Minute With The Mayor 7 November

Building Our Whitsunday Legacy

The Whitsundays continues to make its mark on the State stage, with myself and CEO Warren Bunker front and centre at the Community Cabinet meeting in Mackay last Sunday where we presented our region’s priorities directly to the Premier, Deputy Premier and key Ministers.

We’re a region on the move, and I’m proud to see the Whitsundays recognised as one of Queensland’s fastest-growing and most forward-thinking communities. We’re not waiting for the future, we’re getting on with building it.

Council is delivering major projects that are reshaping how people live, work and move across our region. We’ve secured almost $30 million in Federal funding for two cornerstone projects — the Cannonvale Community Hub and the Whitsunday Regional Sports Park — designed to anchor our growing communities, create local jobs, and provide spaces for people to connect.

Through the State Government’s Residential Activation Fund, more than $50 million will help unlock trunk infrastructure for around 3,000 new homes over the next decade. That’s a major step in addressing housing supply and making sure growth happens in a planned, sustainable way.

I want to acknowledge the efforts of our local State Members, Amanda Camm and Dale Last, who continue to be strong advocates for the Whitsundays. They know our region, they listen, and they work alongside Council to get results. Whether it’s housing, infrastructure, or community projects, Amanda and Dale roll up their sleeves and back the projects that make a real difference for local people.

At the Community Cabinet we also used the opportunity to highlight the next wave of transformational projects from Olympic and Paralympic Sailing infrastructure in Airlie Beach and Bowen, to the Bowen Foreshore Revitalisation and the delivery of legacy community sport and tourism facilities that will set our region up for the 2032 Games and beyond.

These projects aren’t just about construction, they’re about building a stronger, more liveable Whitsunday community. They’re about keeping our young people here, attracting new families, and creating opportunities that flow through every town.

As I told the Premier, we don’t mind hard work up here, but we just want a fair go on the big infrastructure that keeps Queensland moving.

The Whitsundays are charging toward the Olympic decade with optimism, pride and purpose and together with the Crisafulli Government we’re ready to deliver a legacy that makes our community proud.

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