Issue #

Political Insights

The 2022 election was all about the Climate. The results reflected this with a swag of teal independents announcing themselves on the national political stage, while the Greens picked up seats in Brisbane for the first time. But a lot has changed in three years and in 2025 the election is about the Cost of Living. Making the case for who can ease the pressures on managing household costs will go a long way to claiming a victory on May 3rd. Treasurer Jim Chalmers in his budget speech a few short

DEER BREEDING SEASON A CALL FOR COMMUNITY ACTION

With deer breeding season fast approaching, the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions is reminding communities of the heightened risk of feral deer on the road as well as increased activity and damage across Australia’s landscapes, including in suburban streets. Dr Annelise Wiebkin, National Deer Management Coordinator, says feral deer cause serious damage in farmland, native bushland and urban areas and that the breeding season is a particularly critical time to notice their presence and manag

Driving For Change

The Cars for Community initiative is revving up real-world learning and making a meaningful difference, proving that it’s much more than just a car giveaway. Now in its third year, the program sees students spend the school year restoring donated or purchased vehicles, bringing them up to roadworthy condition before gifting them to local not-for-profit organisations in need. Automotive Trainer Simon Korneliussen shared that the program is as much about education as it is about giving back to t

Sarina Hospital Celebrates One Year Of Community Care

Last Friday marked a significant milestone for the Sarina community, as Sarina Hospital celebrated one year since opening the doors of its state-of-the-art facility on Brewers Road. Staff, volunteers, project teams and community supporters gathered to recognise the hospital’s first year of operation — a year marked by growth, resilience and commitment to delivering high-quality health care close to home. Director of Nursing Pauline Maude reflected on the journey, commending her team and acknow

Local Student Jacob Ross Selected For Ministerial Student Advisory Council

A huge congratulations to Bowen’s own Jacob Ross, a Year 10 student at Bowen State High School, who has been selected as a delegate for the Ministerial Student Advisory Council. Jacob attended the first meeting in Brisbane on the 28th of March, where he joined 17 other young leaders from across Queensland to discuss important issues affecting students. The Ministerial Student Advisory Council is an invaluable platform for the Minister for Education to hear the voices of students from all corner

Deja Vu! VMR To The Rescue

Just 11 days ago, WVMR were called into action to rescue a broken-down vessel near Tongue Bay. Little did we know that this would be a rescue mission Revisited as the culprit was once again, the uncooperative starter motors. Who could have predicted we'd be called out face the same issue so soon? Our mission began at 1305hrs, with the familiar goal of reaching Tongue Bay. The crew was the same, the skipper just as dejected, and the destination unchanged. We arrived at the vessel at 1420hrs, wit

Hope Rekindled, A Pledge To Rebuild Sarina JRL Shed

After a heartbreaking fire tore through Sarina Junior Rugby League’s team shed earlier this year, the club was left without vital equipment and its young players without a home base. Now, there’s a flicker of hope on the horizon, with Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, committing $200,000 to help rebuild the shed – if an LNP Government is elected. Michelle Landry said she was proud to stand with the club and help restore what had been lost. “Sarina Junior Rugby League is more tha

Proserpine Bowls Club Rained Out

Wednesday’s Social Bowls was a non-event, once again marred by the weather. With rain continuing to pour down, it seems like Mother Nature has been determined to keep us indoors. The weather has been a bit of a mixed bag lately—50/50, really—with the wet dominating and the sun making only the occasional appearance. As we head into April, there’s hope that we’ll see a shift, with a little less rain and a little more sunshine to brighten our afternoons. On Sunday, despite the unpredictable weathe

Weekly Fishing Report By Tackle World Airlie Beach

We bet you’re all as happy as we are that the sun has finally come out to play! This is particularly great news for all the women and children participating in the ‘Sweeties and Squires’ fishing competition from 11-13 April. Check the Whitsunday Game Fish Club Facebook page for all the details. Dam With all the rain we’ve continued to have, there’s been a heavy surface bite at the dam. If it continues to be good, focus on the northern end under the mountain ranges. For lures, we can recommend t

Posting With Purpose – Building Capacity For Community Groups

A three-part social media training series has equipped local community groups with the skills and confidence to better promote their events, engage with their audience and maximise their online presence. Thanks to the sponsorship of Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank, participants attended free of charge, making the program accessible to a wide range of local not-for-profits. Delivered by Rebel Nation, the training covered essential topics such as content planning, engagement strategies, social

Wangaratta Bowls Highlights

Tuesday winners were Deb Retchless, Isobel Wheeler, and Penny Warren who defeated Lindy Suann, Irene Laird, Robyn Stitt and Marg Wilson, while The jackpot didn’t go off. For the Men’s A grade singles Jason Wright defeated Alby Vigar, and Mitch Wright defeated Gavin Charles. The Men’s Pairs saw Mitch Wright and Wayne Crowhurst defeating Jason Wright and Lloyd White. While the Ladies Consistency, Penny Warren defeated Lindy Suann. Sunday afternoon play resulted in Robyn Stitt and Ron Hyde defeat

A Night To Remember

On Saturday, March 29, the Moranbah State High School Performance Hall was transformed into an elegant celebration of tradition and community, as the 48th Moranbah Debutante Ball unfolded in a stunning decor of fuchsia, white, and black. Sixteen debutantes, each escorted by their partners, were proudly presented to Cr Kelly Vea Vea, Mayor of Isaac Regional Council, marking a momentous occasion for the young individuals and the Moranbah community. Cr Simon West of the Isaac Regional Council also

Cannonvale Cannons At Townsville Tourists

The Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club recently hosted its final Club Night of the season. Despite the wet weather, the Cannons wrapped up the season with a fun and less competitive night. Swimmers and their parents enjoyed some lighthearted races, with no timekeepers involved. The Chocolate Award was received by Airlie Mladenovski, and the Coaches’ Award was presented to Stella Mulliss for her dedication and effort. Nine Cannonvale Cannons swimmers travelled to Townsville to compete at the Towns

Queensland-Wide Call

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) has issued a Queensland-wide call to First Nations artists and craftspeople to showcase their culture and wares to thousands of visitors at this year’s Tanks Arts Centre-based Artisans Showcase between Thursday 10th and Sunday 13th of July 2025. Set within the botanic surrounds of the event’s new Tanks Arts Centre hub, the Artisans Showcase, one of CIAF’s much-loved program highlights, will provide a welcoming and inspiring marketplace featuring a new and diver

A Cuppa To Fight Cancer

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea is Cancer Council Australia's most popular fundraising event and the largest, most successful event of its kind in Australia. This year The Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre and Club Whitsunday are joining forces to put on the Biggest Morning Tea yet and are gunning to beat last year's amount raised of $1591.50!

Brave, Bald And Bold

What do you get when one woman offers her hair, a team turns grief into action, and a town shows up in force? A night that cut straight to the heart. "Bald for the Brave" was more than a fundraiser – it was a heartfelt tribute to lives lost, strength found, and hope renewed. Led by local creative agency Redhotblue, the event saw Marketing Manager Melanie Grenier shave her head in solidarity and raise crucial funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. With emotion, edge, and electric e

The Brekky Pack Program Is Here

During the school term, 170,000 children across Queensland are fed breakfast through school-based breakfast programs, but with school holidays upon us, the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre has created a program to support families in need when school is out. The Brekky Pack program provides a package of breakfast foods to help families across the region. The centre sought sponsorship to fund the packs that include: a choice of cereal, vegemite or honey, bread, milk, butter, Milo, pancake mix and

What's On | 11th April

SPORTSPARK FIXTURES

Airlie Bowls Shines Through

It certainly felt like it was the Wetsundays this week again but Thursday it suddenly cleared and the lessons continued at 4 to 5 as did practice for all on Friday afternoon. Saturday saw the B singles go through the early rounds with Arthur McManus, Ash Warland, Dennis Donnadelli, and Ted Cullen surprisingly being defeated, leaving the 4 semifinalists to play Sunday Morning. Noel Crosbie v Steve Lawrie and Mervyn Stewart v Craig Kennedy from Business House bowls whom was a giant killer on Sat

Prizes Galore At Sarina Arts And Craft Cent Sale

Cent sales aren't always billed as ‘mega’ but Sarina Arts and Craft Centre’s latest next month will be exactly that.Centre manager Jenny Costello and a core group of helpers are putting together an amazing collection of prizes for the sale, at the Sarina Sporting and Services Club on Sunday, March 9.“We’ve had a marvellous response from businesses, organisations and people within the Sarina and wider Mackay area as we’ve been collecting for the sale,” Jenny said.“We have lots of high-quality pri

Kucom Theatre Welcomes New Committee For 2025

At the Annual General Meeting of Kucom Theatre, held on Tuesday 25 March, outgoing President Maureen Coleman reflected on another successful year for Mackay’s longest-running community theatre, and thanked the outgoing Committee, Kucom members, patrons and sponsors for their continuing support. A special thanks was also extended to Mayor Greg Williamson for agreeing to continue as Kucom’s official Patron for the coming year. In addition to four mainstage productions in 2024, the company partic

Sea Eagles AFL Season Kicks Off With Exciting First Round

This past weekend marked the start of the 2025 AFL season at the Sea Eagles' home ground, after some weather-related cancellations the week before. Three of the five teams were out on the field, showing great promise for the season ahead. The Sea Eagles U13s kicked things off in thrilling fashion, pulling off a nail-biter against Sarina. After trailing by 5 points in the last quarter, the team made a fantastic comeback to secure a 4-point win in their first game of the season. The Sea Eagles S

One Huli, Countless Highlights: Students Embrace the Outrigger Life

Last Thursday, Outrigger Whitsunday members spent an enjoyable day at Shingley Beach with senior students from St Catherine’s Catholic College Proserpine. The purpose of the day was to introduce students to the sport of outrigger canoeing. Despite a very wet start for the first groups on the water, the weather quickly improved and the day turned out to be both rewarding and challenging for all involved. Four six seater ocean canoes were in constant use and each crew consisted of four students a

Walliams’ Wild And Witty Ratburger Scurries Into The MECC

Ratburger is coming to life this May in a hilarious new play at the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre (MECC). Ratburger follows the adventures of a young girl named Zoe, who lives in a rundown flat with her dad and a stepmother who ignore her. To add to that, the school bully is making her life a misery, and now, her pet hamster has died. When Zoe befriends a lovable dancing rat named Dapper, things start looking up – but the evil Burt from Burt’s Burgers is cooking up an awful plan…and