A weekly re-cap of the events that have made news in Cairns over the past week.

Wednesday August 7, 2002 77th Edition

The main focus this week seems to be food and sports and why not, Aussies love them both!

Cairns properties worth millions
Million-dollar property sales are predicted to surge in the Port Douglas and Mission Beach region, real estate agents advised recently. The surge comes as many baby boomers seek out a slice of beach paradise for retirement or holiday homes. According to Belle Property Barrier Reef director Peter McLeod, the "availability of almost $10 million worth of exclusive properties for sale at Port Douglas and Mission Beach was just the start of a surge in the market."

Giant gumboot splashes into Tully
A 7m high golden gumboot will be erected in Tully declaring it as Australia's wettest town. The monument was finally approved by the Cardwell Shire Council, which is seeking a 50 per cent subsidy toward the $22 00 project by State Government. The gold-painted fibreglass gumboot, with a spiral staircase and viewing tower will stand in the bus depot park in Tully. It is expected the gumboot will be fully erected by late October or early November 2002.

Charity riders hit Cairns
More than 150 eager bike riders converged on Cairns during a three-day tour of North Queensland to raise money for the Children's Cancer Institue of Australia.
Participants from all walks of life pedalled from Townsville to Cairns along the Bruce Highway in a bid to raise more than $52 000, which was raised last year. Event organiser Selwyn Hardwick said "the spirit is one o f goodwill and good times, rather than a competitive event."

Race of the fittest
Great Pyramid Race organisers have secured a permit for an increase in the number of race nominations from 75 to 100 for this years event. Race director Tim Trehearn hopes to see more locals entered, giving two-time champion Max Fegan of Townsville a run for his money. Runners will scale Walsh's Pyramid at Gordonvale for prizemoney totalling almost $5000, ranking the event as one of the richest of its kind in Australia. The race will take place on Saturday August 10, with a ball scheduled for the night prior.

Creamy delights on show
The Malanda Gourmet Food Factory, the newest and tastiest tourist attraction on the tablelands, opened its doors to the public last week. The factory, part of the Queensland Heritage Trails Network, is a tribute to the area's role as the lifeblood of the Far North's dairy industry. Fresh produce will be served from the 1930s style centre, which features indoor and outdoor dining, a coffee bar, children's play area, comfy lounge, retail section and even a museum. Malanda is planning a street party for the official opening on August 31.

Schoolies ready to face the world
Cairns school leavers have been given a helping hand in the right direction this year with the introduction of a new booklet outlining the pitfalls of a 'first-time wage earner.' The booklet entitled "Psst! Post-School Survival Tips" has been produced by Queensland Government's Office of Fair Trading and was designed to help school leavers avoid pitfalls in areas such as buying their first car or mobile phone, renting a house and managing credit.

Aussies eating out more often
More Australians are eating out for breakfast and are seeking healthier food products, a new study found recently. The survey which is conducted every two years, revealed that Australians are worried about chemical ingredients in foods but are less interested in whether it is home grown. It was also found the most popular foods to hit Aussie lips are spicy cuisines and Italian flavours. The survey claims "Australians consume 226 meals a year that are prepared away from home, compared with 201 meals a year a decade ago."

Pet snake saved from fire
Pet cats aren't the only animals being saved in Cairns. A Kuranda man came to the rescue of his pet snake, plucking it from a fire which destroyed his garage. Queensland Fire and Rescue said the garage was well alight when fire officers arrived on the scene. The cause of the blaze is still not known.