The brand-new second floor of the Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) Whitsundays headquarters re-opened this week, delivering a vital new space for orchestrating emergency marine rescues.

The building was closed temporarily in December last year when works began and has remained shut for the past four months.

During this time significant renovations took place.

The overall floor space of the room is now estimated to be 3.5 times larger than previously, and it will now offer far greater room for training and operations, as well as search and rescue facilities.

In addition, the new room will be made available as a meeting room for community groups.

There will be three TV screens, whiteboards and other facilities.

VMR Whitsunday President Mal Priday said he was thrilled with the result.

“All the trades did a fantastic job, we couldn’t have asked for more” he said.

Mr Priday would like to make a special thanks to Project Manager Roger Wodson who was the driving force behind the project.

He also commended builders Ben Doolin & Co for their excellent workmanship.

A group of dedicated volunteers excitedly moved the equipment into the facility earlier this week and began to make themselves at home.

The project was made possible by substantial funding from the Federal Government under the Investing In Our Communities Grant.

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox and Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm were also instrumental in securing the funding.

Whitsunday Regional Council, Whitsunday Police and the Rotary Club of Airlie Beach also played an important role.

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1: A group of dedicated volunteers excitedly moved the equipment into the facility earlier this week and began to make themselves at home.

2: The VMR building in Cannonvale

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The Whitsundays has secured a trophy sweep at the 2023 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards which were held in Darwin last Friday evening.

The best tourism operators from across the Whitsundays have done the region proud, taking out gold, silver and bronze at the highly competitive national awards.

These results come off the back of a stellar run of awards for the region after taking out seven gold, two silver and five bronze at the Queensland State Awards.

Australian tourism’s ‘night of nights’, the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards is recognised as the largest annual celebration of tourism business excellence in Australia and showcases the best of the best in the industry.

Five Whitsundays businesses were in the running for awards after taking out gold in their categories at the 2023 Queensland State Tourism Awards.

The Whitsundays proudly celebrated on the big night, with BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort receiving gold in the Caravan and Holiday Parks category and Ocean Rafting securing the gold medal in Adventure Tourism.

In addition to these gold-winning performances, Ocean Rafting was also awarded silver in the Major Tour and Transport Operators category.

Magnums Accommodation Airlie Beach further added to The Whitsundays success, earning bronze in the 3-3.5 Star Accommodation category.

Whitsunday Coast Airport and Pinnacles Airlie Beach were also finalists in Darwin and both have demonstrated remarkable dedication and effort to the Whitsundays tourism industry and were celebrated on the night.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Rick Hamilton was thrilled to see The Whitsundays bring home trophies on Friday night.

“The Whitsundays has received recognition again for the dedication and commitment that the business owners and their staff put in every day of the year,” Mr Hamilton said.

“These victories underscore the region's commitment to delivering exceptional experiences and accommodation for visitors.

“As a region that relies on tourism for one in three jobs, gaining recognition like this is hugely encouraging for all the businesses in the region.”

Full List Of Whitsundays Winners:

GOLD

   • BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort – Caravan & Holiday Parks

   • Ocean Rafting – Adventure Tourism

SILVER

   • Ocean Rafting – Major Tour & Transport Operators

BRONZE

   • Magnums Accommodation Airlie Beach – 3-3.5 Star Accommodation

For more information on the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards and to explore the full list of winners, visit http://www.qualitytourismaustralia.com/australian-tourism-awards/.

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Representatives from the Whitsunday tourism community at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin last Friday night. Photo supplied

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The best of the Whitsundays was recognised at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin, with Ocean Rafting bringing home gold in the Adventure Tourism category and silver in the Major Tour and Transport Operators category.

The Awards saw more than 180 of Australia’s quality tourism operators from each state and territory vying for top honours across 26 categories, with Ocean Rafting’s back-to-back wins on the night cementing its reputation as the Whitsundays’ original and most awarded tour operator.

Owners Peter and Jan Claxton attended the ceremony, along with Sales Captain, Nathan Fleming, representing their team and the three generations of family working in the business.

“We are so proud to have won these two awards on a national level. It seems extra special given we stood on the same podium, winning gold last time Darwin hosted the awards seven years ago, so we’re absolutely thrilled to have won again,” said Jan.

“These awards, one which recognises us as the best Adventure Tourism experience in Australia, not only reflect our products and the locations we visit, but they are also a testament to the dedication of our team and their ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional experiences in paradise.

“It just shows how much they truly love their job and their beautiful backyard where they work and play, renowned for its unforgettable locations and experiences.”

As a local Whitsunday family owned and operated business, Ocean Rafting shares the wonders of the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef with guests from across the globe.

The business’ many environmental initiatives reflect the team’s love and respect for the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, with weekly environmental activities carried out on a dedicated research vessel.

This past year, Peter and Jan once again circled back to Peter’s aviation roots, adding a second plane to their fleet of vessels and planes for the popular Fly Raft experience, which showcases the best of the Whitsundays from above and below.

“Adventure Tourism can only happen with adventurous guests, an adventurous team and an adventurous industry,” said Jan.

“It’s this adventurous spirit that pushes us to do what we do, while still being recognised as a tourism industry leader after nearly three decades of running high-standard, quality tourism operations.

“We are so grateful for the support of the Whitsunday community, our tourism industry partners, suppliers, our loyal agents and of course our guests.

“We should all be very proud, and of course a special congratulations to the other Whitsunday and Queensland winners and finalists, all so truly deserving of recognition.”

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, 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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The much-celebrated Queens Beach Tourist Village (QBTV) has finally reached its goal this week, receiving the third consecutive gold accolade for the Best Large Caravan Park at the Grey Nomads Awards.

Not only do they receive the acclaim of being considered the best caravan park in Australia for Grey Nomads, they also enter into the award’s Hall of Fame, an ambition they’ve been driving towards since they began.

Gerry Tomsett said the park’s owners, Jennie and Peter Greer, were thrilled with the announcement and grateful for to all the staff for putting so much effort into providing memorable experiences to Grey Nomads.

“It’s an absolutely fantastic feeling!” said Gerry.

“Everything we do is geared towards the Grey Nomads and we love going that extra mile to make sure they are happy.”

Staff organise many of the events over the season and each activity adds to the overall experience of each guest.

“We have pancakes every Tuesday, a regular quiz night, low impact aerobics once a week and four singers over the season who come and perform some golden oldies,” explained Gerry.

“We also hold a QBTV’s Got Talent Night and it’s amazing to see how many people have secret skills – like the ukulele and guitar.”

In addition, the Grey Nomads get to engage with the community and raise money for local charities.

Each season, there is a weekly sausage sizzle held for the Grey Nomads and last year over $8,300 was raised and donated to the Country Women’s Association of Bowen.

It is clear to see how this dynamic and fun-loving park won the award again this year.

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The team at Whitsunday Coast Airport proudly represented the region at the 2024 Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin last Friday night.

This is the first time our local airport has progressed to the national awards and Director of Commercial Businesses for Whitsunday Regional Council, Craig Turner, said he was thrilled to attend the event.

“When you look at the quality of businesses that went to the awards you can see the incredible standard we have right here in the Whitsundays,” he said.

“We really are a destination that can be proud of the many varied offerings we have here.”

Mr Turner added that there are many reasons Whitsunday Coast Airport made it to the nationals.

“We are not a traditional airport, we are an airport that is extremely customer facing and it’s all about the experience with us,” he explained.

“We want people to have a good time with us and when they are leaving, we want them to dream about the next time they are coming back.”

Features such as the colourful Aquarium, the interactive animal screen and high quality in-house café are just some of the ways Whitsunday Coast Airport stands out in the pack.

Nominated in the Retail, Hire, Services category, Whitsunday Coast Airport were a finalist at the national awards and look forward to returning next year with a chance of claiming a medal.

Mr Turner says he’s also excited about entering the category for the Best Tourism Marketing Campaign next year.

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Marianne Goldman, Marketing and Administration Officer Aviation and Tourism, Mayor Julie Hall and Director of Commercial Business for Whitsunday Regional Council, Craig Turner at the Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin. Photo supplied

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Photos supplied

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The tourism industry’s night of nights brought gold for the BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort team as they scooped up Gold in the Caravan and Holiday Parks category at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, held in tropical Darwin.

Eight operators from across Australia were nominated in the Caravan and Holiday Parks category while more than 180 of the country’s premier tourism operators from each state came together across 26 categories.

Owner Greg McKinnon, who attended the gala ceremony with his wife, Kyleen, was visibly proud of the national recognition and of his team.

“Needless to say, to be awarded the best Caravan and Holiday Park in the country for a second consecutive year on a national level is just absolutely incredible,” said Greg.

“It’s such a strong category with outstanding competition and we pass on a huge congratulations to all the winners and finalists.

“We’ll be entering again this year and who knows, we might be able to make it three in a row, but in the meantime, we’ll continue to bring the fun and some exciting new developments to our resort this year, which our guests will really love, and which will continue to enhance their overall experience with us.”

This is the fourth time that BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort has taken home the gold award in this same category at a national level at the Australian Tourism Awards.  

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort CEO, Phil Casey, praised the efforts of his team and thanked the many holidaymakers who choose the resort as their holiday of choice.

“We have the most loyal and fun-loving guests who choose to stay with us, many who visit us time and time again with their families,” said Phil.

“The commitment shown from our team, both front of house and back of house, to ensure we create wonderful holiday memories for our guests each and every time, is something that can’t be underestimated.

“This award is a testament to their hard work, and of course it also reflects a big thank you to those who stay and share their holidays with us.”

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort was in good company after claiming gold with Queensland operators winning a total of 14 accolades across the 26 categories, including five gold, seven silver, and two bronze.

The Resort recently celebrated its 30th birthday and after three decades of ongoing reinvestment and development, Australia’s most loved holiday park continues to lead the way as one of the Whitsundays’ most desirable holiday destinations.

This past year, in addition to new cabin inventory, development included construction of the resort’s brand new ‘Bunk House’ dormitory accommodation for schools, as well as a range of accessibility initiatives to complement the resort’s well-utilised Sensory Room, which caters for children on the autism spectrum and their families by offering a special holiday retreat.

BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort offers a relaxed, family friendly environment with an extensive range of quality facilities and services, gorgeous cabins and happy, helpful staff.

Set amongst 10 hectares of beautifully landscaped tropical gardens, the resort caters for a variety of budgets with a wide range of accommodation options from camping and caravanning sites to dorms, studios and through to luxury, three-bedroom condos.

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Greg & Kyleen McKinnon

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This years’ Whitsunday Multicultural Festival is being held in Bowen and organisers are excited to welcome everyone back for another action-packed event this weekend.

The Multicultural Festival is a free event that encourages the community to come together, to celebrate and learn about other cultures within the region.

Cultural groups share their culture and heritage with visitors through storytelling, entertainment, arts and music.

In addition to the arts and music people are encouraged to try the fantastic food on offer.

This is the perfect opportunity to surround yourself with the wonderful Bowen beachside vibe whilst enjoying the live music on offer.

Bowen Tourism and Business manager, Leanne Abernethy, said it was “fantastic that the Whitsunday regional council has chosen Bowen for the multicultural Festival this year”.

“This will be a great celebration of the cultural diversity within our region,” she said.

“We encourage all locals and visitors to head to Bowen Soundshell and enjoy this family event right on the beach side.”

Help make this event even more special by showing your support.

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When: Saturday 23 March

Time: 5pm to 8pm

Where: Bowen Soundshell

Caption: Performers at the 2021 Whitsunday Multicultural Festival. Photo supplied

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A prominent Bowen business advocate has urged all parties involved in the redevelopment of the town's deteriorating jetty to respect the rich history of the structure.

Chairman of the town's Chamber of Commerce, Bruce Hedditch, made the comments following appointments by North Queensland Bulk Ports of a project director and lead design consultant for the multimillion-dollar project.

Nawar Spear will be project director, while global consultancy firm Arup Australia under its own project director Mr Shy Tay will act as lead design consultant.

Mr Spear was appointed by NQBP to lead the project, drawing on previous experience in developing, planning, and delivering large infrastructure programs and major construction projects for federal and state government agencies. He also has extensive experience working with regional communities in Queensland.

Arup Australia will lead the design during phase 1 of the project and leverage its experience in crafting waterfront destinations to lead the community consultation and deliver a finalised concept design.

NQBP CEO Brendan Webb, speaking at the Bowen-Collinsville Enterprise Breakfast Forum in Bowen on Friday February 16, welcomed the appointments as a major step closer to launching community consultation on the wharf’s design.

Mr Hedditch said early advice he had received was that due to decay, much of the original arm of the jetty, built in 1867, could be demolished, while the arm built more recently by NQBP for its tug base would be retained. He said a satisfactory compromise for the town's hopes for the jetty would also play into plans to acquire a Catalina seaplane for a memorial adjacent to the jetty.

"NQBP seems to have gotten a good committee together," Mr Hedditch said, "but we still have a long way to go."

"At least they are wanting to talk to the community."

He conceded that the original leg was "not in a good state."

Mr Hedditch said a large percentage of people who completed a survey of residents regarding its future wanted the entire structure retained.

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Meet Mark Richards

Operations Manager

It has been a whirlwind of 13 years for Mark Richards, acting as Operations Manager of Whitsunday Foodservice with confidence, pride, and tenacity. With a logistics and warehousing portfolio background, Mark transitioned seamlessly into this role, and has not looked back once.

His greatest pride has been watching the gradual evolution of Whitsunday Foodservice, originally operating out of a cold storage warehouse with 25 staff and a fleet of six trucks, when he first started, to now working from a technologically advanced facility, over 60 staff and 11 trucks, with one of the largest employers in the Whitsundays region.

“The key highlight for me was project managing the new facility build in 2018,” Mark explained.

“This facility started with a piece of paper, ruler, and a pencil on my desk and to see it become a reality was an amazing experience. The highlights keep stacking up thanks to the new warehouse as I get to actively pursue and implement new ways to stay ahead of the pack with the latest tech aimed at warehousing and distribution.”

Mark is particularly proud of his ability to visualize a solution to any problem, overcoming hurdles as they appear, including every from mechanical breakdowns, scheduling conflicts, and island resort logistics.

“I find I am able to step back, view my resources as a whole and implement solutions.”

Overseeing a staff of over 40 himself, split across six different departments, Mark ensures that his finger is on the pulse of the business, that each member of his team is confident in their ability and the wider teams efficiency.

In his spare time, Mark can be found with his partner, Sara and their two sons, usually fishing together, playing guitar, and building DIY projects. And he will always be ready to tune into the rugby league game and shout for his team, the Cronulla Sharks.

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Meet Trish Smith

Office and IT Manager

Following love to the Whitsundays 13 years ago was twofold for Trish Smith, moving to be with the love of her life, but also finding a second home within the all-embracing walls of Whitsunday Foodservice. Now, having been married for nearly seven years, and been with Whitsunday Foodservice for 12 years and 10 unforgettable months, Trish has never looked back.

A calm yet passionate person, Trish loves her customer focussed role with the business, feeling a deep sense of purpose and accomplishment each and every day. This fulfilment translates to exceptional customer service and impeccable work ethic.

“When you do what you love,” Trish explained, “Work doesn’t feel like work.”

“Although some days may be more challenging than others, supporting colleagues and helping boost positivity in the workplace promotes a productive team environment.”

In her official role as Office and IT Manager, Trish is often managing a great number of projects and developments. Everything from IT development and support, to managing the EOM finances, reporting, as well as social media creation and management, Trish is kept on her toes.

However, she greatly enjoys the various responsibilities she holds with her role, leaving her with the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that she is seeking.

When she does step away from the office, Trish can be found spending quality time with her husband, relaxing, often partaking in a Sunday breakfast or lunch date together on a weekend. The pair also love being active, soaking up the Whitsunday sun walking their two dogs, bike-riding, or socialising out and about in Airlie Beach.

Trish also loves heading over to Hamilton Island, or regularly travelling up to Townsville to spend time with her daughter and grand daughter.

Describe your personality in three words:
Compassionate, exuberant, and EXTRA!

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Meet Elisa Teuma

Sales Administration

Looking for an exciting career change that allowed her to develop her skills and experience, Elisa Teuma was eager to join the Whitsunday Foodservice team over six years ago in the Sales Administration department.

With thorough experience in retail sales, Elisa already had significant knowledge which enabled her to take on a more customer account management role which was something new and unique, and a change that Elisa has flourished within.

Her indelible strengths in the role include her incredible adaptability.

“I’m fortunate to have great mentors in our managers, who are all talented at what they do and have helped me continually develop skills, which is important given the nature of our ever-evolving, fast paced industry,” Elisa explained.

Elisa’s most memorable milestone with the business is being able to witness the expansion and growth of the close-knit team. Her own appreciation of the team has only grown, with the birth of her baby last year, and being able to return on a part-time basis to allow her quality time with her budding family.

Outside of the office, Elisa loves spending time with her amazing partner Pat, and their beautiful daughter Stella, exploring the region and creating lasting memories.

Having relocated from Sydney when she was 23 years old, Elisa initially only planned on being in the region for one or two years, but now eight years later, she has never looked back.

“I am well and truly anchored here and completely in love with what the area has to offer, particularly the natural beauty and great people.”

Describe your personality in three words:

Thoughtful, kind and resourceful

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 What began as a light-hearted conversation between some long-term entrepreneurial locals during the Christmas of 1983, has since blossomed into one of the Whitsundays’ most successful and long-standing businesses. Originally the milk depot in Proserpine, this humble and fledgling company has constantly diversified and expanded over the years, its name now synonymous within the foodservice industry. In 2024 Whitsunday Foodservice celebrates 40 years in business, an impressive milestone, steeped in history.

Back in 1983, the milk depot in Proserpine was owned by Arnold and Denise Legg, but following discussions, Alan Murray, along with Dick Dray and his brothers Edward, Geoffrey, and Michael, decided to purchase the business. With the brothers coming from a farming background and Alan having already owned milk runs in Brisbane, the team believed they had the skills and experience to make the business work.

Almost half a century later, and they have definitely proved this the case.

Proserpine Milk Distribution Company began with just a handful of staff - Alan Murray, Noleen McDonald, Fay Milne as bookkeeper and Andrea Ruge. Robyn Murray recalls that, back then delivery vehicles were not air-conditioned, let alone refrigerated. She remembers Rob Blanza delivering supplies to the Airlie Beach area in his Ford 100 and Larry Meygel servicing the Proserpine town centre in a Toyota Dyna. Rusty Crane was a Semi Driver who picked milk up from Mackay three days a week and Proserpine Carrying Co, owned by John Bowman, would oversee island deliveries to Shute Harbour.

Meanwhile, Allison Lucas, who was an up-and-coming junior tennis player, cleaned trucks and worked in the convenient store on a Saturday morning, her mum Peggy, filling in when Allison was playing tournament.

At the time, the convenience store was located at the front of the Milk Depot and had cool rooms out the back. And while operations were expanding in Proserpine, Alan noticed the Airlie Beach area was also growing, in fact it was looking to become as big as Proserpine. Wanting to be at the heart of this growth, Alan began hunting for a suitable piece of land where they could build a large warehouse and several cool rooms. In 1989, they moved to their present site where a brand-new facility had been constructed with steel work by Carlo Raiteri, which included a roof that had a hip in it to incorporate a large ice making machine.

Throughout the 1990’s the business continued to expand and diversify, most significantly with computerised systems replacing paper. In addition, Whitsunday Foodservice supplied ice to the entire region, plus TipTop bread and a parcel delivery service called IPEC. At the same time, the business was constantly looking for more avenues to expand foodservice offerings and, when they managed to gain Countrywide Membership, this new buying power allowed product lines to increase dramatically.

From the mid 2000’s Whitsunday Foodservice experienced significant growth. At the time they had a team of approximately 12 employees, operating four trucks, stocking around 2000 lines and servicing Airlie Beach, Cannonvale, Shute Harbour, Dingo Beach, Proserpine, Midge Point, and the Whitsunday Islands. By 2022, they were stocking over 4000 lines and had grown to a team of 60 people, with 11 trucks that enabled them to expand the service to Bowen, Collinsville, and the Mackay region. 

“Throughout this time, we continued to innovate and introduce technology wherever we could,” explained Pat Morrissey, General Manager of Whitsunday Foodservice.

“We went from taking orders off an answering machine at ungodly hours to introducing online ordering platforms. We also continued to broaden our product range by giving our customers access to thousands of specialty and imported products.”

By 2015, Whitsunday Foodservice started planning to build a new facility at their current site, expanding further to enable them to operate at a larger scale more efficiently. For the next five years, however, the business would overcome a series of unexpected challenges that hindered but did not prevent this expansion. As they approached the final planning stages, Tropical Cyclone Debbie hit in 2017 damaging the existing structure. Forging ahead, by late 2018 the team started moving into the new warehouse with completion in January 2019.

Unfortunately, just three months after the move, the world came to a halt when the pandemic came along. Changing the nature of both global and local business significantly, Whitsunday Foodservice experienced some dark times, but due to the resilience and determination of the team, managed to pivot and prevail, allowing them to come out stronger the other side.

“We introduced a Warehouse Management system which took us from paper pick slips to voice picking headsets, we introduced scanners, vehicle monitoring software for safety and efficiency and started working on a paperless invoice process called sign on glass,” shared Pat.

“When the borders finally reopened, the Whitsundays, like the rest of Queensland went berserk - the hospitality industry in the Whitsundays went from a standstill to the busiest period we have even seen.”

Celebrating 40 years in business is a result of incredible innovation, dedication and overcoming challenges head-on. From the early days with Alan at the helm to the modern era with Pat managing the business, each member of the team is highly valued and an integral part of the broader company’s success.

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1: The old depot at 40 Chapman Street in Proserpine. L-R: Noleen McDonald, Alan Murray, Fay Milne, Matt Dray and Richard Dray

2: Robyn Murray outside the old depot

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The Celtic Cup was held on St Patrick’s Day this year which was nice for a change and 15 contestants took part in the competition.

In the round of 16 we saw early exits for Reef Peel, Naomi Mitchell, Jodie Collins, Hawkeye Rick, Jayden Lloyd, Josh Fraser and Guy Graham. 

Kevin Brown had a bye into the quarterfinals where he defeated Kam Reason 5/1. Art McMinn beat Gary Robbie 5/2. Jamie Maher secured a 5/1 win over Steve Lloyd and Joe Wilson managed to just edge out Andy Peel in a close 5/4 encounter. 

Joe Wilson was the first to take his place in this year’s final with a 5/1 win over Jamie Maher, and in the other semi-final Kevin Brown earned his place in the final by defeating Art McMinn by a 5/3 scoreline.

The final of this year’s Celtic Cup was an enjoyable game between Joe Wilson and Kevin Brown. Kevin started the game off well by flying out of the gates to take a 2 nil lead, before Joe took the game by the scruff of the neck winning 3 legs on the bounce. Kevin managed another leg but by then Joe was in total control of the match, winning the Celtic Cup by 6 legs to 3.

Thank you to all the players for taking part. The next one-day cup competition is The Genesis Cup, and that will be held on Sunday April the 7th.

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Contributed with thanks to Jamie Maher.

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Image: Joe Wilson with the Celtic Cup on Sunday at the Airlie bowls club. Photo supplied

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On Wednesday, we played a single stableford for a club trophy.  Men's Winner, Nathan Vine 40 points, Benny Bon was runner up on a countback with 39 points.  Ladies' Winner, Susan McInnes 38 points, Runner up Tracey Cousemacker 37 points. 

Pin Shots to Viv Clark, Trish Sellen, Tracey Cousemacker, Hayden Williams, John Courtney, Isaac Fellows, Jumbo Miller. Peter Theodossio claimed the Suntan Snack Bar voucher. OBP’s for Mark Russell, Hayden Williams, Jo Goldup and Jeremy Chrzanowski. Chocolate gobblers to Elona Lynch x 2 and Julie May.

On Saturday, we played a 4BBB aggregate event for early Easter trophies sponsored by Bowen Mazda. Winners on a countback Grant Poole and Gregg Aplin 71 points, Runners up on a countback Brad Graham and Garry Kukura 71 points, 3rd Place Bonnie Kohlhase and Lisa Raisbeck 71 points.

Pin shots to Grace Nott (OBP), Claire Garrod, Amanda Watego, Lorraine McArthur, Nathan Donaldson, Gregg Aplin, Colin Stewart, Daniel Tomlinson and Carl Van Veen. Frank Broucek won the Car Wash Voucher. Greg Daniel had an OBP. Eagle shots for Gregg Aplin and Daniel Tomlinson. Chocolate gobblers for Lisa Raisbeck and Claire Garrod.  

This weekend’s competition is a split round for the doubles Match Play qualifiers sponsored by Bowen Byte-Wise IT solutions. The men will play on Saturday and ladies on Sunday.

Contributed with thanks to Grace Nott. Photo Supplied

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The third Whitsunday Local Government Candidate Forum was hosted by Bowen Chamber of Commerce on Monday night and held at the Larrikin Hotel in Bowen with an audience of 85 in attendance.

All four Mayoral Candidates, Peter Hood, Richard Evans, Ry Collins and Phil Batty, were present on the evening alongside the Division 6 Councillor Candidates, John Finlay and David Paddon.

Three questions were given from Bowen Chamber of Commerce and then three additional questions taken from the floor.

President of Bowen Chamber of Commerce, Bruce Hedditch, said it was an “informative meeting” and that everyone was happy with how it ran.

“They are all good candidates,” he said.

“They all have an interest in the Whitsundays as a whole and it was good to see people so passionate about our community.

“One critical factor from the Candidates Forum was the public support to save the Bowen Jetty. It was revealed at the meeting that a recent survey conducted by the community resulted in 622 responses with 97.6 per cent opposed to the jetty being removed.

“Additionally, 95.5 per cent of respondents wanted the existing Bowen Jetty repaired and restored.

“The Whitsunday Regional Council in the past have been reluctant to commit to accepting future responsibility with the community and many questions centred on this issue, the Bowen Jetty is a tourist attraction and is no different to parks and gardens, water parks maintained by Council.”

Other questions on the night included broader Harbour Front usage and the industrial development of Bowen.

In addition, the issue was raised that Airlie Beach has seen more private investment along its main entrance way in the past year and people want to know why it is happening in Airlie Beach and not Bowen.

“Bowen needs the same opportunity,” said Mr Hedditch.

Questions from the floor came next and were centred around the income and expenditure of Council, with people worried about the cost of living, rates and charges.

Overall, the Forum was a positive and civilised event which was effectively facilitated by Bruce Hedditch and his team which included, Tony Bale, Allan Bryson, Sharon Williams and Mark Steen.

“We set the rules down from the beginning so there was no criticism,” shared Mr Hedditch.

“One person was asked to leave at the end but everyone else was happy with the meeting.”

Caption: 85 people came along to the Bowen Candidate Forum on Monday night

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