Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
A local billionaire businessman is looking to unite 27 disparate community groups to form an association to fight for the protection of our unique tourism offering which he views, is in jeopardy. Paul Darrouzet, owner of Coral Sea Marina Resort in Airlie Beach gave a passionate speech at last weeks’ Tourism Whitsunday Networking evening which was attended by over 100 tourism operators.
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The “final piece” of the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal puzzle will begin construction this month according to Whitsunday Regional Council’s Shute Harbour Coordinator Shaun Cawood. The new $1.5 million building - to be constructed by local business Red Emperor Constructions at Shute Harbour - will serve as a Small Tourism Operators hub at the site.
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Collinsville continues to struggle with a “bat plague” as protected species of flying fox have remained in the mining town for more than seven months, causing concerns the animals may set up a permanent roost. From March the population of ‘fruit bats’ – who have an endemic population of around 200 to 900 in Collinsville – soared in size, reaching major heights in September.
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With new changes to legislation coming into effect on the first of October, it’s time to get up to speed on your property – whether you be a landlord or a tenant. The Owner of Tropical Rentals Whitsundays, Kerri Southee, said there’s been plenty of changes to housing law for renters and landlords alike, including keeping pets, minimum housing standards, and ending tenancies fairly.
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It was National Police Remembrance Day last week and officers from around the region gathered in Bowen to commemorate emergency service personnel that had lost their lives. This was especially poignant for the Bowen Police community who lost one of their own to cancer less than a year ago.
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A special memorial service was held in Bowen last week to honour the life of Sergeant Ryan Gregory who tragically passed away following a short battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer late last year.
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The culmination of five weeks’ dedicated fundraising for the Coles Hummingbird House Appeal resulted in an impressive $14,000 raised. All proceeds will now be donated to Queensland’s only children’s palliative care service, Hummingbird House, which helps the nearly 5,700 children born each year in Queensland with life-limiting conditions.
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An $18 million project could establish “future fuels” in the region, pushing the Whitsundays towards sustainable tourism thanks to a partnership between council and two renewables companies. Elvin Group Renewables (Elvin) and Hydrogen Integration Technologies (HiT) are hoping to construct and implement a series of hydrogen-based technological developments in the Whitsundays with the support of the local government.
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North Queensland’s “heart of agriculture training” is slated for completion this month. The new $3.4 million TAFE Agriculture Centre of Excellence (ACoE) in Bowen – a state-of-the-art facility set to train and prepare Queensland’s agrarian workforce – is taking shape, with the local construction firm, Lowcock Builders, expecting an end of October completion.
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Proserpine’s faithful have been amping up their efforts to raise funds to rebuild their church over the past month in a series of community events and fundraisers. Churchgoers of St James Uniting Church in Proserpine, which was dismantled and farewelled almost a year ago in November of 2021, have organised Flower Shows, as well as plants, treats, and treasure sales over the month of September, with all proceeds going towards their building fund.
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Mary Frances McGrath was born in Mackay on October 8, 1899. Her father worked as a blacksmith in the Homebush Sugar Mill until 1907. The family moved to Proserpine where Mr McGrath obtained a licence for the Great Northern Hotel (now Metropole) before moving to Bowen then finally returning to Proserpine to take up farming at “Greenclyde” between Gregory and Foxdale.
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Airlie Beach’s central business district may be set for a pedestrian crossing shake-up. Whilst works are being undertaken on the coastal town’s Main Street*, Whitsunday Regional Council have begun seeking comment on pedestrian vs vehicle priority. Results from council’s ‘Pedestrian Priority Investigation’ will inform future decision making on nine pedestrian crossings in town.
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October sees the last gasps of winter rains before the heat of summer in the Whitsundays, and with the sun out, snakes begin to move. With food and mating on the mind, the region’s 30 species of serpents will glide through rural, commercial, and residential properties over the next few months – mostly unnoticed.
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Injuries are practically inevitable in an emergency. There’s a chance you could get hurt by whatever’s causing the emergency: it can be as varied as getting burned in a fire, or you could get struck by toppling debris during an earthquake. But injuries are also sustained during the ‘emergency panic’. In the rush to get away from danger, you could sprain your ankle or suffer an open wound.
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The long-standing and much respected Airlie Beach Swim School by Danielle prides itself on providing not only the best technical development for your children but also the most important safety messages to create confident yet careful young swimmers.
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With two reported near-drownings in the Whitsundays over the school holidays, there has never been a more important time to learn swim safety tips to keep your child protected when having fun in the water.
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A Whitsunday local is about to embark on one of the most meaningful yet confronting adventures of their life, heading over to Papua New Guinea to complete the Kokoda Trail with 21 other emergency service personnel.
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Next Friday at the outdoor movie theatre on the Airlie Beach Foreshore there will be back to back cinema magic with a showing of Nanny McPhee followed by The Man From Snowy River. It’s time to grab your picnic blanket and invite your family and friends for a night under the stars in front of the 5.5 by 3 metre LED cinema screen.
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It’s Bowen Turf Club’s biggest race of the season this Saturday: the famed “Race That Stops The Whitsundays”. The Bowen Cup, which has regularly hosted more than three thousand attendees annually, will gallop its way to Ben Bolt Park on Saturday, October 8.
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For annual Queensland Mental Health Week (QMHW), a local organisation will bring together art and mindfulness in workshops across the region. Stella Life Care will run ‘The Art of Wellbeing’ workshops in both Bowen and Collinsville to connect people and communities whilst “reflecting on the important factors that help people maintain positive mental health and wellbeing.”
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It’s a big week for the Airlie Beach Festival of Music and the countdown to the 10th annual event has begun with day passes on sale now and the much-anticipated mainstage line-up announced.
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Don’t Worry Darling Olivia Wilde keeps things interesting in her first career foray into the director’s chair. There’s been more real-world drama surrounding the release of Don’t Worry Darling than there is around some things that matter. It could have acted as a detractor for its cast, but it seems to have worked the other way around for some.
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Where’s the fire, what’s the hurry about? A Billy Joel Tribute show is coming to The Airlie Beach Hotel - You can’t be serious? Wait – it’s not just Billy Joel – it’s the Rocket Man, too! This will be huge: two tributes on the same day with duelling pianos for the Elton and Billy Experience Concert, Face to Face coming to The Pub in mid-October.
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Two creatives from Far North Queensland are bringing their part theatre show, part 80s rock concert and aerobics dance class - with a smidgen of time travel thrown in for good measure - to the Whitsundays this month. Renowned Cairns artists Roz Pappalardo and Rachel Terry are telling the story of one woman's epic midlife crisis in their show ‘All Fired Up’ which arrives at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre on October 22.
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The Whitsunday Colts team battled it out against a mixed senior’s side in Bowen in late September in a heavily anticipated trial match. Senior players, supporters and sponsors of the squad were out in force, wondering if the young Colts side could hold their own in the up-and-coming season of the seniors 20/20 competition.
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