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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The sad events which caused the tragic death of 18-year-old Ethan Durnsford in a car accident on the Bruce Highway in August last year, reached closure last week as the judge at Mackay Magistrates Court sentenced the vehicle’s driver, Brett Matton, who was charged with driving without due care and attention.

It was 5.15 am on the 8th August 2021 when Ethan and Brett, who had been close friends since school, were driving back to Bowen from Ethan’s brother’s house in Moranbah.

Just one hour before the accident, the court heard how both had men arrived at a BP service station, near the intersection of the Moranbah Access road, about 100 kilometres away from where the accident took place.

It was here that the pair swapped drivers and by the time of the incident, it is understood Ethan was asleep in the passenger seat.

The court heard how Brett stayed with Ethan helping out in any way he could and afterwards tested negative for alcohol and drugs.

There were also no signs he had been using his phone or speeding at the time of the incident.

Magistrate William Cooper concluded that the crash appeared to have happened from a moment of inattention and it seemed to be an error of judgment that caused the Nissan Navara to veer over to the wrong side of the road and into an oncoming B-double truck.

Pleading guilty to driving without due care and attention and without reasonable consideration of other persons using the road causing death, Brett displayed remorse in the court room.

On Friday 11th February, Brett was sentenced to six months in jail which was wholly suspended for a period of two years.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Ethan’s parents and his grandfather were present at the sentencing, and it is hoped that the family can move on a little now that they have some closure.

Ethan Durnsford who passed away in the tragic road accident

Brett Matton who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident

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New Airline Turns Whitsundays Purple!

Innovative airline, Bonza, launched thisweek and its signature branding has been the talk of town, turning many locallandmarks purple – or so it seemed!

Australia’s only independent low-costcarrier, Bonza is delivering on its promise to connect regional areas with 80per cent of its flights heading to areas previously unserviced.

This means Whitsunday residents will now beable to fly directly to the Sunshine Coast, Newcastle and Toowoomba, and ourlocal airport will now welcome an additional seven flights per week.

The Whitsundays Goes Purple!

Using a clever marketing campaign to create conversations ahead of the largest launch in Australian aviation history, new airline Bonza certainly convinced some residents that the water in the Airlie Beach Lagoon and the bright orange giant mango in Bowen had gone purple this week.

What has now been uncovered as a gimmick, also sets the Whitsundays to new heights in terms of its domestic tourism offering, opening our region up to lucrative regional markets across the country.

For local residents, this connection also means they can travel directly between these locations.

Launching 25 routes and 16 destinations across Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, the announcement increases the number of low-cost-carrier routes in Australia by 40 per cent.

From mid 2022, subject to regulatory approval, Bonza will operate three flights per week from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Sunshine Coast, twice weekly to Newcastle and twice weekly to Toowoomba Wellcamp.

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Andrew Willcox said that it is a Bonza day for the Whitsundays with the addition of three exciting new routes into Whitsunday Coast Airport.

“Today’s announcement opens up a new market for our region,” he said.

“And the best kicker of all for travellers is that Bonza is a budget airline committed to opening up routes to different parts of Australia. That adds up to cheaper airfares, more bums on seats and extra bodies in beds to boost our region’s economy.

“This is fantastic news for the Whitsunday business and tourism industry and will improve connectivity to Australia’s most popular domestic tourism destination.”

With a commitment to technology and all-digital approach, the company will be operating a paperless service that features an innovative app.

“Never before have the settings been better to challenge the norms to support a streamlined customer engagement experience and focusing on sustainability from day one by removing the need for traditional paper-based processes,” said Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza.

Australians are encouraged to download the app “Fly Bonza” on the Apple App Store or Google Play now and keep an eye out for updates as new functions are added.

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Wednesday’s competition was a stroke event for the February midweek monthly medals sponsored by Bowen Golf Club. Ladies’ winner Meg Garrod 67 nett, runner-up on a countback Morag Parker 72 nett. Pin shots to Jo Kukura, Morag Parker, Viv Clark, Claire Garrod. Men’s winner on a countback Isaac Fellows 68 nett, runner-up Perry Layton 68 nett.

The weekend competition was the February monthly medals. On Saturday, the men’s winner was Neil Steicke 66 nett, runner-up Owen Land 69 nett.  

On Sunday, the ladies’ winner was Tanya Gaudry 70 nett, runner-up on a countback Claire Garrod 73 nett. Pin shots to Viv Clark, Pauline Martin, Bev Lowcock and Janice Bates.

This weekend is a single stableford sponsored by Bowen Golf club. Don’t forget to check the club’s Facebook page for this week’s dinner menu. Takeaways still available. Please call the club on 4785 1206 if you wish to book a table or place a takeaway order. Joker draw is $1200 this week.

February midweek Ladies Monthly medal runner-up Morag Parker and winner Claire Garrod

February weekend Ladies Monthly medal runner-up Claire Garrod and winner Tanya Gaudry

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If you are walking down Main Street, Airlie Beach around dinner time, you will find no shortage of places where you can acquire the basic needs of food and shelter. Not so 118 years ago when Dick Abell arrived there.  

In August 1904, Richard (Dick) Abell and wife, Annie, stepped ashore at Horseshoe Bay (present name Airlie Beach) with their children - six boys and four girls ranging in age from babies to twenty years old – along with their niece and her husband, Lily and George Wright and their two-year-old son. They brought with them food for three months, a beacon light stove, Annie’s sewing machine and Dick’s coach building and logging tools. Tents were erected and drinking water located nearby. After Christmas 1904, a temporary home was constructed using bush timber. They built a more permanent home in 1909 on the site that is now Whitsunday Wanderers.

Dick arrived with hardly a penny to his name yet he ended up owning the whole of what is now known as Airlie Beach.

The family applied for land near the seaward end of Cannon Valley (as it was called at the time) in the names of Dick, his three eldest sons, Arthur, Thomas and Alfred; and George Wright. George’s application, the only successful one, was for land near the old Cannon Valley School site, now Abell Road. But notice was given of more land opening in what was to be known as Jubilee Pocket. The freehold land, going for the princely sum of 2/6d per acre ($20/acre in today’s money), was rainforest country considered suitable for cane production. This time they were successful with blocks were awarded to Dick (Block 56, now the township of Airlie); Arthur, Thomas and Alfred (Blocks 58, 59 and 60, which is now Muddy Bay).

This courageous, hardy family fought hard to survive in what was to them a hostile environment. At first, they considered planting cane, however, there was no road between Airlie Beach and Cannon Valley (now called Cannonvale) and only a narrow country lane as far as Brandy Creek in the Proserpine direction, totally unsuitable for transporting cane. The absence of roads proved to be the greatest stumbling block for whatever they were able to grow – cane, vegetables or tropical fruit. They finally resorted to building their own road – a dangerous and slippery road over steep ridges that resulted many times in near tragedy. A brief foray into cane growing in 1918 was unsuccessful – transport was the still a problem.

Japanese fishermen befriended the family and purchased produce from them which helped the family survive and they also fished for a living and for the table.  

They were successful with shipping timber from Hook Island to Bowen and later, Dick took out a lease on Hayman where his son, Arthur, ran sheep.

If you would like to read more about this fascinating family, the Proserpine Museum has for sale, copies of “Three Abell Men”; a wonderful family history full of adventure, laughter and mishaps experienced by one of the most notable of pioneering families in our district.

Story courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum and photos sourced from “Three Abell Men”.

Dick and Annie's second home in Airlie Beach – 1909

The Abell Family net fishing at Muddy Bay Arthur rowing, Edward and Beatrice with the net

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Bowen and Collinsville Pet Rescue are currently looking for a loving home for two dogs that have been cooped up in kennels for the past two weeks since their foster carers had to leave town.

Ruby is an eight-year-old Aussie Bulldog with her papers and her best mate is Oddball, a three-year-old male lab cross.

They are both beautiful dogs with lovely temperaments, bonded together and need a home with no other pets or small kids.

If you are thinking of adopting, then this could be a great opportunity to house two dogs that have been abandoned and are now tired from moving from one home to another.

Alternatively, you can foster these beautiful animals and look after them until a suitable home become available.

To adopt or foster, you simply need a fenced backyard that covers Council’s bi-law regulations and have an interest in looking after animals.

Ruby and Oddball are currently at the Pet Hotel in Bowen and waiting for a new home where they can receive some special love and stay together as a pair.

If you think you could look after these animals, contact Bronwyn through a private message on Facebook, give your phone number and email address, and the team will be in-touch.

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Whitsundays Mega Sale Started This Week

Tourism Whitsundays has launched two campaigns to offer excellent bargains for holidaymakers and drive business to the region during the low season for tourism operators.

Together with Helloworld Travel in Mackay, Mt Pleasant and Willows Townsville, they are bringing back The Whitsundays Mega Sale for 2022.

This campaign will run for two weeks and commenced on Monday.

Keep an eye out for amazing savings and bonus offers available, as well as constant reminders of the array of activities The Whitsundays has to offer.  

There will be exclusive savings on accommodation and tours, kids stay free options and dining credits with select accommodation and any booking made in the campaign period will go into the draw to win a Hamilton Island holiday valued at $1,000.

In addition, the $1 million Wonders of the Whitsundays marketing campaign, in partnership with 13 key local tourism operators, has been launched for the fourth consecutive year.

Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer, Rick Hamilton, believes the campaign will continue to punch above its weight.

“The previous Wonders of The Whitsundays campaign delivered over $12 million in sales to operators, as we embark on our fourth iteration we are certain that we will be able to build on that success and The Whitsundays will continue to be reinforced as the holiday hot spot for Australians,” Mr Hamilton said.

This campaign primarily focuses on targeting New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland markets and will run until late March, featuring 13 local tourism operators with a goal to drive conversion and bookings to assist businesses.

More information on the Whitsunday Mega Sale can be found here: https://bit.ly/3roHPb3

This could be you with the return of the Whitsundays Mega Sale splashing back to the Whitsundays last week

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Steve Obst is the new face at Eclipse Financial Services in Cannonvale, although by no means is he new to the business of helping people achieve a better lifestyle.

With a career spanning 26 years as a financial planner, Steve brings to the already impressive team of Eclipse a level of expertise garnered over two decades.

In his role, he helps people simplify their financial problems and give them some solutions, as well as educate them in ways they can better manage their finances, achieving their goals of owning a home, a car, or a better lifestyle.

“We deal with some of the intangibles, rather than just numbers and tax, for us it’s about lifestyle, what’s important to them, and how they can come up with solutions in terms of financial problems without just looking at a spreadsheet,” Steve said.

Since 1996, Steve has been on a “long journey in finance,” beginning work at the bank straight out of school in his hometown of Toowomba, which led him to settle in Townsville.

“I’ve been in North Queensland for such a long time that it’s really home for me,” Steve said.

His journey with Eclipse began 12 months ago, and there’s been no looking back after moving down from Townsville.

“I love the Whitsundays – having worked here previously in my old job, although a long time ago, I always had a soft spot for it,” he said.

“I love fishing and outdoor activities, so this is the place to be.”

He’s looking forward to joining up to some local sports clubs, as well as the local SES, and forging friendships with clients, which he said is a privilege of the job.

“In my previous role I’ve had clients for 15 years or more, and you share the good times and the bad times, with life in general, not just financially,” he said.

“Seeing their kids grow up, and them achieving their dreams.”

Steve said that initial meetings with him are not charged for and are more of a meet and greet where people have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“That could be as simple as understanding their superannuation statement, and if they can walk away with a better understanding of something relevant to them, that’s what’s important.”

Steve Obst, Senior Financial Planner at Eclipse Financial Services

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With COVID part of our new normal – it is time for sensible conversations about how to live with and move forward with the virus as part of everyday life. Constantly changing rules and requirements need to become a thing of the past.

The numbers are better than expected and as the peak subsides hospitalisations are dropping. Return to school will bring another spike, but no one is expecting school closures or further lock downs.

Changes have been made to enable businesses to function including expanding the list of "critically essential" industries where close contacts can return to work if they are symptom free and test negative. These changes need to be applied to all industries immediately.

The Check in app has been dropped (except where required for proof of vaccination) as a concession to the new reality and further reassessments of rules need to be made.

Falling through the cracks are small business owner operators who are required to isolate if they return a positive test which in some cases means shutting down the business for a period of time. Whilst some business support payments are available, this is a huge disincentive to test – and the reality needs to be faced that many will either not test or simply ignore the result and attend work as they simply cannot afford to shut down.

Is it time to discuss how asymptomatic workers and business owners who test positive, can still go to work? I, for one am far more comfortable with a positive person at work taking sensible precautions than someone refusing to test for fear of consequence. Again, the reality is that 9 in 10 positive cases are actually unaware they have COVID.

Rapid Antigen tests are now available free of charge to Government Concession Card Holders with limits in place. These test should also be subsidised for workers and businesses. We need to encourage testing as much as possible in order to modify behaviour, not discourage it due to expense and consequence.

The Chambers first networking event has been moved to Thursday 17th February at Mirage Restaurant – see our website for further details.

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