Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Although a day early, the students of the Northern Beaches Karate Club brought the spirit of Halloween to their regular training night. A red carpet parade of spooks, ghouls, skeletons, Dracula attacking his Dad, a chicken with a police officer on board along with a familiar-looking president, set the scene for a fun night. Class continued in costume with traditional training, punching bags, breaking boards, breath training and games. All agreed it was a perfect way to celebrate a Karate
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Airlie Beach Festival of Music 2025 Has Arrived! Get ready! The Airlie Beach Festival of Music is back this weekend, and it’s set to be bigger than ever! With more than 60 acts lighting up bars, cafes, and iconic venues across town, Airlie Beach transforms into one giant stage. Catch headline performances from Jessica Mauboy, Pete Murray, The Screaming Jets, Diesel, The Black Sorrows, Choirboys and more under the big tent at the Whitsunday Sailing Club. This award-winning festival is the even
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Hi Everyone, You may notice something a little different about this edition of the paper – we have rebranded! After five years with the same masthead, the team thought it was time to freshen up our look, and I’m sure you’ll agree the new cover really does pop! Inspired by our lush green hinterland and the Great Barrier Reef – where all four of our regional newspapers are located – we opted for a vibrant blue-green gradient. You’ll also notice our brand name ‘LiFE’ is now more prominent. This
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Not all heroes wear capes, some crawl through storm drains. When residents in Jubilee Pocket noticed a young curlew trapped in a storm drain and unable to escape for two days, they raised the alarm. Concerned for the bird’s wellbeing, the community reached out for help and Fauna Rescue Whitsundays volunteer Trent didn’t hesitate to answer the call. Braving the heat and tight conditions, Trent crawled around 100 metres underground to reach the frightened curlew. After a tense few moments, he em
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On Wednesday morning at 2.35am paramedics were called to Island Drive in Cannonvale after a woman suffered a head injury following an e-scooter incident. Queensland Ambulance Service reported that the woman was taken to Proserpine Hospital in a potentially life-threatening condition. Two hours later in Bowen, a woman in her 50s was taken to hospital following an e-scooter incident on Whitsunday Street around 4.35am. She was transported to Bowen Hospital in a stable condition, suffering from c
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Bowen is set to undergo a major transformation with the development of the Bowen Foreshore Master Plan, a long-term strategy designed to revitalise the town’s waterfront and strengthen its identity as a vibrant regional hub. Stretching more than a kilometre along the coast, from the south-west edge of Mitchell Street to the Eddie McCane Place parklands, and including the Bowen Boat Harbour, Santa Barbara Parade, and Bowen Jetty, the plan outlines a vision to create a connected, inclusive, and s
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Whitsunday Regional Council has voted unanimously to reopen the popular Proserpine RV Rest Stop, marking a major win for local tourism and small business in the heart of Proserpine. Located behind St Catherine’s Church on Main Street, the free 48-hour stopover will welcome fully self-contained vehicles from April to October each year, coinciding with the region’s dry season. The decision is expected to inject between $860,000 and $1.7 million annually into the local economy, as travellers spend
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A local woman has sparked an incredible wave of community generosity after launching a fundraiser to support a young girl from Charters Towers living with Rett syndrome. When Airlie Beach local Abby Duffin shared a simple Facebook post seeking raffle prizes for a fundraiser, she never expected the overwhelming response that followed. “I’m shocked myself with how much it took off,” Abby said. “I just wanted to do something to help Haven and her family. I grew up with them, they are basically f
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Preparations are officially underway for the construction of the new Collinsville Community Hub, marking a major milestone for the town’s social and recreational future. Whitsunday Regional Council has announced that the current Collinsville Community Centre will close after 26 November 2025 to allow site preparation and equipment storage to commence ahead of construction. The new Community Hub is expected to provide a modern, versatile space that better meets the needs of residents, local gro
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Search Continues For Missing Bowen Man Brett Breeze Almost 12 weeks on from his disappearance, the search continues for 42-year-old Brett Breeze, with his family and friends greatly concerned for his welfare, spreading their love far and wide across the East Queensland coastline. Brett was last seen leaving the Bowen Hospital on Tuesday, the 19th of August, wearing a blue fishing shirt, black shoes and black shorts with a khaki backpack. Shortly after he was last seen, his belongings including
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Michael and Val Kimpton, originally from Melbourne, have quickly become familiar faces and community champions in Airlie Beach. After successfully helping to revive the Airlie Beach Triathlon, the pair have turned their energy toward another cause, securing a Mobile Blood Bank for the Whitsundays. In the 1970s, Michael received a life-saving blood transfusion after a serious accident, an experience that continues to inspire his passion for helping others. Proserpine Hospital currently relies
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The Whitsundays is set to benefit from a boost in social and affordable housing, with the State Government announcing dozens of new homes now underway or under contract across the region. The initiative aims to support local families and individuals struggling to secure housing, ensuring more residents have access to safe, stable and affordable places to call home. In the region, 30 new social homes are planned for Proserpine, 32 for Bowen, and 11 affordable homes for Moranbah. This is all part
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Last Friday the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network (WSPN) hosted their biggest Monthly Brekky in front of nearly 70 people. The monthly breakfast held out the front of Shirtfront Solutions and Enzed Whitsundays has been growing every time and President of WSPN Matt Stokes said these breakfasts are a fantastic way to promote conversations amongst mates. "It's great to see the numbers increasing and I'd like to see it even bigger than this. So keep inviting your mates!" he said. "Suicide pre
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The Story of Cec Mazlin Few Australian soldiers fought in Europe in World War 2 however the RAAF, including thousands of Australians who were posted to RAF squadrons, made a significant contribution to the bombing of Germany and patrolling of allied shipping in the Atlantic. The air war in the European theatre claimed the lives of 5488 RAAF airmen. One of those who was fortunate to return home was Flying Officer Cecil Graham Mazlin 018007 (434989) whose flying logbook was recently loaned to the
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The Brisbane Broncos started their Trophy Tour this week, starting in Brisbane, travelling up to Cainrs, down the coast and throughout Queensland. On Thursday 13th November the team will stop in Bowen, ex local and now Broncos player Corey Jensen will be dropping in to town. Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins took to Facebook to announce the news, he is under the impression the Brisbane Broncos will be dropping in to a handful of local schools, and will be stopping at Bowen Seagulls
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Founded in early 2024, Compass Realty Whitsundays is a boutique real estate agency dedicated to providing a personalised, transparent, and grounded approach to property sales, appraisals, and auctions. Owner and operator Kath Barker brings nearly two decades of experience in business, construction, property, and real estate. Kath launched Compass Realty to fill a gap in the market for a more human-centred service — one that supports clients through life-changing property decisions with care and
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The Hinchinbrook Festival of Events is entering week 3 of the event calendar, and the organisers are extremely pleased with the attendance and participation at the many events and celebrations delivered to date. The overwhelming and ongoing support from the local and visitor community has exceeded the organisers' expectations. Data recorded to date from each event indicates the majority of the ticketed events have been sell-outs, with the “free to enter” events exceeding previous attendance num
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Building Our Whitsunday Legacy The Whitsundays continues to make its mark on the State stage, with myself and CEO Warren Bunker front and centre at the Community Cabinet meeting in Mackay last Sunday where we presented our region’s priorities directly to the Premier, Deputy Premier and key Ministers. We’re a region on the move, and I’m proud to see the Whitsundays recognised as one of Queensland’s fastest-growing and most forward-thinking communities. We’re not waiting for the future, we’re ge
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Next week is National Recycling Week (10-16 November), and we’re celebrating with some exciting events for our youngest recyclers! Join us for a special recycling theme story time and a visit from the yellow recycling truck at the following locations: Bowen Library: 10am, Tuesday 11 November 2025 Cannonvale Library: 10am, Thursday 13 November 2025 Bring your mini recyclers and join in as we learn about recycling in a fun, hands-on way! Thanks to JJ’s Waste and Recycling for helping to delive
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Belle Property Whitsunday celebrated the grand opening of its new central office in Cannonvale over the weekend, marking an exciting new chapter for the real estate team. The black-tie event was an exclusive affair, welcoming staff and valued clients to experience the brand-new, purpose-built premises for the first time. Guests enjoyed sunset drinks while exploring the stylish new office, which features a sleek, contemporary design that captures the professionalism and prestige of the Belle Pro
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The festive season has officially arrived at News Whitsunday, where owner Rich Bates and his team have once again transformed the store into a Christmas wonderland. Now in their fourth year of returning Christmas memorabilia Rich said excitement continues to build as locals return each season to see what new decorations are on offer. "We get a lot of custom made stuff for us, and we try and get different ones every year, just so the locals can get different ones," he said. “This year we’ve go
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The Ultimate Music Holiday Is Here! The countdown is officially over the Airlie Beach Festival of Music is set to transform Airlie Beach into Australia’s most spectacular music playground. With venues across town polishing their stages and the Main Tent standing proudly against the Coral Sea, anticipation for the four-day music extravaganza is reaching fever pitch. This year’s lineup features a phenomenal mix of Australian legends, powerhouse performers, and exciting new talent, all set agains
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After several months performing across Europe, Melbourne singer-songwriter Tanya George is heading home to play at this year’s Airlie Beach Festival of Music. Tanya said the past few months have been a dream come true after being flown to Italy in July to perform at the Roma Busking Festival. Since then, Tanya said she has been touring Europe, with large crowds welcoming her and making her feel immensely proud of how far her music can reach. Tanya George was a finalist on The Voice and has wo
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Tucked inside the Whitsunday Shopping Centre, Tranquil Breeze Massage has been helping locals and visitors unwind since new owners Angela and Grant opened their doors on September 17. Angela says the business has quickly developed a roster of loyal customers, thanks to its convenient location and calming atmosphere. “There’s lots of foot traffic going past, and it’s great to see people stop in to relax,” she said. Originally from Taiwan, Angela and her family moved to Australia in 2019, drawn
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By Sharon Ashman ADHD can bring unique strengths to relationships such as creativity, energy, and spontaneity but it can also create challenges. Forgetfulness, distractibility, or impulsivity may sometimes cause tension with partners, friends, or family. The good news is that with awareness and strategies, relationships can thrive. Open communication is key. Letting loved ones know how ADHD affects you builds understanding. Equally important is listening to their experiences, so everyone feels
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