On Tuesday, 19 November, the Proserpine Veterans Golf Club hosted a fun-filled day on the course with a 2-ball Ambrose competition, with one team playing as a 3-person group. Despite the hot weather, 33 enthusiastic players took to the course, each required to use a minimum of six drives per player. The camaraderie and competitive spirit were high, as everyone enjoyed the challenge. A special prize was awarded to the 3-ball team, recognising the slight advantage of having an additional player o
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The Wangaratta Bowls Club has had another fantastic week of bowls, with both exciting social games and important updates for the future of the club. Tuesday Social Bowls saw some thrilling competition, with Stumpy Adams, Margaret Wilson, and Penny Warren emerging victorious over Merle Elphinstone, Sue Shearing, Linda Smith, and Mark Drummond. In another exciting match, Geoff Danvers and Lyn Danvers defeated Greg Colquhoun in a competitive showdown. Unfortunately, the jackpot didn't go off, leav
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The Airlie Beach Bowls Club is thrilled to announce that it is back in full swing, with bowls starting up again (weather permitting, of course) as the club prepares for the completion of its roof in January 2025. Whether you’re a seasoned bowler or a newcomer looking to get involved, the club offers a fantastic environment where members can enjoy free coaching, socialising, and competitive play. It’s the perfect place to meet lifelong friends and challenge yourself to see just how good you can
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The Whitsunday Brahmans events committee is thrilled to reflect on the success of their recent Ladies Day celebration, held at the club’s final home game of the season. The event, which combined rugby league action with community spirit, was a memorable occasion for everyone involved. From the very beginning, the day was filled with excitement and good vibes. Guests were treated to a selection of platters, fun games, and music, all set against the backdrop of four thrilling rugby league games.
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An enthusiastic group of picklers from the Hydeaway Bay and Cape Gloucester areas are thrilled to have the addition of two dedicated pickleball courts (and a third marked on a multi purpose court) at their Gloucester Sport and Recreation Association facility in Hydeaway Bay. With the generosity of residents, grants from the Whitsundays Council and the Association’s enthusiastic backing, it has taken over 4 years of planning and building to provide the only purpose built pickleball courts outsid
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The Proserpine Bowls Club recently held its final social game of the year, which counted towards the Social Participation Prize. Despite some early rain, the club’s well-maintained green recovered quickly, allowing the games to proceed. The teams were drawn through a blind selection due to the tight competition at the top of the rankings. Sandy Daffara, Mike Harrison, and Heather Brown triumphed with a 25-10 win over Philip Brown, Bruce Uhe, and John Anderson. On Sunday morning, 22 members atte
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Over the weekend, Proserpine Golf Club hosted a successful charity event to support the fight against breast and prostate cancer. The day was filled with great golf, fun activities, and a delicious BBQ, all while raising vital funds for cancer research and awareness. The event aimed to make a meaningful impact in the battle against two of the most prevalent cancers affecting millions of men and women worldwide.
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The Whitsunday Triathlon Club was represented by two Champions at the Hamilton Island Triathlon on the weekend with both Zane Devine and Julia Wheway performing exceptionally. Due to the wet conditions and safety, the cycle component was cancelled and instead the Event became a Run, Swim, Run! Still extremely challenging on a very hilly run in humid conditions and choppy ocean. The standout performance was from Zane Devine, who this year completed year 11. Zane in his impressive Club triathlon
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Hi Everyone, A huge congratulations to all the local operators who attended the Queensland Tourism Awards over the weekend. An incredible 16 state awards were brought home to the region by Whitsunday businesses, illustrating the impressive standard of service we have within our local tourism industry. As many of you may remember, we were honoured to receive the award for Best Free Newspaper in Queensland at the Queensland Country Press Awards in May this year, and being acknowledged at state l
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A pair of young entrepreneurs have received much praise across the Whitsunday community after giving their piggy banks a boost with a delicious driveway initiative! Reef (12) and Jett (10) Brookes set out to make a few extra dollars by selling mangos for a cracker price, of only 50c each! Over the past couple of weekends, the pair have embarked on a pocket money mission, picking mangos from the creek beside their house, and setting up their spectacular stall, fully equipped with mum, Mel, and
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A game-changing $5 million investment into the Whitsunday Skyway, was announced by the state government this week, invigorating an exciting new momentum to this legacy eco-tourism project. The Whitsunday Skyway will be a ground-breaking new tourism activity located on the edge of Airlie Beach, nestled within the stunning Conway National Park. This innovative attraction will feature a cable car, breathtaking scenic viewpoints, food and beverage offerings, and a variety of activities and programs
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The Waste in the Whitsundays event, held at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre, was a huge success, attracting a fantastic crowd of tourism businesses and students from across the region. This free event focused on educating the community about the latest innovations in waste management, with expert guest speakers sharing invaluable insights on sustainability and waste reduction practices to produce a wonderful day full of learning and inspiration for all attendees. A standout moment of the ev
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Since 2005, local services in the Whitsundays have partnered with the Whitsunday Neighborhood Centre to nominate families and individuals in need of extra support during the holiday season. The Adopt a Family initiative then creates an anonymous list of these nominees for the community to adopt. Adopting a family simply means donating a gift card—of any value—to help brighten their Christmas. It's not about hosting individuals but offering a thoughtful contribution to those in need. It could ran
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Mackay Hospital Foundation is on the look-out for Whitsunday residents wanting to volunteer their time as drivers for the Whitsunday Patient Transfer vehicle. The service has been operational since early 2023 and has been an incredible support for Whitsunday region patients who need to travel to Mackay for appointments and treatment. Currently operating three days each week – Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, five wonderful volunteers have been driving the transfer service on these days since its i
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We are developing a new Corporate Plan 2025–2030, our primary strategic document that sets the high-level direction, focus areas, and key projects for the next five years. The draft plan can be viewed on our Online Engagement Portal, Yoursay Whitsunday, where you can provide your feedback to shape our future across the plan’s five themes: Our Economy, Community, Environment, Infrastructure, and Our Council. Consultation closes 18 December – don’t miss your chance to have your say!
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Originally founded as a nursery over 30 years ago, Garden Shack Whitsundays has grown into a leading garden centre, inspired by the vision of local entrepreneur, Robert Brodhurst of Narellan Pools Whitsundays and Down to Earth Whitsundays, to be able to offer a one stop shop for all your landscaping needs to bring backyard dreams to life! Garden Shack Whitsundays is an independent business that offers various plants and products for every gardening need. In addition to their extensive selection
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Mates helping mates is Our Whitsunday Way so last week I launched the annual Mayor’s Festive Food Appeal to assist families in need across the Whitsundays this festive season. In a year marked by challenges, the appeal offers our community an opportunity to come together in the spirit of giving, ensuring no one in our region goes without a special meal this Christmas. Christmas is a time for family, generosity, and compassion and the Festive Food Appeal is our way of making sure that everyon
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Employers and employees need to start planning how their businesses will operate during the end-of-year holiday season. Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce and Industry member and employee relations expert, Mark Lipkin from Airlie Group, suggests the following to prepare: • Determine any shut down or changed hours now and plan your roster. Ensure you consult as early as practically feasible with your workforce on the roster ahead of time. • Understand the rules and processes relating to emp
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Virtual Reality (VR) is set to enhance road safety in the Whitsundays through a new police initiative aimed at educating individuals about the dangers of irresponsible driving. The VR initiative was created by Senior Constables Jaime Brooks and Tamara Cook to better engage senior students in road safety education, after struggling to maintain their interest. Determined to find a solution, Tamara explored new ways to engage students. Inspired by virtual reality, she spent two and a half years res
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The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, with statistics showing over 70% of Gen Z aspiring to be entrepreneurs or at least pursuing a side hustle. While this drive towards self-made success is inspiring, it’s important to appreciate and understand the reality of what it takes to run a business. Our Regional Business Owners: • Wake Up Every Day Ready to Lead: They rise each morning determined to put their best foot forward, striving to do better, even amidst the constructive feedback,
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Individuals continued to walk for a kinder world this week, and one such group of individuals who also did their bit to spread kindness was Bowen State High School. On 13th November, Bowen State High School had the opportunity to show gratitude and kindness on World Kindness Day, through a walk for kindness event which included sausage sizzles, crafts and an important meeting with Mel and Megan about next year's B Kinder initiative. Mel Turner, director and treasurer took to Facebook to thank B
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The team at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort have many reasons to celebrate following their success at the state’s premier tourism industry gala event, the 2024 Queensland Tourism Awards, held at The Star Brisbane on Friday night. Winning two gold awards, BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort was not only awarded top honours in the ‘Caravan and Holiday Parks’ category for the seventh time at a state level, but also received the prestigious Hall of Fame for winning the same category three years in a r
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For those who can still remember the Whitsundays in the 1960s, the name “Porter” comes to mind in any discussion about the early tourist development of the area. Most people, however, are not aware of the extent of the contribution made by the Porter family to tourism and the significant role they played in placing Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays on the map as one of Australia’s leading tourist destinations. The Porters were not wealthy people. They were modest, hard-working and community min
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We all know, love and treasure Bowen’s Iconic Big Mango on the Bruce Highway, and recently the Queensland Tourism Awards recognised the fantastic fruit through awarding Bowen Tourism and Business with Bronze in the Visitor Services Category. Celebrating their success, the Bowen Tourism and Business team have been riding a wave of excitement since receiving the prestigious title and adding this honour has been the cherry on top of an already spectacularly successful year. Just last month, the L
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Born into the tourism industry through hospitality and hotels, Elizabeth Hackett has racked up over thirty years of knowledge, as well as an unshakable passion for bettering the tourism sector, both state-wide and in her very own backyard. Her years of dedication and experience were recently acknowledged when she won the prestigious Marie Watson-Blake Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual at the 2024 Queensland Tourism Awards. "It was a huge surprise for me,” Ms Hackett said. “I
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