A devastating house fire on Wednesday, November 6, has left a single mother and her five young children with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Firefighters arrived at the Napier Street home just after 2pm to find it fully engulfed in flames. While the fire has left the house in ruins, it is believed to have been caused by a faulty electrical appliance.

Just an hour before her children were due to arrive home from school, the Mackay mother was alerted by the smoke alarms and managed to escape the house in time without obtaining serious burns or lung damage. Though treated for smoke inhalation at Mackay Base Hospital, she was not seriously injured.

In the wake of the fire, family have since reached out for help through a local Facebook page, asking the community for donations of clothing, food, and household items. The response was overwhelming as the comment section quickly flooded with offers of support, including donations of furniture, accommodation and food vouchers, all aimed at helping the family rebuild.

The mother expressed her gratitude in a sincere comment that read: "Thank you all. I don't have many words but thank God I was safe in this house today and my girls were at school.

“I thank God for some of the neighbours that helped, as well as the emergency crew. Our past just went up in flames, but thank God my car is okay.

“I just thank God my girls and I are okay at the end of the day and that we weren’t hurt."

The community's response has been nothing short of a blessing, with family members, friends and local residents offering their support in a magnitude of ways. While the mother is heartbroken over the loss of her family’s possessions, she is grateful for the outpouring of kindness from her community as they face the challenge ahead of rebuilding their lives.

With Christmas just around the corner, the timing of the fire only adds to the emotional and financial strain. However, despite the monumental task of replacing everything, the community is determined to get this mother and her children back on their feet. A GoFundMe page has been created by a family member to assist with the financial and emotional burden, offering hope that they can regain a touch of normality in time for Christmas.

“We will need support in this hard time, and thank you to those that are willing to help. It honestly means a lot,” said the mother.

For those willing to help, please consider donating at www.gofundme.com.

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A single 40-year-old mother to five has lost everything in a Napier Street house fire just weeks before Christmas

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The long-awaited transformation of North Wall Beach is one step closer to reality, with the final design officially revealed. North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) CEO Brendan Webb, who first announced the project back in April, confirmed that the design is now heading to tender for construction.

“We’re excited to announce the design for the North Wall Beach recreational area has been finalised,” Mr Webb said.

“Community engagement has been at the forefront of this project.

“We have worked closely with representatives from our key stakeholders such as Yuwi Aboriginal Corporation, Mackay and District Turtle Watch and members of NQBP’s Port of Mackay Community Reference Group (CRG) on the final design.

“We also received more than 60 submissions from the broader community through our online survey.”

Thanks to the great response and positive feedback received during the community consultation, some adjustments were made to the final design.

Key themes from the community consultation included the desire to maintain North Wall’s natural environment, improve accessibility and an increase of facilities such as parking, seating and shade.

Included in the updated design is an increase in the number of car parks, and an overflow area adjacent to the car park to address these concerns.

The project budget also increased, with the investment doubling in size to two million dollars.

Mr Webb said the project had been initiated to provide port community members with improved amenities.

“At NQBP, we share the passion the community has for safeguarding the local environment and are ensuring continued recreational access to North Wall Beach,” Mr Webb said.

“We’re looking forward to enhancing the area’s natural beauty while maintaining its unique and peaceful outlook for the community and future generations."

With a local office based in Mackay, Queensland-based landscape architects RPS leveraged its extensive experience in coastal landscape development to prepare and finalise the design.

RPS Principal Practice Leader Tim Connor said RPS was pleased to deliver this project for the Mackay community.

“Our goal was to deliver landscape design that met the community’s needs, and was true to the distinctive character, climate and culture of the North Wall site; I believe we’ve achieved this,” Mr Connor said.

Pending the tender process, construction is expected to begin in early 2025 and be completed in mid-2025.

Information on the project, including the final design is available on NQBP’s website.

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Aerial image of North Wall Beach recreational area as it currently stands

North Wall recreational area final design. Images supplied: NQBP

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Moranbah’s much-anticipated new hospital is nearing the finish line, with staff currently moving furniture and equipment into the modern facility. The hospital’s interior design features neutral tones of light blue, timber, and marble, creating a calm and welcoming environment for patients, visitors, and staff.

Outside, a newly constructed ambulance entry road leads directly to the Emergency Department, which now boasts four treating bays, a resuscitation bay, as well as procedure and plaster rooms, all in the final stages of fit-out.

Residents driving past the hospital on Mills Avenue will notice new entry and exit points, complete with updated facade signage. The exterior landscaping, road markings, and navigation signage have been completed to ensure smooth traffic flow and enhance safety for all visitors.

Inside, the hospital has been designed for efficiency, with three main reception and triage areas located at the main entrance, Mental Health wing, and Emergency Department. The Community Health wing is a highlight, featuring a large rehabilitation gym, consultation rooms, and spaces designed for group sessions such as the Best Beginnings program.

Each of the hospital’s 10 inpatient rooms now includes its own ensuite, with 8 rooms offering single-bed occupancy for added comfort and privacy.

With final preparations underway, the new Moranbah Hospital is on track to open its doors by the end of November, 2024, providing a significant boost to healthcare services in the region.

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Photos supplied: Mackay Hospital and Health Service

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Wilmar Sugar and Renewables has reached the three-quarter point of the 2024 crushing season, with its eight North Queensland mills collectively processing 11.78 million tonnes of cane. This represents 77% of the estimated 15.34 million tonne crop for the season.

The Mackay Region, serviced by the Plane Creek mill, continues to crush towards Christmas with an average yield of approximately 86 tonnes per hectare. Fine weather has supported strong CCS (Commercial Cane Sugar) results, with the weekly average at 14.38 units and a season-to-date average of 14.06 units. Wilmar expects the Mackay Region to continue crushing into January, focusing on processing the entire crop before the season concludes.

Ian Davies, Wilmar’s General Manager of Cane Supply and Grower Relations, praised the consistent performance of the Mackay Region. "The Plane Creek mill is achieving excellent yields, and the team is doing a fantastic job to stay on track despite the challenges posed by weather fluctuations," he said.

Meanwhile, other regions are also progressing well. The Burdekin mills are set to finish before Christmas, with CCS levels hitting budgeted targets, while Proserpine is cutting above estimates at 103.6% of its original forecast. As the 2025 season planning begins, Wilmar encourages growers to update their farm maps on GrowerWeb for accurate crop predictions.

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By Sonia Ball (QCAR Central District Manager)

There is nothing like an ‘over the fence’ whisper to travel like wildfire through sugarcane – the ever-reliable speed of the bush telegraph if you wish. You can rely on these back-paddock conversations to get the goss on nearly everything going on in the industry.

The trouble is it can end up a bit like Chinese Whispers where your first sentence ‘My mother lives in a cottage by the sea and raises cochin chickens’, can wind up being ‘I’m an apple and I’ve got a chocolate labra-poodle with three legs’.

Following my drift, you will understand the obvious – be like the three wise men and let your decision-making be based on facts, and the way to get those delicious little morsels is straight from the horse’s mouth.

So, shunting the nose bag aside, we’ve got a way to help you achieve this without a getting a nasty nip or a kick from a well-shod steel-capped hoof.

Save the date, RSVP and join the QCAR Central District team for an informal Meet & Greet and Information Session where you can enjoy a bite to eat, a cold beverage and importantly, get the latest information on our QCAR-ACFA integration, our actions, growth, plans and meet the team driving change across Proserpine, Mackay and Plane Creek.

Consider yourself invited, and bring your cane farming friends, we can’t wait to see you or meet you.  

The QCAR Central District Committee is hosting its November meeting in Proserpine on Wednesday 20 November. Proserpine growers with any discussion points or issues are invited to contact myself or one of our committee members beforehand.

Our December committee meeting will be held in the Plane Creek region on December 17 with a time and venue TBC.

Events:

Proserpine

Wednesday 20 November

Hotel Metropole at 5.30pm

Mackay

Wednesday 4 December

Wests Leagues Club, Walkerston @ 6pm

RSVPs are required so text, call or email so we can save you a bite of something.

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Central District Mill Stats as at 12 November, 2024

Wilmar Sugar’s Proserpine Mill, week ending 9 November, had processed a season-to-date total of 1,353,507 crushed cane with the week’s crushing at an over-budget rate of 91,792 tonnes. CCS for the week was 13.71 with the season-to-date CCS sitting at 14.03. Wilmar Proserpine Mill reported a derailment on the southern line, saying despite this there was minimal impact on overall cane supply.

Wilmar Sugar Plane Creek Mill’s throughput for the week ending 9 November was 57,647 tonnes brining the season-to-date total to 996,913 tonnes. CCS dropped marginally by 0.12 units from the previous week’s recording an average for this week of 14.61. Season-to-date CCS is 14.09 units. Wilmar Plane Creek stated 3% of the cane supply for the week was standover cane.

Mackay Sugar’s three mills (weekly performance update to 3 November).

Throughput for Mackay Sugar’s mills reached a season-to-date total of 3,551,664 tonnes for week 27 October to 3 November, with an estimated 1.7 million tonnes remaining based on the current crop estimate of 5.2M. Mackay Sugar has an end of crush date set for 5 January 2025 dependent on weather, mill performance and crop. The individual mill throughput to this date for the week (and season-to-date) was: Farleigh 62,124 (1,209,276), Marian 84,994 (1,157,508), Racecourse 59,544 (1,184,880). CCS for this week was 14.5 units and season-to-date 13.7 units.

With the end of the 2024 season now within sight for those blessed with 20-20 long distance vision, all Queenslanders should now be feeling the wet season lumbering ever-closer toward us. I know we desperately need rain in some areas, but on the other hand… What could go wrong?

The QCAR Central District team is wishing you all a safe finish to the season on whatever day that may be.

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Steve Mck and Blair Watt: QCAR Central District Chairman Steve McKeering with new Central District Committee Member and Mackay grower Blair Watt. Meet them and the rest of the committee at Proserpine on 20 November

Minions: Anyone travelling around the back-blocks of Sarina-Homebush will know exactly where these colourfully painted bales are located

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As I approached the front door of the old West Mackay cottage I could see an elderly woman through the fly screen. She was sitting in a lounge chair and I could hear the unmistakable sound of the cricket commentary. It was very loud.

It was the summer of 2014 and two things were happening that day. Australia was playing a test match against Pakistan and I was a fairly new real estate agent desperately trying to get listings in the midst of a serious Mackay downturn.

The market had fallen dramatically and listings were difficult to get and, being a commission-only real estate agent, I had to create some business or I was going to lose my own house to the bank. Not ideal when you have a wife and a couple of young kids.

So I  started knocking on doors offering people printed market updates that gave them information on sales in their area. I would also offer an appraisal on their property … which might just lead to a listing.

Most people were pleasant enough but said “no thanks mate”. But every now and then, during a two-hour door knocking session, someone would say, “Oh yeah, come in.”

When I knocked on the metal frame of the flyscreen on the West Mackay cottage that day, the elderly lady told me to come in. Her name was Winifred and she was listening to, not watching, the cricket because she was pretty much blind.

We mainly chatted about the cricket but she did say that her husband was in an old people’s home and she was planning to join him there soon so she would have to sell her house.

I could see a whiteboard on her loungeroom wall that had, in very big writing, the first names and phone numbers of people I assumed were her family members. I asked if it would be okay if I called one of those people and she said, yes and told me to call the number of the one called Neil, her son.

The next day I called Neil and told him what had happened the day before. I reassured him that I wasn’t going to bother his mum but if she did decide to sell her house I would love the opportunity to talk to her and any other family members.

It turned out that Neil went by the name Norm and he was a friendly bloke who was not surprised that his dear old mum had been sitting in her lounge room with a stranger listening to the cricket and having a chat. He said it would be okay for me to call him in a couple of months.

We kept in contact and a bit over a year later I sold Winifred’s house. I got to know Norm pretty well.

I sold Winifred’s house to a mother and daughter who wanted to renovate and flip it. They got me to sell it. They then bought and renovated another house and they got me to sell that as well. A few months after that I sold another one for them.

A little while later Norm rang me and asked me to sell his house, which I did.

Knocking on Winifred’s door that hot summer’s day led to work and sales that helped me survive a terrible downturn, pay my mortgage and feed my kids.

It’s amazing how the important lessons in life happen during the tough times, not the good times. There’s a saying about how hard times create strong men and good times create weak men.

I reckon it means that no matter what times we are living in, we should all keep knocking on doors.

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This World Kindness Day, the B Kinder Foundation hosted a "Stand and Walk for Kindness" event at Cannonvale Beach, uniting people to celebrate the values of kindness and community spirit.

The event also served as a heartfelt tribute to 12-year-old Billie Kinder, who tragically lost her life in a horse accident in 2016, and continues to inspire others through her legacy of compassion and generosity.

There’s no better time to show kindness than on World Kindness Day.

The B Kinder Foundation gathered early on Tuesday morning at Cannonvale Beach to walk or stand for kindness, honoring Billie Kinder’s legacy.

Founded by Danny Mayson-Kinder in memory of her 12-year-old daughter Billie, who tragically passed away in 2016, B Kinder promotes kindness and combats bullying. After Billie's death, Danny discovered her daughter’s artwork and poems, which inspired a book about kindness and empathy.

The positive impact of the book led Danny to establish the B Kinder Foundation and launch the annual B Kinder Day. Today, the foundation reaches thousands, inspiring children to embrace kindness. The Walk for Kindness event is a key example of this mission in action.

The event featured sausage sizzles, fresh fruit, warm smiles, heartfelt conversations, and, of course, a leisurely walk—one that participants could make as short or long as they liked, all while coming together to celebrate kindness and community.

Director and Treasurer of the B Kinder Foundation, Melanie Turner, was overwhelmed at the amount of support on the day:

“We chose to have the event at Cannonvale Beach as it is a beautiful public space where the whole community could get involved,” she explained.

“The event wasn't for anyone in specific, we wanted everyone to come along, which is why we also made it before work hours.

“Many people showed up just through walking past and being curious, these events give opportunities for conversations.

“It also helps community members find out about what we do at the B Kinder Foundation.

Mel expressed her heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated in the Walk for Kindness and is truly grateful for the generous businesses that contributed their time and products to support the cause and stated how their contributions played a vital role in the event's success:

“Thank you to everyone who came along it is so wonderful to have such a supportive community, including the local businesses.

“Naomi at Fat Frog did free coffees for anybody walking for kindness and opened her cafe early.

“The prickly pineapple gave us free fruit and Woolworths Cannonvale provided us with the free waters, and we had the WSPN volunteers on the BBQ who donated the sausages, so we have had the full community supporting us!

“All this support helps us pass on the kindness to all the people that showed up.”

Mel said she was pleased with how the event went and explained why it is important to be kind:

“Any little thing that we do matters, and kindness matters and saves lives, and we want to pass on that kindness.”

“This foundation is Billie’s legacy, and we are walking in her shoes.”

“As a 12-year-old girl she showed us that you don't have to be famous or even an adult to make a difference in people's lives.”

“Everyone has the opportunity every day to make a difference in someone's life just by being kind.”

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Back: Isaac Veth, Matt Stokes, Rob Murphy and Brian Skead, Middle: Mia Vloedmans, Abbie Green and Savannah Lamont, Front: Mel Turner and Renee Martin.

Photo credit: Rachael Smith

Melanie Turner with Proserpine High School Girls Savannah Lamont, Mia Vloedmans and Abbie Green.

Isaac Veth, Matt Stokes, Rob Murphy, Mia Vloedmans, Melanie Turner, Abbie Green, Savannah Lamont, Brian Skead and Renee Martin. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

The whole community got involved with the "Stand and Walk for Kindness" on World Kindness Day. Photo supplied

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The Whitsundays has been named the Best Adventure Destination in Australia and New Zealand at the 2024 Adventure Tourism Awards, held in Brisbane on Thursday, 7 November.

This prestigious award highlights the region’s growing reputation as a premier hub for adventure tourism, offering a range of experiences set in one of the world’s most beautiful natural environments.

Tim Booth, CEO of Tourism Whitsundays is delighted The Whitsundays has been named the Best Adventure Destination at this year’s Adventure Tourism Awards.

“This award is a reflection of the incredible natural beauty and diverse outdoor experiences our region has to offer. Adventure in the Whitsundays means something different for everyone—whether it’s exploring the Great Barrier Reef, hiking through lush rainforests, or simply relaxing by a pristine beach,” said Tim Booth.

Tim Booth also expressed his thanks to the Whitsunday Regional Council and the Whitsunday Coast Airport for their ongoing support. He also noted the community and tourism operators have been instrumental in making the Whitsundays the world-class desination it is today.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins said the award was a great testament to our region’s unmatched natural beauty, vibrant tourism industry, and the exceptional experiences we offer to adventurers from around the world.

“It is great recognition for our Whitsundays and acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our local businesses, tour operators, and community members who consistently strive to deliver world-class adventure activities,” he said.

“Congratulations to everyone involved in making the Whitsundays a top-tier destination. Let’s continue to showcase the Whitsundays as the adventure hub it truly is!”

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The Whitsundays was named Best Adventure Destination at the 2024 Adventure Tourism Awards. Photo supplied

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Hey Everyone!

Rachael is currently in the Hinchinbrook region preparing for the launch of the new newspaper in two weeks, which is why I'm stepping in to assist with the Editor's Note in the meantime.

Having said that, you will be seeing a bit more of me over the next three months and beyond, as the ‘guest editor,’ for Whitsunday Life.

Many of you will recognize Daniel as one of the dedicated journalists working alongside me at Whitsunday Life Newspaper. However, in both exciting and sad news (I know I will miss him), Daniel will be transitioning to the Hinchinbrook paper for the time being.

While Daniel will still be around occasionally, his primary focus will now be based there, while I continue to cover the Whitsundays. I hope you will all join me in wishing him the very best of luck in this new chapter of his career, I know he will do amazingly well!

In other news, everyone in the office is getting really excited about our staff party this weekend, where we'll be going scuba diving! As a big fan of the sport with my open-water certification, and having finally gotten my moon boot off after breaking my foot, I'm especially looking forward to it. That said, I know there are a few people who are a little apprehensive (cough, Crissy).

I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with the team outside of work, doing something I love. With how fast-paced our industry is, I think it's exactly what we all need.

This week I also had the pleasure of attending the B Kinder Foundation’s ‘Walk or Stand for Kindness’ event. It was a beautiful event that brought community members together to spread kindness and uphold the legacy of the lovely Billie Kinder, which you can read more about on page 3.

Attending the event and being welcomed so warmly really made me think about how I can incorporate more kindness into my own life.

Especially in light of Movember, it's important to be kind to others, as you never know what someone is going through. Even a smile could make someone's day.

Ruth

Quote of the week:

“You’re unfailingly kind. A trait people never fail to undervalue, I'm afraid.” Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.

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Christmas for many is a lovely time of year where families and friends gather to celebrate. For some however, Christmas can be extremely lonely.

Therefore, Tina Everett from the Whitsunday Social Craft Group is offering surprise homemade Christmas gifts to those spending Christmas alone.

Presents include something from the Whitsunday Social Craft Group, something handmade, a piece of jewellery, a t-shirt or even a personalised bauble.

This extremely kind gesture from Tina, will hopefully help to make some individuals in the community feel a little less lonely this Christmas.

Tina through her Facebook post asks people to reach out to her if they know someone in the Airlie Beach area who celebrates Christmas, is on their own on Christmas morning, or works during the day, who would appreciate a little surprise under their tree.

Send a message to Tina confirming the person's name, their gender, what type of item they might like, their favourite colour and where they work, for them to receive their special Christmas gift.

If you know someone who would be grateful to receive a very thoughtful gift from the real-life father Christmas that is Tina and the Whitsunday Social Craft Group Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/groups/whitsundaysocialcraftgroup

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Do you know someone deserving a gift this Christmas?

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As many Whitsunday residents are aware, Stinger Season is in full force, but one young boy who wasn't expecting a sting back in September, is 11-year-old Reef Brookes, whose experience has prompted action from his mother.

The school holidays had just started and the Brookes Family, like many other families on a nice day, headed down to the beach. While this was a typical activity for the water-loving family, they were not prepared for what was about to happen.

Mel Brookes, Reef’s mum said they had gone to the beach with friends, when Reef came running out of the water exclaiming that he had been bitten by what he thought was a crab.

As he rushed over to the group showing his ankle, Mel discovered it was not a crab bite, as the back of his ankle was covered in welts.

After pouring water on the wound, it started to spread, and Mel realised that it had to be serious due to the rate it was spreading.

Thinking on her feet, Mel quickly poured vinegar on it, however, the welts then morphed into one huge blister.

Alarm bells ringing, Mel called for an ambulance. In the meantime, Reef was screaming his head off in what Mel described as “excruciating pain.”

“When the ambulance arrived, they took one look at it and said it was a suspected Irukandji sting,” Mel explained.

Instantly the young boy was attached to an ECG machine to monitor his vital signs and transported to Proserpine Hospital where he was administered pain relief.

While Reef wasn't wearing a stinger suit as it was September, Mel says that she will now encourage her family to wear them all year round:

“We will definitely be wearing them all year round now as I don't think jellyfish know calendars!”

Reflecting on the situation Mel explained how hard it was to see her son in so much pain:

“It was pretty horrific, but he's been so brave since, and it definitely hasn't scared him off the water.”

Having gone through such an arduous ordeal trying to find items to relieve her son's pain, Mel has created marine stinger kits which provide everything needed in order to deal with a sting, that she wished she had that day on the beach:

“He wanted to go straight back in the next week, we just had to make sure that we had everything organised, and that's basically how we ended up creating these marine kits.”

The well thought out kits contain, electrolytes, ginger tablets, a vinegar bottle, Australian made sunscreen, aloe vera and insect repellant, a waterproof phone case and basic CPR and marine stinger cards made lovingly by the Brookes children.

Take care this stinger season, and be aware of the dangers of Irukandjis.

www.oceanictales.com.au

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Mel and Reef Brookes at the beach

Mel and Reef Brookes

Irukandji kits

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Last Thursday, expert in demographic trends Bernard Salt was in the region and presented his views on the region and its future demographics.

“The reality is that the Whitsunday Regional Council area, which extends and includes places like Airlie, Bowen, Proserpine and areas beyond, has about 40,000 people at the moment,” he shared.

“Its rate of growth has effectively doubled, in my opinion, from prior to the pandemic, maybe around 400, 500 people a year, to closer to 1000 people per year.

“So, every 10 years at this rate, we can expect another 10,000 people and then on top of that, you have what is called the functional population.

“These would be holiday makers and visitors and backpackers and people who are more transient.

“You're looking at a population of maybe 50,000 at the moment, including the functional population rising to maybe 60 or 70,000 within 10 or 15 years.

“This is a significant increase. It's not completely expected, but this is something that requires visioning and planning, and that is the role, effectively, of a council like the Whitsunday Regional Council.”

Bernard also recognises that in communities that are rapidly growing, the community itself needs to have a vision of what they want in the future.

“In my experience I know what Australians generally want is a good quality of life. They want a place where they can move to, get a job, have a number of job options, buy a home that's affordable, raise a family and have their kids actually choose a career within the local area, if that suits them.

“In my perfect world, those kinds of aspirations would be present in any future strategic visioning of this region.”

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Bernard Salt. Photo credit: Daniel Heggie

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As one of the region’s longest-running local charitable events, BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort’s 20th annual Camp and sCare didn’t disappoint.

The Halloween family minibreak at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort was a sell-out once again, with excited children and parents enjoying spooky fun for a good cause. Camp and sCare, raised an impressive $15,008.87 for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) North Australia.

This annual charity weekend combines outdoor adventure with family fun, offering camping under the stars or cabin stays. All funds raised from Friday night campsite bookings and gold coin donations go to local charities.

Families kicked off the weekend with Halloween-themed fun, including a monster pancake breakfast, eerie outdoor disco, scary sausage sizzle, witches brew slushies, spooky sand art, freaky biscuit decorating, crazy hair braiding, and, of course, Trick or Treating, plus loads of other activities!  

On Monday morning, the team at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort presented Samantha Baker, the Community Engagement Executive for the Mackay & Whitsundays Region at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) North Australia, with a charity cheque for $15,008.87.

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort CEO, Phil Casey, said the resort’s annual charitable activities are well ingrained and align with the long-term ethos of the resort’s owners, the McKinnon family.

“This is the 20th year that we have held Camp and sCare, with this particular event now being a key component in our annual community charity program.

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Last Thursday the Whitsunday Cruisin Car Club donated a cheque of $2000 to the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network (WSPN).

During Whitsunday Cruisin Car Club’s annual Show and Shine car show they raised money for both the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network and Jure Portelli a local girl involved in motor sport.

President of Whitsunday Cruisin Car Club Sebastian Foti says it’s important to support worthwhile causes in our community, especially through these tough times.

“Anything that we can do to help others is part of our club’s way of giving back to the community that supports us with the car show that we had running at the end of May,” said Sebastian.

Money was raised through raffle tickets for prizes and gold coin donations.

WSPN President Matt Stokes said he is thrilled with the donation.

“It is so refreshing when the community supports us, because then we can re-support the community, it is a circle, and for them to proactively approach us means a lot too,” said Matt.

“We work really hard ourselves to raise money for what we need to do within the community, but these guys are basically another set of arms and legs, and I hope they understand just how much the finances do mean.”

Going forward Matt and the rest of WSPN have a goal of creating a community hub where people can receive contact information, meet a friendly face and more.

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WSPN Mel Turner, President of Whitsunday Cruisin Car Club Sebastian Foti, WSPN Brian Skead, WSPN President Matt Stokes, Secretary of Whitsunday Cruisin Car Club Kerri Southee. Photo credit: Daniel Heggie

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The cruise season is in full swing and for the 2024/25 season, Shute Harbour will host 25 cruise ship visits, a significant increase from the 19 visits we welcomed in the 2023/24 season.

This year’s total combined guest capacity for vessels visiting Shute Harbour will be an impressive 66,834 passengers and when you add in the numbers of dedicated crew members then it is over 100,000.

Port of Airlie are also thriving and between the two ports the total number cruise ships visits for the Whitsundays is expected to exceed 100.

It also exciting that not only are we welcoming back Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Lines to Shute Harbour and the Whitsundays expanding our cruise line reach to new and prestigious cruise lines, including Silverseas, Viking, and Norwegian. This diversification underscores Shute Harbour’s growing status as a premier destination within the cruise tourism circuit and reflects the allure of our beautiful region.

The broader economic context for cruise tourism in Australia is more promising than ever. The latest economic impact assessment reveals that cruise tourism generated a record A$8.43 billion for the national economy during the 2023-24 financial year. This represents an impressive 49.7% increase from the previous year and is the highest level of economic output ever recorded for the industry.

These numbers are not just figures; they reflect real opportunities and growth for the Whitsundays. The cruise industry’s contribution to Australia’s economy supports over 26,000 full-time equivalent jobs and has provided A$2.83 billion in wages to Australian workers—an increase of 55.8% from the previous year. These statistics highlight the tangible benefits that cruise tourism brings, not just nationally but locally to regions like ours.

However, we must also recognise the challenges that come with these opportunities. The value of cruise tourism to our local economy is undeniable, but sustaining this growth is essential.

The deployment of cruise ships to our region is at risk while Australia remains one of the most expensive destinations for cruise lines. It is vital that we work together—government, industry stakeholders, and local communities—to maintain our competitive edge and ensure that the Whitsundays continues to be a sought-after destination.

Recently I was honoured to attend a special birthday for the 20th Anniversary of the Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors - Airlie Beach in an event held at Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.

It was a great turnout as volunteers from 2004-2024 have provided over 1 million cruise visitors with their warmth and friendly guidance came together to reconnect, celebrate their achievements, and share memories.

Hats off to the leadership and coordination of Ambassadors Keith, Brian and Lyn who spoke and have led the charge of our ambassadors’ service over the years as well as Dea from Tourism Whitsundays for coordinating the current program.

Thank you to every volunteer, past and present, for your tireless dedication. You are true ambassadors of the Whitsundays, ensuring that every visitor leaves with a story to tell and a reason to return. Here’s to continued success and many more years of extraordinary service.

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