One of our local Visitor Information Centres (VIC) has won the prestigious title of being the best in the state in the Regional Tourism Organisation category at last week’s 2022 Queensland Information Centres Association (QICA) Awards in Noosa.

Located at Whitsunday Gold Coffee in Proserpine, the Whitsunday VIC is the gateway to Airlie Beach and the Whitsunday Islands, providing information and assistance to road trippers who are about to explore our region.

Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre Manager, Dea Huvonen said the award was fantastic and an excellent boost to the staff and volunteers coming out of one of the busiest periods at the VIC.

‘I couldn’t run the VIC without the incredible volunteers who have worked 325 hours this year and are just as dedicated and passionate as when they first came in,” she said.

“This award is a credit to everyone involved with the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre.”

Tourism Whitsundays CEO, Rick Hamilton said the award is a materialisation of the passion and dedication the team at the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre give to delivering an exemplary experience to every traveller stopping in or staying in The Whitsundays.

“We’re focussed on promoting The Whitsundays as the best holiday destination in Australia and this goal drives every facet of the business, from our digital marketing through to the experience delivered at the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre,” he said.

The Whitsunday VIC was funded by the Whitsunday Regional Council and is easily accessible to travellers heading north or south on the Bruce Highway.

‍

Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre Manager, Dea Huvonen receiving the award in Noosa last week. Photo supplied.

Gone but not to be forgotten

Travelling around our district, we see hectares of sugar cane and many beef cattle grazing in the paddocks. BUT - Did you know that in the early days of Proserpine, there were many small family dairies?

These farms provided milk and its by-products mainly to customers in the town area as country people usually had their own milking cows.  Jersey and Friesian cows were the most common breeds - the small Jersey cow produced very rich milk; the larger Friesian gave more milk but, it was not as rich. Excess cream was often sent to the Mackay Butter Factory in one to four gallon cans which were taken to the railway station and put on the evening train when the air was cooler.  A plate stamped with the owner’s name and address was soldered onto the can or lid.

Most milk-supplying dairies were fairly close to town. Owners included Frasers (near the Mill), Renwicks (Renwick Road), McCormacks and Clarkes (Glen Isla), Waddingtons (Myrtle Creek), Nielsens (Mt Julian), O'Haras (Hamilton Plains), Nicols (Willowbrook Farm in Faust Street). Further out – Hickeys (Conway), Marchants and Dabblesteins (Conway and later Gregory), Talbots (Kelsey Creek), Mullers (Crystalbrook), Hewsons, Helliers and Worthingtons (Strathdickie).  Over the years, Worthington's dairy passed through many hands.  Bill Jenkins ran a dairy on the Krebbs farm at Gregory and Mr Short’s dairy was at the top of the Gregory.

Renwick’s Dairy: This appears to be one of the earliest dairies.

Mr Renwick started mixed farming, especially dairying, when he came to Proserpine.  He was a great believer in introduced pastures for his dairy herd and planted Paspalum and Rhodes grass with great success.  He used only the best breeds of dairy cattle for his large scale operation. (“The Port Denison Times” October 31, 1908) This business was carried on into the fifties by family members.

Clarke’s Dairy: In about 1920, Hugh and Eliza Clarke purchased a farm at Glen Isla and named it Dunoon.  There they managed a dairy and grew cane until 1949. When Hugh and Eliza sold to their son and grandson, the dairy was discontinued.

Each day, the Clarkes milked about forty cows by hand at 3am and 3pm. At one time, a milking machine was installed but they found it more trouble than it was worth so they returned to hand milking.  Milk and cream were delivered around town using a horse and cart.  There were three or four cans at the front of the cart and there was a step up into the cart.  The horse, named Wallace, knew that when someone stepped up into the cart, it was time to go and he always knew where to stop next.  At the end of the run, Mr Clarke would say, "Alright Wallace! Let's go home,” and off he'd go!

Grandson, Mitch Clarke, (now well into his 90s) recalls his grandmother’s lovely garden and how he looked forward to strawberries from the garden with Grandma's fresh cream. The residual milk (buttermilk) was usually fed to the pigs.  Some of the cream was made into butter for the family and excess cream was sent to the PCD Butter Factory in Mackay.  Out in the yard, there was always a copper full of boiling water ready to sterilise the equipment used for milking, separating and storing. It was a demanding life.

Read more in future editions about our dairies of the past – another rich, yet forgotten part of our district’s history.  

Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum and Recollections from Bill Dinnie.

‍

A new Queensland Government initiative providing intensive employment and training assistance is coming to the Whitsundays courtesy of PCYC Whitsundays.

The local community organisation will facilitate the skills program Get Set For Work (GSFW) from November 14 this year at its Shute Harbour Road premises in an effort to develop youth in the Whitsundays.

The program is a state government initiative aimed at 15- to 19-year-olds who may no longer be enrolled in schooling and are struggling to find employment.

Through providing funding to non-for-profit community organisations like PCYC, Queensland Government help the institutions facilitate the training of youth to make them more employable.

Program Coordinator Scott Lynch said the 12-week program will be run at the PCYC with a Registered Training Organisation arriving from Townsville for two, weekly sessions starting in November.

Mr Lynch said participant hopefuls can send in an expression of interest application to be a part of the program.

“If they’re successful, they’ll be put through a ten-week program where they’ll attain a Certificate II in Skills For Work and Vocational Pathways, and also learn foundation skills like resume writing, job interview skills,” Mr Lynch said.

“There are also team building activities, industry visits, and a focus on improving soft skills: communication and teamwork.”

Mr Lynch has been brought into the local PCYC for the express delivery of GSFW, arriving with experience in recruitment for the resource sector, as well as a passion for helping youth achieve their potential.

“I’ve been volunteering with the Neighbourhood Centre and a lot of community groups in my time living in the Whitsundays, as well as studying a Certificate IV in Mental Health,” Mr Lynch said.

“When this role came up, it was a no brainer and a great opportunity to put my efforts to the community. I really feel like I can take this program forward and get some positive outcomes.”

PCYC Youth Club Manager and Police Sergeant Billy Li said the program has been run across the state at several other sites.

“We were selected by State Government because our Whitsunday PCYC is not only equipped for the program itself, but it is also in an area where this kind of program would be a major benefit to the community,” Sergeant Li said.

Local Formula 3 Driver Declan Coull will be undertaking a role within the program as well, acting as Youth Worker and helping Mr Lynch deliver the program.

The local sports star has been the face of Defensive Driving, as well as managing the PCYC’s Braking the Cycle program within the Whitsundays, which sees learner drivers paired with mentors to achieve their 100 hours of driving to progress to P Plates.

“I think those two programs coordinate very well together and I think because I myself am young, I can really help and have some fun with the participants along the way,” Mr Coull said.

The local PCYC will be meeting with schools and stakeholders, including HeadSpace and the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre, in the coming weeks to reach out to prospective participants.

This Skilling Queenslanders for Work project is proudly funded by the Queensland Government

For more information, contact Scott Lynch at scott.lynch@pcyc.org.au

‍

PCYC Youth Worker Declan Coull, PCYC Youth Manager and Police Sergeant Billy Li, and Get Set For Work Program Coordinator Scott Lynch

One of the Whitsundays’ mainstay volunteer groups is getting into the swing of things at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre, and they’re looking for your help.

Friends of the Theatre – a non-for-profit volunteer organisation that has dedicated countless hours to the arts in the sugarcane town for three decades – is on the hunt for new members.

Volunteers at the organisation, who work primarily as ushers, greeting patrons, running raffles, and occasionally making them a cuppa, said the Proserpine Entertainment Centre is amping up its show schedule once more, meaning they need the added help.

Friends of the Theatre Secretary Colleen Johnson said the group presently has close to 25 members, but they were always looking for an extra hand.

“We’re always looking for volunteers; whether you’re retired or still working, you can always lend a hand,” Ms Johnson said.

“The things we do are very simple, and it’s not hard. It’s all in the name of people having a good experience when they come here.”

President of Friends of the Theatre Irene Lemmon said the organisation which started in 1992 has been an integral part of the Entertainment Centre all those years.

“We have often helped the Centre with fundraising, and we still do. All of our funds from ushering and the raffles head back to the building and in turn the community,” she said.

“It is extremely rewarding; It has been a real friendship circle where we can have a morning tea together and a chin wag whilst doing something good for Proserpine.”

For more information on joining Friends of the Theatre, ring Colleen Johnson on 0418 760 151.

‍

In the calm, early summer breeze just outside of the sugarcane town of Proserpine in North Queensland, John Casey is calling out next to a shallow, green pool: “Come on, Charlene. Come out, girl.”

He’s been fussing next to the water on his property in anticipation of a visitor in the mid-morning cool, trying to coax out his family pet: a three-metre estuarine crocodile.

A whole generation of youngsters in the Whitsundays region might not know the story of the ‘Real Crocodile Dundee’ and the salty named Charlene that he raised for more than 40 years.

One of very few crocodiles in Queensland still exempt from laws that forbid ownership of the protected species, old Charlene has lived quite a life.

She’s been a socialite: invited to parties across the state, hopping on bar tops, and cruising up the coast in her family’s station wagon, as well as a source of extreme pride for the man who raised her, Alf Casey.

John’s father – who passed the saltwater reptile onto his son in his will – had a point to prove when he received the croc as a gift in 1963.

“Dad got her off a croc hunter years ago; [the hunter] had shot the mother. He gave him three eggs and she was the only one to survive,” his son, John, said.

“He wanted to quiet a crocodile down, tame her, because people said it was impossible to be done.”

It’s safe to say that Alf Casey gave raising the croc a fair crack.

Charlene, now 59-years-old, was once a regular sight on Proserpine Main Street – Alf would walk side by side with her down to local pubs: “She’s been to every pub from Rockhampton to Cairns”, and she became a sibling for his son, John, who himself has lived with the croc since it was a hatchling.

She’ll potentially live for another 60 years, and John has already listed the crocodile in his own will.

But her tenure as the Casey’s pet hasn’t been all fun and games, or without incidence.

Just over three decades ago – serendipitously coinciding with the release of the hit film Crocodile Dundee - Charlene bit off John’s dad’s hand.

“He never blamed her. He said it was always his fault – he broke the routine they had when he was showing her to some people one day,” John said.

“She grabbed his hand, thinking he had a fish, the people he was with grabbed him and she just rolled.”

It’s strange to have a pet that could one day choose you for supper, but for John, it’s just part of the routine.

“The grandkids come over and they used to be very keen to see her, but now it’s just: ‘Yep, Grandad has a crocodile’,” John said.

“It’s just business as usual. Even more for me; she’s been here all my life.”

For Proserpine’s old timers, Charlene is just part of the town’s rich history – a “Proserpine Icon”, as John said.

‍

John Casey has lived with his father’s – now his – pet crocodile for 59 years

Charlene is a “Proserpine Icon” and a part of the town’s rich history

She was a regular at the pub in a much different Queensland than today

Images: Declan Durrant/Supplied

A new initiative that opens doorways and opportunities for people living with disabilities has just been announced by the Federal Government following the recent Jobs and Skills Summit.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that 93 per cent of unemployed working-age people with a disability have trouble finding employment despite there being a massive skill shortage in Australia and a demand for additional workforce across many sectors.

The summit identified that there needs to be better employment pathways for young people to get into the workforce and the Disability Employment Initiative pilot will identify what they are.

Jo Field is the Executive Manager of Disability and Community Development at Feros Care in Mackay and says the National Disability Insurance Agency has a goal to find meaningful employment for 30 per cent of people with a disability by 2023.

“There are so many benefits for an employer and an organisation,” said Jo.

“An improved culture of problem solving, better collaboration, improved reliability, less staff turnover and better attendance at work. That’s on top of the huge social benefits.”

One such person who is evidence of the benefits is Chanelle Morris who has a rare type of vision impairment and now works at Feros Care in Mackay.

Chanelle’s right eye only sees about 12 per cent, so is legally blind, and her left eye sees about 50 per cent vision so she has difficulty reading computers, recognising colleagues and seeing screens at meetings.

Despite these challenges she has found a career she loves at Feros and progressed in her role from HR Assistant to Executive Assistant within the last six months.

“The culture and people I work with have all offered their emotional support and physical support,” said Chanelle.

Chanelle is also the chair of the peer and carer support network group for people identifying with disability at Feros Care. Their main goal is to come together to share experiences and learn from others.

“My vision is to ensure everyone feels supported and connected. It is very important to me to provide a space where people feel they belong and can freely disclose information,” she said.

“I want this group to bring a sense of identity and belonging to individuals to feel included and valued.

Another goal of the group is to improve the diversity and inclusion aspect of Feros Care as an organisation to increase staff success and positivity and client satisfaction.”

Tips on how to support staff with disabilities:

· Listen

· Do not assume someone with a disability is not capable or might feel or act the same as others with the same diagnosis. Everyone is different and we all experience the world differently

· Have an open and honest conversation about their individual needs, such as any equipment

· Educate other colleagues and team members around disability. The work culture is a large influence in staff satisfaction and there is nothing worse than feeling distant and excluded from colleagues in the workplace

Image: Chanelle Morris with Jo Field, Executive Manager of Disability and Community Development at Feros Care in Mackay

‍

Australia’s largest service club organisation is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Formed in Lismore in 1947, the very first Lions Australia club ushered in a volunteering age of “uncommon kindness and putting the needs of the world first”.

Now the enormous community group will celebrate a milestone achievement with events across the country – including the Proserpine Lions Club, who hope to bring together the community in a barbecue celebration “to give back”.

This Sunday, the local chapter will host a Family Brunch and Fun Day to commemorate the 75 years and counting of its parent organisation.

President of Proserpine Lions Club Steve Thompson said Pioneer Park will be a scene of celebration, food, and entertainment.

“We decided that for our 75th birthday celebrations, we wanted to continue to give back to the Proserpine community,” Mr Thompson said.

“As well, we want to highlight to the community all the wonderful things we do. Showing them what we’re about and draw some interest in joining.”

Proserpine Lions Club will celebrate its own 54th anniversary in November, having begun in 1968.

The Pioneer Park event will host a jumping castle, face paint, Mr Whipsunday, and live music courtesy of young Whitsunday performers and band Sweet Alibis.

The local club are also planning some major projects in the near future to commemorate their Australia-wide 75th birthday.

“We’re all about the community and we want to bring the community we love together for a great day,” Mr Thompson said.

WHAT: Proserpine Lion’s 75th Anniversary Family Brunch And Fun Day Celebration

WHEN: Sunday, October 16 from 10am to 2pm

WHERE: Pioneer Park, Proserpine

‍

President of Proserpine Lions Club Steve Thompson said the non-for-profit are inviting the community to a Brunch Funday this Sunday

Image: Declan Durrant

The six and a half years Ash Barnicoat has been owner of Proserpine Smash Repairs & Restoration have seen him cultivate his passion for classic cars.

The qualified panel beater and spray painter of over 20 years “grew up in a wrecking yard around cars” where he learned to love the design and trademark ‘look’ of cars from yesteryear.

Now in Proserpine running his popular crash repairer business, he’s managed to find a perfect balance between his customer-base - the good, salt of the earth people of the sugarcane town – and his love for working on cars from a time when craftmanship was king.

“It took us two years to build up the business, and now we specialise in those old cars because I love them,” Ash said.

“We still do insurance claims; we still do those regular things, but the restorations are what really excites me. It’s the best part of my job.”

Ash, who runs his business alongside his wife of 28 years, Deb Barnicoat, said that she acted as the brains while he was the “peasant panel beater out on the floor”, and the pair were so grateful to be a part of Proserpine’s community.

“For us, it’s the small town that we really enjoy aside from the restorations. The people are so good: you can leave your keys in the car and no one will take it – that’s the kind of place it is,” Ash said.

“They’ve been good to us and I think we’ve been good to them. The Prossie people, they’re so down to earth and honest that it’s made it a pleasure to own the business here.”

Proserpine Smash Repairs & Restoration specialise in every facet of panel beating and repairs, working in tangent with insurance companies to get you back on the road, or helping you fix up your classic Mustang or Chevrolet.

‍

Proserpine Smash Repairs & Restoration owner Ash Barnicoat

Image: Declan Durrant

When asked how many volunteers St Vincent de Pauls Op Shop in Proserpine had, volunteer Elsie Magee said, “not enough.”

Both of the major charity organisation’s op shops in Cannonvale and Proserpine are in need of extra helping hands after a recent downturn in available helpers saw their numbers plummet.

Ms Magee said the storefront in Proserpine had been “so short in just the last two weeks, we haven’t even emptied our bins of clothes.”

“We have such a generous community in Proserpine when it comes to giving clothes and items, we just need volunteers now,” she said.

“Everyone is looking for them. We’ve spoken with our Townsville branch and they’re short; they’ve got 150 plus bins full with clothes that they can’t sort through for lack of volunteers.

“Even if you can spare a few hours, that’s enough.”

Ms Magee - a thirty-three-year veteran of Vinnies - said coming to the Proserpine shop was the “absolute best part” of her day.

“Since my husband has gone, I would go nuts staying at home all the time,” she laughed.

“I think giving back is the best part of it. You give and you get back and you’re out of the house, having a good time.”

Mainly, a volunteer at Vinnies will sort donated clothing or manage the storefront from the floor or from behind the till – but they’ll “always have a good time”, Elsie said.

To volunteer at Proserpine or Cannonvale St Vincent de Pauls, interested parties can head to either store and enquire.

‍

Volunteers at Proserpine St Vincent de Pauls Op Shop are asking if you’ll join their ranks

Image: Declan Durrant

Mackay Driver Makes History At Mount Panorama

Mackay’s motorsport rising star Declan Fraser made his V8 Supercars debut last weekend in the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama.

22-year-old Declan was the Triple Eight wildcard entry in this year’s Bathurst 1000, racing alongside his childhood idol Craig Lowndes.

The dynamic duo led the race at points throughout the day, ultimately finishing eighth, the highest-ever finish for a wildcard entrant.

“It’s sort of surreal, that it’s all over so quickly,” Declan said.

“It’s been a massive build-up over the past couple of months to get to the race and then in one day, it’s all over.

“I learnt a lot and had an amazing time and to come around with a history-making result is pretty cool.”

Declan currently leads the 2022 Dunlop Super2 Series but had been focusing on Bathurst 1000 preparations for months leading into the race, with physical training ramping up in preparation for longer sprints than he’s used to in Super2.

“For me, it was just making sure that I was mentally and also physically fit,” he said.

“By the end of the day, I was feeling fantastic, and I was just glad that we could blast the whole race, stay in the lead lap and come home with a strong result.”

With his driving partner Craig Lowndes having experienced Mount Panorama so many times, Declan said he had a wealth of knowledge to share both on and off the track.

“He taught me a lot about the car balance throughout the day as the track progressed,” he said.

“It was a very weird track this year … because we had so much rain the day prior, it was basically going out on a fresh track like being out on practice one.

“For me, it was just making sure that I knew exactly what to do and he was really, really helpful in making sure that I went out there with the most knowledge and knew exactly what to do.”

Craig also shared advice on how to handle the hype of the event.

“It’s such a big event for fans and the teams and everything, so he was really instrumental in making sure I was mentally prepped and not too drained from the outside influences,” Declan said.

Currently in the lead of the Super2 Series, Declan has one final race for the 2022 series in Adelaide in early December.

“To tell you the truth, I’m already prepping now,” he said.

“We’ve got six weeks of full prep to make sure we can round out the championship and come home with a win.”

Image: Declan Fraser finished eighth in the Bathurst 1000, driving alongside legend Craig Lowndes. Photos supplied

‍

We’re all “walking on eggshells” as far as interest rates go with the country witnessing a rapid rise in the figures from the Reserve Bank – the most recent coming just two days ago.

The local property market, however, is sailing smooth according to Whitsunday Realty Principal Troy Liesch – at least if you’re a landowner.

“I haven’t seen the interest rates effect the prices [of houses] yet, but if you look around it’s still a demand issue. A house comes along and it’s snapped up quick; it’s certainly a sellers’ market,” Mr Liesch said.

“The price of homes seems to be high, and the market is still good. Houses are selling quickly if they’re any good, rent’s great for the landlord, and commercial rentals are ridiculous in Proserpine.

“If you were looking to sell, this would be the time to do it.”

Mr Liesch said the interest rate hikes would “have to start hurting somebody somewhere” in the Whitsundays soon enough.

“If it’s real estate taking the hit, there will still be buyers. They’ll have a lot more difficulty gaining a bank loan, which will be a problem,” he said.

“Then one would think we’ll see the prices go down. It’s been holding for nearly three years, since Covid and it’s hard to say whether it has plateaued now.”

For sellers, the market is in a boom: Mr Liesch said he regularly sees a home go up for sale and be sold within the week – normally they would remain on the market for 30 to 40 days.

“If I was thinking about selling my house, it’d be sooner rather than later,” he said.

“People can come have any conversation with me – a free appraisal or a chat about the market – I’m happy to talk to them. Whether it’s rental or selling, we’re here to help.”

‍

Whitsunday Realty Principal Troy Liesch said the property market is in a selling mood

Image: Declan Durrant

In the 2000s, the fields of Proserpine were lit in violent shades of amber and red, ablaze almost every night in the cool harvest winds.

It’s rarer now to see sugarcane burning in the night; the old ritual is becoming an all but a forgotten art, especially in the Whitsundays, according to local farmers.

But, for those outside the industry, the question remains: what happened to the hot nights when fire fled across the fields in sugarcane country?

‍

Why Do We Burn?

Burnt sugarcane is far easier to cut, according to the Proserpine Historical Museum.

“When I first came to this district, the locals always referred to the black fallout, [the ash] - from the fires as ‘black gold’,” a Proserpine Museum spokesperson said.

“The burnt cane was a lot easier to cut and load; it’s as simple as that.”

The history of preharvest burning dates to the 1940s when most sugarcane crop was “cut green” – a practice which saw residual ‘trash’ – green leaf matter that grows on the plant’s stalk – left on the plant during the harvest.

Preharvest burns were uncommon in that time but may have been born during high infestations of rats which led to an exposure for labourers to leptospirosis, better known as Weil’s disease, a potentially fatal illness spread in rat urine.

Burning the fields – mostly in areas close by to mills and with high rat populations – became vital to stopping the diseases rampage through labourers, who, at the time, were cutting by hand.

When labour shortages arrived during World War Two, widespread use of pre-harvest burning to speed up harvesting came with it. Rising post-war labour costs saw burning become a standard for its ease, and it became even more popular when it was deemed to be extremely effective.

The early mechanical harvesters in the 1960s were even initially designed to cut for this burnt system and were not well adapted to cutting green.

According to Proserpine sugarcane farmer Tony Large, harvesters have improved, and green cutting has become the norm after experimentation in the ‘80s saw it an easier method after heavy rainfall.

“The machines could only handle that burnt cane, not the biomass, and now they’ve made the machines that are capable of cutting green,” Mr Large said.

“Back in the day, people weren’t cutting as much. The fields grew bigger and burning the cane was necessary; it was smarter to burn and produce faster.”

‍

What Happens Next?

The tides have turned on the sugarcane burns, and tourists who visit Proserpine are lucky to witness one – but sometimes the tradition is still necessary.

The Burdekin Region is one location in North Queensland that, despite the almost industry-wide change, continues to burn almost all its crop. A district with a high yielding one- or two-year crop, the Burdekin has largely avoided green-cane harvesting because of difficulties in cutting its fast-growing, thick produce which is well irrigated.

But for Proserpine, it’s a different story: some years farmers must burn, but the problem is now finding the help they need.

“Twenty years ago, you could get anyone to come with you for a burn; now that’s not the case,” Mr Large said.

“The experience just isn’t there anymore in the young farmers. I’d say most blokes under 35, 40 have just the basic knowledge of it, but they don’t know how to make it work.

“I have a neighbour who I burn with – I’ve been doing it with him for years – but one day that might stop. Those youngsters will have to learn.”

An iconic Queensland image may just be disintegrating before the Whitsundays’ eyes.

‍

Sugarcane burning has slowly fazed out in the Whitsundays, and locals are asking why the iconic Queensland scene is a becoming a rarity

Proserpine sugarcane farmer Tony Large said that burning sugarcane is rare, depending on the season

‍

Babies are born ready to learn. Their brains develop through experiences, so your child needs a stimulating environment with plenty of different ways to play and learn. Your child also needs opportunities to repeat and practise what they’re learning.

Babies and young children learn best when they have warm, engaged and responsive relationships with their main carers. You are your child’s first teacher, and your child will keep learning from you as they grow older.

Your young child learns through everyday play and exploration in a safe and stimulating environment, which can include:

• observing things, watching faces and responding to voices

• listening to sounds, making sounds and singing

• exploring – for example, putting things in their mouth, shaking things and turning things around

• asking questions – for example, ‘But why?’

• experimenting with textures, objects and materials like water, sand or dirt

• building things from objects like cardboard boxes or toy blocks

• doing things that stimulate their senses – touch, taste, smell, vision and hearing.

Your child also learns by being involved in their learning. This could be as simple as:

• choosing books to read

• pointing to pictures in books

• choosing objects and toys to play with

• picking out vegetables for dinner

• measuring out ingredients for baking.

All children benefit from trying plenty of different activities. This gives them many ways to learn and many chances to practise what they’re learning. For example, it’s important for your child to have activities that are inside and outside, physically active or quiet, free play or more structured, and so on. Make sure you’re doing what you can to facilitate safe and stimulating learning for your child.

‍

Two Proserpine students were crowned winners in a national television show that pitted them against some of Australia’s brightest youngsters.

Using their brainpower, Proserpine State High School year 11 student Liam Stuchbree and year 12 student Mac Rogers teamed up to win the brand-new Channel 10 show ‘Ultimate Classroom’.

The challenge-based series saw the boys compete in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) test like no other. Facing 15 other Australian students, they built replica bridges, deciphered codes, flew drones, and solved puzzles to come out on top.

The pair kept their win a secret for three months after wrapping production and returning home to the Whitsundays.

“We had so many people asking us how we went and we just couldn’t say a thing. They kept trying to get it out of me,” Mac Rogers said.

“I think I convinced most of my friends that we did pretty badly. They were definitely surprised when they found out we won!”

Much of the show was filmed at Amberley Air Force Base with Defence Force personnel dictating the challenges, as well as maths teacher and YouTube star Eddie Woo – including the finale which saw the contestants attempt to complete a Bedlam Cube.

The solid dissection puzzle comprised of thirteen pieces has over 19 thousand distinct ways of being assembled into a cube. It took its creator almost two years to solve and acted as the shows final problem.

Liam and Mac solved it alongside their fellow pink team member to clinch the overall win.

“It was a lot of gambles that came together really well,” Liam Stuchbree said.

“It was an awesome experience and to win as well was amazing. The highlights had to be going for a ride at the end in some of these huge Air Force planes and as winners we received a laptop each and GoPros.”

The boys said, although there were some embarrassing moments watching the show back now, it was an incredible experience.

“It was really surreal filming all day for the challenge and then doing these ten-minute recaps at the end of the day where you pretend you’re in the moment,” Mac said.

“Watching it back, there were a few awkward parts we kind of wish they’d cut out, but it came together really well. Such a cool environment where we filmed in Screen Queensland Studios.”

The boys were unsure if they’d be called back in the future for an All-Star season of Ultimate Classroom, but they can be happy knowing they would forever be the debut Ultimate Classmates.

‍

Mac Rogers and Liam Stuchbree from Proserpine State High School won Channel 10’s Ultimate Classroom

Alongside 15 others, the boys competed in the national television series led by 1.6m subscriber YouTuber and maths teacher Eddie Woo, which aired from late September to early October

Transitioning into Prep is an exciting milestone for both children and their parents who are embarking on the next chapter of life.

It’s a time where new friendships are made, a formal education begins, and the foundations are set for the adults they will eventually become.

Holding your hand through this new adventure is Whitsunday Christian College whose nurturing Prep program allows each child to feel special, safe and protected.

Tucked safely within the sanctity of their intimate and dedicated Prep area, each young person benefits from a small-school environment that has low class sizes where every student is known by name.

Assistant Principal - Primary, Elmarie van der Westhuizen has been teaching at Whitsunday Christian College for the last 22 years and says there is nowhere she would rather be.

“I love the school and I love kids - each little goal they set and each little step they achieve is a celebration!” she said.

“It’s wonderful to see the change from when they first come to you and they don’t know anything, and when they finish, they can read and write – it’s the most rewarding job in the world!”

In the run-up to Prep, Whitsunday Christian College invites everyone in the community to their Get Ready for Prep mornings which are held every Tuesday between 9.30am and 11.30am.

These sessions help develop fine motor skills, oral language, phonological awareness and numeracy, which is all imparted through play-based and interactive teaching methods.

In Term four, 2023 Prep Students commence Transition Mornings. These mornings become a pathway for enrolled students to prepare for Prep and a formal orientation period begins where they learn routines and meet friends so they can become familiar with the school, allowing for a smoother transition.

Whitsunday Christian College is a non-denominational independent school who welcomes families that desire a values-based Christian education. The College desires to instil a love of learning in their students, while shaping young men and women of character who are eager to meet life’s challenges using their God-given gifts and talents.  

For more information about joining prep in January 2023, contact the school directly.

‍

Michael Forbes, Mrs Elmarie van der Westhuizen, Ivyanne Ferguson and Knox Rodman