health care, education and the arts, we aim to contribute to improving the quality of life that people live throughout remote Queensland.
From our support of the Taipans and the Northern Pride here in Cairns, to the Mount Isa Rodeo, the Birdsville Races or RFDS primary health care clinics in Coen, we are giving back to communities –and with a combined financial / in-kind contribution of $846,404 in 2011 alone we are certainly punching above our weight!
If you are interested in reading more about the great work we are doing as a company, you can view the 2011 Social Investments Report on the website at 
http://skytrans.com.au/docs/skytrans-social-invest-report.pdf or get the latest updates here on the blog.
For further information regarding Skytrans’ social investment work please feel free to contact Skytran’s Community Development team:
Chelly Hewson or Billy Gordon on 07 40406700 / communitydevelopment@skytrans.com.au
Pictured are: Dwayne Vale (Taipans), with Billy Gordon (Skytrans) & Peter Harm (Commonwealth Bank, Indigenous Banking Unit). Steve Jones (Skytrans Commercial Manager), Chelly Hewson (Skytrans) & Robbie Bastion (Parker Travel Collection)
Who would have thought that with the roads only opening days before, and in some cases the night before, that 381 keen fishermen/women/kids would be lining the banks of the mighty Norman River to keenly contest the Annual Normanton Barra Classic? Who would have also thought that the Barra would go off like they did? What a fabulous weekend of fishing was enjoyed by all.
With 381 nominations, and 344 fish weighed-in, why would you be anywhere else? We would like to say that the weigh-ins reflected the amount of fish caught, but also the huge catch and release numbers (the amount unknown). The stories of how many fish were actually caught were mind boggling. Our winners were…
OPEN:
1st – Siti Stroud with 14.89kg/110cm (the fish was almost as tall as her) *Pictured
2nd – Clint Spry with 11.54kg/106.5cm (this ripper was weighed in on Saturday, but pipped on Sunday)
3rd – Robyn Busch with 11.04kg/110cm (was weighed in on Sunday also)
Heaviest Catfish 6.92kg weighed-in by Gwendoline Callope
Heaviest Other Fish with Scales was a bream by Warren Rossow
JUNIOR:
Lachlan Anderson took out all the honours with Heaviest Barra, 1st – 8.47kg, 2nd – 7.64 kg, and 3rd – 7.19kg weighing in late Sunday afternoon *Pictured
Supplementary prizes went to Tyler Neilson and Kailan Rainbow
Junior heaviest catfish went to Jaylen McMullen with a ripper 7.14kg catty
Heaviest Other Fish with Scales was Cameron Millard with a Garfish
Teams Winners were Team ‘Don’t Know’ with 89.56kg of Barra between them – Scott McDowell, Greg Smith, Clint Spry, and Jett Spry *Pictured
Our $10,000 cash Raffle went off on Sunday night, and an extremely enjoyable weekend of fishing, entertainment, prizes and raffles (over $25,000 in cash and prizes) was had by all. The Skytrans flights were won by Dawn and Brad Bird.
A huge big thank-you to Skytrans for their ongoing support for our fishing comp and region as without their support we cannot keep producing not only the fantastic prizes, but the donation back to the community from the proceeds, which will be approximately $9000, going to Normanton State School, Gulf Christian College, Normanton Day Care Centre, Normanton Gun club, and the Normanton Cricket Club this year. We hope to have to see you all there next year, with your fishing rods in hand.
- Coutesy of the Normanton Social Fishing Club