Entertainment
20 September, 2026
Cyclone movie premieres
COMMUNITIES across the Barron floodplain will come together next week to share their experiences of Cyclone Jasper and to celebrate the connections forged during the disaster and recovery.
Barron Connected Communities, with support from the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) and Centacare FNQ, will present ‘Sharing Our Strength – Moving Forward After Jasper’ on Thursday 24 September 2026. The free gathering marks the culmination of 12 months of collaboration through Barron Connected Communities.
The event will feature photography, artwork and community conversations, as well as the premiere of a short film documenting first-hand accounts of the flooding that isolated Barron floodplain communities in December 2023.
The film features seven community leaders from Yorkeys Knob, Machans Beach and Holloways Beach, as well as Councillor Rhonda Coghlan and Centacare FNQ Disaster Management senior worker Patrick Sim.
“A resilient community is not only connected, but also has strong, positive relationships. These relationships become critical in sharing support during difficult times,” said Mr Sim.
Machans Beach resident Mary Brodie said residents relied heavily on one another when their communities were cut off.
“We were isolated and we really could only rely on each other. The community rallied together to help and support the people who were flooded. That was our strength,” said Ms Brodie.
CAFNEC community campaigner Alex Benavides, who led the film’s development, said community members had helped shape its narrative.
The movie will run from 5.30pm to 8pm at Narrow Tracks Distilling, 60-70 Magazine Street, Stratford.
