Every year more than 500 packs filled with vital emergency information are delivered to residents as part of Mackay Regional Council’s annual Cyclone Saturday community event.

This Saturday (November 19) will see another uptake of these packs at the 2022 event happening at Caneland Central from 9am to 1pm.

Mayor Greg Williamson said natural disasters can happen to anyone, anywhere.

“It’s crucial that, as a community, each and every one of us takes the time to prepare our homes, properties and families,” Mayor Williamson said.

“Disasters, such as floods, fires and cyclones, require different methods of action and preparedness,” he said.

“People need to have a number of survival plans in place to know what they are going to do in the event of a disaster striking.”

Come along and speak with a diverse range of emergency experts and agencies, including State Emergency Services, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Queensland Police Service, Mackay Hospital and Health Service, RACQ CQ Rescue, Red Cross and more.

Mayor Williamson said there was one simple action that would make a significant difference in having the Mackay region prepared for a widespread emergency.

“If every resident registered to receive emergency notifications via council’s Disaster Dashboard (disaster.mackay.qld.gov.au), it would go a long way to having our community prepared,” he said.

“This simple two-minute action would allow us to distribute messages efficiently to those who potentially need to receive life-saving information in the event of an emergency.”

Anyone who attends Cyclone Saturday can also go into the draw to win a portable fridge with solar panel and battery.
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Cyclone Saturday

Date: Saturday, November 19

Time: 9am to 1pm

Location: Caneland Central, near R.M. Williams

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Council employees Rosemary Netz, Joanna Harvey and Shona Norris look forward to handing out emergency packs to residents at this weekend’s Cyclone Saturday event

Local high school students have the chance to kick-start a career in marine science thanks to scholarships being offered by North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) and James Cook University (JCU).

Applications are now open for two $15,000 Marine Science scholarships, which give budding marine scientists financial support as well as real-world experience working alongside leading researchers and port industry managers.

JCU’s Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER) Principal Researcher Dr Nathan Waltham said that the scholarships were an opportunity for high school students to further develop skills in marine science and management of north Queensland’s coastal ecosystems.

“Working closely with the scholarship winners is highly rewarding – we have the opportunity to impart our knowledge and skills, beyond that learned in the lecture classroom,” Dr Waltham said.

“The students will be part of a real research team, participating in really exciting real-world marine science research.”

NQBP CEO Nicolas Fertin said the scholarship program is part of a long-running partnership between the university and the government-owned port authority.

“The partnership connects industry with world-leading researchers in addition to assisting future generations in marine science,” Mr Fertin said.

“We are proud to offer JCU students the opportunity to learn about the port industry and important marine habitat management in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

“This is an amazing opportunity for students to get real-world exposure to industry alongside our environmental experts helping to launch their careers post-study.”

For further information or to apply visit JCU’s online application portal before 31 January 2023.

JCU offers the world’s best marine and freshwater biology degrees, and NQBP is the only port authority in the world with three priority ports, Hay Point, Mackay and Abbot Point, located on the shores of a World Heritage Area. The scholarship program is part of NQBP’s broader five-year partnership with JCU, where researchers monitor the local marine environment surrounding four ports.

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2021 Bachelor of Science Scholarship recipient Amy Cantrill gaining real-world experience with NQBP’s Senior Environmental Advisor Nicola Stokes, Principal Environmental Advisor Odette Langham and Ports Services Worker Leigh Thayer.

Amy Cantrill deploying underwater cameras to examine marine species that utilise urban built infrastructure, rock walls and pylons that are common features in coastal areas

Visitor restrictions at Sarina Hospital came into force earlier this week on Tuesday 15 November, after it was reported that a number of positive COVID-19 cases were recorded.

The hospital closed to visitors following the confirmation of five positive results for COVID-19 among its inpatients.

Mackay HHS Executive Director of Public Health and Rural Services Terry Johnson said that safety measures were being undertaken.

“Emergency care continues to be available at Sarina Hospital with our staff taking appropriate safety measures under Queensland Health COVID-19 guidelines,” Ms Johnson said.

“This includes the isolation of patients with COVID-19 and a heightened level of personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements for staff.

“Relatives and friends of patients affected by the visitor restrictions should contact the Sarina Hospital on 4943 8777.”

This came after the Queensland Government moved the state into an ‘Amber Alert’ for COVID-19, which brought back the need to wear masks in a number of indoor settings. Health facilities and in particular hospitals enforced the wearing of masks as of Friday 11 November.

Queensland Health reported, “There are currently moderate rates of COVID-19 community transmission and Queensland is entering a new wave.

“While the traffic light is amber, we recommend you wear a mask in healthcare settings, indoors, if you can’t socially distance, on public transport, if you are older or medically at risk, if you’re around people who are vulnerable to COVID-19.

“If you get COVID-19 register your RAT result, stay home until you’re well again, wear a mask for 7 days after your test, avoid visiting hospitals, aged care or disability care for 7 days after your test, unless you are receiving care, ask household members to closely monitor symptoms.

“You should always wear a mask if required by a healthcare provider, venue, or household.”

This information was accurate at time of printing on Wednesday 16 November. For recent updates, please call Sarina Hospital on 4953 8777 or check the Mackay Hospital and Health Service Facebook page.

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Sarina Hospital. Photo credit: Hamish Wright

By Amanda Wright

The rural health crisis is knocking on our back door, with residents in rural areas throughout the Mackay region lacking basic medical care due to having no doctor nearby.

A concerned resident from the small town of Calen contacted Mackay Life, worried for the welfare of their neighbours, who have been putting off urgent medical care due to the amount of time and cost for them to see a doctor in Mackay.

Calen is roughly halfway between Mackay and Proserpine at around 61 km to each destination. The town may be small, but it has much to offer, with a corner store, news agent, butcher, post office, pub, auto mechanic, bowls club and more, not to mention essential services such as a school, and ambulance and police. But no doctor.

The surrounding towns of Pindi Pindi, St Helens Beach, Mt Ossa, Yalboroo, Cameron’s Pocket and more make up a substantial outlying community, who all face the same medical challenges.

Resident Lyn Ellen says the regular on-going medical attention and check-ups which locals are putting off could turn deadly.

“The stories I hear at the bowls club, pub or local store are quite frightening,” Lyn said.

“Because these are salt of the earth rural people, they have a casual ‘she’ll be right’ attitude, especially when it takes so long to get a simple check up.

“A lovely chap I met had cut his arm on the farm. I could see the wound really needed stitches and was at risk of infection, but he just bandaged it up to get back to work on the farm. ‘Too long to get to the doctor’ he told me.

“A young mother I saw at the school, her baby had a nasty cough which sounded like croup. She said she would Google it and hope for the best because she couldn’t afford to go to Mackay with her other two children.

“A woman I know hurt her leg in a fall. She doesn’t have a car so would have to rely on her daughter in Mackay to go to Calen to pick her up, to be seen in Mackay. It’s a 240 km round trip that neither the daughter or mother could afford, so she took Panadol as she didn’t want to be a burden on her family.”

Lyn said that these incidents are common.

“They just accept that it is what it is. If people are putting off getting checked for things like cuts, falls and sickness, then what’s the likelihood they are getting regular pap smears, bowel cancer checks or other general check-ups?

“We’re right on the Bruce Highway, Calen NEEDS a doctor.”

‘Calen Needs A Doctor’ will continue in next week’s edition of Mackay Life as the investigation continues.

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A Year 6 student from the Mackay region has become one of twelve Queensland kids to be selected as winners of the 2023 Farm safety calendar competition.

Artwork by Matilda Merkel from Oakenden State School – a school of just 14 students – was chosen for the February page of the calendar.

Queenslanders can order the 2023 Farm safety calendar for free from the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) website.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said WSHQ was inundated with 1,500 entries from budding young artists this year.

“The Farm safety calendar competition is a great way to get kids from all over Queensland thinking about safety at home and in their classrooms,” Ms Grace said.

“It gives primary school students the opportunity to help spread the word about how to stay safe on farms and rural properties, protecting our great lifestyle.

“Jobs in agriculture are great jobs that provide better services to Queenslanders, and we want to make sure the message is out there: be safe on farms.

“The standard of artwork over the years has been fantastic, and the latest edition of the calendar is no exception.

“The competition is a lot of fun, but the safety messages are serious. The agriculture industry employs around three per cent of Queensland workers but accounts for more than 30 per cent of workplace deaths.

“The 2023 calendar includes creative and colourful illustrations about electrical safety, animal safety, tractor and machinery safety, quad bike safety, water safety and general health and wellbeing.

“The 12 winners will each receive a $250 Visa gift voucher, plus another $500 for their school, with their artwork and safety messages featuring in the calendar.”

30,000 free copies of the 2023 Farm safety calendar will be available to Queenslanders.

Oakenden State School Principal, Angela Wood, said it meant a lot to her small school that Year 6 student Matilda Merkel had won.

“It demonstrates to our students and community members that just because you are from a small school, doesn’t mean you can’t do amazing things and change the world,” Ms Wood said.

“Our school and community are so very proud of Matilda, and so grateful that our school and local community will be represented on the big stage.

“The money will go a long way in helping us provide extra classroom resources to further our students learning.”

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Matilda Merkel’s drawing won her and her school a combined $750 as part of the State Government’s 2023 Farm safety calendar competition

You’ve heard of ‘Jenny from the Block’, but have you heard of ‘Muss from the Scrub’?

Those involved with the close-knit community of cricket in Walkerston will be more than familiar with the name, Luke Jackson, affectionately known to locals as ‘Muss’.

Luke is a passionate cricketer and has been involved with coaching at his local club, Walkerston, for a number of years supporting both junior and senior teams.

Earlier this month he was recognised for his passionate contribution to the sport, given honours as the Coach of the Month for Mackay Whitsunday, awarded by Queensland Cricket.

A Queensland Cricket spokesperson said that Luke always makes time to pass on his knowledge and makes everyone feel a part of the 'Scrubby' family.

“His dedication to coaching is second to none and can often be found at the nets most afternoons mentoring players young and old,” they said.

“Thank you, Luke, for being a role model for all the cricketers you have supported across Mackay Whitsunday over the years.”

Luke said the award came as a big surprise and says his QCA floppy hat will be getting a workout this summer.

Congratulations, Luke!

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The Rotary Club of Walkerston is well known for the installation of its Mini Street Libraries, which can now be found across the region, from Eton to Walkerston, Ooralea to Finch Hatton.

The concept of ‘take a book, leave a book’ is a fun way for residents to discover new pieces of literature, with the opportunity of returning the read to grab another, or if they find something they love, keeping it forever!

Walkerston Rotary recently celebrated the installation of its tenth Mini Street Library, at St Vinnies, on Juliet Street.

A month into its installation and the Juliet Street Mini Street Library has become a popular stop, with books turning over faster than hot pancakes. With the inclusion of the Orange Sky Laundry at the facility, it has provided an additional refuge for those doing it tough, who can read a book while waiting for their laundry. It’s also a popular stop with local families and travellers.

If you have some books to part with, visit your nearest Mini Street Library. Part of the charm is finding something new to read, so fresh material is always appreciated.

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St John’s Catholic Primary School in Walkerston will once again be making the community around them a better place this Christmas, with its annual Christmas Gift Giving appeal.

Many charities and appeals will be supported this year, with each grade of class responsible for gathering gifts for separate causes.

It’s a voluntary appeal and families with multiple children aren’t expected to donate to every class if they are facing hardship themselves.

Prep is supporting the St Vincent De Paul Gift Giving appeal by collecting presents for children aged between 3 and 9.

Year one is supporting the Mackay Brekky Van by donating breakfast food such as cereal or fruit and juice.

Year two is supporting the St Vincent De Paul Hamper appeal by donating hamper items such as long-life milk, biscuits and other non-perishables.

Year three is supporting nursing homes with tea and coffee, biscuits and entertainment such as puzzles.

Year four is supporting Mackay Animal Rescue Society with the donation of pet food items.

Year five is supporting the Stella Maris Christmas Shoebox appeal for Seafarers by donating items for the shoebox, like shampoo, socks, puzzles or deodorant.

Year six is supporting the Share the Dignity It’s in the Bag appeal with sanitary items for women including deodorant, shampoo and other toiletry items.

Each class will package the donated items to be gifted on the students’ behalf.

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New School Captains

Last week, six Year 5 students spoke to the assembly of students, staff and parents putting forward their reasons why they should be considered as a School Captain for 2023.

Spencer, Hayden, Levi, Khloe, Stephanie and Adelle all spoke very well. They should be very proud of themselves; they spoke passionately about their school.

The School Captains for 2023 are Spencer and Stephanie.

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Year 6 students donated Share the Dignity bags to Bunnings last year to help those in need at Christmas

As a councillor, one of the committees I chair is the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) Advisory Committee.

RADF is delivered as a partnership between the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and council, and promotes the role and value of arts, culture and heritage as key drivers of diverse and inclusive communities and strong regions.

A very exciting project called the Keys of Mackay was launched recently. It was created and delivered by Whitsunday Anglican School student Clancy Morgan and her inspiration grew out of a simple trip to the Incredable Tip Shop where Clancy noticed a piano that had seen better days. It made her think about how lovely it would be to have a piano located somewhere in Mackay for the community to enjoy.

From there, Clancy’s vision to have a community-owned piano started and she received a small grant from RADF, which paid for a disused piano from the MECC to be professionally tuned, painted by a local artist, and she was able to purchase a trolley to assist with transporting it safely.    

I had the honour of meeting Clancy at the official launch, and it was very evident that this amazing young lady loves and cares about her community, hence the desire to create a piece of art that reflects our community and can be transported anywhere in our region.  

The piano is presently located in Wood Street with The Coffee Club and Coco Cubano kindly agreeing to bring it out onto the street each morning and put it away at night.

If you would like to have the piano come to your part of the world, please get in touch with council’s Arts Development officer, Lara Russell.

There is also another very exciting reason to visit the City Centre over the next few months.

Following the success of the City Heart Fridays events, council is organising a special City Heart Christmas event on Friday, December 2, from 4pm to 7pm in Fifth Lane. City Centre businesses will be open for late night shopping and there will be art exhibitions, roving performers and a special visit from Santa.

Cr Fran Mann

Mackay Regional Council

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“We’re not gonna give it away!”

It’s the comment sellers have been heard to make on countless occasions in the long and challenging history of real estate sales.

When a real estate agent receives an offer on a property he or she is selling, the agent is legally required to present that offer to the client. It doesn’t mean the agent likes the offer but the seller must be told about it.

That’s one of the times when the “we’re not gonna give it away” line emerges.

On other occasions the issue is a matter of perspective, expectations and the emotion of selling a family home.

One time I had an offer of $505,000 on a property and the seller said he was insulted by the offer and told me he wasn’t going to “give it away”.

I asked him where the offer needed to be for him to be happy with the price. “I’d be happy with $510,000,” he said.

He was an intelligent person who had a responsible job and was required to make sound assessments and judgement calls on a daily basis.

But from his perspective, at that emotionally challenging time of selling a family home and then preparing for the next stage of his family’s life, the seller was “insulted” by the offer of $505,000 and felt that would be “giving away” his property at that price. Yet he would be happy with $510,000.

We ended up getting the offer above the $510,000 mark but it was a lesson for me on the emotion and challenges that go along with someone selling their house.

Sometimes the offer is low and the sellers would be “giving it away” if they sold at that price. Sometimes the seller has expectations that are above where their property sits in the market.

There have been times, particularly in a downturn, when sellers have rejected offers because they didn’t want to “give it away” only to regret the decision weeks or months later when they realise that the offer had been reasonable and in-line with the market …  but the buyers have now moved on and the opportunity has gone.

The truth is that sometimes the offers are low but, fortunately, when it comes to selling your property there is a formula to ensure you don’t “give it away”.

You need a hard-working agent who creates competition for your property through effort, marketing that reaches all the potential buyers and a strategy for reaching the right buyers.

When there is no competition for your property, with few inquiries and inspections, the offers will be low. When you have marketing and a strategy that reaches all the potential buyers and you get strong inquiries and good numbers at open homes, you will not be “giving it away”.

But there is a secret. A key element all Gardian agents are aware of is the emergence of southern buyers in our market. They are now key players and there is strong evidence to suggest they will pay a premium.

You need to make sure southern buyers are in the mix when selling your property. Gardian agents have a strategy for how we reach them so if you are planning to sell, make sure you speak to a Gardian agent … After all, you don’t want to give it away.

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Hi, Constant Readers.

I would say, for most of us in the Whitsundays, we’re all from somewhere else. There are few of us who were lucky enough to be born on the sandy shores and sun-starched grass of North Queensland. Sure.

But for most, it is a chosen home rather than a given.

With leaving home comes something you might not always tend to: The family garden. We can neglect our siblings, our parents. I know I’m guilty of it. I’m sure some of you reading it are too.

I don’t often speak to my sister; I should more. I don’t message my parents as much as they message me; I should more. I think - certainly in a world we believe is so hell-for-leather, so high-octane - that we forget to slow down and appreciate the people who supported us in getting to where we are.

We can lose touch with family and take things for granted – the most profound relationships you can have with someone might fall by the wayside. Little things like the progress of life can inadvertently harm others. You’re busy doing your thing, they’re busy doing their thing.

Sometimes I think about how it was in the early 19th century, where the only means of communication between a family half-way across the country might have been through letters. You might not hear from each other for months, years on end. I think one of the few good things to come from the Internet age is instant communication. I can speak to my mum over the phone, see her face, see her smile.

We’re lucky to be able to do that. I’m going to give my mum a ring. I think that speaks for itself.

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Declan

Quote of the Week:

“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” – Michael J. Fox

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Four candidates will run for the currently vacant Division 2 Councillor seat of Whitsunday Regional Council, which was vacated by previous Councillor Al Grundy in early October.

The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) hosted nominees at an official ballot paper order draw on nomination deadline day, Monday, November 14.

The candidates were drawn in the following ballot paper order: Daniel Popovich, Christopher Harvey, Andrew Camm, Clay Bauman.

The nomination deadline was the first time both Andrew Camm – cousin of current Whitsundays Member for State Parliament Amanda Camm and PRD Real Estate agent - and Christopher Harvey - a local Whitsunday electrician - have made their candidacy expressly known to Whitsunday voters.

Clay Bauman announced his candidacy three weeks ago and Dan Popovich came forward last week.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said it was good to see candidates keen to represent their community ahead of what will be a December 3 by-election.

“Now that electors know who is running, they can start to decide who they want as their new councillor and think about their plan for when they will cast their vote.

“If they can’t vote in person there’s still time to apply for a postal vote, and telephone voting is available to people who meet certain criteria, including having to isolate because of COVID-19.”

“There are plenty of voting options for the 4,000 enrolled voters in the division, Mr Vidgen said.

Early voting polling booths at Shop 15, Whitsundays Shopping Centre, 226 Shute Harbour Road, Cannonvale will be open from 9am until 5pm daily from Monday 28 November to Thursday, December 1, and will also be open until 6pm on Friday, December 2.  

Election Day voting will also take place at Shop 15, Whitsunday Shopping Centre on December 3, from 8am to 6pm.

Postal vote applications are open until 7pm on November 21. You can apply online via the ECQ website or phone the ECQ on 1300 881 665.

Mr Vidgen reminded people in the Whitsunday region voting is compulsory and failure to vote fines increased to $143.75 from 1 July 2022.

Further details on the Whitsunday Regional Council Division 2 by-election can be found on the ECQ website.

ECQ have updated the location of voting day polling stations. There will no longer be a station at Whitsunday Christian College. There will be one location: Shop 15, Whitsunday Shopping Centre on December 3, from 8am to 6pm.

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Whitsunday Regional Council Division 2 Councillor candidates Dan Popovich, Chris Harvey, Andrew Camm, and Clay Bauman

“I’ve Got You Mate”

When Proserpine resident, Richard Wheeler, was at the counter at Drakes Supermarket, he tried to pay his for his weekly shopping bill but his card refused to work.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed, he went outside to call the bank but unfortunately couldn’t get through, with the bank stating they were receiving ‘extremely high calls’.

Richard returned to the store and spoke with the check-out attendant to see if he could put his shopping somewhere safe while the money issue was sorted.

Just then, the unexpected happened, a voice called over his shoulder – “I’ve got you mate” – and before he could blink, the kind stranger had used his own card to pay the entire bill.

“I tried to tell him it was $280 but all he said was that next time I see someone in need to make sure I help them out too,” said Richard.

“$280 is no small sum! And all he said was his name was Beau – I don’t even know his last name!”

Afterwards, Richard tried to track Beau down to say thank you, but he could not find him anywhere on social media. His true identity remaining a mystery.

The kindness of his gesture, however, has touched the hearts of the whole community.

“I’m the sort of guy who always helps people out,” said Richard.

“It’s something I’ve always done anyway but it’s normally $20 or $30 - to have someone do this for me now is incredible!

“Beau you are an amazing person - the world needs more like you - I am eternally grateful for your kind act.”

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Stock image, illustration only

As polling day approaches for the Division 2 Councillor seat, we offer each of the candidates a public platform to tell us a bit about themselves and the reason they think they would be the best for the job.

1: Describe your personality in three words:

2: What qualifies you for the position?

3: What is the reason you want to be a Councillor?

4: What key projects would you support?

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Clay Bauman

Coming to the Whitsundays to pursue a passion for sailing, Clay has lived in the area for 15 years. He has produced and directed numerous films and video productions, locally, nationally and internationally.

1: Friendly, conscientious, and reliable

2: I am familiar with coordinating the entire budget across multiple departments and leading a diverse team towards a common goal. I am directly involved with sporting clubs and community groups and have been lobbying Council for the past six years.

3: Since attending my first Council meeting six years ago, I have seen the direct affect Council decisions have on our daily lives and budget. I want to help create change and be at the Council table representing not only Division 2, but conscientiously acting to ensure the best outcomes for our entire region.  

4: The current major amendment to our town plan is very important to ensuring we maintain a high quality of life, liveable suburbs, and a prosperous future. There are also several committees I would like to be appointed to as a Council representative.

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Christopher Harvey

A long-term local of the Whitsundays, Chris is an electrician by trade and loves the outdoors - running, tennis, football - and is a big fan of the North Qld Cowboys.

1: Outgoing, approachable, friendly

2: I have been volunteering with different community organisations, such as Whitsunday SES Group and Local Ambulance Committee. I was awarded Whitsunday Regional Council Citizen of the Year in 2018 for my years of volunteering and my work after Cyclone Debbie with the emergency services.

3: I would like to bring a voice to the Council not just from the people in the community but also to the many organisations that I am a part of.

4: I would like to see more paths/lanes that are user friendly not just for walkers and runners but also for scooters and bikes. I would also work towards getting more charging stations for electric vehicles installed around the region and improved safety for everyone in the form of better roads, more footpaths, wider bike lanes and more street lighting along paths.

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Dan Popovich

Originally from the UK, Dan moved to the Whitsundays with his family 15 years ago. He operates a home-based practice, Peak Body Mechanics, in Woodwark with his wife, Karen.

1: Cool-headed, organised, articulate

2: My previous professional roles include business coach and trainer, delivering management and leadership training to businesses, Councils and Department of Premier and Cabinet in Tasmania. I’m confident that my professional experience in a combination of strategic thinking and project management combined with small business, large enterprise experience and commitment to the Whitsundays would be a positive contribution to the community.

3: Government of any level is there to serve the people - not for the people to serve government, and our community is owed transparency on council business affairs, and I stand to listen to and voice community concerns and aspirations.

4: I believe we need a strategic plan for the Shire, and I believe the proposed high rise Airlie Beach developments should not pollute our skyline and turn our town into a Gold Coast 2.0.

Andy Camm

Having grown up on the family farm in Bloomsbury, Andy eventually moved away from the region before recently returning from 11 years living in the Sunshine Coast. His time away saw him spend some years playing Rugby in Canada before beginning a career in real estate in 1994. He said his greatest pride are his three children.

1: Very approachable person

2: I have worked in three local industries - farming, building and real estate. During my time I have been a team leader, manager and business owner. Having played team sports, plus worked in large organisations both locally and in Southeast Queensland, has taught me the importance of working together with others to achieve great outcomes.

3: With so much natural beauty to enjoy here, we truly need to make sure that all future developments are correctly managed to maintain this.

4: I would like to see an over 50’s village built here, plus a retirement village in the area. Road congestion is a real concern as well. I also do not understand why there is a proposal for a cluster of traffic lights between Paluma Rd and Macarthur Dr.

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Embarking on his usual Sunday morning flight, Rogin Taylor never imagined that shortly after take-off his two-seater plane, Savannah, would plunge into the ocean, leaving him fighting to breathe in a cabin that was quickly filling with water.

78-year-old Rogin has been flying for 54 years and has a commercial pilots license which had only ever used to fly recreational aircraft.

Part of ‘Whitsunday Flying Friends’, he has been joining a fleet of up to 12 other aircraft each Sunday morning on scenic flights down towards Bloomsbury.

On this particular morning, however, Rogin had taken a different path, eager to show his passenger some crocodiles in the Proserpine River.

Unfortunately, during this process the plane had started to lose altitude and before he could pull-up it suddenly hit the water.

“It made a huge bang and I actually thought we’d hit a boat,” explained Rogin.

Within minutes the plane started sinking into roughly three to four metres of water, in choppy ocean about 150 metres from the coast near Conway Beach.

“We couldn’t get the doors open and the plane started to sink,” said Rogin.

The external pressure was holding the doors closed and the pair used all their strength to try and push it open but to no avail.

Watching as the water started to rise past their feet, and then their waists, and finally up towards their chins, it wasn’t long before they realised they might drown.

“We both looked at each other and thought we might drown; it got up to our chin and then to our mouth and we took our last breath of air – the cockpit was completely full and totally submerged.”

In that moment, when many would think the panic would consume them, Rogin said the opposite happened.

“I was as close to death as I’ve ever come and at that point the terror and the panic went away, and I felt totally calm.

“I realised we were going to die, but neither of us were in any pain.

“When I spoke to my passenger afterwards, he said he felt the same, we had both accepted that we would drown and experienced a sense of calmness and tranquillity – it was so peaceful and there was no fear.”

Resigned to his fate, Rogin decided to take one giant gulp of water and thought that would be the end, but just then a miracle happened.

With the plane now completely submerged and water entirely filling the cabin, the pressure equalised and the door slowly opened.

Fortunately, Rogin was able to move fast.

He grabbed his passenger and the pair escaped through the door, swimming a few metres to the surface.

“At the surface we took a big gasp of air, and it was absolutely wonderful!” he said.

Sitting on the wing, which was still floating above the water, the survivors soon realised that the fight was not yet over, this was just a small reprieve.

They still needed to swim 150-metres to shore, fully clothed and passed a treacherous stretch of ocean known for its jelly fish, sharks and crocodiles.

Minutes later, the wing also sunk to the bottom and the pair were left alone in the ocean.

It took them over half an hour to reach the shore, swimming in choppy ocean and miraculously avoiding any hazards.

“When we reached the beach, we were pretty finished,” said Rogin.

“We crawled up the beach and just lay there. After a while we started walking around the point.”

Fortunately, someone had seen the incident and had already raised the alarm.

When the ambulance arrived, however, Rogin and his passenger were in shock but otherwise in good health and were permitted to return home.

“I will go flying again this week!” laughed Rogin.

“I asked my passenger too and he said he would go up in a plane again with me anytime too!”

Within three hours of the incident three planes from Rogin’s flying group had flown up from Mackay to search for the submerged plane.

Five other pilots came to the beach to help as well.

“The camaraderie and concern from the other pilots was just amazing and overwhelming,” said Rogin.

“The following day the plane was spotted, it’s tail coming out of the water like a breaching whale!”

Able to bring it to shore, Robin has now spent most of this week retrieving useable parts from the wreck and says he will likely have nightmares for years to come but is very grateful to have survived.  

By Rachael Smith

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The two-seater recreational plane, Savannah, with a motto emblazoned across the side saying ‘nothing ventured nothing gained’. Photo credit: Paul Douthwaite