Palm Cove News
Tropical North Queensland


JANUARY 2007


Irukandji aphrodisiac

A new species of irukandji jellyfish found off Broome W.A. contains a strong aphrodisiac for males, PhD student Lisa-Ann Gershwin of James Cook University in Townsville says.
"The pharmaceutical companies might want to pounce on that and see if they can find a more economical Viagra," she said on Radio National recently. Ms Gershwin (yes, she's related to the Rhapsody in Blue composer) said the jellyfish was much larger - about the size of a matchbox - than the irukandji found in North Queensland which are more the size of a fingernail. Gershwin and aquaculturist Heather Walling collected 150 of the creatures which they are raising in their laboratory.
"They divide about once a week to produce essentially a clone of themselves," Walling said. "We are working on an antivenene because a sting from these jellyfish can be lethal. We have thousands already."
Gershwin said it was possible the same species might be found in North Queensland waters, but there was no need to panic.
"We're working on ways to manage jellyfish successfully and we're making leaps and bounds every year," she said.
"Just last year (at Palm Cove and other beaches) we came up with a pretty accurate prediction method that worked 100 percent which was dammed good.
" When the conditions indicate a risk of jellyfish, lifeguards close the beach."
NQ Life Saving Services Co-Ordinator Ebeny Keating told Palm Cove News a new irukandji-proof net was being trialled. The net has four walls and a vinyl floor and can only be deployed when conditions are calm and irukandji are present.

Even the fence looks royal

THE ROYAL PALM COVE'S fence in Triton street, erected to keep from prying eyes the birth of our would-be seven-star resort, is obviously architect-designed. It's a classy off-white colour, higher than a Taipan basketball guard, decorated with recessed pockets of nothing and labelled: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo da Vinci.
Just to remind you of its superior status it adds : Pure luxury for today's royalty; and also promises us : The ultimate personal reward. But you should see the new sales office.
The old Triton Palace office has been swallowed up and turned into something from Arabian Nights with a white tent-like canvas roof with flowing canvas walls and a spiked flagpole and ball.
If this is an indication of what the finished product will be, we're in for a treat.

Roundabout gets huge tree

An eleven-tonne fig tree has been relocated in the centre of the Coral Coast Drive roundabout at the Ocean's Edge development.
Project Manager Peter McCoy said he had relocated a number of trees to enhance landscaping.
"We have moved figs, golden canes, date palms and others but none near the eleven tonne mark as this monster," he said. The tree was originally in the middle of a future road. Mr McCoy said the task required some substantial lifting for both removing and relocating, needing their largest mobile crane.

Letter to Editor

Because covenants for Island View Estate require houses on corners to have a high fence, the corner where Kentia St turns right into MacArthur St is a blind one.
Two months ago I contacted Sno Bonneau who duly had a traffic mirror erected on site. Our thanks to Sno. - Virginia, Palmetto St.

EDITORIAL

THE STORM hit us last summer when in a motorised golf cart playing the first hole at Paradise Palms. Lightning struck a large tree not more than 100 metres away. There was a loud crash of thunder followed by a shower of rain. More lightning flashed around us. My friend and I realized we were in a metal vehicle with metal golf clubs on the back. Would we be zapped also? It was scary. We knew lightning was a bolt of electricity which builds up in a cloud and releases its awesome power on contact with the earth. Bob Hope's words didn't help at all. He said : "If I'm on a golf course and lighning starts, I get inside fast. If God wants to play through, let him."
We were quite a distance from the clubhouse, and perhaps a moving vehicle might attract the lightning. We thought if we bolted under a tree, the tree might be hit : we had just seen another large one get it. We just sat there and trembled a little.
Safely back home, we looked up the Internet. Lightning needs good contact with the earth and must have metal or something wet as a conductor. If there are several items around for good conduction, it will use the tallest item.
Actually, we had been fairly safe in the golf cart because it had rubber wheels. "Cars," the web site noted, "have excellent lightning protection. Stay in them."
What else? A cave, ditch, gutter, or under trees higher than you are are generally good. It may seem strange, but near a tree will keep you from being the tallest object around which will keep you from being hit. "But crouch down in the open keeping twice as far away from the tree as the tree is high," it said.
We should avoid hilltops, open spaces, wire fences, metal clotheslines, exposed sheds, and any elevated objects able to conduct electricity. Your home is safe providing you stay clear of plug-in electrical equipment, phone lines, and anything metal. By the way, being in or on the water is also risky. Water is an excellent conductor for electricity. If lightning hits a swimming pool or the sea and you are in it, you'll be zapped too.

Fireworks on again

PALM COVE JETTY will light up again on New Year's Eve, Dec 31st, 9pm.
Tourism Palm Cove spokesperson Colleen Were said the fireworks will be as good as ever.
"Last year, the crowd was very happy all evening and everyone kept telling me how good the fireworks were.
There will be one fireworks show only, at 9pm.

Published by Jerry Dukes
52 Terebra St
Palm Cove 4879 QLD
Ph 4059 1610 Fax 4059 0058
Email : info@palmcovenewsletter.com
On website : http://www.palmcovenewsletter.com

Palm Cove's Official Website: http://www.palmcove.net