Small Gifts, Big Heart, And A Little Hometown Magic Looking for stocking fillers that feel thoughtful, fun, and a little more meaningful than the usual last-minute grab? Some of the best small surprises of the season are waiting just around the corner, crafted and curated by the local businesses who pour heart and soul into everything they do. These petite presents don’t just brighten Christmas morning — they help support the makers, artisans, and small retailers who keep our community vi
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There’s a quiet kind of magic that comes alive when a community chooses to shop local. It’s not loud or flashy, but it’s powerful, felt in the hum of neighbourhood streets, the warmth of familiar shopfronts, and the genuine connections formed across counters and market stalls. Shopping local isn’t just a transaction; it’s an investment in the people who shape the heartbeat of a town. Every small business tells a story. Behind each display shelf is a family, a dream, a late-night brainstor
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Friday 5th December Free Parent Support Workshop 9.30am Nutricula Psychology is hosting a free practical parenting workshop designed to help you better understand and support your child’s behaviour. Learn how the brain shapes daily reactions and take home simple, effective strategies to create calmer routines and stronger connections. With practical tools and time to reflect with other parents, this session offers insight and reassurance. Registration is essential as places are limited—vi
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Up until a couple of years ago real estate agents like me used to talk lovingly about the prices, activity and general positivity in our lives during “the peak” of the market back around 2008 through to 2012. If a couple of real estate agents got talking it would be like an old married couple reflecting on the good old days. We didn’t hold hands but we used to nod knowingly as we reminisced about those days, when the market was strong, buyers were keen and prices were buoyant. The change
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By Cr Peter Sheedy November has been a productive month for Councillors and our dedicated workforce as we continue delivering outcomes that matter for our community. Supporting retirement village residents Council recently addressed concerns around waste and recycling charges for retirement villages. Historically, cottages within villages were treated under the same category as residential ratepayers. However, advice on compliance with the Competitive Neutrality Principle – a key requir
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Results For Week Ending Sunday 30th November 2025 Monday 24 November 2025 – 9 Table Mitchell Green Points North/South East/West 1st Janelle Conroy - Tex Sheedy 1st Geoff Taylor - Nancy Martin 2nd David Ting - Eric Goodchild 2nd Marilin Robins - Mick Robins 3rd Edward Kliese - Diane Stokes 3rd Barbara Tait - Margaret Lane 4th Pamela Finger - Ming Ting 4th Helen Van Den Broek - Jan Harris Tuesday 25 November 2025 – 5 ½ Table Howell Green Points 1st Janet Hansen - Diane Morgan 4th Richard W
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Mackay junior mountain biker Max Teague produced a strong start to his national season at the AusCycling XCO National Series – Round 1 & 2 in Mt Crosby, coming away with a 2nd place on Saturday and a 3rd place on Sunday in the U15 Men’s category. Racing took place in hot, humid conditions on a steep and technical course. The U15 riders started just behind the U17 field, which led to a chaotic opening climb when several of the U17 front riders slipped out. The crash caused a chain reaction
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President's Award to Charlie Payne for 62 years hard work and dedication to our sport. Player of the Year awarded to Remy Zhan and Junior Player of the Year awarded to Logan Brown. Mackay Closed Tuesday Morning: Averal Hodges Memorial Division 1 Singles Winner Andrea Nicholson, Runner Up Allan Robins. Division 1 Doubles Winners Tony Bowman and Kevin Abbott, Runner Up George Camilleri and Coral Morgan. Carrie Hills Trophy Division 2 Winner Josie Davis, Runner Up John Hamelink. Division 2 Double
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Charlie Payne Charlie Payne first picked up a table tennis bat at the age of nine. This year, after an incredible 62 years of service to the sport, he quietly stepped away from the game—but not from the community he helped shape. Charlie has been at the heart of the Mackay Table Tennis Association for decades. He served in key leadership roles, including President and Secretary, and long before computers handled tournament draws, Charlie created them manually for major events such as the Mackay
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At Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network’s Monthly What’s Up Mate Breakfast A crowd of more than 70 people stood in solidarity for the “best free breakfast in the Whitsundays” last Friday, as the smell of sizzling bacon, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms wafted enticingly into the early morning air. They were, however, standing in solidarity for more than a delicious breaky, it was an opportunity to gather together, reconnect and ask a simple but powerful question – What’s Up Mate?
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A vibrant handcrafted artwork created through a blend of creativity, therapy and community spirit has found a new home at Cannonvale State School, thanks to the Whitsunday Leisure Activity Centre’s Connecting Community Through Art program. “The artwork was lovingly created by participants of the Whitsunday Leisure Activity Centre's art therapy program, supporting NDIS participants and seniors,” a spokesperson for the Centre said. The Centre recently donated a hand-painted vase filled with vivi
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Hello everyone I hope you're all doing well. We've almost made it to the end of the year and I hope you've all had a blast! Just last week, our sister publication Hinchinbrook celebrated its first birthday—a milestone that’s especially close to my heart because I was part of the team that launched the publication last November, living in the region as their on-the-ground journalist for four months. It was an incredible honour to be trusted with the launch, and I’m ecstatic that it’s thriving
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Bowen Fire Brigade Faces Fiery Summer Day Summer in the Whitsundays always seems to bring its share of extreme weather. While the Bowen Delta Rural Fire Brigade hoped the recent rain might finally signal the end of fire season, in their words, "Mother Nature had other ideas." The brigade taking to facebook detailed that the 2nd of December was "probably [the] busiest day of the year so far," with their first call coming in at 1:20pm for a small grass fire burning close to a home and two beautif
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On November 22, community members gathered in Bowen to honour two World War I veterans whose previously unmarked graves were formally recognised with new headstones during a short ceremony. Secretary of Bowen RSL Sub-Branch Marty Tanzer led the ceremony and said he didn't know why the graves were unmarked but that was irrelevant, what was important was what the RSL would do about it. "This issue was first brought to our attention by a guy in Brisbane who is conducting research on the WW1 AIF 2
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The Whitsunday Regional Council has welcomed new national data confirming \ the Whitsunday Coast Airport (WCA) is the fastest-growing airport in Australia, recording an outstanding 15.1% year-on-year passenger increase for August 2025. The official Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) results place WCA at the top of the country for annualised growth, well ahead of major metropolitan and regional airports including Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and the Sunshi
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About 60 people attended the Annual General Meeting of Bowen Tourism and Business at Flagstaff Hill last Thursday. This was followed by a networking event to celebrate a great year for the organisation. The committee members will remain unchanged for the 2025/26 financial year with Jenn Honnery continuing in the position of Chair. Jenn announced that the team had welcomed a record number of visitors in the past 12 months and won several awards. “With a record 56,360 at the Visitor Information
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In recent weeks, my fellow Councillors and I have had the privilege of attending end of year school award ceremonies right across the Whitsundays. These events are full of pride, joy and a wonderful sense of community spirit, and they are always among the most uplifting moments of the year. But what has struck me most this year is not just the trophies, certificates, or applause. It’s the character of our young people. Whether they were walking across the stage to receive an award or cheering l
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Locally owned and operated, Whitsunday Dash is a delivery service built on reliability, professionalism, and genuine community spirit. Established in June 2025, the business provides tailored transport solutions for both businesses and individuals across the Whitsunday region — from bulky and high-value items to time-sensitive deliveries. Founders Tom and Sarah created Whitsunday Dash after years in the mining industry, driven by a desire to build something meaningful close to home. “We saw a
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Friendly Grocer in Jubilee Pocket is thrilled to announce the launch of the Tatts Lotto at their store, it's been in the works for months and now it's here. Owner Nathan Parker said last week was the first week of the lotto at the store, and thinks this weeks $20 million will attract more players. They offer all of the Lott games including scratchies, Set for Life, Oz Lotto, Powerball, X lotto, and all the others. The Friendly Grocer contains a total of eight games. Obtaining the rights for t
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The Misses Valmadres The contribution of women to the growth of our shire was often underestimated and undervalued. However, from its earliest time, women were playing a major role in the development of the shire, not only in their customary roles as wives and mothers but as active, essential and successful members of the business community. Three such women were sisters, Erminia (Min), Mavis and Edna Valmadre. In 1911, Battista (Jack) Valmadre and Margherita (née Cecini) moved to Kelsey Creek
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Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale–Proserpine celebrated another year of community impact at its Annual General Meeting and Community Event on Wednesday 12 November, where the clear message was that the Whitsundays community remains the biggest winner of the Community Bank model. Chairman Mark Henry said the success of the branch comes down to its unique “profit-with-a-purpose” approach. “Our profit-with-a-purpose model means most of the profits generated by our branch go straight back into the
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Abbot Point Operations has been inducted into the Business Legends of the Whitsundays Hall of Fame, a milestone General Manager Damien Dederer says belongs to the entire team that keeps the North Queensland Export Terminal running. While it is the first time Abbot Point Operations has received a Hall of Fame accolade, Damien noted the organisation’s long history of achievement across four decades includes major infrastructure milestones, strong community partnerships and environmental programs.
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Create Career Qualifications For Local Workers A unique on-site apprenticeship program at the North Queensland Export Terminal is helping workers convert years of experience into formal qualifications while keeping jobs and skills in the Bowen region. Five Bowen Industrial Hire (BIH) employees have now gained their Certificate III in Engineering – Fabrication (Surface Finishing) through the program, which Abbot Point Operations developed with BIH after the company won the protective coating con
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Whitsunday Mowers, located in Proserpine, is continuing to strengthen its reputation as one of the region’s most trusted outdoor power equipment suppliers, offering an extensive range and delivery of large mowers to Mackay, Collinsville everything in between and even the Islands. Seven years after taking over the long-standing business, owners Wayne and Sharon Drabsch have transformed the former roller-skating rink into a bright, modern showroom now stocked with more than 30 zero-turn mowers an
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After six years in the Whitsundays, long-serving head chef Marek Wardowski is preparing to say goodbye to Sorrento Restaurant and Bar, as he gets ready to relocate to Melbourne early next year. Chef Marek moved to Australia 12 years ago but he began his career in Poland, where he finished cooking school more than three decades ago and he hasn’t looked back since. “I feel like I’m born in the kitchen. I feel like I am built for this," he said. Before arriving in the Whitsundays, he worked for
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