Kind-hearted teacher and active community member, Karen Collins, passed away on Boxing Day after a brave battle with cancer.

Known also as Miss McKenzie, Karen spent most of her career teaching at local schools and will be remembered fondly by many of her students.

It was in the 1980’s that Karen left her home-city of Melbourne, following a desire to travel around Australia and finding herself falling in love with the beauty of the Whitsunday region.

Deciding to make the area her home, she taught at primary level at Hamilton Island, Cannonvale State School and St Catherine’s Catholic College in Proserpine, shaping many young lives and instilling a love of learning.

Karen was renowned for her kind, caring and generous nature and her love of teaching.

Many will remember her colourful classrooms that were a sight to behold.

Also a high-profile member of the hospitality industry, Karen was an extremely sociable person and well-known member of the wider Whitsunday community.

She was married to local restauranteur, Kevin Collins, for 18 years.

Karen also loved her sport and will be remembered as an avid netball player, competing and winning at World Masters Games level.

She was also involved with numerous fundraising activities both as a member of Cannonvale School staff and as a member of Zonta.

Karen will be missed by many, including family, friends, colleagues and her past pupils who were always dear to her heart.

She is survived by her five siblings.

No memorial service was requested but the family ask everyone who knew her to spend a moment remembering the very best of times and shared memories of this remarkable lady.

Memorial story written in conjunction with Karen’s family and close friends.

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Karen Collins (Miss McKenzie) passed away on Boxing Day

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A whirlwind of ribbon cutting, committee meetings, stakeholder sessions and getting to know the intricacies of Council operations has greeted Mayor Julie Hall during her first four months in office.

Despite the intensity, pressure and fast-paced grind of her position, Mayor Julie assures us that she has loved every second and relished every challenge.

“I promised the rate payers that I would work 100 per cent and give it my all and I can honestly say that I have,” said Mayor Julie.

“It’s been a lot to take in, but I’ve been getting great feedback and I’m really wrapped with how everything has been moving forward - it feels like I have been here a lot longer than four months!”

Mayor Julie was sworn in on August 29, 2022, and since then, the business woman, who has no formal local government experience, has become an accepted and respected leader.

During her election campaign she was determined to increase transparency within Council and also improve the connection with the community, two key issues that she says she has been constantly working towards.

From holding briefings in the smaller regional areas to introducing a new community engagement plan and offering open, educational insights into where rates are spent, Mayor Julie is determined to keep her promises.

She is also using her business background to better understand Council assets and recognise where money can be made, where costs can be reduced, and where more efficient operations can be established.

“I really want to combine our traditional values with progressive thinking to make sure we are moving forward with economic development,” she explains.

“I want to make sure Council continues to maximise our business assets, we’ve got some really good infrastructure such as the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal, airport and caravan parks - we need to make sure they are all working at their best.”

One of the biggest surprises for Mayor Julie so far has been the cost of maintaining local roads, many of which are in poor condition.

“The amount of regional infrastructure that we’ve got to maintain for the amount of rate payers we have is incredible – this has been a real eye-opener for me,” she said.

“Infrastructure is not ‘sexy’ but we have a lot of aging infrastructure in our region, it needs attention and that costs a lot of money so I want to make funding for this a big focus this year.”

Overall though, Mayor Julie is excited to be part of a “year of stability” and with the recent appointment of the new CEO, she is confident the final piece of the puzzle has been found.

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2023 Wish List:

1: Improved community engagement – firstly find out what that looks like from the local community through consultation and then deliver

2: Really look at where Council can help with the housing crisis and making sure we are doing everything we can towards supporting State Government in solutions

3:  Regional roads, we’ve got a lot of unsealed roads that are in poor condition, I will be focused on advocating for more funding to resurface unsealed roads

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Mayor Julie Hall at the Whitsunday Regional Council Offices in Proserpine

This Australia Day everyone is invited pull out their cameras and smart phones to try their hand at some amateur photography and enter into a competition with a prize pool of $58,000.

The Australia Day Photography Competition hopes to encourage participation and highlight the many ways Australians take part in our national celebrations.

Photos must be taken on the day, Thursday January 26, and invites participants to tell their Australia Day story through the eye of their camera.

Three finalists from each state and territory will receive $2000 in prize money and the overall national winner will receive $10,000.

What does Australia mean to you? From the backyard cricket match to the community gathering, the big Aussie brekky or the traditional Australia Day swim – capture your moments and turn them into a history shared by our nation this Australia Day.

Competition entries can depict reflection on the past, present and future, respect for each other’s stories, contributions and hopes, or be a celebration of being Australian and part of an ancient, multicultural nation that values each citizen.

Find out how to enter here: australiaday.org.au

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This Australia Day, for the first time, all official regional events will take place at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre, bringing the region together for the Australia Day Family Fun Day.

The event will take place from 10am to 1pm and will feature live music and performances, free family fun activities, a jumping castle, face painting, food trucks and more.

There will also be the Australia Day Awards and a Citizenship Ceremony which have been brought together this year as “one inclusive and united regional event”.

“Hosting one regional event allows us to duly honour high achievers and community members that are dedicated to making the Whitsundays a better place,” said a Whitsunday Regional Council spokesperson.

“The location for this event will be rotated between our townships each year allowing us to share the Australian Day celebrations across the whole region.”

If you would like to celebrate Australia Day with the community and enjoy some free family friendly activities, then make sure you head down to the Proserpine Entertainment Centre next Thursday.

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The eighth annual Whitsunday Sports Expo is due to take place next month and the whole community is invited to come and find out about the variety of clubs, groups, teams and individual pursuits we have available in our region.

Dedicated to helping families understand more about the level of commitment, transport requirements, schedule and cost of participating in both sporting and recreational clubs, this event brings all the information into one convenient location.

It’s never been easier to decide which hobby will best suit your family this year, simply attend the Sports Expo and browse over 35 different stalls that provide interactive experiences, information and registration opportunities by local clubs.

Try your hand at tennis, jump on the back of a stationary trail bike, explore a sailing boat, hit a golf ball and meet the team captains of some of Australia’s favourite sports.

This year for the first time, the Bridge Club is also participating, opening the way for a broader range of additional recreational pursuits.

The event will be held at Whitsunday Sportspark on Saturday, February 4 and Sportspark President Justin Butler said that it’s time to get up and active.

“Sporting activities get people off the couch, off the social media and interacting with each other,” he said.

“And this Expo gives parents the opportunity to find out more about the sports we have available in this area.

“We are currently open to additional stall holders and happy for any interested group to approach us.”

WHAT: Whitsunday Sports Expo

WHERE: Whitsunday Sports Park

WHEN: Saturday, February 4 from 9am – 1pm

A wide range of sporting groups will be giving out information at the upcoming Whitsunday Sports Expo

Whitsunday tourism businesses now all have access to a program which will allow them to start tracking and reducing their carbon emissions thanks to a government funding stream and a rise in the amount of eco-conscious travellers visiting our region.

The Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project, which is an initiative of the Whitsunday Regional Council, has recruited 37 ambitious businesses partners from the tourism sector so far and aims to connect with many more following the announcement of further funding.

The four-year project began in 2021 and has been attracting partners from the marine tourism sector, island resorts and marinas ever since.

Lee Hawkins, Climate Change Resilience Officer said the project could not have come at a better time for the local tourism industry.

“The rise of environmentally conscious travellers is rewarding tourism businesses that are making an effort to reduce their carbon footprint,” she said.

“More visitors are looking for eco-tourism options that have a low, or even non-existent environmental impact.”

Any interested businesses are invited to connect with Ms Hawkins and the team to find out how they can get involved.

“All tourism related businesses are invited to join the project and access the free online carbon calculator to measure their operational carbon footprint,” she said.

“The online portal is easy to use and assists businesses to measure impacts, reduce environmental impacts and foster quadruple bottom line reporting.”

The emissions snapshot identifies the emissions from a business and recommends options to reduce them.

So far, a total of 33,195 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions have been measured by Whitsunday tourism businesses to date, with most emissions originating from fuel use in motor vessels and purchased electricity.

This project is made possible by the Queensland Government’s Eco-Certified Tourism Destination Program which is a key initiative under the Towards Tourism 2032 strategy to assist Queensland Local Governments and Regional Tourism Organisations to attain destination-level certification.

For more information or to register interest in joining the Whitsunday Healthy Heart Project, email info@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au

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Every day local tour operators are out on the reef and, while their main job is to show visitors our beautiful ecosystems, these days they are also tasked with a bigger calling.

They play an important role in monitoring the reef by creating data which provides valuable information that documents the welfare of our precious marine environment.

Cruise Whitsundays along with a number of other local operators are working closely with the Great Barrier Marine Park to conduct regular assessment and stewardship at specific sites within the Whitsunday Marine Park. Cruise Whitsundays specifically has been tasked with keeping a watchful eye over Hardy Reef, which is the location of Reefworld the Cruise Whitsundays permanently moored pontoon located 39 nautical miles from the mainland in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

As part of their dedication to ensuring the health of the reef, Cruise Whitsundays in collaboration with their dive operator Reef Safari Diving, has a trained team of marine biologists and divers conducting weekly tourism surveys as well as quarterly Reef Health Impact Surveys (RHIS).

This information is constantly sent back to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks Association (GBRMPA) and used to compile data on the health of the reef. It can then be used as an early warning system of potential negative impacts on the reef.

Among other things the surveys count coral cover, watch for coral predators such as Crown of Thorns star fish and the Drupella (which is a tiny snail that eats the reef) and also for signs of coral bleaching.

“We report anything unusual and if, for example, there was a large outbreak of Crown of Thorns, then previously GBRMPA would send a specialist team to remove them. However, now our trained staff will be able to remove any predators on the spot and keep numbers under control and our reef healthy.” said Julia Farrell Reef Safari’s Master Reef Guide.

In addition to skilled professionals, there is also opportunity for Citizen Scientists to get involved in initiatives that protect and monitor the reef.

Anyone who has a favourite fishing spot or regularly heads out to the reef is asked to come forward and complete sightings through the “Eye on Reef” app created by The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. You can log marine life you see as well unusual activity.

Individuals do not need to be skilled for this type of data collection as its main purpose is to watch for change and degradation.

A recent report by AIMS (The Australian Institute of Marine Science) stated that the upper and middle Great Barrier Reef actually has more coral cover than when they first started taking records in 1986.

While much media can paint a “doom and gloom” story, it is important to look at the facts and it is statistics like this that inspires Julia to work with the reef.

“I always tell my staff that even if we can change just one per cent then we are making a difference,” she said.

“Martin Luther King didn’t say ‘I have a nightmare’ – he said, ‘I have a dream!’”

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Underwater monitoring proves invaluable in recording vital information for the health of the reef

Cruise Whitsundays conduct monitoring from their pontoon located on Hardy Reef, 39 nautical miles out to sea

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If you could change anything about Proserpine, what would it be and why?

Riley Rule, aged 21

I grew up in Prossie but recently moved to Bundaberg because I couldn’t get an apprenticeship here, so I guess if I could change anything it would be having more employment opportunities for young people here.

Other than that, I think Prossie has it all! I love going out to the dam, fishing, crabbing and four-wheel-driving – I hope one day I can come back to the area.

It’s hard to find a rental though and on an apprentice wage I would have to live with like five other people to be able to afford it! Luckily, I could live with my mum and dad though!

Patti Catling, aged 70

I was born in Prossie but moved away and only came back here a year ago. We grew up here when there were two cinemas in town and I miss that, although it is great to hear the entertainment centre has started showing movies again.

I can remember the days before the cyclone when they did lots of stuff there.

I would love to see an Aldi Supermarket here but other than that, I think it’s got everything we need for people at our stage of life – it’s got a real sense of community – people are ‘real’ here, it’s a real town with real people and I like that.

Richard Davidson and daughter, Mia, aged four

I’d like to see more activities for kids in the area, something to keep them entertained over the holidays and weekends like bowling or go karts.

We only moved here a month ago, on Christmas Eve in fact, but so far the town looks good, it feels safe and happy.

The people are nice and so far it is a good change from the Mornington Peninsula, which is where we moved from.

We bought a house here and heard good things about St Catherine’s School so are feeling pretty good about the area overall.

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Friendship, community and contribution are three of the key benefits of becoming an auxiliary fire fighter at Proserpine Fire Station according to the existing team who are currently looking for between three and four new recruits.

Offering maximum flexibility around your current work, an auxiliary position means you can work part-time in this paid role and be ‘on-call’ in your downtime.

New recruits also receive fully paid training which includes a two-week course in Yeppoon where they learn to respond to real life emergency situations such as navigating buildings full of smoke and working with breathing apparatus.

Of course, getting paid is not the reason most people choose this sort of job, it is more of a calling to serve.

“For me it’s about helping the community, we do it for the people, to give our time back,” said Emanuele Ventura (known as Ace to his team mates).

Ace is originally from Italy but moved to Australia in 2005 and to the Whitsundays in 2007, following his love of nature.

“Being an auxiliary fire fighter is more than being called out to emergencies,” said Ace.

“We also interact with community which is my favourite part – we provide a community service for schools, we do Colour Runs and of course the Santa Run!”

Fellow ‘Firie’, Keith Thomas started in the role in March last year and says his main motivation was to make sure he is there for his daughter and any other local kids if they need help.

“My daughter’s a teenager now so she’ll be one of the people driving around,” explains Keith.

“I wanted to be there for her or any of her friends if there was an incident.”

Keith works at the Proserpine Sugar Mill and says they are very flexible, making allowances when he gets a call out.

Meanwhile, Ace works at the mines and managers his commitment to the local fire station by working it within his seven-on-seven-off roster.

Lieutenant Chris Harvey has been an auxiliary fire fighter since he was just 20 years old.

He used to work at Proserpine Sugar Mill as well, and has just transferred to the mines, which enables him to contribute more to the fire station in his downtime.

“I like to be involved in the community through many aspects,” said Chris.

“We go to everything a permanent station would from structure fires to car accidents to alarms at the hospital or nursing home or airport.”

The current Fire Station is a new facility, officially opened in March 2018 and built to replace the old station which was over 50 years old and located in Proserpine Main Street.

The station takes between 150 and 190 calls per year, roughly three a week.

There are two fire trucks operating and they currently have 16 fire fighters on-staff, but are looking for at least three more.

“You don’t have to be Superman, or big built,” jokes Chris.

“All shapes and sizes can help – in fact smaller people can get into a car easier!”

Anyone interested in becoming an auxiliary fire fighter is requested to call the Mackay Fire Station, who will show you through the application process and then invite you to attend the regular training session at the Proserpine Fire Station on Wednesday evening.‍

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Fire Fighter Emanuele (Ace) Ventura, Lieutenant Chris Harvey and Fire Fighter Keith Thomas. Photo credit: Rachael Smith.

Two fire trucks operate from the new fire station which opened in 2018

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On the highway on the northside of Proserpine is the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre, the local hub of knowledge for the region.

Here you will meet passionate locals who love sharing information about the area and assisting with non-biased tour advice that will help you make the most of every experience.

When you are a visitor to our region or, perhaps have a family member staying with you and want to give them an opportunity to see the full extent of experiences available, the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre is the best place to talk to the experts.

Conveniently located on the Bruce Highway, next door to the Whitsunday Gold Coffee Plantation, you can make this a destination to explore as well as a location to source knowledge.

Stop for a coffee and cake or perhaps some lunch, watch the children interact with the friendly animals at the farm or take them into the on-site indoor and air-conditioned play centre.

When you’ve finished there, make sure you head to the information centre and say hello to Dea and the team who would love to answer any questions you may have.

Originally from Estonia, Dea has been living in Australia for 10 years.

Like many before her, she arrived as a backpacker and now has a family of her own, with a beautiful eight-year-old daughter.

Having spent most of her life working in marketing, Dea came to The Whitsundays and fell in love with the region and its friendly people.

She has been involved in the local tourism sector for several years and to continue her career at Tourism Whitsundays was a natural step.

She joined the team in March last year and got appointed as the manager of the information centre in September.

“I love helping our visitors and doing my best to give them a wonderful experience of our region,” said Dea.

“Together with the amazing volunteers, we love sharing local knowledge and interacting with different travellers who all have their own story to share.”

View a selection of accommodation and tour options, read maps from a range of regions or source ideas for adventures and walks in nature.

The team can help you book, decide where to travel next and create personal itineraries for you to enjoy.

“We offer personalised recommendations to each visitor, to make sure they have the best time in The Whitsundays,” said Dea.

“And if we don’t have the answer, we can definitely find someone who does!”

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Dea and her friendly team will greet you at the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre

From Cooktown to the Whitsundays, Dr Hannah Trimble’s CV looks like a road map of North Queensland, tracking down the coast until Proserpine Hospital finally caught her heart.

With a passion for rural and remote health issues, Hannah is a proud product of the first intake of the JCU School of Medicine and completed her internship at Cairns Base Hospital in 2006.

After this she took a position as junior health officer in Atherton in 2007, followed by positions in Mareeba, Burdekin and Bowen.

Contemplating a career as either an emergency department or orthopaedic specialist, Hannah decided instead to pursue a future in rural health care when she met her husband in Proserpine in 2015.

“I realised that tertiary hospitals were not in my future, and I also thrived in my time in rural hospitals,” she explained.

“I love the challenge (of being a rural generalist) and not knowing what will come through the door and what we will have to deal with.

“There is great satisfaction in knowing that you and your team made a difference.

“This allows me to do the job I had once imagined as an emergency specialist in the location I want, and I think with more satisfaction”

Hannah now has two children with her husband and the family recently bought a farm in the area.

All her skills and experience have been leading towards her current role which is Acting Director of Medical Services at Proserpine Hospital.

“It is a real team here in Proserpine,” said Hannah.

“We respect and appreciate each other, and this is all staff, not just medical.

“When there is a very unwell patient there is just us and we really do have highly developed skills to deal with whatever comes through the door, sometimes for many hours and with far less resources until that patient is retrieved to more definitive care.”

Hannah has a message for anyone planning to study medicine.

“Come and taste rural!”

Dr Hannah Trimble, Acting Director of Medical Services at Proserpine Hospital. Photo supplied

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Originally from New Zealand, Brigitte developed a passion for art when she was just six years old, but it wasn’t until she went to high school that she started to refine her talent.

Her future, however, would take her travelling around the world and she lived in London for five years before returning to Australia.

It was starting a family that really allowed Brigitte to reconnect with her art and she used any spare time she had to develop her skills and take on commission requests.

Drawn to realism, Brigitte loves working with images and transforming them into a piece of art that is an almost exact replica of that image, only very skilfully hand-drawn instead.

This type of art takes great talent to perfect, and Brigitte says that the precision involved in completing the end product is very rewarding.

She loves nature and her pieces include a school of Clown Fish swimming and a Majestic Sea Turtle gliding through dark waters.

She has also recently completed a piece called ‘Hands of Time’ which is a more abstract artform and she loves experimenting with different mediums.

Brigitte can create art in charcoal, acrylic paint, coloured pencils, pastels and watercolour.

She is also a Project Artist for the Great Barrier Reef Festival.

Having just taken up an ‘Artist in Residence’ spot at the 3 Little Birds Espresso and Creative Hub, which has just launched an art space called Airlie Create and Connect, Brigitte is looking forward to welcoming students to her new art lessons soon.

“I love working with kids and seeing them feel proud of themselves when they complete a piece of art,” said Brigitte.

If you are an artist or would like to enrol your child in art lessons head down to Airlie Create and Connect to speak with Brigitte who will be there most days.

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Local artist Brigitte Peel with her piece ‘Hands of Time’

Caption: Teen Shed Mackay members enjoyed a day at Wake House Australia. Photo credit: Photos by Nell

Offering a safe space for all teens to socialise, Teen Shed Mackay is proving that you can get teenagers outdoors and teach them new tricks.

Their latest excursion was to Wake Park Australia in Andergrove, where teens from roughly 12 to 18 could meet new friends and challenge themselves to the skill of wakeboarding.

Teen Shed Founder Lisa Versaci said Teen Shed’s mission is to help teenagers lead healthy, happy and safe lives.

“We want to create a space where we can empower and nurture teenagers, support and guide them, listen to and enjoy them,” Lisa said.

“Our goal is to reach as many local teenagers as possible, to inspire them to reach their full potential through peer-inspired environments, social inclusion and relationships.

“The reason why we do what we do is I got tired of hearing teenagers complain about living in Mackay saying there’s nothing to do, when there is so much to challenge them. They just need that guidance and inspiration, so our activities are age-appropriate and provide the fun and challenge they are craving.”

TEEN SHED MACKAY
Inspiring The Next Generation To Do More

Caption: Teen Shed Mackay enjoyed a day of friendships and challenges at Wake House Australia as part of the group’s regular outings. Photo credit: Photos by Nell

Teen Shed Mackay is an inclusive space for all teenagers to meet and mingle, with no prerequisites on who can and can’t join in on the group’s activities.

Lisa Versaci said it’s simply a place where teenagers can have a voice, grow through self-discovery and lead enriching lives through a number of community-inspired activities.

“We want to work with our local community to provide personal development skills for our teenagers to survive and thrive throughout the teenage years,” she said.

“To raise awareness around teen issues and format strategies which can be applied to improve their development, life skills, health and wellbeing.

“Also to increase the positive representation teens have within the community by participating in fundraising, volunteer and community activities.”

Recently members of Teen Shed Mackay have been making sleeping mats for homeless people by recycling plastic bags. The group also regularly cook breakfast at Orange Sky for the homeless, they volunteer at Run 4 Mi Life by handing out water bottles throughout the event and volunteer at Rumble on the Reef.

“The kids really want to be an important part of the community and volunteer more, so any event or organisation is welcome to reach out,” Lisa said.

As well as volunteering opportunities, Teen Shed members enjoy a varied range of activities, from outdoor adventure to art and craft, catering for all teen personality types.

“Activities are constantly changing but will include discos, movie and karaoke nights, reading groups and craft sessions, cooking sessions and training skills. We are hoping to make the Wake House day a regular outing as well as the Ninja Hub,” Lisa said.

There are sponsorship opportunities for businesses looking to support our local teenagers, keep an eye on the Teen Shed Mackay Facebook page for more information, or email Lisa at teenshedmackay@gmail.com.

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A generous donation to the Neighbourhood Hub was more than enough for Brent Stephenson to be nominated for this week’s Good Deed Feed, but this generous local with a passion for fishing went one step further just before Christmas.

Through his fishing apparel brand, Mudskippa, members of Mackay’s fishing community donated their second-hand fishing gear as part of Mudskippa’s ‘Combos4Kids Mackay’ initiative.

A range of gear was donated to the Neighbourhood Hub to give less fortunate children the opportunity to go fishing.

On top of this initiative, Brent donated a fishing charter and Tackle World gift vouchers to those in need.

He had been donated a full-day fishing charter for two people, which he wanted to gift as a Christmas present to someone who was genuinely struggling. He also purchased four Tackle World gift cards to give to four more people who may need a Christmas gift for their child.

His generosity was posted on the Mackay Noticeboard on Facebook on Christmas Eve, a kind gesture which no doubt made Christmas a little brighter for in-need Mackay families.

If you’re passionate about fishing, Mudskippa is more than a brand, it’s a community. Check it out at mudskippa.com.au.

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Seeing the list of nominees in this year’s Australia Day Awards was a jaw-dropping moment.

As I scrolled through the pages and pages of names, I saw many people I recognised, and many people who were nominated more than once or in multiple categories. But it was the sheer number of overall nominees that left me with a feeling of awe and respect for our community.

Most of these people go about their day with little pomp or praise. They do what they do because they have a genuine passion for what they do, and go out of their way to help others.

I read a negative comment online with a resident asking why council didn’t concentrate on ‘more important things’, and I thought to myself, what could be more important than recognising the people who go above and beyond in our community? They are the very people who promote change, they speak up for others, they push for improvement, they help people in need, they represent our town on international stages. They are the pieces of fabric that come together to make a diverse tapestry of culture and care for the region.

We have a full list of the 2023 Australia Day award nominees on page 11 of this edition.

I don’t know about you, but if it means I have to put up with a pothole or two in order for these people to be thanked, I’ll take the bumpy road any day.

Amanda

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