Entertainment
6 July, 2025
Hive of activity in Mossman
IT was only a couple of weeks ago that my ‘Goss’ highlighted the hectic schedule of events in the Douglas Shire and, once again, life has continued in the fast lane, particularly in Mossman.
Knitted beanies were on sale again at the Mossman Support Services’ annual ‘Beanies for Brain Cancer’ fundraiser, which took place on Wednesday morning, June 25, under the iconic raintrees in Mossman.
This much-loved community event invited locals and visitors alike to start their morning with purpose by buying a hand-knitted beanie, while enjoying a hot chocolate, homemade brownies, or a bacon and egg roll.
All funds raised will go directly to the Mark Hughes Foundation, supporting vital brain cancer research and awareness initiatives.
This year, the event was bolstered by the generous support of local businesses, with Dukes Artisan Bakehouse and Grant Street Kitchen kindly donating a delicious selection of brownies to be sold on the day.
“We’re so grateful for the continued support of the Mossman community and our local partners,” said Heather McGillivray-Taylor, manager of Mossman Support Services.
“It’s always a heartwarming morning filled with connection, generosity and a shared commitment to making a difference.”
This year’s event raised $500. A total of $2160 has been donated to the Mark Hughes Foundation over the last four years.
Light Up The Park once again returned to George Davis Park, in Mossman, on Friday, June 27. The now well-established afternoon and evening event added a brand-new feature with the ‘Colour Us One’ Reconciliation Colour Fun Run.
The event, now in its second year, once again provided an opportunity for the community to connect with services through fun and sporting activities. Locals may have previously been unaware of these organisations, or reluctant to make contact under different circumstances.
A free community barbecue was provided by volunteers, along with stalls and a special ‘Wave of Wonder’ performance by Sea Circus to complete the day.
“I’m so excited to see new attractions coming to Light Up The Park. The Colour Us One fun run and Sea Circus performance have been wonderful additions for our June event,” said Brody Andrews, Mossman’s youth development coordinator.
“We have more surprises planned for the future. These celebrations are for the community, by the community, so we’d love to hear what you want to see next,” he said.
The Mossman Show Ball returned on June 21, after a hiatus of over 25 years.
This comeback has been warmly welcomed by many members of the Douglas Shire community, clearly represented by a turnout of over 150 people on the night.
One main purpose of the special evening was to recognise and celebrate the Shire’s young rural ambassadors, motivated young people who represent the next generation of rural leaders. With the agricultural industry evolving, these young front runners will play a crucial role in shaping the future and the show ball helped shine a light on their potential and contributions.
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon described the Mossman ball as a special evening.
“The Mossman Shire Hall looked beautiful and it was heartwarming to see our community come together, dressed to the nines and enjoying a night of celebration,” she said.
“After the challenges we’ve faced with the closure of the Mossman Mill and the recovery from Cyclone Jasper, this was just the morale-boosting event we needed.
“(The) council was proud to support the Mossman and District Show Society event with a $10,000 community grant. The society did a fantastic job bringing the event to life. I sincerely hope we see the show ball return in 2026.”
The evening was also seen as a chance to ensure that the region’s agricultural heritage is not forgotten, while also encouraging younger generations to take an active role in shaping what comes next.
“The evening provided an opportunity to showcase our young rural ambassadors, these being youngsters who are passionate about their community and also support their community,” said Brody Andrews, Mossman’s youth development coordinator.
‘Sweet as Sugar’ was the latest art exhibition to take place at the DAB Studio Gallery, at 11 Mill St, Mossman.
The exhibition was suitably named to represent Mossman’s sugar heritage, this being particularly important considering the recent closer of the mill. Also represented, however, were other aspects of local art.
“We named the exhibition ‘Sweet as Sugar’ to highlight the importance of the sugar industry to this area, but also allow other local artists to showcase their talents with art not specifically linked to sugarcane” said gallery manager Mandy Ryan.
One highlight of the exhibition was a painting of the late John Berthelsen, which is based on a photograph taken by his wife Sue about 15 years ago, which she then painted some years later. The original photo was taken after a long hot day harvesting a sugarcane research trail, which was designed to help find treatment and discover solutions for declining yields of sugarcane.
Mr Berthelsen worked for BSES Limited, while his wife Sue worked for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). “My husband and I worked together locally on this, with BSES and CSIRO working jointly on the project,” Ms Berthelsen said.
“To determine the various treatment effects, each plot needed to be harvested by hand and the stalks dragged out and weighed to establish the yield potential of each treatment,” she said.
“The cane was so badly lodged, it created a mish mash of stalks. The things you do for research.”
Sue Berthelsen is currently a glass tutor at the DAB Studio Gallery.
I’m off to see what else is going on in this busy part of FNQ, so for now it’s Gazza signing out.
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
