A mate of mine posed a question to me the other day: When did it become okay to wear those branded fishing shirts out to dinner?

They’re definitely great for fishing in Queensland, with their protective long sleeves and collars but, according to my friend, wearing them out to dinner is a step too far.

The question is, has Mackay changed or is my friend a little bit precious? Perhaps pretentious?

My friend was born in South Mackay where, last time I checked, no one was complaining about fishing shirts in the dining area.

However, he now lives in a nice street in Mount Pleasant and has a white-collar job that requires him to mix in certain smart business circles. “Ooh la la,” I hear you say.

No, the truth is My Mt Pleasant Mate is not pretentious but he probably has changed from when he was a kid growing up on the streets of South Mackay.

I wasn’t in Mackay 40 or 50 years ago but I imagine those fishing shirts wouldn’t have been too prevalent then, even in fishing circles, and let alone in a dining area. My guess is that it would have been fishing in a pair of stubbies and a tank top or a t-shirt and probably not too much in the way of sunscreen.

So in some ways Mackay, along with My Mt Pleasant Mate, has changed. In others it hasn’t.

In summer, the shorts and singlet or t-shirt are still part of the uniform, along with those new-fangled fishing shirts.

My Mt Pleasant Mate hasn’t passed comment to me about stubbies and a singlet in the dining area but I think we all know how he’d view it. Being a real estate agent, I got to thinking what would he think about the way people should dress for an open house? What would he think about stubbies and singlets?

There is no dress code for an open house in Mackay … and I’ve got no problem with that.

I’ve seen people turn up in bikinis, speedos, stubbies without a shirt and one bloke who turned up with a towel wrapped around his waist and no top … not sure if there was anything underneath because I dared not ask.

One thing I know about Mackay is that the way someone dresses does not indicate whether or not he or she has the money to buy a property I am selling.

That quiet, barefoot bloke in shorts and a t-shirt looking at the shed out back turns out to be a retiring cane farmer who is very financially comfortable and is ready to pay cash for the low-set $600,000 Glenella property he is planning to downsize to with his wife.

In real estate, and in life, you don’t judge a book by its cover and you soon realise that it takes all types and all styles of dress.

So feel free to come along to my open homes in whatever makes you feel comfortable. I promise not to have My Mt Pleasant Mate at the door imposing a dress code.

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The recently announced Havana Party Night ‘Let’s do Latin’ fundraiser night for the Whitsunday Tiny Homes Project has another massive announcement for the event.

Kelly Ann Doll, Australian power burlesque dancer will be appearing as Carmen Miranda, the famous Brazilian singer, dancer, and actress who is renowned for her floral fruit headpieces and her signature outfits.

“Kelly is a swing dancing burlesque dynamo and you’re bound to be in for some exciting surprises in the final act,” said event organiser Sandy Clark.

“This will be something very different for Airlie Beach and we are thrilled that an artist of this calibre is flying in from Sydney and donating her time especially for this worthy cause of building four tiny homes for elderly homeless women in our community.”

Kelly is a formidable burlesque dancer and entertainer, having been voted in the Top 10 of the Most Influential Burlesque Artists in Australia by 21 Century Burlesque Magazine.

In conjunction with this fundraising event, Tiny Home Project volunteers have been visiting local businesses, asking for cash donations to fund the project.

The project was launched in October 2022 and is raising funds to construct four tiny homes for homeless women who are over 55-years old and live in the Whitsundays.

The tiny homes will be constructed on donated land from the Whitsunday Regional Council, on Gardenia Street in Proserpine.

The project has gained momentum, with the second fundraising event, held in February of this year, raising just over $17,000, and now Mayor Julie Hall has vowed to donate 50 per cent of proceeds gained from her Mayor’s Charity Ball, held in July.

WHAT: It’s Havana Party Night @ Let’s do Latin

WHERE: Whitsunday Sailing Club Bali Hut

WHEN: June 8, 5pm – 10pm

COST: $125 per person

TICKETS: airlieevents.com.au

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National Sensation Kelly Ann Doll will be performing at the Havana party fundraiser. Photo supplied

The absolute passion and drive that fuels Wendy Downes OAM is clear, illuminating everything she does.

When Wendy and her husband John moved to Airlie Beach in 1998, she brought her passion for running, cycling, and competing with her.

However, Airlie Beach was sorely lacking in any runners or bikers.

“There was nothing here at all,” Wendy said.

“But once we started, it just started to build.”

Wendy was a “maniac runner”, competing in numerous Sydney City to Surfs, the Six Foot Track Marathons, the Royal Park Marathon, and the 1994 Duathlon World Championships, where she finished 4th.

“Running is a part of me,” she said.

“It feels like I’m floating.”

Wendy began the Whitsunday Running Club and championed the various running events of Airlie Beach, including the Airlie Beach Festival of Sport, the Whitsunday Trail Fest, Parkrun, and the Whitsunday Triathlon Club.

In more recent times, Wendy has moved onto being a Technical Official for various triathlons, including being involved in the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final on the Gold Coast in 2018.

In 2015, she was honoured with an Order of Australia, for her involvement in the Whitsundays and to recreational running.

And in 2018, Wendy carried the Queens Baton Relay through Airlie Beach.

“It felt good. Absolutely amazing,” Wendy said.

“Those two honours are really special to me.”

“When I look back, I would go back and do every single one again.”

Wendy expects that the 2023 Airlie Beach Triathlon, scheduled for July 29 and 30, to be the biggest one yet.

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Wendy Downes is a power marathon runner and avid community supporter. Photo supplied

A hugely successful Vision for the Whitsundays launch event last week saw over 60 attendees from local businesses eager to hear the visionary perspectives from David Littleproud MP (federal leader of the National Party), Andrew Willcox MP (Federal Member for Dawson), Amanda Camm MP (Queensland Member for Whitsunday) and Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall, all centred around driving economic growth and prosperity in our region.

Read more about the details presented on the evening on our Vision for the Whitsundays page of our website, which will be regularly updated as this project progresses.

It was clear that to help our political representatives advocate more effectively, we need to be coordinated in our ask as a business community.

The Chamber’s next networking event in Proserpine on 15th June will focus on discussing the priorities for the region – we will be asking for input in the interim, so feel free to contact the chamber to discuss.

Now is the time to join the Chamber and be part of this initiative.

New memberships to end of FY23 are free – jump onto our website and join up.

Onto the budget, the Federal government announced some modest energy bill and tax relief for small business with key measures including increasing the instant asset write-off threshold to $20000 for 12 months, a rebate of up to $650 off electricity bill for eligible businesses and up to $20000 in bonus tax rebates per asset under the Small Business Energy Incentive scheme, to encourage businesses to install energy efficient appliances.

This week, representatives from the Chamber will meet with The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training (DESBT) with a view to establish a closer working relationship and getting the department to be more active in the region.

The department’s primary purpose is to support the workforce with learning opportunities and by helping small businesses establish and thrive and is an invaluable resource for our local enterprises.

Onwards and upwards for 2023.

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Greater Whitsunday Communities (GWC) and Regional Development Australia Greater Whitsunday (RDA) have partnered and initiated the Housing Summit to identify collaborative solutions to the housing stress being felt across the Greater Whitsunday region.

Stakeholders from across the housing industry came together in October 2022 to guide the project.

The first initiative in December 2022 was to hold a housing round table where the following key themes emerged from the consultation:

1. Availability and diversity of choice

2. Affordability

3. Consumer needs

4. Roles and responsibilities.

A social and emergency accommodation working group has also been established to investigate safe sleeping spaces, storage facilities and mapping possible options for repurposing of housing.

Urbis have been engaged to carry out a research component to identify the baseline data and look at the current and future needs of all sections of the housing supply chain. This research will help inform the solution-based co-design workshop that will be held at the Housing Summit.

The Housing Summit will be held on June 6, 2023, from 9am to 4.30pm at the Mackay Turf Club. To date there are 120 attendees registered to participate in the summit. The summit will use Urbis’ research to develop solutions to address the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday housing issues. The summit will also feed into the development of the Local Housing Action Plans along with a Regional Housing Action Plan.

The State Government recently announced funding that will be delivered through the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) that will enable all local councils in Queensland to develop local area housing plans. Our region will be working with the State Government representatives and LGAQ representatives to ensure our plans meet the State Government housing plan requirements.

If you have an interest or are part of the housing supply chain i.e. local governments, developers, builders, not-for-profit housing providers, industry bodies, financial institutions and housing support services, please consider registering to attend the summit to be part of the housing solution.

Contact Greater Whitsunday Communities to register for the Housing Summit on June 6.

Cr Karen May

Deputy Mayor

Mackay Regional Council

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I am pleased to provide an update on the progress of the Wilson’s Beach Swimming Enclosure.

As I’m sure many of you are aware, the enclosure was damaged during Tropical Cyclone Debbie and Council has been unsuccessfully out to tender three times in an attempt to have the enclosure rebuilt.

As a result, we are now taking a new approach to the refurbishment. Instead of going out to tender for the entire project, we will now be splitting the rebuild into a three-stage approach and seeking quotes for each stage of the project individually.

The three stages are:

1. Dismantling the current enclosure.

2. Purchase of materials directly by Council.

3. Building of the new enclosure.

We have procured the services of a local contractor to complete stage one of the Wilson’s Beach Swimming Enclosure project.

Work is scheduled to commence in the next 4-6 weeks and residents can expect to see the vertical posts/poles remain as they are still in reasonable condition. The contractor will be using two entry points to dismantle the current enclosure and residents will be notified of these works once dates have been confirmed.

Council officers have already commenced seeking quotes for stage two and three of the project with stage two procurement process almost finalised and stage three not far behind!

I understand your frustrations with how long this process has taken, as I have been frustrated too. To the Wilsons Beach residents, thank you for your patience and support – we have fought together to get this far.

Since adopting a staged approach, I am thrilled to see significant progress and look forward to seeing the enclosure rebuilt soon. Keep an eye on my Facebook page for further updates!

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There are two main things a Financial Planner does, ‘Strategy Advice’ and ‘Product Advice’.

Strategic Advice involves guiding people on how their financial future looks now and the options available to improve their financial position. It’s looking at the pros and cons of various options and weighing up the cost versus benefits to guide people to the best option for their financial situation and age.  

If you have large debts and a young family you want to protect, it’s guidance on the different types of insurances available and which ones suit your situation.  

If you’re looking to build wealth in the run up to retirement it’s unpacking whether negative gearing, super or paying off your home loan is the best option.

Questions like: Should I be using an offset account or a redraw to reduce my mortgage and what are the long-term tax ramifications? Should I be taking a pension from my super even if I’m not retired as I’ve heard there are tax benefits? Will I have enough to retire comfortably, and will I get any assistance form the government?  How do I protect my nest egg?

Throughout our lives most people will purchase financial products, these might be simple like bank accounts or credit cards or complex like home loans, superannuation, insurance or pensions.  

The key here is getting advice on what type of product suits you. i.e., Now I know what type of insurance package I want to purchase, which insurer offers the most competitive premium for my age and occupation?  

What type of superannuation products suits my situation, is it an industry super, a retail super or a Self-Managed Super Fund?  

Can my existing super pension product facilitate a protection strategy against a major market crash? Are the product fees I’m currently paying competitive?  

Another key issue to consider when getting product recommendations is what range of products the adviser can recommend. It doesn’t take Einstein to work out that if you talk to an adviser employed by a bank or insurance company generally, they are going to recommend their company’s super, investment, insurance and loan products even if other companies have products better suited to your situation.

In summary Financial Planners can guide people in all sorts of areas to make better decisions to help them achieve their financial goals. The key is in finding a Financial Planner you can relate to who is experienced and can recommend the right strategy and products from a range of different providers.  

If you think you could benefit from a discussion with a Financial Planner, give us a call.  There’s no obligation and all fees are spelled out clearly in advance.  If you’re not sure, try our Financial Fitness Survey on our website at www.eclipsefs.com as it’s a simple free tool to help assess your financial strength.

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Similar to spring cleaning our homes, a shift in life’s seasons calls for a freshen up of our personal lives, by shedding what no longer serves us.

Every moment is an opportunity to step into our greatness.

The first step is to determine what a great life means to you and what needs to shift to make it happen.

Ask yourself:

What is the greatness I am ready embrace?

What do I need to release to fully step into this greatness?

What’s thriving?

Take a look at what’s going well in your life.

We can often be consumed by what isn’t thriving, particularly with negative news stories, the inadequacy we feel by consumerism and the comparison on social media, and the uncertainty of things outside ourselves.

Challenge yourself to focus on what is thriving in your life.

Through reframing, what seemed to you to be wrong may, in fact, be great when viewed through a different lens.

Turn your failures into opportunities for success

What does success mean to you?

Every choice we make and every action we take is an opportunity to step into our greatness and achieve success.

The human factor means that we make mistakes and can be derailed from our original vision.

What’s important is having compassion for ourselves in these moments, and seeing obstacles or mistakes as opportunities to grow.

Honour your mistakes as stepping stones on your journey to greatness.

Upgrade your environment

“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future” – Dan Pena

Examine the people in your life. Do they cause you to go beyond your comfort zone, or are they holding you in a chapter of your life that has/is coming to an end?

Surround yourself with people who align with the vision you have for yourself.

We can all build our best life through our daily choices and the willingness to push ourselves into the unknown.

We show up for ourselves and others when we make a commitment to greatness.

Contributed with thanks to Shiift

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Last week, a lively Bowen Chamber of Commerce meeting saw guest speaker, Leader of the Nationals David Littleproud MP, share his ideas for a strong and stable regional future.

Accompanied by the Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP, Mr Littleproud outlined his vision for the next federal Coalition government and addressed topics including the 2023 Federal budget, the housing crisis, northern Australian development, the renewables shift, and dams, among other topics.

Referring to the modest surplus in the Federal budget, Mr Littleproud was adamant that the first surplus in many years had come from the efforts of the hard-working rural sector.

"This budget is a welfare budget,” he said.

“It is not necessarily putting money back in the economy.”

Mr Littleproud believes it fails to address the skills and worker shortages bedevilling our economy.

Instead of $4-6 billion in welfare payments, he asserts that it should have been directed into a transition to work focus, "to give hardworking Australians the opportunity to get back into work," he said.

Mr Littleproud was also critical of the plan to bring 1.5 million migrant workers into the country, who he believes would put pressures on the economy.

Rather, the Government should give these workers a pathway to citizenship which would, in turn, would offer regional Australia access to the skilled workers it so badly needs.

"We need to put regional Australia on a competitive footing with urban areas," he said, adding that under Labor many of these workers would flow mainly to the major cities.

He also said that the LNP policy of establishing satellite learning campuses allowed workers to stay in towns and develop their skills where they were most needed.

Mr Littleproud said health was a critical factor in drawing new people to centres like Bowen and he was critical of Labor policy that he said drew in overseas doctors who were offered no incentive to go to regional centres.

He also vented his concerns about the costs involved in moving towards a renewable future.

"28 thousand kilometres of transmission lines are needed for the green transition," he said, while power costs for the food sector had tripled, "and that comes back to us.

"In the rural sector, we are going to get it in the neck again.”

Mr Littleproud was also critical of the rise of wind turbines and solar farms, saying while some producers had profited from the use of their land to host these facilities, he was against using prime agricultural land for these purposes.

Instead, he said modular nuclear reactors offered a cost-effective way to site energy-producing facilities closest to the most energy-hungry centres, and did not require new transmission infrastructure, as well as using new technologies such as carbon capture to enable the country to keep using coal and gas.

"We have plenty of time to solve this.

“This government has brought it forward; they have taken a reckless path," Mr Littleproud said.

"Our biggest asset is that we have complete resource security and sovereignty."

During his time in Bowen, Mr Littleproud and Mr Willcox toured the Gilmour Space Technologies’ Bowen Orbital Spaceport to see how plans are progressing for the first launch which is expected to take place within the next few months.

“These innovative guys plan to launch the Eris rocket into space later this year,” said Mr Willcox.

“If successful it will be Australia’s first homegrown orbital spacecraft!

“The Coalition know that investment into the Australian Space Industry will yield many benefits, and I was delighted to hear our hard work has paid off.

“I know I will certainly be watching this ‘Space’.”

CAPTIONS:

Bowen Chamber of Commerce president Bruce Hedditch (from left) talks policy with Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox and Leader of the National Party David Littleproud. Photo credit: Paul Gellatly

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP and Leader of The Nationals, David Littleproud MP tour the Gilmour Space Technologies’ Bowen Orbital Spaceport. Photo supplied

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Bowen as a township has long been titled the oldest town in North Queensland and its special microcosm of history and culture has been preserved by the Bowen Historical Society and Museum.

And, in a mammoth year for Bowen, the Bowen Historical Society and Museum is celebrating a 60 year milestone this year.

The curators of the Bowen Museum have been meticulous with preserving Bowen’s pioneer history, much of which is now on display, each catalogued with a detailed and accurate reporting and recording for the public to read and be educated.

With some of the largest and most thorough collections of Australian maritime and war memorabilia and artefacts, the Bowen Museum is often visited by Queensland historians and Queensland Museum Staff to aid in preservation, conservation, record keeping, and creating dynamic displays for visitors.

“Our visitors always say that this museum is the most interesting they have seen,” museum volunteer Helen Nicholas said.

“Our collection is very interesting.”

Julie Jurgens, Secretary of the Bowen Historical Society, added that the museum has enjoyed a vibrant history itself.

“It’s hard to think that the museum has been so long established in the community,” she said.

“The Museum started off in a man’s house – he started the museum in the first place – and then the museum outgrew the location.

“Then it was in the Transport building for a bit, and then 10 years later, our building was built, and in 1988, we had an expansion and added another room.”

The museum has primarily expanded due to donations from members of the community.

“We have had pieces from family collections donated,” said Ms Jurgens.

“We’ve even had a few wedding dresses donated, which solves a lot of family arguments about who gets the dress!”

Celebrations for the 60th year anniversary of the Bowen Historical Society and Museum have yet to be announced.

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The Bowen Museum was established in 1963, from the founder’s home

The Bowen Museum is now located on Gordon Street in Bowen

The Bowen Museum and Historical Society has a dedicated history of Bowen and its residents. Photo supplied

Bowen’s most bountiful child is turning 21 this week and the whole town is celebrating the huge milestone of an iconic structure that has featured in over 1.5 million selfies over the years.

At a height of 10-metres and weighing a whopping five tonnes, the Big Mango is believed to be the largest structure of its kind in the world.

It was the brainchild of a local doctor at the time, Geoff Ingham, who got the project underway by establishing the Big Mango Trust to help fund and build it.

It cost $90,000 to build and brings more than 80,000 people to the site each year, more than returning the value spent on its construction.

About half the Big Mango’s visitors call into the Bowen Visitor Information Centre next door to find out about the local tours, activities, and accommodation.

Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy, said the Big Mango represents something truly special for Bowen locals.

“While it’s an object in reality, this icon is now an internationally renowned symbol of our town and our region.

“We’re a proud coastal town of many farming families who value the opportunity to share our pride with as many visitors as possible – and the Big Mango plays a huge role in attracting these visitors from all over the world.”

With a population of about 11,000 and known as ‘the food bowl’ of The Whitsundays, Bowen supplies 10 per cent of the entire Australian mango crop.

The Big Mango symbolises the Kensington Pride variety of mango, which is also known as the ‘Bowen Special’ and is lush in colour.  

Bowen is the birthplace of the Kensington Pride in Australia, after being introduced from India in 1871.

Celebrations will be taking place across the Whitsundays for the next week.

Yesterday morning Katie Brown from Channel 7’s Sunrise broadcast live from the Big Mango, delivering the morning’s weather report right across the country.

Last night the tourism industry celebrated the milestone with a huge and extended Tourism Whitsundays Networking Night at the Big Mango, with an after party at the Grand View Hotel.

By coincidence, the iconic 100 per cent mango sorbet which is sold at the Information Centre, also reached an incredible milestone by breaking its long-standing record.

Previously the record has been 18,500 sold per year and this week that figure was smashed, with more than 19,000 sold with five weeks still remaining before the cut-off at the end of the financial year.

“We would absolutely love to sell 21,000 this year to go with the Big Mango’s 21 years!” said Ms Abernethy.

“So please come down to the information centre and treat yourself!”

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Bowen Tourism and Business Manager Leanne Abernethy prepares for filming earlier this month. Photo credit: Facebook

The Bowen Visitor Information Centre welcomes 40,000 visitors through its doors each year. Photo supplied

A record-breaking 19,000 mango sorbets have been sold from the centre so far this year. Photo supplied

Kenny the Big Mango mascot. Photo supplied

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Open seven days a week, 360 days a year, Bowen Tourism and Business (BTB) is the beating heart of local tourism and, in addition to its sea of volunteers, it is the regular staff that create the warm welcome the mango town is famous for.

Three full-time staff and a workforce of four casuals provide the foundations of the experience at the information centre.

The team are responsible for a range of duties, from selling mango sorbets to keeping on top of social media posts, booking tours and accommodation, running promotional competitions and of course offering advice to the 40,000 tourists that come through the doors each year.

“I have a wonderful team who are all passionate about Bowen,” said BTB Manager Leanne Abernethy.

“A couple of them are young mums and they always fit us in between dropping their kids off at school – they are very flexible, and we appreciate everything they do – they are the reason we can stay open seven days a week and only close five days a year!

“All staff have contributed so much towards the celebrations, and I am very proud of each of them.”

Bowen Mango’s Team Top Picks

“I love snorkelling off the beach at Horseshoe Bay – it has the most beautiful fringing reefs, and it is one of the only places in Australia where you can snorkel straight off the beach.” (Glenn Womal)

“My favourite place in Bowen is the Edgecombe Trail – it is so scenic, and it only takes an hour to complete – it is so beautiful and well worth a visit.” (Melissa Beuzeville)

“The Bowen Jetty would have to be my top pick – I love going there for a morning walk on our historic jetty, it is 750 metres long and 150 years old.” (Leanne Abernethy)

“I love walking along the beach with my dog as the sun rises or enjoying a nibbles platter on the beach while the sunsets at Grays Bay.” (Ellie Palmero)

Bowen Tourism and Business’ valued staff: Melissa Beuzeville, Leanne Abernethy, Glenn Womal and Ellie Palmero. Photo credit: Rachael

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The award-winning Big Mango has a reputation for not only being one of the most popular ‘big things’ in Australia, but also for being one of the friendliest tourist information centres in the country.

In 2022 the Big Mango was named the Top Tourist Attraction at the Whitsundays Tourism Awards and earlier this year the dedicated volunteers were nominated for an Australian Day Award.

With 16 volunteers on the books, all donating a minimum of three to four hours of their time per week, it is easy to see what lies at the heart of the centre.

Bowen Tourism and Business is guided by its Manager, Leanne Abernethy, two full-time staff and four casual staff.

But it is the sea of volunteers that make up the vital additional hours needed to enable the centre to open seven days a week and provide over 40,000 visitors a year with helpful advice about the local area.

“Our incredible volunteers greet our visitors seven days a week,” said Ms Abernethy.

“They are all very passionate and dedicated, and as we are a not-for-profit organisation this really helps save on staffing costs so that any profit we make is used to market Bowen as a destination.”

The Information Centre is also a booking agency which has a wealth of knowledge about local tours and activities, and it holds over 350 brochures on all regions across Queensland.

Inside the centre, you will also find an extensive range of mango inspired merchandise.

From soaps to chutneys, candles to sauces and even branded socks with Kenny the Mango emblazoned on them – the information centre really understands how to make the most of the local icon.

“Our Mango Daiquiri Mix has proved very popular too!” said Ms Abernethy.

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Some of the BTB volunteers: Mark Steen, Margie Hurst, Trudy Starkey, Janice Germain, Marie Bailey, Anne Steen and Kev Clarke.Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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A well-known face in the region sits quietly behind Bowen Tourism and Business as the Chair of the Committee, discreetly guiding the strategic vision of the non-for-profit organisation.

Jenn Honnery is originally from Brisbane but moved to the region in 1999 and fell in love with the local way of life.

“I moved here to work in a pub and have a break from uni and I didn’t make it home!” explains Jenn.

With a degree in Architecture, she was soon employed as a surveyor for a local gold mine.

She then went to help a friend on a nearby cattle station and it was here she met her husband, Jason.

The couple moved to Collinsville and later purchased an organic mango farm which is located between Bowen and Collinsville.

Jenn completed a Multi-Media Design Degree and a Masters in Communication.

When she is not running the mango farm with her husband, she is busy building websites and working as a graphic designer.

In 2017, Jenn decided it was time for a change and embarked on a role as Sales and Marketing Manager for Bowen Tourism and Business.

When the new role proved to be too demanding around her other work commitments, Jenn decided to step down but was still eager to contribute as a volunteer committee member.

She was later elected Chair.

“The role translated nicely as I had an interest in the local tourism industry but could bring in skills with marketing and design and an understanding of small business,” she said.

Since becoming Chair five years ago, Jenn has witnessed much change.

One of the highlights has been helping to increase the marketing budget so Bowen Tourism can “stand on its own two feet”.

She has also enjoyed forming a strong connection with Tourism Whitsundays.

“I am especially excited that Sunrise came to the Big Mango this week – that certainly pulled a lot of eyes onto Bowen,” she said.

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At the helm of Bowen Tourism and Business is its dynamic leader, Leanne Abernethy, who over the past two years has become the daily driving force behind innovations and ideas.

By coincidence, Leanne started her role the day before the Big Mango turned 19 and, if it were not for this fact, the upcoming milestones could have been completely missed.

Fortunately, she flagged the date and Bowen Tourism and Business (BTB) hosted a small 20-year celebration last year while planning for the big festivities this year.

Speaking on ABC radio Brisbane earlier this week, appearing on Channel 7’s Sunrise breakfast show on Thursday and hosting 4MK and ABC Tropical North during the week as well – it is clear that Leanne shines in her role.

Originally from a small country town called Bogan Gate in Central New South Wales, Leanne moved to Canberra where she completed a degree in journalism.

She then took on a cadet journalist position in Eden before spending the next 21 years working for various newspapers across three states.

In 2007 she moved to the region to take on the Editor’s position for the Whitsunday Times and within seven years she became the Managing Editor of two local mastheads - the Proserpine Guardian and the Whitsunday Times.

She then became a Multi-Media Director for Newscorp, working on newspapers from Bowen in the north to Lismore in the south.

After six years in that role, a reshuffle of regional newspapers across Queensland saw Leanne become redundant, which presented an opportunity to become Sales and Marketing Manager of BTB and she has since been promoted to Manager.

Her current role allows Leanne to harness the vast wealth of knowledge from working within the media industry and combine it with her love of tourism.

During her time with the organisation, Leanne has witnessed many highlights.

“We’ve expanded our range of merchandise and local produce at the information centre, increased the number of members, promoted Bowen and the region heavily, produced the Bowen and Collinsville Visitor Guide and we have just hit a record number of mango sorbet sales for the second year in a row!” said Leanne.

“It’s been an honour to help boost the Bowen brand and I look forward to continuing to grow the organisation.

“I am lucky to have such a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who are so passionate about what we do.

“I would also like to thank each of our 222 members. We appreciate their support and we strive to ensure they are all promoted.

“We believe that ‘tourism is everybody’s business’, and you can see this is true by the diverse range of members we have.”

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