Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Congratulations to Ashton Wallin, a young BMX champion who took home the President Award last week at Mackay and District BMX Club Inc. Ashton won the President Award for consistently giving it his all against older riders and never giving up on the race after displaying constant determination to make it across the finish line. Well done Ashton!
Read more
Recently, Pioneer Tennis Juniors travelled out to the Emerald Open. Great country tournament part of the "Aussie Gold Natural Spring Water" Capra Series. 8 of Pioneer's Next Gen Squad made up part of the 84-player tournament where they showcased some fantastic results. In the 10 & Unders, Uday Singh and Isabelle Daniel took out both the singles before teaming up with other club’s players and taking out the Doubles too. They both now will be receive 50% off Solar Bat Sunglasses and will rec
Read more
The unveiling of two Jetty designs for the new Bowen Jetty showcase ideas and features generated from the feedback of the people living within the region. North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) CEO Brendan Webb said putting the community first was a key part of their planning stage. “We could not have asked for more from the community when it comes to them sharing their passion, local knowledge and great ideas,” Mr Webb said. “More than 770 people have gave their feedback through our first survey
Read more
Hi Everyone, I was out on Cannonvale Beach with my son one morning, taking our excitable Border Collie, Finn, for a walk when I began watching two men at work planting little shrubs in the nearby garden beds. One of the men had a massive drill and was drilling into the soil, up-rooting much of it and breaking deeply into the beds before plopping a plant into the hole he’d created. The other man had a shovel in his hand and was gently scooping away the soil - slowly, quietly and lovingly he cr
Read more
We are blessed to have a vibrant sugar industry here in the Whitsundays, and even more blessed to have an annual event which raises incredible amounts of money for invaluable charities such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The Cut Out Party took place again in March this year - a celebration of the sugar industry and also a fundraiser – the event raised a staggering $53,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. The Cut Out Party committee recently travelled to Townsville to deliver the cheq
Read more.png)
A much-loved annual community event which spreads the word of kindness and remembers the life of an inspiring young girl, is taking place across Australia once again this June 22. Billie Kinder was a Whitsunday local who, at just 12 years old, sadly lost her life in an accident while horse riding. Her mother, Danny Mason-Kinder found her daughter’s paintings and poems that illustrated incredible insights into kindness and empathy, and she has since used these to create a book using her daughte
Read more
The Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors have been greeting cruise ship visitors as they arrive in Airlie Beach for the past 20 years, and last week marked a special milestone. According to records, they have just welcomed their one-millionth visitor into Airlie Beach, a moment that was 20 years in the making and an amazing achievement. Lyn Blanche, Coordinator of Volunteer Cruise Ship Ambassadors said it’s a great feeling to have welcomed the one-millionth visitor and that its terrific for busin
Read more
PCYC Whitsunday’s Get Set for Work Program has become a top 3 finalist in the Queensland Training Awards. The award is part of the Community Training Initiative of the Year category in a North Queensland regional area. The awards ceremony takes place in Townsville on Saturday 20 July, 2024. With testimonies from parents, and students, PCYC Brand Manager Sergeant Billy Li believes they’ve put in a strong application and they have a strong chance of winning. If they win, the Get Set for Work p
Read more
Collinsville has been experiencing subpar telecommunication coverage for several months, with many constituents reporting they’ve been unable to obtain service unless connected to home Wi-Fi. Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, is calling on the Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, to urgently address the severe telecommunication issues plaguing Collinsville. “Telecommunication issues with Telstra were brought to my attention in March and I have been working closely with
Read more
The future of the $8 million Whitsunday Sportspark Club House known as ‘Club Whitsunday’ is at a crossroads due to conflicting opinions within the eight different committees who operate the five different sports played at the public facility. For the past eight years the Hospitality Club has been under planning and construction, with various extenuating circumstances responsible for several delays. During this time the dedicated and hardworking committee, led by Chairman Justin Butler, have be
Read more
Bowen River Rodeo and Campdraft is taking place right now and running throughout the weekend, the exciting event once again supporting highly regarded charity Buck Off Melanoma which is celebrating its 10th year this year. The charity’s founder, Janice Brown, has been a passionate advocate for Melanoma Research following her son’s Melanoma diagnosis and, over the last decade, has raised over $150,000. A self-funded charity, 100 per cent of the proceeds go directly to the QIMR Berghofer Medical
Read more
The community is invited to come down to the Reef Gateway Hotel next month for a special event which is set to raise awareness and funds for the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network. Not only does this event support a meaningful cause, it is also hosted by some well-known sporting heroes and other inspiring role-models who will share their own journeys in mental health and finding fulfillment. A Night with Legends is your opportunity to hear from ex professional sports men, interact with them
Read more
The Little Mango at Bowen’s Front Beach has had a facelift. The six-metre high Little Mango has been repaired and re-painted by Martin of Gwada Murals. The structure is a smaller replica of Bowen’s 10 metre “Big Mango” on the Bruce Highway south of Bowen. Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy thanked Whitsunday Regional Council for ensuring the Little Mango was ripe again in time for the busy winter tourism season. “The Little Mango is located right near the information boo
Read more
This year marks the 111th year of the annual Show Whitsunday. Starting in 1912, the show has always been a cornerstone of local life, a time when the community gather and celebrate the lifestyle we love here in the Whitsundays. With horse shows, cattle grading, garden produce competition, two-days of wood cutting, a poultry pavilion, a local sugar cane exhibit and many more, the rural life of our region is on display for all to see. Children can cuddle a chicken or play with a baby goat at th
Read more
The Whitsundays Writers Festival is thrilled to announce the featured local authors of this year’s pen-dropping event which is happening this September. Festival President, Karen Jacobsen says “We are excited to be showcasing the creative talent and diversity of the region’s writers and there are many ways local authors can get involved.” Featuring among the esteemed line up of local authors is Rachel Armstrong, North Queensland award winning contemporary romantic fiction author, who loves w
Read more.JPG)
Zonta Clubs from all over North Regional Queensland gathered in the Whitsundays in May for a weekend of friendship, fun and activity. The weekend started with welcome drinks which were held at the Coral Sea Resort on Friday 17 May. This was followed by the Area 5 meeting which was conducted in Coral Sea Resort’s function room on Saturday. The meeting began with an opening by the Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor, Ry Collins. During the day, District Governor, Lyn Agnew gave several presentat
Read more
This week, the Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale-Proserpine celebrates 12 years of serving the Whitsundays community. The locally owned and operated Branch opened its doors 5 June 2012 and is one of 322 community banks across Australia. The Bendigo Community Bank model is unique. “Our success is based on our profit-with-a-purpose model which sees around 50 per cent of the profits generated by our independently owned and operated Community Bank branch invested back into the community” said Co
Read more
The Freight Distribution Centre at Whitsunday Coast Airport offers a streamlined one-stop-shop for all types of freight, simplifying the shipping process from start to finish. Notably, pet owners can now transport their pets directly from the Whitsundays, avoiding trips to Mackay or Townsville, thanks to the centre's full-service capabilities. Whether it's perishable goods, general cargo, or precious pets, the Freight Distribution Centre at Whitsunday Coast Airport makes shipping and receiving m
Read more
I have been in Brisbane since Wednesday for multiple meetings with Queensland Government Minsters to advocate for funding and turn a spotlight on priority issues for the Whitsunday region. It is my belief that the relationship between local, state, and federal governments should be a partnership built on mutual support and shared goals rather than always criticising a lack of funding. I have had high-level meetings with multiple Ministers over the past two days and some of the issues discuss
Read more
Tourism Whitsundays headed to Melbourne last week, making a splash at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE), which is Tourism Australia’s largest annual trade event. ATE brings together all Australian tourism businesses with global distribution partners for business appointments and key networking events. Industry Development and Trade Manager, Cait Fleming, and Marketing Manager, Laura Knipe had a whirlwind week, securing over 100 meetings with international travel partners. From tour whol
Read more
Would you love more media coverage for your business? Don’t know where to start, or want to try something different? Getting quality media coverage is a vital part of building your business brand and sales. But many businesses of all sizes often don’t know how to get noticed by the media or think they don’t have a newsworthy story to tell. Plus, journalists are constantly trying to find interesting people to write about and talk to – your business could be one of them! Mark your calendars f
Read more
Originally from New Zealand, San Maere and his family emigrated to Australia when he was six years old. It wasn’t until San moved to Airlie Beach in 1993, however, that his love for food and passion for cooking was ignited. In the early 90’s, San joined some of his friends and they all began their cooking journey together on Hamilton Island. Hamilton Island was in a very progressive stage at that time and San was lucky enough to work alongside some prestigious Master Chefs who inspired him a
Read more
A sultry blend of beans that speaks to the romance of a menage a trois, the Date Night coffee now being served at Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant is made by combining three different beans in a match made in heaven. The strong, dominant Columbian bean is nestled within the softer Papua New Guinea notes and enhanced with the sweetness of an Ethiopian bean. This magical mix is created by passionate coffee-roaster Dan Shaw who began his journey as a hobby-roaster in Western Australia 15 years ago.
Read more
A spectacular Drag Show, which has been performed to sold-out crowds up and down the East Coast over the last three months, is now on its way to the Whitsundays and there are still a few tickets remaining. Illegally Blonde has taken Brisbane by storm and the Whitsundays is the next on the list! Performing in the Reef Gateway Hotel’s function room, you can expect a flamboyant drag show packed with glamour, charm, hilarious games and a dance party. Cheer on the blonde trio, Terry Daktyl, Kourt
Read more
The iconic Australian powerhouses of Olivia Newton-John and John Farnham are joining together in a special tribute show, and this is something performer Anita Spring says she has always wanted to do. Anita remembers how the chemistry the famous couple shared on stage was inspirational and their electric energy shone for all to admire. ‘Two Strong Hearts’ encapsulates this, with two strong performers. Anita, has been performing her Olivia Newton-John tribute show for four and a half years, and
Read more