Flagstaff Hill Convention Centre and Café has unexpectedly closed, with last Sunday September 10 being its last day of operation.

The lease for the Convention Centre and Café was held by Tuan and Vi Thuy, who also own and operate Jochheim Pies in Bowen.

The owners announced the closure of Flagstaff Hill suddenly last week via a Facebook post.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall said the closure of the Flagstaff Hill Café and Convention Centre came as a shock to Council.

“The facility is currently leased to a private operator who did not indicate to Council that they would be closing prior to the end of their lease period which still has over 12 months to run,” Mayor Hall said.

Council said that they had been “working through issues raised by the community with difficulty booking any type of function or wedding at the Convention Centre.”

“We have also had contact from the State Government who have also had complaints lodged with issues in regard to the operation of the Convention Centre.”

“I can clarify that the lease conditions or minimal rent charged by Council has never been raised as an issue by the operator,” said a Council spokesperson.

“Council had also assigned officers on several occasions to assist the lessee with some of the operational issues they were experiencing in an attempt to ensure the smooth running of the facility for the operators and community.”

Tuan and Vi Thuy were unable to give a comment at this time.

The Flagstaff Hill facility had only just re-opened in October 2021 following lengthy rebuild after the previous café was irreparably damaged in the 2017 cyclone.  

The latest closure comes as another blow to the iconic local landmark.

Council will work proactively to secure another operator to ensure the best outcome.

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Flagstaff Hill Convention Centre and Café has suddenly closed its door, with only two days’ notice to the community. Photo supplied

Single Vehicle Crash, Proserpine

Paramedics transported a male in his 70s to Proserpine Hospital in a stable condition following a single-vehicle crash on Cascara Street at 8.05pm

Hayman Island Helicopter Call Out

RACQ CQ Rescue conducted two call outs to Hayman Island on Saturday, September 9.

The first call out was for an unwell resident, the second at 9pm regarding a sick child who had been on holiday with family on the island.

Safe Night Precinct Disturbances

On September 9, at 11.30pm, police attended a large fight which erupted outside Mama Africa night club.

The four persons involved in the fight included a 32-year-old Proserpine man, a 28-year-old man from Brisbane, a 46-year-old from the Midge Point area, and an 18-year-old from the Midge Point area.

All were issued with infringement notices for public nuisance violence offences.

Another six public nuisance offences were also issued over the weekend, as well as public urination offences.

Breaching Family Violence Order

Police attended a disturbance in Jubilee Pocket, where they allege a 57-year-old Jubilee Pocket man breached a Family Protection Order and has been charged.

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Residents of Scottville are encouraged to attend the Whitsunday Regional Council Community Catch-up in Scottville next Wednesday.

The event will tackle topics such as town planning, land and natural resource management, an overview of upcoming projects and annual budget items, consultation and education programs.

Any other suggestions will be gathered through the Whitsunday Your Say website prior to the event.

The catch-up is being held at Scottville State School, from 10 to 12am on Wednesday 20 September.

The Whitsunday Regional Council will also hold Community Catch-ups in Cape Upstart and Shute Harbour soon.

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Celebrating Indigenous Literacy Day

The Whitsunday region celebrated Indigenous Literacy Day last Wednesday, sharing indigenous stories, cultures, and languages.

Indigenous men Malcolm Coongoo and Liam Ross performed the official Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony to community members and children, before all attendees were invited into the Proserpine Entertainment Centre to watch a film created by the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

The film celebrated indigenous literacy with stories and songs from indigenous communities across Australia, as well as a livestream by Foundation Ambassadors Jessica Mauboy, Justine Clarke, Gregg Dreise, and Josh Pyke.

“Indigenous Literacy Day is very important,” explained Malcolm.

“Not only for indigenous peoples, but for non-indigenous peoples as well. A lot of the things we do, we try to get people involved, share our oral history.

“We don’t have a written language, so a lot of our style, our stories, our song and dance has been passed down through the generations over the last 60,000 years and longer!”

Malcolm and Liam also shared a local indigenous story, a creation story of the Whitsundays, of the rainbow serpent and how the Great Barrier Reef got its vibrant colours.

“It’s a story that connects all of us,” said Liam.

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Queensland Small Business – Beyond the pandemic

Last week the Queensland Small Business Commissioner published the above report showing that Queensland small businesses continue to not only survive but prosper with profitability up by 42 per cent outpacing the rise in wages and total expenses of 22 per cent. The report found that the pandemic had a severe but short-lived impact on household spending.

Government intervention in the forms of grants, subsidies and handout are certainly a factor in this quick recovery and have contributed to the high inflation and interest rates we now face – both likely to curb economic growth in the short term.

A recent meeting with the Commissioner provided a platform for various regional Chambers –to voice concerns and shed light on the challenges faced by small businesses. Whilst the meeting served as an opportunity for dialogue, it was apparent that regional Chambers and small business owners are fatigued over policies that yield little or no tangible action to address their concerns.

Some of the recurring issues common to the regional Chambers included housing and cost of living, regional tax incentives enlarging the insurance pool for businesses in Far North Queensland, diesel rebates for transport, outdated planning legislation and regulation, government procurement, and Transport and Main Road (TMR) narrow practices that fail to align with small business needs.

Meanwhile, the research phase of our Vision for the Whitsundays project is now open and we invite business owners, managers, and community stakeholders, and individuals to inform the project’s key findings and recommendations.

You can participate by either making a formal submission to the project, completing a quick online survey, or participate in a focus group discussion. In September, focus groups will be held on the following themes: the economic Customer Service Experience and its impact on our economic future and economic contribution Arts, Culture, and Heritage makes to the region.

Our Vision for the Whitsundays project report will be released in May 2024.

Visit our website to participate.

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Attracting, expanding, and supporting regional events in the Whitsunday region has been a key focus of Council.

I regularly meet with our Economic Development team to explore every opportunity to entice new events and explore how Council can better support existing events to allow them to grow their events further.

The Don River Dash that was held over the weekend in Bowen is a perfect example of a relatively new event that has grown in popularity since being first staged in 2019.

This adrenaline packed spectator friendly event with cars and motorbikes racing on the bed of the Bowen River is now recognised as the pinnacle of off-road racing on Australia’s east coast.

This year the organisers accepted over 350 open competitor entries and crowds of over 5000 spectators turned out for the two days of racing action.

The exciting news is that Council’s Economic Development team have run the Economy ID calculator and the direct flow-on into the Whitsunday region’s economy is over $7 million.

This is a real feather in the cap for the organisers and volunteers of this event and an amazing economic boost for our region.

I am proud that Whitsunday Regional Council has backed the event since it started, and this financially assisted with $25,000 in-kind support to assist the organisers as they continue to expand and grow the event further.

The Don River Dash is a prime platform to showcase the beauty of Bowen and the Whitsundays to a domestic and international audience by attracting motorsport enthusiasts.

I am confident that this event will become a hallmark event for our unique part of the world and add another bow to making the Whitsunday a great place to visit.

Congratulations also to the Whitsunday Running Club for staging another successful Whitsunday Trail Festival in Airlie Beach on Sunday.

A strong field of locals and visiting runners of all ages competed along the scenic Conway Ranges in categories from the Kids Beach Bash, Honeyeater 10.5km Challenge to the ultimate 58km challenge.

Events like these and the successful White on Whitehaven Long Lunches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday provide national and international exposure for the Whitsundays and enhance our reputation as one of Australia’s premium tourism destinations.

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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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North Queensland’s fresh produce industry has celebrated another great year, with the 2023 Growers Gala which was hosted by the Bowen Gumlu Growers Association on Saturday September 2.

Held at the Bowen Racecourse, over 80 guests were welcomed, including the region’s leading growers, business leaders, industry figures and dignitaries.

On the guest list was Hon Mark Furner Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, Andrew Willcox Federal Member for Dawson, Dale Last Member for Burdekin, Mayor Julie Hall and Councillors Mike Brunker and Michelle Wright from Whitsunday Regional Council, and Mayor Lyn McLaughlin from Burdekin Shire Council.

The event celebrated the important contributions of the agricultural producers and workers who make up our communities, with two award presentations.

The Grower Recognition Award was presented to Dale Williams of Euri Gold Farm, for his continued contributions to the association, and the Industry Recognition Award was presented to Luke Jurgens from NQ Aerovation, for excellence in innovation and emerging as a leader of local industry.

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L-R: Minister for Agriculture Mark Furner MP, Mayor Julie Hall, BGGA CEO Ry Collins and BGGA President Carl Walker

L-R: BGGA CEO Ry Collins, Grower recognition award recipient Dale Williams and Minister for Agriculture Mark Furner MP. Photos supplied

Year 12 St Catherine’s Catholic College student Jy Parkinson has reached new heights, representing the school at the National School Sport Australia Swimming Championships.

Travelling to Sydney for the competition, Jy competed in five individual swim events and made five finals, which brings him into the top ten of school swimmers in Australia, in the 17–19-year-old male division.

Jy was also awarded the Queensland Male Swimming Captain and represented 163 Queensland swimmers with speech at the Championships opening ceremony.

Jy’s records include:

200 metre Butterfly in 2.11.29 with a PB of 1.30 second finishing 4th in Australia.

50 metre Butterfly in 26.73 with a PB 0.11 second finishing 5th in Australia.

100 metre Butterfly in 58.83 with a PB 0.26 second finishing 4th in Australia.

50 metre Backstroke in 28.01 with a PB 0.04 second finishing 6th in Australia.

100 metre Freestyle in 54.26 with a PB 0.24 second finishing 5th in Australia.

Jy was also a part of two Queensland relay teams, with the 100 metre Freestyle placing 5th and the 50 metre Freestyle placing 4th.

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Jy Parkinson travelled to Sydney to compete in the National School Sport Australia Swimming Championships. Photo supplied

Local tourism operators from across the region have learnt how to be champions of change by participating in a workshop to upskill their knowledge levels to create more accessible, disability-friendly workplaces.

The Accessible Tourism workshop, held at Coral Sea Resort last Friday, saw representatives from seven different local entities attend the event.

Rick Hamilton, CEO of Tourism Whitsundays said the workshop provided a huge insight into the daily challenges people with disabilities are living with.

During the session, attendees experienced what it was like to live with a disability.

“By experiencing similar limitations for ourselves and learning from the Get Skilled Access team, we were able to better understand what information and facilities can help make life and travel easier," said Rick.

By providing participants with a unique perspective, they gained valuable knowledge and the insight required to inform accessibility and inclusiveness decision-making and championing change in their respective organisations.  

Get Skilled Access team members living with a disability showed participants what their lives are like by simulating workplace challenges for staff using wheelchairs, mobility aids and low-vision glasses.

This was a Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport initiative which engaged Get Skilled Access and TravAbility to deliver the project.

Six selected tourism destinations were chosen, including Bundaberg, Capricorn, Gladstone, Mackay, Southern Queensland, and the Whitsundays.

Operators in attendance were Adventure Whitsunday, Cruise Whitsundays, Bowen Tourism and Business, Red Cat Adventures, Whitsunday Escape, Whitsunday Sailing Club, Tourism Whitsundays. Photo supplied

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Local tour operators are once again doing their bit for the reef thanks to the newest iteration of the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative (TRPI) which is here and ready to deliver concise, balanced, and relevant information on the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Tourism Reef Protection Initiative (TRPI) is a program for tourism operators to commit to and deliver reef protection and conservation services, within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

There are 26 tourism operators involved in this Initiative and Cruise Whitsundays is one of them.

General Manager Adam Hosie said he and his team are extremely proud to be involved in such a worthwhile initiative.

“With over 2,900 individual reefs making up the Great Barrier Reef, the involvement of tourism operators in supporting the Reef Authority’s monumental efforts to preserve and protect one of the planet’s most significant natural wonders is vital to success,” he said.

Cruise Whitsunday’s Marine Biologist Jemma Simpson said the increase in resourcing for our in-water survey team will make a huge difference to the resilience of the sites at Hardy Reef.

“Reef surveys and data collection have always been a key priority for Cruise Whitsundays. Happily, now through the additional funding thanks to the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative, we have been able to increase resources,” she explained.

“This project has allowed us to allocate more dedicated research days and expand the areas we monitor.”

By June this year, the Cruise Whitsundays team had conducted over 40 in-water survey days, with 188 RHIS (Reef Health Impact Surveys) completed.

“Our team has successfully removed three Crown of Thorns starfish and over 1,100 Drupella from our site,” said Jemma.

“Contributing to this initiative means that we are able to help protect our area of reef for the future.”

The project is funded by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, as part of the Australia Government’s Reef Protection Package, a $1.2 billion commitment.

$16.6 million has been allocated towards contracting marine tourism operators across the entire Great Barrier Reef network.

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The Tourism Reef Protection Initiative team conducting Reef Health Surveys on Hardy Reef. Photo supplied

June 2 1939 - Imagine this night seventy-four years ago. It was Tuesday and Sole Brothers Circus was in town. In those days, the tent was set up in the grounds on the corner of Main and Hinschen Streets, adjacent to the railway line.

As was the case, the lions and lion tamer, Mr Andrew Sole, opened the show. During the performance, an attendant accidentally left a gap in the tent while removing a trestle. Taking advantage of the situation, the lioness made a dash for freedom, going straight out the entrance and disappearing into the railway yard. With a packed house, there were fears of panic but the circus people assured the crowd to stay seated and the performance continued as if nothing had happened.

From thereon, most of the thrills happened outside the tent.

Tex Newberry, the “hot pie king”, had his cart parked on the roadway and the “Guardian” reported there were at least sixty people in the street. A group of young people gathered on the opposite corner from the circus had been jokingly discussing what they would do should a lion escape. John Maltby had declared with bravado that he would jump the nearby fence. Little did they know…

When the young men spotted an animal making its way from the tent, they thought it was just a dog until the alarm was given that it was indeed a lion. Everyone was looking for a safe place. Some scrambled onto lorries. And John did jump that fence – from a standing position! He was then able to open the gate and escort everyone to safety. Other reports relayed the story of a chap who was extremely intoxicated and on realising that it was a lioness and not a dog he was about to pat, sobered up immediately and took off. Oblivious to all the commotion, the lioness made its way over to the sugar mill where, in the darkness, another unsuspecting man mistook the animal for a dog until it let out a deep growl. He too made a beeline for safety.

By this time, with the aid of police, the circus people had organised a hunt. The police, who were having difficulty finding batteries for their torches, armed themselves with .303 rifles. Other civilians helped, including Mr Jack Ashton who was visiting from Mackay.

Jack came to Australia with the famous Buffalo Bill Circus about 1915 and decided to stay. He resided for many years in the Gregory area. Jack had amazing dexterity with the whip, rope and throwing knife and was a remarkable sharp shooter. When the lion was located, he lassoed it, however the rope was light and the animal charged, broke the rope and headed off into the cane paddock.

For two hours, the lioness eluded the search party until she was discovered near the fowl house in Mr Jim Perry’s yard – perhaps in search of food. The circus people were alerted and help soon arrived. Eventually, the lioness was caught at Number 1 Main Street. This time Jack Ashton was successful with his lasso and a large rope net was thrown over the lioness and she was carried back to her cage. Had that not been the case, Mr Sole had instructed Sergeant McLeahy, that should the lioness become dangerous, he was to shoot it.

All the while, the enterprising Tex Newbury, who was still parked in the Main Street, was trying to drum up business selling his pies with the slogan, “Buy a pie before the lion gets you!”

Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum.

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Our local prawn farm is expanding its operations and once construction is complete, it will be responsible for producing almost half the farmed prawns in Queensland.

Last year, the total Queensland aquaculture production of prawns was 8,728 tonnes and once operational, the new upgraded facility will produce an additional 3,650 tonnes.

This will effectively increase the overall farmed prawn production in the state by roughly one third.

Due to begin by mid-2024, the Stage 4 expansion will be located at the existing facility between the Gregory River and Eden Lassie Creek, Edgecumbe Bay.

The expanded facility will provide for an additional 210 hectares of production ponds located immediately to the south of the existing ponds, utilising the existing intake and discharge infrastructure.

In addition, approximately 59 hectares of water treatment ponds and supporting infrastructure are proposed to be built as part of the project.

“The scale of the proposed Stage 4 is considered significant at the local, regional and state levels, and will supply the growing demand for sustainably produced protein,” said a spokesperson for De Costi Seafoods.

The company has already obtained the relevant planning and environmental approvals from both the Queensland Government and Local Government for Stage 4 of the project.

Final Federal approval is expected to be obtained early in 2024.

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Stage 4 of Proserpine Prawn Farm will be underway next year. Photo credit: Declan Durrant

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Wed 30 August – Single stableford played both men and ladies.

Ladies’ winner on a countback was Roslyn Tilden 36pts, runner up Judi Morris 36pts.  

Men’s winner was Toss Eisemann 41pts, runner up on a countback David Insch 38pts.

Saturday 2nd September – Men’s September monthly medal.

Winner on a countback was Jeff Jackson 64 nett, runner up Walter Maguire 64 nett.

Sunday 3rd September – Ladies September monthly medal.  

Winner on a countback Margaret Need 67 nett, runner up Judi Morris 67 nett.  

Congratulations to the following Bowen players on their achievements in the opens held recently around the region:

Marcus Yasso on winning the boys 18-hole event at the Bowen Junior open held on Sunday 27th August and the Mystic Sands Junior Open held on Saturday 9th September – 3 over par score, well played.

Jeremy Chrzanowski on his good performance at the Ayr Mens open held on Sunday 3rd September – Gross runner up.  

Over the weekend, the Bowen men played their Club championships.

After playing 54 holes for the weekend, the Club champion for 2023 is Jeremy Chrzanowski – 192.

B Grade Gross winner James Miller 215.  A grade nett winner Daniel Borgh.  

B grade nett winner Lester Keller.  

The C Grade players played 36 holes over the weekend.  

Gross winner Jeff Jackson 193, runner up Fred Tammist 194.  

Contributed with thanks to Grace Nott.

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Mackay’s business community was at its charitable best last Friday, September 1 as the M&P Services and Key Solutions Group 8th Annual Charity Golf Day took over Mackay Golf Club.

The event was once again a sellout, with 36 teams taking to the fairway on a beautiful spring day, all for a good cause.

“Before we’d even teed off, we raised over $37,500 for 10 local charities,” said M&P Services General Manager Max Lamb.

The number of beneficiaries has doubled on previous years, with all money raised to go to RACQ CQ Rescue, Mackay Cutters Change the Game, Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club, Australian Street Aid Project, Mackay Netball Association, CASA, Mackay Hospital Foundation, Broken Ballerina Inc, Kidney Support Network and Mackay Community Visitors Association.

“This has become one of the most iconic charity golf days in our region and this is the eighth one, so congratulations to Max and his team,” said Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson.

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Golf for a good cause. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

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