Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Birri Gubba Nation will mark its second anniversary with a two-day celebration on March 8-9, 2025. The event will begin at Bluewater Quay in Mackay, overlooking the picturesque Pioneer River, before continuing at Conway Beach on Sunday from 10am. The Senior Tribal Council, Ministers, and Ambassadors of Birri Gubba have expressed enthusiasm for the progress made in strengthening the nation. The anniversary will feature guest speakers who will provide updates on ongoing projects and future
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International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, 2025, carries a theme that couldn’t be more fitting—March Forward: For ALL Women and Girls. It’s a rallying cry that acknowledges how far we’ve come while urging us to keep moving, pushing, and striving for a future where every woman and girl can thrive. Across Australia, the day will be marked with powerful events, from leadership summits to grassroots gatherings, all celebrating the achievements of women while addressing the work still ahead.
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The Northern Beaches Community Playgroup (NBCP) is set to return in 2025, once again made possible through the BMA Benefiting My Community Grant. This year, in addition to the usual play and connection sessions, families can look forward to twelve special "super sessions" throughout the year, including BMA Playfest, BMA Fun Friday, and BMA Bookweek. These sessions will feature a range of engaging activities for young children, including gross motor programs, puppet shows, music, art, and
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Toad Busters Break Records 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. Being prolific breeders, Cane Toads are notorious pests producing up to 30,000 eggs at a time, and can live up to 10 years. They are to
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What better way to end the working week than feasting on the freshest seafood I could ask for with Whitsunday Sailing Club’s Seafood Platter for Two. This mouthwatering platter is packed with the finest local seafood, sourced from a range of top suppliers, including one of our local favourites, Fishi, guaranteeing the freshest, tastiest bites from the sea. Get ready to indulge in a variety of flavours and textures, from the crispy battered Red Emperor Fish to the juicy local prawns, smoked salm
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The Whitsundays is off to a flying start in 2025, breaking records left, right, and centre! In just two months, The Whitsundays has welcomed 27 cruise ships, bringing over 66,000 passengers to our region. Around 52,000 of them have stepped off to soak up the sun, explore Airlie Beach and beyond and support local businesses. And it’s not slowing down—another 13 cruise ships are set to arrive in March, proving The Whitsundays is a must-stop destination for cruise lovers. Whitsunday Coast Airport
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Hi Everyone, For the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of being part of the Life Publishing Group family. When I first joined, we were printing two bi-monthly magazines. Fast forward to today, and we now produce four weekly newspapers alongside those same two magazines. It’s been an incredible journey—one filled with growth, determination, breaking barriers, and plenty of laughter along the way. We've embraced every challenge, thinking outside the box, and smashing stereotypes at every turn
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Did you know that from 1 January 2025, intentionally underpaying an employee’s wages or entitlements can be a criminal offence? This doesn’t include honest mistakes. The Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code Declaration 2024 (the Code) came into effect at the beginning of the year, alongside Australia’s new federal wage theft laws. The Code provides small businesses (those with fewer than 15 employees) with a framework to avoid prosecution for underpayments that occur unintentionally.
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Hi everyone! Last weekend was Clean Up Australia Day, and it was fantastic to see so many wonderful organisations doing their bit to keep the beautiful Whitsundays clean. I had the chance to visit Coral Sea Marina and witness firsthand the incredible amount of rubbish collected by volunteers. It is heartwarming to see communities and businesses coming together for such an important cause. Back in Sydney, I often took part in scuba diving clean-ups where we removed rubbish from the ocean floor
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Plunging into the ocean’s depths, you might be fortunate enough to encounter a Moray Eel. Known for their fierce appearance and impressive diversity, these fascinating creatures captivate divers and marine enthusiasts alike. Beyond their striking looks, Moray Eels play a vital role as apex predators in coral reef ecosystems. Inhabiting warm, reef-rich waters, they help maintain ecological balance by preying on fish, crabs, shrimp, squid, octopuses, and even scavenging weakened or dead organisms
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It is easy to see Whitsunday Islands and surrounding fringing reefs as static and unchanging. But that is not true, as slow, gradual changes often go unnoticed. Over time these changes may become accepted as the status quo, the way things have always been. This phenomenon is called shifting baseline syndrome. Shifting baseline describes a gradual change in our accepted norms and expectations for the environment across generations. Unfortunately, our tolerance for environmental degradation incre
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Cleaning up the coastline is no small task, but it’s one that the Whitsundays community is eager to take on. On Sunday, March 2nd, Coral Sea Marina became the heart of action for the annual Clean Up Australia Day event. Volunteers, fueled by a shared passion for preserving the region’s pristine coastline, came together to make a real difference. In partnership with the Tangaroa Blue Foundation and the ReefClean program, they tackled the shoreline, collecting litter with dedication and teamwork.
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As Mayor, I have the privilege of seeing firsthand the strength, resilience, and contributions of women across the Whitsundays. From business owners to community leaders, volunteers to frontline workers, women are at the heart of what makes our region thrive. However, while we have made great strides toward gender equality, there is still work to be done. Saturday, March 8 marks International Women’s Day 2025, a day to celebrate the achievements of women while acknowledging that progress towar
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Compared to many other parts of the world, the waters of the Whitsundays are quite benign. The many islands and their mountain peaks provide prominent landmarks to guide vessels safely around the numerous hazards that potentially exist. However, for a variety of reasons such as bad weather, carelessness and outdated charts in the past, there have been victims over that last two centuries. Previous editions of this paper have related the stories of the “Heroine”, SS “Llewellyn”, “Valetta” and th
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Locally owned and operated, Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale-Proserpine is seeking passionate individuals to join its paid Board of Directors. This is your chance to contribute to a unique "profit-with-a-purpose" model, where local profits directly benefit the community. "Like our sponsored organisations, our Board is driven by people who are passionate about our community and who value the knowledge, passion and dedication it takes to run the many community organisations," explains Community
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Barefoot Medicine is more than just a doctor’s surgery. It is a place where exceptional care meets compassion. At the heart of its success are the dedicated nurse practitioners whose expertise and commitment make every patient feel valued and cared for. A Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an advanced Registered Nurse with specialised skills, expertise, and the authority to diagnose and treat a wide range of health conditions across all ages. With additional university-level training at the master's de
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Anticipation is building ahead of the ‘Team Whitsundays Masquerade Gala Ball’ which is due to take place at the Shute Harbour Marine Terminal next Saturday night. This is a signature event hosted by the charismatic and dedicated Dancing CEO's, a team of local business women who are determined to raise both money and awareness for he prevention of domestic violence. Kate Purdie (Coral Sea Marina), Candice Crossley (Whitsunday Transit), Julie Telford (SeaLink Whitsundays), and Dr Alice Harriott
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Australia is famous for its rich and diverse wildlife, and the Whitsundays are no exception, home to several rare and endangered species. Hopping into the picture, the Proserpine Rock Wallaby is one of the Whitsundays’ most intriguing native animals, found exclusively in the region’s rainforests and on Hayman Island. The Proserpine Rock Wallaby is larger than similar species, but it is still an extremely small animal, with the larger of males only growing to 60 centimetres in length and weighi
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Say hello to Sarge, the lovable pup who’s ready to win your heart! Recently rescued after being abandoned with his brother, Sarge is a sweet and well-adjusted boy with a personality that will melt anyone’s heart. He’s an absolute dream of a puppy, with the perfect balance of playfulness and calm. Sarge is an extremely quick learner, already mastering commands like "sit," "stay," and "drop." His eagerness to please makes him a breeze to train! While Sarge loves to follow you around, he is also
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What better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than with a rich, indulgent Irish stout pudding? We've got the ultimate recipe to make your celebration even more delicious! Ingredients 6 ounces unsalted butter 3/4 cup Guinness Stout 1 Tablespoon molasses 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3 large eggs pinch kosher salt 6 ounces dark chocolate chopped Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter 5-7 ramekins (I used ½ cup ramekins and got 7 pudding cake
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Wangaratta Weekly Results And Upcoming EventsThe winners of Tuesday's social bowls were Deb Retchless, Irene Laird, and Penny Warren, who defeated Stumpy Adams, Robyn Stitt, and Margaret Wilson in a competitive match. Unfortunately, the jackpot didn’t gooff this time, leaving players gearing up for a better outcome next time. The mixed competition is progressing well, with several exciting matches. On Saturday, the semi-final of the mixed pairs was held, and it was Denise Wallace and Mark Drumm
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Down by Dingo Beach, the local Community Hall will be putting on their first market of the year, and what a way to start but with a HUGE Easter Market. There will be food and refreshments, entertainment, kid's activities and so much more! It’s all things Easter at the Hall! With hot cross buns to snack on, an Easter Bunny fun photo booth to capture those special day memories, and an Easter egg hunt for all the little adventurers. And who could forget about the arrival of a super special guest,
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Our belated February Monthly Medal saw a surprising turnout of 25 players, despite challenging conditions. The course was soggy and heavy underfoot, but fortunately, the rain held off, allowing golfers to enjoy the day even in less-than-ideal conditions. It was great to be back out on the greens, with many enthusiastic players embracing the tough weather. In the ladies' competition, Elspeth Scotford emerged as the winner with an impressive 77 nett, securing her second consecutive victory. Tiina
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The club’s Men’s Open Fours competition for 2025 was held in its entirety on the weekend of 1st and 2nd March. Eight teams participated in the event, with competitors ranging from top division pennant players and district players to first-year participants. The winning team, crowned Airlie Beach Men’s Fours Champions for 2025, consisted of Bob McMahon, Luke Kinnear, Russ Jackson, and Armando Isgro, who defeated Keith Bates, Alan Pershouse, Jeff Tierney, and Peter Barrett. On Sunday, social bowl
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Airlie Beach Golf Club Results - Week Ending 2nd March 2025 Despite ongoing weather challenges, the course improved throughout the week and is now nearly dry. However, players are still asked to exercise caution with their carts, sticking to the outer edges of the fairways when necessary and avoiding any wet spots. Tuesday, 25th February 2025 - PGC February Monthly Medal Sadly, the course was very wet, but congratulations to the winners for their exceptional play. Colin Hounsell won the men’s c
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