Short-term accommodation applications are once again on the chopping block, but this time Councillors are voicing concerns that rate payers are forking out the costs for frequent court appeals, making each refusal a pointless cost.

At Wednesday’s Ordinary Council Meeting, Whitsunday Regional Council decided to refuse yet another Short-Term Accommodation application for a dual occupancy home in Wambiri Street, Cannonvale.

The property is deemed low density residential zoning under the Planning Scheme and the decision to refuse this application, despite other similar properties being approved in the past, is due to Council waiting for a new local law to be created.

This local law aims to regulate the amount of short-term accommodation permitted in the area, following exponential growth in the sector which, many believe, has reduced the availability of local rental properties.

While they are waiting for the details of the new local law to be confirmed, many Councillors have decided to vote to refuse any more short term accommodation applications in residential suburbs outside of the Airlie Beach centre.

“Nine per cent of residences are short term accommodation in the 4802 postcode,” said Councillor Clay Bauman.

“I appreciate people coming here for holidays, but I cannot support this particular application.”

At Wednesday’s Council meeting, much of the discussion revolved around a review that was completed by the Honourable Dr Steven Miles, Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.

In the review, the State Government found that most Short Term Accommodation is located along the coastal areas of Queensland.

“It is no surprise that the review revealed short-term rentals are most prevalent in high tourism coastal areas like Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Noosa, Douglas, Whitsunday, Cairns, Moreton Bay, and Townsville,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

According to Councillor Bauman, 4.6 percent of all of Queensland Short Term Accommodation properties are within the Whitsunday region, while only having 0.7 per cent of Queensland population.

“Individuals staying in Short Term Accommodation do not care where they park, or how much noise they make, or whether or not they are upsetting residents,” said Mr Bauman.

“They are a demographic looking for a good time, in a circumstance where they are not staying for a long time.”

Councillor Jan Clifford said she will continue to vote against Short Term Accommodation in residential suburbs.

“The Airlie bowl is a different situation; it’s where you expect people to have a good time,” she said.

“Two years ago, I asked for a local law, and I know it’s sitting on some bureaucrats desk.”

At the moment, there are four appeals in court, to revisit the Councils refusal of Short-Term Accommodation applications.

“In my professional view, there is a reduced limited likelihood of success,” said Director Neil McGaffin, when asked about the chances of winning these court cases.

“How can we keep sustaining the costs of these court cases, when we’ve got to stay within what the directors recommend,” said Councillor John Collins.

“We need to look at the big picture, not personal opinion.”

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Vinnies Airlie Beach has re-opened and is boasting it’s upgraded and beautifully renovated shopfront.

Having been closed to the public for over six weeks, after having a flooding event earlier this year which fast tracked the much needed renovations, the Vinnies shopfront underwent extensive renovations and upgrades, with fantastic new paint, displays, wall art, and cash register area.

The official re-opening saw all hands-on deck, with two volunteers each manning the four tills, volunteers greeting and handing out baskets at the door, others restocking shelves and racks with more clothing and household goods, and volunteers preparing the free sausage sizzle in the carpark.

Still with the bargain pricing, Vinnies Airlie Beach has distinct areas for men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, extensive home goods, including Manchester, home décor and furnishings, and a wide range of books, movies, and board games.

During the length of the renovation, Vinnies had relocated to a small shopfront in the Whitsunday Shopping Centre, with only a small selection of clothing and home goods, leaving the community excited for the re-opening.

It is clear that the community missed this gem of a charity shop, with visitors being steady throughout its first week back to regular operation.

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With many volunteers on the floor and behind the tills, the reception of the grand re-opening of Vinnies Airlie Beach was well received

A free sausage sizzle welcomed patrons to the re-opening celebrations. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Two-Vehicle Crash

One patient with a neck injury and one patient with an arm injury were transported in a stable condition, to Proserpine Hospital following a two-vehicle crash on Kingfisher Terrace, in Jubilee Pocket at 2.28am Saturday, August 5.

Random Breath Testing

On August 2, at 1.25am, police intercepted a 22-year-old Jubilee Pocket woman on Shute Harbour Road, with a 0.145 per cent alcohol reading. Her licence was suspended, and she will appear in court.

On August 3 at 11pm, police pulled over a 37-year-old Strathdickie man on Stewart Drive in Cannonvale, who recorded a positive RBT result. His licence was suspended, and he will appear in court.

Possession

A 28-year-old Mackay man was arrested for contravening his police banning notice on August 4 at 7.40am, after police received notice of him acting suspiciously near the Whitsunday Police Station.

After a police search, it is alleged he was carrying one gram of leafy material, believed to be cannabis, a water pipe, and a large kitchen knife. He will appear before the courts for possession of dangerous drugs, possessing a drug utensil, possessing a knife in a public place, and contravening a police banning notice.

Altercation

Police attended an altercation on August 1 at 10.25pm, when the security of a licensed premise asked a group of six to eight people to leave the venue.

The group were escorted to the front of the premise where an altercation broke out.

Security staff were punched by persons in the group, and one security staff member was bitten on the arm by a female of the group.

Following the altercation, police were able to locate a man who matched a description of one of the group members, provided by the security staff.

The man and his wife’s details were recorded, and the investigation is ongoing.

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The Queensland Country Women’s Association Proserpine has hit its biggest milestone, celebrating 100 years of dedicated service and commitment to Proserpine and the wider Whitsundays community.

The Proserpine branch began with a meeting between five local ladies, held in the Grand Theatre.

Its main goal was to alleviate isolation and loneliness felt by women and children who lived in the area, which was predominately farming properties.

From there, a request was sent for a Country Women’s Association representative to travel to Proserpine and share the aims and objectives of the group further.

Mrs Fairfax and Miss Nevell travelled to Proserpine in July 1923, and spoke with a large group of ladies, about 51 in total, thus forming the Proserpine branch.

In 1935, the QCWA Proserpine built their own hall, in Faust Street, which still services the group for meetings and functions.

The branch’s official Centenary celebrations will take place on August 19, with any and all past members or members of other clubs, and members of the wider community.

The luncheon will include a light lunch, a fantastic tea pot display, a lucky door prize, raffle, and an exploration of the club’s history.

Contact the branch for further information or to RSVP on proserpineqcwq@gmail.com.

WHAT: QCWA Proserpine Branch 100 Years Celebrations

WHERE: CQWA Hall, 4 Faust Street, Proserpine

WHEN: Saturday August 19, 10am to 1pm

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By Paul Gellatly

'Blowin' Bowen' has lived up to its reputation by curtailing the construction of a 300 metre temporary floating jetty by US forces presently in the town as part of the Talisman Sabre exercise.

The US vessels, MV Bob Hope and MV Fisher, were waiting offshore of Bowen on August 3 for a break in blustery conditions at sea to allow the laying of a 300-metre floating jetty to connect supply vehicles with Kings Beach, the site of the logistics supply exercise.

That exercise, however, was put in doubt last weekend when it became clear that the conditions looked set to continue indefinitely, and equipment failures dogged the exercise.

On Tuesday, Australian Defence Force Lt-Col Bernie Kronen said he still hoped the exercise could be attempted, but he said the window of opportunity was closing fast.

Last Thursday (August 3) US Joint Task Force 7 held a community briefing session at the Flagstaff Hill Cafe Conference Centre as part of the Talisman Sabre 2023 exercise.

The non-technical briefing was to help foster common understanding of the floating pier rollout, which was to be a crowning feature of the US task force's presence in Bowen

"These are the largest exercises we have ever done in Australia," Lt-Col Bernie Kronen said.

"We want to make this thing as big as we can.

"We want to impress the allies, we also want to show any potential adversaries what we are capable of."

Lt-Col Kronen said the size of Talisman Sabre would only continue to grow in future iterations, from the initial Australia-US exercise about 15 years ago, to today's exercise that drew in 13 participating nations.

He said the exercises were important ways of ensuring that different equipment and weaponry from the participating nations could be integrated.

JTF-7 staff laid out an operations table with information panels at the Flagstaff Hill Cafe and were on hand to take questions from the audience of around 60.

The audience heard how Bowen was chosen from around 14 sites in Queensland for what would informally become known as 'Operation Big Mango', which they said was one of the largest over-the-shore exercises ever attempted by the US.

However, they emphasised that they placed a heavy emphasis on minimal environmental disturbance and inconvenience to Bowen residents.

They jokingly mentioned three results of their presence: first, the town had run out of fishing line; second, all the Coca-Cola supplies were sold out; and third, locals were asking when they could have their beach back.

JTF-7 Commander Col. Samuel Miller said the Bowen visit had been greatly enjoyed by US troops, many of whom had been on their first posting overseas.

He also said he had warmed to Bowen's cafes and eateries where he had found good coffee and food, with one even piping out his favourite Country and Western music to make him feel right at home.

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Weather blow: Lt-Col Bernie Kronen undertakes his part of the community briefing while US ships lie idle awaiting better conditions.

Feeling at home: JTF-7 Commander Col. Samuel Miller addresses the audience inside the Flagstaff Hill Cafe Conference Centre.

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Government Backflips On Commitment For Marine Insurance Scheme

By Bronte Hodge

The Whitsunday marine industry has been left astounded, following the release of the government backed Cyclone Reinsurance Pool that completely excludes Marine Insurance, putting local small water-based businesses at an unfair disadvantage.

Once endorsed by the former Government, the current Labour Government has decided not to include Marine Insurance in the newly released Cyclone Reinsurance Pool, which was set to be a relief for the marine industry and operators.

Marine operators have seen unprecedented increases in marine insurance costs, with some cases increasing by more than 10 per cent a year, and more than $20 million in excess cover.

The Cyclone Reinsurance Pool is a scheme backed by a $10 million guarantee from the Government, which allows insurance companies to mitigate their cyclone and cyclone-related risk and therefor lower costs for insurance policies.

Previously, it was anticipated that the Insurance Pool would cover all policies, but it has now come to light that it only covers household, strata, and small business property, up to $5 million, insurance policies, negating marine completely.

Following this announcement, Coral Sea Marina has partnered with the Australian Consumer Insurance Lobby and wider maritime industry in Northern Australia to urge for federal assistance and intervention.

Joscelyn O’Keefe, Head of Marketing and Business Development for Coral Sea Marina, said the insurance crisis is impacting all marinas in Northern Australia.

“Premiums continue to rise exponentially, and the burden of extreme cyclone excesses needs to be factored into the business’s operational costs,” she said.

“It means the same for our marina, that it does for all impacted marinas; with the continued rise in insurance costs for marinas in this part of Australia, the impact for the consumer is increased berthing fees, making berthing in marinas in Northern Australia untenable for some boat owners.”

The Whitsundays region, much like many other coastal and tourism reliant areas, has seen continued spikes in marine insurance expenses which will have a flow on effect into wider regional economic spend and development.

This will also impact marine tourism operators as well, with the burden of operating their on-water tourism businesses continuing to grow as insurance premiums rise exponentially each year with overinflated excesses imposed on cyclone-related claims.

Nicole Graham has been in the marine tourism industry for 17 years, with her business, Iconic Whitsunday Adventures having three vessels in operation.

“With insurance policies, we have to pass those costs on to our customers,” Mrs Graham explains.

“And for us to keep passing those costs on to the customers, we are going to become unsustainable, and we're going to be known as ‘that's expensive to go there. Don't go there, go to Bali, it's cheaper’, where there's less regulation, there's less safety, less safety risk management plans in place and things like that.”

2017 Cyclone Debbie caused catastrophic damage to Mrs Graham’s business, with one of their vessels, Lady Enid, being out of action for seven months for repairs, and the insurance was not willing to help.

“We lost business for seven months,” she said.

“It seems unfair that big developers get this insurance relief and small marine businesses like ours do not.”

Coral Sea Marina is one of the biggest marinas in the Whitsundays and a hub for marine tourism operators.

“Marine tourism in the Whitsundays injects billions of dollars into the economy and supports thousands of jobs,” explains Ms O’Keefe.

“The marine tourism operators who take our tourists out to the Great Barrier Reef use the marina as their base.

“If berthing fees continue to rise, to offset the rising costs of insurance, marine tourism businesses are also impacted.”

Many in the tourism industry believe that their exclusion from the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool is a “kick in the guts” for marine operators.

“How can [the government] justify not including us when we employ so many people?

“And like I said, it's not just about employment, it’s about supporting all small businesses,” said Mrs Graham.

Thankfully, the maritime industry of Northern Australia has a two-pronged plan to fight against what they believe is an unfair exclusion.

Initially, they will be asking the Federal Government to reconsider the decision to omit Marine Insurance in the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool.

If by 2025 the Federal Government has not reviewed the Pool, Coral Sea Marina will lobby the Government for subsidised premiums for marina owners to be considered as an interim measure.

Mrs Graham believes this action could still be years away, but the detrimental effects are occurring immediately to the industry.

“Just knowing that the government had our back, it would show they’re supporting us,” she said.

“A lot of us are small businesses and we can’t just keep increasing our prices.”

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Nicole Graham operates a marine tourism business, and being left out of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool is a “kick in the guts”. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Easing the self-build stressors of supply-chain issues and extended lead-times, Airlie Summit’s house and land packages are proving popular with discerning buyers who want a no-fuss experience where they can work with one trusted local company to get their dream home built efficiently and on-time.

Alder Developments have designed these packages to eradicate any post-pandemic challenges for buyers and general manager, Greg Tupicoff, says they are entering the market at the right time.

“Never before has Australia seen such high demand for home building coinciding with material sourcing and labour shortages – all lingering effects of the pandemic,” Mr Tupicoff said.

“Add to this the reports of industry instability, and it is understandable that prospective buyers may be nervous about committing to a new build and deciding on a builder to work with.

“By working closely with reputable construction professionals, homeowners can mitigate many of these challenges.

“We can’t resolve the overall pressure on the industry but we can put our customers in touch with the right people so they can make an informed decision.”  

Airlie Summit is one of Airlie Beach’s last remaining sub-divisions and this 24-hectare parcel of land has development approval for the creation of 89 new residential and apartment lots all offering magnificent scenic views over the Coral Sea and Whitsunday Islands.

One of the house and land packages offered by IntegraBuild and Alder Developments features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and double garage on a 1704sqm block of land from $1,500,000.

G.J. Gardener Homes has also released a number of house and land packages with spacious four-bedroom designs selling from $1,692,500.

If you are dreaming of building your own home, contact Steve Marks at Explore Property Whitsundays to see how Airlie Summit could be the right choice for you.

Airlie Summit offers magnificent scenic views over the Coral Sea and Whitsunday Islands.

House and land packages start from $1,500,000. Photo supplied

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A region first has just driven into its Bowen showroom, with the entire range of MG Motors available for test drive and showings right here in the Whitsundays.

Formerly Bowen Mazda, Whitsunday Auto Group is proud to have all 24 model variants of MG Motors available on their showroom floor, with another 30 MG motors in the yard ready for immediate purchase.

Known in the region for their impeccable attention to detail and thorough care of clients, the family owned and operated Whitsunday Auto Group is excited to welcome this new phase in the business, overseeing the roll- out of MG Motors into the region, and tapping into an untapped market for budget yet luxurious vehicles that service every driver.

“We knew the brand would fit into our fleet,” explains Gray Brenchley, Principal for Whitsunday Auto Group.

“With the good price point and seven-year warranty, MG Motors compliments the area.”

Having rolled out the range at the beginning of the month, Gary and his team has been inundated with excited shoppers.

In fact, three vehicles have just been delivered to some of the first buyers from the business, an incredibly fast timeline for a new vehicle.

The entire range is available on the Whitsunday Auto Group showroom floor, including all eight models, each with three variants, with the brand new all electric hatchback arriving at the end of the month.

This extensive range ensures customers are making the best choice for themselves with all the information ready at their fingertips.

However, there have been three standout favourites for the Whitsunday Auto Group, with customers leaving extremely happy with their purchase.

“That would be the MG3 Hatchback, the MG5 Sedan, and the MG ZST,” said Gary.

At a remarkable price point, each vehicle boasts capable performance.

The MG ZST is for the SUV lover, with sleek panoramic sunroof, pilot driver suite and 360-degree camera.

This all-purpose vehicle is great for families and the causal driver, with plenty of space to spread out.

On the other hand, the MG5 is a premium vehicle for sports sedans.

With elegant airflow lines carved into the outer body, 1.5 litre natural aspirated 4-cylinder engine, and driver-centric tilted head unit, the driver is welcomed into a driving experience like no other.

The most cost effective of the three bestsellers is the MG3 Hatchback.

With sophiscated and luxurious features, the MG3 is known as Australia’s best selling light hatchback, with Tartan fabric trim seating, and rear parking sensors and camera.

“We have good stock,” said Gary.

“And where we don’t have stock, we can source from either another dealership, or Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne head offices.”

And from here, if unable to find a vehicle ready immediately, it is only less than a short three month wait for completely new stock to be constructed.

Whitsunday Auto Group is not stopping with just Mazda and MG Motors on the fleet, currently they are looking at other brands to join their showroom offering.

“We intend to expand as we move forward,” said Gary.

“We are always actively looking for more brands that complement our current fleet.”

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The team at Whitsunday Auto Group are keen to get you on the road

The entire range of MG Motors is now available for Whitsunday residents to test drive at the Whitsunday Auto Group. Photo supplied

The Jubilee Tavern bistro was a sea of purple and green on Saturday as over 200 past players of the Whitsunday Rugby League teams came together to mark 50 years since the 1973 team won the prestigious Foley Cup.

Representatives from the 1969 to 1994 teams all came together, many travelling from all over the country and some as far afield as New Zealand.

In previous years, before the Broncos and Cowboys formed, the North Queensland Rugby League competition was one of the most powerful in the country.

Tony Price, Rugby League player and Proserpine local, who also produces and publishes League Queensland Magazine, said that it was incredible to bring a trophy of this calibre back to the Whitsundays.

The Whitsunday League unfortunately folded in 1994 and Proserpine teams now play in the Mackay league, with Bowen heading north to Townsville.

The dissolution of local sport has been disappointing to Tony, but he says it is events like this that keep his spirits up and remind him about the good old days.

“It’s been 10 years since the last event and this one was special because of the 50 years,” he said.

“Everyone knew everyone at this year’s event and it was great!

Amongst the attendees, there were several star players from former years.

These included Mick McLean from Bowen, Eddie Muller from Proserpine, and Adrian Brunker from Collinsville, who all played for Queensland.

In addition, Lee Hannigan who was Captain of the 1973 winning Whitsundays Foley Shield Team and also played for Australia in 1967 came along.

Lee still holds a club record of five trys in one game for his home club of Manly.

To commemorate the reunion, Tony Price compiled a League Queensland Special Edition, proceeds of which were donated to local schools.

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Players and Representatives from Whitsundays first and only Foley Shield Champion team of 1973

The Reunion Team L-R Mike Brunker, John Martin, Tony Price, and Kathleen Maher

Over 200 people attended he reunion on Saturday. Photos supplied

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It has been a whirlwind of a time for Sandra Argo and Mark Jordan, owners of Airlie Beach Craft Distillery, more affectionally known as ABC Distillery, now hitting the five-year anniversary with a dual win at the Australian Distilled Spirit Awards.

Stemming from a small seed of an idea, the brother and sister team have overcome tumultuous times, garnering a reputable name in many local households.

Sandra specialises in bottling, accounts, and marketing, while Mark is the distiller, waking up at odd hours to check on the stills and ensuring everything is going right.

“I like to think I have the best end of the deal!” Sandra said.

Growing from one copper still to now six, ABC Distillery operations has grown more than expected.

The pair are celebrating their five-year business anniversary this year with their Whiskey Barrel Aged Rum.

Aging since 2019, this still is a favourite of Marks, and has hints of oak, Tokay, and caramel.

“It reminds me of a Christmas cake, with raisins,” described Sandra.

Using the Solera Method of aging, which has Mark removing an amount of the aged rum and refilling the barrel with newer rum, the rum has a consistent and fresh flavour.

Mark and Sandra have been rewarded for this rum, receiving a silver medal at the recent national awards.

Going up against big brands and independent distillers across Australia, the magnitude of this accomplishment rings true.

Fan favourite Tropical Gin also received accolades, with a bronze medal at the awards, after previously receiving a silver and bronze in 2021.

“The time has swum by so quickly,” explains Sandra.

“We have our regulars who pick up a bottle at every market. It has been great!”

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Mark and Sandra of ABC Distillery have marked five years of success with wins at industry awards. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Over 80 producers, accommodation providers, labour hire consultants, government representatives and other stakeholders in the agriculture industry attended a Regional Capacity Through Migration Forum last month.

During the event, attendees heard from farmers and industry experts on the future of Agriculture in Australia, the current reality of Working Holiday Makers, information surrounding VISAs, industry agreements and accessing skilled migrant workforces.

Discussions on the day focused on future proofing the agriculture workforce, accommodation opportunities and understanding the expanding Pacific Island Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.  

A joint initiative between the Bowen Gumlu Growers Association and the Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network, with funding from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the forum proved informative for all attendees.

Bowen Gumlu Growers Association were proud to lead regional collaboration to address industry labour and skills shortages.  

“International workers form a vital component of Australia’s agriculture workforce, providing immense economic benefit for farming industries,” Bowen Gumlu Growers Association Chief Executive Officer, Ry Collins said.

“International workers also positively contribute to the social and cultural fabric of our regional communities.

“The migration forum provided a platform for all attendees to openly share their thoughts into our migration system and to forge new partnerships to identify opportunities to enhance our migration systems.”

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Over 80 people attended the Regional Capacity Through Migration Forum last month. Photo supplied

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More than 30,000 military personnel from 13 different countries have been taking part in the joint military exercise Talisman Sabre across regional areas in Queensland.

In Bowen, up to 900 US military officers have been among that contingent as part of the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) Exercise.

The total operation is named Talisman Sabre but there have been many operations within the overall exercise.

In Bowen, the American Joint Task Force 7 named their exercise “Operation Big Mango”.

Lt Jared McCully was one of the soldiers who addressed a crowd at Flagstaff Hill in Bowen last week explaining what had been happening during the exercise in Bowen.

There was a scale model on display, showing the ships, water taxis, and tankers involved in transporting the cargo from the ships to shore via Bowen’s Kings Beach.

Lt McCully said the exercise had been 14 months in the planning and 45 other beaches had been considered before Kings Beach at Bowen had been chosen.

He laughed candidly as he said he thought that Operation Big Mango sounded better than military jargon.

He said all the US personnel were appreciative of the welcome they had received from the Bowen community.

Many of the soldiers have been visiting the Big Mango during their stay in Bowen – and enjoying the delicious mango sorbets – as well as buying souvenirs to take home to their family and friends.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy said there had been a lot of interest from locals and tourists about the joint military exercise.

The US officers have been staying at the Bowen aerodrome which has been transformed into a tent city for the past two months.

At the Bowen Aerodrome

343 tents

20 showers

200PAX dining tent

1 kitchen

36 porta loos

2 laundry trailers

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Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy with Lt Jared McCully, discussing the military exercise in Bowen.

Some of the US Military contingent from Joint Task Force 7 at the iconic Big Mango. Photos supplied

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Cr Simpson

On Saturday 29th July, I was lucky enough to meet the United States Secretary of the Army, Ms Christine E. Wormuth.

Ms Wormuth flew into Bowen in one of four Blackhawk helicopters which was a real treat to witness. Having the opportunity to meet with the secretary face-to-face was something I will remember for many years to come.

The secretary was in Bowen to partake in the JLOTS (Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore) Community Mission Briefing which was held at Flagstaff Hill and Conference Centre last Thursday.  The briefing saw members of the US Army discuss the Talisman Sabre activities which have been happening in Bowen over the past few weeks.

Around 40 people attended the catch-up which also explained the process of how the army created and installed the temporary trident pier used to unload equipment from the ships and across the beach.

I would like to remind residents that whilst it may have been wetter than usual recently, we are steadily moving towards bushfire season.

On this note, Council have put together an informative video on how we managed a planned burn at Brisk Bay. The burn was a hazard reduction initiative and took place in conjunction with the Department of Resources, Heronvale Rural, Bowen Delta and Bowen Urban fire brigades, and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Townsville.

The initiative was deemed a success thanks to the assistance of all involved. The video can be watched on our Facebook page. Keep your eyes peeled for further planned burns and information sheets in the future.

Great news for our Whitsunday Coast Airport again last week with Bonza announcing another new route, this time to the Gold Coast. This new route will bring a whopping 58,000 additional seats a year to our region and create a multitude of new connections both nationally and internationally. Well done to our airport team for working tirelessly to secure these new and diverse flight paths for our region.

Finally, as the whole world seems to have gone Barbie crazy, there will be a Barbie party at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre this afternoon from 4.30pm to celebrate the initial screening of the film on the big screen. Head to the Proserpine Entertainment Centre’s Facebook page for further information.

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Shute Harbour Marine Terminal welcomes in excess of 155,000 passengers per year to the Whitsundays, with an expected 260,000 people to pass through the terminal next year!  

However, it’s so much more than a simple terminal! Shute Harbour Marine Terminal also offers High Flow Diesel and Premium Unleaded Petroleum for all vessels at competitive rates.

It is also home to Explore 74 café with delicious home cooked treats, take-away alcohol sales and even ice and bait for those last-minute provisions!

The penthouse function room is open daily to allow visitors to take in the amazing views of the specked islands ahead and is also available for hire for private and corporate functions.

For more information, head to shuteharbourmarine.com.au

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Rick Hamilton, CEO Of Tourism Whitsundays, Hits The USA

Last week I joined Tourism Australia’s Marketplace and the Travel Answer Australia roadshow for a whirlwind tour of America.

Starting in Denver, I met with over 600 travel agents across four stops and finished in LA on Friday.  

I love being out on the road, meeting new people and spruiking our region.

Every time I attend one of these events I realise how essential they are for educating travel agents and travel planners on what The Whitsundays has to offer and, in most cases, where we are!

While The Whitsundays is a well-known destination domestically and in Europe, our US friends are still a bit hazy on their Australian geography!

With international visitation numbers increasing and airline capacity returning to 2019 levels, hopefully in the next 12 months, it’s more important than ever to get the word out on The Whitsundays.

The two travel-trade focussed events are just one part of our strategy to engage with travel agents and planners.

We are also inviting Whitsunday businesses to join us at our annual Whitsundays Tourism Exchange in October.

I encourage anyone who has been considering working with or does work with Online Travel Agents or travel wholesalers to register to attend.

During the Exchange, we will be bringing 30 product and travel managers into The Whitsundays for a one-day speed dating style event followed by a famil day.

Register now to maximise your opportunity, simply scan this QR code for further details.

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Some of the agents that Rick Hamilton, CEO Of Tourism Whitsundays, worked with in Dallas. Photo supplied

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