The team at PCYC Whitsundays Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) are celebrating this week having been awarded Best Childcare Facility in the Whitsundays and overall eighth out of the 41 facilities in Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaac region.

Located at PCYC in Jubilee Pocket and Cannonvale, the OSCH looks after between 200 and 300 children each week.

The competition was held by the Courier Mail and the winners were decided by using information from parent reviews and The Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.

Centre Coordinator, Adam Curtis, said it was incredible to win, especially going up against private schools and many other excellent childcare services.

“To be placed that high among them was a really good feeling,” he said.

“The most rewarding and wholesome thing about it was that the parents recognised what we do.”

Mr Curtis believes it is the close connection and personal touch his team establishes with all the children that saw them recognised for the prestigious award.

“I think it comes down to how ingrained we are in the community – we are close with all our families,” he said,

“It’s a lot more than just babysitting – we also provide an educational program.”

From teaching ball-skills and craftwork through to instilling positive character traits such as respect, kindness and general wellbeing.

Youth Club Manager of PCYC Whitsunday, Sergeant Billi Li, said he was thrilled to hear the news.

“I am very proud of the team – we always try and be the best we can and provide the best service to the community,” he said.

Mr Curtis said he would like to thank all the families that gave positive reviews.

“It’s really humbling – I am so proud of my team,” he said

Sergeant Billi Li, Cat Woodcock, Adam Curtis and Kirsty Gowland

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For the second time in two years, 17-year-old Mac Rogers has taken home the Lions Youth of the Year Award for our region and will be heading to the Q2 District Finals in Townsvillw later this month.

Proserpine State High School Captain, Mac is a dedicated and passionate student who excels at public speaking, the key skill that saw him win at the regional competition which was held at Castle Motor Lodge in Bowen last Saturday.

Challengers from Whitsunday, Bowen and Collinsville Lions also vied for the title, with Bowen local Isabelle Reinke winning the public speaking award while Mac took overall winner.

All contestants had to give two impromptu speeches, one prepared speech and enter a panel discussion.

Mac says that by participating in these challenges, he has gained invaluable public speaking and self-confidence skills.

“It’s been a really good opportunity to develop my public-speaking skills and I have met lots of interesting people, both Lions and students,” he said.

“I would absolutely encourage anyone to enter, every experience makes a huge difference.”

Principal Don McDermid said the Lion’s Youth of the Year is a great program and a fantastic opportunity for students.

“It is a wonderful achievement for Mac to win the Club and Zone competitions for a second year and we wish him all the very best for the District competition in Townsville,” he said.

Mac was mentored by Proserpine State High School teacher Erin Jarred.

He will now compete against six other students who come from as far afield as Cairns, west of Townsville and Mackay.

The Q2 District Finals takes place at the Townsville RSL Saturday 19th March.

Head judge Sian, public speaking winner Isabella Reinke, Youth of the Year Mac Rogers, Gloria Demartini

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Over one hundred delegates, speakers and attendees participated in the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) National and Queensland Conference held at Coral Sea Marina Resort last week.

This was the first time the national conference had been held in the Whitsundays and the third time the statewide contingent had visited our local region.

The opening address was made by Mayor Andrew Willcox on Wednesday morning and attendees then enjoyed a presentation on cyber security followed by a workshop on public speaking.

After this, highlights included a passionate talk about local government from Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm and a presentation on Nanotechnology by Coral Sea Marina’s owner Paul Darrouzet.

Other hard-hitting subjects included a Zoom presentation on Defamation, a lesson about how the Gold Coast approaches homelessness and a workshop on the ‘Banish Bias’.

Several panel discussions also took place covering issues such as managing social media .

Councillor Jan Clifford was instrumental in bringing the event to the Whitsundays and said that, after two years or false starts, she was delighted to provide an event which not only informed attendees but also tackled important subjects.

“We tried to keep it all relevant and interesting – we didn’t want it to be all fluffy,” said Councillor Clifford.

“We wanted it to be meaningful and dynamic so that’s what we did!”

A host of notable speakers facilitated the event, from award-winning journalists to ex-mayors and a mum of four teenagers – it was a wide and varied demographic of people who shared the central bond of a passion for the inner workings of local government.

The event began on Tuesday 1st March with welcome drinks and the following two days were spent with back to back workshops and talks.

A celebratory Gala Dinner took place on the Wednesday evening which was well-attended and very successful.

It is hoped that hosting an event of this calibre will attract more similar functions to the Whitsundays.

Pierina Dalle Cort, Councillor Jan Clifford, Daphne McDonald and Sue Bloom. Back row: Karen Murray, Jo McNally, Kim Skubris and Nikki Te Kawano

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Avid local swimmers will be thrilled to hear that the Airlie Beach Lagoon opening hours will soon be extended when new lights are installed, providing a safe and pleasurable night swimming experience for all.

New lights had been installed after 2017 Cyclone Debbie destroyed the previous lighting, but an update in government legislation stated that they were no longer bright enough to legally allow night swimming at the lagoon.

This was a point of frustration at a Council meeting several months ago, when it was discovered that upgrading them would incur an additional $500,000 bill – proving to be a very costly exercise for ratepayers.

For over a year, swimming at the lagoon has been restricted to daylight hours, but it is anticipated that the new lighting will be installed and operational by the beginning of April.

At this time, the Lagoon swimming hours will return to 5:30am to 9pm during the warmer months and 5:30am to 7:00pm from June to August.

Due to reduced daylight hours for the next few weeks and until the new lighting is installed, the Lagoon swimming hours will be restricted to 6am to 6:30pm to ensure the safety of our community and visitors.

The Airlie Beach Lagoon

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Some of Bowen’s major landmarks are getting a spruce-up to enhance the usability of the town and provide a better aesthetic for visitors and tourists alike.

You may have noticed a new timber decking at the Bowen Front Beach Skatepark, where Council have replaced the old timber with a new recycled decking material which looks like timber.

Existing sections of flooring timber were also replaced with concrete to create a better skating surface.

Council is thrilled with the result, saying that the new recycled plastic decking is longer-lasting and easier to maintain, reducing costs over time.

The original timber was installed in 2010 during the major redevelopment of the Bowen Foreshore.

Meanwhile, one of Bowen’s most beautiful nature spots is about to receive some new bridges.

The existing pedestrian bridges at Mullers Lagoon in Bowen are being replaced with a composite fibre material which is lightweight, environmentally friendly and long lasting.

The project is funded by the Queensland Government’s Works for Queensland program.

Works began last week and are due to be finished in April, weather permitting.

Until completion, this section of the walking path will be closed.

Mullers Lagoon

The new timber decking at the skatepark

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Concerned residents once again took to the streets to protest the Port of Airlie development which Whitsunday Regional Council approved for a 47-metre high-rise hotel, breaking the previous legal height limit to pave way for the new building.

Late last year, plans for an architecturally inspiring, ambient green high-rise with conference centre, bowling alley and cinema was approved but has now likely been cast aside with permission granted for developers to sell onto a third party who can change the plans without needing any further public consultation.

This has angered many residents, most significantly Save Our Foreshore who are disappointed that the low-rise green lagoon-type holiday resort approved in 2010 did not go ahead as planned either.

In their opinion, the new high-rise structure is contradictory to the “village atmosphere” that people often cite as the reason they choose to visit Airlie Beach.

“This is, without a doubt, one the biggest risks to these values and our low-rise town character this region has ever faced,” said community group Save Our Foreshore’s president Suzette Pelt.

“Because of Council’s approval, we are now forced down a legal appeal path. Never before has this community had to take Council to court for their failure to listen to the community and uphold the town plan and building heights.”

Over 2000 submissions objecting to the high-rise have been submitted and legal proceedings are now underway.

Save Our Foreshore is currently fundraising and appealing for anyone in the community to help with the financial costs of the legal battle.

The peaceful protest at Port of Airlie earlier this week

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Queens Beach Tourist Village has been awarded Best Grey Nomad Large Caravan Park at the 2022 Grey Nomads Awards, taking home gold at last week’s nationwide event.

Held remotely via video link, the team crowded round to watch as the winner was announced and park owner, Peter Greer, said they all got a little bit tearful when they discovered they had won.

“We didn’t expect it, but it’s fantastic news and goes to show what the team does,” said Mr Greer.

“Everyone is still on a high – the whole township of Bowen is happy – this award is part of them too.”

Almost 90 per cent of Queens Beach Tourist Village’s customers are Grey Nomads, with many choosing to stay for long periods between April and September.

Mr Greer says that it was a mixture of excellent customer service and park facilities that saw them take home gold.

“All gardens are manicured, each site is hedged for privacy, there are three amenities’ blocks, a camp kitchen and two large swimming-pools on-site,” he said.

This is the second time the caravan park has won the award, taking home gold in 2019.

Peter and his wife Jennie have been the owners for four years and own another park in Inverell, which was also shortlisted for Best Smallest Caravan Park at the Grey Nomad Awards this year.

Sales and Marketing Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy, congratulated Queens Beach Tourism Village on winning the award.

“We were so pleased to hear the news,” she said.

“Bowen relies heavily on the drive market and it is accommodation providers such as Queens Beach Tourist Village that ensure people have a great tourism experience and come back time and time again, year after year, to enjoy the welcoming hospitality, the natural beauty of Bowen and the great facilities at parks like this.”

Queens Beach Tourist Village owner, Peter Greer, with his team

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Gilmour Space Technologies gathered with the traditional owners last Saturday to celebrate an exciting milestone in the construction of the Gold Coast Based company’s Bowen Orbital Space Port at Abbot Point State Development Area.

Welcoming The Juru Traditional Owners of Bowen nearby the proposed site, Gilmour celebrated that they were one step closer to launching rockets into space, with the Whitsunday Regional Council approving early works for the Orbital Spaceport.

Spaceport Welcomed To Country

In a smoking ceremony, an aboriginal protocol much like a welcome to country, elders and representatives of the Juru people officially welcomed Gilmour Space to country.

“We are grateful to the Juru traditional owners for their Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony to mark this occasion, ushering in a new space beginning for Queensland and Australia,” James Gilmour, head of launch operations at Gilmour Space said.

Trevor Prior, Juru Elder and board director of the Kyburra Munda Yalga Aboriginal Corporation, which last year signed a Cultural Heritage Management Agreement with Gilmour Space, officiated the ceremony.

“With this ceremony, our people have welcomed Gilmour Space to build their spaceport on Juru country,” Mr Prior said.

The approval from Whitsunday Regional Council means that Gilmour can begin early construction works on the launch site ahead of their first Eris rocket launch later this year.

The event was attended by business leaders as well as representatives from federal, state and local governments, including Member for Dawson George Christensen MP.

“This is important for the nation - having sovereign launch capability is a strategic need, and we want to see that develop through projects like this,” Mr Christensen said.

Bowen Chamber of Commerce President Bruce Hedditch said that the project was not only fantastic for Bowen but for the region.

“The beauty of this area is that it’s isolated, it won’t cause a problem for any residents, but it will provide jobs and tourism for the region,” Mr Hedditch said.

In the United States, rocket launches at Cape Canaveral regularly see attendances of over 150,000 spectators.

“If we can even get 10 per cent of that, the hotels in Bowen will be full, and even in Airlie Beach,” Mr Hedditch said.

The company is seeking further approvals to complete the project.

Ms Peta Ross Lynn, chairperson of the Kyburra Munda Yalga Aboriginal Corporation, Juru Elder Trevor Prior, Adam Gilmour, Juru Elder Boori Monty Prior, James Gilmour, and Member for Dawson George Christensen

The Juru People alongside Gilmour Space employees at the future site of the Bowen Orbital Space Port

Juru Traditional Owners performed a smoking ceremony

Adam Gilmour alongside the smoking ceremony

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Moranbah Mum, Catherine Rogers, has turned her childhood dream into a full-fledged career, all while balancing a life as a mum, wife, fitness trainer, and student.

Stepping out of her comfort zone in 2017 Catherine enrolled in a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Sciences, and this year finished the degree she was originally afraid to begin.

“I put off studying out of fear of failure and a belief that I was not good enough to attend university,” she said.

“Luckily, I proved myself wrong.”

Catherine was awarded the Kelly Nettle Memorial Prize in her second year for the highest GPA in her Exercise and Sports Sciences cohort, and finished top of her class in her final year, 2021.

A passion for sport and exercise, even playing tennis at a national level during her teenage years, Catherine has an engrained “passion for health and fitness” from a very young age.

“I always knew that it would be a big part of my life,” Catherine said.

“I have worked in the fitness industry for the past 14 years, however, I always wanted to learn more and to progress in my career.”

Having received a CQUniCares BHP Community Scholarship, Catherine had the freedom to focus on her studies, all while balancing the many hats of a mum, wife, student, and fitness trainer.

“Particularly at a time when our growing family put additional pressure on the budget, my scholarship assisted with many university expenses,” Catherine said.

“It also pushed me further to receive top marks by developing good study skills and being organised, which is particularly important when you have a young family.”

Catherine described the experience as the best decision she has ever made and advocated for other mothers to consider future study.

Her children were one and two years old when she started her university journey and was so glad to have had the opportunity to further her passion and career.

She’s continuing her journey as a student, having been inspired to enrol in postgraduate study.

“I am currently working as a fitness instructor and personal trainer at two of the local gyms in Moranbah and enrolled in my Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology,” she said.

“I am excited to continue to develop my knowledge and skills, which will allow me to practice as an allied health professional and contribute to a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

“I want to make a difference and my career will allow me to positively impact the health and well-being of many people in my community.”

A Moranbah mum has smashed her Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Sciences course at CQUniversity

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The Isaac region has raised its voice and made noise in support of strong, inspirational and empowering women of all ages.

The Inspiring Women in Isaac awards has received a record-breaking 81 nominations for 71 women.

Seven communities across the Isaac will mark Queensland Women’s Week this March by celebrating the powerhouse females who enrich and strengthen their communities.

Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker said Inspiring Women in Isaac ceremonies will be held in Clermont, Dysart, Glenden, Greenhill, Middlemount, Moranbah and Nebo.

“Thank you, Isaac, for nominating; 81 is a great number and we are absolutely delighted at our region wanting to recognise the inspiring, empowering and energising women who make a difference to their communities every day,” Mayor Baker said.

“Nominees are local female role models and leaders, as well as being mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives and daughters.

“There’s so many men and women that surround our brilliant nominees, so I please encourage you all to support them at these events. Like each of our nominees in our communities, each event is unique.

“You can listen to an inspirational guest speaker at Dysart, be treated to delicious dinner at Middlemount, hear real stories through an interview panel at Moranbah, dance under the stars in Clermont, join in an art workshop at the Coast, take home a lucky door prize at Nebo or test your trivia knowledge in Glenden.

“You won’t want to miss this and more at these free events over two weeks, starting March 11.

The Inspiring Women in Isaac awards are held in conjunction with Queensland Women's Week which is an expansion of International Women’s Day, held annually on 8 March, providing a week-long, State-wide celebration of the achievements of Queensland women and girls.

Keep Making Noise is the 2022 Queensland Women’s Week theme and it calls on women and girls to continue to tell their stories to build momentum as we all strive for change. The theme also encourages to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women and girls while recognising that there is still more to be done to achieve gender equality.

The Inspiring Women in Isaac awards will be announced at local events between 11 and 25 March 2022.

Visit https://speakup.isaac.qld.gov.au/inspiring-women-in-isaac-awards or by calling 1300 ISAACS (1300 47 22 27) for more information on the event details in seven of the Isaac region’s selected communities.

2021 Clermont Inspiring Woman in Isaac winner, Dr Tessia Salmond. Image supplied: Isaac Regional Council

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The dishes, making the bed, making dinner, vacuuming, who does all of this at home for you? There are exceptions, but in most cases, mum takes care of the household in more ways than are ever appreciated.

For mums, it can become an identity – they can lose themselves and become just the person at home with what Deb Rae said is “the mental load,” a list of responsibilities that mums must complete every day.

“They themselves are at the bottom of the list, and often, you don’t get to the bottom of the list once you’ve looked after everyone else,” Deb said.

Deb Rae is a Mackay based life coach, author, and speaker, who has worked with mental health organisations, as well as one on one life coaching to help people invest in themselves.

Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, Deb spoke with mums across Mackay who, like many groups, were feeling even further mental strain during a time of uncertainty.

“It started with just friends and people I work with, and I found they were exhausted, overwhelmed, and there’s a lot of pressure [on them] to have a certain type of life as a mum,” Deb said.

“They spend so much time doing everything for everyone else and remembering everything that everyone else wants that I have lost myself in that process somewhere.”

Mums can feel buried in an avalanche of responsibility that, unfortunately, men can’t always understand. There’s a link between mother and child that is intangible and differs from that of a father and child – as well as societal expectations that can be heaped onto those biological feelings.

A mum can often be expected to make the kids lunches, make dinner, while a dad might take out the trash or walk the dog. There are exceptions, but these are the societal norms often laid before us.

It can be a thankless job to be a parent, and Deb, through her conversations with these women, found that being a mum can be an even less thankful position.

“Women talked to me about how they felt they were failing; that the list that they could do for everyone else was endless, so you never feel you’ve achieved everything,” she said.

“This sense of, I’m failing and I’m not good enough, I don’t feel pretty enough, I can’t do enough – they’re sitting in a sense of failing all the time.

“And, usually, no one ever says thank you.”

To combat this, Deb is now organising a Celebrate Me Retreat Program, because sometimes being a mum makes you feel like a broken mess.

She’ll be taking a group of women on a retreat, and a two-month long program, to get off the never-ending merry-go-round and to help women get back to themselves.

“It’s about becoming aware of that pressure and trying to clear away some of that other stuff and coming back to who you are,” Deb said.

“Helping women come back to their values and what they want from life.”

Deb’s first program will start in March, and she hopes to build on this initial program to provide a range of support for women and mums in the coming year.

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Thousands of sacked workers should be reinstated and compensated for loss of income, according to Federal Member for Dawson, George Christensen, who launched a petition on the issue this week.

Mr Christensen said real world data now proved mass sackings of unvaccinated workers were not justified.

“These workers lost their livelihoods for no justifiable reason and they should be immediately reinstated and compensated for lost income at the minimum,” he said.

“The rapid spread of Omicron through workplaces and the community cannot be blamed on the unvaccinated because the unvaccinated have been excluded from the workplace and excluded from polite society.

“We were told getting the jab would stop people getting the disease, stop them passing it on, stop them from going to hospital, and stop them from dying – but none of that was true.”

Mr Christensen added that he believed the State Government acted out of fear or a desire to coerce and control.

“They sacked or terminated thousands of nurses, doctors, hospital staff, teachers, and police officers who refused to comply with what turned out to be an unjustifiable order,” he said.

“Unfortunately, private enterprise has been emboldened by a widespread acceptance of tyranny and enacted their own punishing policies.”

Mr Christensen urged who he described as “freedom-loving Australians” to sign a petition at www.george.christensen.com.au/reinstate. More than 11,000 people already signed the petition over its first two days.

He said the State Premiers (and some private enterprises) had over-reached and should be held accountable for the negative impact they inflicted on innocent families.

“When you take away someone’s job, you take away their ability to pay the rent, pay a mortgage, and put food on the table,” he said.

“Some workers lost far more than a job – they lost their livelihood, their home, family, and (in the most extreme cases) their lives.

“The very, very least those Premiers and private enterprise CEOs can do is to order the immediate reinstatement of those workers and reimburse them for the loss of income incurred because of those ridiculous health orders.”

Federal Member for Dawson, George Christensen speaking with Australians at the Convoy to Canberra

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More than 1,300 Mackay children a year are set to benefit from reduced price or free kindy, thanks to a more than $1 billion investment announced by the State Government last week.

Member for Mackay and Assistant Health Minister, Julieanne Gilbert, said the kindergarten program funding overhaul was the most significant reform for the sector in more than a decade.

“We know that the first few years of a child's life here in Mackay are incredibly important and play a major role in their future,” Ms Gilbert said.

“That’s why we are increasing our annual investment in kindy from $130 million to $211 million per year, which means more than a billion dollars will go into our kindy services over the next 5 years, with ongoing funding after that.

“Here in the Mackay Region, that means 1,329 kids will get reduced price kindy, with 332 of those getting it completely free.”

Ms Gilbert said kindy participation had grown rapidly in the state.

“I’m proud that Queensland has seen kindergarten participation grow from 29 per cent in 2008 to 96 per cent today,” Ms Gilbert said.

“Every child deserves the best start at life by attending kindy and experiencing those lifelong benefits of education, play and positive wellbeing.”

Ms Gilbert said the package also includes an expansion of the Kindy Uplift program, and extra funding for children with disabilities.

“We’re thrilled that this increased funding means we can more than double the number of services covered by the successful Kindy Uplift program to 930,” Ms Gilbert said.

“Kindy Uplift funding means services can invest in personalised programs so children can reach their full potential. For example, funding could be used to provide a dedicated support worker or professional development for staff.

“We will also invest more than $19 million per year to enhance support for families with children who have a disability or are developmentally vulnerable, so they can participate in either community or long day care kindies.

“In addition, eligible remote and regional community kindergartens and kindergartens in long day care will receive a funding boost to use on things like accommodation assistance and relocation costs to ensure they can attract and retain a qualified early childhood teacher.”

Education Minister Grace Grace said the Queensland Government was proud to be investing in Queenslanders’ early years.

“We’re investing in our youngest Queenslanders, we’re investing in our families, and we’re investing in the Mackay Region’s future,” Ms Grace said.

Over 5 years, the package includes:

● Free kindy access for 14,000 children a year

● Reduced fees for a further 26,000 children a year

● $33 million to expand Kindy Uplift from 400 to 930 services

● $38.5 million to help remote and regional services attract and retain early childhood teachers

● $95 million in support for families with children who have a disability

There are 12 services in the electorate of Mackay that are currently part of the Kindy Uplift program. An additional 16 services will be invited to join the program as part of this announcement.

For more information visit: www.qld.gov.au/KindyFunding

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A man has died following a single vehicle crash in Kuttabul, north west of Mackay earlier this week on Tuesday afternoon.

Early police investigations indicate around 4:40pm the car was headed west on Kuttabul Mount Jukes Road when it collided with a tree.

The driver and sole occupant of the sedan, a 22-year-old was transported to Mackay Base Hospital. Due to the patient’s unstable condition, a decision was made to transport the critically ill driver to Mackay Base Hospital by ambulance.

RACQ CQ Rescue reported that the sole occupant had to be cut from the wreckage by firefighters.

Sadly, the 22-year-old passed away in hospital.

The Forensic Crash Unit is investigating.

RACQ CQ Rescue attended an accident scene near Kuttabul on Tuesday where a vehicle left the road and collided with a tree. Photos Supplied: RACQ CQ Rescue

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A 14-year-old boy, Mark Angelo Ligmayo, was fatally stung by a box jellyfish at Mackay’s Eimeo Beach on Sunday, 27 February.

He had been standing in waist high water for roughly 10 minutes before walking from the water and crying out for help.

Eimeo Surf Life Savers rushed to Mark to attempt to assist before paramedics arrived.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and spent over 40 minutes attempting to resuscitate the teenager after he stumbled from the water with his legs entwined by what was estimated to be two meters of jellyfish tentacles.

He was then taken to Mackay Base Hospital where he died at 3:22pm.

The Box jellyfish is the most venomous marine animal in the world, with tentacles of up to three metres in length covered in poison-filled darts, called nematocysts, which cause severe pain and leave whip-like marks behind.

The stings can cause paralysis, cardiac arrest, and death within minutes of being stung.

Surf lifesavers had reportedly dragged the beach’s water for jellyfish only 15 minutes beforehand.

Mark, his mother, and sister had only recently moved to Australia from the Philippines to join his father, Nick Guinumtad who has lived in Mackay for several years, but the move had been delayed by the pandemic.

Mark was meant to start at Mackay State High School this month. Dawson Federal MP George Christensen said Mark’s parents wish to take his body back to the Philippines and had already contacted the Philippines Embassy on their behalf.

It is the second fatality from a box jellyfish sting in Queensland in the past 16 years, with the previous the death of a 17-year-old boy stung at Patterson Point in February last year.

Fourteen-Year-Old Dies After Box Jellyfish Sting At Eimeo Beach

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