Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm has stepped down from her role as Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, in an effort to prioritise her health and wellbeing. The announcement comes a fortnight after Ms Camm returned from six weeks of medical leave following major surgery, with the Whitsunday MP recognising she needed more time to recover. “This has been a considered and deeply personal decision,” Ms Camm said. “Having returned from six weeks of medical leave following major surgery I have come to recognise that my recovery still has some way to go and I need to prioritise my health and wellbeing.” “I sincerely thank the Premier for the opportunity to serve in his Government and for his support of my decision.” Ms Camm added in a presser outside of Parliament house in Brisbane, that the pressures of ministerial work had contributed to her decision to step down. This follows months of intense scrutiny over conditions for children in care and domestic violence prevention funding cuts had reinforced the importance of personal safety, especially in light of the recent attack on Victorian MP Helen Haines. “Public scrutiny and accountability are essential to democracy and to our institutions,” she said. “Harassment, threats, bullying and personal vilification are not and for the past year this has been my experience.” But during her time in the role, Ms Camm oversaw reforms to strengthen child protection, support foster and kinship carers and improve responses to domestic and family violence. Central to her child safety work was the Government’s response to the Child Safety Commission of Inquiry, which delivered 52 recommendations for improving the system. “The landmark Child Safety Commission of Inquiry was the turning point for the Child Safety system,” Ms Camm said. “There is much more work to be done, while early positive signs show we have stabilised numbers in the Residential Care system for the first time.” Her work in domestic and family violence included introducing laws for electronic monitoring of perpetrators to strengthen accountability, alongside her reporting a doubling of calls answered by DVConnect to help more people access support when they needed it. “After sitting with victims of domestic and family violence over many years through opposition and then in the ministry, I’m proud to have been part of delivering change that can help save lives,” Ms Camm said. In a statement following her decision, Premier David Crisafulli praised her work across both portfolios, describing the child safety inquiry’s reform roadmap as her greatest legacy and highlighting improved access to the domestic violence helpline. “I thank Amanda for her service to Queensland firstly as a Shadow Minister and then as a Minister,” Mr Crisafulli said. “Amanda took on an enormous task with a Child Safety system in crisis and a state in need of domestic violence reform. “With her dedication, passion and commitment, she has put Queensland on the road to repair both. “I speak on behalf of the Government, the LNP and all Queenslanders in wishing her the best in her recovery.” Ms Camm will continue serving as the Member for Whitsunday, reaffirming her commitment to the local community. “I remain committed to the people of Whitsunday as their Member of Parliament, and to supporting the Premier and the Government in delivering a fresh start for Queensland,” she said.
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By Joseph Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay A firmly enforced bioethanol mandate, backed by increased local sugarcane production, is essential to strengthening Queensland’s industry resilience, regional jobs, and Australia’s long‑term fuel security. Our region holds enormous potential: not only for producing sugar, but for renewable fuel, energy diversification, and national economic security. Queensland’s sugarcane industry has always been a cornerstone of regional prosperity, but today it stands at a crossroads. Global markets are volatile and input costs are rising, and at the same time, Australia faces increasing pressure to reduce emissions, strengthen domestic fuel supplies, and build more resilient regional economies. A properly enforced bioethanol mandate is one of the most effective tools we have to meet these challenges head on. Queensland already has a mandate in place, but compliance remains inconsistent. When fuel retailers fail to meet their obligations, growers, mills, and regional communities lose out on opportunities that should rightfully be flowing into our local economy. Bioethanol is not a theoretical solution: it is a proven, practical, and immediate pathway to cleaner fuel and stronger regional industries and economies. Countries like Brazil and the United States have shown that bioethanol can reduce emissions, stabilise fuel markets, and create thousands of rural jobs. In these countries, and across the world, bioethanol forms a substantially higher portion of retail fuel sales than this country has embraced. Queensland has the same potential, but only if the mandate is taken seriously and enforced with the consistency it deserves. For Mackay, the benefits are clear. Our region is one of Australia’s most productive sugarcane hubs, with the land, infrastructure, climate, and expertise to support a thriving biofuels sector. Increased demand for bioethanol directly translates into increased demand for sugarcane. That means more cane in the ground, more certainty for growers, and more throughput for our mills, and we all know that milling is a volume game. This in turn supports jobs from the paddock to the processing line. But the opportunity extends far beyond economics. A stronger bioethanol industry enhances national fuel security, reducing Australia’s reliance on imported fuels. At a time when global supply chains are increasingly unstable, producing more of our own fuel is not just smart policy, it is essential. Every litre of bioethanol produced in Queensland is a litre of fuel Australia does not have to import. To seize this opportunity, we must also focus on increasing local sugarcane production. The industry cannot diversify, innovate, or expand into new markets without a reliable and growing supply of cane. More cane means more flexibility for mills, more investment in advanced manufacturing, and greater capacity to produce not only sugar and ethanol, but also bioplastics, green electricity, and other high value products. Growers are ready to meet this challenge. With the right policy settings from all levels of government, including a robust and enforced bioethanol mandate, we can plant more cane, improve productivity, and strengthen the long‑term viability of our region. But growers cannot do it alone. We need government to ensure the mandate is upheld, fuel retailers to meet their obligations, and industry partners to continue investing in innovation and infrastructure. Mackay has the land, the people, and the expertise to lead Queensland’s next era of renewable energy and agricultural diversification. What we need now is the policy certainty that comes from a mandate that is not only written into law but actively enforced. A stronger bioethanol mandate is not just good for growers it is good for Queensland, good for regional jobs, and good for Australia’s fuel future. The time to act is now. Bioethanol can use sugarcane by-products including molasses, bagasse, mill mud as well as plant material. Image: AdobeStock
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Marketing strategy boils down to answering four questions: What does your business want? > The goal. Who can help you achieve your goal? > The audience. What do you need to tell your audience so that they can help you achieve your goal? > The message. Where do you need to put your message so that your audience sees it? > The delivery. But how do you actually go about answering those Q’s? Like anything, the broad strokes are more complicated in practice but it’s a good framework to come back to when you’re planning your next marketing activity. Start by drilling down + identifying a measurable goal that you can work towards. Vague + lofty goals are okay, but without a clear way to track your progress, achieving them will be pretty tough. For example, tracking how many enquiries you get + the quote conversion rate can be useful info to have as a baseline. That way, if you do a targeted campaign to attract more work, you can see if it meaningfully pushed the needle in the right direction! Next, really empathise with who can help you achieve those goals. Try to build up a target customer in your head. How old are they? What do they want from your business? What are they interested in? The more specific you are, the easier it’ll be to craft messaging that will actually appeal to that person. Once you’ve defined your goal + who can help you achieve it, you’ve got to tell them how to help you do it. Your messaging should be the key information that your audience needs to know about your business. This is where you focus on not only what your customers want to know about you, but how your business is different to all the others out there. Your messaging should change based on the people you’re targeting. Lastly, the delivery. Where does your target market frequent? Do they use socials? Are they constantly listening to the radio? Do they frequent the pub on a Friday arvo? Once you know where they go, you can start figuring out how to get your message there. While socials are a great option, they’re not the only one. Billboards, coasters, or a flyer that sits on a wall somewhere are all effective options. But if that all sounds like too much effort, you can always reach out + talk to us. We’ll help you figure it out 😉 Taren McAuley
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By Rachael Smith
The Whitsunday region could soon have two multi-million dollar on-land eco-tourism developments underway if the new Twin Creeks Eco Park, located at the end of Rifle Range Road in Cannon Valley, is approved by Council. This new development will join the ground-breaking Whitsunday Skyway Project which is seven years away from completion.
Mayor Julie Hall donned her work boots this week to take a four-wheel drive tour of the newly proposed Twin Creeks Eco Park located on the Hidden Valley rural development site in Cannon Valley.
The guided tour showed the Mayor, Council CEO Warren Bunker, Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson and Councillor Clay Bauman the extent of the 1000-acre site, a large proportion of which is set to become a vast on-land tourism offering.
This will include a large caravan park that offers 400 sites which will be a mixture of campers, caravans, safaris tents, eco-cabins, and villas.
There will also be a central restaurant and microbrewery, adventure playground with rope swing course, dozens of bush walking tracks and, most importantly an extensive mountain bike trail.
Developers are hoping that mountain-biking will become a huge all-season tourism drawcard.
“Queenstown in New Zealand actually makes more money from mountain biking than they do skiing,” said Ashley Rees, Director of the Hidden Valley Development.
“Mountain biking is a real driver of demand in the area and with the upcoming 2032 Olympics it would be awesome to think we could be part of that somehow.”
The developers are planning to set-up a network of trails that will offer a range of grades and levels, perfect for training mountain-bikers both prior to and during the Olympics.
Throughout the construction phase, 31 local people will be employed and during the operational phase there will be 128 local jobs per year.
Following Tuesday afternoon’s on-site tour, developers met with Whitsunday Regional Council formally on Wednesday to gauge the interest in amending the existing master plan approvals to accommodate this broader range of tourism and community activities.
If this project goes ahead, Twin Creeks Eco Park will be the second major development of this kind in the area, with development plans for Whitsunday Skyway already progressing.
Whitsunday Regional Council CEO, Warren Bunker, said that although some people may see the two applications as a conflict or competition, he sees them as ‘complementary’, creating a larger overall on-land eco-tourism offering for the Whitsundays.
Whitsunday Skyway will be located 430 metres above Airlie Beach, in the Conway National Park.
A one-kilometre cable car ride will take visitors from town to the summit where there will be a restaurant and large viewing area.
There will also be a series of world-class mountain bike trails and luge cart tracks to descend in style.
Both Skway and Twin Creeks are aiming to offer an immersive cultural experience that will partner with local Indigenous representatives and include educational and adventure activities for school groups.
With a large percentage of Whitsunday tourism focused on coastal or on-water activities, these two developments are set to both diversify and maximise our overall tourism offering.
Jackson Gray, Councillor Clay Bauman, Brett Evans, Mayor Julie Hall, Corey Brown, Ashley Rees, Whitsunday Regional Council CEO Warren Bunker and Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson at the site of the proposed Twin Creeks Eco Park. Photo credit: Rachael Smith
Mayor Julie Hall receives an on-site briefing from the team at Twin Peaks Eco Park. Photo credit: Rachael Smith
Korean Han-Ho H2 Consortium has partnered with the Queensland Government and Ark Energy to move forward with their proposed mega-project.
The proposed mega-project will see 1.8 million tonnes of green ammonia, a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, produced per year in the Whitsundays and exported to Korea.
The project will also see the expansion of the proposed Ark Energy Collinsville Green Energy Hub from an output of 3,000 megawatts to 4.5 gigawatts.
The proposal will be supported by the Queensland Government’s investment of $8.5 million into the Abbot Point Activation Initiative, a project that will encompass solar, wind, water desalination and an electrolyser to produce 20 tonnes of hydrogen daily.
Both the Collinsville Green Energy Hub and the Abbot Point Activation Initiative will create thousands of job opportunities for residents, with Queensland’s energy exports estimated to support up to 10,000 jobs and $33 billion in economic activity by 2040.
Hi Everyone,
Wow - what a week! I feel like I have truly experienced the depth and diversity of our wonderful region over the past seven days, and it reminds me not only how lucky I am to have such a cool job, but also how lucky we all are to live in this incredible region.
On Friday night I drove down from my home in Cannonvale to the bright city lights of Mackay to attend the Whitsunday Voices Youth Festival Literary Dinner with my partner and our friends.
The keynote speaker was political commentator and comedian, Annabel Crabb, who regaled the audience with how she progressed from country girl to one of the most respected journalists in Australia.
She also shared a deeply personal story about how her older brother had recently and tragically died by suicide.
When she was a young journo, Annabel was not allowed to report on any deaths of this kind, and it was very moving to see her stand up now as an important public figure and speak so openly about it.
Hopefully her message will encourage us all to speak about suicide and more broadly mental health, rather than hide it away.
Continuing on with my theme of incredible Whitsunday experiences, on Monday afternoon myself and two of the team were lucky to be invited on a ‘joyride’ aboard Viper Whitsundays.
This new highspeed vessel can take passengers to the outer Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven all in one day.
It’s amazing to think tourists can now get to the outer reef in less than an hour!
This incredible experience was backed-up on Tuesday afternoon by a four-wheel drive adventure tour of the proposed Twin Creeks Eco Park site.
It was great to meet the enthusiastic developers and I had a great time bobbing along through muddy puddles and creek beds on the four-wheel drive buggy alongside Mayor Julie and other council representatives.
Rach
Quote of the Week: “Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter” (Bernard Baruch)
The evening had been perfectly planned, meticulously organised, and beautifully decorated.
The crowds were eager, sweeping past the bar to collect the complimentary drink before settling at a table for an evening of fun and laughter.
The Tiny Homes Project’s newest fundraising event was another massive hit with locals and visitors alike.
It was the day afterwards when Sandy Clark, Fundraising Coordinator for Tiny Homes Project, was tallying the results of the night, when she received a phone call from their accountant.
Confused, Sandy rang the bank.
Astoundingly, $10,000 had been deposited by an anonymous donator into the Tiny Homes Project account.
“But all the bank could tell us is that the person wished to remain anonymous, had attended the event, and that they were someone who loved what we’re trying to do and believed in the cause,” explained Sandy.
Sandy said the donation came the day after the event and pushed the entire proceeds up from $32,000 to $42,000.
This helps the Tiny Homes Project inch even closer to the day they can begin construction of their four tiny homes in Proserpine, hopefully by the end of the year.
“We’re exploring every option possible,” said Sandy.
Tiny Homes Project has been named as an organisation to receive fundraising efforts from the 2023 Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor’s Ball, a Play for Purpose raffle, the Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort Camp and sCare weekend, and the Whisper Restaurant and Bar Plate of Hope.
“We are so thrilled with the effort,” Sandy said.
For those wishing to donate to the effort, scan the QR code here.
A group of concerned community members living in Cannonvale have banded together to share information and fight back against a recent spate of vehicle break-ins.
What is believed to be one young boy, aged around 12-years-old, has been plaguing unlocked vehicles and stealing money.
One resident reported $800 went missing, but other thefts have been mostly loose change, the perpetrator choosing to leave behind keys, wallets, IDs and other expensive or personal items.
Local resident, Michael Stodd, set up a Facebook group called Neighbourhood Crime Watch, for people who have been robbed.
“Unfortunately, we have all left our cars unlocked and there are a lot of Airbnbs around with always new people coming and going so there are a lot of unlocked cars at the moment,” he said.
“There's always going to be someone to steal from so it will continue until this person is caught.”
Mr Stodd explained that the group of residents are all “keeping an eye out” by monitoring security cameras, driving around at specific times the thief is known to operate and sharing information.
Another resident, who has asked to stay anonymous, said he is setting up an action group to combat the issue and that within the first 12 hours of announcing, over 30 individuals contacted him.
Over the weekend dozens of residents took to Facebook to share their experiences with others.
“Yes, the glove boxes were raided two nights ago on Iluka Street,” said one post.
“Yes, both cars in our driveway the night before on Wambiri Street,” said another.
One resident decided to walk around and see how much of the area was impacted – “I've walked everywhere this morning and there are around 20 cars broken into last night in this area and some people are still finding their cars gone through.”
Residents are advised to keep their vehicles locked and to remove all money and possessions.
A map of the area being targeted by the thief
Security camera footage of the alleged perpetrator in action in the area
The last bulk billing doctor’s surgery in the Whitsundays changed its practices in May and will now only offer free medical services to certain patients, such as concession card holders.
This means that a high percentage of Whitsunday locals will need to pay around $75 for a standard appointment, with around $40 paid back into their bank account as a government rebate.
This means each trip to the GP costs, on average, $40.
The doctor’s surgery receives around $40 from the patient and $40 Medicare levy from the government.
Comparatively, when a doctor’s surgery bulk bills they receive just $40 from the government to fund all operations, from doctors and staff salaries to leasing the premises and purchasing equipment.
The Medicare rebate has been frozen since 2014 and with rising costs, this nominal figure has not been enough to keep the business viable.
Local Pharmacist, Allan Milostic, from Live Life Pharmacy said that he can understand the reasons we no longer have bulk billing surgeries in the Whitsundays.
“Medicare simply haven’t kept up with the increase in costs,” he explained.
“Over the last four years it has become financially unviable.
“I believe healthcare needs to be affordable to everyone and the government needs to ensure that this happens.”
Retired doctor, Peter Beaumont, who has been practicing for over 50 years, five of which were spent practicing in the Whitsunday area, said that he has seen a lot of change over the years and that this trend is not a recent one.
“It started a long time ago, it has not happened suddenly,” he said.
“I think the pandemic made doctors question whether it was all worth it.
“Doctors have been doing charity work for the government for years.”
“There are not enough GPs, especially in rural areas like this. In rural areas, they need to work really hard and with lots of responsibilities.
“Even the government incentive of $30,000 to relocate didn’t attract more doctors to the region – if you go to an area with a shortage, you work twice as hard.”
Dr Beaumont says that “private practice is a private business” and creating a better system is up to the medical industry and the government.
“It’s a shame that private health insurance can’t pay doctor consults,” he said.
“But I think that is perhaps because it would undermine Medicare.”
Dr Beaumont said he believes that, in many cases, it is now up to the ‘private’ patients to pay for the patients that are bulk billed.
“If you go to the supermarket, they don’t offer a discount – food is as important as health care.”
A small reprieve on the issue came with the 2023 budget announcement of a $3.5 billion incentive to bulk bill, effectively tripling the fee doctors receive from the government.
This incentive, however, is only available for children, pensioners and concession card holders and therefore leaves a high proportion of the population paying for their GP visits.
In the United Kingdom, 10 per cent of each person’s tax goes to the National Health Service (NHS), compared to just two per cent towards the Medicare levy here in Australia.
Perhaps an increased percentage of tax would be a better option for Australia.
Remembering a man “who would do anything for anyone”, the family and friends of Gavin Hussey, who tragically passed away in a road accident near Proserpine two weeks ago, celebrated his life at his funeral in Townsville yesterday.
Survived by his soul mate and life partner, Sam Kissier and her two children, Jacinta (22) and Jasper (15), who he loved like his own, Gavin’s passing has left a big and irreplaceable hole in the lives of his loved ones.
“He was a flirter and a true gentleman,” said Sam who had been in a loving eight-year relationship with Gavin.
“There was nothing bad about him, he was such a genuine guy – likeable, sociable – and that laugh! It was very loud!”
“Gavin had been planning to ask me to marry him and I wish that he knew that I would have said yes 100 times – I just want to be hugging him and kissing him – I love him so much and hope I get to see him again one day.”
Gavin was originally from Townsville but had been living in the Whitsundays for over 15 years, many of which he had spent working as a contract truck driver for Whitpro’s postal deliveries.
He is also survived by his parents, Judith and Ronald, his brother Brenden, sister Annika and niece Madison.
His lasting legacies will always be the way he made everyone feel good about themselves, the unique bond he had with each of Sam’s children and the way he made Sam feel special at all the important times like her birthday and Mother’s Day.
Gavin Hussey and his partner Sam Kissier in happier times. Photo supplied
The couple with Sam’s children. Photo supplied
The Whitsundays Songwriter Festival has announced Emmy Winner and three-time Grammy nominated American artist Toni Childs to their line-up.
Now in its second year, the Whitsundays Songwriter Festival provides an opportunity for local singer-songwriters to learn from seasoned professionals in an intensive one-day workshop.
Toni Childs is a globally acclaimed singer-songwriter, who is infamous for her powerful vocals, independent spirit, and intimate storytelling.
Her discography includes massive hits ‘Don’t Walk Away’, ‘Stop Your Fussin’, and ‘Many Rivers to Cross’.
Festival co-founders Karen Jacobsen and Francesca de Valence said, “We were blown away when Toni said yes to joining us for the festival. We are both in awe of her talent, success, and career.
“To bring an artist of this international standing and reputation to the festival is a massive coup for local songwriters and the region.”
While in Airlie Beach, Toni will also join the professional faculty of the Emerging Songwriter Workshop, to mentor songwriters with their own music.
She will perform alongside other artists in a Concert and Conversation event at Paradiso Restaurant, culminating the festival with a fantastic display of musical art and powerful vocals.
Whitsundays Arts Festival president, Jess Begun, is also delighted to welcome Toni Childs to the Whitsundays.
“Last year’s songwriter line-up was outstanding, and this year is shaping up to be even more remarkable.
“The success of Karen and Francesca’s concept of a professional song writing residency and one day workshop for local songwriters to learn from artists of such talent and accomplishment is exceptional.”
Singer and personality Toni Childs is coming to the Whitsundays to coach aspiring singer-songwriters. Photo supplied
Spectators and locals of Airlie Beach are being spoilt for choice, with a fully-fledged program of the Airlie Beach Race Week encompassing all things sailing, salt and sweet vibes.
The lawns of the Whitsunday Sailing Club will be alive each evening, with live music almost every night, showcasing the very best of local and visiting talent, including G-Force, Kieran McCarthy, and Mason Rock Bank.
The Whitsunday Sailing Club lawns, dubbed the Festival Village for the week, will also host a variety of food trucks and cocktail bars for a sailing seaside eat-street, as well as the 20 Degrees South Bar and Restaurant open for bookings for those preferring a sit-down meal.
For those wishing for a front seat to the thrilling action, there are a series of speciality spectator boats.
Each tour is about three hours long, and includes a perfect view of the race, in close and comfortable quarters.
Speak to the team at the Whitsunday Sailing Club for more information regarding the spectator boat.
On Sunday, attendees and locals are welcome to attend the special Long Table Lunch.
Held on the sea view balcony of the Sailing Club, overlooking the Coral Sea, the lunch will host a South American themed five-course degustation menu.
On the final night of the Race Week, be sure to get to Festival Village for the closing ceremony and fantastic firework display, on Thursday August 17.
WHAT: Airlie Beach Race Week
WHERE: Whitsunday Sailing Club
WHEN: Thursday 10 August – Thursday 17 August
PRICE: All evening entertainment is free
TICKETS: Long Lunch/Spectator Boat tickets: abrw.com.au
The daylight action of the Airlie Beach Race Week gives way to music, food, and laughter on the lawns of the Whitsunday Sailing Club. Photo supplied
Over the weekend, the Whitsundays region welcomed 10 Starlight Children’s Foundation children from across Australia, for a jampacked weekend full of fun, laughter, and non-stop entertainment.
The Starlight Children’s Foundation marked their 13,000th Starlight Wish, banding together with Virgin Australia to create ‘Happiness Island’ on Hamilton Island.
Starlight endeavour to provide a sick child with the chance of happiness, of something fun to look forward to and to create wonderful memories with their loved ones.
The 13,000th wish recipient was 15-year-old Lara from Canberra, who was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma.
This was her first wish, and she wished for a relaxing family holiday at Hamilton Island.
Lara was joined with nine other children, between nine-years-old and 21-years-old, and their families.
“At Starlight we recognise being sick shouldn't mean missing out on the happiness of childhood,” said Starlight CEO Louise Baxter.
“Happiness is one of the strongest determinants to how we perform in education, employment, and long-term healthy life behaviours.
“For 35 years, Starlight has been granting children their life-changing Starlight Wish.
“These adventures create lasting memories and provide a sense of hope when it is needed most,” she said.
While on Happiness Island, the children had a sunny beach barbeque, a chance to head to Whitehaven beach, a bowling and pizza night, and a fantastic fireworks show.
For the remainder of 2023, Starlight will complete over 700 wishes, with 12 set to travel to Hamilton Island.
The team from Starlight, their 10 special guests and their families landing on ‘Happiness Island’. Photo supplied
The Coral Sea Marina has pledged another three years as platinum sponsor of the Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) Whitsundays.
Joscelyn O’Keefe, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Coral Sea Marina explains of the sponsorship agreement, “The work done by this incredible group of volunteers is vital. Their dedicated service ensures that the boating community can explore the Whitsunday waterways safely and with peace of mind.”
“As the largest marina in the region, we are committed to supporting safe boating practices and encouraging both recreational and commercial boat owners to be prepared for the unexpected when they are at sea.”
Over the last few years, VMR Whitsundays has seen an increase of marine emergencies and calls for assistance, with a 116 per cent increase in boat malfunctions from 2022.
The VMR is completely volunteer run, operating seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
The Coral Sea Marina has signed on to support the VMR for another three years. Photo supplied
A Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Networking Meeting took place in Proserpine last week with over 40 local business representatives attending.
The morning kicked off with engaging speeches and was followed by a focus group brain-storming session where region-wide issues affecting businesses were discussed.
Hot topics included housing, for both current and prospective staff, infrastructure, and services upgrades to meet increasing demand.
The challenges of attracting skilled workers to the region and retaining school leavers to pursue tertiary education through the TAFE, were also brought up.
Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP and Yvette Adams, a Business, Industry, and Regional Outreach Officer from the Australian Department of Home Affairs were the guest speakers at the event.
Ms Camm elaborated on the budget allocation for the region.
“Across our three local council areas, we have about $653 million in capital expenditure planned for the next year,” she said.
“That is the lowest amount of capital investment in the state, behind Outback Queensland.
“I don’t say this to depress people, but because it is a lack of recognition by the government of the priority that our region is when it comes to particular infrastructure.”
Ms Camm also addressed the housing issue and its impacts on labour and staffing.
“There is a $2 billion housing fund that the government has invested in, but not one house has been built yet out of that fund.
“So, we’ve made a commitment that at the next election in particular, that any funding from that $2 billion bucket needs to go towards new housing development, not existing housing, taking it off the private market, because its just competing with the market and we don’t need that right now.”
On the other hand, Yvette Adams from the Department of Home Affairs spoke on skilled foreign labour and demystifying visa requirements.
“Of course, it’s always employ Australians first, but if you can’t fill the vacancies locally with Australians, then one option is to look at overseas skilled workers,” she said.
“We’re looking at how we can attract and retain the most skilled people globally and bring them into Australia.”
The next revitalised Chamber of Commerce event will be a pop-up meeting on the topic of chamber membership, on Wednesday, August 16, 10am – 12pm.
Photo credit: Bronte Hodge
Exciting news that the 2023 Whitsundays Tourism Awards will be held at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre on Friday, 20th October.
The selection of the Proserpine Entertainment Centre (PEC) as the venue for the tourism industry’s night of nights was a great decision by Tourism Whitsundays who were keen to deliver a cocktail-style event with two distinct elements to the evening – live music, canapes, and drinks on the lawn followed by the awards ceremony in the auditorium.
The PEC provides our region with a state-of-the-art facility that can seat up to 380 people in the auditorium and has international standard lighting, sound equipment, and professional backstage areas.
There is plenty of top-quality live shows and movies coming up at the PEC over the next few months with blockbuster films like Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (M), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (M) and Barbie (PG).
Live shows include the raunchy Garry Starr Performs Everything on tonight, 21 July at 6.30pm, The Spirit of Leonard Cohen on 28 July and the Grigoryan Brothers – “This is Us” – A Musical Reflection of Australia, on 26 August.
I attended the Wilson Beach/Conway Beach Community Catchup recently and it was great that more than 35 residents turned up to be updated Council activities and provide feedback to us on issues affecting their area.
Residents raised several issues at the Wilsons/Conway Beach catch-up including illegal dumping and closure of cane sidings which may have safety implications for residents.
However, the main talking point was the Wilsons Beach swim enclosure which was badly damaged in Tropical Cyclone Debbie.
Council’s Manager Natural Resource Management and Climate Scott Hardy explained at the catch-up that after unsuccessfully going out for tender multiple times to have the Wilson’s Beach Swimming Enclosure demolished and rebuilt, Council have adopted a staged approach to get the works done.
He told the residents that Council engaged a local contractor to remove the damaged sections of the enclosure with a few vertical posts/poles remaining as they are still in reasonable condition.
Council has now sought quotes for the materials and once they arrive the tender process to award the contract for the rebuild will be issued and we hope to finish the project before the summer months.
Council’s next Community Catch-up is planned with for Proserpine on Wednesday August 2 from 9am – 11am at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre.
To make sure your dog and others around them are safe, it is important to keep your pet under effective control.
Effective control means holding your dog by a leash when you are in a public place such as parks, foreshores, or residential areas.
It is also essential that you are physically able to control your dog.
On the spot fines of $309 may apply if your dog is not deemed to be under effective control.
Unfortunately, the amount of calls our Local Laws Officers are receiving in response to roaming dogs, dogs off leash and dog attack complaints is rising.
Our Officers have spent over 130 hours in the last two months alone patrolling areas within the region in response to these complaints.
This blitz will continue and unfortunately has a flow on cost to all ratepayers.
If your dog is deemed dangerous as the result of a dog attack, Council may increase your dog registration to $797 per year.
In extreme circumstances, Council also has the ability to issue a dog destruction order.
Please remember, we have ample off-leash dog parks in our region, should you wish to exercise your dog off leash.
Your dog must remain controllable in these areas and not cause harm to any other animal or person.
For more information, visit the pet ownership section of Council’s website.
Central to a successful tourism industry is collaboration between key stakeholders, especially in the closely connected network of the Whitsunday region.
Bringing some of the great tourist-minds of the region together at the quarterly roundtable lunches is an important part of leveraging off local knowledge.
Hosted by Tourism Whitsundays (TW) and held at Coral Sea Marina Resort, this quarterly roundtable lunch was attended by a selection of key members.
“The view was stunning from the Cabanas which inspired over two hours of productive conversations around the table!” said Rick.
A variety of topics were discussed over the luncheon, giving local operators an opportunity to provide a perspective of their business, outline challenges and future opportunities for growth for the region.
Some of the conversation points included the increased number of recreational vessels in the area, the hugely positive regeneration being seen on our fringing and outer reefs and an update from Councillor Clay Bauman on the many Council activities taking place in the region.
“The new financial year has started, and it brings with it a fresh focus on how we’ll deliver for our members,” said Rick.
“With the start of the new financial year, our focus is continuing to drive demand from our key markets of Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne with digital campaigns, supporting new air services such as the Newcastle to Proserpine Bonza route.”
“Tourism Whitsundays continue to host our monthly networking nights, which regularly see attendances of over 120 members.
“This very important event not only connects friends and colleagues but allows TW to provide information around trends, current and future market conditions and our marketing activity that helps generate revenue to our region, not just tourism but through our whole community.”
Attendees at the Tourism Whitsundays roundtable lunch at Coral Sea Marina Resort. Photo supplied
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