Four former Mackay school students are all smiles about returning to the region and doing their final year dentistry placement at Mackay Base Hospital.

Jael Mezieres, Carly Featherstone, Lauren Pearson and Aditya (Adi) Suvarna all attended primary and high school in Mackay and are now in their fifth year of studying a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in Cairns. They are part of a group of eight students in their final week of a four-month placement in the dental unit at Mackay Base Hospital.

Jael, who is originally from Zambia and moved to Mackay with her family aged five, attended Mackay Christian College and St Patrick's College for Year 11 and 12.

Coming from a large family including six brothers, Jael always knew she would pursue a career in healthcare.

"I always had a passion for science and thought I’d do either medicine or dentistry - it's science but with people and doing something where you are helping and serving people."

Carly Featherstone is excited to be working and learning in the dental unit of the hospital in which she was born. She lived in Moranbah until she was 10 before moving to the Pioneer Valley, completing her schooling at Mirani State Primary and State High Schools.

"I undertook a school-based traineeship and completed a Certificate 3 in Dental
Assisting which enabled me to work at a practice in Marian two days a week while still finishing high school," Carly said.

Her years of work experience solidified her decision to return to study and earn her degree in dentistry. Placement in regional areas complemented her clinical knowledge and helped build skills, experience and attitude to become competent dentist.

"I'd really like to return and work in regional areas as there's still a lot of stigma about going to the dentist," Carly said.

Adi, who attended St Francis Xavier Primary School for Years 5 to 7 and then Mercy College for years 8-9, originally moved to Mackay from Scotland with his parents who are both doctors. His father worked as an orthopaedic surgeon at Mackay Base Hospital.

After the family moved to Townsville, Adi completed a biomedical degree at JCU Townsville in physiology and pharmacology with a focus on research. In his third year and while studying genetics, his interest in dentistry was piqued by an oral cavity unit.

"I'm very excited to actually start work as a dentist - it's been a very long eight years of studying," he said.

"Having lived in India, England, Scotland, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, I really don't mind where I end up."

The trio were thrilled to be back in Mackay working beside and learning from the
"fantastic team" in the MBH dental unit.

"It's a fantastic place to learn from people who are very keen to help teach you. They are all so approachable and very helpful," Carly said.

Lauren Pearson says “being in the dentistry industry is so flexible, it’s good money and I get to help so many people and I like the artistic side of it as well like restoring people’s smiles.

“Smiles are so important, so being able to help people like that is really interesting to me.”

‍

(Left to Right) Supervisor Nancy Thanki, Jael Mezieres, Carly Featherstone, Lauren Pearson and Aditya (Adi) Suvarna. Photo Credit: Hannah McNamara

‍

Shockingly, one in seven Australians experience social isolation and over one in six experience loneliness. That’s a 33% percent increase since 2012 with loneliness now declared as a global health epidemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Knowing this, Australians are being encouraged to engage in volunteering as a way to alleviate the impacts of social isolation and make a real difference in the lives of those in the community who are in need.

Orange Sky is a not-for-profit organisation that provides free laundry services and free showers to those experiencing homelessness.

Luke is Mackay’s youngest Orange Sky Volunteer and began volunteering with Orange Sky when he was just eighteen years old with a passion for interacting with people and making others feel heard.

“I always find the best part is talking to them, making them feel heard and just listening to them, and actually treating them as you would anyone else,” Luke said.

“I started because I wanted to help others out but I didn’t realise how much of an effect it would have on me.

William is another young local hero who also volunteers alongside the Orange Sky service with his schools breaky van, and wants to volunteer with Orange Sky once he graduates school.

While volunteering often involves flipping eggs and bacon at the breaky van, William says he loves creating “an immediate, real impact with people.”

“I just love having conversations with people while I cook for them.”

“The breaky van is a great way to get involved in the community and make an impact, and although it may be small there are major benefits and you learn a lot along the way.”

Orange Sky Co-Founder and CEO, Lucas Patchett says volunteering has the ability to bring together people from all walks of life, helping them to develop bonds founded in commonality.

“Our volunteers participated in nearly 90,000 hours of conversation last year – this is 90,000 hours of building bonds and forming tangible, and long-lasting connections.”

For more information, visit orangesky.org.au.

‍

William volunteers with his school breaky van and hopes to continue after he graduates.
‍

Luke began volunteering with Orange Sky when he was just eighteen years old and tries to find time whenever he can between his Uni studies to volunteer at Orangesky. Images supplied.

‍

Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, has welcomed the announcement that China will lift its ban on Australian beef exports.

“This is a positive step for Australian beef farmers and producers, with the suspension of five of the bans being lifted immediately,” said Mr Willcox.

“China has always been a valued trading partner for Australian agriculture which is a trade dependent sector, exporting more than 70% of what we produce.

“My concern now is the workforce shortages that our farmers are facing.”

With Australian farmers currently working at just 60 to 70 per cent capacity, Mr Willcox said the Ag Visa desperately needs to be reinstated.

“I welcome the discussion to reinstate the Ag Visa to allow foreign workers into Australia at the right quantities and in the right places, while still having a commonsense migration policy,” he said.

“Myself, along with my National Party colleagues, will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our Australian farmers and our beef industry.”

‍

As Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations continue between Wilmar Sugar Australia and its relevant employees and their respective Union representatives, Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables (QCAR) has urged parties to take negotiations “off-line” to enable season commencement to proceed with urgency.
With its collective member organisations representing approximately 20% of the sugarcane farmers and 15% of the total sugarcane production in Australia, QCAR CEO Stephen Ryan said the organisation is immensely concerned about its third-party risk and exposure from what has transpired during the latest round of negotiations.
“We (QCAR) represent our members, and the most important thing for our members is to have those mills open on time, running properly with maximum mill availability, and to have an orderly season and a timely finish so that next year’s crop isn’t deleteriously impacted,” Mr Ryan said.
“We empathise with all sides and positions, but we would like to see the parties take this off-line.
“Why can’t we take advantage of the good weather, get the season underway, keep all the towns humming and negotiate to the side?
“We don’t want the harvest season used as a bargaining chip.”
Industry trends show that Australian sugarcane production is expected to grow at 2.3% and opportunity growth is estimated at $3.6 billion over the next five years.  
Mr Ryan said for the Australian sugar industry to achieve this, the industry will rely heavily on the nation’s largest sugar cane processor, Wilmar Sugar Australia, to be optimally operating at exceptionally high levels of reliability and productivity.
He said a delayed sugar production season will have negative impacts on various aspects of the community, industry and supply chain.
“It puts pressure on everybody so we’ll either experience a compressed season to the extent that it’s able to be compressed, which can raise issues around cost and health and safety, but more often it means that the season gets pushed back and that negatively impacts next year’s crop,” he said.
“People are stressed and nervous to varying degrees, depending on what part of the supply chain or community they are, but obviously if this keeps going, it’s going to affect a wide variety of stakeholders.
“There are hidden impacts, but they are there.”
Whilst QCAR has no intentions of entering into the debate and detail of the negotiations and empathises with the difficulty of balancing the tension between an employer wanting to increase their profits versus a worker’s right to be properly remunerated for their efforts, Mr Ryan said the organisation and its members does have concerns and encourages the parties to rapidly settle their impasses.
“The restoration of industry stakeholder harmony is a strong part of QCAR’s mission towards Securing a Stronger Future.
“We desire to see, once again, the days where the sugar mill was the most desirable and esteemed career prospect in a local community which would set the highest calibre of standards in terms of employee performance and remuneration.”

QCAR’s Concerns
   1. An urgent need to take advantage of a currently available dry start to the 2024 season.
   2. Impaired Business Cashflows across all stakeholders.
   3. Wilmar’s advice that their Sugarcane milling factory performance and availability has been severely compromised in recent years due to the retreating of good, experienced operators and trades personnel and their inability to secure and retain such skilled labour.
   4. The dispute which has spilt into the public arena.
   5. Our members being directly impacted by the current industrial action.
   6. Short and longer-term industry sustainability risks through reduced productivity and profitability.
   7. Industry Mental health and well-being, being linked to concerns that this may create an increased expectation on industry partners potentially causing unintended consequences, particularly where fatigue becomes unmanageable in attempting to fill the void.
   8. Conjecture of a Mass Employee “Walk-out” because of this dispute.
   9. A legitimate fear of a repeat of the dark and disastrous 2010 season, where industrial action prevented a timely start-up during fine weather, eventuating in a season of a supply collapse when untimely wet weather set-in.

‍

Innovative automation technology has been developed at the Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre to revolutionise the soil-scanning process vital for effective planning in broadacre cropping planning.

For a long time, electro-magnetic survey scanning has been a cornerstone in soil variability detection, analysing salinity, water, and clay levels.

Traditionally, this method relied on a scanning sled towed by an all-terrain vehicle, offering insights crucial for informed agricultural decisions and land management strategies.

However, in a possible world-first, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries team at the Smart Cropping Centre has developed an automated scanning process.

The innovation has the potential to save hundreds of hours on-farm, freeing farmers, staff and resources for other tasks.

The system they have developed brought together SwarmRobot Sunny and an ElectroMagnetic (EM) 38 Survey Unit and analysis service provided by Data Farming, two of Queensland’s stand-out AgTech and Innovation companies.

Alicia Dunbar, the senior innovation broker at the Queensland Smart Cropping Centre commented on the profound impact of this innovation for farmers in enhancing drought resilience and optimising farm agronomy.

She highlighted the potential integration of this technology into autonomous robots like SwarmBots, which continuously generate highly accurate soil and moisture maps in real time.

"The impact of this innovation for farmers to better manage drought conditions and overall farm agronomy is huge," she said.

"We can see this becoming a standard add-on to autonomous robots such as SwarmBots that are continually building hyper-accurate soil and moisture maps in real time.

Dunbar emphasised that these units provide a non-invasive, efficient, and precise method for assessing and monitoring soil properties.

"These units offer a non-invasive, efficient and precise means of assessing and monitoring soil properties and we’re excited to work with industry to make this a widespread tool for producers.

"The technology supports our research and production systems including soil salinity assessment, soil texture and structure analysis, soil moisture content, mapping soil depth and guiding our soil sampling efforts.

"The Smart Cropping Centre in Emerald is producing real-world results, propelling our research capabilities to better manage the uncertainties of the future in broadacre cropping that will help our famers to be more productive and more profitable."

The Smart Farm Initiative supports the delivery of our AgTech Roadmap, through taking innovative solutions and making them a reality for industry.

To read more about the Roadmap, visit https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/news-media/campaigns/agtech/about/strategy/roadmap

‍

Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre has developed a world-first soil-scanning process that is set to potentially revolutionise the future for farmers. Image supplied.

‍

By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay

‍
 The Plane Creek milling area produces sugar cane as economically and sustainably, and equal or better quality than any region along the Queensland coastline. And that is something to celebrate!
200 people in The Plane Creek growing community came together at Koumala Community Hall last Friday evening (May 31) for the annual Plane Creek Productivity Awards, presented by Plane Creek Productivity Services Ltd (PCPSL).
While many of the awards are based on who is producing the highest tonnes of sugar per hectare (TSH), there are also awards that acknowledge excellence in harvesting performance, sustainability practices, and emerging talent and leadership among younger growers and harvesters across the district.
To determine the overall district productivity award winners, there are awards for the growers producing highest TSH in each of the 13 zones across Plane Creek. This data then tells who the Best Producer of the Season and winner of the Arthur Gardner Shield is; the Best Producer over five years; and the Cane Growing Excellence Award, which goes to the grower highest above average in their Zone. The grower with the Highest Average Relative CCS is also acknowledged.
You might be thinking “What’s the difference between TSH and CCS?  TSH -Tonnes of sugar per hectare is the total tonnes of sugar made for each hectare on the farm, usually taken as an average across the farm. CCS – or Commercial Cane Sugar- is the measure in percentage of the sucrose that is able to be extracted from a grower’s supplied cane. It’s a number worked from a sampling and analysis system at the mill and will vary for the grower across the season, depending on the time of the season (cool, dry weather = higher CCS), the variety, and soil conditions in the paddock. 
Productivity is one of the most important parts of farming- it drives profitability, but celebrating the growers who can really produce a great crop is important. No-one gets into growing cane to win awards, but there is a lot to learn from growers with high productivity achieved within sustainable systems. It makes you think, as a farmer: what can I learn and do better myself? How can I achieve results like that also? As an industry, we are trying to produce more but with less inputs. If someone is achieving good results sustainably, then there is something to learn there, it gives us something to take note of, and aspire to. It’s the start of a conversation between growers about how we can improve productivity.
The event also gives local businesses the opportunity to highlight their part in the process of producing a crop by sponsoring the awards. We would like to thank all those sponsors along with the Koumala State School P&C for their great catering and excellent decoration of the hall on the night. 

SIDEBAR BOX- Winners list
Major Awards:
Arthur Gardner Shield: Best Producer for the Season - Hindle & Co Family Trust (16.37 TSH)
Best Producer over 5 years: Average of best farms over 5 years - FG & JR Axiak (15.64 TSH)
Cane Growing Excellence Award - FG & JR Axiak (15.72 TSH – 31% above Mt Christian Zone Average)
Highest Average Rel. CCS by Farm – Jackson’s Farming (15.59 CCS)
Next Generation Grower – Jake Antoney Galea
Best Harvesting Group - Gerard Axiak
Jim Pedersen Sustainable Management Award – WF Garnham and Son
Zone Winners:
Plane Creek – PD and MM McDougall (9.82 TSH)
Dawlish – JFM & R Muscat (13.01 TSH)
Main Line – Quattromani Farming (13.51 TSH)
Cliftonville – Jake Antoney Galea (13.11 TSH)
Yukan Zone – MP & MM Borg (13.68 TSH)
Koumala Zone – Sangal Holdings (14.62TSH)
Bolingbroke Zone – MR &TJ Sleeman (12.65 TSH)
Turnors Paddock Zone – KA & HM Malone (14.69 TSH)
Mt Christian Zone – FG & JR Axiak (15.72 TSH)
Ilbilbie Zone – JJ &JM Quattromani (13.54 TSH)
West Hill Zone – Hindle & Co Family Trust (16.37 TSH)
Carmila West Zone - Hindle & Co Family Trust (14.6 TSH)
Carmila Zone - Hindle & Co Family Trust (14.37 TSH)

‍

CANEGROWERS Mackay Chairman Kevin Borg and District Manager Michelle Martin.

‍

“My grandfather smoked all his life and lived till he was 93.”
“My uncle bought a second-hand Commodore, drove it around for four years without getting it serviced, and it never broke down.”
“My mate hasn’t insured his house for the last 20 years and nothing’s gone wrong.”
All these statements could be true and there are others that fit into the theme.
And the theme is? Examples of behaviour and decisions that go against conventional wisdom but end up with a good result.
Another example I have heard offered is: “My neighbour put a For Sale sign up outside his house and got four offers in two days. He sold it in a few weeks.”
Now there is no difficulty in putting a for sale sign on something and people buying it.
People sell fruit on the side of the road all the time … “Mangoes $10 a bucket”. And their sales strategy is successful. Lots of people pull up and buy the mangoes.
They buy them because we have good mangoes in this part of the world and, here’s my point, because they are cheap.
Now, just like selling fruit, there is no problem putting a For Sale sign up outside your house and selling it.
In fact, my tip to the buyers out there is to go and knock on the door of a seller who’s doing that because you have a good chance of picking up an absolute bargain.
You will get to buy a property without all that pesky competition forcing the damn price up.
It will just be you and a few other people who have driven past, live in the neighbourhood or heard through word of mouth.
You won’t have to worry about all the people who live outside the area and could have seen the property professionally marketed on real estate sites. They won’t even know it’s for sale.
Most investors who can see great rental returns here and who are on the lookout for something to buy won’t even see it. And you can forget about the southern investors with plenty of money from places like Sydney and Melbourne … they are completely frozen out of this one.
So yes, you can definitely put up a For Sale sign and sell your house. Anybody can sell a house or a bucket of mangoes.
But the property market is a bit different to the road-side mango market. It is more dynamic, the numbers are bigger and there is a lot of competition in the Mackay market.
Competition forces up prices. Real estate agents like me will tell you there have been recent occasions when we have got 40, 60, 80 thousand dollars more than we thought we would get for a property because competition pushed prices up beyond what statistics and recent sales told us to expect.
The competition is created by the professional marketing, a network of agents who work together at a place like Gardian, our data bases of local and interstate buyers and our ability to reach people who will not see a For Sale sign outside a house in your street.
In this column I won’t even go into the ability of good agents to negotiate the best price they can get for a property.
This is not about ripping people off … it is about making sure a seller gets the best possible price for their biggest asset.
It takes market knowledge and an ability to create, foster and leverage competition to ensure the best price is achieved in a rising market.
There is a good real estate saying and I will not take credit for it but it goes something like: You don’t want to sell your house to someone who is buying in isolation, you want to sell it to someone who’s buying in competition.

‍

If you answered 110% proud, congratulations. Give yourself a pat on the back.

On Sunday just gone, let me tell you I was so proud of my son for something he did, not only for himself, but for many thousands of people.

Last Sunday my son and I ran the half marathon with the annual BMA Mackay Marina Run, and of course 628 others with the same direction in mind. To finish and do it with a smile.

Rewind a few months ago, I had a chat with my son after he expressed an interest in doing some road running for fitness. When I heard him talk about it, I was excited. Not just because I do it here and there, I was excited that he found something other than work and computer games to give his attention to.

I suggested to him back in March that we do the 5k Twilight Run at the Bluewater Quay. He jumped at the chance and when we did it, he was hooked and agreed then and there to do the half marathon this year.

Over the past few months, we have both been training to get ready for the event, and when the day arrived we were both pumped to do it, alongside the many hundreds of others in our event. We weren’t there to win the race, we were there to do our best, help each other and raise money for leukaemia research. Something close to our family with Mum losing her fight against this horrible disease 3 years ago.

My son wanted to be better than 2:30 in his first ever big race, and when we crossed the line, the time of 2:18 was broadcast to the crowds at the harbour by Kaley from Star FM. You couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces, and the joy of watching your son achieve something so large, was the highlight of my weekend. Way better than the Origin on Wednesday night that’s for sure.

I will say that near the end of the race, hearing my son say I’m doing it for Grandma, made me well up and smile even more, if that was possible.

To everyone behind the scenes of this classic running event, thank you. From volunteer marshals, water station legends, (Col Meng you my friend are a legend even after Gary covered you in water) musical stars, and participants, you are all stars in my eyes.

I love participating in this event, and I love even more knowing that the money raised will save many lives. Who knows, it may be someone you know. Perhaps you.

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!

‍

Review from Hannah McNamara

‍
We ventured along to the Writing Memoir and Personal Stories Workshop last Saturday, presented by power couple Dr Julia Evans, director of 852Press, and author Richard Evans.
During the inspiring workshop the pair shared their insights and top tips on how to write a unique memoir or personal story.
Julia and Richard were a delight to learn from and delivered a highly informative, yet encouraging lesson that at multiple times had the audience in giggles.
Throughout the workshop, attendees were given a booklet with handy prompts and questions surrounding specific topics, creating an opportunity for attendees to follow along in further depth and expand their knowledge when continuing their own story.
In a nut shell, Julia emphasised that while there are certain rules and regulations around publishing, there are no restrictions when writing your life story and that your most memorable moments in life can become a legacy for future generations to come.
Richard shared that the most powerful way to write a memoir, is to show the readers, rather than tell them and while you may not have structure or a plan to your story just yet, continue to write anyway so that you can remember down the track and compose it at a later date.
Their welcoming presence, coupled with a straight-to-the-point approach in an uplifting manner kept the audience intrigued for the duration of two hours before the session came to a close.
Without a doubt, the audience left feeling encouraged and ready to kickstart their novel, thanks to the wonderful hosts.
To discover more of Julia and Richard Evans, visit 852Press.com.au 

‍

The free Writing Memoir and Personal Stories Workshop was held at the Mackay Dudley Denny Library.

‍

Coffee enthusiasts and food connoisseurs, rejoice!
The highly anticipated return of Jamaica Blue to Caneland Central Shopping Centre is just around the corner, with the grand re-opening set for later this month. Situated in its familiar spot downstairs from Snap Fitness, the cafe promises to deliver a fresh wave of flavours and experiences to those who love to sip and savour.
The dynamic duo bringing Jamaica Blue back to Canelands is Chris and Jaymee Anderson, the caffeinated crusaders with a passion for quality coffee as rich as their love story.
Chris and Jaymee's story began with a chance meeting orchestrated by mutual friends in 2011. Since then, their bond has only grown stronger. Now, celebrating six years of marriage with two adorable children in tow, they're not just partners in life but also in business, ready to brew success with Jamaica Blue's grand re-opening.
Growing up in Moranbah and working in mining and health, the couple had been searching for an opportunity for a fresh start where they could turn a passion into a career.
“Owning a cafe was something we always wanted to do,” Jaymee said.
“We’ve always loved the Jamaica Blue brand, the coffee and food and the Caneland cafe was our favourite spot.
“We had already decided to purchase a Jamaica Blue at another location when the Caneland cafe became available, and everything just fell into place.”
Amidst the buzz of the re-opening, there's plenty to look forward to. From a delicious Hot N’ Spicy menu running this quarter to an enticing loyalty program, Jamaica Blue is pulling out all the stops to make this occasion memorable. When you register online, with every $30 spent customers can enjoy a complimentary coffee and, wait for it, a slice of cake during their birthday month!
But it's not just about the treats; the revamped cafe boasts a modern contemporary aesthetic, blending clean lines, bold prints, and calming colours to create an inviting ambience. The outdoor seating area also provides an additional haven for patrons, ensuring there's always room available to unwind and relish their favourite brew.
Outside of their shared love for coffee, Chris, with his background as an ex-QRL Referee, has made a lasting impact on the field, dedicating years from high school until 2018 to the sport. In 2018, his contributions were honoured with The Chris Anderson Award for Junior Referee of the Year, in recognition of his dedication.
Jaymee is all about spreading awareness for Spina Bifida and throwing awesome small parties. Plus, she's a total bookworm, finding joy in getting lost in a good read. And when footy season rolls around, she's lucky her whole family backs the Broncos too, so there's no clashing over teams!
As the grand re-opening of Jamaica Blue draws near, Chris and Jaymee are not just serving coffee; they're crafting an experience, one that resonates with their shared values of community, quality, and warmth.
So mark your calendars and prepare your palates, because the return of Jamaica Blue is set to be a brew-tiful affair that's not to be missed!

Jamaicablue.com.au

Best thing about working with each other?
“Getting to spend more time with each other in a different capacity to home life.”
Most challenging thing about working together?  
“We’re about to find out!”
Top tip for a peaceful work life with your partner?  
“Communication!”
 

‍

Pizza for a Purpose was successfully launched at Caneland Central, last Saturday, June 1. 
 
Parents, children, local businesses and organisations such as Real Mates Talk and Run for Mi Life took centre stage engaging in fun activities and offering services all in the name of suicide prevention and to raise awareness for Pizza for a Purpose. 
 
Throughout June, five dollars for every large pizza sold at Laffos, will be donated to the Grapevine Group for entirely local initiatives. 
 
As part of the launch, Laffos hosted two pizza making workshops, where Bottletops and Brushes held a painting workshop and Let’s Face It offered children’s face painting and balloon artistry. 
 
HIT FM Mackay also broadcasted the event from centre stage throughout the morning. 
 
“It was our best ever launch.” Laffos spokesperson, Nicole Batzloff said. 
 
“But it’s just the beginning. We really want the community to get behind Pizza for a Purpose and have a large pizza this June.” 
 
Whether dining in at Laffos, ordering takeaway, or purchasing via Menulog, $5 from every pizza sold will go towards supporting the Grapevine group and their efforts in preventing suicide within the community. 
 
Local businesses are also encouraged to host a Pizza Party at their workplaces and use their party packs to share their support on social media. 
 
Businesses wishing to support this cause can call Laffos on 4898 1121.  
 

‍

Bringing together locally sourced high-quality produce with one of the most beautiful beaches in the world is the legacy of Kevin Collins who created White on Whitehaven, our region’s only 250-seater pop-up restaurant on Whitehaven Beach.

Having started his career as a chef when he completed his apprenticeship in 1978, Kev was always an ambitious and high-achieving individual, qualities that led him to start his own restaurant at just 22 years old.

Moving to the Whitsundays in 1983, Kev found a place he could call home and instantly fell in love with island life, moving onto South Molle Island to pursue management opportunities.

Within 13 years, Kev progressed from Duty Manager to General Manager, making the most of his time to gain experience in the broader hospitality realm.

It was 20 years ago, however, that Kev returned to the mainland and opened the doors to iconic local eatery, Fish D’vine.

Here, he was able to infuse his love of locally sourced seafood with seasonal produce, creating a delicious menu that showcased the regional delights.

While operating the business, Kev’s entrepreneurial spirit also saw him pursue other ventures, namely large-scale events on Whitehaven Beach.

In fact, it was 24 years ago that he launched the first ‘White on Whitehaven’ long-table lunch which began its life as a fundraiser for Queensland Variety Charity.

Back in those days, they chartered 16 bare boats to ferry guests to the beach.

Over the years the event has evolved significantly, and over the last six years, it has become a public event, open to everyone.

This transition occurred when Kev teamed-up with Tourism Whitsundays to launch a campaign to attract visitors in the off-peak season.

Its popularity, however, soon overtook the campaign and it was shifted to September, a time of year that suits the natural ambience of the event perfectly.

Over the past five years, White on Whitehaven has become a bucket list item on many lists, attracting guests from all around the country.

“This is not a cheap day out, but if you factor in everything that’s included it’s a great deal!” enthused Kev.

“It’s such a special experience, everyone aspires to do at least once in their lives.

“Live oysters are opened for you as soon as you hit the beach, beautiful sashimi is presented on a platter, and you are given a glass of chilled French Champagne! What arrival could be better than that?”

Famed for its incredible cuisine, White on Whitehaven is a foodies paradise – guests are presented with freshly caught seafood from local fishers – really showcasing our region’s incredible produce.

“We live in a wonderful part of the world and there has been a shift in sentiment where people love cooking shows and eating delicious food!” expressed Kev.

“I love that we have local fisherman fishing for us – there is a nice synergy in that – these fishermen are trusting us to showcase their product.”

Another hit on the menu at White on Whitehaven is the Sous Vide Eye Fillet.

“It spends three hours in a water bath at 58 degrees and is cooked perfectly to a medium rare,” shared Kev.

“It’s then kissed on a hot BBQ and served.”

If you would like to attend this year’s St. Bebida White on Whitehaven event simply scan the QR code below to book your ticket.
 

Kevin Collins creator of White on Whitehaven who has been holding events on the island for over 20 years

‍

The unveiling of two Jetty designs for the new Bowen Jetty showcase ideas and features generated from the feedback of the people living within the region.

North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) CEO Brendan Webb said putting the community first was a key part of their planning stage.

“We could not have asked for more from the community when it comes to them sharing their passion, local knowledge and great ideas,” Mr Webb said.

“More than 770 people have gave their feedback through our first survey, workshops and pop-up sessions in March.”

NQBP developed the two new designs by listening to community ideas when creating the two concepts and now want feedback.

Details about the design options and artist impressions are available on the project website and will be available at upcoming information sessions in Bowen.

“This will be the last opportunity for the community to have their say on the concept design by completing the online survey. So, I encourage everyone to provide their feedback during June,” Mr Webb said.

“Your feedback will help our project team refine the final jetty concept design, which we’ll share later this year.”

Built-in 1867 the Bowen Wharf structure is an iconic local landmark that is nearing its end of life.

“The State Government’s $50 million commitment to replace the jetty will provide the Bowen community with a sustainable structure boasting a 100-year design life,” Mr Webb said.

The jetty is imagined as a versatile hub connecting with the Bowen foreshore, with recreational fishing activities, leisure strolls and picturesque views of Bowen’s scenic coastline on offer.

“We asked the community what they valued and wanted to see in the future Jetty, and we have heard them loud and clear,” Mr Webb said.

Key features of the concept designs include:

   • Ample shade and seating for relaxing and socialising

   • Toilets and water bubblers

   • Dedicated fishing areas equipped with modern amenities

   • Accessibility provisions to ensure inclusivity for all members of the community

   • Environmental consideration to preserve local ecosystems

   • Integration of Juru people artwork and cultural elements to celebrate the region’s rich heritage.

During June, the project team will be in Bowen to talk with the local community.

Come along to displays and chat with a team member:

   • Bowen PCYC, Friday 14 June, 4pm to 6pm

   • Centre Point Plaza Shopping Centre, Saturday 15 June, 9.30am to 11.30am

   • Bowen Community Markets, Sunday 16 June, 7am to 12pm

   • Bowen Show, Tuesday, 25 June

‍

Hi Everyone,

I was out on Cannonvale Beach with my son one morning, taking our excitable Border Collie, Finn, for a walk when I began watching two men at work planting little shrubs in the nearby garden beds.

One of the men had a massive drill and was drilling into the soil, up-rooting much of it and breaking deeply into the beds before plopping a plant into the hole he’d created.

The other man had a shovel in his hand and was gently scooping away the soil - slowly, quietly and lovingly he created the right home for each plant and then gently placed them in there.

I couldn’t help but notice that, although the result was the same (all the plants were indeed planted in an orderly fashion and will continue to grow), there was something very different about the methods the two men took.

When we first started, we had no experience in producing a weekly newspaper, but over the years we’ve carved out our own unique method.

I like to think that we’ve achieved this by slowly and respectfully digging a hole in the soil of the community, delicately planting ourselves in the middle of it and slowly establishing roots, from which we have had the support to grow, thanks to all our readers and advertisers.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better” (Maya Angelou)

‍

We are blessed to have a vibrant sugar industry here in the Whitsundays, and even more blessed to have an annual event which raises incredible amounts of money for invaluable charities such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The Cut Out Party took place again in March this year - a celebration of the sugar industry and also a fundraiser – the event raised a staggering $53,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The Cut Out Party committee recently travelled to Townsville to deliver the cheque to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Treasurer Amanda Hadlow said the sugar industry can be generous, but this exceeded her expectations, and she is overwhelmed.

“We couldn’t do it without help from community,” she explained.

“We’ve all had a friend or family member that has needed their service and I hope it will help at least one person in our area when they’ll need lifesaving treatment the most.”

Amanda added that the Cut Out Party was a fantastic success again this year and that  people enjoyed themselves.

The committee are looking forward to next year already and are yet to decide the service or community organisation they will raise donations for next year, and Amanda joked, “this year is hard to top, but we can only try.”

Cut Out Committee donating the $53,000 cheque to the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Townsville. Photo supplied

‍