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The Whitsundays are about to be the centre of Australia’s foodservice industry as suppliers from across the country descend upon our stunning region for the Whitsunday Foodservice Trade Show. This year’s event is set to be bigger and better than ever, with over 75 suppliers and more than 150 industry professionals showcasing an impressive array of products tailored for Whitsunday Foodservice’s diverse customer base. Whether you’re running a pub, café, restaurant, or even a food van, this is yo
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One of the Festival’s marquee events is the Big Book Club High Tea, featuring acclaimed authors Sally Hepworth and Kirsty Manning, and hosted by Karina Kilmore. SALLY HEPWORTH, a New York Times bestselling author with nine novels and over a million copies sold worldwide, is beloved by readers everywhere. KIRSTY MANNING, known for her internationally acclaimed historical novels, has captivated audiences across continents, with her works translated into multiple languages and adapted for vari
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Living in North Queensland before the internet and after the internet are two vastly different experiences; not dissimilarly to before and after a pandemic. In fact, many of the committee members who have worked to create the 2024 Whitsundays Writers Festival are new residents, passionate about creating a greater arts presence. To our delight, there is a palpable excitement in the community for the arrival of our award-winning authors, and the opportunity to highlight and feature what we have
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The Love Letter to Queensland event – 6:30pm-9pm Thursday 5 September, Coral Sea Resort, Airlie Beach – will feature a stimulating lineup of notable speakers, each presenting their own love letters to Queensland, offering a diverse array of perspectives and experiences. Guest speakers include: • MARCO RENAI awarded 2024 Queenslander of the Year for his impactful work with at-risk young men. • ELIZABETH HACKETT known for her significant contributions to the tourism industry and the Whit
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The Festival is deeply grateful for the following for their support: Major Festival Partners – Beach Book Boutique, Whitsunday Sailing Club, Blue Peace Enterprises, Roderick Centre for Australian Literature and Creative Writing, Proserpine Wind Farm, and KB Design. Friends of the Festival – Airlie Beach Music Centre, Amanda Camm MP, Coastal Food Design, Cruise Whitsundays, Just Tuk’n Around, Kapow Interactive, McDonald’s Restaurants, Melinda Louise Media, Plants Whitsundays, Queensland Writers
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FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER Venue: Whitsunday Sailing Club 9:00am Festival opening 9:20am-10:30am The Art and Joy of Storytelling with Chris Sarra, Joy Damousi, Garry Disher, and Graeme Simsion. 11:00am-12:00pm Cops and Robbers: Writing and reading crime fiction and thrillers with Anne Buist, Garry Disher, Karina Kilmore, Jack Roney, Lindsay Simpson and facilitator Harry Colfer. 12:23pm-1:15pm Meet our Featured Local Authors at Beach Book Boutique 1:30pm-2:30pm Responsible writing? Stories about peo
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The Whitsundays Writers Festival provided several opportunities for young writers to nurture their creative writing talents and present their works in competition. The Love Letter to Queensland community writing competition sought 300-word entries in Adult, Under 18 and Under 12 divisions with winners taking home shopping vouchers for $500, $250 and $200 across the respective categories. Winners and high commended entries will be announced by Andrew Willcox MP, at the Love Letter to Queensland
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This year, Festival launched the Whitsundays Literary Heart Awards, offering $10,000 in cash prizes to recognise and honour outstanding contributions to the literary and design landscape. The Heart Awards’ mission is to spotlight the diverse talents within the Australian creative community while also paying homage to the Whitsunday’s Heart Reef. Festival President Karen Jacobsen expressed enthusiasm for the awards program, “We believe in celebrating the richness of Australian creativity in al
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As economic pressures mount, regional festivals like the Whitsundays Writers Festival face the challenge of maintaining quality while cutting costs. Complaints about the lack of government and community support are growing in regional towns, but there’s a simple solution: buy a ticket. Even if you can’t attend, your purchase can help pay it forward, allowing someone else to experience the event. Supporting arts and culture doesn’t require grand gestures; it’s as easy as buying a ticket. This sm
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Earlier this year The Whitsundays Writers Festival excitedly announced Beach Book Boutique as its official Festival Bookshop. Established in September 2015, Airlie Beach’s iconic independent bookstore overlooks the expansive lagoon. It offers new releases and second-hand books in-store and online, including their unique book exchange for new and high-quality recycled books. Beach Book Boutique’s owner Belinda Harris is very excited for the festival: “We are looking forward to having a great w
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Closing the Festival on Sunday 8 September will be the Local Author Long, celebrating the writing journeys of some of the Festival’s Featured Local Authors. Over lunch, the following authors will discuss their diverse genres, careers, and connections to the Whitsundays: • RACHEL ARMSTRONG award winning North Queensland contemporary romantic fiction author. • LORIE BRINK Townsville local and writes action-adventure books, with her debut novel to be launched at the festival. • HA
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Headlining this year’s festival is Shankari Chandran, winner of the prestigious 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award for Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens. Shankari’s journey is as captivating as her writing. Raised in Canberra, she spent a transformative decade in London, where she worked as a lawyer dedicated to social justice. Upon returning to Australia, Shankari shifted her focus from legal advocacy to the art of storytelling. Through her writing, she delves into themes of dispossession and th
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More than 3000 people took advantage of the low tides this week to walk to the North Head Lighthouse from the Bowen mainland. People travelled long distances to be in the region for this event and were joined by many locals. The lowest tide was on Monday but some managed to make the trek on Sunday and Tuesday too. The lighthouse is located about 1km from the mainland, but you can only walk across when the tide is very low – and that only happens a couple times a year, making it a special occa
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On Wednesday 14th August, the sea received a wonderful gift in the shape of a well-rested and recovered turtle. In June, Chez, a beautiful sea turtle struggling with buoyancy near Bowen’s Yacht Club, was spotted by Joe Bell and other water enthusiasts. They carefully transported her to shore. Tracey Bazzo from Bowen Sea Turtle Assessment and Rehabilitation (BSTAR) was initially unavailable, so wildlife carer Jo Bell took Chez to BSTAR. After emergency care, Chez was transferred to Libby Edge at
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The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Tim Griffin (8pm – 12am) KC’s: Phoenix Revival (from 8pm) Sailing Club: Live Music (5-8pm) Saturday 24 August The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: Beach Boys (2pm – 5.30pm) The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Chris Webb (8pm – 12am) Coral Sea Pavilion: Live Music (from 1pm) KC’s: Sar-Rah (from 8pm) Sailing Club: Live Music (1-8pm) Sunday 25 August The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: Back to the 80s (
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August 24 Mini Roller Disco, PCYC Whitsunday, from 10am 24 Thanks Doc, Larrikin Hotel, from 5.30pm 25 Dingo Beach Sunday Markets, Dingo Beach Community Hall grounds, from 8am 29 The Gruffalo, at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre, from 6pm 30 The Gruffalo, at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre from 10am 30 Ross Noble – Jibber Jabber Jamboree, at the Proserpine Entrainment Centre, from 8pm 31 Mini Roller Disco, PCYC Whitsunday, from 10am 31 Proserpine Whitsunday Uniting Church Flower Show & Fe
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This week we introduce Jonathan Pourau, (Jono for short) from Painting Made Easy & Affordable. A business providing house painting services that eradicates cracks, mould, rust and rot. Jonathon moved to the Whitsundays in 1995 and began by teaching kickboxing at Fitness Venue. He earned his QBCC licence in 2007, allowing him to become licensed for painting and waterproofing. As a 20-year certified Dulux Acratex Applicator and a 10-year Dulux Avista Applicator, Jonathon says it’s his pre
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Following last year's success, Flametree Gathering returns over the Father’s Day weekend, for a family-friendly, fun time. Co-organiser Bronwyn Garland is excited for the weekend which is said to be a small and intimate festival due to only 200 tickets being up for purchase. “It's an intimate festival, it is not too big so people can get to know each other, and it is family friendly,” said Bronwyn. “We invite families to come, and children 12 and under can come for free, because it's the Fath
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Greg Andrews (Sir Elton John) has performed his tribute in over 30 countries and to this date is the only Elton John Tribute to be asked to perform at tribute festival Tribfest in Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Tribfest is a strictly invite only festival and Greg is extremely proud of that. “Being Australian and then being chosen to do British royalty on English soil, was a wonderful experience and the reception I got from the Brits was fantastic,” Greg added. “It was an incredible experience per
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Sam, a 'retired'/dumped ex-racehorse, has been at Animal Rescue Whitsunday since September 2021. Sam is a gelding, 18 years old and 17 hands tall. He is as gentle as they come and has been handled a lot, but most people are not tall enough to ride him without using a ladder! He always comes second in the pecking order, contrary to AJ who is as bossy as they get. AJ, a gelding, is a sturdy ex-stock horse, age unknown (no brand), probably around 15 years of age. He was surrendered with 4 other h
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Whitsunday Thrift Club has announced its next market date on Sunday, September 8th at Kipara Rainforest Retreat. The club, headed by organiser Kaitlin Cavanagh is on a mission to revolutionize the pre-loved clothing market in the Whitsundays and bring the community together. With limited local shopping options and a growing trend of online shopping, Whitsunday Thrift Club has identified the need for a space where people could find unique, quality pieces and where others could sell their preloved
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The Sea Eagles Family Day in Airlie Beach was a hit, with perfect weather and plenty of family fun. Activities like face painting, bounce castles, and giveaways kept everyone entertained, while the newly opened Sea Eagles Family Playground was a highlight. As the finals approach, the Sea Eagles are ready to take on their opponents. Senior Men’s Close Call In a nail-biting match, the Sea Eagles Senior Men narrowly lost to Bakers Creek Tigers, 42–48. Despite a slow start, strong performances from
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Moranbah was alive with excitement on Saturday, August 10, as the Proserpine-Whitsunday Raiders charged into the 2024 Limitless Mackay Rugby Union Semi-Finals. The day began early, with three Raiders teams ready for action, all safely transported by sponsors Whitsunday Transit. The Raiders' quest for victory was marked by a full day of thrilling rugby. Men’s Reserves: Dominant Display The Raiders Men's Reserves kicked off the day against Slade Point Reserves. Although they secured a commanding 5
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As winter bids farewell in paradise and the arrival of spring approaches, Airlie Beach Bowls Club is gearing up for the erection of its new hard cover. This week was packed with exciting events and impressive performances on the greens. Wednesday afternoon featured the Jackpot Bowls, organized by Merve Stewart. Skipper Rick Galea and his lead, Alan Pershouse, demonstrated a strong return to form with a commanding victory. Despite their outstanding performance, the Jackpot prize remained unclaime
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This week at Proserpine Bowls Club was eventful. On Wednesday, Social Bowls featured Rob Burglun and Philip Brown beating Bruce Uhe and Bob Preston 23-15, while Alen Sanderson and Peter Lawton narrowly edged out Mary Hedgelong and Sandy Daffara 15-14. Arthur Griffith and Bruce Magilton won 27-7 against Chris Behncky and Heather Brown. Friday's Club Championship Singles saw Michael Kinnear defeat Shane Kinnear 25-14. Michael will represent the club at the Champion of Champion Singles in Mackay on
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