Bowen’s most bountiful child is turning 21 this week and the whole town is celebrating the huge milestone of an iconic structure that has featured in over 1.5 million selfies over the years.

At a height of 10-metres and weighing a whopping five tonnes, the Big Mango is believed to be the largest structure of its kind in the world.

It was the brainchild of a local doctor at the time, Geoff Ingham, who got the project underway by establishing the Big Mango Trust to help fund and build it.

It cost $90,000 to build and brings more than 80,000 people to the site each year, more than returning the value spent on its construction.

About half the Big Mango’s visitors call into the Bowen Visitor Information Centre next door to find out about the local tours, activities, and accommodation.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy, said the Big Mango represents something truly special for Bowen locals.

“While it’s an object in reality, this icon is now an internationally renowned symbol of our town and our region.

“We’re a proud coastal town of many farming families who value the opportunity to share our pride with as many visitors as possible – and the Big Mango plays a huge role in attracting these visitors from all over the world.”

With a population of about 11,000 and known as ‘the food bowl’ of The Whitsundays, Bowen supplies 10 per cent of the entire Australian mango crop.

The Big Mango symbolises the Kensington Pride variety of mango, which is also known as the ‘Bowen Special’ and is lush in colour.  

Bowen is the birthplace of the Kensington Pride in Australia, after being introduced from India in 1871.

Celebrations will be taking place across the Whitsundays for the next week.

Yesterday morning Katie Brown from Channel 7’s Sunrise broadcast live from the Big Mango, delivering the morning’s weather report right across the country.

Last night the tourism industry celebrated the milestone with a huge and extended Tourism Whitsundays Networking Night at the Big Mango, with an after party at the Grand View Hotel.

By coincidence, the iconic 100 per cent mango sorbet which is sold at the Information Centre, also reached an incredible milestone by breaking its long-standing record.

Previously the record has been 18,500 sold per year and this week that figure was smashed, with more than 19,000 sold with five weeks still remaining before the cut-off at the end of the financial year.

“We would absolutely love to sell 21,000 this year to go with the Big Mango’s 21 years!” said Ms Abernethy.

“So please come down to the information centre and treat yourself!”

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Bowen Tourism and Business Manager Leanne Abernethy prepares for filming earlier this month. Photo credit: Facebook

The Bowen Visitor Information Centre welcomes 40,000 visitors through its doors each year. Photo supplied

A record-breaking 19,000 mango sorbets have been sold from the centre so far this year. Photo supplied

Kenny the Big Mango mascot. Photo supplied

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Open seven days a week, 360 days a year, Bowen Tourism and Business (BTB) is the beating heart of local tourism and, in addition to its sea of volunteers, it is the regular staff that create the warm welcome the mango town is famous for.

Three full-time staff and a workforce of four casuals provide the foundations of the experience at the information centre.

The team are responsible for a range of duties, from selling mango sorbets to keeping on top of social media posts, booking tours and accommodation, running promotional competitions and of course offering advice to the 40,000 tourists that come through the doors each year.

“I have a wonderful team who are all passionate about Bowen,” said BTB Manager Leanne Abernethy.

“A couple of them are young mums and they always fit us in between dropping their kids off at school – they are very flexible, and we appreciate everything they do – they are the reason we can stay open seven days a week and only close five days a year!

“All staff have contributed so much towards the celebrations, and I am very proud of each of them.”

Bowen Mango’s Team Top Picks

“I love snorkelling off the beach at Horseshoe Bay – it has the most beautiful fringing reefs, and it is one of the only places in Australia where you can snorkel straight off the beach.” (Glenn Womal)

“My favourite place in Bowen is the Edgecombe Trail – it is so scenic, and it only takes an hour to complete – it is so beautiful and well worth a visit.” (Melissa Beuzeville)

“The Bowen Jetty would have to be my top pick – I love going there for a morning walk on our historic jetty, it is 750 metres long and 150 years old.” (Leanne Abernethy)

“I love walking along the beach with my dog as the sun rises or enjoying a nibbles platter on the beach while the sunsets at Grays Bay.” (Ellie Palmero)

Bowen Tourism and Business’ valued staff: Melissa Beuzeville, Leanne Abernethy, Glenn Womal and Ellie Palmero. Photo credit: Rachael

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The award-winning Big Mango has a reputation for not only being one of the most popular ‘big things’ in Australia, but also for being one of the friendliest tourist information centres in the country.

In 2022 the Big Mango was named the Top Tourist Attraction at the Whitsundays Tourism Awards and earlier this year the dedicated volunteers were nominated for an Australian Day Award.

With 16 volunteers on the books, all donating a minimum of three to four hours of their time per week, it is easy to see what lies at the heart of the centre.

Bowen Tourism and Business is guided by its Manager, Leanne Abernethy, two full-time staff and four casual staff.

But it is the sea of volunteers that make up the vital additional hours needed to enable the centre to open seven days a week and provide over 40,000 visitors a year with helpful advice about the local area.

“Our incredible volunteers greet our visitors seven days a week,” said Ms Abernethy.

“They are all very passionate and dedicated, and as we are a not-for-profit organisation this really helps save on staffing costs so that any profit we make is used to market Bowen as a destination.”

The Information Centre is also a booking agency which has a wealth of knowledge about local tours and activities, and it holds over 350 brochures on all regions across Queensland.

Inside the centre, you will also find an extensive range of mango inspired merchandise.

From soaps to chutneys, candles to sauces and even branded socks with Kenny the Mango emblazoned on them – the information centre really understands how to make the most of the local icon.

“Our Mango Daiquiri Mix has proved very popular too!” said Ms Abernethy.

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Some of the BTB volunteers: Mark Steen, Margie Hurst, Trudy Starkey, Janice Germain, Marie Bailey, Anne Steen and Kev Clarke.Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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A well-known face in the region sits quietly behind Bowen Tourism and Business as the Chair of the Committee, discreetly guiding the strategic vision of the non-for-profit organisation.

Jenn Honnery is originally from Brisbane but moved to the region in 1999 and fell in love with the local way of life.

“I moved here to work in a pub and have a break from uni and I didn’t make it home!” explains Jenn.

With a degree in Architecture, she was soon employed as a surveyor for a local gold mine.

She then went to help a friend on a nearby cattle station and it was here she met her husband, Jason.

The couple moved to Collinsville and later purchased an organic mango farm which is located between Bowen and Collinsville.

Jenn completed a Multi-Media Design Degree and a Masters in Communication.

When she is not running the mango farm with her husband, she is busy building websites and working as a graphic designer.

In 2017, Jenn decided it was time for a change and embarked on a role as Sales and Marketing Manager for Bowen Tourism and Business.

When the new role proved to be too demanding around her other work commitments, Jenn decided to step down but was still eager to contribute as a volunteer committee member.

She was later elected Chair.

“The role translated nicely as I had an interest in the local tourism industry but could bring in skills with marketing and design and an understanding of small business,” she said.

Since becoming Chair five years ago, Jenn has witnessed much change.

One of the highlights has been helping to increase the marketing budget so Bowen Tourism can “stand on its own two feet”.

She has also enjoyed forming a strong connection with Tourism Whitsundays.

“I am especially excited that Sunrise came to the Big Mango this week – that certainly pulled a lot of eyes onto Bowen,” she said.

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At the helm of Bowen Tourism and Business is its dynamic leader, Leanne Abernethy, who over the past two years has become the daily driving force behind innovations and ideas.

By coincidence, Leanne started her role the day before the Big Mango turned 19 and, if it were not for this fact, the upcoming milestones could have been completely missed.

Fortunately, she flagged the date and Bowen Tourism and Business (BTB) hosted a small 20-year celebration last year while planning for the big festivities this year.

Speaking on ABC radio Brisbane earlier this week, appearing on Channel 7’s Sunrise breakfast show on Thursday and hosting 4MK and ABC Tropical North during the week as well – it is clear that Leanne shines in her role.

Originally from a small country town called Bogan Gate in Central New South Wales, Leanne moved to Canberra where she completed a degree in journalism.

She then took on a cadet journalist position in Eden before spending the next 21 years working for various newspapers across three states.

In 2007 she moved to the region to take on the Editor’s position for the Whitsunday Times and within seven years she became the Managing Editor of two local mastheads - the Proserpine Guardian and the Whitsunday Times.

She then became a Multi-Media Director for Newscorp, working on newspapers from Bowen in the north to Lismore in the south.

After six years in that role, a reshuffle of regional newspapers across Queensland saw Leanne become redundant, which presented an opportunity to become Sales and Marketing Manager of BTB and she has since been promoted to Manager.

Her current role allows Leanne to harness the vast wealth of knowledge from working within the media industry and combine it with her love of tourism.

During her time with the organisation, Leanne has witnessed many highlights.

“We’ve expanded our range of merchandise and local produce at the information centre, increased the number of members, promoted Bowen and the region heavily, produced the Bowen and Collinsville Visitor Guide and we have just hit a record number of mango sorbet sales for the second year in a row!” said Leanne.

“It’s been an honour to help boost the Bowen brand and I look forward to continuing to grow the organisation.

“I am lucky to have such a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who are so passionate about what we do.

“I would also like to thank each of our 222 members. We appreciate their support and we strive to ensure they are all promoted.

“We believe that ‘tourism is everybody’s business’, and you can see this is true by the diverse range of members we have.”

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Always looking for innovative ideas to connect the region and promote additional visitation, for the second year in a row Bowen Tourism and Business (BTB) have collaborated with two other information centres to run the Passport Competition.

With $2,100 worth of vouchers to be won, the Passport Competition encourages visitors to call in at three information centres (Bowen, Proserpine, and Sarina) with entrants required to get their ‘passport’ stamped at each location.

Once all three locations are stamped, they receive entry into the competition.

This year an incredible 267 people participated and it is hoped this successful marketing campaign will become part of the annual calendar.

“The staff at the three information centres in the Whitsundays and Mackay regions have worked together to encourage more people to visit both regions,” said BTB Manager Leanne Abernethy.

“It provides an incentive for travellers to visit all three information centres and also encourages locals to check out their own backyard.”

Tourism Whitsundays CEO, Rick Hamilton believes tying The Whitsundays region and Mackay region together in the competition was an excellent initiative for the drive segment and encouraged travellers to engage with all three information centres.

“There is so much on offer in The Whitsundays and Mackay, and we’ve got fantastic volunteers and staff waiting to help travellers with their plans,” he said.

“This competition gave people visiting one information centre the incentive to stop at the other two, giving each centre’s staff and volunteers the opportunity to showcase their region and help visitors get the most out of their experience.”

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Kate Mackie of Bowen Tourism and Business with the passports. Photo supplied

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As part of the Big Mango’s 21st birthday celebrations a photo competition was launched to encourage tourists and locals alike to get creative with their cameras and smart phones, celebrating the iconic structure and Bowen’s beautiful surrounds.

Participants were given the opportunity to enter their photos into two categories.

The Beautiful Bowen competition tasked entrants to capture Bowen's beauty through her beaches, history, horticulture, or seafood industries.

The Creative Big Mango competition captured the Big Mango in a creative way or a Big Mango inspired selfie.

Launched at the beginning of March, the competition attracted an impressive 400 entries, all from people hoping to win prizes that included once in a lifetime experiences in Bowen and the Whitsundays.

For each category there were two prizes – the Judges Choice and the Popular Vote.

The competition closed on May 6 and was followed by a voting period for Popular Choice, with the winners of all categories announced yesterday morning.

“We were absolutely ecstatic to receive so many entries,” said Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy.

“So many people put so much effort in – it was fantastic to see their creations.”
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1: Judges Choice by Kylie Thompson

2: Beautiful Bowen Photo by @bowen4805

3: popular Choice by Megan Weir

4: Beautiful Bowen Photo by Kathleen B

5: Encouragement Award by Putu Ariawan

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Over the past 21 years the Big Mango has been selected to participate in two media stunts that attracted national attention, not only promoting the ‘stunt’, but also shining a spotlight on Bowen.

In 2014, the international restaurant franchise, Nando’s, launched their new Mango and Lime range with a clever stunt that kept the whole country guessing.

This was the year that the Big Mango completely disappeared and for a few days it seemed like it had really been stolen.

That was before a smaller 6-metre replica of the Big Mango was revealed in Federation Square in Melbourne, and Nandos confessed to the ‘crime’.

The magnanimous restaurant company were thrilled with the response and donated the smaller replica to Bowen.

It now sits at the Bowen Tourism and Business’ Information Centre on Front Beach.

Earlier this year the Big Mango was removed in media stunt once again.

This time it was replaced with an inflatable Big Mango that had been cut in half.

The half remaining symbolised the 50 per cent of unpaid invoices small businesses have to face each year.

It was commissioned by cloud accounting platform, Xero, to bring awareness to the plight of millions of small business owners who lose money each year due to late payments.

While the stunt once again attracted the desired national media attention, it also gave Whitsunday Regional Council the opportunity to install new legs and an internal refurbishment to make the mango more durable.

A few weeks later it was also given a fresh paint job, so it looked perfect for its big 21st birthday.

Bowen Tourism and Business Manager, Leanne Abernethy, said that the stunts had proven very popular and a great way to promote the region.

“The first stunt took place almost nine years ago and yet we still get asked about it in the visitor information centre,” she said.

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Kenny the Big Mango Mascot standing in front of the ‘half-mango’ earlier this year for the Xero publicity stunt. Photo supplied

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Shortly before his death, Reliance Lee popped into the Proserpine Museum and shared his memories of the idyllic lifestyle that his family enjoyed while living on Grassy Island during the 1930s. Reliance was named after the boat owned by his father, Boyd.

During those years, the family lived in several different houses, the first being a grass hut of substantial size but later a more conventional house was built. The Lee family kept cows for milk and butter, chooks, goats for meat and grew all sorts of fruit and vegetables. Separating the milk and making butter was one of Mrs Lee’s job.

Reliance and his three step-siblings Joan, Phillip and Gladys, had to attend to their studies which were supervised by their governess, Winnie Gotswell, however they still managed to enjoy numerous adventures.

Fishing adventures were many and varied - and true to his name, Reliance could always be relied upon to get himself into challenging predicaments. Surprisingly, he and his siblings avoided serious injury despite the potential danger of some of their escapades.  

One day, while out in the six-foot boat their father had built, the fish were not biting so Reliance wrapped the line around his big toe which was propped up on the side of the boat. A cod took off with his bait, tipped the boat and nearly tossed him out. Somehow, he managed to get his leg back into the boat and catch the fish. On another day, when his sister was casting her line, she managed to catch Reliance’s arm. After much trouble, the hook was eventually removed by his mother.

At night, they could see the fish coming with phosphorus shining - they’d stand perfectly still with spear in hand and catch fish. A blacksmith made a six-foot spear which his brother Phil used, but one day when Phil wasn’t around Reliance decided to have a go with it. He tied the spear to his wrist, was standing up to his waist in water when he speared a shovel-nosed shark. It took off flat stick across the reef with Reliance in tow. Luckily, the shark swam near a rock which jerked out the spear and saved Reliance. The boys sometimes made a makeshift sail out of a potato bag, opened out and stretched between two oars with a bar along the bottom. They steered using two ropes attached to the bottom corners and they sailed to what is now known as Earlando, but often had to row back.

Over the years some galvanised iron huts were built to house tourists and a dance hall was added. Past locals recalled the good times shared on Grassy Island. Ella Compton recorded in her diary that she had enjoyed a night of dancing at Grassy. Jim Wright used to recount going over there for weekends and staying in one of the huts, sometimes playing his accordion to provide music for dancing. Others such as Wally Tawse from Bowen went over to Grassy Island just for the fishing.    

The Lee family kept cows for milk and butter, chooks, goats for meat and grew all sorts of fruit and vegetables. Separating the milk and making butter was one of Mrs Lee’s job. The children relished racing up to the top of the hill and watching the steamers go by. This venture took a couple of hours so one can imagine their delight when one day they spotted a submarine.

Theirs was a simple yet idyllic life.  

Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum.

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In this fantastic community day, there was fun to be had for everyone.

Activities included face painting by senior students, cookie decorating, craft, badge making, doll making with the Proserpine Museum, and so much more.

There was even a special arrival of paramedics with an ambulance, police officers, firefighters with their truck, and the State Emergency Service (SES) with a buggy.

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A new community group has been formed by a group of concerned residents from the Dawson and Capricornia electorates.

The Dawson.Capricornia Community Watch Group was formed about a month ago over concerns for policies passed down by the United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Economic Forum (WEF).

Member Pamela Holloway said the Dawson.Capricornia Community Watch Group is concerned about Mackay Regional Council’s membership with the ICLEI, formally the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, an organisation that supports local governments to accelerate climate action and sustainable urban development.

The most significant issue, said Ms Holloway, is the proposed introduction of '15-minute cities'.  

“More like Surveillance Cities, because that's what they are,” she said.  

“They come right out of the WEF's 2030 Agenda handbook, as a mechanism to restrict and control us forever in the name of 'climate change and saving the planet’.”

Ms Holloway said the community watch group aims to ask the pertinent questions of Mackay Regional Council, as to why they are adopting '15-minute cities' into their planning strategies.

“We recognise that some parts of the 'Smart City' concept have benefits when the technology is used for the right civic reasons,” she said.

“But the overall picture is so all-encompassing and extreme that the outcome will be total control of you and your family and friends by the unelected elites of the WEF.”

“Our aim with the community meetings, is to talk about the Smart Cities initiative, so that the residents can make an informed decision for their future.”

The Dawson.Capricornia Community Watch Group is excited to welcome South Australia's Tim Dwyer as their live guest speaker via Zoom, with Q & A afterwards, for their first community meeting on May 26 at Mackay Sporting Wheelies.

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The most influential political leaders in the region attended a lively Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce special event on Tuesday evening, the key item on the agenda: a new vision for the Whitsundays.

Special guest, David Littleproud, Leader of the National Party spoke alongside Andrew Willcox, Federal Member for Dawson, Amanda Camm, Member for Whitsunday, and Julie Hall, Mayor of the Whitsunday Regional Council.

Each leader delivered their message to a full-house and spoke on issues such as their perspectives on the climate of the region, their visions for the future, and directions they are pursuing.

1. David Littleproud, Leader of the National Party of Australia

Mr Littleproud’s vision for the Whitsundays encompasses housing and regional healthcare, particularly foreign doctors.

- The current government has proposed a risky scheme for housing.

o “It’s $10 billion, but it’s not $10 billion going into housing, it’s the government borrowing $10 billion and hoping they can invest that $10 billion at a greater return than what they’re paying interest rates on. And then if they actually make anything about that interest rate, they’ll put that into housing; that’s a big risk.”

- There have been changes to the designated priority areas, regarding foreign doctors.

o “The government is allowing foreign doctors to now work in capital cities, rather than regional-remote areas. They’ve extended that, which means the doctors are not working with us. We’ve lost foreign doctors, and for some of us, we don’t have any doctors at all now.”

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2. Andrew Willcox MP, Federal Member for Dawson

Mr Willcox’s vision for the Whitsundays includes connectivity for the region, as well as insurance premiums.

- Mr Willcox is pleased with the increased use of the local airport; however, he believes the marine industry is critical to growth.

o “We’re looking at a super yacht service facility in Bowen. What we’re hoping from a federal point of view is funding of a super yachts service facility, because the super yachts won’t visit this area if we cannot maintain and look after them.”

- Mr Willcox is working on insurance premium costings for the region.

o “Another thing I have been working on is that we pay far too much for insurance. The reinsurance bill, that’s a $10 billion fund, and its not quite where I thought it was up to, because insurance companies have until the end of this year to opt in. We need to get our insurance premiums down in this area.”

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3. Amanda Camm MP, Member for Whitsunday

Ms Camm’s vision for the area includes growth in infrastructure, but sustainable growth that supports the region.

o “We have a development underway at the moment in the Shute Harbour Marina, that I will absolutely go on record that I hope never sees the light of day. It’s not the right development for our community. “

o “I want to see the Tassal expansion occur in agriculture. They’re doing incredible things sustainably. And that’s a new industry that’s going to create some 600 jobs over the course of the decade and create new opportunities for our young people in science, technology, and innovation.”

o “Our region is an incredible destination and should always be renowned as that. Particularly with the lead up to the Olympic Games, I don’t want all of that infrastructure funding or visitation to just be into southeast Queensland.”

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4. Julie Hall, Mayor of the Whitsunday Regional Council

Mayor Hall is adamant on job growth and economic and environmental sustainability within the region.

o “One of the key challenges we face is ensuring that our infrastructure keeps pace with demands of the growing population and economy, our road and public services must be able to accommodate the increasing needs and expectations of our residents and visitors alike.”

o “It is critical we protect and preserve our environment for future generations. We must play our role and adopt sustainable practices and ensure responsible development that respects the fragile ecosystem that makes our region so special.”

o “Another challenge with rapid growth is the issue of housing affordability and availability. It is essential that federal, state, and local government work collaboratively with stakeholders, developers, and the community to innovate solutions and strive for a balance between growth and affordable housing options.”

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L-R: Andrew Willcox, Member for Dawson, Julie Hall, Mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council, Allan Milostic, President of the Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce, Amanda Camm, Member for Whitsunday, David Littleproud, Leader of the National Party for Australia. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

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Hi Everyone,

Having lived with a ‘senior citizen’ for the past three months, I have come to notice that the world is often not built with ‘oldies’ in mind.

My mum is in her 70s and she is spritely, alert, and quick-thinking – a good intellectual match for anyone she meets – and she certainly gets a lot of laughs with her witty sense of humour.

She has been staying with me since March and every Tuesday, she goes for a walk with her friend and, over the course of several weeks, the pair have observed how older people are almost invisible on the boardwalk.

No-one moves to the side, bikes whizz past at top speed and some people even bump past without noticing.

It can often be the same at the shops with busy parents racing by impatient shopkeepers and lively conversations.

The world moves very fast when you are slowing up and I think it would be nice for us all to slow down to a more sedate pace.

One where we notice an older person rattled by our speed, or better still take the time to stop and chat.

I think it would also be nice if we thought how our businesses, services and facilities could better accommodate the older generation.

For we will all get there one day (if we are lucky!).

For example, wouldn’t it be nice if Cedar Creek Falls had a wooden handrail? Or the bus shelters had a bench on both sides so people could sit in the shade no matter where the sun sits in the sky.

Of course, we are always looking for ways we can improve our newspaper so, if you have some ideas (whatever your age!), please email rachael@mackayandwhitsundaylife.com.au with your suggestions.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you” (John De Paola)

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For Steve Fraser, volunteering with the Whitsundays PCYC Braking the Cycle Program was a no brainer.

Braking the Cycle is a program that assists people with meeting the requirements for getting their license, through providing a registered car and a driver mentor to supervise.  

Over the past year, Steve has completed 150 hours of driving and seen six students get their provisional licenses.

“You get a good buzz from it,” he said.

Steve decided to start volunteering when he realised he was missing working with youth and thought the PCYC-run program would “keep the connection with young people” for him.

But as much as it is about driving, Steve said that he and the other three volunteers are also mentoring the students, lending an ear and advice when needed.

“You have to be very non-judgmental about it. You hear it all. You do a bit a life coaching, I suppose,” Steve said.

“When you’re driving around for an hour and a half, you have to talk about something!”

Steve also volunteers with the Get Set for Work Program with PCYC, often leading cooking classes during the 10-week program.

“It’s just so good to see the results, see the improvements, and them become more confident.”

The students Steve helps include Indigenous, women escaping domestic and family violence, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds, with about 50 per cent of students being local youth.

Steve, who also works as a marriage celebrant, is often lending a hand in life’s milestones.

“I find it’s a two-way street with this stuff, and you get back as much as you give, I find.”

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Luke Gilbert’s 25th birthday was marked by a group of compassionate community members earlier this week, red and white flowers laid at the location of the police shooting on Airlie Beach main street where he was tragically killed in October last year.

Investigations are still ongoing, and an enquiry has been launched into his death following allegations that excessive force was used when the police fired five shots, three of which hit Luke, who was threatening them with a four-centimetre penknife.

A group of locals who are worried about their own children growing up in an era of excessive police force have reached out to support Luke Gilbert’s family, empathising about his tragic lost and hoping to raise awareness for the issues surrounding his death.

Luke Gilbert was shot and killed in a police shooting in Airlie Beach last October.

In an 18-second altercation with police, Luke pulled out a penknife with a four-centimetre blade and threatened them saying “shoot me then, faggots”.

While his family admit this behaviour is disgraceful, they maintain it did not warrant the reaction from the police.

Five shots were fired, two ricocheted into nearby cars and three hit Luke directly.

Two local residents who attended the vigil to mark what would have been Luke’s 25th birthday earlier this week say they have seen CCTV footage of the moment Luke was shot and that he was “over 20 feet away” at the time.

“We’ve all seen the video and there was no lunging with the knife,” said Jeudi Thursday.

“But the way it was portrayed by the media served the police agenda so that it wouldn’t look like an execution style shooting.”

Another local, Chris Pannan, said that he has two teenage sons and that the news really “jolted” him.

“Five shots is just excessive,” he said.

“If they had used another method such as rubber bullets, Luke could have been disarmed and probably put in hospital but lived to tell the tale.”

“We really don’t need a GI Joe style police force.”

Jeudi agreed saying that with better police training the situation could have been very different.

“Non-lethal force training is something we need to respond to better as a society given growing mental health concerns,” she explained.

“I believe the police need to take a look in their own backyard and the mental health of the first responders.

“They shouldn’t still be operating as police officers and this information shouldn’t be hidden and swept under covers.”

Last month, Luke’s family who live in Western Australia, released a petition with over 20,000 signatures from supporters and subsequently an independent enquiry was launched.

His mother, Nicola Gilbert, had her birthday the day before Luke’s, but it will now be forever remembered with despair and anguish, with only the thought of his justice a small compensation for the family’s loss.

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Red and white flowers were laid at the site of Luke’s death. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

Jeudi Thursday, Chris Pannan and Heidi Ward attended the vigil to mark what would have been Luke’s Gilbert’s 25th birthday. Photo credit: Rachael Smith.

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