Before establishing a stud in Central Queensland, Bianca Collins was a secondary teacher and her husband, John, a boilermaker. They had no experience on the land.

Tired of paying rent in town and in need of adventure, they found their passion for agriculture.

“We fumbled our way into developing a small stud Droughtmaster herd. It didn’t take long for us to add to our acreage by purchasing another 700 acres and leasing a further 1,00 acres—all while working in our full-time careers,” Bianca said.

They soon realised the pressures on farming families can be enormous. To make ends meet, John had to continue working off-farm while Bianca took on the job of keeping the stud herd performing.

“We didn’t have the knowledge that typically gets passed down from generation to generation. It wasn’t ingrained in us from a family history in farming.

“I found it difficult to find a support network in the region or meet up with other likeminded farmers.”

Thanks to the Future Drought Fund’s National Mentoring Program, delivered by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, Bianca was paired with a mentor to help build her resilience and achieve her goals.

“I’m making it my mission to make sure our farm is in better shape for the next generation—for my son and to help my regional community thrive. The only way I can do that is to embrace my desire to learn,” Bianca said.

The program is giving Bianca the confidence to grow a successful stud and connect with other farmers and farming families to share their experiences.

“I believe having that network will help us all grow in the agricultural industry and our shared commitment to learning and being open to opportunities will help us reach and increase our individual success.”

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Photo credit: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

It is the best of times, it is the worst of times in this city as we head into the Christmas period. With  apologies to Charles Dickens, Mackay is a tale of two cities.

The first tale of our city is a great story about home owners and how their investment is experiencing strong growth.

After a horrible downturn from 2013 to about 2018, Mackay property prices are solidly and consistently growing. Prices continued to grow this year and the market is reflecting the energetic economy that is keeping everyone busy.

The mining sector is going well and, despite interest rate rises and high inflation, the rest of the economy is also powering along.

The property market has benefitted from a continuing influx of southerners who are moving to our town due to work or lifestyle changes. There are also those families from “over the hill” who are moving to Mackay to have easier access to sports and other facilities their kids need.

The strong economy and terrific lifestyle is keeping people here and that, combined with the additional “migrants”, has created a shortage of rental properties.

This combination of factors is pushing up rental prices and helping create a strong demand in property sales.

Many people are deciding that the difficulty of finding a rental property and the increasing rents mean it makes sense to buy in Mackay.

That demand for properties is pushing prices up, not at a crazy speed but creating solid growth. Compared to most of the country, our median price of around the $450,000 mark is much more affordable and adds to the logic of buying here.

So, happy days in this little tale. It’s a great time to be doing business in Mackay and there are certainly terrific opportunities for those of us selling real estate.

But there is another tale … the one about the growing number of people with nowhere to live.

You can see these people in the City Heart, down by the river and wherever they can find shelter. It is the downside of what is a positive story for many of us.

I am not sure what the solution is. We can’t suddenly create new housing for homeless people. And one of the problems for the homeless is trying to navigate their way out of it.

How do you get a place to live when you have no job? How do you find a job when you’ve got nowhere to live? A vicious cycle that offers little hope.

Demand and supply determines the price of things and there are two sides to that economic equation. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want us going back to the days of rental vacancies of nearly 10 per cent.

The people I work for, property owners, benefit from the shortage of supply and high demand. And, as a real estate agent, I benefit from that same dynamic. Like everyone in the business community, by working hard and staying focused, energised and committed, I will get the rewards offered by a vibrant town with a strong, active economy.

So, with Christmas approaching it is a reminder to be thankful for those of us who love this city and enjoy the employment and financial opportunities it presents, the friendships it creates and the lifestyle it offers.

But it’s not like that for everyone and a significant part of the culture of Mackay is that its residents dig in to help those doing it tough.

The guidance needs to come from those at local and state government level who are elected to deal with this stuff. They are not doing a very good job so, with state and local government elections coming up this year, the community needs to apply some pressure, demand some solutions.

This is my last column for the year and I wish both my readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Stay safe and I’ll catch you back on these pages in 2024.

Crediton Hall Recreation Club (CHRC) and Provisional School celebrated their 80th anniversary last month, with a nostalgic and reminiscent event.

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson attended to address the attendees.  

CHRC provided a glorious spread of food, as well as a celebration cake for dessert. Many attendees camped overnight, enjoying a firepit and games for the children to play. The event also saw a Rolling Raffle, and past residents sharing their stories and photos from over the years.

The joyous occasion was celebrated by past and present members and school peers.

Harrup Park and the Great Barrier Reef Arena are delighted to announce the inaugural Great Barrier Reef Arena Gift, scheduled to captivate Mackay on the 23rd of March 2024.

This annual event will bring together some of Australia's top running talent, showcasing their prowess in nine exhilarating races spanning genders, ages, and distances in a celebration of athleticism and community spirit.

The races will take place on the newly completed Great Barrier Reef Arena grass track, continuing the long-standing tradition of Gift races across Australia.

Registrations are now open for both junior and senior runners, presenting an opportunity to compete for substantial prize money across various race categories.

The event extends a warm welcome to seasoned athletes and aspiring runners alike. Races will kick off in the midafternoon, with Gift Finals set to electrify the crowd under the lights at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.

Adrian Young, Great Barrier Reef Arena CEO said, "The Great Barrier Reef Arena Gift marks a milestone in our commitment to fostering sporting excellence.

“This inaugural event not only showcases the immense talent of Australia's top runners but also underscores our dedication to providing a platform for aspiring athletes,” he said.

“We invite everyone to join us for an unforgettable evening of competition and camaraderie as we set the stage for years of thrilling sporting competitions to come."

The event promises not only thrilling races but also a vibrant atmosphere, featuring live music, kids’ activities, a mini eat street, and an exciting chili-eating contest.

Families and sports enthusiasts are invited to witness this historic event and be part of an unforgettable night of sporting excitement. What's more, entry is free for all spectators, ensuring that the Great Barrier Reef Arena Gift is an inclusive experience for the entire community.

Junior events:

120m 10-12yrs Girls & Boys

120m 13-15yrs Girls & Boys

120m 16-18yrs Girls & Boys

Gift events:

120m Open Men’s & Women’s Gift

GBRA Mile – Men’s & Women’s

70m Open Men’s & Women’s

70m Masters Men’s (Restricted) & Women’s (Restricted)

300m Open Combined (Men/Women/Masters)

Growing a passion for innovation and mining careers for the next generation

Innovation, resourceful creation, and hands-on education were the theme last month, when the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) delivered two inspiring learning experiences in Mackay, thanks to support from Thiess.

With the education arm of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) on the precipice of reaching its target of 100 school partnerships by the end of 2023, Whitsunday Anglican School and St Patrick's College Mackay were proud to host QMEA workshops for the first time, which helped Mackay’s next generation mine valuable science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills.

QRC Director of Skills, Education and Diversity, Ms Katrina-Lee Jones said physics, coding, and mining converged in two unforgettable events that allowed about 30 Year 7 and 8 students to discover the many exciting career pathways in Queensland’s world-class resources and energy sector.

“Students from Whitsunday Anglican College demonstrated their design and engineering prowess as they discovered the impressive forces behind non-compressible fluids,” Ms Jones said.

“Working in teams, students created and constructed a model-scale hydraulic arm to perform a specific function that mirrored real-world, mining industry applications. It was a great way for these bright young minds to see how simple physics concepts help the resources and energy sector make challenging tasks a simple feat.”

Thiess General Manager Mining – QLD, Chris Bourke said Thiess was committed to investing in the next generation, creating pathways to rewarding careers and delivering sustainable growth in communities like Mackay and the broader Whitsundays.

“As a business focussed on technology and innovation, we recognise the importance of helping students build skills that align with emerging careers in the resources sector,” Mr Bourke said.

“This program is an excellent opportunity for students to learn firsthand how STEM excellence could lead to local job opportunities at Thiess, or the broader mining industry.”

St Patrick's College Mackay Principal, Mrs Janelle Agius said the school was delighted to host their inaugural QMEA workshop, helping ignite students’ passion for STEM careers whilst further developing indispensable skills like critical thinking, teamwork, and problem solving.

“The room buzzed with creativity and inspiration as students engineered devices that flipped a coin into a cup without manual intervention, replicating dynamic, cutting-edge technology like coal sorting machines,” Mrs Agius said.

“Students then delved into reflection and refraction when they positioned a series of mirrors to navigate a laser beam around a fixed obstacle – another clever opportunity to demonstrate the criticality of STEM in everyday mining operations.

"Our new partnership with the QMEA reflects our commitment to nurturing young talent and empowering them with beneficial skills to embark on prosperous pathways after school.”

As Australia’s largest and most successful industry-led education and schools initiative, the QMEA seeks to broaden student and teacher knowledge of career opportunities in resources.

The academy encourages a talent pipeline of employees into vocational and professional careers, with a focus on female and Indigenous participation. The QMEA currently engages with 99 schools and is a partnership between the QRC and the Queensland Government under its Gateway to Industry Schools program.

Whitsunday Anglican School and St Patrick's College hosted QMEA workshops to inspire the next generation in STEM subjects. Photos supplied: QMEA

Bowen Community Centre is now officially open, with a special ceremony taking place last week.

In attendance were Member for Burdekin Dale Last, and Minister for Communities Leeanne Enoch, alongside local Councillors Jan Clifford and Michelle Wright.

The ceremony boasted more than an additional 30 attendees, with the Bowen Community Centre facilities officially opened.

The Centre is a purpose-built facility, and includes a large kitchen, meeting spaces and offices.

The new building cost $4.3 million, it was completed in late 2022 and has been fully operational since December the same year.

Since its completion, the Community Centre had expanded its program to include Emergency Relief, the No Interest Loan Scheme, Community Connect, an Op Shop, Tuckerbox Food Shop, Tuckerbox Kitchen and Volunteer Program.

It can now also service an additional 44 per cent more people than previously.

Minster Leeanne Enoch explained that “It’s great to hear that the new centre is already improving the wellbeing, resilience, safety and participation of community members by providing a client-centred hub where people can access a more diverse range of services, program, and activities.”

“Among the features of the new centre is a large kitchen, which will assist with the delivery of meals and food relief – a service that is relied upon by many in the community.”

“Other services on offer include advocacy, counselling, community activities, emergency relief, disability support for young people, aged care, domestic and family violence support, family support, youth support and homelessness support.”

Stephanie Cora, Executive Officer of the Bowen Community Centre was excited by the official opening.

“It’s so nice to have a place that’s big enough to accommodate community groups and new programs. From an old Queenslander, where we only had room for five people, to now having meeting rooms fitting up to 60, plus a large, commercially outfitted kitchen – it’s been amazing for our community.”

“We’ve been able to offer so many diverse programs in the last 12 months. This has led to a significant increase in people contacting us, participating in programs, and utilising the facilities. In 2022-23, we had 72,000 contacts, compared to 50,000 in 2021-22,” she explained.

“Being able to cater to the community’s diverse needs with programs tailored to our community, plus the growth we have experience as a centre has been extremely exciting.”

“We are so proud to have a purpose-built centre, which is such a beautiful space that we love and that we can share with the community, demonstrating how much they are valued.”

Dale Last, Member for Burdekin, Christine Coventry, Chairperson of Bowen Community Centre, Stephanie Cora, Executive Officer of Bowen Community Centre, Minister Leeanne Enoch, and John Finlay, Treasurer of Bowen Community Centre. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Hi Everyone,

Have you decided what you’re going to give this Christmas?

I’m not talking presents to loved ones (or yourself!), I’m talking about giving back, doing something for someone less fortunate.

Two years ago, I purchased a toy and gave it to Whitsunday Counselling and Support to go towards a family escaping domestic violence.

I asked my son to choose the present and told him to make it something he would really like himself.

I then explained that we would be giving it away to a boy his age who has nothing but will now have a present to open on Christmas day because of his kind gesture.

This pleased my son and he looked excited . . . that was until we had to handover the gift to a volunteer and be burst into tears claiming he wanted to keep it!

Last year, I played it safe and we bought several smaller gifts for different age-groups and fortunately he wasn’t so traumatised this time.

This year, however, I haven’t had time to buy a toy yet, so I have been feeling really sad about it.

At home one evening earlier this week I was wondering ‘how’ and ‘who’ I could help, while feeling a little overwhelmed about how I was going to do it this year.

That same evening a post of a family friend came up asking for donations that would go directly to another family whose daughter was battling a brain tumour.

All donations would be used to make this Christmas extra special.

I immediately donated $40 and while this was only a small amount, I felt like it was still a meaningful contribution, every little helps.

I don’t think it matters how we give this Christmas, it just matters that we give something.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “Give, even if you have a little” (Buddha)

When Nadine Little’s daughter and husband visited Woolworths in Cannonvale a few weeks ago, they were surprised by the generosity of the grocery store’s staff.

Oceana, Nadine’s daughter, brought home a massive box of goodies, including sweet treats, an advent calendar, seafood sauce, a ham bag, and even a Naughty Elf figurine.

Oceana was even instructed to make sure to ask her family if they’d like to share the unexpected surprise.

Turning to Facebook, Nadine’s post attracted many other community members sharing similar stories of surprise gifts, with one woman explaining she received a bouquet of flowers from the store.

Sharon Gregory is the Customer Service Manager for Woolworths and was absolutely delighted to be gifting out hampers, a few hams and gift cards to unsuspecting shoppers.

“It’s a campaign called ‘My Woolies Weekend’, and it’s a great opportunity to give back and support our customers.”

“It feels good to give back to familiar faces, to regular customers, to acknowledge the customers that return to us for their shopping. Especially it feels great to give a gift when times are tough,” Sharon explained.

“It’s a nice opportunity to support our customers.”

Oceana and her dad were not the only unsuspecting recipients, with many other shoppers gifted with similar surprises over the weekend.

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Oceana with a Woolworths staff member. Photo supplied

The highly anticipated refurbishment of the Airlie Beach Boardwalk is complete, with the section between Pinnacles Resort and the VMR now upgraded to similar standards as the Coral Sea Marina section.

For 13 weeks, Stage 2 of this refurbishment was undertaken, in order to reinvigorate the boardwalk and meet the demand and expectations of residents and visitors who regularly use the boardwalk.

The project included widening the boardwalk by one metre, in order to increase user capacity and alleviate conflict between pedestrians and cyclists.

The timber of the boardwalk was also replaced with recycled composite fibre materials, which will extend the boardwalk’s lifetime significantly.

There are also additional lighting fixtures to help night time visibility and user safety.

The Stage 2 upgrades were officially opened by Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson at a ceremony last Friday, with users encouraged to make full use of the new boardwalk.

The opening coincided with Airlie Beach Parkrun’s 8th birthday celebrations and the expected influx of visitors due to school holiday break.

Plants Whitsunday was awarded the tender, with Wangers supplying the materials for the refurbishment, and the project was supported by the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant.

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Whitsunday Councillors, Council members and residents celebrating the newly opened boardwalk. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

This week marks the official end of the 2023 crushing season of Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Proserpine Mill.

Group Manager Operations James Wallace said the last cane was crushed at 4.24pm on Saturday 9 December.

“We processed just over 1.7 million tonnes of sugarcane for the season, to manufacture about 240,000 tonnes of raw sugar,” Mr Wallace said.

“I’d like to thank all of our Proserpine employees for their hard work in processing this year’s crop. They’ve put in a stellar effort and should be proud of their achievements.

“I’d also like to thank the growers and harvesting operators for working with us to get the whole crop off.”

Mr Wallace said the 2023 season was characterised by a slightly smaller crop, but higher sugar content, due to the El Nino weather conditions.

“The total crop was about 5.5 per cent down on our pre-season estimate of 1.8 million tonnes, but the average yield was good at close to 84 tonnes per hectare,” Mr Wallace said.

“The drier conditions did support good sugar content this year. We ended up with a provisional season CCS of 14.52 units, which is above the original forecast.”

Proserpine Cane Supply Manager Jed Page commended harvesting operators for working hard to maintain a continuous supply of cane to the factory.

“We ensured there was a good flow of communication between our logistics team and the harvesting sector, and it resulted in good cane supply,” he said.

“The harvesting sector has a tough job to do, and we appreciate their dedication and hard work,” he said.

Mr Page said although the production season had ended, locos and track maintenance vehicles would continue to use the cane rail network over the coming months for bin maintenance and track work.

“Please continue to use your train brain and approach all cane crossings with caution.”

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Proserpine Mill employees mark the last bin for the 2023 season. Pictured, back from left, are Ryan Muller, Billie O’Brien, Debbie Taylor, Operations Superintendent Jamie Bell, and Letitia Taylor-Smith. At front, from left, are Mitchell Davis and Oliver Rasmussen. Photo supplied

Bowen’s claim to fame is back on the big screen, with Baz Lurhermann’s Australia being reimagined into a new six-part miniseries, called Faraway Downs.

The 2008 movie was filmed in Bowen, and pushed our small regional town into global stardom, with many local icons and personalities playing keys roles in the blockbuster film.

The Faraway Downs series features 2.1 metres of film that the original movie’s director, Baz Lurhmann, had kept in his possession and has not been seen until now.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy, said it was very exciting that Bowen was being featured again as part of this new series.

“It is currently being screened in the US which is fantastic news for Bowen,” she said.

“We are hoping this may spark some interest from Americans who will see the beauty of Bowen via this new series.

“The original movie was partially filmed here in Bowen in 2008 with the cast and crew spending several months in town.

“A lot of locals still recall talking to Hugh Jackman in the street and that Nicole Kidman celebrated her 40th birthday while in town.

“A lot of visitors to the Bowen Visitor Information Centre still ask us about the movie and what it was like in Bowen while it was being filmed.

“At Bowen’s Front Beach, there are story boards with information about the movie.”

Faraway Downs is available for streaming on Hulu, Star+ and Disney from now.

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Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in ‘Australia’ reimagination. Photo supplied

It was a weekend of a lifetime for Robert Hendrickson at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music.

More affectionally known as Robbie, he was tasked with an important job for the festival, as an Accessibility Ambassador at the Main Tent, greeting people as they entered.

Robbie is part of Endeavour Foundation, who partnered with the Airlie Beach Festival of Music to sponsor an elevated accessibility platform for individuals of various abilities to be able to view the main stage from a great vantage point.

“The platform was especially for people with wheelchairs and mobility issues, which was so great to have,” explained Jody Flaherty, Endeavour Foundation’s Home and Community Site Manager for Cannonvale.

From here, attendees were able to watch and enjoy the main stage uninterrupted.

Robbie proved determined in his job, enthusiastically welcoming over 2000 people through the gates over the weekend, and handing out Endeavour Foundation wristbands.

“He was very well known over the weekend,” Jody explained.

He was even called up on stage with local musician David Flower and had a dance while the band played on.

“It was amazing,” Robbie said.

This is the third year Robbie attended the festival.

“But by far the best year,” he said.

Robbie has vowed to return as an Accessibility Ambassador next year.  For Robbie, greeting people was more than just a job — it was a way to exercise his independence, showcase his skills and feel part of the community.

“We wanted to give out some of our merchandise, and make sure people knew about the platform,” Jody explained.

“That’s why we had Robbie as a greeter.”

With the platform well utilised by people who needed it, the festival was enjoyed by all.

Budget airline Bonza has once again cancelled a range of services, including the scheduled launch of the new Whitsunday Coast Airport to the Gold Coast route.

Now postponed for the second time, Bonza reasons the delay due to the “regulatory process for the new aircraft joining the fleet,” as explained by Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza.

“As we’ve previously shared, in the short term we will use an aircraft leased from our partner Flair at our Gold Coast base whilst we recruit Aussie crew for this third base.

“This arrangement brings with it a separate regulatory approval process. That process is progressing but is not yet complete and, as a result, we’ve had to make the regrettable decision to defer some routes to/from the Gold Coast including Whitsundays.

“The new start date for the impacted routes is currently being worked through but we remain very committed to offering a service to regional Australia and deeply apologise for having to make this decision,” he said.

Whitsunday region locally grown produce has travelled onto the international centre stage, with the ‘Taste of Queensland’ Agricultural Trade delegation.

Travelling to Japan just over a week ago, the delegation was led by Queensland Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Mark Furner and included horticultural growers from across North Queensland.

Ry Collins, Chief Executive Officer of Bowen Gumlu Growers Association, was a member of the delegation and commented, "This delegation has been a phenomenal opportunity to put North Queensland's world-class produce on the global stage.”

Showcasing the quality of the produce of the Whitsundays, the delegation aimed to promote further investment into Whitsunday agriculture.

Notable events included a 'Taste of Queensland' Horticulture celebration, where Queensland's finest fresh produce was presented to Japanese wholesale and retail buyers, demonstrating the quality and variety our region offers.

Additionally, growers had the opportunity to attend the Tokyo Ota markets, Japan's largest fresh produce wholesale market, further highlighting the significant potential of North Queensland's horticultural produce to a Japanese market of 125 million people.

Also on the schedule were important meetings with prominent supermarket chain, Yaoko, and businesses such as Salad Club, Kewpie, and Amelia Tomatoes, expanding further import opportunities and promoting local producers.

These events and meetings provided an invaluable platform for growers to display and taste-test their products directly with Japanese consumers.

“The potential for trade with Japan is immense, and we are excited about the prospects of expanding our market reach, which will not only benefit our growers but also contribute significantly to the economic growth prospects of our region,” Mr Collins explained.

“BGGA would like to thank the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Trade and Investment Queensland for inviting us to join Minister Furner’s Trade and Investment Mission to Japan this week and their support developing this key market”.

Taste of Queensland event with Minister Mark Furner and grower. Photo supplied

A huge thank you to all that attended the combined Tourism Whitsunday and Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce Christmas party. It was a great night with everyone enjoying the mixed company and relaxed format. As the Chamber looks forward to 2025, we look forward to working more closely with TW for the benefit of all our members.

Industrial Relations – Whilst it’s a busy time for all businesses, and many looking forward to a well-earned break, please don’t forget to keep an eye on new and existing industrial relations rules to ensure you are on top of your employment responsibilities.

These are industrial changes that have been in the pipeline for a while but took effect from December 6, 2023. There will be new requirements for employers regarding fixed term contracts that relate to how long they can be, how many times they can be renewed, and consecutive contracts with consequences to the employment status of that contractor – such that they become consider a full-time employee.

There are more industrial relations changes on the horizon with the national Closing Loopholes Bill considering a new definition for casual employment, the contested idea of wage theft, right of entry, and conditions for employee-like workers. It is not a time to be out of touch with IR changes.

The Chamber is exploring options to provide industrial relations expertise to its members to ensure they are informed and compliant moving forward. We understand many larger businesses will have inhouse HR expertise, but it is the small businesses in the region that will benefit from such a service. In the meantime, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman to learn more.

Next events – Keeping our members informed is a cornerstone of our education and events program. We have released dates for our 2024 calendar and invite you to save the date. See our website for details. The highlight of the calendar will be the Chamber’s inaugural Whitsundays Business Conference – a day of inspiring speakers, practical workshops, and networking – on Friday 31 May 2024. The entire business community is welcome.