Mackay Christian College, in collaboration with Gateway to Industry and local sponsor Cummins, offered the Women Who Weld (WWW) course on Friday, 16 June.

The course aimed to provide women interested in welding with an opportunity to learn more about the field and its potential career prospects.

During the one-day program, participants were introduced to the basics of welding, including an overview of its functioning and the safety measures associated with the equipment used. They also received an introduction to MIG welding.

Cummins representatives addressed the students, and the presence of two female apprentices added value by showcasing the possibilities available in the field.

By the end of the course, all participants successfully completed a project to take home, ensuring a practical application of the skills learned.

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Show season has hit the region.

Last Sunday, June 18, the Pioneer Valley Show returned toFinch Hatton for its 59th year, showcasing the best in agriculture,entertainment and food.

Kidzone offered plenty of action for the little ones, whilewoodchop, horse and motorbike events kept onlookers intrigued at the ring.

Australian Idol finalist Damien Agius serenaded crowds, theday closing with an epic fireworks display.

Later in the week, the show moved on to Mackay, running fromTuesday, June 20 to Thursday, June 22, the show holiday giving everyone achance to make the most of it.

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Fun and games at the Pioneer Valley Show. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

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Well, I would have to say yesterday was the best day because it was the shortest day of the year, and you know what that means now? More sunshine! I love it.

Why?

We’ve really got it lucky right now around Mackay and the Whitsundays. Yesterday we wrapped up a big three days at the Mackay Show. I don’t think I’ve eaten so many buckets of chips in one day, more than I ate on Sunday at Finch Hatton for the annual Pioneer Valley Show. That was incredible too.

I’ve been very lucky to have been asked to come up each year and jump on the microphone at the Finch Hatton Showgrounds to be their ground announcer. That’s the job that Angus used to do for a hundred years before he retired, and now I’ve assumed the role, but there’s one difference. He knew a lot about animals. I know nothing. Each year I just wing it and have some fun. I hope I made a few people smile on the day anyways.

On that note, Show Whitsunday is on today and tomorrow in Proserpine, so check out all the fun, and then we’ve got a break until August when it’s the turn of the Sarina Show at the showgrounds to come alive. How lucky are we right now!

If you are looking for something great to do in Mackay as well this weekend, check out the Be Social Fest on tomorrow at Harrup Park with a full lineup of bands including Grinspoon making some great noise in South Mackay. There’s no excuse to stay at home this weekend.

Next weekend we’ll be at the Bluewater Quay for our huge Riverfront party. That’ll be a great Saturday, then the Mackay Festival of Arts pretty much starts up with so much entertainment over a few weeks including the biggest day at Queens Park with the Food and Wine Day. It’ll be massive with Conrad Sewell here in South Mackay! Don’t miss it.

As you can see it’s a busy time of the year. Get out and have some fun and enjoy each other’s company.

You can join Rob Kidd from 5am weekday mornings on 4MK 1026 AM in Mackay and Proserpine, 91.5FM in Airlie Beach or just ask your smart speaker to play 4MK on iHeartRadio!

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One of my roles as a councillor is to attend the Road Accident Action Group (RAAG) meetings.

Together with Cr Russell Seymour, we lend our support to assist RAAG in achieving its vision, which is ‘to reduce road trauma through collaboration and advocacy of road safety awareness, leading to improved outcomes for all road users’.

RAAG is a volunteer-run, non-profit organisation operating for the past 20 years with a strategic goal of reducing road crashes and fatalities in the Mackay, Isaac and Bowen Basin region.

RAAG has run numerous educational and awareness campaigns over the years. Current projects include their ‘Wide Load Education’ campaign, supported by Glencore – Hail Creek.

This campaign involves creating large permanent signs placed at rest areas throughout the region to assist road users in understanding how to approach situations involving wide loads on the road. The installation of all 21 signs has been carried out by volunteers.

Another of their campaigns is the ‘Work Out Visibly’ campaign, funded by the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, and will see 10,000 high visibility items distributed across our communities.

Volunteers are critical to the ongoing operations at RAAG and without them they would not be able to achieve their vision. All executive, committee and member positions are volunteers. They welcome new members and volunteers to become involved.

If you are passionate about road safety, RAAG would love to hear from you. Being a volunteer with RAAG will allow you to have a positive impact on the community, work with other like-minded people to achieve a fatality-free future for our roads and utilise your skills, knowledge, and experience to promote change.

If this article has raised your interest, please consider attending a RAAG meeting held on the second Thursday of each month from 10am to noon at the Resources Centre of Excellence (65 Crichtons Road, Paget). For more information or any questions, send an email to admin@raag.com.au, visit raag.com.au or find them on Facebook. Alternatively, you can call me, Cr Laurence Bonaventura on 0427 638 673.

Cr Laurence Bonaventura

Mackay Regional Council

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Coal Royalties Breathe New Life Into 150-Year-Old Structure

The future of the Bowen Jetty is looking more certain thanks to a significant cash injection which will ensure the longevity of the iconic wooden structure as it transitions to a new and exciting future purpose.

Coal mining royalties and the recent State Budget have allocated $50 million to future proof this vital asset, the government recognising the importance of the wharf for recreation and tourism.

The Bowen community are celebrating this week with news that their much-loved, 150-year-old jetty now has the adequate funding to plan for a sustainable future.

Currently the 640-metre-long structure is controlled and maintained by North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) who moor three tugboats at the jetty.

Plans to permanently relocate these tugboats to Abbot Point have created uncertainty for the future of the wharf, and questions as to who will be responsible for its high maintenance costs.

Bruce Hedditch, President of the Bowen Chamber, said the chamber had been advocating for the funding for the jetty since 2016.

“This is a wonderful result for the Bowen community, it’s absolutely magnificent and I applaud the decision,” he said.

“Money is now available for proper planning and development, which is the way it should be.”

Mr Hedditch said that the relocation of the tugboats will likely take between five and 10 years and he is looking forward to working with other stakeholders to plan a bright new future for wharf.

“The Jetty is nearly as old as Bowen, at one point there were 600 wharfies working there!” he said.

“There is a lot of history there and we are looking at places like Busselton Jetty and hoping to make our jetty a leading tourist attraction too.”

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall applauded the funding announcement and said that Council looks forward to working with NQBP to explore a viable and sustainable solution to save the jetty.

“This funding now gives all stakeholders the opportunity to further investigate options for the jetty,” she said.

NQBP Acting CEO Belinda Kenny thanked the Queensland Government for its significant funding contribution towards the future of the Bowen Wharf.

“The $50 million injection in the State Budget will breathe new life into the Bowen Wharf,” she said.

“With this significant funding, visitors and locals alike will benefit from a revitalised public facility for generations to come.

“NQBP will soon commence engagement with stakeholders and the local community to shape the future of the wharf revitalisation project.”

Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey said that the government recognises the importance of the wharf as a recreational asset for families, boaties, fishos, walkers, photographers, and visitors to the region.

“The Bowen Wharf has played a significant role in Queensland’s history and the Bowen community for 150 years,” he said.

“We want to get this right, so following today’s investment, there will be extensive stakeholder and community consultation on planning and design and input into a business case that delivers the best outcome for the community.”

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Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, Whitsunday Mayor Julie Hall, and North Queensland Bulk Ports Acting CEO Belinda Kenny in Bowen for the announcement of the funding on Tuesday. Photo supplied

Local stakeholders and dignitaries gather at celebrate the $50 million funding announcement at the Bowen Jetty on Tuesday. Photo supplied

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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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