A favourite watering hole in Mackay’s CBD is undergoing a $1.6 million renovation to revitalise the building’s beer garden, entertainment and bistro spaces.  

Mackay’s Metropolitan Hotel is set to become a new hub for Mackay locals, with renovations already underway. The ‘new and improved Met’ will include a new beer garden, which will become the perfect spot for locals to grab a few drinks and a bite to eat before or after a live show.

Works have also started on the pub’s sports bar and refreshing the gaming room and bistro are scheduled to follow soon, with these areas remaining open for the time being.

With the eagerly awaited facelift, so too comes an epic new menu. It will be packed with classic pub favourites that locals love but there will also be delicious new dishes to tempt hungry customers, including snacks and lighter food options.

Operator Australian Venue Co is undertaking the extensive renovation to position The Metropolitan Hotel as the new social and entertainment hub for Mackay residents.

“We’re excited to be refreshing the look and feel of The Metropolitan Hotel, giving the tired venue a modern upgrade”, says Craig Ellison, Chief Operating Officer of Australian Venue Co.

“With an impressive new beer garden and revitalised bistro area, the Mackay pub will soon be the ultimate celebration destination for local residents of all groups and sizes”, said Mr Ellison.

“The Metropolitan will also be home to an exciting lineup of entertainment, with an upcoming calendar jam packed with interstate and local acts locked in. We are looking forward to the venue also becoming a hub for functions and events.

“Australian Venue Co is investing into Metropolitan Hotel’s renovation so that locals can enjoy quality live entertainment and a delicious food and drink offering as part of a contemporary pub experience,” he added.

The Metropolitan Hotel is expected to fully reveal all renovated areas in early 2023.

The renovations at The Metropolitan in Mackay follow a number of extensive renovations by Australian Venue Co across Queensland including the recently reopened Boomerang Hotel in Mackay.

The Metropolitan Hotel is undergoing a $1.6 million renovation with construction already underway. Photo credit: Amanda Wright

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A few short weeks after the successful ‘Shades of Women’ event, local women’s advocate and CEO of Kickass Women, Jo Sainsbury has presented the Mackay Women’s Services with a $5,000 cheque and $6,000 worth of emergency hope bags.

The combination of both dedication and passion, Jo proudly delivered the proceeds and 12 hope bags to support women and children affected by domestic violence in the region across their services of Mackay Women’s Centre, Domestic Violence Resource Service and Sexual Assault Service – with an overwhelming response.

“Incredible. That’s the only way we can describe the impact this will have in giving women and children the relief, security, and opportunity to survive the first 24-48 hours. For some, it will be their only chance,” said Tersia Mouton, Mackay Women’s Service’s Service Delivery Manager.

Over 120 local women, sponsors, and community representatives came together on Saturday 9 July at a Gala Event held at Magpies Sporting Club to raise funds and highlight the severity of the issue that requires ongoing vital resources for the region of Mackay.

“Survivors of domestic violence often leave with nothing. The Hope Bags items, such as a phone, sim card, toiletries, and grocery voucher, honestly make the world of difference to them. To receive bags completely ready for emergency relief is truly a godsend,” she said.

Jo Sainsbury said that the next Shades of Women was already planned for 27 May 2023 in alignment with Domestic Violence Prevention Month, and she had an exciting announcement about the second event.

“It’s my absolute pleasure to welcome Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal as the Presenting Rights Sponsor for next year’s event. I cannot thank them enough for their support and backing of Shades of Women.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the sponsors of this year’s event who got behind the concept and helped bring it to life. It takes a collective effort to make an event happen, and it’s humbling to already be watching the growth and impact ramping up for 2023,” she said.

Jo said that she had started Kickass Women to empower and advocate for women and the Shades of Women event was an extension of the ethos and values to support women within our region – when they need it most.

Tickets for Shades of Women 2023 will be on sale later this year. Follow Kickass Women’s Facebook Page for updates www.facebook.com/KickassWomenAustralia

CEO of Kickass Women, Jo Sainsbury has presented the Mackay Women’s Services with a $5,000 cheque following the success of the Shades of Women event

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Mackay residents will benefit from enhanced mobile coverage and 5G capabilities, as Optus switches on three new towers across the region.

The newly installed Optus-owned sites, located in Mackay City West, Homebush, and Dolphin Heads, will provide Optus customers with greater communication through the improved density of the mobile network with enhanced coverage and increased network capacity.

As part of a $3.9 million investment into the area, the three towers are located in rural, city and beachside locations, enhancing the Optus network for the thousands of locals and tourists who live, work, and visit Mackay, a popular destination for travelling through to the Great Barrier Reef.

Dave Morrissey, Optus Territory General Manager for Northern QLD, is pleased to be providing the local community with greater mobile competition and choice through their network projects.

“We’re proud to be providing our customers with much-needed access to our fast 5G network from the Mackay City West, Homebush and Dolphin Heads towers,” Morrisey said.

“The introduction of Optus 5G for the first time in these areas will enable customers in the region to take advantage of an enhanced Optus network, where they can explore the innovations that come with this latest technology through faster download speeds and an enhanced user experience.”

“Installing these three new towers will also allow for competition and choice in the region for both local business and residents, with Optus offering its best network yet.”

The investment to expand Optus’ telecommunications infrastructure and mobile coverage is part of an ongoing project to improve coverage, reliability, and speed across the Optus mobile network.

The three new towers will join Mackay’s Blacks Beach tower which was turned on in November 2021, further providing support across the region for Optus customers to strengthen their connectivity.

A new Optus tower in Blacks Beach is one of three new towers being switched on by Optus in the Mackay region

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The second regular Northern Beaches Community Meeting took place last Wednesday, with the Camilleri Street Skate Park one item on the agenda.

Approximately 20 community members attended the meeting as well as Councillors Alison Jones, Fran Mann, Laurence Bonaventura, Pauline Townsend, Justin Englert and Belinda Hassan.

Concerned Northern Beaches resident Bessie Hayes spoke to the agenda item on the night, giving an update on the issue at the meeting and giving councillors an opportunity to provide reasons behind the council’s decision to have the mural painted over without community consultation.

“There was a robust discussion that only clarified that they (councillors) hadn’t voted for the motion as it lay but on their own perception of what it was,” said Ms Hayes.

“However, they did stay to mingle with community members after, who got the chance to speak to them personally to tell them why they were angry.

“They just wanted to be consulted.

“In the purest sense, Wednesday was the opportunity we wanted on July 27.”

Ms Hayes highlighted inconsistencies in claims made by multiple councillors relating to the Camilleri Street Skate Park mural.

In the ordinary meeting of council held on July 13, 2022, Councillors Martin Bella, Englert and Bonaventura stated that an application was made for the installation of public art as a memorial for Northern Beaches boy William Baker.

The application, however, makes no mention of William, as artist Anita Laura clarified in her address to council in the meeting.

“The intention of this mural is to brighten the space and see a mural with sort of themes of connection in that place,” said Ms Laura.

Mackay Regional Council Acting CEO Angela Hays agreed, saying it was her and the office’s recommendation that council support the application.

“The design of the mural itself does not reference any individual in any way and I understand that it is the family’s strong wishes as well that this is not considered a memorial of any sort,” said Ms Hays.

Moreover, similarities have been drawn between this application and past memorial applications made by the community for Shandee Blackburn.

“I voted to have the memorial at Camilleri Street skate park taken down because council policy doesn’t allow public memorials – one example is an application for Shandee Blackburn that was denied,” Councillor Englert wrote in Mackay Life in our August 5 edition.

Mackay Regional Council posted a photo of a memorial garden to Facebook on August 8, 2014, with the Community and Client Services Monthly Review for 4 August - 7 September 2014 describing the image as “Image of Cr Theresa Morgan with Shandee Blackburn’s mum for the launch of the new garden installed by council and a local contractor.”

“They said that they had rejected that memorial wall and, quite clearly, they haven’t rejected that wall and they actually funded it,” said Ms Hayes.

“I’m not comparing the two…one is a memorial funded by council for the right purpose; this one is public artwork, community funded; they’ve added the bias of the memorial to it.”

Ms Hayes addressed council at the ordinary meeting held on July 27, 2022, asking council to go to community consultation.

The motion to take the decision to community consultation was ultimately denied despite calls for community consultation from multiple councillors in the previous meeting.

“That reason was for why they were rejecting the application, whereas they didn’t give any reasons as to why they were rejecting community consultation,” said Ms Hayes.

“It was a beautiful piece of art…it kept obscenities from being scrawled all over there by graffiti…so there’s my rates not going to the clean-up of graffiti, getting something that’s beautiful for the kids going on, that tiny percentage of Will’s family and friends get their own meaning out of it and they can visit and that can mean something to them, but for 10, 20, 30 years, that’s artwork for everyone and not graffiti and obscenities for everyone.”

Another reason given by Council to cover the artwork was the incorrect following of Council’s public art approval process, due to what Ms Laura called a “miscommunication”.

Ms Hayes says the community group will revisit the artwork application further down the track and hopes regular Northern Beaches Community Meetings will see the potential of the northern beaches realised.

“The highlight is that the community is keen to continue the meetings quarterly and collaborate with some other community groups to get some activities and events going,” she said.

Former Councillor Theresa Morgan, Vicki Blackburn, Jason Costigan (former MP) and representatives from Dig-it! Landscapes gathering at a memorial garden dedicated to Shandee Blackburn on the 18-month anniversary of her fatal walk home. Photo supplied: Mackay Regional Council

The mural painted at the Camilleri Street Skate Park before it was painted over by Mackay Regional Council

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Mortgage rates and council rates have gone up, which leads to hikes in rent. The cost of petrol is ridiculous, which then causes the cost of everything else to increase. Food is becoming scarce due to farmers not having the necessary workforce to help with harvests, which pushes the price up.

We’re all feeling the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis, with no relief in sight.

Inflation rose to a high of 6.1 per cent in June, the highest it’s been in 21 years.

We’re not alone, however. Many countries around the world are grappling with rising inflation. The USA, UK, Germany, New Zealand and Canada have all experienced higher inflation than Australia, ranging from 7.3 per cent in New Zealand to the UK’s 9.4 per cent.

In comparison, wages rose an average of 2.4 per cent during the March quarter, but a lot of hard-working Aussies didn’t get a pay rise at all this year. It’s hard to stay positive when you reaslise that, due to inflation, you’re actually earning less value than you did the year before, despite being a hard-working, faithful employee.

This then drives people towards other avenues. A different career, or perhaps no career. Why work your guts out when you could be spending more time with your family if you have savings?

This then compounds the other major issue Australia is facing, a skills and worker shortage.

All sorts of suggestions are being thrown around, from allowing children as young as 13 to work, to reducing the penalty for pensioners to work, allowing some of our aged yet skilled nurses and teachers to return to work without reducing their pension so severely.

If older people want to work then good on them, I think that’s fantastic. I just hope we’re not spiraling towards a future where our older generation have to work, just to live.

It’s the vulnerable who are feeling it the most. Beneficiaries, those earning lower-than-average wages and those with high debt levels. The only ones who seem to be winning in this situation are the banks and petroleum companies.

So who is winning because they are winning? There’s the real problem.

Amanda

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In early August, Mackay Pet Rescue Incorporated (MRPI) received a call from an Ergon Energy depot with a most unusual report: a cat had fallen through their ceiling.

Ergon workers arrived at the depot one morning to find a ginger cat and a hole in the ceiling, the cat bolting the moment the door was opened.  

A few days later, the staff could hear meowing and got in touch with MRPI.

One of the MPRI team scaled a three-metre ladder to assess the situation, ultimately setting traps and trail cameras in the ceiling.  

“The staff at Ergon were amazing,” MRPI said in a Facebook post.

“They are such a friendly, caring group of workers.  

“They helped us as much as they could, getting ladders, resetting the traps morning and night, etc.”  

In the early hours of August 12, an unharmed, desexed male cat was found in one of the traps in the ceiling.  

Robin Morgan from MPRI carefully removed him from the trap and the cat happily settled in her arms - this was no feral cat; this was someone’s pet.  

Fortunately, the cat was microchipped, and his details were up to date.  

A call was placed to his owners, 1600km away.

The Newcastle residents had given up all hope of ever finding their cat, adorably named Eugene.

Eugene had escaped twice while his owners were travelling from Townsville to Newcastle, his last known whereabouts being Sarina eight months prior.

The adventures Eugene embarked on between then and now remain a mystery, but he was finally reunited with his owners last month.

“This story clearly highlights the importance of microchipping your pet so if it gets lost it can be reunited with its family,” the Facebook post reads.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the caring team at the Ergon Depot for going above and beyond to help rescue this cat from their ceiling.

“Well done to everyone involved.

“What a fantastic result.  

“We all love a happy ending.”

Eugene was located in the roof of an Ergon Energy depot before being returned to his Newcastle owners eight months after he went missing. Photos supplied: Mackay Pet Rescue Incorporated

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Around 100 students from Central Queensland came together in Mackay last week at the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation (QATSIF) Scholarship Graduation ceremony to celebrate graduating senior.

An incredible 98.24 per cent of QATSIF scholarship students graduated from Year 12 in 2020, compared to 83.1 per cent of all Australian students and only 64.8 per cent of other Queensland First Nations students.

Queensland’s Public Trustee works with the QATSIF Board of Advice to invest and distribute scholarship funds.

The CEO of the Public Trustee Samay Zhouand said QATSIF is helping 266 Mackay students through senior this year by providing them with scholarships so they can continue their studies in Years 11 and 12.

“QATSIF has been running for nearly 14 years now, and the Public Trustee is proud to be associated with its amazing work,” he said.

“Of 2,000 QATSIF scholarship students across the state, there are 202 in leadership roles this year, including 22 school captains and 10 Vice Captains – a great achievement.

“Of the highest achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Queensland, five of the seven named are QATSIF scholarship students.

“It’s clear the Foundation is making a massive difference to outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students,” he said.

QATSIF’s Secretariat Director Michael Nayler said more than $2.4 million was distributed through QATSIF in 2021-22, leading to great results for the students involved.

“Five of the last seven 7 News’ Young Indigenous Achiever Awards were awarded to QATSIF students – including two overall Queensland winners,” Mr Nayler said.

“And 18 of the 22 students named in the Peter Doherty Outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander STEM awards have also been QATSIF scholarship students,” he said.

Students who graduated in 2020 have gone on do well, with 87.3 per cent in employment, education and training last year, compared to 80.5 per cent of all Queensland students and 61.5 per cent of other First Nations students.

L-R: Andrew Wilcox – Federal Member for Dawson, Lainey Wilson - Senior Cultural Captain of Mirani State High School, and Samay Zhouand, CEO of the Public Trustee, Queensland. Images supplied

Students who attended the QATSIF Scholarship Graduation ceremony

Samay Zhouand and Juliette Gilbert – Member for Mackay

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Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson relished the opportunity to be a tour guide last week, showing Governor Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM the sights and sweet delights, as she conducted a visit to the region.

During her visit to the Mackay region, Dr Young and Mr Williamson, along with Dr Young’s husband Professor Graeme Nimmo, attended a variety of events and community visits.

Last Tuesday, August 23, Dr Young and Prof Nimmo were welcomed to the region at a Civic Reception at the MECC.

The next day, they travelled south to Sarina for a Community Breakfast at the Sarina Sporting and Services Club before being treated to a private tour of the Sarina Sugar Shed.

Making their way back to Mackay, the tour then took the official party to the Iona West Men’s Shed.

“It’s indeed an honour and a privilege to have (the official party) visit us this morning to meet with some of our members and have a look at our facilities,” said Iona West Men’s Shed Chairman Geoff Strange.

Established in September 2010, Iona West Men’s Shed currently has 27 members and is planning to expand with new facilities in the future.

“I am pleased to announce that our application for incorporation was approved a couple of weeks ago and hopefully this will put us in a better position to apply for land for an existing building to expand our activity,” said Mr Strange.

Prof Nimmo, who is a patron of the Queensland Men’s Shed Association, says this was his third Men’s Shed visit.

“The Governor and I are very pleased to be patrons of such a unique and worthwhile organisation,” he said.

“It’s a wonderful initiative.

“The Men’s Shed is much more than handicraft; it’s fellowship, it’s companionship, it’s community, and that’s probably the great strength of this organisation so I commend you and your committee and chair for all the good work that you do.

“Please keep it up and please keep growing.”

Iona West Men’s Shed also took the opportunity to surprise Mayor Greg Williamson with a certificate of patronage, presented by president Bruce Miller.

“It’s great that we have some esteemed visitors to come and visit our humble shed,” said Mr Miller.

“Humble as it is, it’s a very important part of the members’ lives and an important part of the community.

“We’re really honoured that our mayor has agreed to represent us as a patron.”

The official party was then taken on a guided tour by Mr Miller and Media Officer Allen Grant, followed by a morning tea and meetings with the members of the Men’s Shed.

The next part of the tour took the official party to the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens for a community lunch.

Governor of Queensland Dr Jeannette Young, Professor Graeme Nimmo and Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson visited Iona West Men’s Shed last Wednesday. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

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Labour shortages driving the price of food up, the looming fuel excise increase and continued strain on the housing market is escalating a cost of living crisis which is forcing more locals into increased debt to cover essentials or onto the street.

Federal member for Dawson Andrew Willcox warns that without hands to work the harvests, farmers will be reluctant to plant crops for fear the food will end up rotting on the ground and in trees with no workforce to pick and pack produce.

Willcox Warns Of Food Shortage Crisis

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox warns labour shortages are driving the price of groceries up and escalating the cost-of-living crisis.

“We’re on the verge of a food shortage crisis,” Mr Willcox said.

“This is the time when farmers start to buy seed and plan for their next year’s crop and they’re very concerned about the labour shortages…which means food is rotting on the ground, rotting on the vine, not being picked, which means, for the average person, they’re paying a lot more in the supermarket.”

The Greater Whitsunday Region is home to the largest horticultural winter produce growing region in the country, valued at $450 million annually, and Mr Willcox says the agriculture and food processing sectors estimate the current workforce shortage at over 170,000 workers.

He has called on the Australian Government to reinstate the Ag Visa, saying the Government’s reliance on the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme will fall short of the industry’s current needs.

“It can also be a pathway, if successful, to be able to stay in Australia,” he said.

“That way we have the farmers train the people, get the benefit out of their workforce, but then actually have some longevity in that so they can actually keep a trained workforce going forward.”

Mr Willcox says there should also be a plan to allow veterans and pensioners to be able to work on farms without it affecting their payments.

“There are a lot of lighter duties…you don’t have to necessarily have a lot of physical dexterity to be able to work on farms,” he said.

In response to cost-of-living pressures and soaring fuel costs, the previous Australian Government temporarily halved the fuel excise in March which is set to run out this month.

Mr Willcox is calling on the Government to continue the fuel excise cut.

“We’ve got the cost-of-living crisis right now, so let’s see what we can do to help the average mum and dad now and then we can have a look at other options as we go further,” he said.

“If we don’t get this sorted out, it’s going to be a lot more expensive for the average mum and dad…and they’re going to feel it in their hip pocket.”

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox says we are on the verge of a food shortage crisis which will escalate the cost of living. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

‍Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox says reinstating the Ag Visa and continuing to half the fuel excise will relieve cost-of-living pressures for the families of Dawson

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For F45 Airlie Beach trainer Monique Pattison, fitness is a lifestyle.

“Being fit makes me feel powerful; being able to lift a certain weight makes you powerful; being faced with a challenge and being able to say: ‘I can do that’ is a great feeling,” she said.

“I want to help people feel that way.”

Born into a fitness family – her mother has been an outdoor trainer herself for the past 10 years - Monique moved to the Whitsundays a year ago to get away from a Covid crazed Melbourne in on-again-off-again lockdowns.

She’d first experienced the region on holiday with her partner, and the lure of the sunnier part of the country was strong enough to bring her here, but what kept her here was its people and helping them achieve their goals.

“One of the things that makes me so happy is when someone accomplishes something. It can be something as small as a box jump,” Monique said.

“To see someone smile from something like that, that fills my soul.”

With a background in gymnastics and triathlons, staying fit has always been a personal passion, but now as a trainer at F45, she instils that passion into others.

“I know training can be hard for some people, they might not enjoy it, but that’s the difference with F45. You’re in a community. That’s what brought me to the gym,” Monique said.

“I love the values, which come from the top down with Sonny, our owner, who just explains things with health and fitness that let you relate to him.

“That’s one of the things I’ve learnt in my time at F45. With health and fitness, I think we’re so lucky to be able to exercise and I want to share that with people – that’s a value I’ve had and aligns with F45 so well.”

The world-renowned business, which has been in Airlie Beach for roughly ten weeks, has already made an impact on the region and those who train there.

As just one of the trainers at the fitness community that dreams big with its motto of “Team Training, Life Changing”, Monique said she feels privileged to be able to experience those fitness journeys of the people who train with her.

Pop in to F45 Airlie Beach and meet Monique and the other trainers and start your fitness journey alongside a welcoming community.

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Noun: Movement

It can be as simple as getting out of bed in the morning, as little as wiggling your finger, and it can be as big as moving mountains.

It can be a group of people working together to advance a shared idea, it can be a campaign, a minor part of a wider musical symphony. And movement can be hitting the gym or running along the boardwalk.

Welcome to Whitsunday Life’s Movement Month.

For the entirety of September, Your Community Voice In Print will highlight how to get moving. Following on from our widely successful Nutrition Month, and with the support of the region’s local movers – gyms, physios, chiropractors and more – your weekly newspaper will be putting exercise in the spotlight.

With a focus on the benefits of exercise and recovery, as well as the local experts who can help you get moving, there’s no excuse but to dig in and better yourself this month.

So where do we start?

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore – they’re extremely well documented. But in a fast-moving, technology-based world, we’re certainly not moving as much as we should be.

Living a sedentary life may be the way our world is trending, but it’s certainly not the right way to live, nor is it the happiest. If you spend too much time engaging in behaviours that expend very little energy, it can cause you major problems – both with your mental and physical health.

On the flip side, there are the obvious benefits to exercising like weight-loss, combating health conditions, improving your mood, better sleep – the bottom line is it’s the best way to boost yourself in every facet.

Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. The best time to start moving may have been yesterday, but the second-best time is now.

This week’s challenge: Get Moving.

Whether it’s going for a run, working out, or as little as going for a walk, this week is your signal: enlist a friend and let’s start a movement movement.

There’s no better time than now to get moving

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Police officers from across the state made their way to the Whitsundays to test their limits in a gruelling race with an altruistic goal in late July.

The annual Whitsunday’s Toughest Race was held on the Whitsunday Great Walk by Queensland Police Service in support of victims of domestic and family violence.

The race, which was held on July 30, included nine teams of Police Officers from across Queensland.

It is the second time that the event has been run by Proserpine police station, and often takes its competitors more than nine hours to complete.

The title for this year’s race remained with last year’s champions– a team from Bowen Police Station – who again claimed the bragging rights, completing the course in a new record time.

The first ever event was organised by Proserpine police Sergeant Mark Flynn, who said the idea behind the race has always been to raise funds for people in domestic and family violence situations.

“Funds raised from the race were used to purchase toys for children, and care packages for mothers,” Sergeant Flynn said.

“[The toys] are gifted to community members forced to seek emergency accommodation after experiencing domestic and family violence.”

On Tuesday, Sergeant Mark Flynn delivered the gifts to Whitsunday Counselling Service.

“In an act of wonderful generosity, Big W Whitsunday donated $3,500 worth of gifts in addition to those purchased by the police,” Sergeant Flynn said.

Sergeant Flynn said this year’s event had already grown exponentially on the last, and he hoped next year’s would be the same.

Proserpine Police Officers continued a new tradition of running the gruelling Whitsunday Great Walk in support of domestic and family violence victims, donating toys from the funds raised

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The Collinsville airport runway will soon be completely resurfaced, making it all an all-weather facility which can be accessed by a multitude of aircraft.

Located six kilometres out of town, the airport has always been unsealed, but this new funding stream will allow for fresh tarmac to replace the previous surface.

Costing a total of $450,000, the runway has been jointly funded by Whitsunday Regional Council and the Federal Government as part of the Remote Airstrip Upgrade Program.

Councillor Michelle Wright said that it was a competitive program with almost every remote airstrip in Australia putting in an application.

This was not the first time they had applied for upgrades for Collinsville runway, but with Whitsunday Regional Council contributing equally, Cr Wright believes this aided its approval.

“When I was elected this was one of the main things the community said that they wanted and I am really pleased that we have been able to deliver it now,” she said.

Collinsville Aerodrome is a vital piece of infrastructure for the remote town who were completely cut off for several weeks after Cyclone Debbie and relied upon the unsealed airstrip for supplies.

It is also an important facility for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) who received 55 activations in 2021.

For many locals, the aerodrome represents a lifeline.

With the new sealed runway, however, it is hoped that it will enhance business and recreation to the town as well.

Tender will go out this year and work will be due to commence in March 2023.

Collinsville Aerodrome was used for 55 med-evacs by the Royal Flying Doctor Service in 2021

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After a two-year hiatus, the Proserpine Health Festival is back and this year’s theme is ‘The World Within’, helping participants feel empowered by learning better life choices and looking inside their bodies to improve overall wellbeing.

The community of health services in Proserpine are banding together once again to give an educational and supportive experience to those interested in learning more about their health.

From colonics to naturopathy, nutrition to fitness and breathwork - festival-goers can experience a wide range of informative presentations and interactive workshops from local experts.

A wealth of health knowledge, organiser Selena Daly, says the Proserpine wellness community is a group of local businesses that all work in alliance to enhance the health of others.

“We all work so harmoniously together,” she said.

“Everyone is there for the benefit of the clients, and we all bounce ideas off each other to support others.”

“This week is Women’s Health Week, and we are all women, so this shows wonderful synergy!”

The whole community is invited to the festival which takes place at the Proserpine Community Centre next weekend, September 10 and 11 from 9am until 2pm.

Tickets are flexible and affordable with half-day passes just $10, full-day $20 and a weekend pass for $30.

“This is our way of giving back to the community – supporting them as they support us,” said Selena.

Tickets can be purchased from Bottoms Up Colonics or Wellness Centre Proserpine.

You can also purchase cash-only tickets at the door.

WHAT: Proserpine Health Festival

WHEN: Saturday, September 10 and Sunday, September 11 from 9am – 2pm

WHERE: Proserpine Community Centre

Healthy fun at the 2019 Proserpine Health Festival

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It’s been 125 years since the first cohort of Proserpine State School students began lessons on a vastly different school campus to the one the township knows today.

Over a century on from those days, the local primary school will celebrate its momentous 125th anniversary this weekend with a School Fete, where it will remember its long history.

The school opened the very same year as the completed construction and first sugar season of the Proserpine Mill – an event which undoubtedly heralded the beginning of modern Proserpine.

It has seen countless students pass through its doors.

Julianne O’Brien is just one local for whom the school holds special significance; it has been a home away from home for four generations of her family.

“My mother worked as a teacher here for fifteen years before I started as a student at the Primary School in 1964,” Ms O’Brien said.

“I finished year seven here and came back as a teacher myself in 1984, working until about 2014 – I’ve been at this school a long time. While I was teaching, my son came to this school, too.

“It has changed so much, and it’s just constantly changing. I’m glad my granddaughter Lily [O’Brien] gets to experience the benefit of all that change now that she’s here in her first year of prep.”

Ms O’Brien will be just one of the ex-students taking part in the festivities for the school’s celebratory fete on Saturday, September 3. She’ll watch on as the school cuts a 125-year cake, hosts choirs, and old-fashioned games, as well as bands and food vans.

But she’s most excited about the Proserpine Historical Society display on the day: a classroom styled in the fashion of when she herself was a teacher and a student.

“I’ve got some memorabilia for that. I’ll be bringing along some of my son’s work from when he was in grade one, which I notice is still the same basic work as Lily is doing now she’s in the same grade!” Ms O’Brien said.

“Some things never change.”

The event starts at 2.30pm with an official opening ceremony and will feature school tours alongside other activities, including a firework display. The school will be producing a book which collates its 125-year history as well, which will be purchasable at the event.

Wilmar Sugar will be hosting their own display at the event to commemorate their 125th anniversary, too.

“This school has been my whole life, and my mother’s whole life. Four generations of O’Briens have been at this school; I think it speaks for itself,” Ms O’Brien said.

Lily said she wants to grow up to be a teacher, too.

Lily and Julianne O’Brien will be celebrating alongside Proserpine State School for the institutions 125th birthday this weekend

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