Airlie Beach Race Week is locals' time to shine

 It’s the week Whitsunday sailors have been waiting for, with local race officer Steve Watson describing the 2011 regatta as running “exceptionally well”.

 “The conditions have been absolutely perfect. The courses have been great. Everybody’s been behaving themselves on the start line (well, almost) and it’s great to see that Team Vodafone Sailing is actually competitive in the fleet – we’ve got to make them work to win!” Mr Watson said.

 Seasoned local crewman Matt Flint (SV Re-ignition) wholeheartedly agreed.

 “This is the best regatta I’ve ever done. I’ve done three of them now and it’s the first year I’ve ever been in the beer tent and not heard a complaint. Everybody’s happy,” he said.

 Mr Flint said the highlight of the regatta so far was “being able to call ‘Starboard’ on Team Vodafone Sailing”.

 WSC Sailing secretary Tania Watson said the shore-side entertainment had been a great compliment to the on-water events.

 “Singer ‘AJ’ has been fantastic. She’s done a brilliant job,” Ms Watson said.

 On the water, local sailors have relished the intensified level of competition, with Cynophobe’s Peter Millar describing the regatta as a “big learning curve”.

 “We’re up against the gun boats now,” he said.

 At the halfway mark Whitsunday vessels Questionable Logic, Sandpiper and Another Fiasco were all very close on points, with Sandpiper’s skipper Colin Pruden enthusiastic about the windward/leeward races ahead.

 “I’m really happy with where we’re sitting right now. The boat’s going well, the crew work’s excellent, we haven’t made too many mistakes and we’re sailing to our handicap. It’s all good,” he said.

 IRC racer extraordinaire Jeff Brown said at this stage of the game Double O Seven was aiming for fourth place overall.

 “It’s been quite windy, which is good for sailing, but not so good for this boat – we do better when it’s light. But when it’s windy it’s fun – although a bit harder on the crew!” Mr Brown said.

 To keep up with all the latest news and results from Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week go to www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au

Premier re-opens Hayman Island Resort

 The legend of Hayman Island is set to live on. On Friday August 5 Queensland Premier Anna Bligh officially re-opened the new-look resort after five months of rectification works following the devastation wreaked by Cyclones Anthony and Yasi earlier this year.

 Ms Bligh said Hayman’s re-opening was a “powerful symbol of recovery for the Whitsundays”.

 “This paradise was battered and bruised but is now back even better than before. When we see great success stories like this one at Hayman it gives everybody hope,” she said.

 Premier Bligh was accompanied to Hayman by Tourism Minister and local MP Jan Jarratt, who said, “Hayman represents the resilience of the Whitsundays”.

 “As both the Tourism Minister and the local member it’s an emotional journey for me here today. In the face of the challenges confronting our industry, the team at Hayman has demonstrated that we can fight back from a shocking summer as a community and as a state,” Ms Jarratt said.

 The Premier and Minister were taken on a tour of the island encompassing its iconic 16 hectare botanic garden, revitalised with the introduction of 33,000 new plants including 327 new plant species. Ms Bligh was treated to tropical juice and gourmet fingerfoods from the resort’s kitchens before visiting the island’s small state school where students presented her with a special Hayman book.

 Before boarding her helicopter, Ms Bligh was presented with a cheque for $32,650 raised by Hayman staff and Hayman/ Mulpha Australia management for the disaster relief appeal.

 The employee chosen to present the cheque was Captain Bill Hutchinson, who has been with the resort for 41 years.

 “Captain Cook dropped me off on the way past,” Bill joked.

 “We’re back to being the best resort in the world, but nothing’s changed in the way we treat our guests,” he said.

 Hayman’s General Manager Shane Green said it was staff like Bill who were responsible for “putting the island back together”.

 “If there was one thing about this closure it’s that our sense of community and sense of ownership of the island is unbelievable right now,” Mr Green said.

Jack Vidgen makes Proserpine dad proud

 

 The father of one of the most popular teenagers in the nation said his son took everything in his stride - including winning the hugely popular TV show Australia's Got Talent.

 Jack Vidgen's father Steve who flew to Melbourne to share the momentous occasion with his 14-year-old son said they broke the mould when they made his son.

 Steve said the name Jack was chosen because it was a strong name that couldn't be shortened.

 "Jack's an only child, and he is so clever, so level headed and so accepting of everyone. I knew he was going to be extremely talented when he was in a stage production at high school in Melbourne.    Everyone knew he was destined for something big," Steve said.

 The teenage sensation was the red hot favourite to win the hugely popular TV show last Tuesday night and didn't disappoint taking out the title and the $250,000 prize money from second placed Consentino.

 In an extremely candid interview on 60 Minutes recently, Jack talked openly about his family, which Steve said he was also very proud of.

"I thought Jack handled himself very professionally and maturely with the interview. Jack has grown up to be a wonderful young man, caring and loving, the fame hasn’t gone to his head, he is still the same Jack he has always been. I am very excited about the release of his album on August 19."

Iconic Whitsundays charter boat sinks

 Explore Whitsundays’ premier Tall Ship ‘Whitsunday Magic’ sank while tied to the dock at Shute Harbour in the early hours of Friday August 5.

Explore Whitsundays Marketing Director Allen Grundy said fortunately no-one was on board or injured during the incident.

“Words cannot explain how devastating it is to see our ‘Magic’ at the moment,” Mr Grundy said.

 “Our immediate priority is to work with guests who are booked over the coming weeks to ensure they still enjoy an amazing Whitsunday experience. We are also working to have the boat lifted out of the water as soon as possible. Until then it is impossible to ascertain what happened or the extent of the damage,” he said.

On Thursday August 4, Whitsunday Magic returned to Shute Harbour after a 3-night charter. All passengers exited and the crew preformed the standard vessel turn-around.

The vessel was then on a scheduled maintenance break to fit a dive compressor on the foredeck and install new custom-built storage lockers for dive and snorkelling equipment, but it sank at the dock at around 2.30am.

A spokesperson from Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) said MSQ was investigating the event.

“We’ve established there was no risk of pollutants entering the water and MSQ is in discussions with the owner regarding salvage arrangements,” the spokesperson said.

Mr Grundy said Explore Whitsundays would like to thank Maritime Safety Queensland, Shute Harbour management, Whitsunday Police, Tourism Whitsundays and Oceanic Insurance Brokers who have all been of great assistance. 

“This is heartbreaking for the owners and staff at Explore Whitsundays, as well as for the many hundreds of guests who are booked on her over the next few months,” Mr Grundy said.

“We would like to assure travellers and locals that we will do everything to restore this beautiful vessel and have her touring the Whitsundays again as soon as we can,” he said.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the businesses and friends of ours, and past and present staff and crew who have offered assistance and support over the past few days.”

Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer Peter O’Reilly expressed his sadness at the news.

“Not only is Explore Whitsundays one of the premier business operators in the Whitsunday region, but the boat itself is a stunning vessel with a long history,” Mr O’Reilly said.

“We hope the boat can be salvaged and look forward to hopefully seeing it back out on the water in due course.”

A Whitsundays conservative kid

He might be just 11 years old but this die hard conservative supporter packs quite a political punch for a sixth grader.

In a handwritten letter to Mike Brunker, which was delivered by his mother to council yesterday morning, this pint sized future politician Adam Edgar explains to the mayor how “extremely upset” he is at the closing of the information centre.

“You see, when we go camping or travelling, the first thing we do is look for the information centre. See, in case you don’t know, that is where people go to find out where to stay … play … and eat!” the letter reads.

Adam’s political passion was brewing some four years ago when the dedicated conservative was just seven years old.

“I cried when John Howard was voted out. I was just so annoyed how the Labor Party promise a better future .. but do they ever deliver?” the 11 year old said minutes before the school bell rang yesterday morning.

Had there been more time, Adam would have launched in to his opinion on the carbon tax, Julia Gillard’s promises for the future and tips for the LNP to take back the government, instead he left it with a message for the LNP candidate for the seat of Whitsunday.

“Make sure our farmers keep the land they have been farming on for generations … don’t let the mill be sold to overseas interests and re-open the information centre!”
 To read Adam's letter, double-click on the graphic below.

Whitsundays gets digital media's top tips

 On Thursday night at Peppers Coral Coast Resort, speakers from Google, Facebook, U-Tube and Trip Advisor addressed an eager crowd. The representatives were on hand to answer individual questions after presentations about their respective tools.

 Mark Cowan of Facebook spoke about the power of word-of-mouth. “Friends influence each other. Facebook is the engagement centre for your brand,” he said.

 Darren Keppie from Google told the audience: “Be found, be relevant, be engaging, and be accountable”. Mr Keppie didn’t delve into the realms of search-engine-optimisation but he did say, “the more relevant you are, the more likely you are to go to the top when people search for you”.

 Bianca Bailey from U-Tube said currently one third of all internet traffic was video-based. “By 2013 it will be 90 per cent,” she said.

 “This is not just your Gen-Y kids uploading skateboard videos. People are turning to U-Tube to learn and be educated.”

 Jim Brody from Trip Advisor gave tourism operators tips on how to deal with a bad review.

 “Respond,” he said. “And do it in the way you would if they were standing in the middle of your business.”

 The digital media forum was an initiative of Tourism Queensland, which Whitsunday Region Director Racheal Klitscher said was extremely well received.

 “We initially aimed to attract 60-80 people and had 125 RSVP. The feedback about our speakers & their content has been exceptional with guests raving about the value they got from the event,” Ms Klitscher said.

 Director of Whitsunday marketing company Telltale Communications Corrie Gardner said the forum was very timely and “exactly what we all need”.

 “I thought it was absolutely fantastic and a great thing TQ and TW can do for their membership base. As individuals we couldn’t get access to those kinds of people. When times are touch it’s paramount that people focus on their marketing,” Ms Gardner said.

 Internet consultant from eCentral and ChannelWhitsunday.com John Nayler said, "Having presentations from Facebook, Google, Youtube and Tripadvisor has removed some of the guess work from web strategy."

 Mr Nayler’s one criticism of these social media ‘tools’ was about TripAdvisor’s anonymity.

 “Google and Facebook are well accounted for their insistence on real names. Transparency is very much the vogue for social networks," he said.

'Do the Whitsundays' back on track

 Three months ago 50 independent tourism operators from the Whitsunday region joined forces to launch a competition inviting participants to “Do the Whitsundays”, but after just three weeks of operation problems in cyberspace forced the competition to close.

 Co-organiser James Davison explained there were issues with the competition’s facebook page through which entries were made.

 “We just couldn’t be guaranteed of the voting system’s integrity. On the surface it looked like it was going very well but ultimately we couldn’t be sure everyone was getting a fair chance,” Mr Davison said.

 Within twelve hours of making the announcement to close, James was contacted by CEO and founder of Australia’s leading online wine and food travel guide VisitVineyards.com. Robyn Lewis had seen the competition on facebook and twitter and was keenly following its progress.

 “I actually entered. I thought, “This looks great”. And then the wheels fell off,” she said.

As a former Queensland resident and fundraiser for the Premier’s disaster relief appeal, Robyn said she felt a need to help.

 “Tourism is down significantly in the region and as a former North Queenslander I thought this (competition) shouldn’t be allowed to die, especially when we’ve got the means to help out,” Ms Lewis said.

 “Visit Vineyards has 36,000 subscribers nationally and we run promotions of this nature every month. They’d got all the prizes together and it’s a really good promotion. We’re prepared to put a lot of effort into making it work,” she said.

 One of the 28 original contributors to stick with the competition is Captain Pete of Aviation Adventures.

 “It’s the only thing I’ve seen in the last couple of years that’s promoting the Whitsundays with that many local businesses involved,” he said.

 Competition co-founder Phil Batty said it was a “different” end result, but “a good one”.

 “The fact that it hasn’t been wasted is terrific and the facebook site is still promoting the Whitsundays, which is what it was all about in the first place,” Mr Batty said.

 Do the Whitsundays will officially relaunch on September 1. It will run for three months, with the final draw on December 1.

 To enter, people will now go to www.VisitVineyards.com/win for the chance to win one of two main prizes, both of almost equivalent value. 

Ready for Airlie Beach Race Week

 All eyes will be on Pioneer Bay this Friday morning, August 12, when a record fleet of around 130 boats hits the start line for the 22nd annual Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week.

 Former President of the Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) and proud stalwart of Whitsunday sailing Mick Phillips said there was, “a significant home town advantage” for the Whitsunday sailors.

 “The Whitsunday tidal gates are totally unforgiving so local knowledge really counts. This week we'll watch with interest how the locals go, to see if the tides go with them” he said.

 Local boats competing in the 2011 regatta include Jeff Brown’s 007, Ross Winterbourne’s Bobby D, Sheyne Timmerman’s Grizzly, Kevin Fogarty’s Idle Time, Craig Piccinelli’s Wobbly Boot, Peter Berry’s J’Ouvert, Peter Millar’s Cynophobe and Terry Archer’s Questionable Logic, to name but a few.

 WSC Commodore Kevin Fogarty said this would be this would be Idle Time’s 16^th regatta and her last under his command.

 “Idle Time has done more race weeks than any other boat in the world. We’re fired up. We’re going to win! Well, we’re going to try hard anyway,” he said.

 Joking aside, Mr Fogarty said the emphasis was actually less on winning and more on enjoying the “tropical shirt” regatta.

 “Everyone has a good time. You don’t get a lot of protests. The skippers tend not to get too stressed and just concentrate on having fun,” he said.

 Multihull sailors Peter Berry (J’Ouvert) and Peter Millar (Cynophobe) are already having fun – at each other’s expense!

 “It’s a great rivalry between Cynophobe and J’Ouvert. Of course we’re going to be beating them,” Mr Berry said.

 “Bring it on. It’s going to be a great race week. We’re going to beat them!” was Peter Millar’s response.

 For 007’s skipper Jeff Brown, Airlie Beach Race Week marks the first event in a year-long sponsorship deal with local business Sorrento’s, who are also sponsoring Another Fiasco and Rising Farrst.

 Sorrento’s General Manager Petrit Istogu said he was pleased to be involved with local sailing, “especially under such competitive banners as the 007, Another Fiasco and Rising Farrst racing teams”.

 Mr Brown said in his opinion Race Week was about two of the three best things in the world: “Sailing and racing”.

 “No matter where you finish it’s an achievement taking part and it’s the camaraderie you build up as a crew,” he said.

 Kim Townsend, whose son Dan sails 007 as crew said this was an important event for the whole town.

 “It’s a time for our local communities to celebrate what they’re really passionate about,” she said.

 As the Guardian went to press on Tuesday, Deputy Race Director Stuart Ross said the committee was “madly bagging up 130 goody bags” in preparation for Thursday’s registration.

 “The key document we give out is the sailing instructions. Everyone operates from that – that’s if they read them!” he said.

 To keep up with all the latest news and results from Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week go to www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au

Riding for Ronald McDonald House

 Michael Muller, from the McDonalds’ restaurants in Airlie Beach, Cannonvale and Bowen, was one of three North Queensland licencees to brave the elements in a gruelling five-day, 430km bike ride to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).

 Queensland currently has three Ronald McDonald Houses – two in Brisbane and one in Townsville, providing a safe, secure and supportive ‘home away from home’ for seriously ill children and their families during their time of need.

 Mr Muller said he was not an “avid rider” and had to do “a little bit of training”, but “it is only fitting that I should support the charity by hopping on a bike – as unaccustomed to it as I am”.

 “I know families in this area that have used the Ronald McDonald housing in both Brisbane and Townsville and have been very appreciative of it,” Mr Muller said.

 The fundraiser was the brainchild of Scott Campbell from the Ballina and Yamba restaurants in NSW.

 I was inspired by fundraisers like the ‘Ian Botham Walk’ but the distances between restaurants were impractical. We said, “we can’t walk it but we can do it on push bikes”,” Mr Campbell said.

 The 2011 McDonalds Ride for Sick Kids commenced on August 1 in Mackay, taking riders through Laguna Quays, Cannonvale, Bowen and Ayr, with the finishing line in Townsville.

 This is the fourth consecutive year McDonalds’ licensees have held the Ride for Sick Kids in Queensland, raising total funds exceeding $500,000.

 Queenslanders can show their support by purchasing a $2 commemorative pen from any McDonald’s restaurant across the state.

Get Set for Work in the Whitsundays

 A one-week work experience stint with Whitsunday Gold Coffee was so successful for 16-year-old Conan Walker, he was asked to return for more.

 The Year 10 student from Proserpine State High School was placed with Whitsunday Gold Coffee through the organisation ‘Get Set for Work’, whose co-ordinator is also Quota of Whitsunday president Kerrie McCallum-Coles. Ms McCallum-Coles says ‘get set for work’, which is funded by the Queensland government’s “skilling Queenslanders for work” initiative, is about helping young people who are “disengaged” and possibly won’t finish Year 12.

 “The key is finding the right mentor for them,” she said, adding that Whitsunday Gold Coffee had been particularly supportive in this role.

 Sales and Marketing Manager for Whitsunday Gold Coffee Ali Simpson said having Conan at the company and participating in the program had been an “honour”.

 “It’s a privilege to be a support to young people. To help them get back on track is our role, we believe.” 

 Ms Simpson also said the older generations could sometimes be a little harsh in judgement of today’s youth.

 “It’s funny how we’ve all forgotten what we were like between 15 and 18! We all have selective memory,” she said.

 Conan Walker said he had benefited greatly from his time at Whitsunday Gold Coffee.

 “I’ve learned a lot of new stuff. It’s been really good. I didn’t know much about Whitsunday Gold Coffee before this, but it’s such a beautiful place,” he said.

 Get set for work is seeking more local businesses to help make this program a success. For more information contact Kerrie McCallum-Coles on 0419 796 773.

Census night in the Whitsundays

 A snapshot of life in the Whitsundays on Tuesday August 9 will lay the foundation for the next five years.

 Tuesday August 9 is Census night, conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics every five years.

 Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Mike Brunker asks residents and visitors of the region to support the Census and help make it a success.

 “The Census underpins Australia’s democracy and is crucial to community organisations, the private sector and all levels of government for planning services and facilities across Australia,” Cr Brunker said.

 “It is therefore important that everyone who is living, staying or working in the Whitsunday Regional Council area on Census night takes the time to fill out their Census form accurately and in full,” he said.

 “This will ensure that our community has the right information we need to support planning for important infrastructure, like emergency services, road improvements and other services that will support the people who live and work in our area day to day”.

 Fully trained Census collectors and area supervisors across the region have been working tirelessly since July 29 to get the Census forms out.

 Area supervisor for Cannonvale John Powell said people could complete the census on paper or online.

 “We are encouraging people to do this online where possible. It’s a secure site and it can be done in your own time,” he said.

 Mr Powell said it was compulsory to do the census and “in an area like ours it is vital that the information is gathered”.

 “Because it’s done every five years population trends and predictions are the deciding factor in what Canberra allocates in federal funding. For example, ten years ago the Census figures resulted in Canberra identifying a need for water treatment plants, more schools and kindergartens – basically the general infrastructure people take for granted,” Mr Powell said.

 Mr Powell stressed even our visitors have an important part to play.

 “The proportion of interstate and overseas visitors who are counted here on August 9 will indicate where future marketing needs to be directed,” he said.

 Mr Powell said Census information was entirely confidential and in no way linked to organisations like Centrelink or the ATO.

 For further information call the Census Inquiry Service on 1300 338 776, or visit www.abs.gov.au/census, or for eCensus information, www.census.gov.au.

Jarrod McCracken's Clarke's Cove sold at auction

 A major land sale at a lunchtime auction last Friday marked the fourth success story in as many weeks according to PRD principal Christie Leet.

 “There’s been four major site sales in the last four weeks – we haven’t seen as many as that in the last two years,” Mr Leet said.

 Mr Leet confirmed the recent sales included a site at Funnel Bay (fetching $2.225 million), another at Eagle Road ($1.8million) and ‘Santi’ in the heart of Airlie Beach (which sold for $2million last Thursday).

 Four bidders participated in Friday’s auction for the Cape Gloucester site ‘Clarke’s Cove’, which was originally owned by rugby league star Jarrod McCracken. McCracken achieved notoriety in 2007 for clearing 10ha of land at the coastal retreat without the necessary approvals.

 Clarke’s Cove now has approval for subdivision into six blocks. The site sold for $2.55million, with Mr Leet saying in excess of $1 million was still to be spent under Whitsunday Regional Council’s rectification order.

 The Clarke’s Cove site (on Earlando Road) occupies nearly 1,000 acres at Cape Gloucester with around 2km’s of coastline – “bounded by National Park on three sides and the Pacific Ocean on the fourth”.

 Mr Leet said people tended not to realise that “in the Whitsundays there’s almost no waterfront land”.

 Mr Leet also said the recent sales were a good sign the property market was moving into the next phase of recovery.

 “When you look at the property cycle, there’s no doubt developers move back into the market before the mums and dads. They always buy in at good prices and the market follows,” he said. 

Shadow Tourism Minister on tour

 Shadow Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey is going to take “a special interest” in the Whitsundays having come here last week.

 Ms Stuckey met with representatives from the local Tourism industry including Tourism Whitsundays, the Proserpine Chamber of Commerce, Airlie Beach Main Street Traders Association and Enterprise Whitsundays, during her stay.

 Ms Stuckey’s visit was part of a “listening tour” seeking feedback from small business operators, “to identify areas they feel state government could get off their backs”.

 “I am on a very committed mission to visit the areas that are under the most stress, which is why I have chosen to come here and why I’m heading to Cairns soon,” Ms Stuckey said.

 “My disappointment in the neglect by the state government in this area is all the worse because your local member is also supposed to be Tourism Minister,” she said.

 Ms Stuckey said she was “appalled” by the “abuse from your council” describing the recent slashing of funding and closure of the information centre as “almost like dancing on graves”.

 “When your chips are down you market more,” Ms Stuckey said, drawing on her background in marketing and customer service.

 “You have a minister who has not gone on the warpath after the mayor and on top of that her attitude to news that the carbon tax is going to hit this industry more than any other was, and I quote, “just wait and see”,” she said.

 Ms Stuckey praised local operators whose “fighting spirit and attachment to the area is impressive”.

 “I have met real people here. People who give a damn and people who should be listened to,” she said.

 Tourism Whitsundays Chief Executive Officer Peter O’Reilly said he was very pleased to have the Tourism Minister from alternative state government in the region.

 “It was a great opportunity to talk to her about the challenges facing the Whitsundays tourism industry at this time.

 “The state government is very closely aligned with tourism promotion being the funding provider for Tourism Queensland. As a result it is important that the state government representatives have a clear idea of the needs of the Whitsunday tourism industry,” he said.

 President of the Proserpine Chamber of Commerce Janine Muller said given the current issues facing the community, this was a very timely visit.

 “I think it’s great that she took time out to come and see us. We didn’t ask her to come – she came off her own back. She really wanted to get a grasp of how this area ran and what was important to our town,” Ms Muller said.