Our Shipping Reporter is deeply concerned about the possible mosquito threat to people attending popular Townsville Christmas celebrations such as the imitation town of Bethlehem and Carols by Candlelight at the Riverway Oval.
Why ? - Because during the week , armed with two cameras, he ventured into a leafy Townsville botanical park intending to capture the pleasant scene after rain and was forced to retreat , slapping wildly at mosquitoes which attacked him , not wanting to catch Ross River , Dengue , Zika , Barmah Forest, etc .
Since then , he has been told of several places about town where the mozzies are bad .
As the annual Riverway events , attended by tens of thousands of people , are near lagoons , our waterfront roundsman fears the mozzies could be out in large numbers . The festivities kick off December 18 and include The Stable in which little Jesus was born . This year, He might have to be placed under netting if the mozzies are in droves.
The Townsville City Council website for the Riverway Yuletide events quotes the controversial mayor , Troy Thompson , the subject of some stinging comments , as saying Carols by Candlelight bring the community together . It might also bring them close to mozzies , so they should take protective measures if they attend .
During the week , ferocious , blood sucking March Flies , also known as Love Bugs and Honeymoon Flies, were a problem on Magnetic Island . A whip snake was also spotted there sliding across the track on the Pope's Land .
The Shipping Reporter says mozzies have been active in Darwin after heavy rain and humid weather .The mozzies were so bad down in the rural area that Rural Rebel Rob retreated inside for three days and resumed writing his memoirs . So it seems the Great Australian Christmas Bite is underway across the nation in a variety of forms .
(Mozzies, Manger, Honeymoon.)
