Opinion piece

The Housing Summit has been and gone and the numbers are scary, with approximately 1,200 homeless in the Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaacs areas.  

We need the results of this to be more than just data collection. We need to see some action in the short term to address our deteriorating position. You can judge the effectiveness of the summit over the next six months through signs of reduction in the homeless in our region.

The current problems are caused by a higher-than-expected population growth, compounded by a slower rate of new housing stock coming online. This has led to declining rental stock and an increased rental stress due to rent increases.

This rental stress is being felt by all, with the most concerning area being pensioners and those on low incomes, as they have the least ability to cope with the rise.

We are also seeing a larger number of what I call the working class homeless – those who have come here to help fill our labour shortage but can’t find anywhere to stay. I have even spoken to one businessman who had an employee from out of town accept a role with his company only to decline it when he could not find suitable accommodation.  

The solution of building more housing is great, but let’s face it, by time approvals are done and materials sourced, coupled with the shortage of contactors, it could be two years away at best. Even then, our population growth may continue and outstrip our building rate and the situation will be the same.

So, what do I think can be done? Well, I really would like to see serious consideration given to some form of temporary mine-style accommodation as an interim measure. This type of initiative could provide a larger quantity of housing in less than six months. Yes, this would be basic accommodation, but it would be a roof over someone’s head and far safer than what many rough sleepers are currently enduring. Then, if and when the housing stock catches up, the sites can be decommissioned.

To achieve this, it will need the involvement of all three levels of government at ministerial level working together in a proactive way. Passing the buck or using the blame game will not solve the problem. Our ever-increasing numbers of homeless need help now.

Cr Laurence Bonaventura

Mackay Regional Council

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If I tell you something very special, do you promise not to tell anyone else? Promise? No? Well, OK, let me tell you anyway.

This weekend is one of the biggest concerts ever seen in Mackay.

Sure, we’ve seen some big names here over the years! Elton John for one. Even having KISS play here years ago was an amazing experience too. I even remember watching Dire Straits back in ’86 and what a show that was! The list of artists that have played here is just incredible.

This weekend we are adding to that list, with the latest QCCS NQ’s Rockin’ Country music festival at the Mackay Showgrounds! Can I get you excited with a few of the acts first? Morgan Evan and Gord Bamford are two artists that are starting their national tours here in good old Mackay! It’s just insane.

Troy Cassar-Daley, Shannon Noll, Adam Brand, Jayne Denham, Chad Morgan, Pete Denahy and so many more will all be playing on that massive stage tomorrow and Sunday. The sound will be incredible, the food will be great, and the MC (me) will be, well I’ll give it my best shot as always.

This will be the third year in a row that the festival will be on and it’s drawing people from all over NQ for this weekend of music and fun. You can get your tickets now, but you know what else it’s doing? Raising money for Variety, the Children’s Charity and Ronald McDonald House. These organisations do so much for our kids, and this is our way to give back to the community, plus have some fun at the same time.

If you’re driving around town today, drive past the showgrounds and see how big that stage is up at the showgrounds. From Milton St, or even looking from Gordon Street it’s just massive! I can’t wait.

Oh, and a little secret that I sort of mentioned before. This afternoon from 4pm, the gates will be open to the showgrounds for a free concert for anyone to come along to before the main shows start tomorrow. It’s a free fightback concert on the main stage, with four artists that you will love. Come and have a look, grab some dinner, and sit back and relax.

I’ll see you there! I’ll be the bloke in the big hat and blue shirt! You can’t miss me!

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!

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By Bronte Hodge

The Whitsunday community has been rocked by a spike in road accidents over the past six weeks, with five fatalities across the Mackay and Whitsunday region, four of which occurred in the Whitsundays.

This comes off the back of a wider eight-month period of fatal accidents that have claimed 10 lives in the region to date, almost half locally within the last two months.

Across Queensland to date this year, 170 lives have sadly been lost on Queensland roads, with 10 deaths alone occurring in the Mackay and Whitsunday area, five of which occurred in the past six weeks.

The most recent traffic accident took place last Friday evening, just south of Glen Isla Road, where a 74-year-old Proserpine man’s ute collided with a truck travelling in the opposite direction.

Less than a month earlier, Oscar Jensen, a 24-year-old Gregory River man, tragically died when his ute left the road on Dingo Beach Road.

Then, on July 11, 47-year-old Proserpine man, Gavin Hussey, tragically passed away when his vehicle collided with a truck travelling in the opposite direction on Shute Harbour Road.

On the same day, Bentley Parsgaard, a 50-year-old Townsville man, was the passenger in a vehicle that collided with a coal train west of Bowen, and he died at the scene.

Prior to this, the community mourned the news that a 29-year-old Mackay woman died after the vehicle she was travelling in rolled on the Bruce Highway at Saint Lawrence.

Detective Inspector Emma Novosel spoke to the community on July 20, saying:

“The loss of one life on our roads is tragic, but the fact that we’ve lost four in the space of ten days is a great concern.”

“We’re just urging drivers to make good choices,” she said.

While investigations are still ongoing as to the cause of the accidents, Senior Constable Bradley Cunningham of the Bowen Highway Patrol said most accidents boil down to the Fatal Five: speeding, drink driving, seatbelts, distraction, and fatigue.

“People are not paying attention when driving, we hear it all the time when we pull someone over,” he said.

“Next week is Road Safety Week, with Operation Saturation taking place across the region.

“No matter if you see us or not, our patrol officers will be across the district, ensuring safe driving.”

Senior Constable of the Mackay Crime Prevention Unit, Stephen Smith said by their nature, crashes happen unexpectedly and very quickly. Lives can be changed forever and permanently. Every single trip, drivers must be alert.

“Every single traffic crash where a life is lost has an enormous impact on the families, community, workplaces and responding emergency services,” he explained.

“Drive with patience, if you are planning to drink, plan not to drive, avoid driving tired in all circumstances and finally, drive to the conditions.”

Sam Kissier, the life partner of Gavin Hussey, who tragically lost his life on July 11 said she was devastated to hear that even more people had died on local roads.

“I’d never want to see any other family go through this, it’s so tragic to see it happen again,” she said.

“I know how they are feeling because it happened to me and my family.

“When I read about the other deaths it took me right back and I relived the whole experience again, it was so sad.”

Ms Kissier said that Gavin had fallen asleep at the wheel and warns other road users about the dangers of fatigue.

“He suffered from undiagnosed sleep apnoea,” she said.

“And I told him to go to the doctor about it, but he didn’t.”

“We all need to drive safely, look out for each other and look for signs, take a break if you feel tired.”

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Faces of the tragic road toll: Victims who died on local roads over the last 12 months. Photos: Facebook

Family of Oscar Jensen, who tragically lost his life in July, held a touching memorial on the family property, celebrating a beautiful life lost. Photo: Facebook

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Hi Everyone,

On the front page this week you will see faces of people that have tragically lost their lives on our region’s roads in the last 12 months.

Every person you see was very special, they had loved ones whose lives will never be the same again and futures that will now remain untold.

We chose to put their faces up on the front page of the paper this week as a reminder to everyone in the community to be careful each time we get into our vehicles.

Driving is often a bit like walking – we jump in the car and run on auto-pilot – accelerating, braking, and turning is all done without us really realising what we are doing.

Meanwhile we are planning our days in our head, daydreaming about future holidays and assuming we will inevitably arrive at our destination.

I can put my hand up and say that I am a car-driving daydreamer; I will pass friends waving at me enthusiastically and not even notice they’re there, I will travel for long periods without remembering anything about how I got there.

The tragic events on the roads recently have reminded me not only about how fragile life is and how quickly it could all be taken away, but also that it is vitally important to pay attention when driving.

One mistake, one lapse in concentration, one chance over-take gone wrong, and any one of us could be the reason our own loved ones are crying that night.

Let’s pay attention to our own driving but also look out for others, check they are ok to drive and never take unnecessary risks with our own driving.

My own uncle died in a head-on collision with a truck when he was on his way to play golf one morning, he was only 27 years old.

The truck driver had fallen asleep at the wheel and this one lapse meant that my uncle’s two young children grew up without their father.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “The most precious jewels are not made of stone, but of flesh” (Robert Ludlum)

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Every parent’s nightmare is a sick kid vomiting in the car, not only is the child unwell, but the car’s interior is at risk of smelling like vomit for several years afterwards.

Mum of three, Crissy Bottrell, almost experienced this first-hand last week when she rushed to Cannonvale State School last week to pick up her youngest daughter who was sick and vomiting.

Once in the car, it became very clear that her daughter was still in the throes of sickness, so Crissy instantly pulled over and let her daughter out of the vehicle so she could vomit outside.

Sitting on the curb, the young girl was clearly struggling while her mother comforted her the best she could, wishing she’d had more warning and could have been better prepared.

It was at that moment that she looked up and saw a man walking towards them proffering a pile of helpful items that would make her daughter a lot more comfortable.

“He came over to us with spare vomit bags, a cold bottle of water and cloths to wash her face,” said Crissy.

“It was incredible to think that he had all these items to hand so quickly – what a hero!

“The spare vomit bag he gave us came in particularly useful as she needed it a few minutes into the drive after we left!

“We are very grateful for his kindness, and it shows how people in our community are selfless without a second’s thought.”

If you see someone struggling do you pull over to help them out?

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Stakeholders from across the region gathered at the Greater Whitsunday Communities’ Housing Summit held in Mackay on Tuesday.

The event was held to address housing issues and develop solutions to issues that were identified at the Greater Whitsunday Housing Roundtable which was held in December last year.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall attended the event and said the Housing Summit was a much-needed collaboration to find solutions to address gaps in our current housing system.

“Collaboration is key to unlocking new housing stock, and this Summit provides opportunities for public-private partnerships to form which will be essential to apply for State and Federal funding in the affordable housing space,” Mayor Hall said.

“While council itself is not an accommodation provider, we understand we have a role to play in supporting new housing supply from a facilitation perspective, applying our planning scheme appropriately, incentivising where appropriate, and potentially allocating land for social and affordable housing development,” she said.

“The problem is complex and multi-faceted with no quick fixes, but the Summit is a starting point, and we will build an action plan with many sub-projects coming out of the Summit, where some actions have a short-term focus, and others position us strategically for the long-term.”

Member for Whitsunday, Amanda Camm MP also attended the event and said she was thrilled to see such united forces come together to support such an important issue in the region.

“I congratulate Greater Whitsunday Communities for hosting the Housing Summit today, which I was pleased attend,” she said.

“To see the breadth and diversity of stakeholders who made valuable contributions to the discussions today, highlights the real impact the housing crisis is having across community, industry and development sectors in the region.”

Ms Camm said that key topics discussed included workforce housing, supply issues and the concern around investor confidence.

“Until this housing issue is addressed, the challenge for all industries will be the challenge of attracting workforce to our region. It is going to take a collaborative, region specific approach to finding a solution,” said Ms Camm.

“The Government must let regional stakeholders drive the response and not just dictate a one size fits all response from Brisbane.”

She calls on the state government to use the $2 billion housing investment fund to help regional communities find solutions to the current housing shortage.

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Gary Warrener – Economic Development Manager, Neil McGaffin – Director Development Services, Cr Michelle Wright, Mayor Julie Hall, CEO Warren Bunker, Cr Jan Clifford, Cr Clay Bauman, Artiqua Harrison – Strategic Planner.

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Domestic Violence

On August 8, a 37-year-old Mackay woman was arrested and charged with two counts of breaching a protection order and one count of common assault in relation to actions she took against a person’s neighbour. She will appear in court.

On August 11 at about 11pm, a 43-year-old Brisbane man was arrested for breaching a protection order and public nuisance offences within a safe night precinct due to his behaviour towards another person.

Grievous Bodily Harm

A 21-year-old Cannonvale man has been arrested for an alleged assault on August 14.

The alleged attack occurred at 3.10am on August 14, when the 21-year-old approached a 23-year-old Bungalow man.

The Bungalow man sustained life threatening injuries and was airlifted to Townsville, where he remains in a serious condition.

The 21-year-old has been charged with grievous bodily harm and appeared in Bowen Magistrates Court earlier this week.

Search Warrant

On August 12, police executed a search warrant on a Cannonvale address.

Police allege they located a large quantity of dangerous drugs including cocaine, amphetamines, ketamine, MDMA, GHB, as well as cannabis and cannabis plants. Police also located a replica handgun.

The 34-year-old male resident was arrested for drug offences and will appear in court.

Car Theft

On the evening of August 12, a white 2004 model Toyota Landcruiser was stolen from a large rural property on the Bruce Highway in Guthalungra.

The registration number for the vehicle is 455 CY6.

Trespass

A 22-year-old Cannonvale man was arrested and charged after entering a unit on Maeva Street property in Jubilee Pocket.

It is alleged the male entered the unit complex at about 3.25am and attempted to open to a door, then entered the unit’s gated courtyard and sat at the outdoor table. He will appear before the Proserpine Magistrates Court.

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With Hamburgers For Homelessness

With National Homelessness Week underway, the Bowen Neighbourhood Centre completed their annual Hamburgers for Homelessness last Thursday.

The annual event sees community members buy a hamburger, with all funds raised going towards supporting homeless people in Bowen.

According to the 2021 Census, nearly one on 200 people in Australia were homeless on Census night, with more than 122,494 people estimated to be homeless.  

Bowen Neighbourhood Centre aims to tackle these statistics locally by hosting this annual event.

On the day, rail freight company Aurizon, kicked off the pre-orders, with a $200 donation for their staff who were hand-delivered these tasty treats.

A total of 302 hamburgers were cooked by the dedicated volunteers on the day.

“That was triple what we’ve ever done before,” explained Stephanie Cora, the Executive Officer of the Bowen Neighbourhood Centre.

“We also had resources and brochures available which included statistic on state homelessness.

“It’s not just low-income earners any more, we’re seeing professionals and middle-income earners too.”

Whitsunday Mayor Julie Hall and Councillor Michelle Wright attended the event and were put to work cutting onions and flipping burgers.  

The event was championed by Lauren Moxham, of Community Connect, who works closely alongside other organisations to tirelessly source permanent and temporary housing for Bowen locals

The Bowen Neighbourhood Centre combats homelessness in a myriad of avenues, by providing services such as hot meals, hot shower, toiletries, emergency and food relief, laundry facilities, and assisting with travel to relocate.

The funds raised from Hamburgers for Homelessness will go towards material aid for people affected by homelessness, and include the purchase of tents, swags, radios, phones, and powerbanks.

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Janelle Casey 18.08.50 – 01.08.23

The Whitsundays have lost one of its most charming and compassionate community members earlier this month when Janelle Casey passed away peacefully surrounded by close friends and her much-loved husband, Phil.

Most well-known as the owner of Flower Hut, Janelle spent 20 years bringing people joy through her exceptional eye for flower design and styling.

During this time, she nurtured a close-knit team of dedicated staff who became like family to her.

Originally from Plimmerton, on the North Island of New Zealand, Janelle trained in traditional floristry at the age of 16.

She first met her husband Phil when they were just 10 years old, but fate led them in separate directions for many years.

“We didn’t meet again until 1989 when she came to my resort to have lunch with her nephew,” reminisces Phil.

“We started talking that day, but it took us about two years to get together.”

Phil said it wasn’t until 1996 that Janelle “finally decided I was worth keeping!” and they were married.

Together, the couple embarked on many adventures, most notably sailing their 44-foot yacht in a regatta with 32 other vessels from New Zealand to Tonga in 1994.

The expedition became infamous when a fluke storm hit the group of yachts, sinking eight.

Fortunately, Janelle and Phil lived to tell the tale and went on to spend time in Fiji and Vanuatu, before sailing to Brisbane and then Hamilton Island where they spent three years running an ice-cream parlour and then a seafood restaurant.

In 2001 they decided to venture over to the mainland where Janelle re-discovered a passion for floristry, infusing a dedication to perfection with creative flair to make incredible floral displays that are her legacy.

During this time, she met Sophie Hodgetts who became like a daughter to her.

“I was very lost at the time and Janelle always knew what you needed” said Sophie who became an apprentice at Flower Hut and worked for Janelle for nine years.

“She had a very big heart, but you had to earn her trust, respect and friendship.

“She was like my Miranda Presley from Devil Wears Prada – always telling us to stand up straight, present ourselves properly as we were a reflection of her.”

Phil also recalls Janelle’s dedication to presentation – “she was always a lady and liked to do everything properly,” he said.

Janelle is survived by “wonderful friends that looked after her to the end”, her much-loved husband, her two step-sons, two nephews and nieces and her sister.

Friends will be informed of a date for the memorial service next month.

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Whitsunday Regional Council will see an internal restructure in the coming months, with more streamlined strategic planning for the region its goal.

This organisational restructure will see a separation between operations and strategy, to better focus and strengthen the delivery of services and future planning.

Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Warren Bunker, said the new structure is designed to allow each Directorate to streamline their focus.

“Making it easier to provide effective and efficient services as well as having dedicated resources for longer term strategic projects that will provide for our communities into the future,” Mr Bunker said.

One new department will encompass Council’s businesses, including Whitsunday Coast Airport, Shute Harbour Marine Terminal and Foxdale Quarry, as well as holiday parks, smaller airports, and aerodromes.

This unit is titled Commercial Businesses.

The second new department will oversee Council’s capital works plan, major projects, masterplans and networking planning, and is titled Capital Program and Network Planning.

This is not to be confused with Infrastructure Services Directorate, which will continue to maintain gardens, parks, drainage, transport and waster and water services.  

Mr Bunker said while there will be two Directors to head the newly created business units, they remain within the approved staff budget adopted on 30 June 2023.

Council will also change names of three units.

Development Services Directorate will become Regional Strategy and Planning; Community Services Directorate will become Community Services and Facilitation, and Manager of Human Resources will become Manager of People and Culture.

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Whitsunday Regional Council CEO Warren Bunker outlines new structure of Whitsunday Council. Photo supplied

A group of Collinsville State High School students have just experienced an exciting and educational two-day future-focussed workshop delivered by the education arm of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

The event deep dived into renewable energy, offering students insights into the subject and practical tasks to put their new knowledge to the test.

About 60 students from the Year 7 and 8 cohort participated in the action-packed Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy (QMEA) initiative which offered an unparalleled educational experience exploring the fundamentals of renewable energy.

Day one saw the Year 7 students explore how solar energy is used to power hydrogen cars in the ‘Energy: The Inside Story’ workshop.

“Students discovered the fundamentals of using solar energy to power a reversible fuel cell,” explained (QRC) Director of Skills, Education and Diversity, Ms Katrina-Lee.

Year 8 students were then tasked with identifying the optimal configuration of wind turbines for different wind conditions and Collinsville State High School Principal, Anna Reeves, said it was a very informative workshop.

All students were given model-scale wind turbines to construct themselves and invited to explore three different fan blade options by applying critical thinking and trial and error to determine how surface area and angle affects the efficiency of wind turbines.

“This helped them make insightful connections between their science curriculum and real-world applications and introduced them to the critical role renewable energy will play in a sustainable future, and how individuals can shape tangible outcomes,” Mrs Reeves said.  

The event was sponsored by Ark Energy who are the driving force behind an initiative to turn 180,000 acres of grazing property near Collinsville into a multi-purpose site that will create 3,000 megawatts of wind and solar renewable energy.

It is estimated that the project will generate at least $1 billion of economic activity in the region and more than 350 jobs during construction.

As a financial sponsor of the local school’s renewable energy workshop last week, Ark Energy are hopeful to have inspired the next generation of scientists who may one-day benefit even further by enjoying a long career in the sector.

All tasks completed during the event centred around science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM), and Senior Development Manager Ark Energy’s Collinsville Green Energy Hub, Ms Trina Jensen said students enjoyed the interactive sessions.

“Working collaboratively, they looked at energy generation, distribution and planning as they use diced and problem-solving to create their own unique Energy Plan for 2050, based on real-world challenges and opportunities,” Ms Jensen said.  

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to use exciting game theory to gain a comprehensive understanding of Queensland and Australia’s energy market, analysing dynamic aspects such renewable energy targets, peak demand forecasts and energy contracts.”

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Collinsville State High School students loved the two-day renewable energy workshop. Photo supplied

Students experimented with different blades to see which turbine performed best. Photo supplied

Hands-on experiments allowed students to experience the inner workings of solar panel technology. Photo supplied

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This year, for the first time, the Whitsunday Tourism Awards will be introducing two new region-specific categories into the mix.

This follows the recent announcement that the Bowen Best Business Award and Collinsville Business of the Year Award will be featuring in the upcoming 2023 event which is due to be held at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre in October.

Backed by sponsorship from Bowen Tourism and Business, these awards celebrate businesses that are not necessarily tourism related but interact with the tourism industry.

Chair of Bowen Tourism and Business, Jenn Honnery, said the organisation was proud to sponsor the business awards as part of the Whitsunday Tourism Whitsundays awards this year.

“We have more than 200 members and many of those are non-tourism businesses,” she said.

“We believe that tourism is everybody’s business.”

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy said this was about including all types of businesses.

“We encourage all Bowen and Collinsville businesses to nominate for these awards, even if the business is not directly involved with the tourism industry,” she said.

“Some of our visitors come to Bowen for the entire winter every year. They get their haircut, go out for dinner, buy new clothes, get their car serviced, their caravan fixed, and their pet groomed.

“The businesses providing these goods and services are complimenting the tourism industry.”

Rick Hamilton, CEO of Tourism Whitsundays said the Whitsunday Tourism Awards shine a light on the whole region.

“The addition of a Bowen, Collinsville and Proserpine Business of the Year Award presents a remarkable opportunity for all businesses in these townships to be spotlighted at the region’s biggest awards night.”

Submissions for these categories close August 21, so Bowen and Collinsville businesses are urged to put their applications in soon.

The link for the submissions can be found on the Bowen Tourism and Business Facebook page.

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Bowen Tourism and Business wins big at the 2022 Whitsunday Tourism awards, and the team encourage all businesses to apply. Photo supplied

As we head into mid-August, preparations are well underway for the much-awaited Cape Edgecumbe Walking Trail upgrades which are due to commence shortly.

The first stage of the upgrade will start at Murray Bay Road and stretch to Rose Bay Lions Lookout and Mother Beddock Rock. These initial works are set to take place between the 4th of September and early October.

The second phase is due to commence on the 2nd of October at the Horseshoe Bay end of the trail, and is estimated to be completed by late November.

The Cape Edgecumbe Trail is walked by many locals and tourists alike, and for this reason it is imperative that we set the time aside to upgrade the weathered sections to restore safe access for all.

Works will include repairing the eroded sections, adding new drainage, handrails and wayfinding signage, and the replacement of damaged steps with pre-cast concrete steps. We will also be widening the track to a minimum of 1.2m, with short sections widened to 2m to allow resting places and passing points.

The project has been funded by the Commonwealth Governments Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.  Further stages will be completed as grant funding becomes available.

I am so excited to see what the new tracks will look like, and I can’t wait to get back out there again and enjoy the unique scenery and viewpoints that Bowen has to offer.

In other news, last week Council approved a sponsorship of $25K of in-kind support to assist the Don River Dash.

This prestigious and one-of-a-kind event has exploded in size and popularity since its homegrown roots in 2019. Starting with only 90 competitors and 100 spectators in its inaugural year, this year the Don River Dash has 400 open competitor entries and is expected to draw crowds of over 5000 people!

This event not only attracts bike and motor enthusiasts; having gained Destination Queensland and Tourism Events Queensland recognition, the Don River Dash also puts Bowen and the Whitsundays on the map for all to see.

We are so happy to be able to provide assistance to these types of events to ensure that world class experiences like these can continue to take place in our very own back yard.

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With Bec Timmins

Hi, I’m Bec, the Tourism Whitsundays Member Services Coordinator.

My role is to help you get the most out of your membership with Tourism Whitsundays.  

Did you know that Tourism Whitsundays has four levels of membership for businesses to ensure no one misses out on an opportunity to be involved?

You can find our membership prospectus at tourismwhitsundays.com.au/members-centre.

By joining Tourism Whitsundays, you have access to our monthly networking nights, marketing opportunities domestically and internationally.

You will also have support and advice from our team in all areas of marketing and PR, your brochures displayed in the Visitor Information Centre in Proserpine and the opportunity to load your product on our website which receives over one million unique visits each year.

There are many more benefits, but I find these are the most used out of all the ones we offer.

The other benefit is your eligibility to enter the annual Whitsundays Tourism Awards, open only to our members, the awards process gives you valuable insight into your business and the many components it takes to successfully build a tourism business.

Each week I’m on the road visiting members and businesses who would like to become members.

If you would like to discuss membership opportunities, please email me on membership@tourismwhitsundays.com.au

Caption: Bec Timmins (centre in blue) with members at a recent Tourism Whitsundays networking night. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

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The local community is assured that new social housing will be delivered to the region thanks to the Quick Start Fund which will facilitate commencement of 100 new builds in the area before 2025.

Two projects are already underway in the region, one being recently completed on Livingstone Street in Bowen, supplying four one-bedroom houses for people living with disabilities.

A second project at 185 Shute Harbour Road in Cannonvale will deliver two, two-storey buildings and a total of 12 new social housing units to the area.

Construction of this $5.5 million complex commenced in April this year and is due to be complete by March 2024.

Six of the dwellings are accessible with four of the units designed to Gold Level, including features such as level thresholds, wider doorways and hallways, and provision for grab rails, making them suitable for people with varying levels of mobility.

Two of the units designed to Platinum Level include additional features and clearance spaces, making them particularly suitable for people who mobilise in wheelchairs.

The houses are centrally located two minutes from the shopping centre, doctor’s surgery, and local state school.

Fergus Builders have been contracted to the build and have so far employed 76 local people, a figure that is expected to double when other local trades join the final stages of construction.

Housing Minister, Meaghan Scanlon, took a tour of the site on Tuesday and reassured the community more housing is on the way.

“Queensland can expect more social housing,” she said.

“We need to pull every lever that is available to us - building more homes, rental subsidies, and scaling up supply - we are looking at every option to scale up supply which is why we are working with Council’s to unlock more.”

Earlier that morning, Ms Scanlon attended the opening of the Housing Summit held in Mackay and she said she was pleased to hear from local stakeholders firsthand.

“Supply is the key area right across country and state,” she said.

This year there are 183 applications on the social housing register for the Whitsunday Local Government Area.

Between 1 July 2022 and 30 April 2023, the Mackay Housing Service Centre has provided 367 bond loans and 147 rental grants to help people secure a rental home in the private rental market.

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Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon, at the site of the $5.5 million social housing complex in Cannonvale. Photo credit: Rachael Smith.

Ms Scanlon discussed time frame and logistics with a representative from Fergus Builders. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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