The Whitsunday Dirt Riders community is rallying around to support Proserpine local and Supermoto Australian Champion Andy McLiesh who suffered severe injuries following a motorbike accident earlier this month.

The father of two had been riding in Mackay on a fateful Friday, June 2, when he had a serious motorbike accident resulting in a crushed spinal cord.

For the past three weeks he has been in hospital, with his wife Tammy barely leaving his side.

The family are now planning to travel down to Brisbane where Andy will receive specialist care and rehabilitation that will hopefully allow him to regain some kind of movement, possibly even walk again.

Andy has already been through surgery to begin the rehabilitation process.

“Even though he’ll never be like what he was, I’m hoping this surgery will do something, bring some feeling or movement or honestly just anything,” said Tammy before the operation.

“We have a long road ahead of us, but if anyone can beat that one per cent it’ll be my husband!

“He is still alive and with us and that is all that matters. He is also cracking those Andy jokes and being a smart ass to all the nurses, so we haven’t lost him!"

The last few weeks have been traumatic for family, friends and the broader community as Andy has been moved to different hospitals.

He is now waiting for his broken ribs, fractured shoulder, and bleeding lungs to heal enough for the rehabilitation to officially begin.

It will be a long road for Andy, and loss of earnings could well have compounded the stress for him.

Fortunately, the Whitsunday Dirt Riders and Whitsunday Moto Sports Club, both of which Andy has been heavily involved in, are rallying around to help.

On Saturday, June 24, Whitsunday Dirt Riders are having a Dirt Track race meet to raise funds to help the family through these difficult times.

All gate entry donations will go to the family along with $5 from each registered rider on the night.  

They will also have a raffle where attendees can win a 2023 KLX110 Auto Bike.

In addition, Andy’s sister, Coral McLiesh, has started a GoFundMe page which has raised over $32,000 so far.

All money raised will go towards Andy’s medical bills and any expenses.’

WHAT: Dirt Track Meet and Andy McLiesh Fundraiser

WHERE: Whitsunday Dirt Riders Club at Dray’s Park

WHEN: Saturday, June 24 from 3pm

GATE ENTRY: $5 donation at the door

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Andy, his wife Tammy and their two boys in happier times. Photo supplied

Andy McLiesh racing professionally in July last year. Photo supplied

Arecent event at the Whitsunday Dirt Riders Club. Photo supplied

Hi Everyone,

They say that when something awesome is about to happen, something else comes along to challenge you, to make sure you really deserve the prize.

This week it was an ear infection, specifically my son’s ear infection, a week before we are due to fly to Thredbo for a snow holiday.

Of course, every doctor’s surgery in town was completely booked out this week, with the public holiday making it impossible to get him in anywhere.

So, with my son in tears in the back seat, we drove to Proserpine Hospital on Monday night.

Multiple games of Top Trumps, a little Netflix and three hours later we got to see a doctor who confirmed it was indeed an ear infection and gave us the last bottle of antibiotic ear drops they had. Phew!

We left the Emergency Department marvelling at how our little country hospital does so much.

They were clearly under the pump, but they still managed to service the needs of a community that are suffering from a severe doctor shortage.

And all for free, we did not pay a cent, even for the drops.

While we were there, a nurse confirmed that one of the main reasons they are busy, especially with so many ‘minor cases’, is because it is impossible to get a same day doctor’s appointment.

What are we going to do about this?

I understand there are government incentives offering bonuses to doctors who move to regional areas, but so far this does not appear to have made a difference.

Recently, a massive budget cut impacted pharmacies around the country when prescriptions changed to 60 days instead of 30, halving their prescription fees.

Could this loss have been counteracted with another policy that perhaps trained pharmacists to diagnose basic illness such as ear infections?

A simple online check list of what a doctor would ask, and we could have received medication without clogging up the Emergency Department at the hospital.

Could doctor’s surgeries be required to reserve three appointments per day for emergency yet standard illnesses that require immediate prescription?

Do you have thoughts on this? Write to rachael@mackayandwhitsundaylife.com.

Rach

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The Tiny Homes Project has been given a big financial boost this week with news that an $82,500 FutureSteps grant will inch them one step closer to their goal of $750,000.

The project’s mission is to construct four ‘tiny homes’ in Proserpine for women over 55 who are struggling with homelessness.

Whitsunday Regional Council has donated the land and the dedicated committee from the Tiny Homes Project have been hosting fundraisers and applying for grants to pay for the construction of the one-bedroom single-storey homes.

Joanne Moynihan, CEO of the Whitsunday Housing Company says that with the help of this recent grant, the Tiny Homes Project is “over a third of the way” to reaching their financial goal.

“This is a huge boost for us and moves us closer to our target amount,” she said.

“Hopefully this means we can start construction before the year is out.”

The FutureSteps, Land Lease, Bendigo Bank grant is given to charities that create new transitional or long-term housing for people at risk of or are experiencing homelessness.

Fundraising Coordinator for Tiny Homes Project Sandy Clark said this is the first grant that has been awarded to the project and she is over the moon.

“We have plans to raise all of the money for the build this year and we are so thankful,” she said.  

“Thanks to Paul Wronski and Joanne Moynihan who worked on the application with me - let’s hope there are more to come.”

The Tiny Homes Project is also hosting a ‘Let’s Do Latin’ Fundraiser at the Whitsunday Sailing Club lawn on Saturday July 8. There are still tickets available here: https://bit.ly/Lets-Do-Latin

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The Whitsunday Island tourism offering is about to get even more diverse following the announcement in the recent state budget that $3.9 million has been awarded to upgrade the Whitsunday Ngaro Sea Trail.

This scenic and cultural trail spans the three main islands of Whitsunday, Hook, and South Molle and offers stunning views of Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet, Tongue Bay, and Lookout Beach with views over Solway Passage and the surrounding islands, and a whole lot more.

Upgrades will allow for easier navigation of these walking tracks, making them more accessible and user-friendly to tourists.

Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP said she is looking forward to taking a stroll when the upgrades are complete.

“This is a key walking trail that showcases the world-class beauty of the Whitsunday Islands,” she said.

“I have been calling for walking trail upgrades for several years now and I am pleased to see $3.9 million has been allocated in the 2023–24 budget, amounting to a $5.7m total spent to extend this major track.”

“This investment will ensure visitors and locals alike will be able to soak up the sights of the Whitsundays in a healthy and active way with walks to suit all levels of fitness and ability.”

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The recent state budget awarded $3.9 million to upgrade the Whitsunday Ngaro Sea Trail. Photon supplied

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Traditional Owners Bring Community Together

By Rachael Smith

The inaugural Welcome To The Whales Event took place on the Airlie Beach Foreshore on Friday night and hundreds of people gathered together to celebrate the arrival of these majestic mammals in our region.

A formal welcome was offered by Traditional Landowners who performed a traditional dance, encouraging the children to join in and learn about the culture.

During the festivities, attendees could also leave their handprint on a beautiful whale painting and many people chose to receive traditional indigenous face painting.

Steeped in cultural history, the Welcome To The Whales event was made richer by the ancestral knowledge and input from Traditional Landowners who hosted the festivities.

Traditional Landowners worked closely with Great Barrier Reef Master Reef Guides to create an authentic community event that was a union of historic significance and modern knowledge.

Whitsundays-based Master Reef Guide and Director of Little Fish Tourism Development, Crystal Lacey, said that last Friday’s welcome to the whales ceremony on the foreshore of Airlie Beach was truly very special.

“It felt like pure magic!” she said.

“All in attendance witnessed the passion and deep cultural respect of whales that our Traditional Owners have.

“We’re so grateful to them for allowing us to share in their knowledge and customs.

“Through the ceremony, The Whitsundays community and our Traditional Owners ignited an important flame of connection; and moments like these are just inspirational and so unifying.

The Great Barrier Reef Festival also hosted an Immerse interactive arts and craft workshop where guests could get creative and make coral for the upcoming festival’s art installation.

After the main ceremony, the crowd enjoyed an educational video by the Master Reef Guides on the large outdoor cinema screen.

Following this, families gathered with their picnic blankets and warm jumpers, sitting on the grass to watch the alfresco screening of The Snail and the Whale movie.

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Traditional Owners performed a mesmerising dance to welcome the whales

A traditional song created an authentic cultural experience for the crowd

A smoking ceremony marked the beginning of the festivities.

Children joined in the fun! Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Over 90 Anaesthetists visited Airlie Beach last week to attend an annual conference that was organised by a small and dedicated team of doctors from Mackay Base Hospital.

The conference has been hosted by Coral Sea Marina Resort for the past five years, halting for only one year during the pandemic.

What began in 2018 as an event for around 50 people has now expanded to over 100 attendees in recent years.

“It’s becoming more and more popular each year,” said organiser Dr Suresh Singaravelu from the Mackay Hospital.

“It’s a great venue for our meetings and a wonderful location to explore the Whitsundays.”

The Anaesthetist’s conference has expanded largely because of increased collaboration with affiliate groups such as the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.

This year Professor Bernhard Riedel was the keynote speaker who spoke on how regional and rural healthcare professionals can contribute to national research and why it is important to create better healthcare.

He also spoke on how a type of Anaesthesia can influence the survival from cancer.

During the three-day conference, there were also a series of practical workshops and a little time for everyone to relax, unwind and enjoy the area.

Attendees took a sunset cruise around the bay and also played a game of volleyball on Shingley Beach.

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Over 90 attend Anaesthetists Conference at Coral Sea Marina. Photo supplied

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Hamilton Island Police have announced the release of a police issued buggy for use around Hamilton Island.

Buggies are the only mode of transport permitted on the island, with private vehicles limited and motorcycles, mopeds and e-scooters banned.

In recent years, there has been a number of critical accidents involving buggies on the island, resulting in major injuries and sadly one death.

In one accident, occurring November 2022, a newlywed couple rolled in their buggy, tragically resulting in the bride’s death.

Earlier this year, five people were injured in a buggy crash, with one woman needing to be airlifted to Mackay Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The introduction of a police buggy will undoubtedly add more supervision and control over the island’s motorists.

Sergeant Nathen Blain of Hamilton Island Police says, "The buggy will be better suited for use on the island."

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Frustrated sports teams and spectators who frequent the Whitsunday Sportspark are asking why their Club House, which has been ready for operation since February this year, remains closed for business.

Last weekend over 1000 people came through the sportsground, many of whom were visiting teams, and the Club House, although complete, was unable to serve any of them.

President of the Whitsunday Sportspark Committee, Justin Butler, said that they are desperately waiting for approval from two government departments in order to get the go ahead to begin operations.

“We put the applications in late last year and we have still received nothing back,” he explains.

“It would be great to have a bit of feedback so we can plan the opening.”

The applications are for a Liquor and Gaming Licence and a Freeholding Application which is currently with the Department of Natural Resources.

Once these are approved it will take less than two months to find staff and for the Club House to open.

“It would be nice to be open by the end of September in time for the summer sports,” said Justin.

“At the moment it is costing us money and we are desperate to get the facility open so that we can start making money.”

It is over $4000 a month for the insurance and electricity for the club to stay open, without even trading, and the building company, who have been “incredibly supportive”, will soon need to start charging interest on the $450,000 loan.

“We’re ready to roll! We just need these approvals,” explains Justin.

Once open, the Club House will be able to provide sports players and spectators with modern facilities that are worthy of a complex this size.

A large lobby, commercial kitchen, bar, dining areas, sports lounge, male and female accessible toilets, covered outdoor terraces, tiered seating and kids’ recreation area will all be open and available to the public.

In the meantime, sporting groups are able to utilise the facilities for their ‘tuck shop’ services.

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President of Whitsunday Sportspark, Justin Butler, says the Clubhouse is ready to open as soon as the final approvals come through. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Another month, another milestone for Bowen Tourism and Business who celebrated 21 years of the Big Mango in May and are now celebrating the sale of 21,000 mango sorbets from the visitor information centre in June.

This means that more than 21,000 people have enjoyed a delicious mango sorbet from the Bowen Visitor Information Centre in the same year as the Big Mango’s 21st birthday.

These delicious all-natural treats have always been popular and this year the team at Bowen Tourism and Business have again smashed the record for sorbet sales.

In the last financial year, they sold a total of 18,500.

With less than two weeks to go in this financial year, that record has cracked the 21,000 mark.

That’s an average of more than 400 sorbets a week.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy said the team was proud to reach another milestone.

“We had a big celebration for the 21st birthday of our iconic tourist attraction last month and now we are celebrating again,” she said.

“We really wanted to reach 21,000 sorbets in the 21st year of the Big Mango.”

The sorbets are made from Kensington Pride mangoes, known as the “Bowen Special” and are simply pureed and frozen.

They are made by long-time local Bowen resident, Patrick Martin who makes the sorbets all year round.

“I have been making sorbets for Bowen Tourism and Business for 12 years and they have set new sales records now for three years in a row,” he said.

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Patrick Martin makes the delicious mango sorbets for the Bowen Visitor Information Centre and they have hit 21,000 sales for the financial year. Photo supplied

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Bowen businesses have been urged to partake in a military bonanza catering for up to 900 US military personnel involved in the defence exercise Talisman Sabre.

The call went out at the Bowen Chamber of Commerce meeting on June 14 as the town gears up for the latest and largest iteration of the multi-site biannual exercise.

The event is due to run from late July to early August, including a "slow burn" US forces-only logistical exercise for Bowen.

Bowen is one of 17 sites in Queensland, two in the Northern Territory and one each in Western Australia, New South Wales and Norfolk Island hosting Talisman Sabre's 10th iteration.

There will be exercises in multi-domain warfare capabilities, building and affirming military-to-military ties and interoperability, and strengthening strategic partnerships across the region.

About 30,000 military personnel from 13 nations will attend, although Bowen will host about 900 US troops (and up to 300 vehicles) in a test of their ability to launch from sea and sustain a campaign on foreign soil.

While previous exercises have entailed multi-nation forces "invading" the town, Lt-Col Bernie Kronen of the Australian Defence Force told the meeting this year's event had the US "slow burn" leg.

The US contingent will bivouac in Bowen where, according to Lt-Col Kronen, "soldiers need services".

US 1st Sgt Peter Rogers told the meeting that with troops aged predominantly 17 to 19, and on foreign soil for perhaps the first time, they would be seeking foodstuffs and activities popular with teenagers everywhere. "They are going to want to be involved in the community", Sgt Rogers said.

While the troops would exist largely on military rations, off duty there would be a demand for extra purchases.

"We are trying to involve you in the exercise wherever we can," Sgt Rogers told the meeting's 40-strong audience.

He also stressed that US discipline would be tight.

The US contingent will host an "open day" event as part of its commitment to community consultation.

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BUSINESS CASE: (From left), US 1st Sgt Peter Rogers, Bowen Chamber of Commerce president Bruce Hedditch and Lt-Col Bernie Kronen of the ADF at the chamber's recent meeting.

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Honouring global oceans on World Ocean Day, The Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) and local operators from the Coral Nurture Program (CNP) joined forces to participate in Coralpalooza earlier this month.

Created by American Coral Restoration Foundation, Coralpalooza encourages the planting of corals in global oceans.

The GBRF and the Coral Nurture Program works in collaboration with marine scientists and local tourism operators, particularly Red Cat Adventures, Kiana Sail and Dive and Ocean Rafting.

On June 10, they planted 6,726 finger-sized pieces of coral across the Great Barrier Reef.

3,000 of these coral pieces were specifically planted in areas of the reef where rehabilitation and regrowth has been slow following cyclones.

GBRF Managing Director Anna Marsden said, “Reefs are suffering from impacts of climate change like coral bleaching and severe cyclones. Hand-in-hand with reducing emissions, we need a range of efforts to give them the best chance of recovery.”

The coral planted by local tourism operators and CNP researchers was made possible by using an innovative tool called the CoralClip, a Queensland invention that allows coral to be planted quickly and have higher survival rates.

The stainless-steel clip works by stabilising the coral fragment on the reef, holding it there long enough to establish roots and flourish on its own.

After several months, the clip will corrode naturally or will be overgrown by new coral.

Dr Emma Camp, project lead and co-founder of the Coral Nurture Program, said, “This work is part of the CNP’s aim to plant more than 100,000 corals by 2024 and work with local Reef communities to develop the tools they’ll need to help key coral reef sites to adapt to climate change.”

Coralpalooza is a global effort to improve coral reefs, with 11 other countries taking part in the action, including Jamaica, Colombia, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Honduras, and Maldives.

“It was special, and we feel honoured to be a part of it,” said Emily Monacella, from Red Cat Adventures.

“It was spectacular to take part in something that was happening all around the world.”

Coralpalooza activities is funded by school children across Australia who participated in a Run 4 Fun program, collaborated through Australian School and Club Fundraising (ASCF).

“On behalf of the Reef, and the thousands of species of marine life that call it home, we say a huge thank you for all your hard work raising funds to restore these critical reef sites,” said Ms Marsden.

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Local tourism operators and researchers joining global effort, Coralpalooza

With a goal of planting 4,000 pieces of coral, the effort exceeded expectations

Coralpalooza is a global effort to encourage conservation and regrowth of coral reefs. Photos supplied

By Bronte Hodge

While sugar cane farming is not what Lindsay Altmann had in mind for his career, neither is it something he looks back on and regrets.

Lindsay is a third-generation farmer, and second generation on his sugar cane farm in Strathdickie, with the farm likely to stay in the family, as two of his three sons are closely tied to cane industry.

As is happens, he didn’t grow up with the expectations of working on dad’s farm.

Rather, he became a diesel fitter by trade and spent upwards of 10 years in the mines, before coming back to the family farm and settling down.

Lindsay explained, “I enjoy it more than most farmers. Yeah, I had a great career in the mines, but I find a sense of purpose in this.”

It was a lot of learning on the job, about the different cane varieties, about soil and climate, about machinery and best practices for best yield.

On his 140-hectare sugar cane farm, Lindsay is often out in the paddocks, seven days a week, sun up to sun down, tending to the crops.

“It’s very seasonal; we have about four or five months that we’re really busy, which kicks off around February,” he explained.

In recent times, he has signed up to being a Director with Canegrowers Australia.

“We advocate for the industry and for the growers,” he explains.

“It works for the benefit of the members. We talk about the price of electricity and fuel, and the cost of fertilizer.”

As part of Canegrowers, Lindsay also works on legal disputes, including boundaries and fences, as well as the weekly audit of the sugar mill.

“Anyone who’s got a problem, they can come and see the directors or speak to the manager,” he said.

It is clear that Lindsay is proud of his work and of his farm.

“It’s a long investment and that’s what people don’t understand.

“This farm is better than it has even been.”

Now, Lindsay often works side by side with his brother, tending to the crop.

“Up until last year, we ran a contracting business. We’ve split that up now, and he’s taken the contract side, but we still work together.”

Two of his three sons often work alongside Lindsay in the industry, with one being a diesel fitter by trade and the other a cane carter.

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Cane farmer Lindsay Altmann has done many things in life, and being a farmer is definitely the most rewarding. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

This winter season, get your lawn up to scratch with a new premium lawn from Hamilton Plains Turf Farms.

For those seeking less time on the weekend pushing a lawn mower, Nara Native Zoysia is the low maintenance lawn variety that will be your best time-saving investment.

Withstanding the toughest of drought conditions with its naturally very high drought tolerance rating, Nara Native Zoysia is perfect for lawns in the Mackay and Whitsunday region and will even flourish across sandy seaside properties because of its unique salt resistant characteristic.

Nara Native Zoysia is slow growing, requiring minimal maintenance, often being able to withstand mowing for three weeks at a time in winter, and slightly more mows in summer.

Nara Native Zoysia is also an eco-friendly lawn selection for your home, that requires less fertiliser applications than couch and buffalo lawns.

You can trust the team at Hamilton Plains Turf, having Nara Native Zoysia planted in their front yard for five years now, they can vouch for the hardiness and absolute pristine appearance of this true all-rounder turf variety.

Hamilton Plains Turf will look after you, freshly harvesting your turf order with their best employee, “Bluey”, their Firefly ProSlab 1558 automated turf harvester.

Your turf order can be picked up from their farm or delivered to your home and installed by one of their friendly fellow local freight and turf installation businesses that they recommend.

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Winter in the tropics is the perfect climate to install a new lawn. Photo supplied

The Proserpine Sugar Mill has experienced a slow start to the season due to commissioning problems with new machinery that has caused a lot of stop-start production during the first week of crushing.

Local farmer Gary Simpson said that farmers have become frustrated with all the delays.

“It’s been frustrating for all the harvester crews as there have been a lot of stops and starts,” he said.

“They have a lot of new gear and I believe the issues have been with commissioning problems in the pan and the fugal stages.

“I believe they also have 50 per cent new staff this year so there would obviously be a lot of training involved.”

Despite that, Mr Simpson said the industry is expecting a positive season with good weather predicted, leading to higher sugar content and easier harvesting.

“Hopefully this week goes well and if everything comes together, we will have one of the best seasons in a while,” he said.

“We’ve started slowly, but we’ve started early so time is on our side and hopefully the weather.”

Mr Simpson also states that morale is high among the farmers, with significantly higher than usual attending the pre-season meetings.

“We’ve seen the best numbers in a long time!” he said.

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Proserpine Sugar Mill. Photo credit: Debbie Savy, Tropix Photography

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The Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce commends the recently announced FY24 Queensland State Budget for its efforts to address certain concerns of the business community, in particular the positive steps taken by the government to tackle cost-of-living pressures, high cost and complexities of doing business, energy bill relief, cyber security, and training and skills development.

With Queensland poised for significant growth and development, it is imperative that our local businesses receive the necessary support to remain competitive, seize future opportunities and flourish in the years to come.

We remain committed to advocating for the Whitsunday region’s economic prosperity and will actively engage with relevant stakeholders to address any outstanding concerns.

We trust that businesses are aware and prepared for more changes effective 1 July 2023.

The Fair Work Commission's annual wage review will significantly impact your business with a substantial increase of 5.75% to Modern Award minimum wages.

Additionally, from the first full pay period in the new financial year, the superannuation guarantee rate will also be increasing from 10.5% to 11%.

Onto internal developments and the Chamber's Board is in the final stages of finalising a new strategic direction and operational plans for the next 5 years.

We look forward to sharing news of these exciting developments in the months to come.

In the meantime, we have posted details of our events for the remainder of the 2023 calendar year on our website.

And, as we move into a new era of Chamber activity, we are delighted to offer a number of sponsorship opportunities too for those wanting to support the Chamber and connect with our members.

Jump online or get in touch.

July event - Join us for the first time in Proserpine to have your say on priorities for the region and help us build an economic Vision for the Whitsundays, connect with like-minded business owners, hear how you can get involved in Chamber advocacy and programs, and learn more about the Chamber’s new membership services.

Short announcements will be followed by an interactive, facilitated discussion on regional priorities, followed by general networking and light refreshments.

The event will be held 7am-8:30am Thursday 13 July at Filby's Motors, 62 Main Street, Proserpine.

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