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⚓ From the Helm⚓

Some weeks on Coochie feel like smooth sailing. Others remind us that island life, for all its beauty, is shared space and shared responsibility. This week’s edition sits gently between the two.

There’s a lot to appreciate in these pages. Community updates, familiar projects continuing quietly in the background, and the kind of everyday effort that keeps island life ticking along. None of it flashy. All of it valuable. It’s the sort of progress that doesn’t shout, but matters all the same.

And then there’s the jetty.

The jetty has always been more than a pontoon and pylons. It’s a meeting place, a backdrop to summer memories, and for generations, a spot where kids have tested courage, gravity, and parental patience.

Jetty jumping isn’t new, and neither is the conversation around it. Over the years it’s sparked nostalgia, concern, debate, and occasionally frustration. Often all at once.

What’s become clear isn’t that one side is right and the other wrong, but that people are speaking from very different experiences. Some see joy, freedom, and tradition. Others see near misses, busy boat traffic, and moments where things could so easily go wrong. Both perspectives come from a place of caring about the island.

Rather than hard lines or louder arguments, it may be time to keep leaning into a more measured approach.

First, keeping the focus on behaviour rather than labels.
Whether someone lives on the island or is visiting, the jetty works best when everyone treats it as a shared, working space. Clear expectations around awareness, timing, and consideration help set the tone without singling anyone out.

Second, encouraging calm, early intervention.
Often, situations escalate simply because no one steps in early. A quiet word, a visible adult presence, or a gentle reminder can make a big difference long before things become risky. It doesn’t need to be confrontational to be effective.

Third, allowing room for seasonal common sense.
The jetty feels very different in peak holiday periods compared to a quiet midweek afternoon. Approaches that can flex with seasons, tides, and traffic are more likely to work than one-size-fits-all solutions. Small adjustments, reviewed over time, tend to serve the community better than permanent hard lines.

Coochie has a long history of navigating these kinds of conversations. When we slow things down, listen to one another, and remember that most people want the same outcome, safer spaces and a good quality of island life, we usually find our way through.

As you read through this edition, it’s worth noticing how much care, time, and quiet commitment continues to flow through this community. Island life isn’t perfect, but it’s built on people who keep showing up, even when the conversations get a little choppy.

Until next time, steady hands, open ears, heart and fair winds.

Adaire ⚓

Adaire Palmer

Editor, Coochie Community Online

WELL, L👀KIE HERE!! 

⚓RFDS Medical Chest is now LIVE!
⚓Coochie Community Shopping Service - update

⚓Fuel Run - update

⚓🐨Competition for Coochie (and mainland) kids. 'What Does Australia Mean to You'? 🦘 (EXTENDED CLOSING DATE)

⚓Bushcare Update

⚓Worlds Worst Carwash - roundup and more from The Rec Club

⚓NEW EVENTS listed! Scroll to the end for What's on in January, coming up in February and 'Standing Items' for events &  key contacts on Coochie 👇👇👇

RFDS Medical Chest is LIVE!!

The RFDS Medical Chest Is Live on Coochie. Here’s What You Need to Know.

If you’ve spotted a letter in your letterbox recently, it wasn’t junk mail and it wasn’t a ferry timetable. It was an important heads-up for every islander.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Medical Chest service is now live on Coochiemudlo Island and it gives residents access to 24/7 bulk-billed telehealth, backed by medications held right here on the island.

Let’s clear up the first common misunderstanding straight away.

This is not the flying plane landing on the beach or water-based emergency evacuations. This is a telehealth medical service, supported by a locally stocked Medical Chest and island volunteers who can help get prescribed medication to you when needed.

How it works

If you’re on the island and need medical attention, you can call the RFDS medical line at any time, day or night. The call is bulk billed.

An RFDS medical officer will assess your situation over the phone. If medication is required, they may issue a prescription. At that point, you make a second call to the Medical Chest number. The details are on the fridge magnet that has been delivered to letterboxes across the island.

Medical Chest volunteers are available around the clock. They’ll confirm the prescription with RFDS and then organise to collect the medication from the chest and deliver it to you.

No medical training is required to volunteer. Just availability, being on the island during your rostered time, and access to a vehicle.

A few important fine-print points

This service is not a replacement for your regular GP. It’s designed to fill a very real gap for island life, especially outside business hours or when getting to the mainland isn’t practical.

The Medical Chest only supplies medications prescribed by RFDS. Volunteers will always verify prescriptions before collecting anything.

The service is available to all island residents and visitors, not just members of Coochie Progress.

Unless we suddenly land a full-time doctor five days a week (unlikely), the Medical Chest is here to stay.

Want to know more?

Coochie Progress will be hosting a Public Information Day where the Medical Chest will be front and centre.

Progress Public Information Day
🗓 Saturday 7 February
🕑 2pm
📍 Rec Club, Elizabeth Street

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, you can contact:
Julie Vegter on 0412 591 509
or
Russell Austerberry on 0467 174 800

This is one of those quietly powerful services that doesn’t make a lot of noise until you need it. And when you do, you’ll be very glad it’s there.

🛒🌴 Coochie Community Shopping Service: a timely reminder

If you’ve ever tried to do a “quick” grocery run from Coochie, you already know it can turn into an all-day expedition ⛴️🧀. Ferry times, cold food, heavy bags, and island logistics don’t exactly scream convenience.

That’s where the Coochiemudlo Community Shopping Service (CCSS) steps in 💙 A volunteer-run, not-for-profit service delivering groceries from Coles Victoria Point straight to your door on Coochie — with proper cold storage so frozen food stays frozen ❄️👏

With Woolworths Online adding an extra $20 island charge from 3 February, interest in CCSS is already picking up. You can meet the team and learn more at the Australia Day Markets on 26 January 🇦🇺🎉

CCSS Fuel Run Update

Fuel on Coochie. Still happening. Just a little differently.

When the Coochie Community Shopping Service was advised back in November that fuel could no longer be carried with the regular shopping run, it could’ve been game over for island fuel deliveries.

Instead, the team did what islanders do best.

They adapted.

A separate, dedicated fuel run has now been set up to meet ongoing demand, and it’s open to all Coochie residents. It’s currently running monthly, with clear safety guidelines in place to keep everyone compliant and upright.

This isn’t a free-for-all jerry-can jamboree. There are limits, labelling rules, drop-off times, paperwork, and a carefully coordinated crew making it all happen. And yes, it includes delivery.

👉 In the full article, we cover:

• How the fuel run works (step by step)

• Container rules and safety requirements

• Costs, payment options, and barge coverage

• Who’s involved and who to contact

• Dates for the next run

Big shout-out to the volunteers quietly keeping the wheels turning and the tanks filled. This is community muscle in action.

⛽ Next fuel run: Thursday 22 January
📦 Container drop-off: Wednesday 21 January

Hop over here to get the full details before you roll up with a mystery container and a hopeful smile.

🎨🇦🇺 Kids Art Challenge – 💥Extended close💥! Now Friday 23rd Jan! Get your kids creative and get their entries in!

We’re inviting kids aged 5–17 to get off screens and get creative for our Australia Day Kids Art Challenge. The theme is “What Australia Means to Me”, with handmade artwork only (no digital art), judged fairly in age groups. There are cash and voucher prizes to be won, plus a $50 bonus for winners who are present at the live announcement at the Australia Day Markets on 26 January. Entries close midnight Friday 23 January — parents can enter online via Messenger on the Coochie Community Online Facebook Page. Let the kids create something real this Australia Day 🇦🇺🎨

Parents, enter here (direct link to Messenger) Ts & Cs

Sponsored by:
The Coochiemudlo Island Beach Bar & Grill
The Curlew Cafe
Viva Coochie
Rita Suters - REMAX on Point

Bushcare Update

Hot, humid, and very much a Queensland summer morning, Bushcare kicked off its first get-together for 2026 with plenty of energy and some impressive progress ☀️💦

Council liaison Bree joined the group to help set the direction for the year ahead, focusing on bush regeneration in the melaleuca wetlands 🌱 The main target for the morning was Passiflora aka corky passion vine, an enthusiastic climber that’s been invading the Innes Street wetlands frontage and making itself very at home in the trees.

With a strong roll-up of fifteen volunteers 💪, the vines didn’t stand a chance. In just over an hour, the Nama Street end of the zone was already looking noticeably healthier 👀✨ Proof that teamwork and determination go a long way, even in sticky conditions.

There was also some skill-building on the day, with volunteers getting hands-on using the iNaturalist app 📱🌿 Identifying native plants almost as fast as you can point your phone, it’s quickly becoming a favourite tool for learning on the job.

A couple of new members were warmly welcomed 🤝, adding to the growing Bushcare crew. Anyone interested in supporting the wetlands revival is welcome to send a private message or simply turn up on the advertised Bushcare workdays shared on the Community page 📣

Hot, muddy, and absolutely worthwhile 🐸🌾

Read the original update By Lee Steindl in the Coochie Community group. 

The World’s Worst Car Wash… and the Best Little Fundraiser on Coochie 🚗🧽

If you happened to hear suspicious amounts of laughter, splashing, and mildly questionable car-cleaning techniques near the Rec Club on Monday, you weren’t imagining things.

The Coochiemudlo Island Recreation Club hosted a kids’ fundraiser with the legendary title “The World’s Worst Car Wash.”

And honestly? It was brilliant.

Around 20 cars lined up to be scrubbed, rubbed, dubbed, and enthusiastically “cleaned” by a crew of determined Coochie kids & parent helpers who showed up with buckets, sponges, big smiles, and while there was absolutely zero concern for professional detailing standards, the results were sparkling!

Despite the name, the kids were underpromised and wildly overdelivered where it mattered most… energy, teamwork, and community spirit.

The event was facilitated by Kate Barker, with Erin Leslight capturing the action, and the funds raised are going directly back into supporting local kids’ sporting activities and equipment. A big shout-out also goes to Redlands Little Athletics, whose support helps keep our young islanders active, outdoors, and burning off that legendary Coochie energy.

Missed the Car Wash? You’re Not Too Late🎉

If you didn’t manage to roll your car through the suds, all is not lost.

You can still support the kids by visiting the Rec Club stall at the Australia Day Markets, where fundraising for kids’ activities will be happening throughout the day.

It’s a great chance to chip in, say hello, and help make sure Coochie kids continue to have access to sports, play, and community-run activities right here on the island.

So when you’re wandering the markets this Australia Day or checking out the delights at Artisans Alley, grab a sausage from the Men's Shed stand, enjoy the atmosphere, and swing past the Rec Club stall. Every dollar helps turn bucket-and-sponge enthusiasm into real opportunities for our kids.

Sometimes the “worst” ideas turn out to be the very best ones. On Coochie, that feels about right 😉

ps/some extra special kids activities coming up NEXT holidays! Watch this space!

📬 Got an idea, event, or organisation you’d like featured? Hit reply to this email, or send a message in a bottle (aka Facebook Messenger) or to editor@coochiecommunityonline.com.

If you're looking to make a complaint to council, head to the bottom of this newsletter. You'll also find other info that might be useful.

Together, we’ll build a community resource that every Coochiemudlian (and our ML neighbours) will be glad to have in their inbox.

📢 Coochie Progress Public Meeting
📅 Date: Saturday 7 February 2026
🕒 Time: (Check with organiser)
📍 Location: Rec Club, Elizabeth Street, Coochiemudlo Island
🎟️ Admission: Free
📄 Details: Quarterly community meeting to discuss island matters including services like the Medical Chest and local projects.

Check out this and other events on the Coochiemudlo Island website events page.

🌿 Dunecare (Coastcare Volunteer Session)
📅 Date: Saturday 7 February 2026
🕒 Time: (usually morning — check organiser)
📍 Location: Emerald Fringe / island dunes
🎟️ Admission: Free (volunteer)
📄 Details: Join friendly volunteers removing weeds and caring for dunes and wetlands — morning tea

🌱 Bushcare Working Bee
📅 Date: Saturday 21 February 2026
🕒 Time: (usually early morning)
📍 Location: Various natural areas around Coochiemudlo Island
🎟️ Admission: Free (volunteer)
📄 Details: Monthly group working to protect and restore native vegetation — great for nature lovers.

Standing items

Your portal for information about Coochie

RFDS Medical Chest on Coochie💊

🌴Stay Connected on Coochie 🌴

Life on Coochiemudlo Island is all about community. Whether you’re here full-time, part-time, or visiting, it’s easy to get involved and feel at home.

From emergency services and medical contacts to local clubs, sports, and social groups, there are plenty of ways to connect.

Looking for a Justice of the Peace? Want to join the Progress Association, Men’s Shed, or Recreation Club? Keen to play tennis, pickleball, or keep fit at the gym (once it reopens) Or maybe you’d like to explore art, craft, music, or gardening with fellow islanders?

You’ll find it all in one handy place.

👉 Check out the full list of community contacts here

It’s your go-to resource for staying safe, connected, and part of our wonderful island life. 

📅Community Calendar📅

Want to know what's coming up? You don't need to wait for us to share, check the calendar right here!

Credit: Angela Hoskins for this wonderful resource 🥰

Artisan Alley 

Pickleball on Coochie 🥒🎾

Pickleball officially starts back for 2026 on the island this week. Come & see why this is the fastest growing fun exercise. 4pm sessions for adults will be on Thurs, Fri & Sun. All playing standards welcome, with intro sessions for first timers. Youth pickleball for 10 to 15s is back next Tues 13th at 4.45pm. See you in court. 🏝 🎾🤩🙂

Want to join the fun or at least come watch the chaos?
Give Dave a buzz on 0408 079 098. He’s the Pickleball oracle around here.

Qigong on Coochie - Morwong Beach

Qigong at Morwong ( opposite 186 Victoria parade North ) in the park on Wednesdays at 8 am. All welcome and bring water. FREE!

CSA RE: Coochie Island Progress Association

It appears the CIPA Facebook Page has been sucked into that black hole of cyber-space.  CIPA have been keeping members updated on Progress activities and events by email and individuals posts in relevant local groups.  Until the tech issues are resolved, you can also find information on their website, here.

Recreation Club Subs now due!

If you're a Rec Club member, note the following please:

Gym fees are carried over from last year, but the annual membership ($5) is still required.

You can pay either by dropping the $5 (in an envelope) to Yvonne Symes, Treasurer, at 1 Kingfisher,

or deposit into:

Coochiemudlo Recreation Club

Bendigo Bank

BSB: 633-000

Account: 137959631

If you'd like to become a member, contact Geoff - details below

💥NEW💥Roles & Contacts for the Rec Club:

📣 Coochie Recreation Club – Who’s Who

As we head into an exciting new year at the Rec Club, here are your key points of contact for programs, activities, and gym coordination.

🏋️ Personal Training Co-ordinator
Helen Symes
📞 0412 340 227

💪 Gym Co-ordinator
Jacqui Sanders
📞 0488 664 666

🎨 Kids Activity Co-ordinator
Kate Barker
📞 0416 497 076

Whether you’re keen to get moving, organise activities for the kids, or have a question about the gym, these legends have you covered.

Redland City Council 

Want to make a complaint? Report an issue?

Find out what week your bin goes out? Watch the latest Public Council Meeting? Do that here!

Here is information on how Coochiemudlo residents can contact Redland City Council for various issues.

Individuals can report issues such as potholes, trees, roads, paths, rates, planning & development, and graffiti by phone, email, or submitting a contact form.

Residents can also give feedback, lodge complaints, or seek assistance from the council.

Report an Issue

Use this form to contact council

Redland City Council Public Meetings

Redland City Council Meeting Webcast offers an archive of past meetings for public viewing.

Have questions?

Visit the help page for assistance.

Did you know you can access recordings of General Meetings, Special Council Meetings, and Special Budget Meetings?

Stay informed about important decisions and discussions within the council.

Visit the Redland City Council Public Meetings archive here.

Cane toads will eat bird eggs and chicks if they can reach them, including ground-nesting shorebirds like curlews, as well as ducklings and other small birds.

They’re opportunistic predators. If it fits in their mouth and they can get to it, it’s fair game.

More info on Cane Toads (and why we're taking no prisoners)...

Disclaimer

The information in this newsletter is provided for general interest only. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, details may change and unintentional errors can occur. Nothing here should be taken as professional, financial, legal, medical, or specialist advice. Always seek guidance from a qualified professional where needed.

Some content may be created, enhanced, or assisted by artificial intelligence. All AI-supported material is reviewed and edited by a human before publication. Any opinions expressed are those of the author and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any featured organisations or individuals.

Event details, community updates, and offers are shared in good faith. Readers are encouraged to confirm information directly with the relevant organisers.

By reading this newsletter, you accept that the publisher is not responsible for any loss, inconvenience, or unexpected detours caused by reliance on the content.