Back by popular demand, the second annual Whitsunday Emergency Services Field Day has been announced for July this year and organisers are excited to welcome the community to another action-packed day hosted by our local heroes.

Children of all ages will be excited to get up close to the flashing lights of the fire engines and take a tour inside an ambulance, meet a police dog, and explore a rescue boat while the adults can chat with volunteer organisations such as the State Emergency Service (SES) and Whitsunday Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) to see how they can get involved.

There will be a number of Emergency Services on display including Queensland Police Service (QPS) and members of the Water Police and Road Policing Units, rural fire department, Queensland Fire Emergency Service, Queensland Ambulance Service, Volunteer Marine Rescue, SES and Whitsunday Council Disaster Management.

The large green oval at Coral Sea Marina will be the venue for the day with activities kicking-off at 8am and wrapping-up by 12pm.

Coffee vans will keep attendees hydrated and a sausage sizzle will ensure everyone is fed.

While much of the itinerary is still in the planning stages, Constable Jessica Leech said we can expect some exciting activities which could include water displays and real-life action scenarios.

With a cross section of emergency services personnel present and available to talk with, residents will be able to ask any questions they have and become familiar with different sectors.

“This will be a great opportunity for the community to understand what we do and for us to build better working relationships with everyone,” said Constable Leech.

The event takes place at the Coral Sea Marina Oval on Saturday 30th July.

The Whitsunday Emergency Services Field Day in 2021

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Staff at Daydream Island and Living Reef are elated with the arrival of turtle hatchlings, who bravely made their way to sea late last month, marking the first time in eight years this endangered species has returned to this location for nesting.

The Flatback turtle nest was discovered on Daydream Island by a security guard on Friday 3rd December last year and, by chance, the same security guard was the first to see two turtle hatchlings making their way down to the water on Thursday 20th January at around 2pm.

He soon alerted the marine biology team who attended the nest and watched patiently as more hatchlings tried to find their way out.

After several hours, however, they grew concerned that the turtles were struggling and would eventually weaken, so they decided to carefully investigate the area.

“While the nest was incubating, we had a few very high tides and a lot of coral rubble and debris had been deposited over the nest,” said Living Reef Manager Amelia Keynes.

“So, we decided to carefully clear some of this, and five hatchlings immediately burst through the surface and ran for the water.”

During the course of 30 minutes, the team watched a total of seven hatchlings race across the shingly beach into the wet world that awaited them.

Several days after the hatchlings emerged, when they were sure the hatching was complete, the Living Reef team returned to the site to gather information on the nest itself.

They discovered that a total of 21 eggs had hatched out of the 63 present, with many of the eggs not developed at all which is quite common.

Sadly, it is estimated that out of those that do make it to the sea, only one in 1000 turtles reach breeding age due to marine life predators.

This event, however, does mark an important milestone for the natural environment on Daydream Island.

“It is very exciting and promising and hopefully the mother comes back again in years to come,” said Amelia Keynes.  

“It feels amazing to know that Daydream Island is important in the circle of life for this mother flatback turtle and now her new hatchlings too and it was incredible to see it in action.”

The Flatback turtle hatchlings making their way to sea

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Hundreds of books, magazines and DVDs are on sale now at the Bowen Library as part of their annual clear-out which sees countless gems ready for purchase at an affordable price.

The book sale started this Monday and will continue until Monday 28th February.

Robyn Batman, Team Leader of Bowen, Collinsville and Proserpine Libraries said that every year they weed out older books to make room for the new.

“We are always making room for the new,” she said.

“We have to have a certain percentage that are less than five years old.”

They also look to books that have not been loaned out often or are a little tatty and place these for sale.

Every book is just $2 and magazines are 50 cents. Often the DVDs are free.

All the money received is then re-invested back into the library to pay for additional resources or ‘wish list’ items that in-turn benefit the community.

Mayor Andrew Willcox said it is wonderful to see the old books get a new lease of life and the library benefit from the sale.

“This event offers our residents the opportunity to rehome books, while sharing their support for the services our local libraries provide,” he said.

“Our libraries are such valuable community spaces, where individuals can expand their imagination, knowledge and interests and I encourage everyone to get involved.”

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Just over a century ago this year, a young returned serviceman arrived in Proserpine and set about establishing a tailoring business - a business that would flourish and serve the community with a standard of excellence for a period of 42 years. Tom Leslie Byers went on to become one of our most respected and successful businessmen, creating a substantial pool of employment locally and servicing clientele from near and far. There was no tailor in either Bowen or Collinsville at the time so Tom also serviced their tailoring needs.

Tom was born in Charters Towers on October 3, 1894. He moved to Ayr when he was 16 and began his apprenticeship under his father before later going to Sydney where he finished his trade training as a tailor and cutter with David Jones.

With the outbreak of World War I, Corporal Tom Leslie Byers - Lewis Gunner AIF Military Service No 2127 served his country for four years.

Two years after leaving the battlefields, Tom opened his tailoring business in premises in Main Street, close to the present site of Deicke’s Arcade on April 6, 1921. A few months later, he returned to Ayr where he married Miss Isabella Mary Brook on September 27. Tom and Belle raised a family of five sons and one daughter - Jack, Ray, Athol, Glen, Ken and Rosemary.

Tom’s business prospered and at one stage, in the 1940s, he had twelve employees. One such staff member gave an idea of the day’s activity:

‘Our working hours were from 8am to 5pm with an hour for lunch, 5 days/week. Those days most men wore suits ...... We worked in a big room sitting around a very large table. There were three big machines … In the next room, Mr Byers stood for hours at his high table cutting out coats, pants and vests. The ironing was usually attended to by the men, as the iron weighed in at 14lb (approximately 6kg). The cloths had to be dampened to iron the finished articles ... The apprentices swept the floor after sprinkling water to help collect threads which were hard to move because the floor was splintery.’

Many returning soldiers post WW1 had a suit tailored by Tom Byers and most girls who left to be married were able to sew for their families as they were taught so well. Tom Byers was remembered as a “first class boss and a real gentleman”; “always respectful of his staff.”

What a wonderful legacy! A returned soldier and successful businessman; producer of immaculate suits and trousers; a gentleman at all times, fondly remembered by his satisfied customers and his many employees.

Tom Leslie Byers retired in 1963 and maintained an active interest in civic affairs such as the Masonic Lodge and RSL. He died on September 10, 1971.

Story and photo courtesy of Proserpine Historical Museum.

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The first Morning Melodies of the season took place in Collinsville on Thursday this week with the Andrew Sisters Tribute Show taking the audience back to the 1940’s in their sassy and harmonious performance.

The professional variety show ‘Call to Duty’ encourages everyone to get involved as they lift spirits and boost morale encouraging the “troops” to sing, clap along and do an ol’ shoe shuffle.

Touring the state, this is the first instalment of the government funded Morning Melodies program which, through Arts Queensland, brings a host of talented performers to regional areas to entertain the older members of our community.

As soon as the Proserpine Entertainment Centre opens at the end of March, the newly re-built venue will begin hosting Morning Melodies as well as a range of other community focused arts and performance events.

For more information, please check the Whitsunday Regional Council Facebook page which will list all upcoming events for the year ahead.

The Andrews Sisters Tribute Show performed in Collinsville this week

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A Bowen holiday park has been named as a finalist in the national Grey Nomad Awards.

Queens Beach Tourist Village has been shortlisted in the 2021 Best Grey Nomad Large Caravan Park category after proving to tourism leaders that it provided an exceptional experience for visitors aged over 50.

Park owner Jennie Greer said the team was delighted.

“We are proud and honoured to be selected as finalists,” she said.

“It is a great feeling to be shortlisted in this prestigious award and acknowledged as a regional park that caters for mature travellers.  

The park was the Gold Winner in this category in 2019 and chose not to enter last year after a tumultuous 2020.

Awards Director, Kim Morgan, said the Grey Nomad Awards shone a light on regional Australia by rewarding organisations and destinations that catered in an exemplary way to mature age visitors.

“In this way, the Awards are fostering a better lifestyle for over 50s by providing verified information that will guide their decisions on where to travel safely in 2022, where to stay and what to experience along the way,” she said.

Sales and Marketing Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy, congratulated the Queens Beach Tourist Village on being named as a finalist.

“There are a lot of mature aged travellers who love coming to Bowen and places like the Queens Beach Tourist Village go out of their way to ensure that experience is a fantastic one,” she said.

“There are a lot of people who return to Bowen each year for their annual get-away.

“Many of the mature travellers tell us at the Big Mango Visitor Information Centre that they continue to come as they love the community feel and great customer service as well as the natural beauty of our area.”

The Grey Nomad Awards are judged by mature-age tourism professionals, some of whom have experienced the grey nomad lifestyle personally, adding weight to Queens Beach Tourist Village’s success as a finalist.

Queens Beach Tourist Village is set in more than seven acres of tropical gardens. Accommodation includes 140 powered sites as well as cabins.

The park includes modern amenities and laundry blocks, a large camp kitchen, sheltered barbecue areas and two swimming pools.

Winners in all 11 categories of the Grey Nomads awards will be announced on Friday, March 4.

Contributed with thanks to Bowen Tourism.

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Last Saturday a local lady, who lives in the heart of Airlie Beach, woke up in the early hours of the morning to go to work and realised her Holden Commodore had been stolen overnight.

Believing, like many locals, that she lived in a safe neighbourhood with relatively low crime rates, Jeannine Cadwallader was shocked to see this type of crime take place on her doorstep.

“I got home with my groceries the night before and left the key in the ignition because I had planned to go back and move it into my car space – but I had forgotten” she said.

“When I woke up in the morning, I looked out my window and, when I saw it wasn’t there, I thought I must have parked it out the back - when it wasn’t there either I was really shocked.”

Deciding to head to work so she could be there on-time, Ms Cadwallader called the police station from her office and, later that afternoon around 3pm, she was informed that the police had found her car, burnt out at Kinchant Dam.

“The police told me that this sort of crime happens more than you know and that it was likely someone who was familiar with the [Kinchant Dam] area because they knew where to go to do burn-outs.”

Queensland Crime Statistics show that the Whitsunday region has recently had the highest level of car theft in 20 years, with 35 vehicles stolen in 2020 and 32 last year.

“I was really surprised and so were my neighbours,” said Ms Cadwallader.

“I probably wouldn’t have worried whether my doors were locked previously but I have done all this week – there are other people I know who sometimes leave their keys in their car and they’ve all said they will never do it again.”

Fortunately, Ms Cadwallader had only recently ordered a new car which is arriving this week, but she said that if this incident had happened a year ago the impacts would have been a lot greater.

In addition, she did not have insurance, so she had to pay for the tow-truck to remove the burnt-out vehicle.

“The tow truck guy was really apologetic, but I said to him that it was ok, his fees were cheaper than a year’s insurance anyway!”

Ms Cadwallader’s burnt out car

The melted tyres of the Holden Commodore

Police investigate the crime

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One of the fastest growing regional real estate agencies in Queensland is opening its latest

location right here in the Whitsundays with local property legend, Steve Marks, at its helm.

A forward-thinking coastal brand, Explore Property began just seven years ago in Townsville

and now sells one in five houses in the city.  Its Mackay branch was also established seven years ago and is now the third biggest office

in Queensland in terms of transactions.

While Steve Marks has big shoes to fill, he says he is certainly up for the challenge and

excited to be working with such a progressive brand.

Having been one of the leading sales agents at Ray White for 15 years, deciding to branch

out on his own was a tough decision, but when he found the right fit, he ultimately knew it

was meant to be.

"I am grateful for my long association with Ray White, and to Mark and Belinda Beale the owners of the business, for their friendship and support,” he said.

“They understand and have been supportive of my decision to open my own office, I wasn’t looking to leave, I simply felt an alignment with the Explore brand and the people, and felt I had more to give.”

A brand-new office space at the Whitsunday Business Centre in Cannonvale opened this

week and includes an inviting meeting space for customers as well as a modern open plan

office fitted out with Australian-made high-end furniture.

Using its successful branding and systems, Explore Property Whitsundays will be

the 12th location in the franchise group and Steve Marks says he is ready to bring this unique

collaborative approach to the region.

“The brand really works in the Whitsundays,” he said.

"Our focus will be to deliver an outstanding customer experience whether you are buying, selling or just wishing to keep in touch with the market.

"In recent years we have found the industry has become heavily dependent on technology, and although technology is important, we feel people are more important - we are striving for a  people first policy at Explore."

Founder and Owner of Explore Group, Andrew Acton, agreed saying that the agency has

been set up to be an alternative between a big, crowded franchise and an independent.

“In lifestyle regional markets we seek to align with really good operators who are like us,”

he said.

“There is real room for that regional perspective, rather than coming from the city, we are

regional building out”

Founder and Owner of Explore Group, Andrew Acton

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Expressions of interest are now being taken for the Flagstaff Hill commercial cafe, conference, and gift shop lease.

The newly re-built Council-owned facility is located on one of Bowen’s most iconic sites with breathtaking 360-degree views of the Whitsunday Islands, Coral Sea and Bowen Hinterland.

The modern, architecturally impressive building can cater for 200 guests and contains a café, conference centre, kitchen, gift shop and an amphitheatre.

Whitsunday Regional Council said that the newly constructed facility offers operators a truly turnkey business opportunity and a minimal-risk fee structure.

Site inspections were held this week and expressions of interest will be taken until Wednesday 2nd March.

The location is just a short drive from the main business centre of Bowen and is a well-known tourist destination, attracting visitors year-round.

With sealed carparking, a 118 square metre café with furniture, 45 square metre fully fitted commercial kitchen which is outfitted with equipment such as crockery and cutlery.

In addition, the outdoor amphitheatre doubles as an indigenous yarning circle and comes with audio visual services, wireless network and landscaped gardens with native flora.

Could this be the right business opportunity for you?

Flagstaff Hill Café and Conference Centre now available for lease

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The Proserpine Lake campgrounds is gearing up for stage two of its development which will see a broad range of facilities added to the scenic recreational site which is proving popular with tourists and locals alike.

Famed for being one of the best places in Australia to catch a metre-plus barramundi and an excellent location for water sports, the Whitsunday Council owned site received funding last year for the first phase of upgrades which included the implementation of on-site managers to supervise activities.

The phase two funding application has now been submitted and the $2.5 million project will see new access roads to the campgrounds, two updated communal open areas with skillion roof shelters, communal dining tables, two BBQs and formalised fire pits.

In addition, a children’s playground will keep the kids entertained, there will be a designated space for food truck parking for food vendors, a new path network for ease of foot traffic access and expanded carparking facilities to improve useability.

On the lake itself, there will be a recreational water sports concession area, an extension to existing pontoon and an additional wash down area.

On the campground, visitors can expect additional unstructured, un-powered campsites, two amenities’ buildings, a manager’s quarters, 10 cabins and 30 campsites.

The works are expected to be progressively completed over the next two years, wrapping up in December 2024.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said that council has always had a clear vision for improving recreational and tourist facilities at Lake Proserpine and has been encouraged by the response to Stage 1 upgrades.

“Since the first round of upgrades and introduction of camping at Lake Proserpine, it has continued to grow in popularity as a first-class fishing and boating destination,” he said.

“Stage 2 will provide a lot more infrastructure and these future upgrades will attract additional drive tourism to our land-based attractions in the region with flow-on benefits including local jobs.”

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For the past six weeks, local residents have been scrambling to find Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) with calls and visits to medical outlets proving unfruitful due to testing kits being in scarce supply.

Pharmacist Alan Milostic from Live Life Pharmacy said that, between the five local pharmacies, they have in excess of 2000 people on the waiting list, having written down their expressions of interest several weeks ago.

Until now, only 3-400 tests have been available per week throughout the Whitsundays, but the gates have finally opened, and Mr Milostic says he is expecting thousands to arrive each week from now on, which will be a game-changer for the community.

“There are thousands of tests arriving,” he said.

“People will be able to do tests whenever they need to and, if they test positive, they will be able to moderate their behaviour accordingly.”

Live Life Pharmacies in Queensland alone have invested $2.5 million in RATs between their 40 pharmacies.

The RATs will be free for any concession card holder or individual with a Department of Veteran Affairs card.

Each person is eligible to claim five tests per month or 10 within a three-month period.

Everyone else will have to pay $15 per test.

“It would have been nice to see a government subsidy for the rest of us,” said Mr Milostic.

“If they expect us to test often, I think there should be a subsidy. Right now, businesses and workers are wearing the costs and I don’t think it’s fair.”

Mr Milostic hopes that our ability to test ourselves more freely will lead to further changes in restrictions.

“I’d like to see us move into the next phase where we modify behaviour rather than go into isolation when we test positive,” he said.

“The current restrictions are counter-productive.”

When to test:

•When you have any symptoms

•When you are visiting someone vulnerable

•If necessary for going back to work

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The derelict and disused Coke Factory in Bowen has just been purchased by a large coal mining contractor who wishes to refurbish and rehabilitate the old site so that it once again serves a purpose and provides jobs for locals.

Peter Turner from Turner’s Engineering in the Gold Coast came to the Whitsundays to watch the Bowen Superboats a few years ago and spotted the old factory while touring the town.

He liked the building then and when he saw it come up for sale a year later, he jumped at the opportunity to purchase the iconic site from the Government Department of Resources.

Bowen Coke Works was established in 1932 by the Queensland Government and produced metallurgical coke for smelter operations in Mount Isa for decades.

In 2016, it was shut down when it became significantly cheaper to source metallurgical coke from Asia.

Since then, it has become increasingly dilapidated, and Mr Turner said that their first job was to ensure safety by putting a fence around the property.

Listed as a high impact industrial zone, the site of the old plant is ideal for heavy manufacturing and Mr Turner plans to use the location for this purpose so he can supply mines in Moranbah, Black Water and Collinsville.

“The Coke Works has no future,” he said.

“We are going to do some heavy manufacturing and create some local jobs – 10 jobs initially.”

Locals will be pleased to hear, however, that the two main factory buildings and one small cottage will be refurbished and remain in-tact.

The rest will be demolished.

Mr Turner officially purchased the property three weeks ago and since then he has been engaging with local contractors to install water, sewerage and power.

He is also replacing the glass in the buildings and generally ensuring it is safe.

With access to direct funding for the project, Mr Turner has the ability to move straight away and looks forward to opening by June 30 this year.

Mr Turner standing outside the Bowen Coke Works site

The old site

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The planned $120 million dollar Whitsunday Marine Centre of Excellence has been renamed the Bowen Marine Industry Precinct in the Whitsunday Regional Council meeting last Tuesday, as well as changes being made to the long-awaited development which removed the originally proposed educational facilities.

Councillors were adamant that they were concentrating on “what was most needed in Bowen,” by removing the planned educational facility to instead focus on the maintenance of boats and industry.

The changes were unanimously agreed upon by councillors at the meeting, removing the previous concept’s educational facilities and renaming it.

The announcement comes in the wake of the Whitsunday Sailing Club’s $5 million dollar expansion announcement last year that they would construct a state-of-the-art training centre at their waterfront site.

That project received $2.5 million from the federal government in funding and would double the existing training rooms’ square metreage, quadrupling the number of students the site can hold.

The announced changes, however, were to the chagrin of Bowen locals, who believed they were losing an educational facility to Airlie Beach, which councillors said was not that case.

Each councillor in turn tried to dissuade Bowen locals from that position.

Councillor Brunker said that the idea was always to be an industrial precinct, but the name implied it would be an educational facility, which was never to be the case – it would host an educational facility, not exclusively be one. The main design premise was to maintain and service superyachts, with the educational facilities an add on.

“I can understand, reading the report, how someone could get that opinion,” Brunker said.

“I’m a little bit disappointed that people would take that position that we were giving [the education facility] away.

“It was always, always going to be the superyachts and the white boats in Airlie Beach, and the backyard working, backyards blitz in Bowen, and that’s where the jobs are.”

Mayor Andrew Willcox echoed the sentiment and said that original idea behind the training facility arose during the early planning stages in 2017 during conversations with Australian Marine Institute, who would have potentially funded the project if it had training facilities.

A Bowen resident himself, Mayor Willcox said that the most important features had always been industry, and they were being retained.

“The main driver from day one has been the industry component, no one’s turned their backs on anything,” Mr Willcox said.

“The vision was always going to be a big Syncrolift and then opening up all the trades.

“Let’s get on with the job.”

The original Whitsunday Marine Centre of Excellence master plan with boat and superyacht facility as well as maritime education facility to be built in partnership with the State Government and private investors

The proposed Bowen Marine Industry Precinct’s area is larger than 50ha of adjacent land to the township of Bowen

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Scared for her life and feeling isolated away from her ‘mob’, Bowen local Charmaine Pangi spent eight days in the COVID ward of Mackay Base Hospital where she was often struggling to breathe and suffering immense kidney pains.

The Indigenous Health Care Worker, who looks after Bowen and Collinsville residents, was diagnosed with COVID on Friday 21st January.

On the days prior, she had been feeling hot but strangely her temperature had remained normal, then on day three she got a tickle in the back of her throat.

She went to the hospital the next day because she was finding it hard to breathe and received some medicine which eased her symptoms considerably.

That afternoon, however, they came back ten-fold, and she was admitted to hospital. By the following afternoon she was transported to Mackay Base Hospital for specialist monitoring.

“Trying to get air . . . it was scary – even now I struggle sometimes,” she said.

Alone in her room at the hospital, Ms Pangi began creating some short videos to document her journey and show others what it was like to endure COVID.

“I thought I have to do something, I don’t care how it looks, I just need to tell people wear that mask properly. Don’t wear it under your nose – cover your mouth and nose,” she said.

“I always say with my job I practice what I preach. COVID is a big thing and so many people in rural areas are blasé about it. If I can show what it’s actually like and what it does to you, people might realise how sick it makes you.

“I would have been gone if I wasn’t vaccinated.”

While she was in hospital, Councillor Mike Brunker reached out to Ms Pangi and asked if he could share her story with Bowen residents.

“Our community here is tight – if anything happens to any of our people we all rally around together and support each other,” she said.

Buoyed by the support of others, Ms Pangi pushed through and managed to return home after eight days.

An immunosuppressed patient, she had been the recipient of a kidney transplant in 2001 and is due to receive another transplant later this year.

These health issues meant that, despite being vaccinated, she was highly susceptible to COVID and she is now likely to suffer ongoing side-effects.

Attempting to go back to work last week, Ms Pangi realised how fatigued she was and said she was grateful to be part of such a supportive team.

“My work mates are just great,” she said.

Indigenous Health Care Worker Charmain Pangi

Ms Pangi videoed her ordeal to help warn others

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On Monday morning at 9am, a quiet Cannonvale neighbourhood was rocked when a brand new Ford Range utility came careening through the street and crashed into the walls of a nearby home.

The incident took place at MacArthur Drive, Cannonvale near Alice Court where a traffic sign was damaged, along with the front of the house which was situated on MacArthur Drive.

The 33-year-old Cannon Valley man who had been driving the vehicle was issued with an infringement notice for careless driving and the police will allege that the accident was caused due to inattention.

Despite testing negative for alcohol and drugs, a mysterious clip seal bag containing white powder was uncovered when the police searched the vehicle.

The man was charged with possessing dangerous drugs and is scheduled to appear at Proserpine Court on March 7 to have the matter heard.

Sergeant Nigel Dalton said that two people, believed to be residents of the damaged house were providing witness statements.

Airlie Beach Fire and Rescue attended the scene, and the property was deemed unfit for use until an engineer had checked it was stable.

No-one was seriously injured in the incident which Sergeant Dalton said was very fortunate.

“It looks quite scary, but nobody was particularly badly injured,” he said.

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility, and that starts with you.

The new blue ute that crashed into a Cannonvale house on Monday

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