By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay

The harvest season brings with it certain risks, not just for farming and harvest crews, but also at times for the community.

In recent weeks, and across the state, we have seen a variety of accidents, on farms, on roads and on the cane rail network.

It is always saddening to see people hurt in the course of their work, or in the course of just getting about their daily business.

October is Safe Work month, so it is timely to think about the highly varied workplaces that we find in agriculture, and particularly during the cane harvest season. Our workplace is out in the paddock, in the shed, out on the road and in the sidings. Often our workplace is also our home.

We are now five months into the crush, and milling performance issues mean that we are well behind where we should be, and that the crush is likely to butt up against Christmas once again. There’s a long haul ahead yet.

So, it’s no time to become complacent about safety.

For growers and harvest crews, who are dealing with the challenges of facing that extended crush season, who might be working in the dark on early or late starts, who might be becoming frustrated if they are supplying to a mill that has stopped and started with delays all crush long. And there’s the older folks in the industry, some in their 70s and 80s – and there are plenty of them - who are grappling with all those factors plus the effects of age. All round, there is tiredness, there is frustration. There is the anxiety that once again, a portion of our crop - our livelihood - will stand unharvested in the paddocks.

But it is vital to keep our minds on the job. There’s no room for shortcuts or lapses in concentration. We want to see that every day, every person working in our industry goes home safely to their loved ones.

On top of the risks on the ground, it is timely to also remember the Look Up and Live message around power lines, whether people are moving harvest gear or irrigation equipment.

There are plenty of resources out there to help people improve their safety practices. Ergon offers a great free app that uses GPS to help pinpoint power line hazards, with a video how-to guide. Just Google it and it will be easily found.

And CANEGROWERS members, don’t forget your membership gives you access to tailored sugarcane growing industry Workplace Health and Safety resources via the local and state website’s members area.

To the community, we ask for your continued patience and vigilance with what can be slow moving large vehicles across the road and loco network. To take care and be vigilant when getting around our harvest vehicles, when crossing tramlines. This year, there is movement almost any time of day around the farms and mills.

‍

There are many safety issues across harvest - on the road, in the siding and around the railways. Photo credit: Kirili Lamb

‍

On World Mental Health Day, Beyond Blue is sharing mental health coaching tips to help people navigate everyday life stresses.

NewAccess Mental Health Coach Gemma Danahay supports people using a low intensity CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) coaching program, developed by Beyond Blue.

“More and more people are coming to me due to financial stress, as cost of living pressures escalate. The other main issues are relationship problems, work stresses, and grief and loss and sudden life changes,” Ms Danahay, who works with Lives Lived Well in Queensland said.

Here are five practical coaching tips to help relieve stresses that can build up.

● Deal with problems one at a time - breakdown problems into bite-size pieces

● Notice common thinking traps – all or nothing thinking, self-blame, repetitive thinking

● Have realistic goals – make it achievable, it doesn’t have to be perfect

● Balance is key - schedule pleasurable activities as well as work/family commitments

● Healthy habits - keep both body and mind healthy

● Beyond Blue’s lead clinician Dr Grant Blashki says there are multiple benefits to using low intensity CBT and problem solving to support our mental health.

“People who are using the skills are often able to reduce their negative thinking patterns, the severity of their symptoms, and find that they develop new coping skills that they can apply to other problems in their lives,” Dr Blashki said.

“A structured approach helps people to stay focused on their goals and people often come away feeling quite empowered that they have some new strategies to manage common stresses in life.

“An added benefit is these are skills that are useful in relationships, in parenting, and even in a workplace context and help people to be able to zoom out and look at thoughts, feelings and actions in day-to-day situations.”

Developed by Beyond Blue in 2013, NewAccess provides support for mild to moderate anxiety, depression, and life stresses, using specially trained and clinically supervised mental health coaches. It’s free and doesn’t require a GP referral.

Phone 1300 22 4636 or visit beyondblue.org.au/getsupport for Beyond Blue Support Services.

‍

OPINION PIECE

Someone pointed out to me the other day that young people would not know what a “carbon copy” is because they would never have come across a carbon copy of anything.

The move to the digital age has made carbon copies redundant, however, in an excellent twist of irony and a delightful merging of old with new, we still use the term CC when copying people in on emails.

Those same young people probably would not know that CC is an abbreviation of carbon copy.

By way of a short history lesson and for those resilient youngsters who are still sticking with my train of thought, a long, long time ago before personal computers and before emails, our letters and other forms of communication were often produced on paper.                                                                                                            

It was a time even before photocopiers. Let’s not even go into telegrams. Stop.

Anyway, to provide a copy of a letter or document, a carbon copy was created by putting the typed letter or document directly over carbon paper so the imprint came out in the carbon paper below. The carbon copy was an exact replica of the original that was placed above it and could be provided to those who needed to be given copies, or “copied in” as we would say these days.

I know most readers know all this but we often forget the blissful ignorance of youth and it is important not to exclude the dear things.

I heard a slightly gossipy friend of mine labelled a “town crier” the other day and his young friend said: “That’s right, you’re such a sook. You get upset about everything.” We had to explain that a town crier was not someone who spent all day blubbering.

In the real estate world it is important, as an agent, to understand the age and demographic of the people you are dealing with.

Younger buyers have expectations of things that are not necessarily important to older people and whether you agree or disagree with what that person expects or desires, the point is that is what they want.

Younger buyers “these days” tend to expect more modern fittings and fixtures in a way that young people 30 years ago did not expect. There’s no point in judging that and telling them they should be satisfied with something dated because the important thing is that they get in the market and “it’s better than renting”.

My wife recently told a young friend that we were going to be moving out of our house for a week because our bathroom was being renovated. Her young friend looked at her with a blank stare as if to say: “why would you do that?”

My wife realised that the young friend had never lived in a house with one bathroom and assumed we would use the second bathroom while the reno was being done.

I love living in West Mackay and I’d rather live in my one-bathroom house than move somewhere else bigger and flasher (sorry kids) but that’s just me.

It’s different for other people and the important thing as an agent is to understand what other people, younger or older, want and to focus on their needs. Copy that.

‍

OPINION PIECE

Everyone has a right to be seen and heard, don’t they?

It was a privilege to attend the concert celebrating 15 years of the Choir of Unheard Voices on Sunday, October 1, 2023. The choir is a singing space where they sing with heart and laugh with joy. It is a safe and welcoming space for anyone who wishes to be there.

Wonderfully led by Margaret Ross and Carol Willis, the choir began as a project to change people’s lives through singing and is still changing lives 15 years on. The choir works within the community as a performance and teaching group and is an advocate for reducing stigma of mental health and disability by their presence, their songs and their stories.

Margaret and Carol are such humble people who do not do what they do for accolades.  When Margaret and Carol were crowned as “Queens” at the concert, they were both uncomfortable about being in the limelight. They showed that they love what they do and the joy on the faces of the group and the audience is all they need. Quite simply, they do what they do to make a difference in the lives of people who are sometimes forgotten, unseen and unheard by the community.

It was fantastic to see the Groove Moovers supporting the choir during the concert. The Groove Moovers are a dance therapy group, and their dance is not choreographed, nor is their performance what you would typically think when you hear about a dance group. The group is all about the participants expressing themselves in a way their body wants to move without the need for words being said. Quite simply, the group can be a very therapeutic way of healing trauma.

For me, I loved the performances and the celebrations, and I felt the joy of the performers as they entertained the appreciative crowd that gathered to mark this very special milestone. If you are interested in finding out more about either group, check them out on their Facebook pages (Unheard Voices Collective and Groove Moovers).

Cr Fran Mann

Mackay Regional Council

‍

OPINION PIECE

There’s a heap of things to love about this weekend and I reckon you are going to have a few smiling faces at your place guaranteed.

If you love fast cars, and the smell of smoke, head out to Palmyra because you’ll be happy to know there will be drag action happening. Head towards Walkerston, and if you get close to Finch Hatton you’ve gone too far.

But hey if you’re up around The Gorge, you might as well keep driving and head up to Eungella. The temperature is just perfect, the birdlife is going off their heads, and the platypus are just waiting to be found at Broken River. It’s a magic spot to be in spring. You can sneak up on our Aussie mammals “getting to know each other” and can I say by personal experience, when they see you looking at them, they get all embarrassed and hide away again. It happens to us all, really it does.

One of the biggest events this weekend is happening at Walkerston Wests Leagues Club. The annual Run for Mi Life event. Sure, it’s an event where you can run, walk, crawl or even do a piggy-back together.

It’s an annual event raising awareness and money to tackle mental health around our district. Our region lost a great bloke Matthew Ivory back in 2012 and this event is to remember him, and to tackle mental health head on, plus save lives each day.

If you can sign up and run the 3k, 5k and 10k events that would be great. Bring your dogs so they can walk you, bring your prams too and let the kids walk with you as well. It’ll be a great morning filled with tears, smiles and lots of hugs.

Unfortunately, I can’t be there as I’ll be in Sydney yet again this year. That’ll be four times this year which I think is a record. This Sunday morning at the same time, I’ll be waking up from the annual ACRAS, which is our national radio awards, of which 4MK is a finalist in the Best Community Campaign when we helped All Abilities Mackay with 4MK’s Kilometre of Coins. The boss is sending me down tomorrow morning with my black suit all at the ready. I’ll let you know how we go.

That’s about it from me for now, I’m off to get ready for tonight’s big gala event at the MECC for the annual Mackay Isaac Tourism Awards. The black tie will get a run tonight as we cheer on and thank everyone who goes above and beyond for our beautiful region.

Hospitality legends, accommodation providers, tourist experiences of a lifetime and everyone involved in tourism will all be showcased tonight and I’m looking forward to it. I’m a current board member of MIT and I’m proud to be a small part of what is just something very special happening right here in our own backyard.

Remember we are all involved in tourism. All of us. Spread the word about why this is the best place to live on earth.

You can join Rob Kidd from 5am weekday mornings on 4MK 1026 AM in Mackay and Proserpine, 91.5FM in Airlie Beach or just ask your smart speaker to play 4MK on iHeartRadio!

‍

Hundreds of football fans flooded into the newly opened Whitsunday Sportspark Club House on Sunday to watch the Australian Rugby League Team’s training session.

And, while the Kangaroos showed their skills, so too did a young Whitsunday resident who proved his knowledge of football stats surpassed even some of the team’s own players.

For the past six days, the Australian Rugby League Team have been training at the Whitsundays Sportspark ahead of their big game against Samoa tomorrow night.

Spotted at many local venues, the team have been kind and accommodating to all their fans, obliging the crowd by signing countless shirts and footy balls.

One fan, however, got the five-star treatment when he amazed legendary coach Mal Meninga and Captain Daly Cherry-Evans with his aptitude for remembering every detail of each round played this season.

Quizzed by both footy idols, seven-year-old Rocco Gomez who attends St Catherine’s Catholic College, was able to answer every question asked.

“He did an amazing job - my mind was blown because I asked him what I thought were going to be some pretty tricky questions that I thought was going to stump him, but they just didn’t!” said Daly Cherry-Evans.

“He’s got an amazing gift and I’m sure he’s going to put it to good use one day and keep tricking people!”

Rocco’s dad, Andrew said his son’s amazing ability to remember footy stats extends to other important life moments.

“He’s a big stat man and he just lives and breathes it!” he said.

“He really enjoys sitting down and watching the games, the highlights, everything on YouTube, he takes it in, and it just stays there.

“And not only does he remember what happened in the rounds, he also remembers what happened that weekend in our lives, it’s amazing!”

Troy Thompson, Manager of the Kangaroos, said that it was great to meet Rocco and the broader Whitsunday community.

“The response from the community has been overwhelming and being able to take the team to a regional location really freshens them up,” he said.

“To be able to use the Whitsundays Sportspark has been phenomenal and the guys at the Airlie Beach Hotel have been very accommodating too.”

President of Whitsunday Sportspark, Justin Butler, said it was wonderful to see the newly opened facility attract such a high-profile sport already.

“That’s part of what the spending was all about, not just developing the community but also bringing that tourism type sport here - it’s huge for the town.

“Rugby League have just grabbed the facility and the quality playing field we have, and I’ve calculated that they’ve used about 250 room nights in town.

“We hope to attract many more higher-level sports and pre-season camps to the region and have already asked them to spread the word around.”

‍

7-year-old Rocco Gomez stunned the Australian Rugby League team with his incredible knowledge of the sport. Photo credit: Norina Jane

Rocco Gomez sat down with footy legend Mal Meninga who was amazed at the young boy’s ability to recall stats.

Kangaroos Captain, Daly Cherry-Evans, filmed a pop-quiz with Rocco for Whitsunday Life

The new Whitsunday Sportspark Club House was a fantastic location for crowds to gather and watch the training session

‍

Hi Everyone,

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this week you are probably aware that the Australian Rugby League Team has been in the region, training ahead of their big match against Samoa in Townsville tomorrow.

Hundreds of people came along to their training session at Whitsunday Sportspark on Sunday and crowds also gathered at the Grand View Hotel in Bowen yesterday for a Meet and Greet.

Despite having never watched an entire game of footy in my life, I have to confess that I couldn’t help but get swept up in the excitement and the buzz of high profile sport this week.

It was fantastic to witness first-hand how sport really captures the heart of small regional communities like ours and I was astounded to see just how excited young footy fans got when they had the chance to meet their heroes.

It was electric!

A huge congratulations must go to the committee of the Whitsunday Sportspark whose vision to create a first-class community sporting venue with facilities to attract high profile clubs has definitely paid off.

It was wonderful to see the community sit in the grandstands, enjoy the air-conditioned Club House and see how comfortable our visiting national sports players were during their visit.

It was also great to hear how local businesses had made the Aussie team feel welcome, but also that it worked both ways with the players regularly taking time to meet the fans and sign autographs.

I was talking to someone from the Airlie Beach Festival of Music this week and she was saying how music is one of those universal things that brings all sorts of people together to share in an experience.

I think exactly the same can be said for sport – it unites us all – even un-sporty types like me felt part of something much bigger this week, the energy was contagious!

Rach

Quote of the Week: “From the pitch to the crowd to the world, there is nothing quite like sport to bring people together” (Richard Branson)

‍

An appreciative parent took to ‘Whitsundays Noticeboard’ over the weekend to write an anonymous post about a local fitness group who they credit with transforming their child’s life.

And, despite being an anonymous post, a flood of support has been received since.

“Huge shout out and recommendation for Whitsunday Martial Arts,” the post starts.

“New to the area and my teenage son sadly found himself the victim of a group beating for a pair of shoes. I approached the club after the attack.

“The owners, Dan and Anton, were amazing.

“I cannot recommend them highly enough.

“They have gone above and beyond to help.”

Anton Zafir, one of the two owners shared that the club welcomes anyone.

“We are about getting to know everyone in the club, we’re not a platform to cripple or give excuses to quit,” Anton said.

“We have all sorts of people come into the club, and it’s great for the kids to see some of the big guys and see what they can achieve themselves.

“That everything is possible, with hard work, dedication, and drive.”

The Club has a youth session every single day, five days a week, in the disciplines of MMA, Jiu Jitsu and Boxing.

“The classes have drastically improved my son’s fitness, confidence, and discipline,” the post said.

“If you are considering giving boxing a go, WMA is the place!”

The club also have a personal trainer, a 17-year-old who made the move to Airlie Beach to facilitate youth personal training, building confidence with someone who understands what it’s like to be going through the teenage years.

‍

Whitsunday Martial Arts, helping everyone better themselves and overcome challenges. Photo: Shutterstock

The Whitsundays was well represented at the annual Queensland Information Centre’s Association (QICA) conference in Agnes Water and 1770 last week.

Three team members from the Bowen Visitor Information Centre and one from the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre at Proserpine attended the conference.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy said this was a great chance to showcase our region and exchange ideas.

“It was great learning experience as we were able to network with other staff and volunteers from Visitor Information Centres across the entire state.

“From Longreach to Injune, north to Babinda and south to Noosa and the Sunshine Coast, they are a great bunch of people all passionate about their own regions,” she said.

“By being able to network like this, we all came home with ideas about how to improve the visitor servicing in our own region.”

There are about 100 accredited Visitor Information Centres in Queensland, and the annual conference is held in a different location each year.

Kingaroy will host the conference next year.

The speakers at this year’s conference included tourism operators, representatives from other Regional Tourism Organisations and Tourism and Events Queensland.

Bowen hosted the annual conference in 2019.

‍

Dea Huvonen, Leanne Abernethy, Glenn Womal and Kerry Meier represented the Whitsundays at the annual QICA conference. Photo supplied

PCYC Whitsundays

2489 Shute Harbour Road, Airlie Beach

8am – 6pm

Cannonvale State School

58 Coral Esplanade, Cannonvale

8am – 6pm

St Catherine’s Catholic College: Primary Campus

96Renwick Road, Proserpine                              

8am – 6pm

Hamilton Island Resort

8am – 6pm

Bloomsbury State School

8545 Bruce Highway, Bloomsbury

8am – 6pm

PCYC Bowen

Hay Street and Queens Road, Bowen

8am – 6pm

Queens Beach State School

37-39 Tracey Street, Bowen

8am – 6pm

‍

Medical Transfer Bus Picks Up Momentum

Patients travelling from the Whitsundays to Mackay for outpatient medical appointments are encouraged to utilise the free transfer bus that can pick-up and return to the region on the same day.

The service was launched in July this year and it has seen a steady stream of locals jump aboard, but the Mackay Hospital Foundation said there is often room for more.

“There are 33 outpatient services at Mackay Base Hospital and the service is specifically for those who have appointments through the public health system,” said Mackay Hospital Foundation General Manager, Kristi Algate.

“Some reasons for patients utilising the service have been for ophthalmology, chemotherapy, day surgery and orthopaedic appointments.”

Prior to the launch of the medical bus there were stories of patients unable to attend appointments because they could not get there, so it is important that word is spread, encouraging as many people in the community as possible to utilise the service.

Macrossan and Amiet Charitable Foundation has once again committed funding to assist with the operational costs of the bus and the Foundation is now looking for a local business who would like to donate to the fuel costs.

The medical bus runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, departing from the Cannonvale Community Health Centre at 6am, Proserpine Hospital at 6.45am and Bloomsbury BP Service Station at 7.45am.

It departs Mackay Base Hospital on those same days at 2.30pm for the return trip back to Cannonvale.

To book, call Mackay Hospital Foundation office on 4885 5915.

‍

These friendly volunteer bus drivers will take you to Mackay for your medical appointments. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

‍

Cruise Disappointed

Cruise Whitsundays released a statement earlier this week outlining how disappointed they are that all negotiations have once again fallen short of a resolution with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA).

As a result, the MUA have announced its third seven-day strike action which is due to commence today, a move which Cruise Whitsundays say is disappointing not only to the company but also the employees who are keen to move on.

Cruise Whitsundays say they believe offers have been “fair and reasonable”, with over 30 claims already agreed to and a 9.6% average wage increase in 2023 (or 10.5% for tenured employees).

“This offer is well ahead of the average FairWork approved agreements of 3.8% in the last quarter, over 4% ahead of the national CPI and the wage growth index.”

‍

Community minded individuals are encouraged to attend the upcoming Queensland Police Recruitment Seminar which is due to take place in Bowen next week.

The event will provide those interested in a career as a police officer with a range of relevant information and it will also give attendees the opportunity to ask questions about the application process.

Facilitated by Senior Constable Steve Smith and Sergeant Nigel Dalton from Mackay Police and Senior Sergeant Craig Shepherd from Bowen Police Station, this is an opportunity to connect with the region’s police force.

Senior Constable Smith said they held a similar seminar in Mackay in September which was very successful and became the impetus to hold another event in Bowen.

This location was chosen because Bowen is a central hub, easily accessible for a range of communities living with the Whitsundays and Burdekin areas.

“We hope this event encourages people from Collinsville, Ayr, Home Hill, Proserpine and Airlie Beach,” he explained.

“The Mackay event was a bit of a litmus test and was huge - 47 people came – one was even from Bloomsbury!”

Senior Constable Smith has been with the police force for 32 years and said that he travelled over 900 kilometres from his hometown of Mount Isa to attend a recruitment event all those years ago.

“The Recruitment Seminars provide a lot more in-depth information that’s not available on the web,” he explained.

The event will give details about the entire process, from checking eligibility through to getting prepared for the academy and sitting exams.

Prior to attending, however, those interested are encouraged to take a self-check test on the police recruitment website where they can check whether they are eligible.

When asked what qualities recruiters are looking for, Senior Constable Smith said they want community orientated people who already show service to the people in different aspects of their lives.

He also said that recruits need to be prepared for a strong study discipline to be introduced into the lives and have a slightly higher than basic level of fitness.

Anyone over the age of 17 can apply, but you need to be 18 to commence work.

“Younger people who have recently left school are familiar with the study,” he said.

“But with the retirement age at 60, we recently took on a 1st year who was 57 and used to be in the army - he gave three years’ service.”  

Open to anyone with a good heart and community conscience, if you are interested in a career in the police force, make sure you attend this recruitment event.

WHAT: Queensland Police Recruitment Seminar

WHERE: PCYC, Queens Beach Bowen

WHEN: Thursday, October 19 from 6pm

‍

The recent Police Recruitment night in Mackay was so popular that it prompted Officers to hold a second event in Bowen next week. Photo supplied

‍

Dedicated and passionate, that is how you would describe Bowen Meals On Wheels chef Tamarra Robson.

Recognised on Aged Care Employee Day, on August 7, Tamarra has been a vital cog of the Bowen Meals On Wheels team for over 10 years.

Bowen Meals on Wheels Treasurer Chris Storrie says that Tamarra has “clocked up to 10 years of employment just a month ago”.

“I can’t recall her ever having a day off, and when she isn’t feeling 100 per cent, she makes sure everything is ready before we send her home,” Chris explained.

“She is so flexible and always eager and able to help.”

During her 10 years with Bowen Meals on Wheels, Tamarra has become a staple, a compassionate and adaptable individual, who goes above and beyond for clients and volunteers alike.

“We couldn’t operate how we are without her.

“We’re currently looking for a relief chef, so that we can force her to have a holiday!” Chris laughed.

Throughout the 10 years, Tamarra has overseen the growth of the service, from 40 clients to closer to 80, each receiving meals regularly, be it daily, weekly, or monthly.

“We’re getting busier and busier,” Chris explained.

“Tamarra is in the kitchen from 6.15am, with three to four volunteers, and at about 10.20am, 12 or so volunteers arrive to do the deliveries.”

This busy operation keeps everyone on their toes, but the clients sing praises to Tamarra and the team at Bowen Meals on Wheels.

‍

Tamarra Robson, recognised for her dedicated work after 10 years of service with Bowen Meals On Wheels. Photo supplied

The Proserpine Community Centre and Community Response to Eliminating Suicide (CORES) will be hosting their next Suicide Prevention Training for Whitsunday locals next week.

This training will equip participants with the ability to identify the early warning signs of suicide so they know what to say, what to do, and where to go to get further help.

Also on the training agenda is essential skills to help an individual at risk, how to support that person to access services, and how to promote help-seeking behaviour before a crisis occurs.

Each participant will also be able to identify their own self-care strategies, in order to keep themselves safe and healthy.

WHAT: CORES Suicide Intervention Training

WHERE: Proserpine Community Centre, 36 Gardenia Street

WHEN: Friday October 20, from 9am to 4pm

COST: Free

RSVP: bit.ly/3P6RmOL

‍

Participants who completed the suicide prevention training earlier this year. Photo supplied

‍