A strongly-contested doubles tournament hit off the 2025 year for Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday morning players. Winners were George Camilleri in Division 1 with 153 points and John Hamelink in Division 2 with 152 points. It’s an unusual competition in which players rotate partners and play first to 31 while keeping track of their total scores. The morning finished with presentations by fixtures organiser Steve Mathieson to winning team members from the last season of 2024 along with other awar
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While the sugarcane fields surrounding Mackay symbolise resilience and prosperity, the 2024 property market showed that the region's real estate is just as robust and sought after, firmly placing Mackay at the forefront of Regional Queensland’s property boom. In 2024, Regional Queensland's property market experienced notable growth, with property values increasing by 12.1 per cent over the year. This trend was particularly evident in key regional hubs. According to The Australian Financial Revi
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Gilmour Space Station in Bowen is getting ready to launch Eris TestFlight 1, and one dignitary that has been there throughout the process is Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox. Founded by two brothers in Gold Coast, Queensland, Gilmour Space is a venture-capital-backed Australian launch services company that is developing new capabilities for launching satellites to space. Andrew Willcox explained how he’s excited for the launch of the rocket, that's going to put satellites into low earth orbit
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Hi Everyone, What a week it’s been! I feel like we have been constantly at the mercy of the weather – dashing through puddles with battered umbrellas in-hand, overflown creeks and storm drains rampaging through usually dry beds, potholes appearing on almost every road and eternally damp clothes draped over sad looking washing lines – this truly is a wet season. I remember 20 years ago when I first arrived in town and this was what a wet season looked like every year – you could expect it to r
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This week’s Good Deed goes to the local fire service team who came to the rescue of a car that got stuck on its own driveway. The driveway in question is made of pebblecrete, a notoriously slippery material when wet, and in this weather it's no wonder the car couldn’t keep a grip. Using bricks and rocks to stop the ute form sliding further, the fire team managed to haul the four-door ute back into alignment on the driveway. It had slid so far down sideways that it was dangerously close to going
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Over the Christmas period the green space near Hook Close and Scarlet Gum Cresent in Cannonvale was removed to make way for development and since then, local residents have been actively voicing their outrage about its destruction. The residents allege that when they purchased their respective properties adjacent to the site, they were told by the real estate agencies that the location was a ‘green zone’ classified as ‘Category B Vegetation’. Whitsunday Regional Council have since issued a stat
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The Collinsville Waterpark is once again closed and this time it is due to the recent break-in of the pump shed and theft of the pool acid therein. This is just the latest incident in what appears to be a series of targeted crimes directed at the Whitsunday Regional Council owned facility. Previously, young vandals have damaged the park and forcing its closure by littering and throwing glass bottles into the tipping buckets, an act that could have caused significant injury had they not been disc
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International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8th, is a global occasion dedicated to honoring the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It also serves as a powerful call to action to accelerate progress toward gender equality. This year, Zonta is once again hosting their highly anticipated International Women’s Day event, marking a special milestone of 25 years of this beloved celebration, which has become known as one of the standout events of the year. Zonta Club of
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Hook Island, a stunning gem in the heart of the Whitsundays, is poised to become a world-class eco-lodge by 2027, setting a new standard for sustainable luxury in Australia. Acquired in 2022 by Glenn Piper, CEO of Epochal Hotels, and a group of investors, the island—once ravaged by cyclones—will undergo a remarkable revival across 9.3 hectares. Previously home to the Hook Island Lodge, which shut its doors in 2013, the island has remained largely abandoned for nearly a decade. The resort was sev
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Cane toads can be found everywhere across Queensland and persistent action needs to be taken to remove them. The Watergum Cane Toad Challenge came back again this year for their annual Great Cane Toad Bust event. With over 50,000 toads removed last year, they hoped to match that number and surpass it this season with state-wide help. Notoriously prolific breeders Cane toads produce up to 30,000 eggs at a time, and can live up to 10 years. They are toxic at all stages of their life cycle and when
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The Tiny Homes project has finally got the go-ahead after almost three years in development. The project aims to build housing for homeless and vulnerable women over 55 in the Whitsundays with community fundraising and support. Led by a group of dedicated local volunteers, the Tiny Homes Project managed to secure a plot of land in Proserpine to begin construction of four homes. The Development Approval was granted in August 2024, and the land officially donated by the Whitsunday Regional Counci
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It’s only February, and so much is already happening this year! Congratulations to Club Whitsunday opening their doors. It promises to be a massive asset for both the sporting community and the region at large, Well done JB and team! A big thank you to Whitsunday Regional Council for hosting a spectacular Australia Day Awards event! The Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce and Industry was proud to sponsor the Citizen of the Year Award, and we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Matt Stokes, our 2
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Recycling and reducing waste are critical steps we can take as a community to minimize the burden on our landfill sites in our Whitsunday region. These actions not only help to protect our environment but also significantly reduce the costs associated with managing waste, which are ultimately borne by our ratepayers. In line with these goals, Council’s construction of a new landfill cell at Kelsey Creek is nearing completion. This project, essential for servicing our region's future growth,
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Are you a mum looking for a social group that supports and learns from one another? Are you and your bub keen to get your steps in and workout with like-minded mums? Or are you just looking for helpful and friendly advice to support your journey through motherhood? If you said ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then the Bowen Community Centre has the program for you! The Bowen Pram Pushers is a State Government and NQBP funded support group, launched to help new mums or mums new to town. It’s a s
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1. Avoid single use plastics A simple way to start living more sustainably is by cutting out single-use plastics. Each year in Australia, it is estimated that 3.5 million metric tons of plastic is produced, with half being used only once before ending up in landfills or the ocean, where it never decomposes. Swap single-use items for reusable alternatives, like water bottles, to make a difference. 2. Recycle Recycle items like cans, paper, and plastics according to local guidelines. Upcy
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Hi Everyone, Welcome to Ruth 2 Reef! As a passionate environmentalist and with a background in environmental journalism, I truly admire the efforts the local community makes to preserve the natural beauty of the Whitsundays. From small local groups to large corporations, many people here go above and beyond to protect the environment. With this in mind, I thought it would be a great opportunity to combine my love for protecting the environment with the fantastic stories from the Whitsundays and
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Master Reef Guides aim to become the world’s top reef experts and interpreters, showcasing the marvels of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. As ambassadors of the reef, they share the latest scientific knowledge and management practices while educating visitors on how they can help protect this incredible ecosystem. Jessica Funnell is one of the 146 Master Reef Guides across the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and she is based right here in the Whitsundays. With 15 years of experience i
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Did you know seagrass has been around since the time of dinosaurs? Four groups of flowering plants (angiosperms) colonised the oceans, these became known as seagrass, and they are the only flowering plants that can live underwater. Seagrass, found in near-shore waters globally, is vital to marine life. Known as the "lungs of the sea," it produces 10 litres of oxygen per square metre daily. It feeds dugongs and green turtles, provides habitat for fish and prawns, and helps keep water clean by abs
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Sharks are often unfairly cast as the villains of the sea, but their role in marine ecosystems is both complex and crucial. As apex predators, they play a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of our oceans. Here are a few key facts about why sharks are considered “ecosystem engineers,” essential to the health of our reefs and climate, particularly in the Great Barrier Reef: • Sharks regulate reef ecosystems by controlling predator and prey populations. Without them, biodiversity
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The Great Barrier Reef spans over an area of 344,000 sq km and is comprised of over 3000 individual reefs. It can be seen from outer space. It is an Australian icon. It is a world icon. The Reef supports a very productive tourism and fishing industry that keeps that keeps regions like the Whitsundays economy in the black. Unfortunately, the reef faces a very uncertain future. For those who live and work in the Whitsunday region, the Reef has always been there and will always be there. It is too
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The Whales of the Whitsundays (WoW) is a group of committed individuals who are concerned about the health and future of cetaceans in the region. The program started in 2023 following discussions at the Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee about the simultaneous increase in whale and boat numbers and threats from climate change. In 2024, The Whales of the Whitsundays achieved some remarkable milestones. While preparations are underway for their 2024 Annual Report, the organisation has sha
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Guests at Camp Island Lodge had the incredible opportunity to experience a two-day dive expedition to the outer reef provided by Ocean Dynamics. Qualified instructors conducted scuba training in the Lodge pool, ensuring guests were ready by the afternoon to explore the magnificent fringe reefs of Silver Shoal around Camp Island. The area is abundant with plate coral, staghorn coral, and vibrant marine life around the bommies, making it an exciting dive location. This served as a warm-up for an
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We’re gearing up for an exciting week in The Whitsundays as we welcome the Hon. Andrew Powell MP, Minister for the Environment and Tourism and Minister for Science and Innovation. As part of his visit, we’re hosting an important conversation about the future of tourism in Queensland—and we’d love for you to be part of it. On Tuesday, 11 February, we’re bringing together industry operators, community voices, and key stakeholders for the Destination 2045 Regional Consultation Workshop in Airlie Be
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Apprentice / Traineeship Completion Presentation 2025 – Proserpine Holly Smith – Rates Trainee – Proserpine Office Holly has been working towards her certification as part of the Rates team in Proserpine. A quick and eager learner, Holly consistently takes on new tasks with enthusiasm and provides support wherever needed. Her ability to pick up new skills quickly has impressed the entire team. Holly is polite, honest, and hardworking, requiring minimal supervision while remaining diligent in s
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No, it is not an aircraft landing strip. Nor is it a porch, stoop or verandah attached to a house. The Landing at Glen Isla was the place to which most of Proserpine’s goods were transported by boat from Mackay in the days before the railway opened in 1910. Proserpine River was the lifeline of our community before this railway became a reality. Roads to Mackay and Bowen were just bush tracks. The wharf at The Landing was constructed circa 1884 when the Crystal Brook Sugar Mill was planned. Co
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