For Grieving Bus Crash Couple In The Whitsundays

The Hunter Valley couple whose wedding day turned to tragedy when 10 of their wedding guests were killed in a devastating bus crash have just returned from a quiet, belated honeymoon in the Whitsundays, thanks to a kind community member and several local businesses.

Maddy and Mitchell Gaffney spent the last six months grieving the loss of their loved ones, attending funerals and processing everything that happened on that fateful day. Wishing to help ease the pain, a local lady took it upon herself to arrange a spectacular honeymoon in the Whitsundays, and many kind businesses stepped forward to offer their services for free.

When local lady, Maz McDougall, heard about the bus tragedy which killed 10 wedding guests in June this year, her heart broke for the couple.

By chance, she was connected with another lady called Tina Kerr who used to live in the Whitsundays and now resided in the couple’s hometown.

The two of them began talking and it was soon decided that a honeymoon in the Whitsundays later in the year would offer the couple a small reprieve from their grief and a way to start healing from the tragedy.

Maz, who is well-known in the area for her charity work and selfless acts of kindness, took it upon herself to approach local businesses and ask them if they would like to be involved.

“The response was just incredible!” she said.

“Not a dollar got passed over this, not one cent – and I just want to thank everyone in the community.

“We sure are part of a wonderful community!”

Maddy and Mitchell were picked up from the airport in style thanks to Whitsunday Hot Rods and were then taken to Palm Bay Resort on Long Island where they spent two days relaxing.

Afterwards, they headed back to the mainland thanks to Whitsunday Island Transfers for a further two nights at Coral Sea Resort.

During their stay they also enjoyed a daytrip on Camira thanks to Cruise Whitsundays.

One evening, Maddy received a pampering experience by Lauriely Taylor Make-up and Mandy Hall from Airlie Hair Retreat before heading out for a meal at Fish D’vine where they enjoyed a Seafood Tower and “the best Mojito in my entire life!”

A special thanks also goes to Dave from Depicting Dreamscapes for his fantastic photos, Balloon Emporium for the decorations and Tiny and Mark from Mackay Cabs for the free transfers.

“Every single person, whether they knew our story or not, were so lovely,” said Maddy.

“Maz is the most amazing human being, she is so kind and generous, and we can’t thank her enough.”

Maddy said that the last few months have been the hardest time of their lives and that the belated honeymoon was a chance to re-set.

“It was just what we needed – a bit of a re-set – so we could spend some time together,” she said.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who gifted us accommodation, food, transport, tours and experiences – it’s been a trip that we will never forget.”

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Maddy and Mitchell say their belated honeymoon was a chance to re-set and reconnect. Photo credit: Depicting Dreamscapes

Hi all!

Rach has given me the absolute pleasure of writing this week’s Editor’s Note, so here we are.

This week has been a bit of a whirlwind, so I thought I’d share it with you.

We have undertaken one of two Airlie Beach Festival of Music features and we’re making sure you have the best time at one of the best festivals in the region, and what better way than to hear straight from the artists’ mouths.

That’s right, little ol’ me got the chance to interview some of the biggest names in Australian music this week – I’ve had conversations with Ross Wilson, Dragon, and even Ian Moss – and you can read about them all in the pages of this week’s paper.

It was absolutely amazing talking to these timeless Aussie legends that have some incredible hits you instantly recognise when they’re played on the radio or at the pub.

Timeless, classic, and fantastic.

And while I was a bit start stuck talking to them, I did find it hilarious when I was talking to a Year 11 student at my soccer game this week, who just gave me blank looks until I named a bunch of the artist’s greatest hits.

It really proves the power of music, of how you don’t need to know the artists name to be moved by their music.

Next on my books, for the second ABFoM feature, is Gleezus, the youth rock band who come from Bowen, and hopefully King Stingray, Frenzal Rhomb, and Tanya George.

I love that the Music Festival generates this incredible vibe around life music, you can’t help but get around it, so you’ll see me front row, bopping to the beats and having a grand ol’ time.

How are you spending Airlie Beach Festival of Music?

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The invaluable Whitsunday Lions have celebrated another great period of success, helping and supporting local community groups and organisations, with a social barbeque and a game of social bowls, at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club.

With the barbeque dinner donated and cooked by Cruise Whitsundays, the evening was well enjoyed with the Whitsunday Lions extending the invitation to the Proserpine Lions and Bowen Lions.

Maurice Kite, a member of the Whitsunday Lions, explained that the social night is important to the group.

“Every now and again, we put on a social night, just to get away from the stress and everything,” he explained.

“It’s a great chance for us to unwind, and inviting the other Lions Clubs is important to us, to share and come together.

“This is also the first time Cruise Whitsundays has come on board. We are deeply appreciative of this. We usually charge each member for dinner, but it’s fantastic to be able to get together on the house.”

Robbie Miles, Food and Beverage Manager for Cruise Whitsundays was behind the barbeque on the night.

"We believe that it is important to support local community groups because they play a vital role in keeping our communities thriving. They provide important services and programs that benefit everyone, it was a privilege for Cruise Whitsundays to host the Whitsunday Lions Club.”

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Proserpine and Whitsunday Lions Clubs join for an evening of social bowls and conversation, with Cruise Whitsundays ensuring a good dinner barbeque. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

A stray grassfire shut down the Bruce Highway near Gregory River, between Bowen and Proserpine last Saturday afternoon, leaving the region splintered for hours.

With Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) battling the blaze from midday on Saturday, all lanes on the Bruce Highway were closed until 9pm that evening.

According to a QFES spokeswoman, a total of five Queensland Fire and Emergency Services teams and 10 rural QRES teams attended the scene.

“The fire was fast moving, and police have determined that the fire was non-suspicious in cause,” the QFES spokeswoman said.

On Friday, October 27, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services conducted standard fire breaks, to help protect homes and properties. Later that day, police were notified of the grassfire on the Bruce Highway in the area, which was quickly brought under control.

At the time, this fire was deemed non-suspicious, and it is believed to have re-flared the flowing day, becoming the massive grassfire that closed the Bruce Highway Saturday.

There is currently a region wide fire ban, issued by QFES, with residents under instruction to not light any open fires, and that all Permits to Light Fires have been suspended, until Tuesday, 7 November, 11.59pm.

In the case of a bush fire, residents should revise their Bushfire Survival Plan, their Evacuation Kit, and prepare their property, by reducing vegetation around dwellings, clear gutters, remove flammable items away from the home, and ensure adequate space for fire trucks to access properties, in case of an emergency.

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A young Whitsunday local who sadly lost his battle with brain cancer last year has been remembered as part of a national initiative through Coles Supermarket to raise money for Hummingbird House.

Cody Gibbs spent his last days at Hummingbird House, a palliative care support service which helps create memorable moments for families, allowing them to make the most of their time together.

Cody was once again at the forefront of minds as the community donated to the fundraising stall at Coles in Cannonvale which held regular sausage sizzles over the course of October.

More than $2,500 was raised at the events and all proceeds were given to Hummingbird House.

Coles Cannonvale Store Manager Tracey Thorn said the team were incredibly proud to have raised so much money for Hummingbird House this year.  

“It’s a cause that strongly resonates with our team and community and I can’t thank our customers enough for getting behind this year’s appeal,” she said.

Hummingbird House General Manager Ellen Whittaker said her team were very grateful to Coles staff and customers for their incredible support of this year’s appeal.

“We have been thrilled to see the effort Coles staff put in to raise funds,” she said.

“The selflessness of Coles and the community has made a difference and so on behalf of these children and families and our dedicated staff at Hummingbird House I say ‘thank you’.”

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Jason Benson from Coles Cannonvale, Tracey Thorn, Manager of Coles Cannonvale and local volunteer Maz McDougall. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Across Airlie Beach, Cannonvale and Proserpine, there are now 16 more trained suicide prevention experts.

Undertaking the free training at Proserpine Community Centre, facilitated by Ross Romeo from Community Response to Eliminating Suicide (CORES), 16 community members are prepared and ready to intervene when they encounter an individual they believe to be suicidal.

“This is a community focussed, non-clinical training,” explained Ross.

Since 2017, over 100 local community members have completed the training, with five locals taking the next step and completing facilitator training, becoming Suicide Prevention training facilitators for the region.

“We are extremely appreciative and thankful for the volunteers who stepped up to become facilitators. They are the backbone of our training,” Ross explained.

Ingrid Ruck is now trained and is now qualified to teach others suicide prevention.

“But we like to think of ourselves as intervention friends,” she said.

The three local facilitators are Ellen Farquhar, Kate Mitchell, and Gill Graham.

“Our plan is to offer more regular suicide training chances for community members,” explained Kate.

“We are able to facilitate the training more often.”

Last Friday’s training was made possible by a generous donation from the Prince of Whales Hotel.

“They donated the money, with the plan that it was used for suicide prevention training, and we thank them for that,” Ingrid said.

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Ellen Farquhar, Kate Mitchell, Ross Romeo, and Ingrid Ruck. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

The highly anticipated upgrades to the Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) Whitsundays have started, with scaffolding erected around the property.

“We’ve been working on this for four years, and it’s all coming to fruition,” VMW Whitsundays President, Mal Priday said.

“We are expanding the operation, giving us room to train, hold meetings, and grow as a community asset.

“We are tripling in size, and upgrading our radios, giving us better access and communication for emergencies.

“This is also expanding a great community asset, as the building is also a very popular venue for community organisations.”

The entire project includes replacing the old roof, a sizeable extension to the floorplan, and brand-new facilities.

“This is a great asset to us and an even better asset to the wider Whitsunday community.”

This expansion will see a purpose-built room constructed for Search and Rescue operations and training, volunteer training, and a general-purpose meeting space for volunteers.

Between now and the expected completion of the works by mid-March 2024, the VMR organisation  will still be fully functional, holding practical boat training and their monthly meetings at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club.

“We will still be fully functional, 24 hours a day, for 365 days a year,” Mal said.

With the work expected to conclude early next year, Mal expects that the VMR won’t be holding their grand re-opening until June 2024, in line with VMR Whitsunday’s 60th year anniversary celebrations and the new partnership with the Queensland Coast Guard, which aligns better funding and better support.

The works are being undertaken by Ben Doolin Builders, with other contractors being outsourced to take part in the project.

“Davies Cranes even donated their work for free for us, which is amazing,” said Mal.

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Renovations are underway for the VMR Whitsundays headquarters. Photo supplied

Flourishing into a haven for creatives, Whitsunday Social Craft Group and Boomerang Bags has blossomed over the last three years.

Tina Everett, who started the group, did so with a desire to bring fellow crafters in the community together.

“This is such a transient area, so you get lonely and sort of get stuck in your own thing at home crafting,” explained Tina.

“A group like this gets people out of their bubble, while you still get to do something.”

Tina is a dedicated member and instigator of the group, having nursed the group since its inception.

She continues to expand the offerings, taking on a Wednesday disability group, where she plans craft for individuals with disability and their carers, as well as crafts activities for other days of the week, and is now welcoming teachers to host their own classes in the studio.

On Thursday, the group host more of a social gathering, with members each bringing their own projects.

“So today, we have Julie and Sandra doing diamond art. Bobby is too, but last week she was doing needle work. Krystal here is doing some crocheting,” tina explaimed.

“We also have some sewing machines here that people can use, and sometimes people just come here to draw and have some social activity.”

Tina has recently been looking at expanding the group, and welcoming teachers to host craft classes.

“I’m hoping we can start with mosaics, and often a lot of our materials that we use are donated from the community, so I’m hoping that maybe a builder will donate extra or leftover mosaic tiles, or even plywood boards, that we can use to back our mosaics.”

For the members of the group, the group offers a social connection without the pressure of interacting with strangers that do not share a similar hobby.

“It’s not like going to coffee with a new person, you can bring your knitting or craft, and bond over that,” Tina said.

Many of the members join solely for this social aspect, and some of the group is made up of people who have only just moved to the area and are wanting to make friends.

“And you don’t have to bring your craft the first time,” said Tina.

“Maybe just grab a coffee and join us for a few hours, have a chat. We welcome anyone and everyone.”

To find out more, head to Whitsunday Social Craft Group on Facebook, or drop into the studio in the Whitsunday Shopping Centre, just a few doors up from Coles. They are open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm, and every second Saturday.

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Celebrating Queensland Seniors Month, Bowen Uniting Church and BlueCare have joined forces and held their Seniors Expo and Morning Tea.

Seeing over 90 people attend the Expo, with 16 providers setting up information stalls, the day was a massive success for organises and the local Bowen community.

Renee Colless, Home Care Package Partner for BlueCare, said the event was fantastic for the community.

“We would also like to acknowledge Bowen Home Hardware who kindly donated potted plants for the lucky door prize, and a special thanks to Whitsunday Regional Council who kindly supported this event.”

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Photos supplied

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It was no surprise that Ocean Rafting’s Environmental Manager, James Unsworth, won the Young Achiever of the Year Award at the Whitsunday Tourism Awards recently, but the humble environmental ambassador had kept his nomination quiet, so no-one expected him to take out the top gong.

As a result, a crowd of 39 of his workmates erupted with excitement as the inspiring young man made his way to the stage to accept the award.

“It was very nice to be nominated but I didn’t tell many people, so the rest of the crew were really surprised!” he said.

“I was lucky enough to take one of the judges for our other award submissions out on a trip and talk about the reef, so it was really good to be part of the whole process.”

James has worked for award-winning local tour company, Ocean Rafting, for the past six years and during that time he has been the driving force behind not only educating guests but also encouraging other team members to share his passion for reef protection.

“This award is a real team effort and reflects all the work we do as a team,” said James.

“My role has been to try and engage staff and influence the crew to deliver a range of reef protection programs.

“I think that’s perhaps what the judges noticed in the submission.”

Renowned as much for their environmental conscience as they are for their spirit of adventure, Ocean Rafting are at the forefront of many environmental initiatives and are always among the first to put their hands up to survey and protect the reef.

One of James’ favourite projects is the Reef Seeker Program, which is an educational school initiative started by the company during the pandemic.

Delivering Eye on the Reef and Citizen Science programs, James helps children study and survey the reef, reporting all data back to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks Association (GBRMPA).

Last financial year, Ocean Rafting took more than 2,000 students out to the reef, with over half of them actively involved in the Reef Seeker Program.

Additionally, the crew are all involved with the Reef Protection Initiative which actively monitors the health of the reef around the islands.

They have conducted 1,400 reef survey expeditions over the past 10 months and successfully controlled 40 Crown of Thorns Starfish and 800 Drupella Snails, which are known to damage the reef ecosystems.

James and the team are also heavily involved in quarterly marine debris clean-ups, aerial monitoring of whales, monthly water quality surveys and the Coral Nurture Program.

“I encourage anyone who has a passion for protecting the reef to come out and experience it with guides who are leading the way in reef protection initiatives,” said James.

“They can seek volunteer opportunities and engage – people want to have meaningful experiences and we can help them achieve that dream.”

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James Unsworth loves sharing his passion for reef protection with passengers on Ocean Rafting. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

Ocean Rafting’s Environmental Manager, James Unsworth, won the Young Achiever of the Year Award at the Whitsunday Tourism Awards. Photo credit: R Jean Photography

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The new Bowen calendar is now on sale at the Bowen Visitor Information Centre next to the Big Mango, and at several outlets around the town.

The calendar features photos of Bowen’s beautiful beaches, bays, seafood, and fishing spots.

The calendar has been produced by Bowen Tourism and Business (BTB) for the second year in a row.

Manager of BTB, Leanne Abernethy said the decision was made last year to produce a calendar as a souvenir for travellers to take home and for residents too.

“Last year’s calendar proved popular, so we decided to produce it again for 2024,” Leanne said.

“Bowen really is a photographer’s paradise as there is so much beautiful scenery.

“These calendars make great Christmas gifts, and we are pleased to have them on sale now, with less than nine weeks until 2024 begins.

Leanne also thanked the businesses who advertised in the calendar, making it possible for BTB to produce it.

The calendars are on sale at several local businesses including the Big Mango for just $20.

These new calendars are just one of many products on offer at the Big Mango as the range of Bowen merchandise continues to be expanded to meet customer demands.

If you love mangoes, make sure you call in and see the friendly team of staff and volunteers and check out the mango-inspired products – from mango sorbet and dried mango to mango daquiri mix, mango soaps and candles and even mango soft toys.

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Civil Construction Worker For Whitsunday Regional Council

This week we kick off a series of Whitsunday Regional Council staff profiles to provide insights on the varied services Council provides for our community.

Our first staff profile focuses on Civil Construction Worker Luke Handley who joined Council over 12 months ago as part of our Roads and Drainage Team.

Luke, or “Handles” as his mates call him, recently won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year award at the 2023 Queensland Training Awards in Townsville.

Born and bred in Proserpine, Luke plays rugby league for the Whitsunday Brahmans and joined Council straight out of school via a traineeship in civil construction which has since led to a fulltime role.

He describes his role in civil construction as having a lot of variety, currently working on the maintenance of the Airlie Beach Main Street while also performing maintenance on the local boardwalks around the area.

Luke said his motivation every day is all about working for his community.

“I am always learning from others around me, whether that be my work mates giving me advice on the job or locals around the area passing on what they know about the history of the region, it is amazing what you can learn,” he said.

“Community is a huge part of why I live here and being a part of our Whitsunday events such as Anzac Day, The Great Barrier Reef Festival or even when natural disasters strike and my team is called into action for road issues.

“I just love giving back to our community and my goal is to continue learning. I am currently undertaking my Certificate 3 in Civil Construction, and I have future ambitions to go further within Council,” Luke said.

“Personally, I want to get more young students to join council within the apprenticeship and traineeship program as it offers so many opportunities and is a great career starter. “

Contributed with thanks to Whitsunday Regional Council.

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Dogs and cats are often spotted roaming freely in our community, and our Local Law officers are tasked with ensuring their safety.

If you've registered your pets with Council, our Local Law Officers will get in touch with you to facilitate the safe return of your beloved companions.

However, if your pet cannot be identified, our officers will take them into safe custody. An updated register of impounded animals is available on the Council's website.

In case you're searching for a lost pet, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Service Centre on 1300 972 753 during regular business hours.

It's essential to remember that registering your pet, and ensuring they’re wearing their registration tag, offers the best chance for our Local Law Officers to reunite you with your dog or cat in case they get lost or wander from their home.

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With Rick Hamilton

October was filled with big events for us at Tourism Whitsundays. As you may have noticed in the two editions previous to this, we celebrated the Whitsundays Tourism Awards with two special features for our members in this paper.

Held on Friday 20th October, over 320 people came to celebrate the tourism and business industry awards at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre (PEC).

33 gold awards were presented with Ocean Rafting and BIG 4 adventure Whitsundays Resort the big winners with special mention to the Young Achiever recipient, James Unsworth, Bob Porter Awardee, Craig Turner and Business Legacy Achievement Award winner, Allan Milostic.

If you are looking at hosting an event, I recommend the PEC, it’s a fabulous venue and a real asset for our region.

Following directly on from the Awards, the Tourism Whitsunday team hosted over 30 domestic and international travel buyers at the Whitsundays Tourism Exchange which was held at the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.

The opening event, hosted by Daydream Island Resort, began with a sunset cocktail event at Lovers Cove, which was followed by the Trade event on Tuesday where key buyers met with our industry in 30, 10 minute presentations.

Our latest tourism experience, the Whitsunday Explorer owned by the Explore group with 30 private cabins hosted the group with a magical sunset event. If you want to spoil that special one, I thoroughly recommend.

We’re now on the count down to Christmas school holidays via the Airlie Beach Music Festival, where we’re predicting we’ll see another year of outstanding visitation for the region.

Rick.

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As disaster season approaches, it is vitally important that we all prepare ourselves for the possibility of a cyclone, bush fire or extreme flooding event.

Overhanging or damaged trees pose a real threat to both properties and individual safety, but fortunately the professional arborists at WhitPro know how to protect both you and your property from potentially threatening trees this storm season.

What do we look out for in potentially dangerous trees?

Poor health – missing leaves, the bark flaking off or dead wood in the branches. Other issues could be rotting ground roots at the base of the tree, fungi, and black rot. Also check your trees out for termite activity – they will look like a dirt trail up the trunk and on the underside of the lower limbs.

What hazards do we look for nearby?

If trees are leaning over the roads or are close to powerlines, they are dangerous and must be pruned or removed.

How far are trees meant to be away from property?

1 metre is the minimum gap for any vegetation to be near your house. This is primarily for termite and pest management reasons but also a good gauge for cyclones and strong winds. Any closer, branches will be flapping and potentially damaging gutters.

How do we ensure our house or business is safe?

Call a professional to assess your property. They will be able to prune trees away from buildings, remove any dead wood and give you a quote for any removal. WhitPro has all the equipment for the job with a Spider to prune with ease, the Chipper to dispose of any rubbish and a crew of “groundies” on-hand to clean-up. We have the capacity to deal with any dead wood, tree, or type of vegetation.

Whose responsibility is it to ensure properties are safe?

It’s the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that trees on his or her property are in good health and will not damage any infrastructure or be a threat to human life.

Trees are an important part of our environment and saving a tree is a priority however a diseased tree can be a dangerous tree in a populated area and council can insist on tree removal by a property owner if deemed necessary.

So have your tree assessed before cyclone season.

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A large tree hanging perilously close to powerlines in Cannonvale. Photo credit: Norina Jane

Tim Perkins from WhitPro

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