Editor's Note 24 October

Hi everyone,

It’s definitely awards season, and the excitement is building!

This Saturday marks our inaugural Life Publishing Group gala event, supporting seven regional charities. A huge thank you to our entire team for their hard work — especially our Mackay Sales Manager, Jess Clark, whose passion has driven this event from the start, and to our Whitsunday Sales Manager for coordinating donations and client support.

I can't wait to share more about the event with you next week.

This week, however, I’d like to shine a light on the Whitsunday Tourism Awards, which eight of our team attended last Saturday night.

I had the honour of presenting an award and took the opportunity to share a short speech. Walking onto the stage and hearing cheers from my team was a truly meaningful moment. That sense of support — along with my incredible husband by my side, rescuing my lost phone and driving a few of us ‘over 30s’ home — made the evening extra special.

Another standout moment was witnessing the renewed energy and enthusiasm for the awards. What felt somewhat disheartened last year was, in my view, completely revitalised this time around.

The Bob Porter Award went to someone who described it as one of their “top three life moments” — a testament to its renewed significance. And the shift away from lengthy written submissions to the Best of Queensland Experience Program has created a fairer, more accessible entry process.

While some may have felt uncertain navigating the new system, it was wonderful to see smaller businesses step into the spotlight — a refreshing change that reflects the true diversity of our tourism community.

You can read the full 16-page awards feature by turning to page 30.

Until next week,
Rach

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