A light dusting of rain did not dampen the spirits at Carols by the Beach which was held on the Airlie Beach Foreshore last Sunday.

Hundreds flocked to the event which saw the Proserpine Citizens Band delight and almost 200 students from Cannonvale State School perform some of the season’s favourite Christmas songs.

The cheeky green grinch stole the show with his mischievous antics, enticing a trail of squealing kids to follow along in his wake. The event culminated with Santa’s arrival in the bright red fire truck.

See the photo gallery on page 23.

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SaskiaHoey, Harper Hamblin, Caitlin Mcluskey, Mayor Julie Hall, Cass Jemmeson andLayla Hammond at Carols by the Beach. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

Hi Everyone,

With Christmas around the corner it is certainly an exciting time of year – Mr Elf is causing mischief under the cover of night, children are hyped up on candy-cane sugar highs and everyone is floating around from one festive gathering to another – hugging friends and feeling the warmth of a festive spirit which is almost as high as our current heatwave!

While there is much fun to be had, however, it is also a time of year where we feel the pinch on our pockets as we struggle to find the dollars in our purses to fund this kind of merriment.

For a long time I’ve been watching my weekly supermarket bill get higher and higher. I used to get everything I needed for around $150, now I am lucky if I get out of the shop with anything under $250 – how has this happened?

We are in the middle of a ‘cost of living crisis’ and, in my opinion, this is being exasperated by the cost of everyday items on our supermarket shelves.

Now, I am all for paying a little extra to ensure our farmers and producers are receiving a fair price for their hard work, but according to Andrew Willcox this is not what’s happening.

In a recent article he informed us that the national trade price for lamb has fallen from $8.39 per kilo to $4.82 per kilo, but we are still paying the same price at the supermarkets – how is this fair?

We also know that automated check-outs are now common practice. And, while I am happy to ‘beep’ my own items, it would be nice if this cost-saving solution was passed onto the consumer.

Instead, while I am paying more than I ever have at the supermarket, I am reading about how one of our leading supermarket chains made an annual profit of $1 billion.

This all seems off-kilter to me.

Rach

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

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

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

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

A recent post on Facebook has captured the hearts of many around the community with its simplicity, ease and incredible potential in re-purposing pre-loved items this Christmas.  

Shared by Karen Bedford on Whitsundays Noticeboard, the post read:

“What is one thing that you cannot afford but need right now? Let's see what others say, maybe you have it and you don't need it, have something you would like to give away, can pass it on to them or have a connection to get it.

“Perhaps we can help each other, together we can get through these tough times!

this is a giving post to promote kindness and community spirit.”

Originally from the UK, Karen saw the same post appear in a community chat site in her hometown and thought she would share it here in Australia.

She had experienced the effects of a cost of living crisis when the fishing industry in her hometown closed down, wiping many small businesses out.

“Sadly, the small town has never recovered,” she explained.

“People are doing it tough, even more so following covid, the cost of living is also hitting Australia hard.

“I also thought about so many locals doing it tough as well so posted it on Whitsunday Noticeboard and I hope it has also helped people here.”

The post attracted 246 comments, many people jumping on to offer an item they do not use at home.

From Christmas trees to kettles and toasters, self-inflating camp mattresses, chicken coops and even a lounge setting – everything and anything was gifted to a grateful recipient.

As a child and young adult I played a lot of sport. I grew up in Canberra and the city was a melting pot of people from all over the country who ended up in the capital thanks to their public service job.

That melting pot brought their various sports with them … so I got to play soccer, rugby league, rugby union, volleyball, basketball and to do a bit of athletics.

That was all a bit of fun in school sports but it was different with my two great loves, cricket and AFL football. That was the serious stuff.

I was reminded of my sporting background, specifically its lack of golf, when I recently went to Hamilton Island and joined some friends for 18 holes at Dent Island.

Anyone who has played golf on that most-picturesque of courses will know it comes with a degree of difficulty almost impossible to imagine or create.

There are holes where you either tee off perfectly and end up on the green or hit it slightly less than perfectly and end up in a ravine or the heavy bushland that squeezes the fairway into an absurdly narrow strip of laughable, pointless hope. And then there’s the wind.

There is no margin for error, no chance for anyone but the best golfers.

My seemingly extensive sporting background prepared me for Dent Island in the way that going for a roller coaster ride at the Mackay Show prepares you for entering a Formula 1 Grand Prix and taking on Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. Not very well.

I played with a couple of doctors, both of them better players than me but also victims of the unforgiving variables of the course.

It was interesting to note the Dent-driven frustrations of medical people who normally control the variables. They are accustomed to confidently predicting action and reaction, what precisely will happen when they apply their skills in the interaction between the human body and science.

For me, that is also the frustration of golf. In my work I know what needs to be done to create a predictable result. Does the marketing look right? Has the write-up hit the target? Have I contacted all the potential buyers on my database?

The buyer doesn’t know it, but the negotiation starts before they have even made an offer … but key elements have to be done properly for that to work, to ensure you are getting the best price the market will pay. Cause and effect. Action and reaction. Everything has to line up properly, just like a good golf shot.

There is a blue-print for success in selling a property and you can’t just come out swinging and hit and hope because your client, the seller, will end up in the bunker.

Whether you are an accountant, lawyer, mechanic, plumber, boiler maker, engineer, chef, florist or real estate agent, it is reassuring when you have the experience and expertise to create the required result.

The result might not always be 100 per cent perfect but it’s much better than working with the unpredictable mysteries of the back nine on Dent Island.

A significant drop in the mango crop across the Whitsundays this year has seen farmers struggling with a small yield and large production costs, while consumers are paying more at the supermarket counter.

Ben Martin from Marto’s Mangoes in Bowen says, however, that this years’ crop is not all doom and gloom, in fact it does have some positives.

He believes the smaller crop has in fact increased demand and brought prices back to a pre-Covid rate which is where it needs to be in order to ensure the longevity of the industry.

“The last few years we’ve seen extremely low prices and the consumers have got used to it,” he explained.

“When you look at the price point this year, realistically that’s where it needs to be on a normal year to build a sustainable business.”

Local farmers are unsure as to the exact reason for the small crop, in fact Ben says that “if we knew that, we’d be billionaires!”, but the general consensus is that the warmer winter meant less pollination.

“The lack of cold weather throughout the winter hasn’t produced as many flowers,” he said.

“While no one knows for sure, that’s the general consensus.”

And while consumers are seeing a price rise at the grocery stores, Ben assures the community, this increase does not mean farmers are better off.

“There is a misconception that mango growers are having a terrific year,” he shared.

“But a lot of farmers won’t even break even this year, the crop is down almost 50 per cent but they still need to cover operating costs – everything from insurance to fertilisers.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Bowen Gumlu Growers Association, Ry Collins, said that a tray of Bowen mangoes is selling for between $30 and $40 this year, compared to reaching an extremely low price of $10 last year.

There are six large growers in Bowen and a further six that operate commercially, while others are running smaller operations.

Each farmer is feeling the pinch this year, so bear that in mind when you are purchasing some delicious mangoes at your local fruit shop.

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Ben, Ash-lei, Bernadette, and Gary Martin. Photo supplied

If not, you’re not alone!

Thankfully there are some wonderful community organisations with nimble fingers who can fold and tie presents with precision. All it costs is a gold coin per gift (a larger donation is appreciated for large gifts) and it’s all in the name of charity.

Caneland Central

Have your gifts beautifully wrapped by a band of merry volunteer elves at Caneland Central.

You'll find volunteers from Alpharho ESA Mackay at the two charity gift wrapping stalls near Target and upstairs at Universal every day until Christmas Eve.

Proceeds will help keep RACQ CQ Rescue up in the air and saving lives across the festive season!

Home Co, Mackay Bucasia Road

The lovely ladies from Mackay Scope Club are gift wrapping again this year at Home Co.

You’ll find their festive wrapping table near Spotlight. All proceeds are going to The Street Aid Project - Chances Op Shop, Mackay n District Special School, and MARS Animal Rescue.

The wrapping services are daily until Christmas Eve, 9am-5pm. If anyone would like to donate time to wrap, please phone Jan on 043 734 3220.

Grab a coffee from K&Co while the elves magically wrap your pressies, so all you need to do is find space under the tree.

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Caneland Central

Home Co

Runners, walkers, cyclists and motorised small vehicle users will be excited to find out that the boardwalk between the VMR boat ramp and Shingley Drive is due to re-open to the public this morning.

This section of the Bicentennial Boardwalk which runs five-kilometres along the coast between Airlie Beach and Cannonvale, has been closed since September for Stage 2 of the works.

Whitsunday Regional Council engaged Plants Whitsundays to complete the upgrades which will now mean the boardwalk has been widened by one-metre.

In addition, the timber surface of the structure has been replaced with a composite fibre material, which is both durable and easy to maintain.

The hardwood timber previously used for the boardwalk has been retained by Council for future projects.

The entire project has been well organised and completed on-time and within budget.

“We thank the community and local businesses for their patience while these works have been undertaken and are grateful for the hard work being put in by our contractors to have the boardwalk completed in time for the festive season,” said a Council spokesperson.

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The boardwalk between the VMR and Shingley Beach will re-open to the public today. Photo supplied

Virgin Voyages newest boat, Resilient Lady, checked into Airlie Beach last week, adding our port to their list of destinations on its expedition around Australia and across the South Pacific and Europe.

The Resilient Lady has just over 1400 cabins and can host between 2800 and 3200 passengers with just over 1100 members of staff and crew.

Resilient Lady is the third vessel in Virgin’s fleet, with the fourth due to be setting sail in 2024.

“We are thrilled to be here,” explained Andrew Eglin, General Manager on board Resilient Lady.

“This is the most port we have seen so far, and we have been from Athens, all the way down.”

The vessel is currently completing the tail end of a 45-day cruise, from Athens, through Europe and the south Pacific.

“This is day forty-two, and we’ll end up in Sydney in three days’ time, but Airlie Beach has been our favourite. It’s beautiful, clean, friendly, it’s just an incredible experience,” Mr Eglin explained.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall said it was exciting to welcome the first Virgin cruise ship to the Whitsundays.

“It was an honour to present the Virgin Resilient Lady captain with a plaque last Friday to commemorate their maiden visit,” she said.

“The cruise ship was given a special acknowledgment with a smoke ceremony and the Cruise Whitsundays team joined our amazing Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors to welcome guests with a cheerful Whitsundays welcome.

“Adding to the regular cruise ships arrivals at Port of Airlie, our Shute Harbour Marine Terminal is also kicking goals and will host 17 cruise ship visits over the Christmas-New Year period.

“On Wednesday welcomed another ship on its first visit to Whitsunday waters when Celebrity Edge with 2900 passengers and 1200 crew docked at Shute Harbour,” Mayor Hall said.

“In the first season after reopening in December the facility hosted 28,000 total passenger movements but by sticking to its strategic plan the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal is on track to host over 260,000 passenger movements in 2023-24 with 155,000 marine tour passengers and 55,000 resort connections.”

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Resilient Lady received a warm welcome from Mayor Julie Hall, Cruise Whitsundays staff and the Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Mayor Julie Hall with Andrew Eglin, General Manager on board Resilient Lady. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

A traditional smoking ceremony was performed on the day. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Right now, there’s only 17 more sleeps until Christmas.

That means there’s just over two weeks to finish your Christmas shopping, or in my case, start my shopping.

Let me say Christmas shopping isn’t really one of my strong points.

Coming up with ideas as to what presents to get someone really doesn’t seem to be that hard, but when it comes to my brain, nothing is that easy.

I reckon this weekend I’ll head up to the shops at Mt P and spend some cash on the kids, buy a few lollies in readiness for Christmas Day and my life will be sorted. If you see me at Mt Pleasant looking perplexed with a worried look on my face, fear not, I’ve got it all under control. Honest.

I will tell you a secret though. My head is still singing Christmas carols after last week’s fun at the 4MK Carols in the Gardens. So many songs that brought back great memories of growing up and I loved it. This time of the year is just so much fun. Music, decorations, gifts, helping people, and a visit from Santa.

To everyone who came along, thank you. We can’t wait to do it all again next year. I’ll also ask Santa If the reindeers could not use the backstage area of the amphitheatre as a stall, that would be appreciated.

A reminder that next week we are heading out on the road having a look at some beautiful Christmas decorations with the 4MK Xmas Lights Bus Convoy. We will have three buses each night taking a whole bunch of beautiful people to see the lights displays around Mackay and the Pioneer Valley.

It will be a lot of fun on the 14th and 15th so if you want to be there with me on the buses, listen into the breakfast show. Miss Honeybee will be driving one of the Emerald Coaches and based on what she’s worn the last few years, this year’s costume will be out of this world!

Remember if you are doing decorations and lights displays at your place, tell us on the 4MK Interactive Lights Map at the 4MK website. It’s free and it makes it so easy to find the lights that are closest to where you are. Add your address of lights and ones you see out and about as well. It’s 100% free, there’s no prizes, we don’t need to. Merry Christmas!

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!

Some of our local resort islands are set to become more accessible thanks to a round of State Government funding which will facilitate the construction of public jetties and pontoons.

Hook, Long and Keswick Islands will each receive $1 million for new and upgraded visitor access infrastructure that aims to improve visitor access to natural areas.

Hook Island Eco Lodge CEO, Glenn Piper said the Whitsundays is one of Australia's most significant and alluring tourist destinations, but accessibility has been hindered by a series of natural disasters.

“Following Cyclone's Ita and Debbie much of the region is no longer easily accessible as it once was and Government support such as this is vital for re-establishing access to many of the region's most iconic tourism assets for both locals and tourists,” he said.

“We are very pleased to receive government support to assist in the restoration of Hook Island.

“The grant is invaluable for the restoration process and will also provide public access now and into the future.”

Abandoned for over a decade, the only resort on Hook Island was closed in 2013 following damage from Cyclone Yasi.

Previously, the jetty and observatory on Hook Island were iconic landmarks of the Whitsundays, but the observatory has since been removed and access to the island has become limited.

The island resort was severely damaged once again in the 2017 Cyclone Debbie.

Shortly afterwards $25 million from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Island Resorts Rejuvenation Program was used to clear the site, creating a blank canvas for Glenn Piper to create a luxury eco lodge there.

Meanwhile, Long Island has been closed since 2015.

Previously, it was home to the much-loved Club Med and in later years Club Crocodile, both providing destinations where many people created fond holiday memories.

In 2021 the island was purchased by Oscar’s Hotel Group for $20 million and there have since been plans in-place to create an upscale resort on the existing site.

It is now hoped that the $1 million Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Infrastructure Program will not only recognise the importance of visitor access but also act as a catalyst for private investment in new nature-based tourism experiences.

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The old jetty and observatory on Hook Island were a popular experience for tourists. (Supplied: State Library of Queensland)

Coral Sea Marina has stepped up to the plate to back Whales of Whitsundays, as they endeavour to achieve Whale Heritage Site certification for the Whitsundays and become the first Whale Heritage Site in a World Heritage Area.

Whales of Whitsundays is committed to conserving, protecting, and respecting the whales critical birthing habitat and ensure that the animals thrive in the Great Barrier Reef.

The waters of the Whitsundays are uniquely special for whales, as their birthing place, who travel thousands of kilometres to the warm waters to breed and give birth.

Olivia Brodhurst, Chair of the Whales of Whitsunday Steering Committee explains “As one of our sponsors Coral Sea Marina joins this extraordinary journey, and through their dedication we are committing to help preserve and celebrate the wonders of our Whitsundays’ Whales.”

Joscelyn O’Keefe, Head of Marketing & Business Development explains the reason for the marina’s support of this Whale Heritage Site program application, “Many of our marina guests and visitors come to the Whitsundays purely to experience the natural wonders of the ocean. Seeing the majestic Humpback whales nurture their young through the warm water of the Whitsundays is a truly a life-changing experience and one which will remain with you forever.”

“We feel strongly that the region attaining the Whale Heritage Site accreditation will benefit not only the animals themselves but also will continue to provide further opportunities for visitors to enjoy them sustainably in their natural environment.”

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The Whitsundays is on the path to become a Whale Heritage Site. Photo supplied

Graduates from the latest intake of Whitsunday PCYC’s Get Set For Work Program were celebrated at a special ceremony on the Airlie Beach Foreshore on Saturday.

The program, which is dedicated to helping youngsters between the ages of 15 and 19 who are not currently at school, has been a huge success over the past year.

The ten-week course gives them training in everything from how to participate in a successful interview, how to write a resume and the importance of punctuality.

Most importantly, however, it teaches participants that they are all special and capable of completing a course that is designed to help those that are not built for conventional schooling.

The program culminated in a week of work experience where local businesses stepped forward to offer practical training, and in some cases future job prospects.

A total of twelve participants began the course and all completed, aside from one individual who moved to Townsville and continued with the program from there.

Program Manager, Scott Lynch, said he was proud of all the graduates when he handed out specially framed certificates and youth worker, Declan Coull echoed his sentiment.

PCYC Manager Sergeant Billy Li led the ceremony and then closed by choosing four participants who contributed an exceptional effort, giving them a special award to commend their individual achievements.

“We are extremely proud of the eleven young men and women graduating our program, it is amazing to see the positive changes to the individuals in such a short amount of time,” said Sergeant Billy.

“Our participants have now attained the necessary qualifications to enter the industry they aspired to explore, I’m confident that they will find success when they continue to apply the learnings from the program.”

Member for Whitsundays Amanda Camm MP and Councillor Jan Clifford also attended the event to offer words of encouragement, along with many proud parents.

If you know someone who could benefit from the program, call Whitsunday PCYC on 4948 1144 or email whitsunday@pcyc.org.au. The first intake begins in term one, on Monday, 22nd January.

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Back row: Sergeant Billy Li, Dylan Mulcahy,Harrison Pilgrim, Amanda Camm, Levi Fewin, Teaghan Lloyd, Jan Clifford, AvaGallagher and Declan Coull. Front row left to right Jesse Bertram, JacksonDarby, Quinn Smoothy, Scott Lynch, Blake Kropp and Ethan Dixon. Photo credit:Rachael Smith

The ladies of Zonta Club of the Whitsundays are about to wrap up their annual 16 Days Of Activism, which began on November 25 with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, and will conclude December 10, with Human Rights Day.

Erecting 10 Orange Ladies across the region, Zonta Whitsundays aimed to raise awareness that sadly every week, an Australian woman is murdered by an intimate partner.

Club President Dianne Trueman said nearly 730 million women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence at least once in their lives.

“No country is within reach of eradicating intimate partner violence,” she said.

“Despite the scale of the problem and these worrying trends, financial commitments to violence prevention remain limited. Investing in preventing violence against women and girls is crucial to achieving gender equality by 2030.”

The 16 Days of Activism is aligned with the international campaign Zonta Says NO to Gender Based Violence and aims to raise awareness of and increase actions to end violence against women and girls.

Beginning in 2012, this period is often marked by public spaces and building being lit up orange, the United Nations colour of activism.

Dianne said that this year Zonta clubs across the world combine as one voice to take a stand against gender-based violence.

“Zonta envisions a world where no woman lives in fear of violence,” she explained.

“Through the Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women campaign, our members, and allies advocate for action. We want community leaders to stand up and work for a better world for women and girls.”

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Two Whitsunday Zonta ladies with one of the Orange Ladies. Photo supplied

Stall holders from the Lions Airlie Beach Markets were given just a few weeks' notice about the relocation of the markets to the large green vacant lot next to Port of Airlie.

Whitsunday Regional Council decided to relocate the weekly markets for a period of three months so that the grass at the current site could be treated to eradicate some troublesome weeds.

Many of the stallholders, although supportive of the works, felt it was a poor decision to conduct them at this time of year, with the upheaval scheduled to take place throughout the school holidays.

Jeff and Annette Dutton have operated a stall for the last 12 months and say that the markets are frequented by cruise ship passengers, with 13 ships carrying around 3,000 passengers each expected to arrive in the month of January.

“We were given really short notice, and this was not the ideal time to plan these works,” explained Jeff.

“The site recommended for us to move to also had no shade and we felt it would not be suitable.”

A group of stakeholders approached Councillor Clay Bauman who raised the issue with Mayor Julie Hall and discussed it with the rest of the Councillors.

A decision was then made to postpone the works until mid-January.

“We are really happy with the outcome,” said Jeff.

“Although they are still due to start on Jan 13.”

Councillor Clay Bauman said he was also pleased with the outcome and hopes that when the works commence there will also be the opportunity to address the drainage issues while they are eradicating the weeds.

“I am hoping they are going to fix some of the other issues instead of just the grass that will still be mushy and unusable at times,” he said.

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The Lions Airlie Beach Markets. Photo supplied