Work camp leaves Mackay
12 June 2008
After three months and more than 3000 hours working to repair flood damaged areas, the temporary prisoner Work Camp has left Mackay.
The 12 low-risk prisoners and two supervising officers performed labour valued at more than $45,000.
The prisoners cleared debris form parks, gardens and sporting venues, removed rubbish, and repaired fences and pathways.
They worked at the Mackay Botanical Gardens, Seaforth, Calen, St Helen's Beach, Shoal Point, Marian Police station, Jane's Creek, Mt Ossa community hall, and the Mackay, Mt Bassett and Hamden cemeteries.
The temporary Mackay Work Camp was established following a request from the Mackay City Council in the wake of February's devastating floods.
The camp was based at the disused Narpi School about 40 kilometres north of Mackay.
25 March 2008
Prisoners commence work at Mackay's Hampden Cemetery.
After completion of the job.
Prisoners from the temporary Mackay Work Camp were kept busy over the Easter break working at two sites.
On Saturday, prisoners mowed and removed weeds and rubbish from the historic Hampden Cemetery.
On Easter Monday they worked at the Glenella State School repairing retaining walls, re-filling sandpits and mulching gardens.
These tasks would normally have been done by the school's Parents and Citizens association.
The Mackay crew's future efforts will centre on at the Botanic Gardens, Gooseponds, Cape Hillsborough National Park and Finch Hatton Gorge.
18 March 2008
Prisoners repairing pathway at Mackay's Botanic Gardens.
Prisoners cleaning tennis court at Narpi school.
Mackay's temporary Work Camp crew has started helping with the clean up following February's flood.
The crew have been active in several locations including the Botanic Gardens, St Helen's beach and the nearby township of Calen, about 50 kilometres north of Mackay.
Work program supervisors have established links with members of the local community following the establishment of the camp at the disused Narpi school.
Mackay City Council has also purchased equipment for the prisoners to use including pressure washers, mowers and weed eaters.
A trailer fitted with equipment for use on community service projects during weekends will also be provided.
To date, most of the crew's work has been completed at Mackay's Botanic Gardens where they have been removing silt from the ponds and repairing badly eroded pathways.
It is anticipated the work will take four weeks to complete, after which the prisoners will concentrate on the Goose Ponds - a series of ponds that run through Mackay.
Work at St Helen's beach has included cleaning and repairing the school bus stop, boat ramp and free camping area.
Future work is also expected to include work in the Cape Hillsborough National Park rebuilding raised timber pathways destroyed by the flood and at Finch Hatton Gorge.
11 March 2008
A team of 12 low-risk prisoners and two supervisors from the Darling Downs Correctional Centre (DDCC) arrived in Mackay yesterday to help the community rebuild after floods hit the region last month.
The team is the latest crew to be diverted from regular duties to provide assistance to a community affected by severe flooding. The crew will be stationed at a temporary prisoner Work Camp, established at the disused Narpi school, 40km north of Mackay on an isolated section of the Bruce Highway.
Today, they begin work in the area, assisting with clearing debris from parks, gardens and sporting venues, removing rubbish, repairing fences and concreting. Some of the first tasks to be performed by the prisoners include cleaning a road reserve area outside the township of Calen and cleaning up the Council Free Camping area at St Helens Beach.
The camp is working in conjunction with the local council.
And as the Mackay crew were settling in to their duties in central Queensland, Work Camp crews at Charleville and in the Beaudesert area have wound down their activities.
Requests for assistance in both areas have gradually decreased, with the DDCC crew departing Charleville on March 5 to return to Toowoomba. Crews were in Charleville for just over six weeks, assisting with the clean-up effort since January 19. Palen Creek Correctional Centre's team is ready to assist should any further requests be received from residents in the Beaudesert region.
Crews from Capricornia Correctional Centre's Springsure and Clermont Work Camps continue to assist with the rebuild of the Emerald Botanic Gardens alongside their scheduled work and maintenance in the region.
8 February 2008
Work camp prisoners from Capricornia Correctional Centre (CCC) have commenced a major clean up and rebuild of Emerald's Botanic Gardens.
The prisoners from Springsure and Clermont Work camps today started what is expected to be a long-term project following a request from the Emerald Shire Council.
The botanic gardens are on the banks of the Nogoa River and were badly damaged during recent flooding.
5 February 2008
Darling Downs Correctional Centre (DDCC) now has 48 Work Camp prisoners assisting in the central Queensland flood relief effort.
It is a record number of prisoners deployed from DDCC.
The latest team of 12 prisoners from Darling Downs Correctional Centre and a Supervisor (supplied by Capricornia Correctional Centre) has joined the Clermont camp, which is aligned to Capricornia Correctional Centre (CCC).
CCC has been consulting with community groups and government agencies in Emerald and Clermont to determine how best to assist local communities and residents.
Local authorities are waiting for the flood waters to recede before assessing priorities.
DDCC Work Camp prisoners at Charleville continue to assist local council crews clean up at several sites.
30 January 2008
Capricornia Correctional Centre (CCC) is stepping up its response to the flooding in Central Queensland.
CCC General Manager Steve Green is consulting with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) who require assistance to repair fencing and floodgates damaged in the flooding in the Clermont region.
A CCC Work Camp crew of 12 prisoners and a Supervisor will be joined in the affected area by a Work Camp crew from Darling Downs Correctional Centre (DDCC).
They will arrive at the Springsure and Clermont Work camps on Friday to help residents near the Belyando River repair fences and clear debris from homes.
DPI will also send their staff to Clermont on Friday to provide assistance.
CCC are also on stand by with the Emergency Management Centre in Emerald.
25 January update
The Charleville Work Camp is continuing its flood relief activities in liaison with Emergency Services Queensland.
A group of 25 prisoners and three supervising officers have helped clear debris and mud from several businesses and a neighbourhood centre.
At the request of the SES the prisoners also helped SES staff load a jet with flood relief goods destined for Quilpie. This included over three tonnes of frozen goods, fruit and vegetables.
A truck and bobcat from the Innisfail Work Camp is also expected to arrive in Charleville before next week.
Nine prisoners and a supervisor are on standby in Winton if assistance is required in flood affected areas.
In the state's south east, eight low-security prisoners and a supervisior from Palen Creek Correctional Centre have completed clean-up work at the Hillview community hall.
The team is now removing debris from fences along the Mt Lindsay Highway.
23 January 2008
Work Camp prisoners clean up the flood damaged area around the Ralston Bridge at Running Creek near Beaudesert.
Work Camp prisoners remove debris from the Hillview Community Hall near Beaudesert.
Work Camp prisoners fill sandbags for Warrego River levy bank at Charleville.
Emerald Probation and Parole District Office carpark. The carpark slopes and in areas the water is now above head height.
Work Camps from around the State have provided a rapid response to communities severely affected by recent flooding.
Crews have been diverted from regular duties at short notice and travelled hundreds of kilometres to assist in clean-up operations.
Darling Downs Correctional Centre (DDCC) Work Camp crews have been at the forefront of the relief effort providing assistance in Beaudesert in south-east Queensland and Charleville in central Queensland.
The first crew of 12 prisoners and one Supervisor arrived in Beaudesert on January 10 with the second crew arriving the next day.
Following consultation with Department of Communities Recovery Team and Beaudesert Shire council the crews worked in the badly affected areas of Running Creek, Christmas Creek, Canungra, Hillview and Kooralbyn.
They cleared and re-established boundary fences to prevent livestock from wandering and also cleared mud and debris from community and private properties.
A team of eight prisoners on Community Service Leave of Absence and one Supervisor from Palen Creek Correctional Centre (PCCC) is continuing the clean-up effort in Beaudesert.
On January 19, the DDCC crews of 24 prisoners and two supervisors made the 900 kilometre journey to Charleville where the Warrego River was threatening to burst its banks.
Since arriving in Charleville and being joined by a third Supervisor, prisoners have helped fill 5000 sandbags as part of a levy bank to hold back the rising water.
Arrangements are also under way for the tip truck and bobcat at the Innisfail Work Camp to be transferred to Charleville to assist with the clean-up.
In the central Queensland and Highlands areas clean-up activities are expected to step up once the flood waters have receded.
Capricornia Correctional Centre's (CCC) Work Camp crews at Springsure, Clermont and Blackall are providing assistance as requested by local councils.
Work Camp crews from Townsville Correctional Centre (TCC) are in Boulia and Winton assessing the situations in relation to work to be conducted there.
Work Camps have a long tradition of assisting remote communities following natural disasters dating back to the 1990 Charleville floods.
In recent times, a DDCC Work Camp crew were the first Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) team on site to assist in the rebuilding of Innisfail in the wake of Cyclone Larry in 2006.
Last year, a DDCC Work Camp crew went to Tara to assist in the clean-up of the town after a freak storm tore through the area and the Warwick Women's Work Camp stepped in to provide valuable assistance to horse owners affected by the equine flu quarantine at the Morgan Park Equestrian Centre.
In December 2006, a DDCC Work Camp crew made a five hour 400 kilometre journey from Charleville to help the St George community after it had been lashed by a storm just days before Christmas.
The crew helped clean-up affected areas around the town including the cemetery, golf course and riverbank parklands.
The use of prisoner labour in Work Camps contributes around $1 million in labour costs to rural and regional towns.
Media Releases:
- 07/03/2008 Prisoners to help Mackay community rebuild after floods: Spence
- 18/01/2008 Prisoners sent to help Charleville flood clean-up
- 11/01/2008 More prisoners help Beaudesert flood clean-up
- 09/01/2008 Prisoners help Beaudesert flood clean-up
Last updated: 12 June 2008
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