Bowen Turf Club was host to a roaring success for their major race day of the year on Saturday, seeing thousands arrive at Ben Bolt Park in their ‘Saturday best’ for the Bowen Cup.

“The Race That Stops The Whitsundays” hosted punters galore celebrating a day of five local races, fashion on the field, good food, and plenty of cheer.

The festivities went on into the evening as courtesy buses ferried betters back into town for an afterparty for the ages at the Grand View Hotel.

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Images: Declan Durrant

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Hi, Constant Readers.

There’s a great irony to the name of this section because I suffer from dreadful seasickness.

I know: What a place to live in and have crippling nausea on boats. You’re in literal paradise and you can’t even go out fishing, you must be thinking.

There’s no way you’d catch me ‘On Deck’ unless you mean the back porch at someone’s house.

I say this because I sat down at Shute Harbour Marine Terminal for a while on Saturday morning, watching sailors hop on jet skis and vessels. What was most entrancing to me was the physical act of prepping for sailing, not so much the sailing itself.

It would be very weird if I bought a boat purely to do the rigging, though.

But it made me think about the hobbies I have - the ones that don’t make me physically ill – and appreciate them a little more. So, this weekend, I’m making a vow to partake in them a little more than usual.

It’s easy to be lazy on the weekend, it’s hard to have a hobby, but it’s brilliant for your brain if you do – and by God can they be fun.

I find I spend a lot of time on my phone, so for this weekend, I’m putting the ol’ fella on charge and leaving him at home. It’s good to disconnect, to maybe go for a hike, take some pictures, go camping, read a book, just hang out with friends – or maybe go sailing.

So, are you with me? Put your phone down this weekend and join me, Constant Reader. We’ll have a blast.

Bon voyage.

Declan

Quote Of The Week:

Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto. – Dale Carnegie

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Young Man Dies After Fatal Police Shooting

The holiday town of Airlie Beach is in deep shock this week following a tragic incident where 24-year-old man who was allegedly armed with a knife, charged at police causing them to fire upon him between four to five times, one allegedly causing a fatal injury.

The incident took place at 12.20am on Saturday, October 1 in the centre of Airlie Beach’s Safe Night Precinct and close to Boom Nightclub.

Superintendent Graeme Paine from Queensland Police said that everyone involved is trying to come to terms with a split-second decision that has now impacted on so many lives.

“It’s a tragic circumstance for the family of the young man and also for the officers involved and we are providing support,” he said.

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The Saddest Of Days

A split-second that ended with a tragic loss of life has sent ricochets of sadness, anger, frustration, and injustice right across the country.

While many have commented that the police used excessive force during the event that saw 24-year-old Luke Gilbert fatally shot, others observed that because police officers risk their lives going to work every day, they have the right to defend themselves.

Both sides of the argument represent a fair view, and while Luke’s family and friends are undoubtedly dealing with the tremendous grief of his loss, there is no doubt the broader police community are also struggling to process the trauma of the event, too.

Luke Gilbert was allegedly armed with a knife when he approached police in Airlie Beach just after midnight last Friday.

It is alleged he threatened officers by advancing on them and was subsequently shot in the upper body.

Nearby residents heard up to five shots fired and two are believed to have hit nearby cars, while one caused the fatal injury.

“The fact that two cars were shot is crazy, those bullets could have gone anywhere and hit anyone!” said a bystander.

Seconds after the shots were fired officers rendered immediate first aid before transporting Luke to Proserpine Hospital but he was declared deceased a short time later.

The crime scene in the heart of Airlie Beach, near Boom Nightclub, was cordoned off and the road was closed until around 4pm the following afternoon.

Luke Gilbert is originally from Manchester in the UK but had been living in Western Australia for some years before moving to Townsville for work some months ago.

It is understood that he was on holiday in Airlie Beach with his girlfriend when the incident occurred.

Luke’s brother, Zac, who resides in Western Australia took to social media over the weekend outraged that such a strong reaction was provoked from what he believes was a 4cm penknife – alleging police used excessive force.

“There’s a lot of speculation in the media about the circumstances surrounding the loss of my brother but just know the truth is excess force was used on him which killed him and that can never be undone, they didn’t try the taser, the baton or the pepper spray first they went straight for the guns carelessly,” read the post.

“Life will never be the same, he deserved a lot better than this! I can’t believe this has happened, R.I.P my loving brother.”

While the investigation is now with the Ethical Standards Command and no further information is available at present, Queensland Police Union representative Ian Leavers did state that officers had no other option than to use a gun.

“This person started engaging with police and suddenly produced a knife and started threatening their lives,” he said.

“Had a taser been an option, it would have been used but it was simply not possible.”

Two officers were present at the time of the incident, one who is believed to have 13 years’ experience in the police force and the other with three years.

They were wearing body cameras and there is CCTV footage of the event, all of which will be used to assist with investigations.

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It’s not always about winning.

At Ingham’s Country Cup Carnival on the weekend, a team of Proserpine Junior Cricketers were chasing victory, but instead of going for the win and putting their best players at the top of the batting order, Club Captain Darcy Milne picked with his heart.

Coach Mark Valmadre said the 16-year-old captain saw one player in his team that maybe wasn’t at the high or elite level of others in the squad, and decided it was more important than the win to give him a fair go.

“He rotated the batting and bowling of his team so that everyone got equal play,” Mr Valmadre said.

“We watched this player grow in confidence over the two days and really enjoy his weekend.”

During the course of the Carnival, Darcy had seen one of his players sitting in the chair by himself and not talking to anyone, which was when he realised his teammate wasn’t feeling confident.

“So what I did was I put him up the order in batting - at number three and four so he could get a really good go,” Darcy said.

“When he got out, I went over and said congratulations and gave him positivity. I was giving him two overs every game and trying to encourage him to bowl better. Then, off the field, there was a lot of positivity, too.”

Why did he do it when the win was so close? Because “that’s what makes a good captain.”

“It’s not always about winning,” Darcy said.

“You should help people out as much as you can and all that. That’s really it.”

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An eight-year-old girl was airlifted to Mackay last Friday following a near-drowning incident at a holiday park in Jubilee Pocket.

She was pulled unresponsive from the swimming-pool at 9.30am on Friday, September 30, and the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter, that had just landed in Bowen, was immediately diverted to attend the scene.

The rescue helicopter met the young girl and the ambulance at the sports oval next to Whitsunday PCYC and she was transported to Mackay in a critical condition.

It took the aircraft’s trauma team some time to stabilise the young patient and CPR was performed on her for over an hour before the flight to Mackay.

The distressed mother accompanied the child, arriving on the hospital helipad about 12pm.

This is the second near-drowning reported in the Whitsundays during the school holidays.

While it remains unclear about the events that led to either incident, residents are reminded to be extremely vigilant in monitoring children around water as we near the summer months where swimming is a more regular activity.

Read our swim safety tips on page 19 for more information.

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One in four women under 18 have been affected by sexual violence in Australia and the team at Whitsunday Counselling and Support are ready to help anyone in the region to give them hope and create change both locally and within the national narrative.

October is Sexual Violence Awareness Month, a time of year when you will notice a range of initiatives to help create conversation and bring the subject to the fore.

Charlotte Jones, a Counsellor at Whitsunday Counselling and Support said that they are hosting several community stalls over the month.

Located outside Coles, Airlie Beach Foreshore and Proserpine these information stalls will welcome conversation and the fully qualified counsellors will be able to offer assistance through their free service.

During October Whitsunday Regional Council Libraries will also have informative posters appearing on the computer screens to raise awareness.

In Bowen, they will be placing ‘myths and realities’ on the Bowen Jetty to help identify any misrepresentations.

There will also be a stall at Proserpine State High School’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

“Our initiatives allow people to open up conversation about it,” said Ms Jones.

“It doesn’t need to be a taboo subject; they don’t need to be embarrassed about it.”

Whitsunday Counselling and Support’s free sexual violence program is for anyone over the age of 12 that’s been impacted by sexual violence.

“They could have witnessed, heard or seen something - they don’t have to be victim/survivor themselves,” Ms Jones explained.

“It’s on a big continuum which includes harassment and inappropriate comments all the way through to rape.

“There is no right or wrong, if you feel something violated you – words, touch, whatever – if it didn’t feel right to you, it’s sexual violence.”

This years’ theme is help, hope, change – its aim is to raise awareness of how to help someone, give them hope that their situation will get better and then look at ways to change the bigger picture.

“It’s starts by believing – I believe you, I’m on this path with you,” said Ms Jones.

Caption: Your friendly staff at Whitsunday Counselling and Support Courtney Elkins, Amanda Jensen, Tayla Pearson and Niamh Mulvihill

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A local billionaire businessman is looking to unite 27 disparate community groups to form an association to fight for the protection of our unique tourism offering which he views, is in jeopardy.

Paul Darrouzet, owner of Coral Sea Marina Resort in Airlie Beach gave a passionate speech at last weeks’ Tourism Whitsunday Networking evening which was attended by over 100 tourism operators.

During his speech he voiced his concerns about the Port of Airlie high-rise development, stating that the developers have no intention of building a complex that has been approved by Council.

He believes they will sub-divide into 13 blocks and place a high-rise on two.

“People arrive for a beautiful visitor experience, they don’t arrive to stare at the arse end of a high-rise,” he said.

“When they come over the hill, they want to see boats, they want to see islands - our built environment and our natural environment is the reason people come here and we can’t prostitute the entire process by allowing this.”

Mr Darrouzet said that the tourism industry had shared a vision for creating “the Monaco of the South Pacific”, a goal he believes they have achieved, but could also be diluted if high-rises are allowed.

“What we need is high quality, low volume, high yielding great experiences for people that matter,” he said.

“Otherwise, it’s profitless prosperity – you’re working your arse off for people that don’t matter for an outcome that’s not good.”

Stating that it would make more financial sense for him to build a skyrise at Coral Sea Resort, Mr Darrouzet said that he agrees with the community groups, that it would not fit with the vision for Airlie Beach.

“See this land you stand on here? I own it, freehold,” he said.

“The highest and best use of this land is a 40-story high-rise – anyone in favour of that? No. And I’m not going to do it.

“So long as there is breath in my body, there won’t be a high-rise here, there won’t be a high-rise at Shingley Beach and there will not be high rise at the front of Airlie Beach.”

Mr Darrouzet said that he hopes to work alongside community groups and address issues with Council to create change and ensure a shared vision for the future is developed.

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The “final piece” of the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal puzzle will begin construction this month according to Whitsunday Regional Council’s Shute Harbour Coordinator Shaun Cawood.

The new $1.5 million building - to be constructed by local business Red Emperor Constructions at Shute Harbour - will serve as a Small Tourism Operators hub at the site.

Mr Cawood said that the need for more construction at the already $63.5 million dollar facility arose during the initial leasing process of the new terminal when huge demand meant it was necessary for another smaller building to be constructed to accommodate three additional operators on the terminal grounds.

“It will accommodate additional ticketing facilities, as well as provide storage, and washing and drying facilities for the commercial operation of the small tourism businesses based at the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal,” he said.

“It will enable Shute Harbour to reach its full commercial potential.”

Operators expected to utilise the new building are Scamper and Salty Dog Sea Kayaking, as well as award-winning tourism operator Ocean Rafting.

Red Emperor Constructions will begin the design process “almost immediately” and are looking at an April 2023 completion.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall said that Shute Harbours position as the “gateway to the Whitsunday islands” would only be strengthened by an additional building.

“We already have a state-of-the-art terminal, and with this extra building, it’s only going to add value to our tours and our resort destinations,” Mayor Hall said.

Council have made consideration for disruption to services at the terminal and have agreed with Red Emperor Constructions that the company should not work during cruise ship visits, affectively downing tools for a weekend.

Mr Cawood said the new structure will be approximately 220 square metres and will replace the current demountable buildings that house some of the smaller operators.

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Collinsville continues to struggle with a “bat plague” as protected species of flying fox have remained in the mining town for more than seven months, causing concerns the animals may set up a permanent roost.

From March the population of ‘fruit bats’ – who have an endemic population of around 200 to 900 in Collinsville – soared in size, reaching major heights in September.

Numbers were as extreme as 26,000 flying fox before intervention from Whitsunday Regional Council was sought to displace the species.

But council’s Coordinator of Natural Resource Management, Scott Hardy, said they were on the right path as numbers had now dropped to around 18,000 spread across 42 trees in the town after council’s efforts.

Mr Hardy said his team had been trialling methods to remove the foxes from Collinsville, including a “six-metre-tall waving man”.

“Down in Rockhampton at the Botanic Garden, they’ve tried these waving men and it seems to have worked for them,” Mr Hardy said.

“The thinking here is: if we can put these wavey men in back yards, it might save us money in trimming trees. It scares them off. So far, we’ve put the Wavey man up in one property and it worked a charm.”

The wavey man went up over two nights in the backyard of a Collinsville resident which housed 800 bats. In the morning, when Council staff came to pick up the wavey man, there were no flying fox to be seen.

“It’s a lot cheaper option if this device works, rather than trimming trees,” Mr Hardy said.

Tree trimming – which essentially removes a flying fox’s habitat and is the primary bat deterrent technique – is a costly affair if attempted as an immediate form of displacement, according to Mr Hardy.

“The trimming must take place at night when the bats leave, which can cost between $8 and $15 thousand per tree,” Mr Hardy said.

All flying-foxes are a protected species under the Queensland Government's Nature Conservation Act 1992, and are thus covered by state environmental management plans which council must adhere to.

They serve important roles in environmental stability as seed dispersers and pollinators.

One Collinsville resident, Eric McCarthy, who lives on Pelican Street near the main roost in Pelican Park, said the bats had been in Collinsville before, but this time it was in “unprecedented” number.

“My concern is that this will become their permanent roost, like they have in places like Charters Towers, Townsville, Ingham,” he said.

“We started off with a small amount in town here and now they’ve more than tripled. We hope they’re going to go, but we don’t know because we haven’t had them here like this before. They might go and then come back with their babies in even greater numbers next year.”

Mr Hardy said flying foxes are “a problem up and down the Queensland coast” especially in places north of Collinsville.

“In Cairns, there’s 18 roosts where they spend half a million in management each year, trying to move them,” he said.

“In the Sunshine Coast, there’s 40 roosts, and in Brisbane there’s over 30. In Charters Towers there is a very large roost with over two-hundred thousand flying fox.”

Isaac Regional Council have spent over $1.5 million trying to relocate their flying fox population.

There are two species which have set up camp in Collinsville this year: black flying-foxes, who eat fruit, and little red flying-foxes, who eat nectar out of flowers.

Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) coordinate a management network throughout the state where ideas on how local governments can deter or move populations of flying foxes are shared.

Mr Hardy said, amongst contacting Charters Towers Council and even local mine sites, the LGAQ network would be one source of assistance and information which council would be using.

“I share concerns about [the foxes] setting up a permanent roost and we are setting up a plan for Pelican Park for next year. We can go through and trim the trees once they leave, which will be a lot cheaper on the public purse,” Mr Hardy said.

“In the meantime, we are hoping they will leave shortly, and if not, we will go through a prioritised list of trees, and where we can’t trim them, we’ll put irrigation - sprinklers that will act as a deterrent.

“We do think these red flying foxes are temporary; that they’ll move along by October and November at the latest. They are chasing the blossoms.”

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With new changes to legislation coming into effect on the first of October, it’s time to get up to speed on your property – whether you be a landlord or a tenant.

The Owner of Tropical Rentals Whitsundays, Kerri Southee, said there’s been plenty of changes to housing law for renters and landlords alike, including keeping pets, minimum housing standards, and ending tenancies fairly.

An independent, boutique property management agency, Tropical Rentals has over 20 years of expertise in the Queensland market, and Ms Southee is always staying abreast of the latest legislation.

As a fully licensed Real Estate Agent, she knows the realm inside and out, and is more than happy to advise anyone.

“We’re very community minded; our Facebook Page is always filled with information on changes to legislation and has helpful tips,” Ms Southee said.

“I think, opposed to others in the industry, we’re always there to have a chat with people who might want advice. It’s a no obligation call and we’re here to help locals, not here to just make money.”

Ms Southee said it was important to know about the minimum housing standards, especially in a market like Airlie Beach.

With strengthened repair and maintenance obligations for landlords and tenants, “everyone would do well to be informed”.

“If you’re ever confused or concerned about anything at all to do with your rental situation – whatever side of the equation you’re on - a property manager can help you,” Ms Southee said.

Ms Southee’s business is a different level of service: she’s made Tropical Rentals Whitsundays a catchall for property management – and she’s always happy for a chat.

Call Tropical Rentals on 0427 651 336

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It was National Police Remembrance Day last week and officers from around the region gathered in Bowen to commemorate emergency service personnel that had lost their lives.

This was especially poignant for the Bowen Police community who lost one of their own to cancer less than a year ago.

Sergeant Ryan Gregory is missed by everyone who knew him.

The sombre occasion took place at the Baptist Church on Argyle Street Thursday morning with over 30 police gathering to quietly remember officers and their families.

A special memorial took place to honour Sergeant Gregory with a tribute from his parents, Ian and Jeanette Gregory, read out at the ceremony to honour his memory and also his grandfather, Donald Gregory, who served with Queensland Police for many years.

Officer in charge of the Bowen Police Station, Craig McConnell, said that Police Remembrance Day was the only ceremonial occasion where officers from Bowen, Proserpine and Cannonvale gathered, making the event even more significant.

“It’s a very important part of the year for us. It gives us the opportunity to remember those that made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

“It also reminds us why we got into this job: to serve the community and do the best we can.”

Deputy Mayor Gary Simpson was in attendance on the day and said it was a touching ceremony.

“It was nice to honour the lives of those that had served and lost their lives,” he said.

Councillor Michelle wright was also present on the day.

“It was good to support our local police service and the fantastic work they do every day,” she said.

“They put their lives on the line every day to help keep us safe, so it is only fair we support them on this day.”

The community are reminded that this service is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend the next Police Remembrance Day which will be held in Cannonvale on September 29 next year.

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A special memorial service was held in Bowen last week to honour the life of Sergeant Ryan Gregory who tragically passed away following a short battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer late last year.

An integral part of the team at Bowen Police Station, Sergeant Gregory was a much-loved police officer and father-of-two.

When the community found out about his diagnosis they rallied around, the broader police force starting a charity drive which saw mangoes donated and then sold right across the state to raise money for Sergeant Gregory’s family.

Almost a year on and the community are still grieving, but the memorial service held in Bowen as part of Police Remembrance Day helped give many of his colleagues take a moment to think about their friend, whose life was taken too soon.

Sergeant Gregory was remembered for his calm and kind presence, the sort of person who was always ready to help others and a worthy role-model for local children.

Born in Townsville, he started his police career in south Queensland before moving to Bowen to settle down.

He is survived by wife Kimberly and their children Maddie and Sam.

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The culmination of five weeks’ dedicated fundraising for the Coles Hummingbird House Appeal resulted in an impressive $14,000 raised.

All proceeds will now be donated to Queensland’s only children’s palliative care service, Hummingbird House, which helps the nearly 5,700 children born each year in Queensland with life-limiting conditions.

Friends and family of Cody Gibbs, a local 15-year-old boy who recently spent his last days at Hummingbird House after his brave battle with brain cancer, rallied together to give back to the charity that had given them so much.

Starting a movement called The Cody Effect, Cody’s memory lives on in the good deeds of his loved ones who hosted a weekly stall outside Coles in Cannonvale and raised $5,600 by selling raffle tickets, snags and cupcakes in his honour.

This was then combined with the Coles inter-store fundraising which saw over $8000 raised.

Shae Choueiri, Store Support Manager, said they are looking forward to being bigger and better next year.

Leading the Cody Effect portion was local community champion Maz McDougall who reached out to local businesses asking for donations for raffle prizes.

“I would like to thank the whole community for getting involved,” said Maz.

“It’s wonderful to see locals, supporting locals, supporting locals!

“As soon as something happens everyone rallies around, and we wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the amazing local businesses who donate these fabulous prizes!”

On Monday morning, 20 raffle prizes were drawn and local resident Jade Finch was the lucky recipient of the top prize which was a Reef Sleep with Cruise Whitsunday.

The beautiful hand-stitched chair by talented creator, Tina Everett was won by Sheena Graham who kindly re-donated the children’s chair to the Hummingbird House where it will bring colour and light to all.

Hummingbird House General Manager Dr Fiona Hawthorne said fundraising this year would be vital for families who require support to care for a child with a life-limiting condition.

“The support from Queenslanders will help Hummingbird House provide much-needed services and support for families both in their homes and at our hospice in Brisbane,” she said.

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An $18 million project could establish “future fuels” in the region, pushing the Whitsundays towards sustainable tourism thanks to a partnership between council and two renewables companies.

Elvin Group Renewables (Elvin) and Hydrogen Integration Technologies (HiT) are hoping to construct and implement a series of hydrogen-based technological developments in the Whitsundays with the support of the local government.

Joint advocacy between Whitsunday Regional Council and the companies was agreed at an ordinary meeting last week.

The partnership will see developments including a $7.5 million 29-metre ammonia powered, hydrogen fuel cell catamaran named Leonie, suitable for leisure tourism with a capacity of 170 passengers.

The vessel, yet to be constructed, will be powered with ammonia using advanced technology developed and designed in Australia.

Those areas will see the installation of ammonia and hydrogen at two key transportation hubs in the region: the Whitsunday Coast Airport and Shute Harbour Marine Terminal.

Whitsunday Regional Council say the “Elvin proposal” delivers on both the future fuel and related infrastructure fronts, with a “clear sustainability outcome.”

Those being the installation of three hydrogen operated generators - under Council ownership – and the provision of a hydrogen car for a trial, a hydrogen bowser at the Whitsunday Coast Airport, creation of local jobs, and upskilling and training in the industry of future fuels.

Councillor Mike Brunker said it “fits very well” with the multi-billion-dollar Korean project announced in Collinsville for a green hydrogen hub.

“If Stage 2 of that project in Collinsville is about producing and exporting from Abbott Point, this will fit like a hand in a glove between those two projects,” Mr Brunker said.

Whitsunday Regional Councillor Al Grundy said it was fair to say that mid-next year, the Whitsundays “could see the first hydrogen vessel moving passengers around the islands.”

Council believe this is the first step to activating the transition to ammonia / hydrogen fuel in the Whitsundays and supporting sustainable tourism.

Hydrogen has become the leading “future fuel” in the global move away from fossil fuels, and Elvin estimates 34.5 tonnes of CO2-e emissions will be avoided per annum through the use of the ammonia and hydrogen vessel, generators and vehicles instead of diesel equivalents, with figures potentially growing with more users.

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North Queensland’s “heart of agriculture training” is slated for completion this month.

The new $3.4 million TAFE Agriculture Centre of Excellence (ACoE) in Bowen – a state-of-the-art facility set to train and prepare Queensland’s agrarian workforce – is taking shape, with the local construction firm, Lowcock Builders, expecting an end of October completion.

Announced all the way back in 2020, the new centre has promised to offer more than 70 courses related to the industry, including mixed virtual reality rooms, science laboratories, and even “farmbots” – a teaching tool that splices together robotics, nutrition, soil science, biology, and coding to educate agricultural students.

Helping trainees and apprentices develop “the skills they need to ensure Queensland is ready to capitalise on industry growth” are its main priorities, according to Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development the Honourable Di Farmer.

“Bowen is a prime location for agriculture training and industry expansion and highlights North Queensland as a great place to work, live and invest,” Minister Farmer said.

In addition to general learning and workshop areas, the Centre of Excellence will feature a Smart Centre for data analysation and computerised training technologies, the virtual reality room – which will provide advanced tech for emerging industry needs - and a Growpod for monitoring stable growing environments and producing horticultural and agricultural products in all climates.

With the building itself set for completion this month, the first load of students are still a ways away, with delivery of courses being anticipated to commence in early 2023.

Those will include accredited and non-accredited (micro-credentials and skill sets) in agriculture, including Production Horticulture, AgriBusiness Management, Rural Operations, Cyber Security, and Laboratory Technologies.

Bowen Chamber of Commerce President Bruce Hedditch echoed Minister Farmer’s sentiments: “Bowen is the perfect place for this.”

“It will broaden the educations options for students in Bowen, but most importantly it will bring students here to put down their own roots,” Mr Hedditch said.

“To be in rural areas where the industry is, that’s what this is really about.”

Funding was granted through the Equipping TAFE for our Future Initiative – a program which is slated to invest $100 million over three years into skills development in priority industries.

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