OPINION PIECE

Think about this. Pet euthanasia is a difficult reality for animal workers and pet lovers alike. The crippling truth is that approximately 20 per cent of 200,000 dogs admitted to Australian shelters each year are euthanised, with cats facing an even more devastating rate of euthanisation.

Council’s Animal Management Centre is testimony to this fact. While the centre has achieved an impressive milestone of four years since a rehomable cat was euthanised and six years for rehomable dogs; every day, we have beautiful animals left there awaiting their new “forever homes”.

Christmas is looming and soon people will be thinking about gift giving for their loved ones.

A lot of thought is given to finding the perfect gift to give to those closest to us and if you have an animal-mad child or partner, the idea of giving a pet as a Christmas gift may seem like a wonderful gesture and of great joy to a family.  After all, who wouldn’t be thrilled with the gift of an adorable puppy or new feline friend for Christmas?

Whilst this new furry family member can make the right person ecstatic beyond belief, it is extremely important to do your research beforehand.  If you’re not completely certain that the gift recipient will be completely committed, it’s better to stick to socks and chocolate.

Remember, cute puppies grow into adult dogs that need regular exercise, training and veterinary care and they can’t be returned or exchanged if they don’t fit.

So, if you’re thinking of welcoming a pet to the family, make sure you can commit to its lifelong care and take the time to find your “pawfect” match.  Sometimes the thrill of receiving a pet as a gift can quickly wear off when the new owner faces the reality of caring for an animal full-time.  

So, if after considering the information above, you believe you can make this commitment, I encourage you to think of adopting a pet as a great alternative to purchasing from a pet store or a breeder. It is a great way to improve the life of a pet, and owners get to experience the benefits of caring for an animal in need.  You have an opportunity to give an adoptive pet a “happy ever after” ending to their story.

Pets aren’t just for Christmas gifts.  They’re for life.

Cr Pauline Townsend
Mackay Regional Council

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Tickets are now on sale for the 2023 Whitsundays Tourism Awards which are due to take place at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre on Friday, October 20.

Adopting a new format this year, the event will be a cocktail evening followed by a sit-down awards ceremony in the theatre.

This is an opportunity to celebrate the entire tourism industry and discover which local businesses have won the top accolades this year.

A scintillating event, tickets sell fast so make sure you book yours now.

WHAT: Whitsundays Tourism Awards

WHERE: Proserpine Entertainment Centre

WHEN: Friday, October 20 from 5.30pm

TICKETS: Whitundaytickets.com.au

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Hi Everyone,

Welcome to a brand-new edition!

We now officially produce five different publications from our little publishing house here in Cannonvale – for those of you that don’t know, these are Core Life Magazine, Tripping Magazine, Mackay Life Newspaper, Burdekin Life Newspaper and Whitsunday Life Newspaper.

Four of these are printed in a flip-book format where readers receive two publications in the same ‘book’, and all of them are generated, produced, and of course delivered locally.

Not bad for a publishing group that had specialised in lifestyle magazines before venturing into weekly printed news three years ago!

Last week, 10 of us ventured up to the Burdekin to launch the first issue of Burdekin Life Newspaper and we were amazed by the warm welcome we received.

(For those of you who read this column every week, my speech went really well thank you, and I am so glad I pushed myself into facing my fear!)

The launch of a new weekly newspaper was very exciting for residents of the Burdekin, who had been without a community newspaper for over a year.

While we were there, we saw first-hand how much it was missed – papers were flying off stands, we were getting calls to re-stock and so many people were walking around with a copy tucked under their arms.

Sometimes, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone!

Local businesses had nowhere to share their achievements, events slipped by without coverage, proud parents couldn’t smile at their child’s appearance in print and worst of all, without the funeral notices, no-one knew who had passed away that week!

While social media undoubtedly connects, it seems the printed community paper is well and truly alive in the regions and it is great to see our publications equally well received across the Burdekin, Mackay and right here in the Whitsundays.

Thank you to all our readers and thank you to our incredible team who deliver such exceptional work week after week.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “I hope to arrive at my death, late, in love and a little drunk” (Atticus)

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Our local non-for-profit community organisations are run by a sea of volunteers who kindly give their time to enrich the tapestry of local life.

Behind the scenes, there is also a host of local businesses who donate money to these organisations and ensure the day-to-day operations of these important local assets are kept open, now and into the future.

One of these local assets is the Proserpine Historical Museum which has, for several decades, been welcoming many visitors.

From school children to passing tourists, everyone has left the museum with a deeper understanding of local culture and the rich history of our region.

Paying homage to this vital contribution is a local family business that has just donated $2,950 to the museum.

Each year, Filby’s Motors make a donation for every car sold across the four brands to the Sponsorship Program which is then donated back into community organisations.

And this year, they chose the local museum.

“So thoughtful!” said a museum spokesperson.

“As the museum is a not-for-profit organisation, we really appreciate this kind gesture.

“This donation will be used for future projects, thank you for your continued support.”

Last week, Blake Filby and Emily Harvey presented the cheque to volunteers Peter, Alisa, Gloria, and Ros.

Does your business regularly donate? If so, we’d love to give you a shout out in the Good Deed Feed. Simply send us an email with a few details and your contact information to – bronte@mackayandwhitsundaylife.com – and we’ll get in touch.

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Proserpine Historical Museum graciously receive a cheque of support from a local family business. Photo supplied

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Rugby League lovers from across the region are feeling the excitement this week with news that the Australian Rugby League team are spending six days in the region prior to their game against Samoa in Townsville.

The newly selected team will debut at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Saturday, October 14, but they are flying into the Whitsundays this Saturday for a week of training and community interaction ahead of their big event.

Whitsunday Sportspark are excited to announce that the team will be conducted their main training session at the Jubilee Pocket ground this Sunday and the whole community are welcome to come along and enjoy the event.

The team will then head to Bowen where they will hold a Meet and Greet at the Grand View Hotel later in the week.

Hand-picked by Mel Meninga, the new squad features some Aussie legends Nathan Cleary, Payne Haas, Valentine Holmes, Cameron Munster, and Josh Addo-Carr.

The training session will take place from 3.30pm until 5pm this Sunday and Whitsunday Sportspark Chair, Justin Butler, says that he is proud to have a fitting venue for such a prestigious event.

“We always wanted to have the kind of facility here in the Whitsundays that attracted this calibre of event and we are really proud to offer our hospitality,” he said.

“This will give huge exposure for our town and we are really excited to see everyone come down and enjoy the experience.”

The Australian Rugby League Team will be in the region from Saturday October 7 to Thursday, October 12, and their only public appearances will be at the Whitsunday Sportspark and the Grand View Hotel, so make sure you head down.

WHAT: The Australian Rugby League Team Training Session

WHERE: Whitsunday Sportspark

WHEN: 3.30pm – 5pm, Sunday October 8

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WHAT: The Australian Rugby League Team Meet and Greet

WHERE: Grand View Hotel, Bowen

WHEN: 1pm – 2pm, Thursday October 12

Mel Meninga’s hand-picked Australian Rugby League Team. Photo supplied

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In a unanimous decision by Whitsunday Regional Council, a memorial plaque will be erected in in honour of the four Australian Defence Force personnel lost in a helicopter accident off the coast of Airlie Beach.

A proposal by Councillor John Collins, the memorial plaque will pay respect to Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Captain Daniel Lyon, Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs.

These are the names of the four Australian Defence Force personnel who had been taking part in Talisman Sabre 2023 activities on July 28, when their MRH-90 Taipan helicopter experienced unprecedented catastrophic failure and plunged into Whitsunday waters.

“This memorial will mean a lot to the people in our region,” Councillor Collins explained.

“Our region, particularly the townspeople of Bowen, have welcomed the armed services since the inaugural Talisman Sabre in 2005.”

Hoping to use a state government grant, Queensland Remembers Grants Program, which is set to close in October, Councillor Mike Brunker said that regardless of funding, the Council should erect a memorial.

“If we do this, we do it properly, and not rushed to meet a grant deadline,” Councillor Brunker said.

“If the funding is not there, I’m sure we can approach the ADF and other organisations.

“This needs to be done respectfully with a good and proper design.”

The ADF have since permanently grounded the Taipan helicopter, with American made UH-60 Black Hawk brought in instead.

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On July 28, four ADF personnel lost their lives in a helicopter accident. Photo supplied

“Home In Time For Footy”

On October 1, at about 4.15pm, Police allegedly intercepted a Toyota Landcruiser traveling at a spend of 144 kilometres an hour, in a 100 kilometre an hour speed zone.

Police spoke to the alleged driver, a 44-year-old Midge Point man, who allegedly explained that he was overtaking vehicles as he wanted to be home in time to watch the football.

He was issued an infringement notice, loss of eight demerit points and license suspension of six months.

His vehicle was not seized by police.

Sleepy Drunk Driver

A 22-year-old Jubilee Pocket man was issued with a notice to appear in court, following a road incident on September 29, at 11pm.

Police allege that his white Haval station wagon was found by community members stationary in the middle of the road, on Shute Habour Road, with the driver asleep in the driver’s seat.

Police were contacted and attended the scene.

Following a roadside breath test, with a reading on 0.170 per cent, the driver was detained.

He will appear in Proserpine Magistrates Court later this month.

Attempted Break In

On September 27, at about 12.02am, an individual attempted to break into a home on Leet Crescent in Proserpine.

The resident of the home was woken up by a loud noise from the side of their house, followed by their pet dog barking.

An unknown individual was then seen jumping the perimeter fence.

An entry attempt was made through windows and doors at the side of the home, but entry was not gained, and nothing stolen.

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Last Friday, September 29, was National Police Remembrance Day, a day to commemorate and honour the police servicemen and women who have passed away in the line of duty, as well as those who have died outside the line of duty.

The ceremony was particularly sombre, remembering the two south Queensland officers, Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow who lost their lives following a shooting incident on a regional property in December last year.

The service also commemorated seven officers across Queensland who passed away outside of their line of duty.

Senior Sergeant Nathan Blain shared the importance of National Remembrance Day.

“I have been a police officer for 27 years now, and this day has always been very close to my heart, and everyone treasures this day. It’s important for us to honour the memory of those colleagues that we have lost over the year, who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” he explained.

“Not everyone is going to be happy all the time with what police do, but we feel that the far majority are very supportive of us, which is really reassuring.

“We saw that in December last year when we had the tragic loss of Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow,” Snr Srg Blain said.

“Here in the Whitsundays, we had people bringing us chocolates, letters of condolences, and sympathies, and this means a lot to us.

“We don’t do the job for the thanks, but it’s nice when we do get the recognition of those we have lost.”

The service was officiated by Chaplain Reverend Craig Yeomans and attended Member for Whitsundays Amanda Camm and Whitsunday police officers.

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Whitsunday RSL Secretary Phil Smailes, Sergeant Stuart Adams, Senior Sergeant Craig Shepherd, Detective Sergeant Luke Scells, Senior Sergeant Nathan Blain, Sergeant Mark Flynn, and Member for Whitsundays Amanda Camm. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Whitsunday Police come together to remember and pay respects to fallen comrades. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Almost four years after it opened its doors, the free Proserpine RV park has now closed due to Whitsunday Regional Council’s decision not to renew the current lease.

This decision was made largely due to the required $600,000 of upgrades needed to be undertaken on the site.

The development approval conditions stipulated in the new lease required the installation of drainage, lighting, and appropriate carpark seal to the parking area.

As the site is not owned by the Council, ownership of the upgrades would return to the landowner at the end of the lease.

While in service, the Proserpine RV Park had offered free 48-hour overnight RV parking and was located behind St Catherine’s Church, just off the main street.

The regular flow of grey nomads and other passing travellers from the RV site brought increased spend to local shops.

Council, however, decided that $600,000 was too much investment in a site they didn’t own and stated that the plan had always been to invest in their main local tourism asset, Proserpine Dam.

It is hoped that by developing this attraction the overall tourist numbers that utilise services and suppliers in Proserpine will also grow further.

While the majority of Councillors agreed to terminate the lease at last week’s Ordinary Council Meeting, Councillor Michelle Wright felt inclined to continue.

“There was a need in the community for the RV site,” she said.

“This is a restock and overnight stop and I think we can get a grant to do this work.

“We knew what the conditions were then, and knew it wasn’t our land, when we signed on.”

Mayor Hall and Councillors Brunker and Clifford, however, were vocally opposed to continuing the lease.

“I would rather spend the money at our caravan park and put an overnight stop in for free,” said Councillor Clifford.

The Proserpine RV park officially closed on Tuesday this week.

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Proserpine Free RV Park welcomed hundreds of travellers over the past four years. Photo: Queensland.com

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Boathaven Beach Off-Leash Area Permanently Approved

A group of sociable dog-lovers who play and swim with their dogs almost daily down at Boathaven Beach are celebrating this week as Council make the three-month off-leash trial, a permanent fixture.

Dog walkers at Boathaven Beach in Airlie Beach are now able to have their fur-babies off leash between 5.30am and 8.30am daily.

Mayor Julie Hall said the three-month trial ended on July 30 with only one formal complaint being received by Council during the trial period.

“After the successful three-month trial at Boathaven Beach, I’m pleased we can introduce a new dog off-leash area for Airlie Beach dog lovers,” she said.

“While Council is keen on making the region more dog friendly, the onus is on the community to be aware of responsible dog ownership rules and do the right thing.

“Council’s Local Law in relation to the effective control of dog requires that a person must not bring or permit an animal to be brought into a public place unless the animal is under the person’s effective control.

“This is for the safety of all dogs and to ensure the safety of our community and visitors using the same area.

“It’s important for dogs to be under effective owner control at all times, including the designated dog off-leash areas,” Mayor Hall said.

Boathaven Beach is now one of thirteen approved dog off-leash areas:

• Queens Beach, Bowen

• Doughty Creek Mouth, Bowen

• Kings Beach, Bowen

• Denison Park, Bowen

• Shingley Beach, Airlie Beach (Eastern end only)

• Bicentennial Park, Cannonvale

• Cannonvale Beach (Sanded area; Eastern end; (Restricted Times - 5am-8am 5pm-8pm except 8:00am - 9:00am & 2:30pm - 3:30pm school days)

• Gailbraith Park, Cannonvale

• Whisper Bay Boat Ramp, Cannonvale

• Wildlife Park, Jubilee Pocket - enclosure

• Keith Jones Estate Park, Proserpine

• Hydeaway Bay

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Hitting the number one spot in both Netflix Australia and Netflix US, the recent blockbuster filmed right here in the Whitsundays, is already promoting our region to the world with its stunning backdrops and friendly local characters.

Released last week, Love Is In The Air stars Aussie songstress Delta Goodrem and British heart-throb Joshua Sasse and follows the story of a young pilot who strives to save her family business while her love interest does his best to close it.

Fortunately, this rom-com has a happy ending and you’ll have to watch it to find out!

Dozens of locals took part in the filming, speaking highly of the support they were given and the friendliness of the production team.

Airlie Beach resident, Richard Evans initially applied to be an extra but was soon given a speaking part as the “elderly man” who starred in the meet-cute-moment when the two love interests meet for the first time.

“Delta was very very nice,” said Richard.

“There was a star power aura about her but at the same time she was humble and helpful.

“Everyone I met was very supportive and patient – I think there is a lot of opportunity for future filming and arts in the Whitsundays.”

Lauriely Taylor filmed for a morning out near Cape Gloucester and said that, although she was only in the movie briefly, she loved being part of the whole production.

“The whole movie really showcased the area beautifully,” said Lauriely.

“Hopefully this really puts us on the map, again.”

Many local landmarks also featured in the movie, from Whitsunday Airport on Shute Harbour Road, which became the on-screen Fullerton Airways through to the beach north of Cape Gloucester which became the remote community where supplies were dropped and emergency evacuations took place.

Stunning aerial footage was also taken around the islands showing the extent of our lush green foliage, juxtaposed with the bright blue sea.

If you haven’t seen it yet, make sure you take a look.

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Fullerton Airways: The beloved airstrip used by Dana to launch and land her plane is none other than our Whitsunday Airport, on Shute Harbour Road

Remote island location: Filmed north of Cape Gloucester, you can see local resident Lauriely Taylor in the blue denim dress

Meet-cute-moment: Shute Harbour Marine Terminal hosted the moment the two love interests met and local resident, Richard Evans stole the show

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It is exciting that our Council will have three Councillors acknowledged for their service to Local Government at the Qld Conference in October.

Over the next three weeks, we will recognise each Councillor starting with Division 3 Councillor John Collins for over a decade of service to his community.

John, or Sarge as he is known to locals, embarked on his journey in politics at the 2012 Qld Local Government elections, easily winning election with over 40 per cent of the vote against four rivals.

He was re-elected convincingly at the 2016 and 2020 local government elections and each term he has increased his majority vote, recording a massive 88 per cent majority at the 2020 election.

Serving as Deputy Mayor several times and armed with a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by his community and the opportunities for future economic growth, Cr John has consistently demonstrated an enthusiastic commitment to community progress.

His impact extends well beyond council chambers. His dedication to the Whitsunday and Proserpine community has delivered countless projects and events that have improved the liveability for his constituents.

With Cr John as a strong advocate, Council completed Stage 1 of the Lake Proserpine Master Plan in 2019 creating a revitalised camping area, including waterside bush camping sites, new public toilets and showers, designated fire pits, upgraded picnic facilities and three new fishing pontoons to improve access for boaties.

Cr John was proud to be the key driver behind continued development of the Lake Proserpine Recreational facilities with on-site caretakers and paid camping introduced in 2021. Lake Proserpine is now another jewel in the crown for the Whitsundays with recent figures showing it boasts an average annual economic injection of $7.95 million to the region.

Other key catalyst projects under John’s watch include the Proserpine Main Street upgrade, the construction of the popular Proserpine Water Park and the $20 million rebuild of the Proserpine Entertainment Centre.

However, his proudest moment during a decade as Councillor was being a part of the Disaster Management team and being Chairperson of its Recovery Team after Cyclone Debbie in early 2017.

It was through this role that Cr John’s care for his community stood out as he spent countless hours advocating for and assisting many locals with their dealings with the major Insurance companies and helping them sort their insurance issues.

Thank you, Councillor John Collins, for a decade of exceptional service.

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With Mayor Julie Hall

Batteries should never be put in your recycling or waste bin. This includes rechargeable batteries and lithium-ion batteries in objects such as laptops, mobile phones, power tools, cameras, and e-vape machines.

Used batteries may still contain residual charge and often produce sparks which can lead to fires in our waste trucks and recycling facilities, putting our waste teams at risk, and potentially causing dangerous gases if waste is burned incorrectly.

To dispose of batteries safety, make sure to always place sticky tape on the terminals before placing in your nearest battery recycling collection point.

Household Battery Recycling Bins are located at all of our Whitsunday Regional Council Customer Service Centres and Libraries. Bins can also be found at the Collinsville and Cannonvale Transfer Stations.

For further information, search for 'Household Battery Recycling Program' on Council's website.

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Five new members have been welcomed into the Tourism Whitsundays Board, breathing new life into an already dynamic group of local tourism professionals.

The newly announced members are Nathan Fleming of Ocean Rafting, Sue Watson owner of Pinnacles Airlie Beach, Phil Browne Director of True Blue Sailing and Nicole Graham owner of Iconic Whitsunday Adventures and one invited member, Carly Povey of Bonza Airlines.

Nathan Fleming is a seasoned tourism professional who is dedicated to promoting the region with a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction.

He has been a driving force in shaping the industry landscape and says he looks forward to leveraging his skills and experience to further elevate tourism initiatives.

Sue Watson has worked in the travel industry for the past 30 years, 18 years managing resorts and before that, as a travel consultant.

She is looking forward to helping promote the Whitsundays as one of the best tourist destinations and being a “strong voice for the accommodation sector in this region.”

“I am extremely excited and proud to be a part of Tourism Whitsundays,” she said.

Phil Browne has worked in the tourism industry for the past 25 years and he hopes to bring renewed energy and focus to the youth and adventure market, which he considers a vital part of our community.

“I feel enormously thankful and proud to have been nominated onto the board, and I can’t wait to begin working with the other directors and the awesome team within TW,” he said.

The board positions are as follows: Julie Telford as Chair, Tom Young as Deputy Chair, Sue Watson as Treasurer and Crystal Lacey as Secretary.

Nicole Graham has worked in the tourism industry for 28 years and says she enjoys its energy, people, and challenges.

“I am absolutely delighted to have been given the opportunity to join the board,” she said.

“I am eager to contribute my expertise and skills to the team, and I am confident that together, we will achieve great things.”

Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Whitsundays, Rick Hamilton said he is thrilled to have another strong group of individuals representing the board again this year.

"We have another strong Board leading us into the next year, with backgrounds covering island resorts, accommodation, marine operations, legal and airlines,” he said.

“The make up of this year's board puts us in a great position to navigate the peaks and troughs expected over the next 12 months.

“I am looking forward to working closely with this Board and drawing on their considerable knowledge of The Whitsundays.”

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The newly elected board members – Phil Browne, Sue Watson, Nathan Fleming, and Nicole Graham. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

The Whitsunday Regional Council initiative Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project has attracted 45 businesses from the tourism sector to take part in the project.

The project has welcomed a wide range of tourism businesses, including marine operators, island resorts, accommodations, restaurants and bars, tours, and ceremony providers.

Mayor Julie Hall said the project is providing important tools to tourism-based business to assist in reducing their environmental impacts on our region.

“Low carbon emissions are essential to building resilience in the tourism sector and the project is helping businesses tackle the important first step to measure their carbon footprint,” she said.

“The Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project provides complementary access to the EarthCheck energy and carbon calculator which is based on internationally accepted methodologies.

“Full training is provided on the calculator and business owners are usually surprised at how easy the data entry is.”

Great Barrier Reef Foundation Strategic Initiatives Director Melissa Rodgers said climate change is the greatest threat to our Reef and emissions reduction is an important action we can take to secure its future.

“It’s heartening to see so many local businesses getting on board by working towards a carbon neutral Reef industry in the Whitsundays as part of our Reef Islands Initiative,” Ms Rodgers said.

One of the initiatives aims to support the decarbonization of tourism by providing an innovative and easy-to-use online carbon calculator for businesses to measure their operational emissions from energy, water, and waste.

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New businesses join initiative to decarbonize the Reef, seeing a growth of over 40 tourism business. Photo supplied