Thursday, September 28, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

Chamber Chat

There’s plenty of activity around town with school holidays filling accommodation places around the region creating a real buzz throughout both Airlie and Proserpine.

Airlie Main Street - Chamber met with Council CEO Warren Bunker last week regarding maintenance, restoration works, and traffic management in Airle Beach.

Our region welcomes around 900,000 visitors annually and there are plans to increase cruise ship visitation to over 100 annually. To ensure a world-class experience for both residents and visitors, Council is current seeking community input on upgrades to pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and parking within Airlie Beach precinct.

The Main Street of Airlie Beach has the potential to rival other renowned destinations, such as Hastings Street in Noosa. The needs of visitors and traders need to take precedence over through traffic. The Main Street should be considered as an access to the recreational facilities and business offerings provided in Airlie Beach and not as a through road.

We are strongly advocating increased precinct ambience and better presentation of street facades, better parking, and pedestrian safety by installation of pedestrian crossings, increased signage directing large vehicles and through traffic into Waterson Way, and better way finding signage in Airlie.

Vision for the Whitsundays – The research phase of our Vision for the Whitsundays project is open, and we invite you to have your say on our economic future. You can participate by providing a formal submission, completing a quick online survey, or participating in an engaging focus group. The Chamber team recently spent a morning with student leaders from the Prosperine State High School. Other focus groups happening in the coming weeks focus on Sustainability & Resilience, Future Workforce, Economic Growth, and Innovation. See our website for more details.

Chamber on Tap – Our recent event showed the Chamber’s commitment to economic growth in the region. An insightful evening was had by over forty attendees with topics covering a wide range of topics including mentoring for growth, business wellness coaching and more.

AGM – Our Annual General Meeting and Chamber Connect meeting is scheduled for 7:30am-9am Thursday 19 October at Whitsunday Green Golf Club and everyone is welcome. At the AGM, two major resolutions are being presented for consideration – a new name for the Chamber and Constitution that will set the foundation for a contemporary and inclusive organisation. Following the AGM will be a presentation by the CEO of Regional Development Australia Greater Whitsundays Rob Cocco providing. Registrations are now open, visit our website to book your spot.

In other news