The Sugar City's young political aspirants are being given the opportunity to run for Youth Councillor positions and become Young Mayor of Mackay in May through a Queensland-first initiative.

Through an Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) and Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) partnership, young people will be able to participate in a ‘Young Mayors’ program, vote in the region’s first Youth Council election, and get their first look at democracy in action.

Mackay Regional Council will be the first Queensland local government to pilot the program which hopes to promote electoral participation among young people.

Despite recent Federal Election results in which young voters turned out in record numbers, concerns for local- and state-level electoral enrolments remain – a recent Australian Electoral Commission study stated participation by youth was a “great concern in many democracies today”.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said ECQ is delighted to be supporting this initiative which “will help young people to improve their knowledge about elections and be ready to vote when they turn 18.”

“Importantly, the program will inspire young people to learn about the electoral system and how they can influence decisions that impact their community,” Mr Vidgen said.

“The Young Mayors program will support people aged 17 and under to get elected to a youth council, positioning young people as decision-makers on issues that impact their future in the Mackay region.”

Over a week in May, young people will experience an election campaign and a week of voting to elect a 12-seat Youth Council.

Elected by their peers, the Youth Council will then nominate a Young Mayor, set an agenda for their 12-month term in office and work with the Mackay Regional Council on specific issues.

FYA’s Executive Director of Civic and Cultural Engagement Molly Whelan said local governments play a huge role in the everyday lives of people in Queensland communities, and “that includes young people. But young people are often locked out of power – consulted but never in charge”.

“This program puts young people in the driver’s seat – ensuring that council policies and programs better reflect the concerns, needs, and desires of local young people,” they said.

The Young Mayors program was designed by Foundation for Young Australians and is based on successful United Kingdom models.

Other Australian councils - in Victoria, and New South Wales – will launch their iterations of the program across 2023 and 2024, with Mackay the first of a proposed number of Local Councils in Queensland to participate.

Youth Council members can be as young as 11, and more information can be found online at: https://www.fya.org.au/young-mayors-mackay/

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A Queensland-first Young Mayors program has begun in Mackay with election canvassing to start in May for a ‘Youth Council’

Image: Supplied

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A local mumand her fitness coach are on a month-long challenge of 57 squats per day – acombined total of 38,874 squats - to fundraise for the National Breast CancerFoundation.

Over themonth of march, Kerry Dibbin joined forces with ‘A Fit Life by Tonya’ to raiseawareness for the current 57 Australians diagnosed daily with breast cancer,having raised $4,482 so far.

Ms Dibbin,who had decided to undertake the national fundraising effort, also recently invitedthe Proserpine Rugby League Club to join her in one day of the challenge afterbringing the idea up to her son’s Under 12 team.

“When we spoke with the Club, they were so quick to jump onboard and very supportive. It was just terrific,” Ms Dibbin said.

Proserpine Brahmans Club President Justin Folley said theentire club joined in, and that it was an obvious choice to do so with the clubhaving been touched by Breast Cancer on more than one occasion.

“We were keen to do whatever we could to support the 57Squat Challenge,” he said.

Ms Dibbin,who trains with local fitness coach Tonya Dunne in her A Fit Life by Tonyagroup, soon had her coach and her coach’s participants signed up too.

“Given my line of work as a Personal Trainer the idea of theNBCF 57 Squat Challenge resonated and I thought, now this is something I can doto support my family and friends fighting this terrible disease,” Tonya Dunnesaid.

“I want tomake a difference in the lives of those 57 Australians impacted by the disease– that's why I'm taking on the 57 Squat Challenge, to raise vital funds forworld-class breast cancer research. Everyone knows someone who has or has hadBreast Cancer.”

To learnmore and make a donation please visit https://fundraise.nbcf.org.au/fundraisers/afitlifebytonya

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The Proserpine Brahmans Junior Rugby League Club joined a fundraising effort by a local mum and her trainer who are squatting 57 times per day to fundraise for Breast Cancer

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A Whitsunday local and ex-Mayoral candidate interrupted the recent Whitsunday Regional Council Meeting to pose questions regarding misconduct findings against a senior Councillor.

During Council’s Questions from the Public Gallery in its Wednesday, March 22, meeting, Phil Batty stood to query Council on matters relating to Councillor Michael Brunker’s recent misconduct hearing.

Mr Batty had been denied the right to ask his questions in the regular forum, yet still stood during the allotted public question time to display his disagreement.

“I will stand at this stage, Mayor, and have my say,” Mr Batty said.

“You have shut me down four times and I’m going to continue speaking. You’ve let Councillor Brunker humiliate and vilify me at the last meeting and I won’t stand for it.”

Mr Batty’s comments refer to the March 8 meeting in which Councillor Brunker was fined $500 and asked to apologise after using Council assets during the Mayoral election campaign last year – the now-substantiated allegation of which was first brought to light by Mr Batty.

In his statement at that meeting, Councillor Brunker had, without referring to Mr Batty by name, alluded to the “failed mayoral candidate who has lodged this complaint”, saying he felt “embarrassed for him” – this is the “vilifying” Mr Batty alleges.

Mayor Julie Hall was quick to see Mr Batty leave the Council Meeting for his impertinence, telling him he had been refused his questions and that if he wished to pursue the matter further, to do so with State or Federal regulatory bodies.

“This matter has already been dealt with, and if you have any further issues, Mr Batty, it is an OIA [Office of the Independent Assessor] or CCC [Corruption and Crime Commission],” Mayor Hall said.

“Refer it to them.”

Mr Batty told this publication that he has reported Mayor Hall and Councillor Brunker to the OIA regarding his allegations of their breaching the Local Government Act.

Whitsunday Regional Council said the matter had already been dealt with and had no further comment.

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Concerned that local community groups and infrastructure investment are suffering from a series of newly imposed taxes, Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox says he is preparing to stand up and fight for “our fair share” leading up to the budget in May.

Mr Willcox asserts that our region has suffered “slashes and cuts to vital regional programs” since the Labor Government took over 10 months ago.

He warns that Dawson has been completely left behind by the new Government.

“The Mobile Blackspot Program, Building Better Regions Fund, Community Development Grants and Improving Mobile Coverage Round have all been slashed,” Mr Willcox said.

“When I was Mayor of the Whitsunday Regional Council, programs like the Building Better Regions Fund launched us into overdrive. Investments like the $3.75 million Cannon Valley Reservoir future-proofed the region for years to come.”

He also cites the Community Development Grants, which he believes are now amongst the programs on the chopping block.

“In Dawson, the Northern Beaches Community Hub, the Home Hill State School Hall, the Burdekin Multipurpose Outdoor Stadium, and the Mackay Basketball Seating Upgrades, were all supported by the Community Development Grants,” he explains.

“Cutting these programs is a huge kick in the guts to regional Australia, and it’s slamming on the breaks for our communities.

“There are delays galore, and our community groups and organisations have been left in limbo, with no certainty for our future.”

Mr Willcox says he is standing up for regional Queensland and standing strong with his Nationals colleagues to get Dawson’s “fair share”.

“I’ve always said I’ll work with anyone to grow a stronger Dawson, but what Labor’s doing to our region needs to be called out,” he said.

“Leading up to the budget in May, I’m definitely not going to be quiet on this.”

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Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, demands a “fair share” for our region. Photo supplied

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Legendary Cowboys player Ray Thompson delivered a powerful message to parents and caregivers at a special event held at Genius Childcare in Cannonvale on Monday evening.

The retired sportsman, who played for the Cowboys from 2005 to 2017, is now the Cowboys Community Engagement Programs Officer and works directly with schools delivering The Resilience Project around the country.

Founded by Hugh van Cuylenberg, The Resilience Project helps people live a happy and fulfilled life by teaching them the key principals of gratitude, empathy and mindfulness.

Hugh first discovered the magical properties of happiness when he visited a poor town in India where the children had nothing but were incredibly happy.

He used his observations to inspire the Resilience Project and has since visited sporting clubs, businesses and community groups across the country teaching people how to deal with failure, stress and challenges.

The Resilience Project now has a national following and many ambassadors.

For Ray Thomson, who lost a friend to suicide in 2015, passing on this inspiring message is a way to help future generations lead happy lives and hopefully save others from reaching a point of despair.

“I feel proud and humbled to have this power and opportunity to help others,” he said on the night.

“Every single person fails; everyone experiences a traumatic event in their lives – yet 65 per cent of adults won’t seek help when they go through a tough time.”

Ray hopes that by sharing key tools to parents and caregivers at early learning centres, this will better equip children to handle challenges at a young age.

This event was funded by the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network and is in addition to the $14,000 they provided for similar projects at other childcare centres in 2022.

If this article has triggered any challenging emotions call Lifeline on 131114.

Cowboys legend Ray Thompson and Genius Early Learning Centre Manager, Bec Shultz. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Cannonvale State School held its first Silent Art Auction on Monday night and, with almost 70 pieces of artwork up for grabs, guests were treated to an array of high-quality art produced and donated by creative students.

An entirely student-driven charity art event, Principal Angie Kelly said she was incredibly proud of the year five students who had organised the evening.

Charlotte Behnck, Harlow Ruge, Charli Scott, Evie Berry and Eleanor Turner are the group of classmates who first came up with the idea to sell their artwork.

After a few more brainstorming sessions it was decided that the funds raised would be given to charity and that a silent auction could get more students involved.

The outcome was a fantastic evening supported by teachers and family, with over $1000 raised on the night.

All funds raised were donated to the Sunrise School in Uganda and will be put towards a much-needed renovation of the dormitories.

Cannonvale State School have been supporting Sunrise School for the past seven years and first started regular donations when they discovered 300 orphans were being schooled under a tree.

Since then, our local school has hosted many charity drives which have helped Sunrise School build a school building.

They have also provided money for a generator to give them electricity, delivered food during Covid and recently paid for a toilet block that was needed in order for the Ugandan government to let the school stay open.

“The concept of giving to others is incredibly important,” said Principal Kelly.

“One of the most meaningful things we can do as a school is help facilitate this on behalf of our students.”
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The Silent Art Auction event organisers - Charli Scott, Evie Berry, Charlotte Behnck, Eleanor turner and Harlow Ruge. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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New regulations that aim to streamline meetings and avoid time-wasting will soon be imposed in Council meetings thanks to a motion carried at the ordinary meeting last week.

The changes, which will take effect next month, were adopted following a consultation between Council CEO Scott Owen, Mayor Greg Williamson, and the elected members.

The outcome confirmed that Council will begin to hold their ordinary meetings monthly instead of fortnightly.

They will continue to meet internally every Wednesday.

Another main amendment is that any person or group wishing to attend and address Council, or provide a deputation at a local government meeting, must now make a written request to the CEO at least seven days prior.

This is in line with the length of time Council staff deliver reports and agenda items prior to any meeting.

It is hoped that this system will help Council discern whether the topic is suitable to add to the public participation agenda, or whether it is better if the applicant follows a more appropriate channel.

Mayor Williamson said that previously speakers could turn up on the day and put their names on the list to speak.

This immediate platform meant that Council could not filter subjects that were outside of their jurisdiction.

“What that means is sometimes speakers are talking about matters not related to local government that council has no involvement in,’’ Mayor Williamson said.

“This will ensure matters of public participation are local government specific and appropriate channels within Council have already been used in trying to further the matter.”

There will be a maximum of three speakers per matter and the time of three minutes per speaker, currently in place, would remain.

Under the new stricter rules, there will also be firmer regulations around late business items raised by councillors.

Scott Owen said he believed the meeting changes, developed in consultation with the elected members, were positive.

“They are in line with Council’s focus on becoming more agile and efficient,’’ he said.

“There will also be changes to the monthly reporting at the council meeting to have more of a forward-looking and strategic focus, which will assist with preparing the region for the future.”

In Brief:

• Council ordinary meetings will take place monthly instead of fortnightly

• Anyone wishing to address Council must write a letter seven days prior

• If the matter is better suited, it may be redirected internally

• There will be a maximum of three speakers at a meeting

• An individual will have three minutes to speak

• There will also be stricter rules around late business items raised by Councillors

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An over 50s estate comprised of 402 demountable dwellings in Mt Gordon was approved by Whitsunday Regional Council last week at an Ordinary Council Meeting.

Developers Grumpy Capital Pty. Ltd. were successful in their application to build the home park on Lodge Road, Mount Gordon - a site south of Bowen and along the Bruce Highway.

The master-planned development will home 402 “relocatable dwellings” sites – a mix of three- and two-bedroom single-story demountable homes with outdoor alfresco living areas and open spaces, kitchens, laundry toilets, shower amenities, and double garages.

Whitsunday Regional Council Director Planning and Development Neil McGaffin said this development was part estate part caravan park: “It’s a mixture between the two and is something very exciting.”

“This is a ‘relocatable home park,’” Mr McGaffin said.

“The construction methods are concrete slabs on the ground but are built so that, if it is needed, they can be relocated. This is normally what you would see in a caravan park, but the dwellings are there a lot longer than a park. It will resemble a residential estate in respect to fences and private areas.”

Aside from homes, the Mt Gordon estate will have a sales office, residents workshop, RV washdown facility, community gardens including a mango orchard, a dog park and 2.3-kilometres of walking trails.

Whitsunday Mayor Julie Hall said she wished that residents of the Whitsundays were privy to private Council documents which illustrate the homes as “They don’t look like normal relocatable homes, they’re actually quite beautiful.”

Grumpy Capital documents state the project will be completed over seven stages with stage one comprising the supply of reticulated water, sewerage and road infrastructure.

The company – trading under Tactica Planning and Development - estimate a potential for more than 1000 residents to live at the site.

Discussions are ongoing with Transport and Main Roads regarding the implementation of public transport for the estate, which will be over seven kilometres from the nearest shopping centre.

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A master-planned 402 relocatable home estate  for over 50s will be built south of Bowen after receiving Whitsunday Regional Council approval

With April just around the corner, that’s the third quarter of Financial year 2023 done and dusted.

How have you performed? Have you met your goals? Or have you just been tied up in the busy-ness of getting through the day to day life? How much personal development have you done? How much training? Workforce is changing and clearly we all need to work smarter, more efficiently and be more inclusive of your team. Take some time to reflect over the mini breaks coming up in April.

Speaking of school holidays and the multitude of public holidays in April, whilst disruptive for a lot of businesses, it is a boom period for tourism. A great time of year for many local businesses coming out of a traditionally quiet time.

A period of change for Chambers across Queensland with the rebranding of CCIQ. It is not just a name change, although the new name Business Chamber Queensland is certainly indicative of the focus and sole purpose of the organisation – it’s about putting business first at all times. New CEO Heidi Cooper is committed to supporting the state’s networks of chambers.

More change for your local Chamber as we embark on an unprecedented period of reinvigoration and expansion. Before we welcome the new recruits, a huge thank you to outgoing Secretary Kerrie Southee – tirelessly working in the background organising events, filtering correspondence and keeping the wheels turning. Thanks Kerrie.

The chamber is looking to vastly improve its engagement with members and decided to expand the role of secretary to include an active member liaison role. We were extremely lucky to have several quality applicants and even luckier to retain the services of Dr Julia and Richard Evans who bring a wealth of experience through their business consultancy firm and roles on other Boards. Welcome Julia and Richard.

In addition, the interview process has bolstered our committee further with a couple of strategic appointments tying into one of the announcements to be made at our next networking function, Thursday 20th April at 7am.

From Alan Milostic, Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce.

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At Wednesday’s Council Meeting in Bowen, I put forward a notice of motion in regards to the proposed duplication of the Proserpine River Boat Ramp at Conway.

I asked that Council authorise the CEO and the Director of Engineering to seek an update from the Department of Main Roads and Transport (DTMR), and advocate for the long-awaited proposed expansion of the Proserpine River Boat Ramp on Conway Beach Road.

On the 23rd October, 2016 there was a State Country Cabinet Meeting held in Proserpine.

A press release was put out by DTMR stating that there was going to be a duplication of the existing boat ramp on the Proserpine River. Six and a half years later - we are still waiting.

Fishing and boating are two of the most popular recreational activities in our region. One in ten people in the Whitsunday/Mackay region own a boat.

I’ve been contacted many times over the years regarding this since it was first raised by the Minister in 2016. I have asked the question many times and haven’t really received a satisfactory answer. Our residents have been waiting six and a half years for this to happen, hopefully raising this will finally help it come to fruition.

DTMR is also undertaking a planning project for future improvement to the flood immunity of the Bruce Highway at Goorganga Plains and Myrtle Creek.

The project will plan and preserve the road corridor and investigate options to flood proof the highway during our wet season.

TMR would like to know about your experience of wet weather impacts on the Bruce Highway between Goorganga Plains and Myrtle Creek and your feedback on preferred future flood immunity upgrades.

Your feedback will be considered as part of the planning process and will help TMR finalise the business case.

My concern is that like the boat ramp, the project is not currently funded for design or construction.

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Hi Rach,

Long time reader, first time emailer.

Firstly I wanted to say thanks for sharing your coffee chat with Julie.

Secondly & the reason for my email is that I had no idea about what happened to Luke! My heart goes out to his family & I am outraged to hear this stuff happens here in Australia let alone in our own backyard. The amount of police force used is shocking, I don't blame the mother for seeking justice, this is simply not right.

Thank you for sharing her story & supporting her. I am only 1 person but I want to sign her petition - can you please share these details or publish in next week's paper & please keep the community posted on how this progresses.

Many thanks,

Jasmin Bedford

Eimeo, Mackay.

Hi Jasmin, thank you for your email. You can access Luke’s petition by going to the family’s Facebook page ‘Justice for Luke (Luke Gilbert)’ and click the pinned link to the petition. Or you can head directly to change.org and look him up there.

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Letter to The Editor,

I am writing about two articles, that appeared in your paper on February 17 & February 24, 2023.

Both of these articles are NOT factual and are very misleading to the public. It was very distressing to read them.

I personally witnessed the attack on the steer, and along with a neighbour John, had to fight off 3 DOGS that were mauling a steer. In the first article posted on 17/02, the owner of the dogs claimed “three of her dogs escaped and ALLEGEDELY attacked cattle”. The truth was, all 7 of her dogs had escaped. Although, some were not directly involved in this horrendous attack, they were barking and yapping at the 3 steers. They had 1 steer on the ground, biting him and dragging him and all he could do was bellow in pain and was defenceless against 3 dogs.

I have attached a photo taken the morning after the attack by Christina’s dogs in the stables of the neighbour’s property. The 3 steers fled their property and ran through barbed wire fences in terror. The 2nd photo is a few days later after the steers were calm enough to come back to their own paddock. They were and still are, very skittish.

In the second article posted on the 24/02, the owner claimed that only 2 dogs escaped “and one of them bit a cow on the neck”! This is in vast contrast to what happened. I am aware that there were 3 witness statements provided to the council.

Contrary to the owner’s claims, this was an unprovoked attack to the steers by her dogs. I am aware that 1 dog was put down.

Since the incident at no stage has the owner of the dogs apologised for their behaviours, inquired about the health of the steer attacked or asked after my wellbeing in regard to this horrendous and vicious attack.

I hope that this letter serves to provide a more balanced view of the facts.

Angela Herschel

The author of this letter is referring to an incident where some dogs escaped a local residence and subsequently attacked a cow. She was looking after the property at the time and was first on the scene. After receiving this email, I called Angela and we had a good conversation. She was clearly traumatised and wanted to ensure that both sides of the story were understood by the community. If you wish to read the full articles you can view them here: bit.ly/3GgW8px and bit.ly/3LTjHs3

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While we do not always have space to publish a regular Letters to the Editor column, we will endeavour to ensure readers have the opportunity for their voice to be heard and messages to be conveyed to the community through the newspaper. Please send your letters, concerns and compliments to rachael@mackayandwhitsundaylife.com, we will publish as many as we can.

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Proserpine Lions Club Youth of the Year and Proserpine State High School student Scarlett Foti competed in the district final of Youth of the Year, representing the Proserpine Lions club on Saturday, March 18.  

Having won both Overall Winner and Public Speaking awards at first Club level in Proserpine, and then again at Zone level in Home Hill, Scarlett headed to the Townsville Lions Club for the district level competition.

Five accomplished teenagers from across North Queensland took part with their speaking performances ranging from “polished and persuasive to charming and humorous.”

“It made for an entertaining night for the audience, albeit a very difficult one for the judges. It was an extremely close result again this year,” Proserpine Lion’s Youth of the Year Chair Jane Betteridge said.

The Overall winner was Yaseen Al Kahlout from Malanda State High School. Yaseen also won the Community award for participation in his community.

Proserpine Lions congratulated Scarlett on her excellent performance and her response to the impromptu topics, "There is no such thing as normal" and "We know artificial intelligence is presenting fantastic possibilities, but what do you see as its downsides?" was articulate, well timed and thought-provoking.  

“Congratulations Scarlett; another great effort,” Ms Betteridge said.

“Proserpine Lions Club is proud to call you one of our own.”

Scarlett now moves on to her next project - establishing a programme to help neurodivergent children within the Proserpine community study effectively and cope with stress during high school.

Youth of the Year (YOTY) District Chair Pat Young, Townsville Ignatius Park College student Daniel Mosch, St Patricks College Mackay student Megan Connolly, St Augustines College Cairns student Darcy Oates, Proserpine State High School student Scarlett Foti, and Malanda State High student Yaseen Al Kahlout at the YOTY District Final

Home to 80 per cent of on-water tourism in the Whitsundays and most awarded marina in Australia, Coral Sea Marina Resort is a beacon of light and the glimmering jewel of first impressions as visitors drive over the hill to Airlie Beach.

Over the past 10 years it has steadily been transformed from a run-down and dated port to now being known as the ‘Monaco of the South Pacific’ for visiting superyachts, having been crowned with a slew of superyacht awards in recent years.

This transformation has been the vision of one man who inspires a dedicated workforce to aim for the best and achieve only the highest of standards.

Avid boating enthusiast Paul Darrouzet had been visiting Airlie Beach for 26 years prior to purchasing the marina.

During that time, he noticed the deterioration of the physical infrastructure and service standard within Abell Point Marina.

When the marina went into receivership, he saw an opportunity to create not only a world-class marina but also an inspiring destination that global visitors would flock towards.

Within the first eighteen months of ownership, Paul invested in a complete visual overhaul – pouring 21,000 square meters of concrete, creating 305 car parks, and building a new arrival and departure plaza.

Buildings were demolished, new ones erected, the marina was dredged to allow access for larger vessels and the entire precinct underwent significant beautification.

Paul managed to create a bustling marina village feel and a hive of boating activity – the new standard of facility was quickly reflected in the quality of visitor, attracting a more discerning guest, while reinvigorating a sense of pride in current tenants.

The overall feel and vibe of the marina was transformed, but Paul did not wish to stop there.

Over the years he tackled the arduous task of addressing the muddy parkland which lay adjacent to the marina.

It had become an eyesore to passing motorists, reducing the stunning first impression of the marina that he was trying to create.

A labour of love, it took Paul and his team several years to revive the area which has now become a manicured grassland and garden space which has hosted several large-scale events.

Determined to create a smooth flow within the precinct and the ultimate destination offering for his guests, Paul made the astute business decision to purchase the adjacent Coral Sea Resort.

He invested substantially in completely renovating the dated accommodation facility, creating a flagship and a new benchmark in the local accommodation offering which continues to this day.

At the same time, he renamed the entire precinct to Coral Sea Marina Resort, a complete lifestyle destination where guests can stay, play, and explore.

With arguably the best views on the Australian coast, the lovingly developed marina precinct now has two marina villages, a dedicated superyacht arm, a 26-metre floating customer lounge, a relaxing on-shore lounge area, a luxury resort, and a diverse range of tourism and hospitality experiences.

This multi-million-dollar investment has not only transformed the marina, it has also raised the bar for tourism across the Whitsunday region.

“A rising tide lifts all boats” John F Kennedy

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The Marina Family

Attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to its vibrant precinct, Coral Sea Marina is a magnet for quality tourism and home to dozens of family-owned businesses that operate successfully and independently under its safe-haven.

The two marina villages offer a range of tourism and hospitality experiences and services, with many tenants and operators arguably the best in the business, boasting both Queensland and Australian Tourism Award winners amongst them.

Whether it be a relaxing poolside getaway, overnight sailing adventures, bareboat charters, scenic flights from the private helipads, jetboats or jetskis - Coral Sea Marina Resort acts as the gateway to the stunning Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef.

A camaraderie, loyalty and family feeling exist between everyone in the marina, each business complimenting the other and offering a service that directly supports the cohesion and overall success of the marina network.

Under the supportive guidance of the marina, this united community of family-owned businesses have proved to resiliently overcome challenges over the years, both in the immediate aftermath of the 2017 Cyclone Debbie and in the ongoing Covid-19 recovery.

In 2023 they are embarking on a new era of success, one where international tourism is kicking back into gear, the cruise ships are once again a common sight on the horizon and domestic tourism is fully engaged with visiting the region.

It is an exciting time to be operating at Coral Sea Marina.

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With a desire to provide guests and visitors with a deeper, more meaningful experience of boating and the environment, Coral Sea Marina has launched a dedicated Eco Tourism pillar to their tourism offering.

The Coral Sea Academy aims to transform the ways people think and behave about the environment and encompasses the four key pillars of sustainability, better boating, wellness and culture.

By introducing a range of special events, workshops and experiences, the Coral Sea Academy takes people on a journey that inspires them to be part of something bigger, to be changed and to make change happen.

Coral Sea Marina does not just preach sustainable behaviour; they also live and breathe environmentally conscious practices.

They are an accredited Clean Marina Level III/ Fish Friendly marina and in 2018, it became the first marina resort in Australia to have all its food and beverage outlets become plastic straw free as part of The Last Straw Campaign.

The marina has also pledged to become free of single-use plastics by 2025.

By partnering with CQ University and Reef Catchments the marina has developed a test site for seagrass nurseries.

They are also working on the Healthy Heart Reef Project, with the Whitsunday Climate Change Innovation Hub, to decarbonise the Whitsundays tourism sector and achieve a sustainable destination accreditation for the Whitsunday region.

In addition, they are an ecoBiz Star Partner for their commitment to waste management.
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The Coral Sea Academy teaches about boat safety

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For Animal Conservation

When Rose-Marie Dusting née Ecenarro was growing up in the western Queensland town of Richmond, she would frequently run into the bush to play, explore and build cubby houses.

One March night in 1968, when a nine-year-old Rose-Marie had run away in tears after getting in trouble at home, she experienced a surreal encounter that set her on a course of animal conservation.

“This little bilby came up, a baby bilby, it was limping, and it came up and snuggled into me underneath my arm,” Rose-Marie recounted.

“I couldn’t believe it because they’re wild animals.

“I picked him up and looked at him, kissed him on his long snout and I said, ‘You look like a bunny rabbit, so I’m going to call you Billy the Aussie Easter Bilby.’”

The encounter inspired Rose-Marie to write about Billy the Aussie Easter Bilby, and his best friend Bob the Kangaroo, for a school essay for which she received an A+.

“The teacher who taught me, I had the same teacher for seven years, she kept the story because she thought, ‘That girl is going to be a famous author one day,’” she said.

Rose-Marie moved to Mackay years later as a 12-year-old before moving to Adelaide to pursue nursing.

It was in 1979 while living in Adelaide that she self-published Billy the Aussie Easter Bilby, a book that would cement the bilby as Australia’s alternative to the Easter bunny worldwide while crowning Rose-Marie as the “bilby lady”.

“I was told nobody knows what a bilby is and since then, I’ve been educating the public about the bilby,” Rose-Marie said.

“I’ve had so many people come up and say to me, ‘We grew up with Billy Bilby and we want to teach our kids the same thing.’”

Rose-Marie’s characters have become mascots for animal conservation.

Her name and characters were used for the Save the Bilby Fund, and she is continuing to work with Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park and Taronga Zoo, while chocolate Easter bilbies can be found lining the supermarket aisles.

“That says to me that the bilby hasn’t died and it’s coming back,” Rose-Marie said.

Now in her 80s, Rose-Marie is rewriting the original Billy the Aussie Easter Bilby, due for release next easter, and has been working on a swag of other characters to bring attention to Australia’s growing list of endangered and extinct species.

“I just love animals, especially Australian species,” she said.

“They’re so unique and we’re so blessed to have them.

“We need to take action now.”

She’s hoping Paddles the Playful Platypus will deliver that message while putting Mackay on the map.

“What I want for Mackay is to use Paddles the Playful Platypus, it would put Mackay on the world market,” she said.

“He’s a good friend of Billy Bilby’s so it’d be a perfect platform for Mackay.

“I want to use my God-given talent and gift to save endangered species and to write books for children, not just about our wildlife, but about kindness and bullying.”

Rose-Marie has been hard at work over the last few years, creating hundreds of books and characters, and she is looking for local illustrators to get involved.

“I’m looking for a couple of illustrators and I’d like to give the people of Mackay a chance to be able to illustrate the new books,” she said.

Anyone interested is asked to contact Rose-Marie at radusting@outlook.com.

With the support of her husband Anthony, her two children Chloe and Samuel and her three grandchildren Levi, Gatlin and Henry, Rose-Marie Dusting’s mission is far from over.

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Rose-Marie Dusting (middle) holding Billy the Aussie Easter Bilby at Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park, New South Wales. Photo supplied

Billy The Aussie Easter Bilby became a much-loved children’s book character

The ‘bilby lady’ encourages everyone to celebrate the endangered bilbies instead of bunnies at Easter

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