It’s been a whole week now since masks came off. I don’t know about you, but I still have them in my bag and car. I still walk to the shops looking for mine before I enter and then have that moment of realisation that life is going back to normal again, or what everyone is calling it the ‘new normal’.

When I walk around it feels nice to smile at other people and not have those awkward conversations where you’re constantly saying ‘huh?’.

But how bittersweet that as we’re removing our masks and celebrating life going back to how it used to be, there’s people in Ukraine and Russia suffering in a pointless battle and our neighbours in South East QLD and Northern NSW who have lost their homes and all their belongings.

I am warmed by how many people are donating their time, skills and money to help people here and abroad. Even when it’s such a tough time for every individual, especially over the last three years. I love the heart and spirit of giving that we have here in Australia so it’s uplifting to know that we’re a part of all the tough times together.

Scotty and Kaley are back with the brekkie show Monday to Friday from 5am and now we have some new additions - Galey, Emily Jade and Christo from 4pm, Will and Woody from 5pm and the Kyle and Jackie-o Hour of Power from 7pm. Also you can now register to win $1000 with Instagrand Workday at www.Star1019.com.au

Kaley

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One of Mackay’s largest retirement homes is set to almost double in size, with construction starting on a new four-level wing at Kerrisdale Gardens.

The expansion comes with a $15 million price tag, providing the retirement facility with 7 spacious apartments, 3 villas and an additional 40 residential aged care beds.

Kerrisdale Gardens is part of Good Shepherd Lodge, which has been in the Mackay community since 1974. Its vision is to enable its residents to live in an environment where they feel at home.

CEO Greg Skelton said that fostering a sense of belonging enables people to live a healthier life and encourages the local community to come into Kerrisdale to utilise the services available.

“We have a lovely café where we welcome mothers with young children to come in to use the play area. We have a chemist and a physio and those services are available to anyone,” Mr Skelton said.

“We are a part of the growing community at Kerrisdale and with no shortage of land on site this won’t be the last expansion.”

With an ageing population Mr Skelton said that demand for aged care will continue to grow.

“Mackay is one of the areas with the greatest need for residential aged care beds, it’s a high priority to provide this service,” he said.

“It shouldn’t just be a place to live, it’s a lifestyle. Our long-term goal is that of an integrated aged care facility that blends with the local community.”

Woollam Constructions was awarded the tender which is thought to inject more than $9 million into the local economy while creating between 150 – 200 local jobs.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson added that up to 200 jobs would be created in the construction alone, with another 50 permanent jobs being attributed to the expansion.

“All of that contributes to the regional economy immensely,” he said.

The project is due for practical completion in December with the first residents expected to move in within a year, in January 2023.

New inclusions for the aged care facility and community include a chapel and a men’s shed. There will also be additional car parking spaces built in to meet the rising number of visitors.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson and the Bishop of North Queensland The Right Reverend Dr Keith Joseph turn the sod at the site of Kerrisdale Gardens’ aged care facility expansion

Chairman Damian Carroll, Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson, the Bishop of North Queensland The Right Reverend Dr Keith Joseph, Woollams Constructions Managing Director Craig Percival, Good Shepherd Lodge CEO Greg Skelton get construction underway at Kerrisdale Gardens. Photos: Amanda Wright

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Despite widespread advances in growing awareness and action around gender violence, its prevalence remains alarming. A universal scourge, there is a perception that the problem is ‘too big’ to fix.

A local woman is using her entrepreneurial network to bring domestic violence out of the shadows, with an inaugural event aiming to shine a light on the growing epidemic.

SHADES OF WOMEN is a first for Mackay, a gala celebration to champion women and the strength they bring to our community, but it is also an opportunity to bring about awareness and raise much needed funds for domestic violence.

Event Founder Jo Sainsbury said she was horrified when local incidences of domestic violence were brought to her attention. By supporting this event, you are helping a woman and her children to safety.

Breaking glass ceilings has never been a problem for Jo Sainsbury.

She knew that if she wanted to make it in a man’s world, she would have to surpass stereotypes to break gender bias. She founded Kickass Women to empower others to pursue careers in non-traditional roles, saying that women should feel as confident in work boots as they do in heels.

But it will be a different shoe Jo will be slipping on in May, as she joins other women from around Queensland to participate in Dancing CEOs, where brave business leaders will swap the boardroom for the ballroom in an effort to end domestic violence.

Jo was introduced to this event through her involvement with the Women’s Network Australia and said it really opened her eyes to the scourge of domestic violence.

“The figures were alarming, there’s no other word for it,” Jo said.

“It’s frightening to see the number of domestic violence cases brought before the court in Mackay every week, and there is a rising number of women and children living in cars because they have had to flee a dangerous situation.

“We know domestic violence is out there, but we tend to have our blinkers on. It pulled on my heartstrings and I knew immediately this is a cause I want to advocate for.”

Dancing CEOs supports Women’s Legal Service Queensland, who provide free legal and welfare help to Queensland women and their children at risk from domestic and family violence.

Despite providing over 38,000 services to Queensland women, currently 30% of calls cannot be answered due to resource limitations.

“There is no way to know when these women will have the courage or the opportunity to call again.”

It was a chance article read by Jo that ignited the idea for Shades of Women.

“It was a beautiful editorial talking about how different shades represent different women, how different we all are and that innumerous shades of colours reflect our unique diversity.

“Without giving away too much for the evening, we play on the colour concept of W.O.M.E.N with W being White, O is Orange, M Magenta, and so on.

“Given the event is to raise funds to support women in DV, the shades also represent the various stages of pain, the healing from dark purple to green and yellow of bruising as well as the shades of trauma that aren’t as visible and can project in different ways,” Jo added.

In addition to the event, Jo has created Escape Boxes, which will be donated to Mackay Women’s Services.

“When a woman flees, she sometimes has a small window of opportunity to escape,” Jo said.

“These boxes have been designed to support a woman through that first week of being on their own, to help get them back on their feet.

“Wonderful local businesses have donated items or sponsored boxes, which contain essentials like a cell phone and sim card, fuel and grocery voucher, sanitary items and more.”

Money raised from SHADES OF WOMEN will be donated to Women’s Legal Services Queensland.

Tickets can be purchased online - visit the Kickass Women Facebook Page (Event Page) to purchase.

Event location: Magpies Sporting Club Mackay | Saturday, 19 March 2022 from 6:00 PM

Jo Sainsbury has built a career from breaking gender bias as a train driver and entrepreneur

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Come one, come all creative souls of Proserpine - the growers, the bakers, the potters and jam makers are all being invited to not only put up a stall at the Proserpine Farmers’ Market, but to come and peruse the fine wares.

Local food producers have been eagerly awaiting the first farmers’ market of the season, which will commence on Saturday March 19, starting at 8:00am until 12:00pm.

The markets are becoming familiar favourite for locals and will continue next weekend at their regular spot on 17 Chapman Street, Proserpine.

Now in their second year, organiser June Miller and her husband Steve Miller are ecstatic for their first market outing for 2022.

“We’re really excited, all the ladies of Proserpine have been baking chutneys and jams and biscuits. We have local produce from down in Bloomsbury like honeys, and it’s going to be such a fun little morning and it’s just a great little vibe – it’s so friendly,” Mr Miller said.

Mr Miller said that the idea of the market was that homemade, home baked, and home grown products were readily available for Proserpine locals.

“With Proserpine so malleable with its good soil, my wife said we should start it up, and it’s been fantastic to get that real community feel,” he said.

The markets are held right in the centre of town and are “perfect for people doing their daily walking circuits” so drop in and say hello.

The markets will be held on the first and third Saturday of each month throughout 2022.

The Proserpine Farmer’s Market is returning in a week’s time

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Motorbike enthusiasts from around the Whitsundays are using their two-wheeled friends to raise awareness for suicide prevention, depression and mental health by joining together to show allegiance and start the conversation.

Proserpine Main Street will roar to life on the morning of Sunday, March 20, when motorbiking mates begin the Black Dog Ride ‘1 Dayer’ event which is due to set-off from MC Classics at 8.30am.

Prior to this, a breakfast van will be on-site from 6.30am, ensuring all riders are well-nourished before they depart.

The Black Dog Ride has been going nationwide since 2009 and is currently celebrating its 10th year in Mackay. This year, however, will mark the first year a Whitsunday fraction has formed its own group.

Mark Martell and Brett Lamont were approached to organise the event and they say there has been great feedback so far.

“We have 25 signed-up so far and there will probably be a lot more on the day,” said Mark.

“Bikes are a good conversation starter – everyone starts off by commenting on each other’s bike and that generates conversations around mental health and suicide prevention.”

The motorbike convoy will leave from Proserpine and travel to Kuttabul where it will meet with around 200 riders from Mackay. They will then join together and ride to their final destination which is the Pinnacle Hotel.

The Airlie Beach Hotel are major sponsors of the event and have donated $600 in cash and a range of vouchers which will be used as raffle prizes to raise more money for causes such as Head Space in Proserpine.

Wayne Fairbrother from the Airlie Beach Hotel presented Mark Martell with the donation at MC Classics last week.

“The owner of The Pub always likes to support these guys – it is such a worthy cause,” said Wayne.

Whether you own a motorbike or would simply like to come and watch this fantastic fleet’s engines roar to life, everyone is welcome at MC Classics, Proserpine Main Street on Sunday, March 20.

Wayne Fairbrother from the Airlie Beach Hotel, Black Dog event organiser Mark Martell and owner of MC Classics Michael Garraway

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Proserpine’s Main Street is set to come alive with festivity and celebration in two weeks’ time when Whitsunday Regional Council launch a street party event to coincide with the opening of the Proserpine Entertainment Centre (PEC).

The Health and Wellbeing Family Fun Day will feature live music, market stalls, street food, a petting zoo and free amusement rides.

Locals will also be able to take a tour of the brand-new PEC, enjoying a sneak-peek inside facilities which boasts a multi-purpose auditorium and stage, street foyer, art installation and manicured gardens.

The official opening of the PEC will be conducted by Mayor Andrew Wilcox on Tuesday 22nd March.

The Health and Wellbeing Family Fun Day free community event takes place from 2pm to 6pm on Sunday 27th March and everyone is welcome.

Official Dedication Of Cenotaph

The community are invited to come and watch the official dedication of the Proserpine Cenotaph on Tuesday 22nd March at 10am.

The event will be hosted by Whitsunday Regional Council and the Proserpine RSL, at will take place shortly before the official opening of the Proserpine Entertainment Centre.

The dedication will be officiated by pastors from different denominations and the Last Post will be played before a minute’s silence and the laying of a wreath.

With SE Queensland facing an unprecedented and ongoing severe weather onslaught, our thoughts are with those who have literally lost everything. It is hard to imagine more complete devastation than the extreme floods faced by thousands of families and just as many small businesses. At a time when we were all hoping to settle into a new normality and get on with things, many now face yet another massive hurdle to overcome.

If you would like to assist those affected by flooding – visit any of the following www.givit.org.au , www.redcross.org.au , www.salvationarmy.org.au , www.qldvinnies.org.au and www.lifeline.org.au

It is a timely reminder that businesses in the Whitsundays are still in cyclone season and vulnerable should the worst happen. Now is a great time to review your disaster management plan. Sandra Black, Whitsunday Regional Council's Disaster Management Coordinator presented strategies to mitigate loss during disasters at the Chamber's last networking meeting. Go to Council website for more information.

Whilst you’re there, you can also visit the Climate Innovation Hub. Olivia Brodhurst lives and breathes climate change and has many useful tips for businesses to help reduce their impact.

With COVID pushed off the front page by natural disasters, the removal of mask mandates has been welcomed by many businesses, retailers in particular. One more step towards easing burdens on the way that businesses are having to operate.

The date for the Chamber's next networking event has been moved slightly and is now scheduled for the evening of Thursday 21st April. Keep an eye out for further details as we are negotiating to bring a speaker of note to the region.

Alan Milostic, President of Whitsunday Coast Chamber

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Daydream Island Resort and Living Reef announced the appointment of a new general manager for its famous resort island last week.

Industry expert Brenden van Blerk has taken the helm as general manager of the island, bringing a wealth of expertise from a storied 25-year long career.

Born in San Francisco, Brenden started in hospitality with a job at McDonalds when he was 14 and has now both operated hotels and led global hospitality brands across the United States and Australia.

He lived in The States until he was about nine months old and then moved to Australia with his mum who is both American and Portuguese and his dad who is South African and Dutch.

A mixture of cultures and nationalities, Mr van Blerk says he considers himself mainly Australian having lived here most of his life.

He currently splits his time between working on Daydream Island Resort and Living Reef as the new GM and heading back down to Sydney to visit his wife and two kids, as well as catching up with the Daydream Island head office.

With two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Brenden has held key leadership roles in many organisations including some of the world best known hotel and resort brands.

This will be the first island he’s managed, but with his work on cruise ships, he’s not daunted by the difference, saying that they’re a bit like “moving islands.”

In his new role he will oversee the resort's operations as well as developing a distinct identity, which for him is the most exciting part of this new adventure.

“The core focus for us and the things I look forward to is, being a hospitality fanatic, it’s about genuine hospitality for me,” he said.

“It’s a craft and an artform to get hospitality right, the smallest nuances to the biggest parts.”

“All the way from eye contact to the complex curations of absorbing the experience, so for me, being able to weave a complex emotive hospitality experience is what we’re looking to craft - that’s our North star.”

Brenden said that Daydream Island has just scratched the surface of its potential and he is excited to help the island realise its true potential as a first-class tourist offering.

Brenden van Blerk is the new General Manager at Daydream Island Resort and Living Reef

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Several ongoing music programs are inspiring Whitsunday youth to pick up a guitar, learn the therapeutic qualities of playing music and feel the empowerment that comes mastering a new instrument.

Thanks to the Music Evolution Project (MEP), their innovative funding streams and the kindness of many local businesses, there are currently three courses running in the region.

The six-week Fast Track Minds Guitar Workshop for youth 11 years old and up, is taking place in both Proserpine and Bowen, teaching 24 students an intensive course that will see them perform on stage in less than a month.

“They will go from never having picked up a guitar to playing in a concert within just six weeks,” said Founder and President of MEP Lisa Stanley.

The musicians will all perform live on-stage at a special event at the Whitsunday PCYC on Saturday 9th April.

To make this happen, Whitsunday Regional Council and Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale-Proserpine funded the purchase of 22 guitars, Big W Cannonvale kindly supplied 70 t-shirts and Shirtfront Solution printed logos on them for free. In addition, Whitsunday Computers and Stationary provided complementary printing services.

This year, MEP are also hosting a free one-year program for five- to 10-year-olds.

“We are helping to create the Alpha generation of musicians,” said Ms Stanley.

“It’s amazing to see tiny little kids with great big monstrous guitars in their hands!”

MEP also run a free Youth Mentoring Program where Ms Stanley mentors four different bands once a week at her own house.

This is a voluntary non-funded program, and the youth are scheduled to perform later this month.

Lastly, the Smart Pathways Program is also in action this year, a fully subsidised mentorship which guides one lucky person through tuition, lessons, travel expenses, accommodation and exam fees, into the life of their dreams – whether that be a career in music or a place at university.

“It all comes back to mental health,” said Ms Stanley.

“There are very little resources for youth and mental health and having experienced depression for over half of my life, I am passionate about the benefits of music on the brain.

“The self-confidence, the self-esteem, the self-worth – you have to see it to believe it!”

The MEP Fast Track Minds Guitar Workshop, with special guest Mayor Andrew Willcox

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The team at PCYC Whitsundays Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) are celebrating this week having been awarded Best Childcare Facility in the Whitsundays and overall eighth out of the 41 facilities in Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaac region.

Located at PCYC in Jubilee Pocket and Cannonvale, the OSCH looks after between 200 and 300 children each week.

The competition was held by the Courier Mail and the winners were decided by using information from parent reviews and The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.

Centre Coordinator, Adam Curtis, said it was incredible to win, especially going up against private schools and many other excellent childcare services.

“To be placed that high among them was a really good feeling,” he said.

“The most rewarding and wholesome thing about it was that the parents recognised what we do.”

Mr Curtis believes it is the close connection and personal touch his team establishes with all the children that saw them recognised for the prestigious award.

“I think it comes down to how ingrained we are in the community – we are close with all our families,” he said,

“It’s a lot more than just babysitting – we also provide an educational program.”

From teaching ball-skills and craftwork through to instilling positive character traits such as respect, kindness and general wellbeing.

Youth Club Manager of PCYC Whitsunday, Sergeant Billi Li, said he was thrilled to hear the news.

“I am very proud of the team – we always try and be the best we can and provide the best service to the community,” he said.

Mr Curtis said he would like to thank all the families that gave positive reviews.

“It’s really humbling – I am so proud of my team,” he said

Sergeant Billi Li, Cat Woodcock, Adam Curtis and Kirsty Gowland

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For the second time in two years, 17-year-old Mac Rogers has taken home the Lions Youth of the Year Award for our region and will be heading to the Q2 District Finals in Townsvillw later this month.

Proserpine State High School Captain, Mac is a dedicated and passionate student who excels at public speaking, the key skill that saw him win at the regional competition which was held at Castle Motor Lodge in Bowen last Saturday.

Challengers from Whitsunday, Bowen and Collinsville Lions also vied for the title, with Bowen local Isabelle Reinke winning the public speaking award while Mac took overall winner.

All contestants had to give two impromptu speeches, one prepared speech and enter a panel discussion.

Mac says that by participating in these challenges, he has gained invaluable public speaking and self-confidence skills.

“It’s been a really good opportunity to develop my public-speaking skills and I have met lots of interesting people, both Lions and students,” he said.

“I would absolutely encourage anyone to enter, every experience makes a huge difference.”

Principal Don McDermid said the Lion’s Youth of the Year is a great program and a fantastic opportunity for students.

“It is a wonderful achievement for Mac to win the Club and Zone competitions for a second year and we wish him all the very best for the District competition in Townsville,” he said.

Mac was mentored by Proserpine State High School teacher Erin Jarred.

He will now compete against six other students who come from as far afield as Cairns, west of Townsville and Mackay.

The Q2 District Finals takes place at the Townsville RSL Saturday 19th March.

Head judge Sian, public speaking winner Isabella Reinke, Youth of the Year Mac Rogers, Gloria Demartini

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Over one hundred delegates, speakers and attendees participated in the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) National and Queensland Conference held at Coral Sea Marina Resort last week.

This was the first time the national conference had been held in the Whitsundays and the third time the statewide contingent had visited our local region.

The opening address was made by Mayor Andrew Willcox on Wednesday morning and attendees then enjoyed a presentation on cyber security followed by a workshop on public speaking.

After this, highlights included a passionate talk about local government from Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm and a presentation on Nanotechnology by Coral Sea Marina’s owner Paul Darrouzet.

Other hard-hitting subjects included a Zoom presentation on Defamation, a lesson about how the Gold Coast approaches homelessness and a workshop on the ‘Banish Bias’.

Several panel discussions also took place covering issues such as managing social media .

Councillor Jan Clifford was instrumental in bringing the event to the Whitsundays and said that, after two years or false starts, she was delighted to provide an event which not only informed attendees but also tackled important subjects.

“We tried to keep it all relevant and interesting – we didn’t want it to be all fluffy,” said Councillor Clifford.

“We wanted it to be meaningful and dynamic so that’s what we did!”

A host of notable speakers facilitated the event, from award-winning journalists to ex-mayors and a mum of four teenagers – it was a wide and varied demographic of people who shared the central bond of a passion for the inner workings of local government.

The event began on Tuesday 1st March with welcome drinks and the following two days were spent with back to back workshops and talks.

A celebratory Gala Dinner took place on the Wednesday evening which was well-attended and very successful.

It is hoped that hosting an event of this calibre will attract more similar functions to the Whitsundays.

Pierina Dalle Cort, Councillor Jan Clifford, Daphne McDonald and Sue Bloom. Back row: Karen Murray, Jo McNally, Kim Skubris and Nikki Te Kawano

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Avid local swimmers will be thrilled to hear that the Airlie Beach Lagoon opening hours will soon be extended when new lights are installed, providing a safe and pleasurable night swimming experience for all.

New lights had been installed after 2017 Cyclone Debbie destroyed the previous lighting, but an update in government legislation stated that they were no longer bright enough to legally allow night swimming at the lagoon.

This was a point of frustration at a Council meeting several months ago, when it was discovered that upgrading them would incur an additional $500,000 bill – proving to be a very costly exercise for ratepayers.

For over a year, swimming at the lagoon has been restricted to daylight hours, but it is anticipated that the new lighting will be installed and operational by the beginning of April.

At this time, the Lagoon swimming hours will return to 5:30am to 9pm during the warmer months and 5:30am to 7:00pm from June to August.

Due to reduced daylight hours for the next few weeks and until the new lighting is installed, the Lagoon swimming hours will be restricted to 6am to 6:30pm to ensure the safety of our community and visitors.

The Airlie Beach Lagoon

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Some of Bowen’s major landmarks are getting a spruce-up to enhance the usability of the town and provide a better aesthetic for visitors and tourists alike.

You may have noticed a new timber decking at the Bowen Front Beach Skatepark, where Council have replaced the old timber with a new recycled decking material which looks like timber.

Existing sections of flooring timber were also replaced with concrete to create a better skating surface.

Council is thrilled with the result, saying that the new recycled plastic decking is longer-lasting and easier to maintain, reducing costs over time.

The original timber was installed in 2010 during the major redevelopment of the Bowen Foreshore.

Meanwhile, one of Bowen’s most beautiful nature spots is about to receive some new bridges.

The existing pedestrian bridges at Mullers Lagoon in Bowen are being replaced with a composite fibre material which is lightweight, environmentally friendly and long lasting.

The project is funded by the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland program.

Works began last week and are due to be finished in April, weather permitting.

Until completion, this section of the walking path will be closed.

Mullers Lagoon

The new timber decking at the skatepark

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Concerned residents once again took to the streets to protest the Port of Airlie development which Whitsunday Regional Council approved for a 47-metre high-rise hotel, breaking the previous legal height limit to pave way for the new building.

Late last year, plans for an architecturally inspiring, ambient green high-rise with conference centre, bowling alley and cinema was approved but has now likely been cast aside with permission granted for developers to sell onto a third party who can change the plans without needing any further public consultation.

This has angered many residents, most significantly Save Our Foreshore who are disappointed that the low-rise green lagoon-type holiday resort approved in 2010 did not go ahead as planned either.

In their opinion, the new high-rise structure is contradictory to the “village atmosphere” that people often cite as the reason they choose to visit Airlie Beach.

“This is, without a doubt, one the biggest risks to these values and our low-rise town character this region has ever faced,” said community group Save Our Foreshore’s president Suzette Pelt.

“Because of Council’s approval, we are now forced down a legal appeal path. Never before has this community had to take Council to court for their failure to listen to the community and uphold the town plan and building heights.”

Over 2000 submissions objecting to the high-rise have been submitted and legal proceedings are now underway.

Save Our Foreshore is currently fundraising and appealing for anyone in the community to help with the financial costs of the legal battle.

The peaceful protest at Port of Airlie earlier this week

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