Avid sailors from across the country are set to enjoy an entirely green experience at Airlie Beach Race Week which is due to take place at the Whitsunday Sailing Club in August.

An announcement was made this week said that the entire marina village will be off grid during the event.

Whitsunday Sailing Club President, Terry Archer expressed his enthusiasm about the event going green.

“We operate in a sport, that’s powered by the wind, so to have our onshore operations powered by the sun is just a perfect fit,” said Terry.

Supplying the green energy are Mobile Power Trailers.

They are proudly Australian and provide portable power solutions with their advanced solar and battery trailers.

Managing Director, Adam Janczyk said  “We're going to bring six patented trailers up, we're going to have about 110 kilowatts worth of power here, 130 kilowatts worth of battery storage. And it's just going to be run from the sun.”

“The perfect thing is, you guys go out there and sail in the beautiful Whitsundays, and everything's powered by the wind out there. And then you can come in here and be powered by the sun!

“So, we're very proud to be part of it. and we thank Terry and the club for letting us come and we want to be at the forefront of the green initiative.

“We're hoping this will set a trend for other regattas and more big companies to start making the green transition.”

It’s not just the Airlie Race Week that will be green, Adam also ensures the trucks used to transport the trailers are completely green and battery operated.

“I wanted to show that solar can be trustworthy and it can work,” he explained.

“We're here to show people that we're ready to move into action and make it actually happen.”

It’s not just Adam’s passion for green energy bringing him to Airlie Beach Race Week, he also participates in the event regularly.

“I not only wanted to register a yacht and sail in the race week, I wanted to make a difference,” said Adam.

Airlie Beach Race Week is taking place between the 8-15 of August 2024 and registrations are open now.

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Caption: Whitsunday Sailing Club President Terry Archer and Managing Director of Mobile Power Trailers, Adam Janczyk are excited to welcome an off-grid Marina Village feel to this years’ Airlie Beach Race Week. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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The 24th Coral Sea Marina Resort Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival is set to take place later this year and a host of exciting special guests are due to attend the event.

Olympic swimming legend Susie O’Neill will attend and take the role of Swim Ambassador for the weekend.

During her swimming career, Susie won two Olympic Gold medals, one in the in 200 metre butterfly and the second in the 200 metre freestyle.

Also in attendance will be the Voice of Triathlon both here in Australia and Internationally, Pete Murray, who will be the festival MC.

“Our Professional field will be the strongest ever with a host of female and male Professional Triathlete Ambassadors with Olympic and Commonwealth Games under their belts,” said, triathlon Festival Director, Michael Kimpton.

"Triathlon Queensland have also endorsed our race as the NQ Club Championships and the aim of our very small (seven person) but hard-working committee is to continue to run this event as a not-for-profit race and reinvest all sponsorship into growing the event.

“Our aim is to make the 2024 Coral Sea Marina Resort Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival a hallmark event for our region, attracting competitors and their families to stay and play in the amazing Whitsundays. 

“The Triathlon Festival is not just a race; it's a race experience like no other, set against the stunning backdrop of the Great Barrier Reef.”

The triathlon differs from others, offering a variety of different stages.

It offers an Olympic distance, Sprint, Enticer, Junior triathlons and a range of ocean swim distances.

There is also the popular Junior Events which attracted hundreds of competitors, family and friends last year.

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1: Olympic Gold Medallist, Susie O’Neill, is the Swim Ambassador for the Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival. Photo supplied

2: Hundreds attended the Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival last year. Photo credit: Korupt Vision

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It’s been over 20 years since the last Airlie Beach Cricket Club played a game of cricket.

Now, with a newly launched committee and a dedicated funding stream, the club has been re-formed and it is aiming to create better pathways for youngsters to get started in local cricket.

Club President Brett Simpson said current juniors play in Proserpine, but once they surpass the under-15’s level, they are only able to participate socially.

There is no access to higher levels of competition, and this is something Airlie Beach Cricket Club is looking to change.

“The new club will create a pathway for the juniors in the region to step up to the next level and possibly even Queensland level,” said Brett.

Aside from developing young cricket players, the new Airlie Beach Cricket Club is more conveniently located for families living in the Greater Airlie Beach Area.

“Parents don’t have to travel half an hour up the road to bring their kids to training,” explained Brett.

Airlie Beach Cricket Club is currently in talks to have their home ground located at the Whitsunday Sports Park in Jubilee Pocket.

The new cricket team is planning to establish next season and the committee is encouraging local cricketers, including all juniors, women and men to come forward and express their interest.

Geoff Teys, Cricket Australia’s General Manager, Government Relations, Infrastructure and Community Cricket said he is excited to welcome the new team.

"Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket is thrilled about the establishment of the new Airlie Beach Cricket Club, reflecting the burgeoning interest in cricket across regional Queensland,” he said.

“The rapid growth of Cricket Blast programs, along with a remarkable 30 per cent surge in girls cricket participation statewide, underscores the sport's increasing popularity.

“The success of the Brisbane Heat WBBL side in Mackay has been instrumental in driving this growth, particularly among girls.

“We are genuinely excited about the potential of this new club, its programs, and the infrastructure development it promises.

“The enthusiastic support and engagement from local council and stakeholders further fuel our optimism for the future of cricket in Airlie Beach."

For more information, please contact the ‘Airlie Beach Cricket Club’ Facebook Page.

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Returning to the region she loves to perform in, a single event in front of a crowd of just 100 people, Superjesus front woman Sarah McLeod, will blow up the stage at this intimate and scenic setting.

Booked to play at Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant, tickets are selling fast for this exclusive event which not only promises stunning views across the Coral Sea, but also the opportunity to get up close and mingle with Aussie rock royalty.

This special show will feature stripped back versions of Sarah’s solo catalogue along with acoustic versions of her Superjesus classics.

She has also promised to make sure all crowd favourites are included, especially covers that she is very well known for like House Of The Rising Sun.

Sarah says she is excited to return to the region she loves.

“The Whitsundays are like my second home, I love it up there. I spent so much of my youth on Hamilton Island because my Dad lived there for 10 years,” she shared.

“We are so lucky to have it in our backyard and I scoot up whenever I have the chance.”

Local talented musician, Josiah, is Sarah’s support act on the night.

This highly respected artist has been hand selected to open the show and will be an incredible addition.

Tickets are just $50 per person and are selling fast, quickly approaching its capacity of 100 people for the event.

Tickets include a glass of champagne on arrival and canapes from 6.30 – 8.30pm, and throughout the evening they will hear stories of Sarah’s incredible music career.

They will also be able to interact and mingle with one of Australia’s most well-known rockstars.

WHAT: Intimate Evening with Sarah McLeod

WHERE: Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant

WHEN: Saturday 30th Marc

TICKETS: $50 buy tickets at www.whisperginbar.com

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1:

Sarah McLeod loves coming to the Whitsundays to perform. Photo credit: Cherrie Hughes

2:

Sarah has been to Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant several times and loves the vibe. Photo supplied

3: Legendary performer Sarah McLeoad from Superjesus

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Bowen youth are being asked to design their dream jetty as part of an art competition being held by North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP).

NQBP CEO Brendan Webb said the competition is a chance for children to create artwork to represent their ideas for a future Bowen Jetty.

The Design Your Dream Jetty Competition is open to children living in Bowen with prizes available in three categories:

High School Category

·         Winner – $150 EFTPOS card

·         Encouragement Award – $100 EFTPOS card

Upper Primary School Category (Year 4 to Year 6) – A4 size only

·         Winner – $100 EFTPOS card

·         Encouragement Award – $75 EFTPOS card

Lower Primary School Category (Prep to Year 3) – A4 size only 

·         Winner – $75 EFTPOS card

·         Encouragement Award – $50 EFTPOS card

Submissions open at 9am on 22 March 2024 and close 4pm 10 April 2024.

The competition is part of the government port authority’s community-led project to develop a concept design for the Bowen Jetty. 

“We’re looking for big ideas from local young people that will leave a lasting legacy for the whole community for generations to come,” Mr Webb said.

“We hope to see from the artworks what young people think is important for their jetty over the next 100 years.”

Mr Webb said acknowledging heritage, public amenities and the opportunity for recreational activities will be core considerations in the design.

Please review the 2024 Design Your Dream Jetty Competition Terms and Conditions before submitting your artwork.

Eligible entrants can submit their artwork with their submission form to:

   • Their school in Bowen (before the start of school holidays);

   • Whitsunday Regional Council Customer Service Centre/Bowen Library at 67 Herbert Street;

   • Post to: Design your Dream Jetty Competition, PO Box 3340 North Mackay QLD 4740; or

   • Scan and email to: bowenwharf@nqbp.com.au

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The Great Barrier Reef is amidst its fifth widespread coral bleaching event in just eight years, aerial surveys have revealed.

The surveys, conducted by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), observed over 300 reefs between Cape Melville north of Cooktown to just north of Bundaberg and confirmed the event.

Reef Authority Chief Scientist Dr Roger Beeden said the results of these surveys are consistent with the patterns of heat stress that have built up over summer.

“The results are consistent with what we have seen with above average sea surface temperatures across the Marine Park for an extended period of time,” Dr Beeden said.

“Aerial surveys of the Reef have revealed prevalent shallow water coral bleaching on most surveyed reefs.

“It is important to note, that the heat stress has not been even across the Reef, and the coral bleaching observed is variable.

“Monitoring the health of the Reef is a year-round effort for the Reef Authority, and it’s critical for us to understand what is happening on the Reef so we can target our management actions to protect the Reef and strengthen its resilience.

“Climate change is the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef, and coral reefs globally.”

AIMS Senior Research Scientist Dr Neal Cantin said that the aerial surveys provide a visual indication of the extent of bleaching.

However, assessing the severity to coral colonies requires in-water surveys.

“Aerial surveys are a crucial tool for a reef ecosystem as large as the Great Barrier Reef and show that this coral bleaching event is widespread, or what is commonly called a mass coral bleaching event,” Dr Cantin said.

“We now need to combine the spatial coverage captured from the air with in-water surveys to assess the severity of coral bleaching in deeper reef habitats across the different regions of the Marine Park.

“We will continue to conduct in-water observations with our research teams and management partners.”

The Reef Authority will continue to work closely with research and other science partners, Traditional Owners, and the tourism industry to monitor conditions on the Reef.

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Kylie Shepherd-Smith 

Administration Manager At Whitsunday Christian College 

 Born and raised in the Adelaide foothills of South Australia Kylie was 21 years old when she went travelling and explored the world.

 Now Kylie works as Administration Manager at Whitsunday Christian College. As Administration Manager her and her team look after Administration, tuckshop and sickbay tasks. 

 She is passionate about giving both students and families support and prides herself in her communication skills. 

 “The best part about my role is seeing the students grow over the years, assisting them with their challenges and celebrating their achievements,” said Kylie. 

 In honour of International Women’s Day, Kylie thanks her mother and Nan for shaping who she is today and hopes to one-day be an inspiration to her daughters as they navigate their own careers and choices in life.

 “Women empowerment to me means giving every woman a voice, sense of self-worth, the opportunity to make their own choices and the power to control their own lives in every aspect,” said Kylie. 

 When not working hard in the office, Kylie enjoys spending time with her family and close friends either travelling, boating or camping but, on quiet days enjoys spending time listening to music and in her garden.

Mett Silvanna Morris

Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager

With no two days the same and with years of expertise under her belt, there is never a task too big for Silvanna Morris, Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager of Whitsunday Foodservice.

A passion for dynamic problem solving and enjoying a unique and fascinating challenge, Silvanna ensures the best practices within her role and for the wider Whitsunday Foodservice, finding a great sense of purpose knowing that her day-to-day decisions directly affect the thousands of customers.

Joining the business for close to three years, Silvanna welcomed the new challenges that came with the role, with a diverse professional history spanning sales in the food industry, being promoted to Export Manager with a strong focus in Europe and Asia for a time. In this capacity, she primarily managed massive international brands, being recognized with ‘Young Manager of the Year’ award twice, and the company ‘Exporter of the Year’ three times. This led her to relocate to Townsville in quality assurance roles, which acted as stepping stones to her role with Whitsunday Foodservice.

Responsible for the Whitsunday Foodservice Food Safety Program, Silvanna ensures that all products the business receives, and delivers is safe for consumers.

“I assess and establish processes and actions to prevent food from containing substances that could harm a person’s health,” Silvanna explained. “These include contamination sources from chemical, physical, biological and allergens. Throughout the business there are critical control points and control points that aid in prevention of contamination, such as truck temperatures at receival.”

Outside of the office, Silvanna enjoys spending time with her four boys and their one fur baby, usually cooking, practicing her artistic ability, and working out. She particularly loves travel, with good friends across Australia that are always willing to host her was a brief holiday away.

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Gabriela Matos

Assistant Venue Manager At Jubilee Tavern

Originally from Brazil, Gabriela was searching for a better lifestyle opportunity when she discovered Australia and has lived in the country for five years now, the Whitsundays for two and a half years.

Gabriela sees herself as someone who wants to grow and succeed in life, as well as being resilient and persistent with what she wants to achieve.

From being a financial assistant in Brazil, to hair braiding at Movie World on the Gold Coast, Gabriela experienced a variety of jobs before finding her true passion in hospitality.

Joining the hospitality world just after Covid-19, Gabriela thoroughly enjoyed being a bartender and gaming attendant and getting to know the locals.

After a year of this, she began to look for more challenges.

“I then decided to try management here in the Whitsundays, where I started as a bartender at Jubilee Tavern and with time and improvement, I stepped up to Duty manager within six months, and after eight to nine months I got promoted to Assistant Manager,” she said proudly.

Gabriela’s also acted as venue manager twice which she said has given her lots of knowledge about the financial side of the business and what goes on behind the scenes.

“I am very grateful for every single opportunity I had, especially the ones that gave me space and opportunity to grow professionally and personally,” she shared.  

When not working Gabriela likes to go travelling, camping and road tripping.

A normal weekend for Gabriela involves the gym or something outdoors like a trip to the beach, a walk or fishing.

Star sign: Gemini

Fav Colour: Pink

What have you felt inspired by this year?  There’s a song from Ocean Alley that I love “Corduroy” or “Bright Lights” from Ziggy Alberts

Fav quote: “Don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you” 

Something most people don’t know about you: I have a twin sister. 

Describe your personality in three words: Independent, resilient, outgoing 

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This month’s Ask An Expert with Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry asks: What is the ideal mix of marketing and advertising activities to drive sales?

Melinda Louise Hutchings from Melinda Louise Media, and Megan Taylor from Kapow Interactive, responded.

“An ideal marketing and advertising campaign should align with the strategic focus of your business and is essential to achieving brand awareness and driving sales,” said Melinda.

“The first step is to create a solid foundation by developing a marketing strategy that clearly defines your business objectives and key performance indicators to measure success and track progress. For example, is the aim to build brand awareness, generate leads, increase sales, retain customers? Once the objectives have been established, it’s important to identify your target audience so that you can tailor your campaign to connect and engage with them.”

Megan agrees that the first step is knowing what you want to achieve – more sales of product A, and fewer of product B – and think of who has bought this in the past. What are these people like? How can you get your marketing message in front of them specifically?

“Plan your marketing activities to meet these criteria,” Megan said. “This might include car signage, placing business cards or flyers on a noticeboard, targeted online ads, or sponsorship of a local club. The right mix will be different depending on your business, goals, products, and your own preferences. Also think about developing partnerships with similar businesses where you can refer each other. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing methods when it comes from a trusted source.”

Both Melinda and Megan believe it is important to optimise and adjust your marketing and advertising mix over time depending on results. Finding the ideal marketing and advertising mix is a process that requires research, planning, execution, evaluation, and adaptability.

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1: Melinda Louise Hutchings from Melinda Louise Media

2: Megan Taylor from Kapow Interactive. Photos supplied

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We would like to welcome the Whitsundays’ newest Cadet Journalist Daniel Heggie!

Daniel is our newest recruit to the Whitsunday team and he brings to the table an impressive background of knowledge and experience, with not only a degree in Journalism, but a Sub-Major in Film, as well as a passion for writing.

Although he was originally born in England, Daniel moved to Australia with his family when he was seven years old, calling Adelaide home since 2007.

Daniel attended Urrbrae Agricultural High School in South Australia, focusing on Agriculture and Science and considered a future career route in the subject as it sparked his interest.

While he was interested in science, however, he later discovered that it wasn’t for him, and soon found his next calling in grade 11 when he began to enjoy English, specifically writing.

Bringing this passion to fruition, Daniel studied Journalism along with Film and graduated university in 2022. He then spent the year of 2023 travelling across Europe as well as the East Coast of Australia.

At the beginning of 2024, he decided it was time to settle into a job and has now been fortunate enough to secure a position here with the Whitsunday Life team.

In his spare time, Daniel enjoys mingling with friends, going to the gym, adventuring on a walk and vegging out with a movie or a good book.

The team at Mackay and Whitsunday Life would like to warmly welcome Daniel into the Whitsunday community, so if you see him around town, we hope you will do the same!

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Have you ever stopped to think what would happen if your family’s income stopped due to someone dying, getting sick or having an accident?

The loss of wages might be manageable for retirees or people later in their working lives who have brought up their kids, paid down their debts and built up their super and passive assets. For families with younger kids, bigger debts and lower super balances, it may well be disastrous. Centrelink benefits don’t cover home loan payments and hungry mouths to feed, let alone building for eventual retirement. You may have some basic cover in your super, but have you ever sat down and worked out if it is enough or even too much?

There are solutions to the problem in Personal Insurances. These are separate to Health Insurance which covers medical costs; these provide money to the family to keep going. There are two main types of Personal Insurances: Lump Sum Cover and Income Protection.

Lump sum Cover provides a large lump sum of money to sort out your finances in the event of something major happening. You can insure for a payout in the event of Death, Total & Permanent Disability (TPD) and Major Medical Trauma, things like cancer, heart attack and stroke. You need to work out how much is required to keep a roof over the family’s head and provide for ongoing income to get through in the event of each of these things happening to either partner. The amount required is always different as it is based on your personal situation regarding debts, existing super balances and family situation. You need to consider covering not just the working parent but also any non-working parents as if something major happens, the worker may need to come home or change their job.

Income Protection provides an ongoing monthly income in the event of being off work due to sickness or accident. The variables are how much you will be paid per month, how long you have to be off work to start getting paid and how long you will be paid for if off work for an extended period. Considerations are how much sick leave and cash reserves you have and if you have TPD cover.

The key with personal insurances is to know where you stand. What cover do you have now, and do you need to top it up or reduce to save premium and know how things will pan out. Like all insurance, you hope you’ll never need to claim, but you sleep better knowing you have some cover in place, especially at that stage of life where you have lots of financial commitments.

If you think you could benefit from a discussion with a Financial Planner, give us a call on 49467359 of visit www.eclipsefp.com.au. There’s no obligation, the first meeting is free and all fees are spelled out clearly in advance.

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So, Tim (my husband) said, “What do you want for your birthday?”

“Honestly” I said, “Other men!’

This took him by surprise until I added that what I really wanted was for the Whitpro crew to come to our property, I said, “I don’t want clothes, books, or even an adventure, I want our crew to get me back on track!”

And today, that’s what happened, and I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am!

“Thank you team!”

What they have achieved in a single day would have taken me hours here and there for weeks! I was concerned that I was going to miss out on a great growing season with how behind I had fallen. Now I am ready! Beds are prepared and have their two week settling time before planting.

Give a gift like this to yourself if you’re time poor. Call WhitPro. The crew always put in tenfold and now I will reap the rewards in the coming months.  (They may too! I share.)

So, what did I ask the crew to do, to prepare last year’s beds for a new growing season?

First, turn in old foliage (call it green manure)

Second, add additional composted soil

Third add worm manure (bagged) and soil replenisher (containing composted manure)

Then turn it over (don’t hurt the worms!), mound into beds 30cm apart, cover with sugarcane mulch to combat weeds, retain moisture and regulate temperature.

Job done!

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE preparation time at the beginning of the season but sometimes life’s responsibilities get in the way. Now I am back on track, I can enjoy the process again rather than feel I am behind the eight ball with a little anxiety creeping in.

The best advice I can give at the beginning of the Whitsunday growing season, is feed your soil. A depleted soil will reflect in your growth for ‘months to come”. Now is the time to rejuvenate. Fold through soil food, whether it be a spent green manure (a green crop not harvested), bagged palletised manure, mushroom compost, worm castings, an all-round soil improver or your own aged compost!

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The brand-new second floor of the Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) Whitsundays headquarters re-opened this week, delivering a vital new space for orchestrating emergency marine rescues.

The building was closed temporarily in December last year when works began and has remained shut for the past four months.

During this time significant renovations took place.

The overall floor space of the room is now estimated to be 3.5 times larger than previously, and it will now offer far greater room for training and operations, as well as search and rescue facilities.

In addition, the new room will be made available as a meeting room for community groups.

There will be three TV screens, whiteboards and other facilities.

VMR Whitsunday President Mal Priday said he was thrilled with the result.

“All the trades did a fantastic job, we couldn’t have asked for more” he said.

Mr Priday would like to make a special thanks to Project Manager Roger Wodson who was the driving force behind the project.

He also commended builders Ben Doolin & Co for their excellent workmanship.

A group of dedicated volunteers excitedly moved the equipment into the facility earlier this week and began to make themselves at home.

The project was made possible by substantial funding from the Federal Government under the Investing In Our Communities Grant.

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox and Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm were also instrumental in securing the funding.

Whitsunday Regional Council, Whitsunday Police and the Rotary Club of Airlie Beach also played an important role.

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1: A group of dedicated volunteers excitedly moved the equipment into the facility earlier this week and began to make themselves at home.

2: The VMR building in Cannonvale

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The Whitsundays has secured a trophy sweep at the 2023 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards which were held in Darwin last Friday evening.

The best tourism operators from across the Whitsundays have done the region proud, taking out gold, silver and bronze at the highly competitive national awards.

These results come off the back of a stellar run of awards for the region after taking out seven gold, two silver and five bronze at the Queensland State Awards.

Australian tourism’s ‘night of nights’, the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards is recognised as the largest annual celebration of tourism business excellence in Australia and showcases the best of the best in the industry.

Five Whitsundays businesses were in the running for awards after taking out gold in their categories at the 2023 Queensland State Tourism Awards.

The Whitsundays proudly celebrated on the big night, with BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort receiving gold in the Caravan and Holiday Parks category and Ocean Rafting securing the gold medal in Adventure Tourism.

In addition to these gold-winning performances, Ocean Rafting was also awarded silver in the Major Tour and Transport Operators category.

Magnums Accommodation Airlie Beach further added to The Whitsundays success, earning bronze in the 3-3.5 Star Accommodation category.

Whitsunday Coast Airport and Pinnacles Airlie Beach were also finalists in Darwin and both have demonstrated remarkable dedication and effort to the Whitsundays tourism industry and were celebrated on the night.

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Rick Hamilton was thrilled to see The Whitsundays bring home trophies on Friday night.

“The Whitsundays has received recognition again for the dedication and commitment that the business owners and their staff put in every day of the year,” Mr Hamilton said.

“These victories underscore the region's commitment to delivering exceptional experiences and accommodation for visitors.

“As a region that relies on tourism for one in three jobs, gaining recognition like this is hugely encouraging for all the businesses in the region.”

Full List Of Whitsundays Winners:

GOLD

   • BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort – Caravan & Holiday Parks

   • Ocean Rafting – Adventure Tourism

SILVER

   • Ocean Rafting – Major Tour & Transport Operators

BRONZE

   • Magnums Accommodation Airlie Beach – 3-3.5 Star Accommodation

For more information on the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards and to explore the full list of winners, visit http://www.qualitytourismaustralia.com/australian-tourism-awards/.

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Representatives from the Whitsunday tourism community at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin last Friday night. Photo supplied

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The best of the Whitsundays was recognised at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin, with Ocean Rafting bringing home gold in the Adventure Tourism category and silver in the Major Tour and Transport Operators category.

The Awards saw more than 180 of Australia’s quality tourism operators from each state and territory vying for top honours across 26 categories, with Ocean Rafting’s back-to-back wins on the night cementing its reputation as the Whitsundays’ original and most awarded tour operator.

Owners Peter and Jan Claxton attended the ceremony, along with Sales Captain, Nathan Fleming, representing their team and the three generations of family working in the business.

“We are so proud to have won these two awards on a national level. It seems extra special given we stood on the same podium, winning gold last time Darwin hosted the awards seven years ago, so we’re absolutely thrilled to have won again,” said Jan.

“These awards, one which recognises us as the best Adventure Tourism experience in Australia, not only reflect our products and the locations we visit, but they are also a testament to the dedication of our team and their ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional experiences in paradise.

“It just shows how much they truly love their job and their beautiful backyard where they work and play, renowned for its unforgettable locations and experiences.”

As a local Whitsunday family owned and operated business, Ocean Rafting shares the wonders of the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef with guests from across the globe.

The business’ many environmental initiatives reflect the team’s love and respect for the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, with weekly environmental activities carried out on a dedicated research vessel.

This past year, Peter and Jan once again circled back to Peter’s aviation roots, adding a second plane to their fleet of vessels and planes for the popular Fly Raft experience, which showcases the best of the Whitsundays from above and below.

“Adventure Tourism can only happen with adventurous guests, an adventurous team and an adventurous industry,” said Jan.

“It’s this adventurous spirit that pushes us to do what we do, while still being recognised as a tourism industry leader after nearly three decades of running high-standard, quality tourism operations.

“We are so grateful for the support of the Whitsunday community, our tourism industry partners, suppliers, our loyal agents and of course our guests.

“We should all be very proud, and of course a special congratulations to the other Whitsunday and Queensland winners and finalists, all so truly deserving of recognition.”

Ocean Rafting offers two exciting day tour adventures, the Northern Exposure and Southern Lights, with an exhilarating ride to Whitehaven Beach, the ultimate access to Hill Inlet and special snorkelling sites, as well as the Fly Raft package, 60-minute scenic flights, charter options and the Reef Seeker environmental educational program.

The fleet of eight semi-rigid inflatable vessels allow guests to experience Ocean Rafting’s signature adrenalin-fuelled ride amongst the beauty of the Whitsundays, while a maximum of 32 passengers allows for a personalised experience in the pleasure of a small group. 

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The much-celebrated Queens Beach Tourist Village (QBTV) has finally reached its goal this week, receiving the third consecutive gold accolade for the Best Large Caravan Park at the Grey Nomads Awards.

Not only do they receive the acclaim of being considered the best caravan park in Australia for Grey Nomads, they also enter into the award’s Hall of Fame, an ambition they’ve been driving towards since they began.

Gerry Tomsett said the park’s owners, Jennie and Peter Greer, were thrilled with the announcement and grateful for to all the staff for putting so much effort into providing memorable experiences to Grey Nomads.

“It’s an absolutely fantastic feeling!” said Gerry.

“Everything we do is geared towards the Grey Nomads and we love going that extra mile to make sure they are happy.”

Staff organise many of the events over the season and each activity adds to the overall experience of each guest.

“We have pancakes every Tuesday, a regular quiz night, low impact aerobics once a week and four singers over the season who come and perform some golden oldies,” explained Gerry.

“We also hold a QBTV’s Got Talent Night and it’s amazing to see how many people have secret skills – like the ukulele and guitar.”

In addition, the Grey Nomads get to engage with the community and raise money for local charities.

Each season, there is a weekly sausage sizzle held for the Grey Nomads and last year over $8,300 was raised and donated to the Country Women’s Association of Bowen.

It is clear to see how this dynamic and fun-loving park won the award again this year.

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