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The beast - dubbed the Palace Puma - was sighted in some woodland by journalist Helen Barrett, 41, who was out for a walk with her family. They were so terrified that they fled from the “wild animal” - described as black and 5ft in length - after it approached them on a pathway between Church Road and Auckland Hill at 3.45pm. Mrs Barrett said: “It was quite alarming. At first we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. It was black, the size of a labrador, but walking like a cat. It had to be feline.” She thought it must be a puma or panther.
Outlook Cafe owner Bill Fawzi is still waiting to discover the impact that beautifying Auckland Hill will have on his popular cafe.
On Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Federal Minister for Gladstone Ken OâDowd announced $5 million toward beautifying Auckland Hill and linking the area with the East Shores waterfront precinct.
As a condition of the funding, Gladstone Ports Corporation will match the $5 million in funding for the project, as Gladstone Regional Council is transferring custodianship of the land to the port. The Outlook cafe on Auckland Hill. The area is to undergo beautification work to link it with the East Shores waterfront precinct. Picture: Luka Kauzlaric
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Gladstone Regional Council and Gladstone Ports Corporation have thanked the Federal Government for $10m in funding that will help industry, tourism and economic growth.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was in Gladstone on Tuesday to announce the funding for a hydrogen knowledge centre and to beautify Auckland Hill.
Gladstone region Mayor Matt Burnett said the investment would provide the community with many opportunities and thanked the Australian Government for its commitment to strengthening the area’s economic and tourism growth.
“Council recently facilitated the transfer of Auckland Hill to the Gladstone Ports Corporation to enable further development of the East Shores precinct,” Mr Burnett said.