Hi Everyone,

Thank you to everyone sharing stories for the paper. This week, we’re featuring some exciting whale research.

Whales hold a special place in my heart. Last year’s whale season gave me so many incredible moments, but one that stands out is hearing whale songs while scuba diving.

Happy reading!

Ruth

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ― Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth

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Everyone in the community is invited to come on down to Coral Sea Marina at 7.30am this Sunday for the inaugural Whitsunday Epic Walk for DV. Bring your walking shoes, dress in your active wear, grab your kids and your dogs, and get your mind and your body moving for a good cause.

Organisers are encouraging participants to walk and talk as a group, creating a steady flow of conversation to start connecting about the important topic of domestic and family violence in our communities.

THIS SUNDAY, 7.30am, CORAL SEA MARINA GARDENS
EVERYONE WELCOME!

Team Whitsundays Host Inaugural Epic Walk

Over the past six months four local businesswomen-turned Dancing CEOs – Kate Purdie (Coral Sea Marina), Julie Telford (SeaLink Whitsundays), Candice Crossley (Whitsunday Transit) and Alice Harriott (Whitsunday Family Dental) – along with their team mentor, Katelyn Aslett-Collins (Taste Whitsundays) – have been building a movement to raise funds and awareness for Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ), an organisation that helps women and children escape domestic violence and reclaim their lives.

It was two former Dancing CEOs – Brendan Smith (Network Ten) and Brendon Mann (Epic Hair Designs) – who founded the Epic Walk for DV.

“The entire meaning behind this is gathering as a community,” Brendan Smith explained.

“We always say ‘it takes a village’ to either solve a problem or to raise awareness, and the Epic Walk for DV is about starting that conversation around domestic and family violence, getting rid of the stigma that’s attached to it – and of course raising as much money for WLSQ as we can,” he said.

Coral Sea Marina CEO, Kate Purdie, stressed the walk was epic in name rather than nature, and therefore open to all of the community regardless of fitness levels or age.

“This scenic walk along the Bicentennial Boardwalk will be two laps from the marina gardens to VMR and back; it’s a community event and we invite you to bring your friends, your workmates and your family along,” she said.

“The important thing is that rain or shine, we get as many people together as possible to unite in a visible show of support for women and children impacted by domestic violence.”

Participants are asked to sign up for the walk at www.epicwalkfordv.com.au - either as individuals or with friends, family, or colleagues as fundraising teams.

Kids and fur-kids all walk free, however the registration fee of $24 per adult covers a purple ‘Epic Walk’ T-shirt and a sausage sizzle cooked up by the Airlie Beach Rotary Club, with food supplied by Woolworths Cannonvale.

Walkers can muster in the marina gardens from 6.30am, with hot coffee available thanks to Chasing Te Ra. A pre-walk warm-up by Maggie Spark (Spark Life) will get everyone in the groove, while the kids (and big kids) receive their free bubble sticks courtesy of Big W.

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The Whitsundays shone brightly at the Australian Tourism Awards which were held in Adelaide last weekend, with three local businesses receiving national accolades.

Raising the profile of the Whitsundays on a national stage, these local businesses are leading the way for local tourism and shining a spotlight on our region.

The illustrious awards ceremony at the Adelaide Convention Centre in South Australia celebrated four decades of tourism excellence while showcasing the industry's finest.

Tim Booth, CEO of Tourism Whitsundays says it was an incredible night for The Whitsundays:

"Winning Gold, Silver, and Bronze across different categories shows just how amazing our tourism offerings are. I couldn't be prouder of our operators and seeing BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort winning gold was definitely a highlight.

“These awards aren't just trophies on a shelf, they represent the heart and soul that our tourism businesses pour into creating unforgettable memories for visitors. It's this dedication that keeps people coming back to The Whitsundays time and again."

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins congratulated BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, Pinnacles, and Ocean Rafting for doing the region proud.

"Tourism is the beating heart of The Whitsundays economy, and these national awards highlight the strength and resilience of our industry.

“Being recognised on such a prestigious platform showcases the outstanding work being done by our local businesses and sends a clear message – The Whitsundays is not just a beautiful place to visit, it’s a leader in Australian tourism."

This remarkable achievement across all three medal tiers reinforces The Whitsundays status as a premier tourism destination and highlights the exceptional experiences awaiting visitors to this stunning part of Queensland.

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By Ruth Puddefoot

Sustainable Aviation Fuel has officially landed at Whitsunday Coast Airport. Mayor Ry Collins says it is “the perfect fit” for a region shaped by the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef and driven by a passion for protecting it.

Made from renewable resources like waste oils and crop residues, SAF cuts carbon emissions without compromising performance. This marks a major step towards cleaner, greener air travel in the Whitsundays.

Mayor Collins praised Virgin Australia and Viva Energy for their leadership in the aviation industry and for recognising the Whitsundays as an ideal location to showcase the benefits of SAF.

“It makes absolute sense that Virgin Australia would choose Whitsunday Coast Airport as the launch site for its first ongoing SAF-powered services,” Mayor Collins said.

“We are located in one of the most pristine and ecologically significant regions in the world, and as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, we have a responsibility to embrace innovative solutions that reduce our environmental footprint.

“The Whitsundays region has long been a leader in biodiversity initiatives, with strong community-driven efforts to protect its reefs, marine life, and natural landscapes.

"The adoption of SAF at Whitsunday Coast Airport is a significant step forward in the broader sustainability journey.

“Virgin Australia and Viva Energy should be commended for their commitment to driving positive change in aviation."

Whitsunday Coast Airport CEO Craig Turner emphasised the importance of maintaining a balance between economic growth and environmental responsibility.

“500,000 plus passengers transit through our airport each year, and with tourism as the backbone of our economy, we need to do everything possible to protect the very natural wonders that draw people here in the first place,” he said.

“The introduction of Sustainable Aviation Fuel is an important milestone in reducing aviation-related carbon emissions, and Whitsunday Coast Airport is proud to be at the forefront of this transition in Australia.”

Mr Turner credited the strong partnerships between Whitsunday Coast Airport, Virgin Australia, and Viva Energy as the driving force behind securing this national first for the region.

“This partnership between Virgin Australia, Viva Energy, and Whitsunday Coast Airport is a testament to the close relationships we have with our airline partners and stakeholders,” he said.

Virgin Australia has entered an agreement with Viva Energy to obtain Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for its services departing from Whitsunday Coast Airport, marking a significant milestone as the first major Australian airline to use SAF on an ongoing basis at a commercial airport in the country.

Viva Energy’s General Manager for Aviation, Nick Adams, said the initiative would help establish the supply chains needed for SAF to become more widely available across regional Australia.

“It is clear that SAF is going to play a bigger role for commercial airlines in this country as they move towards a more sustainable future,” Mr Adams said.

“Through this collaboration – and drawing on the strengths of Viva Energy’s national distribution network and experience with high-quality fuels and aviation operations – we will be working with Virgin Australia to establish the supply chains that will be critical to the future of the aviation industry.”

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Left to right:  Amy Humphries WCA Acting Operations Manager, Shaun Cawood Manager Aviation, Tourism, Marine, Craig Turner Director Commercial Business, Daniel Dott (Virgin), David Mann (VIVA), Greg Atkin (VIVA), Robert Cavicchiolo (VIVA), Michael Nixon WCA. Photo supplied

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Pinnacles Airlie beach is, as their name suggests, taking tourism to new pinnacles both in the Whitsundays and right across Australia. Last weekend they took their place on the podium among Australia's top tourism operators, proudly taking home the Silver medal in the “Self Contained Accommodation Category in the prestigious 2024 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Adelaide.

Since inception, these awards have stood as the pinnacle of excellence across Australia's vibrant and thriving tourism sector. Pinnacles Marketing Manager, Therese Moran, expressed her elation over the victory.

“We came home with the silver, we are over the moon and extremely proud to be recognised on a national level for the hard work and dedication of our small team, it's really all been about their commitment to delivering a wonderful holiday experience” said Ms Moran.

Managers of 14 years Susan Watson and Brent Jones expressed great gratitude towards their dedicated staff, loyal guests and the broader Whitsundays community as a whole.

Overlooking Airlie Beach and providing guests with lavish, fully self-contained apartments which have sweeping views across the Coral seas, Pinnacles continues its commitment to offering exceptional relaxation as the gateway to the iconic Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef.

The Pinnacles team also congratulates fellow operators honoured at the Australian Tourism Awards, showing their appreciation of the collective spirit which elevates tourism within the Whitsundays and across Australia as a whole.

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Pinnacles Marketing Manager, Therese Moran, with fellow staff member, Lee, holding their award. Photo supplied

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March 30 1925 was a significant date in the history of the Proserpine Ambulance. On this day, a meeting was held at which Superintendent of the Mackay Ambulance, Mr Culverhouse, announced that the Mackay Centre had decided to make Proserpine an Honorary Centre. This marked a turning point for the town and its district after years of efforts to establish a much-needed service.

Fourteen years earlier, an ambulance centre was established in Proserpine by Mr W Morse, Superintendent of the Mackay Ambulance Brigade towards the end of November 1911. The first meeting was held in December with President Mr W Waite; Vice-President Mr F H Cross; Secretary Mr J Nancarrow and Treasurer Mr R Taggart.

It was twelve months before the first annual meeting was held (February 1913). At this meeting, Mackay Centre announced that it was prepared to advance £60 for the erection of a casualty room and a place to keep the litter (a stretcher used to carry injured or sick patients).

All seemed to be progressing very well so the Mackay Centre was approached to supply a sulky with rubber tyres. However, by April 1913, the ambulance was defunct and funds were transferred to the Proserpine Hospital to be given to the ambulance should it become active again. This would be another twelve years!

When the honorary centre was finally announced, a provisional committee was formed with Mr W Worthington as Chairman and Mr T Treacy as honorary bearer. Local chemist, Mr Harkness, offered to lend his car for brigade transport. Tom Treacy had been a bearer in World War One and recognised the need for a first aid post in the town. He had an Ashford litter at the mill and was always available for those needing attention.

There was division in the town as to the need for an ambulance centre. Some were sceptical because of the previous failed attempts; some felt the town was already keeping a hospital with doctor and staff; others pointed out that with 100 cars in the district any one of the owners would be prepared to help and then there was the concern about an amateur instead of a doctor attending a case. There was also opposition to the committee with the suggestion that certain people wanted to make themselves important. But thanks to the efforts of Tom Treacy, the townspeople came to realise the need for an ambulance centre.

The committee worked hard and by May 30 there were 98 subscribers. The government was approached about purchasing land and a quarter of an acre belonging to the mill, facing Main Street was made available. In October, it was announced that a car, an Overland, would be purchased and a temporary shed erected to house it.

In April 1926, Mill Manager, Mr Murray Gibson, officially opened the building and the centre progressed despite opposition to committee members by some of the public. The volume of work eventually necessitated erection of a two-storey building in Chapman Street on land donated by Mr Jupp. This was opened in mid 1931.

The ambulance continued as a sub-centre until January 1934 when it was taken over by a local committee as a full centre responsible for the area from Mikoolu in the south to Longford Creek in the north and embraced all the islands and west to the Clarke Range. Over the years, committee members worked tirelessly to maintain this service in the district.

Fast forward to January 28 1998 and a new centre was opened on land adjacent to the building that had served the district for 66 years.

Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum

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Hi Everyone,

It’s not every day that we have multiple stories vying for the front page of this newspaper, but this week is definitely one of those occasions!

Even in our low-key little region, we still manage to make state, national, and even global headlines from time to time.

This week, we made international news with the incredible announcement that some of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will be hosted right here in the Whitsundays!

This means world-class sailors will compete in our turquoise waters, tens of thousands will flock to the Whitsundays to spectate, and we can all look forward to an electrifying atmosphere during the event.

Equally exciting for our region—and for our state—is the funding that host locations will receive in preparation for the Olympics.

Our region is now part of a dedicated funding stream, and in the lead-up to the event, our sporting complexes may be upgraded, brand new facilities could be built, and infrastructure improved.

These assets will serve as legacy pieces that will benefit the region for generations to come, and this is wonderful news for all of us.

This week, our region also made national headlines when three local tourism operators brought home accolades from the Australian Tourism Awards, held in Adelaide over the weekend.

A huge congratulations to the winners, and also to everyone who entered the awards. Every spotlight on the region helps boost our vibrant tourism industry.

Finally, one little team here in the Whitsundays is certainly making waves—and soon, those waves will become "dance moves" when they compete in the 'Dancing CEOs' competition in Brisbane this May, performing in front of over 1,000 people.

This weekend, they are hosting the inaugural Epic Walk for DV. Make sure you head down to Coral Sea Marina on Sunday morning to take part in this important movement!

Rach

Quote of the week: "If you’re not making waves, you’re not under weigh” (Chester Nimitz)

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Big things are developing in Bowen, and the Whitsunday Regional Council wants your say on the future of the foreshore.

Mayor Ry Collins said the Masterplan presents exceptional possibilities for the area - “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Bowen’s foreshore into a vibrant, well-connected destination,” Mayor Collins said. “By defining priorities for staged delivery, we aim to improve public spaces while attracting investment that benefits both locals and visitors.”

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy, said the public consultation was an important step for Bowen's future.

“An upgrade and beautification of the area, all the way to Bowen Harbour, would be great for both tourists and locals." She said, “We encourage everyone to attend the consultation sessions and participate in the survey so the Whitsunday Regional Council can understand what people would like to see in this area.”

The Foreshore Masterplan is a critical component of Bowen’s growth strategy. Before the works begin, have your say on what you think Bowen needs by sharing your insights via the online survey below or attending upcoming consultation events to help shape the Masterplan.

You can be part of guiding the design and development of projects that will benefit the community for generations to come. Help set an aspirational vision for the Bowen Foreshore, to inspire and define priorities for public space upgrades that enhance vibrancy and liveability of Bowen over 15+ years.

Bowen Markets Information Stall, Hansen Park, Sunday 30 March, 7am-12pm.
Bowen Centre Point Plaza Information Stall, Richmond Road, Thursday 3 April, 12pm-4:30pm.

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The Proserpine Entertainment Centre is planning ahead for next year and they want to hear from you! PEC, with the Whitsunday Regional Council, have released an entertainment questionnaire to find out what the community wants to see most coming to the Whitsundays in 2026.

The survey has options to choose what type of acts and activities you would like to see being brought to the PEC From music concerts to comedy nights, there’s options across the broad spectrum of talented live acts the PEC could provide and host. Theatre, dance, magic, seminars, and interactive experiences, your feedback will help shape the future line-up. And it’s not just about live shows, they want to know what movies you want to see too!

Check out the QR Code, it will take you directly to the survey page or visit the Whitsunday Regional Councils website and tell them exactly what live shows and performances you would love to see at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre. The PEC is all about creating unforgettable entertainment experiences right here in the Whitsundays. The survey closes April 30th, so have your say today!

https://yoursay.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au/proserpine-entertainment-centre-community-feedback-questionnaire

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A group of local children has shown an incredible sense of generosity and community spirit at a young age. With their hearts in the right place, they raised nearly $100 from selling old toys to donate to the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network. It’s a beautiful reminder of how even the smallest acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference.

Rather than spending the money on lollies for themselves, these kids chose to donate the $97.05 toward a cause that impacts their community in a powerful way. Their decision to donate the funds demonstrates maturity and compassion beyond their years.

This is just the beginning for these young changemakers with their next project already in the works - A deliciously enticing cupcake stall aimed at raising even more funds. It’s exciting to think about the positive impact they will continue to have as they grow and develop, fuelled by a mindset rooted in giving back.

Locals couldn't help but feel inspired by their initiative, with many just stopping by to drop off a fiver to their stall. It’s a bright future ahead for them who are already making a difference, the young children’s sense of community and responsibility truly shines. Thank you for fundraising for such an important cause!

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Local children selling their old toys to raise money for the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network. Photo Sourced: Rob Murphy's Facebook Page.

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The Whitsunday Regional Council want to inform the community about a recent scam involving a fraudulent QR code on a parking meter in Airlie Beach. The code directs users to enter their credit card details, which is part of a scam. If you've scanned a QR code on a parking meter recently, we strongly encourage you to check your bank statements for any unauthorised transactions.

Please be aware that Airlie Beach uses ticketless parking machines and only accept coin payments or direct card payments at their machines, and do not require the scanning of any QR codes.

To ensure a safe and easy parking experience, the Council recommend using the official EasyPark app, which allows you to manage your parking payments online securely. Simply download the free EasyPark app today via: http://app.easypark.net or through your device’s app store to avoid being caught out by scams like this.

The Council urges everyone to use official payment methods and to be vigilant about potential scams. If you believe you have fallen victim to fraudulent activity or spot another QR code on another parking meter, please report it to Council immediately to help protect the community.

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The affected parking meter at the beach-side parking lot, near the Airlie Beach Lagoon.
For the close up image. Photo sourced: Whitsunday Regional Council Facebook page.
For the wide-shot. Photo sourced: Google Maps.

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It has been relatively quiet this week for the team of the Whitsunday Volunteer Marine Rescue. But the WVMR team are always ready, waiting for that extra loud, special ringtone that signifies an emergency call, and someone needing their assistance. Shane, President of the WVMR, recounts an incident where even though they weren't initially activated, they were ready to respond.

Shane and his wife were enjoying the view on their patio one late afternoon when a strange incident caused Shane to reach for his binoculars. Out in the Airlie anchorage, a puff of smoke erupted from the stern of a yacht and as he zoomed in, Shane could see someone panicking as orange flames began to spread. As his wife called triple zero, Shane recalled a calming pause before all broke lose.

“While I watched in horror, in the gloom of dusk, an explosion and fire ball erupted.”

With the fire on the horizon, the world seemed to spring into action. The water police’s semirigid vessel suddenly appeared with sirens and lights blazing, powering through the water at top speed through the anchorage. Then the fire engines arrived at the Whitsunday Sailing Club, but they couldn't help being stuck on shore.

Shane grabbed his phone and called WVMR’s controller to ask if they had been activated. “No,” came the reply, but Shane was ready to act - “Ok, get a crew together urgently because we will be, there’s a boat on fire and people in the water.” He was out of the door and arrived at the VMR1 just as another fire engine arrived with portable pumps.

Skipper Ken took the WVMR team and the Firefighters out at emergency speed towards the anchored yacht. When we arrived, it was ablaze stem to stern. Luckily the Police had picked up the people from the water and all witnessed as the fibreglass blazed, they watched the mast collapse into the flames spreading rigging everywhere.

With Ken shouting guidance, Shane backed up the VMR1 as close as they dared, remaining upwind of the burning vessel. The wire rigging in the water was a major hazard because if it were to foul their props, they would be immobilised dangerously close to the fire.

The burning hull of the yacht was sinking and as the fire reached the waterline, it quietly slipped under. There was charred flotsam, but not too much pollution and Shane recounted it was an event of great exhilaration.

If you would like some excitement in your life, while doing a great community service, visit vmrwhitsundays.com.au/volunteer/

Contributed with thanks by Shane Newell, VMRW President.

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The Whitsundays’ original and most awarded tour operator, Ocean Rafting, is stoked to take the podium and be recognised amongst Australia’s best tourism operators. Since 1984, the Australian tourism Awards have long been the nation’s premier recognition of excellence in the tourism industry. Ocean Rafting joined the nation’s best in the beautiful Adelaide and is beyond thrilled to be taking home a Bronze in the “Major Tour & Transport Operator” category in the 2024 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.

Peter and Jan Claxton, the proud owners of Ocean Rafting for 28 years, along with Nathan their Sales & Marketing Captain of 13 years, were overjoyed to represent the family-owned business at the awards ceremony in Adelaide. Their heartfelt gratitude went to their passionate team, dedicated family members, and loyal guests,  whose support has been pivotal to their ongoing success.

Peter shared, “A huge thank you to all our team, both past and present, who share our passion for tourism and showcasing natures wonders. We are proud to continue stepping onto the podium and winning awards like this for all those who have made Ocean Rafting what it is today”. Pete added, “Additionally, I would like to thank all our guests who have enjoyed a day out, whether that be on the water or in the air, in the last 28 years of operations” Jan shared the sentiment, “These awards are for our team, as much as they’re for us, so cheers to us, and cheers to the team”.

Three generations of family and almost three decades as one of the Whitsundays’ most loved on-water experiences, Ocean Rafting’s mission is still to treat every day as if it was the one and only day their guests will experience Ocean Rafting and the Whitsundays’; and this has attributed to the company’s long-term success and thriving growth over the years.

The team would also like to thank Australian Tourism Awards for facilitating these awards and their continued support for our industry. Additionally, we would like to raise our glasses to all the fellow operators and local businesses for their much-deserved recognition and awards.

Beyond their remarkable history of providing unforgettable on-water experiences, Ocean Rafting is equally committed to the environmental sector by participating in the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative and starting our very own initiative, “Tins 4 Fins,” to fund beach cleans and additional research, ensuring we protect this beautiful part of the world.

Ocean Rafting’s reputation speaks for itself and is recognised with a perfect score as Best of Queensland Experience under the national quality tourism framework along with a Quality Tourism accreditation. Additionally, Ocean Rafting is the recipient of a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award for being in top 10% of attractions worldwide every year since 2012 and a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award winner in the Top 1% of Tourism Businesses around the world and Top 10 Experiences in Australia.

Ocean Rafting is also a coveted Ecotourism Australia Hall of Fame member for being continuously Advanced Ecotourism Australia Certified for 25 years or longer. Ocean Rafting is also a Green Travel Leader, Climate Action Business and is the only company in the Whitsundays with six Master Reef Guides, who are recognised as the world’s leading reef guides, interpreters and story tellers, in addition to a team made up of Marine Biologists and Eye On the Reef trained Eco Hosts.

Ocean Rafting offers two exciting day tour adventures, the Northern Exposure and Southern Lights, with an exhilarating ride to Whitehaven Beach, the ultimate access to Hill Inlet and special snorkelling sites, as well as the Fly Raft package, 60-minute scenic flights, a range of adventure packages, charter options and the Reef Seeker environmental educational program. The fleet of eight semi-rigid inflatable vessels allow guests to experience Ocean Rafting’s signature adrenalin-fuelled ride amongst the beauty of the Whitsundays, while a maximum of 32 passengers allows for a personalised experience in the pleasure of a small group.

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Talk to anybody who has spent a bit of time diving or snorkelling the coral reef and you will hear a turtle story. Watch people encounter a turtle for the first time and you hear shouts of delight. It seems that the sea turtle is everyone’s favourite marine animal.

There are 7 species of sea turtles in the world and 6 may be encountered on the Great Barrier Reef, making it a paradise for turtle lovers. Sadly, the future of our sea turtle friends is uncertain.

From the day a sea turtle is hatched, its life is a struggle for survival. For every 1000 sea turtle eggs laid, only about one turtle reaches adulthood due to natural predators and other obstacles. Those that do make it face numerous threats from humans; habitat loss, hunting, marine debris, and pollution.

Today, most species of sea turtles are listed as endangered or critically endangered by the World Conservation Union. And now, climate change is exposing sea turtles to even greater threats.

Sea turtles are unusual as they use both marine and terrestrial habitats during their life cycles. They nest on land but spend their lives in the oceans. Unfortunately, this exposes them to multiple impacts of climate change. The beach sites of a sea turtles’ birth, where they return as adults to lay their eggs, are under threat from rising sea level and erosion of nesting sites.

Sea turtles rely on the temperature of the sand in which the eggs incubate to determine the gender of the hatchling in a nest. An increase in nesting beach temperature is impacting the sex of turtles. Typically, cooler sand produces more males and warmer sand produces more females. With increasing nest temperatures due to global warming, scientists are seeing a significant shift towards more female sea turtles. This is a serious threat to population size and genetic diversity.

Warmer ocean temperatures are also likely to negatively impact food resources. As ocean temperatures increase, healthy seagrass meadows and coral reefs are declining, reducing the sea turtle’s most important feeding grounds.

The future of the sea turtle is in doubt because of human activities on the land, the sea and now the atmosphere. It is sadly ironic that the sea turtle’s continued existence is now entirely dependent on human intervention. Protecting sea turtles and their habitat is a must, but reducing carbon emissions to reign in global warming is the most important step we can take.

Contributed with thanks to Whitsunday Conservation Council.

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The annual migration of humpback whales from the Antarctic to warm water of the Great Barrier Reef should be beginning in a couple of weeks. Humpback whales can be seen in many locations along the east coast of Australia. It’s been known for years that Hervey Bay is an important resting site in the whale migration, which has made it qualify as a Whale Heritage Site.

For many years it was never know where humpbacks gave birth, but since 2009 researchers have been putting the pieces together discovering it is right here in the Whitsundays, next to the islands!

The Whitsundays are the perfect location because it has deep troughs close to shallow reef, where whales can give birth and then move their calves to shallow water.  In shallow water there is less chance of predator attack from below and the mother can support the calf near the surface so it can breathe.

In the first few week's humpback calves spend 30% of their time suckling their mother's milk and 50% of their time on the surface breathing where they have to breathe every five minutes.  It is important that the mother doesn’t have to spend her energy reserves on protecting her calf, so she can spend her reserves on producing 600 litres of milk per day.  The mother will not feed until she returns to her feeding ground in the Antarctic.

Calves don’t have any buoyancy control for the first few weeks, so mothers have to assist them with buoyancy until they work it out for themselves. The calves are born with no fat supply, so it is important they build up insulation for when they reach cold water down south.  They also need to build up their energy to practice learning life skills.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is the size of Italy or Japan, so to have such a significant area on our doorstep is really special. It is so significant that in March 2024 the Whitsundays became a WHALE HERITAGE SITE, the first ever in a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE AREA and there is a SPECIAL WHALE PROTECTION AREA zone in the Whitsundays.

In the Whitsundays not only does the 300 metres exclusion zone apply to jet skis but to all vessels to protect the whales in the maternity and nursery area.

Whales of the Whitsundays is the project that collaborated to gain the Whale Heritage Site Whitsundays listing. To find out more about special whale events, whale sightings and information on whales in the Whitsundays, join the WHALES OF THE WHITSUNDAYS Facebook page or go to www.whalesofthewhitsundays.com.au

Contributed with thanks to Kellie Leonard - Whales of the Whitsundays

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