General News
21 May, 2025
Mayor acknowledges contribution of corrections team
McKinlay Shire mayor Janene Fegan says Julia Creek wouldn't be the same without the work camp.
McKinlay Shire mayor Janene Fegan says Julia Creek would be lost without its work camp and has paid tribute to the correction officers who oversee the program in the community.
On Friday, which coincided with National Corrections Day, Cr Fegan said the Julia Creek Work Camp had become integrated with the community to the point where other councils were now envious of McKinlay Shire.
“The camp is on a fortnightly roster basis and, when they’re in, their main purpose is to help community events with set-up, cleanup, just general overall help,” she said.
“They help in various ways, like tidying up the RSL area ... they’re just an extra set of hands that help keep our volunteers from burning out.”
Cr Fegan said she was in the process of lobbying the state government to make the work camp a full-time arrangement.
“They’re actually quite integrated into the community,” she said.
“Most people know of them. Obviously, there’s a turnover of the inmates but with their small allowance they come up the street once a week and buy locally.”
The mayor said McKinlay Shire had supported Queensland Corrections strongly since the Julia Creek Work Camp was announced in the late 1990s and that there was a strong partnership in place.
“We actually provided the land that the work camp is on and we’ve supplied extra living accommodation so that the corrections officer doesn’t have to move in and out when they have relievers,” Cr Fegan said.
“We assist with equipment that they use, like lawn mowers and tools. We really work well as a partnership.”
The mayor also paid tribute to long-time correctional supervisor Allan Sotheren, who oversees the Julia Creek Work Camp.