Quentin is a technology solutions architect based at the Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre in Emerald. The Centre recently hosted an AgTech forum. Photo credit: Queensland Agriculture

Growers and agri-technology representatives gathered in Emerald last week as part of AgTech Month to collectively brainstorm new and clever ways to address cropping challenges with technology solutions.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said Emerald’s new Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre is the perfect forum for this meeting of the minds.

“The Smart Cropping Centre is rapidly developing into a hothouse for robotics, sensor networks, drones and other tech which supports farming systems in an environment of increasing climate variability,” Mr Furner said.

“Just recently, the Smart Cropping Centre has begun using robots and drones on the site to field test their capabilities.

“This week’s co-design workshop will flesh out the challenges the local agricultural industry faces and what they believe would make a difference to their business and industry.

“The information gathered will ensure the centre continues to shape its work in a direction that is meaningful and supportive of local producers.

“The role of the Smart Cropping Centre is to develop solutions that assist producers in maximising their efficiency, so collaboration is key.

“This kind of innovation points the way to the future of agriculture and the thousands of good jobs that rely on this industry.

Mr Furner said Central Queensland is an important agricultural production region, contributing significantly to Queensland’s $23 billion agricultural industry.

“As part of the 2021 State Budget, the Queensland Government invested $5.85 million to develop the Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre as an innovation flagship that brings together RD&E in farming systems, agronomy, crop innovation and plant protection with the latest innovations in AgTech and data sciences to deliver a world-class research hub for Queensland’s cropping sector,” he said.

“It will boost local and national industry confidence to invest in new technologies and growing systems to achieve growth in productivity, expand exports and ensure future food security.”

The centre is part of the Queensland Smart Farms initiative which is developing a network of farms and facilities dedicated to advancing Australia’s agriculture and food industries through AgTech innovation–AgTech in action.

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As everyone is winding down for Christmas, I’m officially signing off for the year and heading onto maternity leave.

It’s such a bittersweet time, as I will certainly miss being on air and working with the awesome crew at Star 101.9, however I’m also very excited to welcome my boy into the world and take a little time to focus on just family.

Christmas will certainly be looking a little different in my house this year, we will be swapping the booze for a baby bottle!  

I do want to wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas and New Year period. Good luck to everyone tackling Mount P and Canelands these next few weeks and enjoy this time with family and friends.

However, don’t get too comfortable without me, I’ll be back from mat leave singing (terribly) on your drive to work/school before you know it!

Also don’t forget if you are looking for something to do this weekend, Carols in the Gardens is on at the Botanic Gardens Amphitheatre this Saturday night. It’s a great family night out and the perfect way to get into the Chrissy spirit.

I promise not to sing a cover of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas is You’ on the night.

Merry Christmas everyone,

Rach

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That’s a common question from people considering putting their property on the market.

The truth is that in Mackay there is probably not a bad time to sell and I find that pretty much any time of the year is a good time.

The only issue around this time of year is that everything closes down over the Christmas-New Year period.

The way the dates fall this year, Saturday the 17th of December will be the last open house day for most agents. While solicitors, banks and brokers will mostly keep operating the following week, things will wind up on Friday the 23rd of December.

In terms of access to solicitors, building and pest inspectors, banks etc, it will be very difficult to get anything done between the 23rd of December and the 3rd of January.

There will be some people who will list their properties for sale between now and Christmas and history tells us that there can be some good results at this time of year.

For other people, the period between now and Christmas will be about getting ready to sell in the New Year.

A terrific approach can be to get listing documents signed, photos done and write-up completed before the holidays so that sellers are ready to go in early January.

That early January period can be good because the intrusion and delays over the holiday period are behind us and it is all systems go.

Buyers are motivated at that time of year … not many people want to go looking at properties in mid-January unless they are serious about buying.

A lot of those buyers are looking at that time of year because they want to have a property under contract before the end of January so they can make plans around where they will be living in the year ahead.

They know where the kids will be going to school and they have got certainty around access to work, shops and community/sporting activities.

For me, the idea is that I start getting things ready over the next couple of weeks for properties I will be putting on the market and selling in January.

If photos, write-ups, documentation etc. are done when I go on my Christmas break I know that I can come back in early January, hit the button and be ready to go.

It’s an exciting time in January because everyone’s had a break and we’re full of energy and ready to embrace the market and the world in a new year.

This is my last column for the year. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Looking forward to a continuation of Mackay positivity in 2023.

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It’s December and Christmas is only three weeks away. My year has flown by and as I write this I wonder where 2022 has gone.

Mackay has had a good year; we have opened our new state-of-the-art Animal Management Centre; we are also well advanced with works on the Seaforth Esplanade project and the Riverside Link upgrade in the PDA. Preparation works are also happening with the Northern Beaches Community Hub and the mountain bike tracks in the Pioneer Valley.

I would like to thank all our staff and contractors for their dedication to their work at council, especially the Parks and Gardens crews for putting in the hard yards to get on top of our grass issues early in the year.

And while it’s great to reflect on what we have achieved this year, now is the time to find our Christmas spirit. Now is the time to consider family, friends and those less fortunate than ourselves as we prepare for Christmas.

We all know the story of Mary and Joseph struggling to find somewhere to stay in Bethlehem. Unfortunately, this same scenario is happening in our region every day as more people come to Mackay for work and cannot find accommodation. If you know someone in that position, think about inviting them to your place for Christmas lunch so they don’t have to eat theirs on a park bench.    

Spare a thought for our cane farmers and all those who rely on them for survival, as they will have to work through the Christmas period this year in an attempt to harvest the crop.

So, where will you find your Christmas Spirit? For me, it will be found in spending time with family and friends and watching the faces on the little ones as they open presents. It will be found in saying thank you to Vinnie’s volunteers and hundreds like them in other groups as they celebrate this year’s achievements at Christmas gatherings.

And you are all invited to find your Christmas spirit with me at Habana Carols Under the Stars on December 17 at 7pm. We will be celebrating our 30th carols by sharing the true Christmas spirit of giving without expecting something in return at our totally free family event.

Please stay safe,

Cr Laurence Bonaventura  

Mackay Regional Council

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Hi Everyone,

How are you feeling about Christmas?

Excited? Frazzled? Happy? Overwhelmed?

Christmas is certainly a magical time of year but for many of us it can also involve racing around trying to squeeze in as many things as possible – drinks with friends, shopping for presents, hanging up the decorations – it seems every spare moment is full of fun and festivity.

But this can also be exhausting, and a little overwhelming.

Is anyone else feeling this too?

I am reading a book at the moment called Idiots by Laura Clery.

She is an American mum and comedienne who regularly posts hilarious online videos of her life as a mum.

She is real, candid and I love the way she does not pretend to have it all together.

Last night I read a chapter that reminded me about something I learnt many years ago, but as with many things, had gotten lost along the busy road of life.

The art of Gratitude.

In her book, Laura tells us how she lists all the things she is grateful for every day – whether that be her family, her health, or even the breath in her lungs!

From that state of gratitude, she then manifests what she wants in her life.

Now I know this sounds a bit fantastical, but stars like Oprah Winfrey, Lady Ga Ga and Will Smith all swear by similar strategies.

Back in my twenties I was obsessed with them too – reading every book I could find on the subject.

As with many things, I thought I would live my life with this ‘enlightened’ mindset forever, but I guess we all need to re-learn and remind ourselves every decade or so.

With this in mind, I have started to practice gratitude again.

Listing things I am grateful for each day can seem a little silly and pointless at first – but I dare you to give it go – I have, and it feels great!

Rach

Quote of the week: “Some people grumble that roses have thorns. I am grateful that thorns have roses” (Alphose Karr)

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Residents of Division 2 will head to the polling booths tomorrow morning to cast their votes on who will become their next local Councillor.

Early voting has taken place all week with the voting station open from 9am to 5pm, and special extended hours until 6pm this evening, at Shop 15 Whitsunday Shopping Centre.

Tomorrow’s Election Day voting will take place at the same location from 8am to 6pm.

A clear winner could be announced as early as Saturday evening but, as a preferential voting system will be used again, it could be decided upon by who the community vote as second or even third favourite.

If this is the case, there might be a longer wait until a winner is announced and if the decision is reliant upon postal votes, this could take up to two weeks.

The Mayoral election held early August, was a close race and the successful candidate was not officially announced for almost two weeks.

It is compulsory to vote if you are registered and live in the Division 2 electorate.

Failure to vote will incur a fine of $143.75.

To enrol to vote, check your enrolment or update your details, go to the Australian Electoral Commission’s website.

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WHAT: Election of Division 2 Councillor

WHERE: Shop 15 Whitsunday Shopping Centre

WHEN: Saturday, December 3 from 8am to 6pm

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Many of us are getting excited for Christmas and looking forward to watching our family members unwrap special presents bought just for them.

While most are fortunate enough to be able to do this, we must also remember that there are those in the community who are unable to afford much this year and are worried their children will miss out.

Collinsville mum Zoe Williams remembers times like this when she was a single mum “living in the trenches” and wondering how she would afford Christmas presents for her children.

Understanding that many people are ‘doing it tough’ this year and are too proud to ask for help, Zoe went onto the local Collinsville Community Notice Board and offered to package up her kids’ pre-loved toys to give to others.

“I have four children and we have an excess of clothes, toys and books,” she said.

“They are all in great condition, but there is just no point in us hanging onto them when someone else might enjoy them more.”

In her post, Zoe asked anyone in the community to private message her if they are struggling financially, saying that it doesn’t matter whether presents are shop-bought.

“Wrap them up and kiddos will never know they are pre-loved!” read the post.

Inviting others in the community to donate as well, Zoe has also offered to coordinate any bags of toys, using her local connections to find homes in need of support.

“It’s also a great way to teach your children to think of others at Christmas,” said Zoe.

“With the cost of living at the moment, Christmas can be expensive, and I hope this lightens the load.”

If you are in need or would like to donate, you can look Zoe Williams up on Facebook and send her a message.

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Flying down to Brisbane for a face-to-face meeting with Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey on Friday, Mayor Julie Hall sought answers to important questions in hopes it will improve infrastructure in the Whitsundays.

Adding her weight to the good work already levelled by Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP, Mayor Hall reiterated the community sentiment that the State funded Shute Harbour Boat Ramp was not “practical”.

“The boat ramp is a Department of Main Roads asset, and I urged Minister Bailey to consider the strong feedback from our community that they are not happy with the current fixed walkway structure,” she said.

“I stressed to the Minister that we want to put the past behind us, and we acknowledge the structure was engineered to withstand a cyclone in a harbour without a breakwater, but community feedback indicates the walkway is just not practical.”

Minister Bailey has now agreed to work alongside Council and provide senior staff from Maritime Safety Queensland to revisit the options to improve the “ease of use”.

Mayor Hall also raised state road maintenance issues which she said has a “maintenance backlog” of $6.5 million.

Minister Bailey said they had already added a further $1 million in funding for additional gravel to be placed on sections of Suttor Development Road and Mount Coolon to Belyando Crossing.

During the meeting, the topic of exponential population growth putting a strain on the main access route to Airlie Beach was also discussed.

“The road is becoming congested, and planning of this important corridor needs to be brought forward,” said Mayor Hall.

She was then informed that the Department of Transport and Main Roads will revisit the modelling used in the 2016 Shute Harbour Road plans to inform the best outcome for future upgrades.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall with Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey. Photo supplied

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Australia’s most northern deep-water coal export port has released its draft Master Plan and Port Overlay documents for public consultation in what is a major step for the site’s potential development.

Whitsunday Regional Councillor Mike Brunker has called the Abbot Point documents “the most important we’ve seen in the last ten years” relating to the Adani Group operated port, as well as the location's State Development Area.

The drafts set out the long-term plan for sustainable development at the site until 2050, looking “beyond the port boundary to ensure port-related development is sustainably managed” – particularly in reference to the Great Barrier Reef and the Reef 2050 Plan.

Since 2012, expansion of Abbot Point has been on the backburner, with the most recent plans those made a decade ago: a $9 billion development of the port which was scrapped by the previous Queensland Premier Campbell Newman’s government.

Now, the Abbot Point draft Master Plan and Port Overlay for the Priority Port of Abbot Point 2 is attempting to address the major environmental concerns which halted development 10 years ago.

The drafts themselves do not lay out explicit plans for the port or State Development Area. Rather, they act as outlines for future development, its impact on the reef, and how to facilitate the creation of a potential infrastructure hub through delivering major development of road networks, power, and other pivotal foundations.

Nothing is concrete save for precinct designations which the Master Plan has mapped out: Environmental land; marine infrastructure; port, industry and commercial areas; and the infrastructure and supply chain corridor – places where industry can grow, optimise, and develop.

Documents state that the Master Plan strikes a “balance between the sustainable development of the Port of Abbot Point and the long-term protection of environmental and cultural values, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Caley Valley Wetlands.”

Community consultations occurred last week, on Thursday, November 24, and Friday, November 25, at Bowen PCYC, and Whitsunday Regional Council signed their endorsement of the plans at their regular meeting on the Wednesday of that same week.

Councillor’s Michelle Wright and Michael Brunker were adamant the development needed to fulfill its potential as an industrial estate, which could be achieved by Council leaning on Queensland Government’s Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) in the form of an endorsement letter.

“The development and growth of the area should be facilitated to move forward at the earliest possible opportunity to support the Bowen and Whitsunday communities,” Council’s letter to TMR reads.

"Council supports the vision for Abbot Point’s continuous growth, as a key strategic coal port and leveraging benefits from the adjoining State Development Area to become a hub for import, processing, manufacturing and export activities of other industries of regional, state and national significance.”

Councillor Brunker said Abbot Point was “probably the jewel in the crown as far as port land”.

“More strategic than Townsville and I know politically, purely politics, Townsville has all the work done at their end. But this is going to be the hub in the future,” he said.

The Councillor for Division 6 was particularly incensed by what he said was lethargic expansion at the State Development Area over the past decade.

“What I want at the end of the day is [to see] where your infrastructure corridor is going, where your power is going,” he said.

“It’s only blind luck that Gilmour Space have moved over to the Quarry Site. If they were going into the Abbot Point Development Site it would be ten years before they were in there; [Gilmour Space] would be shooting rockets back from Mars before we got one up [from Abbot Point].”

Councillor Michelle Wright said “time is definitely of the essence” for endorsing the plans.

“We need to push this and get behind it and communicate with who we need to to get this through,” she said.

“It is high urgency. This will be great for the whole community – Bowen, Collinsville, and Whitsunday – so bring it on, I say.”

The Abbot Point draft Master Plan and Port Overlay are available for public comment until December 12.

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Master planning for the Port of Abbot Point has been released, and Whitsunday Regional Council hope the site and its State Development Area will soon become an infrastructure hub

The separate Annual Australia Day events are set to become one as Council announces a combined Regional Australia Day Ceremony to be hosted at Proserpine Entertainment Centre in 2023.

The joint event will merge Bowen, Proserpine, and the Whitsundays’ Australia Day Awards Ceremonies – which are normally hosted in their individual township – to “bring the community together”.

Discussions surrounding the proposal, which was eventually approved at a Whitsunday Regional Council Meeting in November, were concerned with travel from the Whitsundays’ north – so much so that it required two meetings’ worth of discussion.

The pilot iteration of the event is also part of Council’s effort to heighten the prestige of the awards which, in recent years according to Council, have received fewer entrants than desired.

“In recent years, we have struggled to get nominations for the Australia Day awards when we have held separate ceremonies,” Mayor Julie Hall said.

“Which is why, in 2023, we will trial a united Whitsunday event with the venue to be rotated each year. Hosting one regional event allows us to duly honour high achievers and community members who are dedicated to making the Whitsundays a better place.”

Council did however note a special case: Collinsville’s Australia Day awards breakfast, which is separately organised by the Collinsville Community Association, will still go ahead unchanged in 2023.  Those nominated in the separate Collinsville event will automatically be entered into the Whitsunday Australia Day Awards, however.

The change did have its detractors in Councillor Michelle Wright and Councillor Mike Brunker, both of whom believed there would be “pushback”.

“You’re not going to unite the region, you’re going to divide it,” Councillor Brunker said.

Despite concerns, the new event was approved by Council, and will act as a “trial” only, according to Mayor Hall, with the potential to return to its original form in 2024.

The inaugural Regional Whitsunday Australia Day Ceremony is set to take place at Proserpine Entertainment Centre on January 26, 2023.

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One of the region’s biggest marine tourism companies just got bigger with the acquisition of another Airlie Beach adventure tourism brand.

Whitsunday-based operator Red Cat Adventures officially purchased one of the Queensland tourism mecca’s famed outfits: Whitsunday Jetski Tours.

Red Cat owners Asher and Julie Telford struck a deal with Steve and Toni Ward from Whitsunday Jetski Tours’ and promise to now continue ‘business as usual’ for consumers and staff, operating both brands and continuing their much-loved award-winning tours.

The Wards – who have owned the local business for 12 years - said “when the time came to let it go, it would need to be taken on by people we could trust to maintain the team spirit, ethos and high service levels we’ve worked so hard to achieve.”

Red Cat Owner Asher Telford said the opportunity to take on another unique, securely established, premium tourism product was too good to overlook.

“For a long time now, we have felt that the offering provided by Whitsunday Jetski Tours would complement our existing experiences perfectly,” he said.

“It is an honour to be adding Whitsunday Jetski Tours to our Red Cat Adventures suite.”

Julie Telford said the future for both brands and the Whitsunday tourism scene was bright.

“Now we can be a one-stop adventure shop, offering visitors to the Whitsundays a week-long itinerary if they so choose,” she said.

Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer, Rick Hamilton, said “Asher and Julie’s confidence in the Whitsunday tourism market is inspiring” and that this will be “an incredible bonus for visitors and an asset to the region.”

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Steve and Toni Ward sell Whitsunday Jet Ski Tours to Red Cat owners Asher and Julie Telford. Photo supplied.

A series of community grants totalling $99,210 were the subject of a verbal scuffle between Councillors at Whitsunday Regional Council’s Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, November 23.

During Council’s review of its 2022-23 Special Grant Applications Round 1, Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson and Councillor Michael Brunker drew attention away from the large sum during a discussion raised by Councillor Michelle Wright on supplying the Bowen Horse & Pony Club Inc. with additional funds.

Councillor Wright suggested the community group needed more grant funding due to it still recovering from the Covid-19 Pandemic, during which the Horse & Pony club closed entirely.

The Councillor for Division 4 hoped to raise the figure to $15,000 from its original $12,677, which drew comments from Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson, who was “politically” conscious that the grants focused heavily on Bowen – with six of the seven Round 1 funds heading to the Whitsundays’ far north.

“I support the resolution as it stands,” Councillor Simpson said.

“And [I] congratulate the Bowen community on all these applications. Politically, it does not look very good that all these grants are going to one area.”

Community Services Director Julie Wright attempted to assuage any comments that the grants were politically motivated: “The rounds change; the same time last year we had seven applications from the Airlie Beach, Proserpine area, which were approved, and two from Bowen,” she said.

“That was on November 24, the same time last year.”

Councillor Brunker then took the opportunity to make comment.

“I suggest the Deputy Mayor take it on the chin. As a deputy mayor, or a mayor, or a councillor, I look at who we’re giving it to,” Councillor Brunker said.

“We don’t worry about Bowen, Whitsunday, or Proserpine or anywhere else. I’ve sat here with just Whitsunday and no Bowen [on this grant program].  Let’s forget about different areas, lines down the map and political this or political that, we’re here for one region.”

Councillor Simpson refuted the comments: “Since I’ve been here, all I’ve tried to do is bring the region together,” he said.

The motion was amended to increase the Pony Club’s funding to $15,000, which was carried 4/1, with the Deputy Mayor the single against.

Council approved the significant grant funding as follows:

1. Bowen Meals on Wheels Inc. - $5,000

2. Bowen & District Childcare Centre - $10,000

3. Whitsunday Community & Education Centre - $11,335

4. Bowen Community Council Inc. - $11,875

5. Bowen Horse & Pony Club Inc. - $15,000

6. Bowen Woodworkers & Woodturners Association Inc. - $20,000

7. Heronvale Rural Fire Brigade - $20,000

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A swathe of Whitsunday Island Resorts have been bought by Australian investors over the past few years, sparking the revival of many once thriving tourists hubs that have since become rundown wrecks.

Sydney hoteliers and brothers Bill and Mario Gravanis of Oscars Hotel Group acquired Long Island Resort for over $20 million in 2021 and now have plans to create an upscale resort on the existing site.  

It has been abandoned for five years but was previously owned by Sydney-based investor David Kingston, who also owned Club Crocodile in Airlie Beach.

Prior to this it was developed as a resort by Contiki.

The prevalence of Australian investors buying up Whitsunday Island Resorts was further cemented with the purchase of Hook Island Lodge by 35-year-old hospitality star Glenn Piper of Meridian Australia in May this year.

This young entrepreneur is a relative newcomer in the hospitality industry and has invested over $100 million on resorts and pubs since 2020.

Glenn bought the lease on 9.3 hectares of Hook Island for $10 million and plans to invest a further $20 million to create a ‘barefoot luxury’ resort.

Lindeman Island is the most recent resort to receive strong Australian investment.

In November, it was acquired by Queensland property developer Shaun Juniper and wife Samantha for an amount which is speculated to be upwards of $20 million.

The island resort was previously purchased by Media mogul William Han from White Horse Group who bought the property in 2012 for $12 million.

Despite $600 million worth of plans for a luxury upgrade, it has spent the last decade abandoned.

Prior to this it had been a Club Med -- a popular European resort chain which was frequented by locals and tourists in droves.

Shaun Juniper now plans to transform the island into an international health and nature retreat with the country’s best gym, top practitioners and six-star facilities.

With an on-island airstrip, high-end tourists will be able to fly directly from urban centres.

Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP says this is an exciting time for the Whitsundays and that “in a post Covid world, we have realised what we have on back doorstep”.

She adds, however, that it is vital we have a “mixture of product offerings and experiences from basic camping through to luxury options.”

With six-star luxury plans at the Whitsundays’ doorstep, the question remains whether these islands will remain ‘closed’ to most residents, given that the price point is so high.

Despite this issue, the most positive outcome is that the island resorts will receive a much-needed facelift.

“It’s a great opportunity to have investment in our region from Australians who may be passionate about our natural assets and see the opportunity,” The Member for Whitsunday said.

“The important factor is that they are developed and operated sustainably and would be great if they can align and capitalise on our brand Whitsunday.”

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Lindeman Island was purchased by Australian investors in November. This is the third resort island to be bought by Aussies in the past two years. Photo: supplied

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Whitsunday Regional Council have delivered what Mayor Julie Hall is calling “one, tiny piece of the pie” towards solving the housing crisis sweeping the region.

At Council’s Ordinary Meeting on Wednesday, November 23, Councillors approved amendments to the Whitsunday Planning Scheme in hopes to encourage housing diversity, promote affordable rentals, and entice home ownership options.

The amendments are a direct result of Council’s consultation with community for input on affordable housing options.

The results of the Affordable Housing Consultation Submission Analysis Report were placed into two “Amendment packages”.

Whitsunday Regional Council’s Director Development Services, Neil McGaffin, said the first of those two changes to the planning scheme was to reduce the minimum lot size for dual occupancies to 600 square metres.

“What we have taken out of the data is the need to reduce that minimum lot size,” Mr McGaffin said.

“There’s a lot of land out there that is just below the minimum requirements. The potential is, if we reduce the minimum lot size, that it could free up opportunity for dual occupancy or two dwellings on the one site.”

The second amendment to the Planning Scheme complimented an earlier change passed down by State Government in the same meeting and accepted by Council on a local level: That secondary dwellings or ‘granny flats’ can now be rented out to third parties rather than a person from the same household, such as grandparents or teenagers of the same family.

“In the past, there’s been an inherent requirement for a relationship between the people in the main dwelling and the proposed granny flat. That’s now been wiped, so it’s possible for two separate families to live in two separate dwellings on the same block of land,” Mr McGaffin said.

In addition to those State-wide changes, Council’s Affordable Housing Amendment Package 2 is a further boon for secondary dwellers or those looking to construct them, with it allowing an increase in the size of granny flats from 100 square metres to 120 square metres.

“That makes it a bit more liveable and reflects the desire for more housing opportunities not only in this area, but throughout the state,” Mr McGaffin said.

“And that’s coupled with the potential removal of infrastructure charges, so that’s Councils initiative to make housing a lot more affordable in the area.”

Mayor Julie Hall was pleased with the result after what was a three-month consultation period.

“The purpose of this consultation was to investigate the possible amendments to the Whitsunday Planning Scheme that will encourage a range of housing and home ownership options and promote affordable rentals,” Mayor Hall said.

“This is just one little, tiny bit of a massive issue. It’s definitely not going to solve the housing shortage in the region, but at least it will give one, tiny piece of the pie to solve the issue in some circumstances.”

Whitsunday Regional Councillor Michael Brunker was more than pleased with the State Government’s amendment to definitions surrounding granny flats.

“This will go towards a freeing up of more housing,” Councillor Brunker said.

“There could be the old-style granny flats out there where granny has moved on and the fact other people can now rent them should help with our housing crisis.”

Director Neil McGaffin was mindful, however, that although the changes are now implemented, the “direction from community” was unclear – particularly as only 39 submissions were made to the survey.

“The interesting thing was that some of the responses to the questions were about fifty-fifty,” Mr McGaffin said.

“So there was no clear indication that some of the initiatives council could have considered had any clear direction from the community.”

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As the only candidate living in Cannonvale, Clay Bauman says he understands the issues we share and “will live with the consequences of those decisions daily”. He promises to “be right here for you to talk to” if elected as the Councillor for Division 2 in tomorrow’s election.

Known for holding Council to account, Clay has been a regular outspoken voice at Council meetings, fighting for the community on issues close to his heart.

These include protesting against the 12-storey high-rise at Port of Airlie and pushing for the adaptation of a cohesive town plan that reflects the sentiment of residents.

“I have been actively working for years to inform the public and help them to make submissions that will hopefully give significant weight in the current court case against the Port of Airlie 12-storey proposal and also to correct the unsuccessful model put forward in our current town plan,” he said.

“I don't have an issue with the Hermitage Drive buildings, which are setback against the hills. We had a long period of growth under our old low-rise town plan. Since the new plan has been in place not a single major accommodation development has been built. It is time to bring back certainty for the public, developers and investors that want to move our town forward.”

Taking matters, such as the public’s overwhelming preference for roundabouts, to the relevant State authorities, Clay said he is constantly standing up for community rights.

“One of my key goals, if elected, is to develop a Division 2 local plan that stops the ad-hoc development that is creating gridlock around what should be an enjoyable and vibrant shopping district,” he explained.

“This includes opening Cutuli Rd that would join Paluma and Riordanvale Roads, giving us the much needed second access.”  

If elected, Clay also said he will be a driving force behind the Cultural and Civic Hub in Cannonvale, which he would like to see double as a cyclone and disaster shelter funded by Government grants giving real benefit to the community.

“I would also like to see more community events at Cannonvale Lake, so locals can enjoy a great day out without the current Airlie parking hassles,” said Clay.

Concerned that “important decisions are currently being made behind closed doors”, Clay said he would like to encourage changes to Council policy that would give more control back to community elected Councillors, stating that Council are “paid by us, to serve us, not rule us.”

A man who enjoys speaking face-to-face with locals and visitors about our region, he wants to be our community voice at the Council table.

“I have assisted many residents in navigating the bureaucracy of Council including helping property owners when inappropriate development comes knocking on their door,” explained Clay.

“I think this problem is because it appears Council’s current communication choice is to stymie us with gobbledegook. I want real communication we can all understand.”

Advertising feature.

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Clay Bauman is running for the Division 2 Councillor seat

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