A retirement village and residential subdivision has been seriously proposed to be constructed in Jubilee Pocket, with Whitsunday Regional Council moving to grant approval for an access through-road connecting Erromango Drive and Saint Bees Boulevarde, in preparation for the massive development. The 640-metre-long trunk road is Stage 1 of the proposed works, with the 45-hectare plot of land to be subdivided into 197 residential allotments, and 230 multi-unit accommodation dwellings with a commu
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When Cindy made the big relocation from the Central Coast of New South Wales to the beautiful beachside town of Bowen, she was pleasantly welcomed into town by friendly and accommodating locals. “That’s the first thing that my husband and I noticed,” Cindy explained. “We were walking down the main street and everyone was waving and saying hello to us! It was just so lovely.” Now a member of the Bowen Tourism and Business team, at the Bowen Visitor Information Centre and beside the beloved Big M
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Despite some interesting reporting and forecasting, the Whitsundays is still open for business and has not been blown away or drowned in a rain bomb! In late December we prepared for Tropical Cyclone Jasper. Last week, our focus turned to figuring out and preparing for what eventually became Tropical Cycle Kirrily. The Whitsundays fared well on both occasions, considering what might have been. Both events reinforced the need and importance of staying vigilant, being well-informed, and calmly pr
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What is your role at Tourism Whitsundays? I manage the Whitsundays Visitor Information Centre located at the Whitsunday Gold Coffee Plantation in Proserpine. My focus is to assist travellers to our beautiful region and connect them with the local operators. I am also the go-to person for the fabulous Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors. What is your ideal weekend in The Whitsundays? My ideal weekend is to jump on one of my friends' boats and cruise between the islands while trying to spot dolph
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After 25 years in office, Councillor and Former Mayor Michael Brunker is hanging up his hat and retiring from positions in local government. With a career spanning advocating for massive industrial proposals to vouching for the little man at regular Council Ordinary Meetings, Brunker’s influence and hard work have left an indelible mark on the Whitsundays region. Brunker started his adult career following in his father’s footsteps, working as a diesel fitter with the Collinsville mine. Then,
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The Little Diggers Day Care Centre in Collinsville is now comfortably able to continue its services while awaiting government accreditation thanks to $10,000 worth of funding given by the Whitsunday Regional Council to help with operational costs. The only day care centre in Collinsville is currently waiting for the government tick to be able to process the childcare subsidies that will offer parents on average between 50 and 85 percent off their childcare fees. At the moment, parents are havi
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As students get into the motion of the new school year, the importance of mental health cannot be overstated. The back-to-school season brings not only the excitement of learning but also potential stressors that can impact a student's wellbeing. It's crucial to prioritise mental health, foster resilience in the face of challenges. Here are some essential tips for students navigating the academic landscape: 1. Acknowledge and Normalise Feelings: It's okay to feel a mix of emotions when heading
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International rhythms and global beats flow through this dynamic musical journey, with fantastical connections and otherworldly notes, as the Airlie Beach Hotel hosts the world-class prowess of Nicky Bomba’s Bustamento This six-piece Cadillac of a show is the brain child of none other than Nicky Bomba, known for his eclectic beats spanning genres of artists like Jon Butler Trio and Melbourne Ska Orchestra, and embodying the energy of Caribbean and reggae. Celebrating life, the joyousness of liv
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This Valentine’s Day, experience the difference of the Jubilee Tavern, keeping the kids entertained and the adults indulged, with a menu that caters to every tastebud. Enjoy the salt and pepper calamari, dig into a succulent sirloin steak, or fall in love with the tasty chicken parmy, the team behind Jubilee Tavern have excitedly ventured out of common grounds, with dish variety that continues to excite. In fact, Area Chef Kevin Eldridge own favourite is the unique Mexican parmy, a twist on th
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This Valentine’s Day, let romance and love wash over you with this special evening catered by the dedicated team at Whisper Restaurant and Gin Bar. This bespoke and intimate evening, set to the beautiful backdrop of the pristine Whisper Bay and Coral Sea, speaks to love and romance. When you and your loved one arrive, take a sip from a chilled glass of bubbles, relax at your table and indulge in the sumptuous five course menu, carefully curated by Whisper Restaurant Head Chef Troy Fuller. “We
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Reserve your beautiful blooms early this Valentine’s Day, with this local family business, Karen Hill Floral Design, which will be fully stocked and ready to supply everyone with bespoke and custom floral arrangements and bouquets. With Karen’s roses most popular, this highly-respected local florist recommends getting orders in early to ensure your loved ones receives the flowers they deserve this Valentine’s Day. “My roses are coming from South America, they are very big and beautiful,” Karen
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Share the gift of love and romance with local, handmade gifts, at your fingertips at Whitsunday Creatives. With over 25 small local businesses showcasing their merchandise under one roof, Whitsunday Creatives is located in the heart of Proserpine and is an easy one-stop-shop for all your Valentine’s Day shopping. Why not construct your own romantic hamper, stuffed full of fragrant candles, silky body butters and lotions, delicate earrings and bag charms? You could then complete the loved-up ham
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Being immersed in the water has always been a passion of Jacob Bell, and becoming a senior squad swimmer with the Cannonvale Cannons, he is now welcoming more opportunities to venture into the professional leagues. For Jacob, being a part of the Cannonvale Cannons and having the opportunity to get into the water at any chance is something he thrives upon. “I love challenging myself and conquering my goals,” Jacob explained. “My favourite parts of the sport are competing at carnivals, being
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Taking to the court, the players of Whitsunday Netball Association are eager to kick their 2024 season off with a bang, welcoming new players and returning players to the Whitsunday Sportspark for a season set to be one of the best yet. Since its inception in 1992, the Whitsunday Netball Association (WNA) has a rich history of teaching and developing players skills and techniques, offering competitive support and key opportunities for growth and professional avenues. However, at the core of WN
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This young man takes everything in his stride. He is a member of the Next Stars Sports Academy, Cannonvale Crocodiles, Brahmans, the Whitsunday Raiders and also participates in athletics. For Jack, sport has always been a part of his life, starting with the Airlie Beach Parkrun when he was four years old, and from 2021, he began to play in a range sporting teams. “I started doing the five-km parkrun with my parents when I was four years old,” Jack explained. “At first, we walked it, then st
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Families and individuals from across the region are invited to the ninth annual Sports Expo which is due to be held at the Whitsunday Sportspark this Saturday. With over 40 different stalls expected to be present on the day, organisers are excited to host another vibrant community event where everyone has the opportunity to discover new sporting activities, clubs, and groups. Designed to demonstrate the breadth and depth of community sports and groups in the region, there will be everything fr
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With a vibrant sporting community at its heart, Whitsunday Touch Footy regularly sees over 200 people compete at the Whitsunday Sportspark every week on a Monday during the season. Whether you're a seasoned touch player or a novice eager to learn, the club welcomes everyone with open arms and is known for its diversity of players. One such individual is local mum of two, Aimee Mitchell, who picked up the sport again last year after more than a 10-year hiatus. Aimee played Touch Footy when she
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Mark was a late starter to triathlons tackling his first race at a Bowen Enticer distance event in 2015 when in his early 50’s and was instantly hooked by the multi-sport concept. After his first event eight years ago, Mark embraced the challenge of triathlon quickly and went from being unable to swim a lap of the pool in 2015 to nowadays regularly completing multiple 4km swim sessions every week. He has since completed 6 Half Ironmans, 10 marathons and multiple Olympic Distance and Sprint dis
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To dream the impossible dream, to run where the brave dare do not go, to live the unliveable moment, to reach the unreachable star .... is what happened at our little club this week because we received a million-dollar grant to build a hard cover for our bowls club, largely due to our vice chair lady Karen Jenson, Col Morris, our chairman Ask Warland and others, but the impossible dream came true. How unbelievable is that, and everyone is singing, and watching the Man of Lamancha. Congratulatio
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Sunday Social Bowls winners were Andy Peebles, Lloyd White, Steve Roome. Scroungers: winners were Lee Welsted and Ron Gould. Wednesday Social: Keith Kirk, W. Coles, Jason Wright defeated Ross Scanlon, Wayne Crowhurst, Brett Lampard. Robin Stitt, Gavin Charles, Mark Drummond defeated Tracey Roach, Kennedy Whitton, Ray Muir, T. Winter, Jeff Tierney defeated MaryEllen Pratten, Ron Gould, Steve Roome All for this week. Joan. Contributed with thanks to Joan Edwards.
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Winners for Tuesday social bowls were Merle Elphinstone, Lyn Danvers and Greg Colquhoun who defeated Stumpy Adams, Sue Shearing and Robyn Stitt. Irene Laird and Geoff Danvers drew with Deb Retchless, Mark Drummond and Jason Wright. The jackpot didn’t go off. Unfortunately, Cyclone Kirrily put a dampener on our Australia Day night bowls and we had to cancel. However on Sunday, we were back. Winners for the afternoon were Fely Duncan, Alby Vigar and Allan Rolfe who defeated Robyn Stitt, Deb R
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The Airlie Beach Darts Club held its inaugural Australia Day Champions Cup on Sunday morning, where there were a lot of new faces which was great to see. The Champions Cup is one of seven scheduled one day competitions this year, which are new to the club, and are geared towards offering people the chance to take up darts for the first time, or for those who want to reacquaint themselves with the game. We had 16 participants to begin with on Sunday, but by the end of the day, that number would
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The Whitsunday Game Fish Club had their sweeties and Squires fun fishing day last Saturday with some great on prizes on hand. New club member Charlie won champion junior female on her very first fishing trip in a boat and mum Chantelle was runner-up female angler . Stacey Cramner was the overall female winner. Kane Bird was the champion junior male angler just ahead of tied runners-up Shannon and Reece Mathews, under 11 years old. Champion Male winner was Kyle Matthews. Shannon had a lovel
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While we may have started with 20 members on the timesheet, some early heavy-ish showers resulted some early starters who withdrew and we ended up with 16 players in the comp. The course showed some effects of the overnight rain but having escaped TC Kirrily, we were lucky enough to play a Stableford even with reduced numbers. There were a few soggy spots but some of managed to avoid them, some of us didn’t. Most scores were pretty ordinary, but some were pretty good. LADIES A GRADE: Winner an
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At the weekly 9-hole stableford Donna Henderson took first place with 20 points c/b, second place with 20 points c/b was Ryan Kenny and third place with 20 points c/b Sean Fogarty. Friday’s weekly 9-hole stableford saw James Matthews in first place with 20 points, second with 19 points was Tony Spurway and third place was Morgan Vanderwyk with 18 points. On Friday we also held our Australia day 18-hole stableford. The heat and minimal winds didn’t stop Scott Hayes -Williams taking first pla
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