Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Whitsunday residents now have another way to fly directly from the region to Cairns — and the new connection is already proving a hit with travellers on both sides of the reef. A new direct flight between Cairns and Hamilton Island has officially taken off, reconnecting two of Queensland’s most iconic Great Barrier Reef destinations for the first time since the pandemic and opening the door for more Cairns visitors to explore the Whitsundays. The inaugural East Air service departed Cairns Airpo
Read more
The businesses operating from Cumberland House in Cannonvale have combined fronts and united in the spirit of Christmas and gift-giving, to support the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre's annual Toy Drive. Cumberland House contains three local businesses, Whitsunday Law, Accountancy Plus and Queensland Sotheby's International Realty. What started as a casual conversation between businesses has quickly turned into a full-scale festive effort, with the team setting up a giving tree in their foyer
Read more
The Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre has launched its 2025 Community Toy Drive, celebrating nine years of spreading Christmas cheer through its Free Christmas Pop-Up Shop. The initiative ensures every local child has a gift under the tree, with 62 families and 230 children supported last year. Businesses and community groups are invited to join by setting up a Giving Tree in their workplace or running staff-led collections. Donated new, unwrapped toys must be delivered to the Centre by Wednesday
Read more
Tourism in Bowen was in the spotlight at the Bowen Uniting Church Friendship Club meeting last week. Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy was the guest speaker, invited to explain the role of the Local Tourism Organisation. Leanne was invited by Anne Steen, who helps with the club’s activities and is also a volunteer at the visitor information booth at Bowen’s Front Beach. Leanne highlighted the record number of visitors at the Bowen Visitor Information Centre and gave membe
Read more
Cannon Valley’s Eloise Chegwidden has done her hometown and school proud, achieving remarkable success at the School Sport Australia National Swimming Championships in Ballarat, Victoria. The 10-year-old St Catherine’s Catholic College student, who trains with the Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club, earned her spot on the Queensland Representative School Sports team after medaling in two events at the State Championships held in Brisbane earlier this year. Representing Queensland on the national
Read more%20(1).JPG)
The recent adoption of the Bowen Foreshore Masterplan marks a major milestone not only for Council, but for me personally as Mayor. From the day I was elected, one of my top priorities was to deliver a clear and connected vision for Bowen’s waterfront — a plan that unites the foreshore, boat harbour, jetty, township, and surrounding parklands into a single, cohesive destination for locals and visitors alike. To now see that vision formally adopted by Council is incredibly rewarding. Bowen’s for
Read more
Whitsunday Regional Council is rolling out a Parks Regional Asset Renewal Program from November 2025 to April 2026. This program will upgrade more than 75 park assets across 23 parks in the Whitsunday Region! From playgrounds and BBQs to shelters and exercise stations, we’re making sure our parks stay safe, welcoming and fun for everyone. For more information on our regional parks renewal package, visit Council’s online engagement portal, at yoursay.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au .
Read more
St Catherine’s Catholic College came together Friday, 24 October, to celebrate another big year of achievement at the school’s annual Awards Ceremony. Despite the scorching heatwave, families, staff and community members came together to cheer on students from Years 3 to 12 being recognised for their efforts across academic, cultural, community and sporting pursuits. The ceremony featured plenty of highlights, including two fantastic performances from the College’s concert band, and wrapped up
Read more
Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Proserpine Mill crushed out early last Saturday morning, bringing an end to a successful season. It was the second of Wilmar’s eight sugar factories to finish the 2025 season. Proserpine Mill Manager Operations Cory O’Shea said the last bin went through the tippler at 6.30am Saturday (1 November). “In total, we processed 1.48M tonnes of cane for the year to make about 205,000 tonnes of raw sugar. “The crop dropped off towards the back end of the season due to the
Read more
Landholders Urged to Stay Alert Biosecurity Queensland is urging landholders across the region to be on the lookout for locust activity, following the detection of late-stage nymphs in the Proserpine area. The department is currently working closely with local landholders to identify the number and species of locusts present and to assist with control measures aimed at reducing the risk of a wider outbreak. “Controlling locusts during the nymph stage is crucial,” a Biosecurity Queensland spoke
Read more
To Elevate The Naturally Iconic Experience
Read more
From Awards to Advocacy: What’s Next for Local Business Congratulations to all Whitsunday Business Awards 2025 nominees! The quality of submissions was breathtaking. We look forward to celebrating your achievements at the Awards Ceremony on Friday 21 November at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre. The event has sold out and promises to be a fantastic evening celebrating and recognising business excellence across our region. We’re also pleased to see Whitsunday Regional Council confirm the reo
Read more
Call For Stall Holders And Food Vendors Get ready for a night of festive cheer and community spirit - the Proserpine Twilight Christmas Fair is returning to Main Street on Friday, 12 December 2025, from 5.00pm to 8.00pm. Local market stall holders and food vendors are being asked to take part in what promises to be a magical evening celebrating everything we love about our community - local creativity, good food, and Christmas joy. It's the perfect way to kick off the Christmas Spirit and with
Read more
Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy a relaxed evening by the water as the Airlie Beach Foreshore transforms into the open-air cinema on Friday, 21 November 2025. The free community movie night will kick off at 6pm, featuring two much-loved films Rango followed by Drop Dead Fred. Rango follows the Chameleon who has lived as a sheltered family pet experiences an identity crisis after landing in the frontier town of Dirt, where he becomes the new sheriff. What begins as an act soon turns
Read more
Friday 14 November Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm - 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Double Header (from 8pm) Horseshoe Bay Cafe: Matty Black (5.30pm - 8.30pm) Sorrento: Kaedan McCarthy (4pm - 7pm) KC's: Shaun Diver (from 8pm) Saturday 15 November Airlie Beach Hotel: Pink Gaga (2pm - 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm - 10pm) Grand View Hotel: DJ Night (from 8pm) Horseshoe Bay Cafe: Matty Black (5.30pm - 8.30pm) Coral Sea Pavillion: DJ Session (2-6pm) Sorrento: Ash Smith (4pm - 7pm) KC
Read more
November 16 Bowen Community Markets, Hansen Park, from 8:00am 20 Social Seniors - Coffee and Chat, Bowen Library, from 10am 21 Rango and Drop Dead Fred, The Movie Screen at Airlie Beach Foreshore in Coconut Grove, 6:00pm 23 Bowen Community Markets, Hansen Park, from 8:00am 25 Sailing For Those With Disability, Whitsunday Sailing Club, from 9am 25 Social Seniors - Coffee and Chat, Proserpine Library, from 9am 26 Whitsunday Quilters & Hand Crafts Group, Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre, 9:00
Read more
Fans of Matchbox Twenty and Rob Thomas are in for a treat next weekend as the Australian Matchbox Twenty Tribute Show heads to the Airlie Beach Hotel for the very first time. While the band’s guitarist has previously visited the Whitsundays with the INXS Tribute Show, founding member and bass player Ronny Howard said the full group is excited to make its debut in paradise. “If you could see what the weather in Melbourne is doing today, you wouldn’t need to ask if we’re looking forward to it,”
Read more
After her world was suddenly turned upside down, Boomer, a gentle seven-year-old girl, is ready to find the love and stability she’s been missing. Once surrendered to the pound, Boomer’s future was uncertain — but thanks to the kindness of rescuers, she’s now safe in foster care and beginning to rediscover her spark. At first, she was understandably subdued, unsure of her new surroundings. But with a little time, patience, and affection, her loving personality has begun to shine through. Boome
Read more
On Friday 7 November the Bowen Community Centre thanked businesses and community members for their support throughout the year. The 2025 Bowen Community Centre Community Champions were: Abbot Point Operations Aurizon Bowen Community Sunday Markets Bowen Industrial Hire ECM Project Engineering Grace Christian Fellowship Holy Trinity Anglican Church Horseshoe Bay Social Club James Barry (In Memorium) Lowcock Builders Zonta Club of Bowen Mayor Ry Collins Peries IGA Bowen Woolworths Bowen Prices Pl
Read more
Hi Everyone, This week marks National Recycling Week. While it’s great to have a dedicated week to raise awareness, it’s important to remember that recycling should be a year-round practice. To support this, I’ve included a brief guide outlining what can and cannot be recycled. Happy Reading! Ruth
Read more
National Recycling Week: The Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling As National Recycling Week rolls around, Whitsunday residents are being encouraged to take a closer look at what’s going into their yellow-lid recycling bins. By knowing what belongs, and what doesn’t, we can all play a part in reducing landfill waste and supporting a cleaner, more sustainable region. The Do’s of Recycling You can confidently place the following items in your recycling bin: Glass bottles and jars Paper and cardboard
Read more
"Whales of the Whitsundays" (WoW) is a community-led initiative that promotes the monitoring, conservation, and cultural connection to the whales in the Whitsundays region. Through citizen science, educational programs, and events like the "Welcome Whale" event, WoW has contributed to the Whitsundays being officially designated as the world's first Whale Heritage Site within a World Heritage Area, recognising its importance for migrating humpback whales. Now, their conservation efforts are maki
Read more
The dust has settled on the Whitsundays, but the sound of music still echoes in Airlie Beach as the 2025 Airlie Beach Festival of Music wraps up, celebrating a record-breaking year for both attendance and community spirit. The three-day music event, which saw the town's venues and the iconic Main Tent fully activated, delivered an estimated $5 million injection into the local economy. This huge success was driven by a staggering turnout, confirming the festival's status as a must-attend event o
Read more
It was a day of glamour, good humour, and great golf as players turned out for the club’s Melbourne Cup event, where the racing may have been on the screen, but the competition was fierce on the fairways. Congratulations went to those lucky enough to win a share in the Melbourne Cup sweeps, and a big thank you was extended to everyone who helped make the day such a success — from those who donated food and prizes to the volunteers who kept things running smoothly. The ever-popular Best Hat com
Read more
Just when it seemed things couldn’t get any better, both the weather and the bowls were sizzling at Airlie Beach this week. Tuesday’s social bowls saw skipper Lyn Graham and lead Greg Fennell claim the Highest Winning Margin, dominating a strong field. On Wednesday, 18 bowlers took to the green for another round of social triples. Tony “Take the Money” Whitehorn continued his hot streak alongside Alma Rose Zaldivar and Alan Pershouse, finishing as runaway winners. Friday morning’s Endeavour F
Read more