Recommendations and Activities

2021

I was privileged to be interviewed by Humans of Hinchinbrook. Read the interview at https://www.facebook.com/humansofhinchinbrook/ 

2021

Look out for new historical signage at the FRONTON (handball court) Trebonne. I was commissioned by the Hinchinbrook Shire Council to write it. When it is installed go to the QR code to learn more.

2021

Go to the Herbert River Canegrowers facebook page to listen to my podcast on the history of the sugar industry on the Herbert and the predecessors of the Herbert River CANEGROWERS association. The link is: https://herbertrivercanegrowers.com.au/podcasts/ 

2020

Watch out for Window in Time Revisited at the Australian Italian Festival 2021. A RADF grant has provided funds to update earlier Window in Time displays and to conduct 5 more interviews of elderly residents of the Herbert River District. I have been engaged to undertake work for which I am grateful to the Australia Italian Festival Committee and the Hinchinbrook Shire Council.

2020

A successful collaboration. It was a pleasure to work with Mark and Judy Evans of Paronella Park who are preserving and promoting history with their Paronella Park enterprise.

https://aprintern.org.au/case-study/paronella-park/

I am available for guided tours of Tyto Sugar Tracks and Mercer Lane Mosaics. Tours with canecutters' smoko for groups can be booked through Ingham's Tyto Information Centre. Visit this website for details https://www.tyto.com.au/event/sugar-tracks/2018-03-20/ (Ignore the date given for 'event' on the site)

January 2020

Go to this link to read my recent publication “The Day the Falls Stopped Flowing: Devastation and Resilience in Tropical Queensland.” Environment & Society Portal, Arcadia (Spring 2020), no. 3. Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society. 

http://www.environmentandsociety.org/node/9001

November 2018 - April 2019

APR post-graduate internship with Paronella Park. Engaged to develop task sheets for local school  tour groups that conform with the National Curriculum, and task sheets for Japanese student tour groups.  http://www.paronellapark.com.au/ 

April 9, 2019

Museum of Tropical Queensland Display: Hard Labour, Sweet Sugar. A display about the history of sugar in the Herbert River Valley. I was engaged as historical consultant and to give a lecture.

March 14, 2019

I'm pleased to see that The Centre for Basque Studies Press, Reno, Nevada has once again publicized the availability of Amatxi Amuma Amona: Writings in Honor of Basque Women edited by Linda White and Cameron Watson which includes a piece written by Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui about former Ingham resident Conchi Mendiolea: Basking in a Different Sun: The Story of Conchi Mendiolea

 https://basquebooks.com/products/amatxi-amuma-amona-writings-in-honor-of-basque-women 

June 21 2016

I am excited to advise that another two of my literary babies: Portrait of a Parish and O'Meara's Vineyard are now digitized by State Library of Queensland and available for reading at http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/SLQ:SLQ_PCI_EBSCO:slq_alma21131607220002061 

and 

http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/SLQ:SLQ_PCI_EBSCO:slq_alma21132758150002061

June 1 2016

I am happy to announce that my first literary baby: Gentlemen of the Flashing Blade is now digitized by State Library of Queensland and available for reading at  http://onesearch.slq.qld.gov.au/SLQ:SLQ_PCI_EBSCO:slq_alma21135621840002061

April 22, 2016

STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND - COMMUNITY HERITAGE DIGITISATION OFFER

I am excited to announce that three of my publications were the first books to be digitised under the offer. These books are:

Gentlemen of the Flashing Blade (1990)

Portrait of a Parish:  A History of Saint Patrick’s Church and Parish Ingham 1864-1996 (1998)

O’Meara’s Vineyard:  A Short History of Canossa Catholic Primary School Trebonne 1951-2001 (2001)

The above works were described by the State Library of Queensland as "ideal candidates for our digitisation initiative, given their high interest content, research value and quality presentation"

April 2, 2016

THE HERBERT RIVER EXPRESS

Rural Insight

Article: "Farming experience brought to life in walking tours at Tyto" written by Domanii Cameron

Topic: Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui  and the Sugar Tracks Heritage Walking Tour and Display which is described in the article as "a journey that is bringing to life a yesteryear that shaped the Hinchinbrook's pioneering cane community."
The article notes that "Local teacher and historian Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui has been conducting the guided tours for around two years."

Sourced from State Library of Queensland: Machinery at the Hamleigh Sugar Mill, Ingham, Queensland, ca. 1888.

March 9, 2016

Contributor to  2016 North Queensland Visitor Centre Volunteer Conference hosted by Tyto Information and Wetlands Centre

Activity: Guide for tour of Mercer Lane Mosaic

Recommendation: "The Mercer Lane Mosaic and Tour was noted as a highlight for many of the delegates."