Editors Note

Hi Everyone,

This week, our amazing team came together for our quarterly Team Connect - three days dedicated to reconnecting, realigning, and recharging. It’s always a highlight on our calendar, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint.

A big thank you to Judy Porter from Shiift, who led us through an insightful session, helping us better understand our individual personalities and how they all contribute to us coming together as a team.

In true celebratory style (and making up for a missed Christmas party!), we also took to the water aboard Viper for a day we won’t forget in a hurry. From the breathtaking beauty of Whitehaven Beach to snorkelling at Mantaray Bay - where we met resident Maori Wrasse, Gorgeous George - it was pure magic!

For some of our newer team members, it was their very first time experiencing the islands, while for others it was the first time they had snorkelled since a child.

Across the three days, each department rolled up their sleeves to help shape our mission, sharing the words that define who we are and what we stand for. It was incredibly rewarding to see so much overlap, with values like community, trust, positivity, adaptability, accountability, engagement, and fun rising to the top. It’s a reflection of a team that’s not only aligned, but genuinely passionate about what we do.

Of course, as luck would have it, while we were all off connecting, some major local events popped up! Our apologies to the Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Coexistance Queensland - we’re grateful to those who stepped in to capture moments so we could still share them with our readers in the paper this week.

Finally, on a more serious note, our thoughts are with two local families who have experienced sudden and tragic loss this week. News like this ripples through a community like ours, and we share in that grief alongside them.

Our prayers and thoughts are with you.

Rach

Quote of the Week: “When we understand that each day isn’t one more day, but one less, we start giving more value to what truly matters.” (Unknown)

‍