March brought a heap of stories for me to report on for Newsport. Three that took my fancy were

Hydrogen Grid a go

The most anticipated project in the Shire and a game changer for many people north of the river got the official green light in March.

An Australian-first solar to hydrogen-based microgrid for the World Heritage Protected Daintree Rainforest was signed off at the Heritage Lodge Resort on Turpentine Road at Diwan. The historic signing and agreement with Volt Advisory Group for the first stage of the Microgrid was done by the Assistant Minister to the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Tim Wilson.

This community microgrid is promising to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy with no impact on the rain forest with a cable network placed under existing roads and easements. The world first grid will bring electricity to residents of the Daintree and make dirty generators that spew out millions of litres of diesel fumes each year into the world’s most beautiful rain forest, obsolete. As a bonus, high speed internet will be provided to residents as part of the overall project.

The grid has been the talk of the rainforest for a long time especially among business owners who have been facing mounting fuel bills to keep generators running not to mention the pollution. The first stage of the project will cover the area north of the Alexandra Range to Cape Tribulation.

Record breaking Priscilla

The Clink Theatre in Port Douglas played host to a musical that broke all local box office records, and it was the biggest production ever staged by the Douglas Theatre Arts Group. Pricilla Queen Of the Desert, the Musical about a performing trio who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback. They hop aboard a battered old bus (nicknamed Priscilla) searching for love and friendship and end up finding more than they ever imagined. With a dazzling array of outrageous costumes and a hit parade of dance floor favourites, it had audiences up on their feet and dancing.

It was directed By Michael Kerr with Musical Director Altouise De Vaughn, choreography by Saskia Turner and outrageous costumes by Natusha Eggins.

A fabulous local cast with Shire treasure Shaun Cram as Bernadette, Ben Hardie as Mitzi, Kamaron Arthur as the ever so naughty Felicia and as Bob the Mechanic yours truly. The final four performances had one time radio man Barry Ion in my role, and he did a brilliant job stepping into my boots.

I can’t tell you how honoured I was to be chosen to be a cast member. It ended up a true family of performers and I don’t think you could recreate it if you tried. Sure, we did come back for some encore performances because so many locals couldn’t find a seat the first time, but it really was a ‘oncer’. The only problem Michael Kerr has now is finding something to top it. No pressure Michael.

Priscilla even had a wedding proposal from a cast member to an audience member. Not even the cast knew, and the audience was completely in the dark, until the houselights went up. During the curtain call of Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical at the Clink Theatre on Saturday night, love was in the air. As the lead actors were taking their final bows, Ben Hardie, who plays Tick and Mitzi in the show, brought everything to a halt to tell a personal story of love and respect, which could have been taken from the pages of the script for Priscilla. He told a story of meeting a young man called Michael three and a half years ago and being immediately smitten. So, in front of fifteen of his family members in a packed audience and a stage full of fellow cast members, he called Michael up from his seat and popped the question. “Will you be my life partner?”. Thankfully for everyone concerned the answer was yes and the celebrations began straightaway and as the curtain went down it continued backstage and eventually spilled into the courtyard of the Port Douglas theatre.