Issue #

East Coast Travels For Charity

What began as a 4,500-kilometre bike trek from Brisbane to Adelaide has become an East Coast expedition, with Hiranuma Kaoru deciding to continue and cycle to Cairns. Initially beginning in January, Hiarnuma left his Brisbane home for Melbourne, raising funds for Guide Dogs Australia.

Catastrophic Failure Sees Deaths Of Four ADF Personnel

Tragedy has struck at the heart of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 with an Australian Army MRH-90 Taipan helicopter suffering massive catastrophic failure and falling into waters of the Whitsunday Islands last Friday night, July 28.

VMR: The Future At State

While Whitsunday Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) are excited about the upcoming upgrades, they are also concerned by the changing political landscape that they believe is creating an uncertain future for VMR’s right across the state.President of the Whitsunday VMR, Paul Martin, explained that the state government is introducing a new funding model that he believes could hinder the operation of our local VMR.

Keeping Our Waters Safe

With funding now in place, work on the $400,000 upgrades to the Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) building are expected to commence in October and be completed by mid-2024.The upgrades will expand the training and operations area so that it is nearly three times its current size, giving crews a larger working space when conducting search and rescue missions.

Whitsunday To Gold Coast Direct Flights Confirmed

Budget airline, Bonza, has announced a new flight route for the Whitsunday Coast Airport. Before the start of summer, Whitsunday residents will be able to holiday in the Gold Coast, as well as the 10 other locations serviced by the Gold Coast Airport, which include Melbourne, Mildura, and Albury.

On The Beat

Jubilee Pocket Siege, Crimes Downgraded

In May 2022 45-year-old Whitsunday man, Paul Malcom Henderson, barricaded himself in his Jubilee Pocket home, after local police attempted to make a welfare check. A four-day siege at the Erromango Drive property unfolded, and police alleged that Mr Henderson armed himself with a compound bow and shot at police multiple times.

Teen Models For CQ Rescue

The 2023 RACQ CQ Rescue Talent Search has concluded, with a massive effort raised by the participants for the vital service. Organised by Brooke Hargrave, owner of Brooke Lee Modelling, the event was backed-up with the chance to be discovered by an international modelling agency. “This year’s event attracted about 40 competitors and raised more than $33,000 for RACQ CQ Rescue, bringing the total amount raised in the last nine years to about $200,000,” explains Brooke.

Beached Humpback Whale Rallies Community

Dozens of locals rushed to the aid of a beached humpback whale last Friday afternoon, but despite dedicated efforts, the whale sadly died a few hours after it was discovered. Conway locals noticed the whale on Friday morning, many of whom organised themselves with shovels and buckets in an effort to get the mammal back to water. Jubilee Pocket locals, Ti Hokins and family, were enjoying a day off when they saw the news on the Whales of the Whitsundays Facebook group.

War Effort Remembered At Bowen RSL

Veterans in Bowen have gathered at the Bowen RSL last Thursday, July 27, to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Armistice of the Korean War. Veterans of the Korean War Bill Barty and Garry Kirk attended the service with their family.

Chamber Chat-923

With the events season well underway and gathering steam, our region comes alive with iconic events and festivals. Congratulations to the Triathlon club for a hugely successful weekend – packed with visitors and contestants.

Whitsundays On Global Television

Discover Opportunities With Whitsunday Christian College

In the age of ample decisions for what to pursue after high school, Whitsunday Christian College is providing all the tools for students to discover their work ready or tertiary options and gain relevant experience before graduating. Beginning the tertiary and industry education journey while in Year 10 allows students plenty of time to discover their options and discover what they wish to pursue after graduation.

The Visitors Just Keep Coming To Bowen

The school holidays are over but the number of visitors in Bowen has certainly not slowed down.Winter is traditionally the busiest time of year for the tourism industry in Bowen and the numbers keep getting higher.

Councillor Column With Councillor Michelle Wright

As Councillors, we deal with a broad range of issues but one of the more rewarding is planning for the needs of young people in our community and advocating to help deliver positive outcomes.I represent Council on the Bowen and Collinsville Youth Action group (BACYA), which meets quarterly with lead stakeholders, businesses, and educators working in or with the youth of Bowen and Collinsville and surrounds.

Did you know? With Mayor Julie Hall

Illegal dumping and littering are a major problem in our region. This behaviour leads to significant environmental issues which negatively impact our communities, ecosystems, and overall quality of life.

The Whitsundays in Newcastle

Heronvale Rural Fire Brigade Receives All Terrain Firefighting Upgrade

The Heronvale Rural Fire Brigade has welcomed a new piece of equipment into their fleet. The new ATV and attached trailer will aid the volunteer fire fighting contingent to better fight and manage hard to reach locations, that the regular fire truck would be unable to service.

Chief Economist Comes To Town

t’s not every day you get an insight into regionally specific economic data from an individual who has a direct line to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).Luckily for local residents, PRD Whitsunday is bringing this level of information to town when they host their second Annual Property Research Night next week.Featuring special guest speaker Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo, familiarly known as ‘Dr Asti’, the event will inform the audience about key topics such as interest rate rises, inflation, and cos

Off With A Bang! At The Friday Night Fireworks

This evening, thousands of people will gather on grassy banks, smooth rocks and sandy outcrops to watch the Friday Night Fireworks erupt into vibrant pops of colour over the bay on Airlie Beach Foreshore.

Browse The Night Markets

Embracing the festival-themes of community, creativity and raising awareness for the environment, the Friday evening Night Markets are a treasure trove of home-made wares, recyclable arts, and cottage industry delights.

Saturday Street Fun

Traffic will be halted on the bustling main street of Airlie Beach this Saturday and the steady flow of vehicles will be replaced by a plethora of colourful community events for the Mackay and Whitsunday Life Saturday Street Fun.A hive of activity for festival goers to enjoy, the day will kick-off with Fraser Ford Revvin’ the Reef Car Show.

Street Parade Surprise!

With its origins dating back to well before the Great Barrier Reef Festival’s inception, the iconic Rotary Street Parade is an intrinsic part of Whitsunday culture and a cornerstone of the festival.Welcoming a new sponsor, Ray White Whitsundays, this year is set to be one of the best ever events, as dozens of colourful floats form a lively procession up the main street of Airlie Beach.

Let Me Entertain You!

Saluting The Sun

Coming back to their roots, Sun Salute will be cruising into Airlie Beach this weekend for the Great Barrier Reef Festival. Formed in the cool snow of Falls Creek in Victoria, duo Jarrah Kurth and Tane Tokorangi moved up north to the warm climate of Airlie Beach and created the Sun Salute band with its seven other band members.