Whitsunday woman vies for seat on council

Young mothers who move to the Whitsundays and are left feeling isolated after their FIFO husbands go to work in the mines will be one of the focus points of one woman’s campaign as she vies for a seat on local council.

As a social worker in a community centre, Carol Van der Gaag from Cannonvale hears the plight of many young mothers who move to the region and live theoretically like single parents.

“Even though they are not single parents … their husbands might be away for up to seven days at a time and young families start to feel isolated. I want to start running focus groups with these young mums so we can find out exactly what they want and inevitably keep them in the Whitsundays! Otherwise we are at great risk of losing this younger generation,” Ms Van der Gaag said.

While retaining the work force and the social aspect of the younger generation is high on Ms Van der Gaag's priority list, she also feels an unchanged roundtable of councillors will put the community at even greater risk.

Ms Van der Gaag says every cent of council money spent needs to generate money back into the town.

“I am running for Division 2 which is predominately Cannonvale with Airlie Beach as its feeder. The community is worse off now than four years ago. More shops are empty, tourism is struggling and all council can think about is pouring $17m into bitumen for the main street! We need to find ways to encourage shop owners to spruce up their shop fronts – perhaps by rate reliefs, planting big trees instead of bitumen, broaden the pavement. There are a lot of great ideas which will in turn make money for the town. It needs to value add to the community,” she said.

Ms Van der Gaag feels all this can be accomplished with a fresh new team of business minded entrepreneurs.

“Council has lost control over two of the biggest projects in Airlie’s history… The Whitsundays is a beautiful place to live and we can bring it back to where it was. We just need a new team that thinks outside the box! I have a great deal of respect for Jennifer Whitney and I would be happy to work on a council with her as mayor. I am certain the current council does not work ... we deserve better. We need a new team with new ideas to stimulate economic growth and create jobs for the area.”

Whitsunday motorists benefit from new overtaking lanes

Whitsunday residents who are commuting to Mackay for work will welcome the news that four new overtaking lanes will be built between Proserpine and the mining city over the next two years.

Tourism Minister and Local Member Jan Jarratt joined Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace to officially turn the first sod on the $6.57m project on Friday morning.

Mr Wallace said the project was an important part of the government's plans to upgrade the highway.

"The Bruce Highway is the backbone of the Queensland roads network and supports regional economies and population growth into the future," Mr Wallace said.

"A project like this is not just a roads investment – motorists who use the highway will be able to get to work that much quicker, get to school before the bell rings and travellers will get to their holidays quicker!

"The Mackay and Whitsunday region is experiencing significant growth and it’s important our roads are upgraded to meet that growth."

Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt welcomed the start of construction, which is scheduled for completion in August 2012, weather permitting.

"There are more than 4000 vehicles a day using this stretch of road, and 18 per cent of these are trucks, so it’s important to provide safe overtaking lanes for motorists," Ms Jarratt said.

LNP candidate for Whitsunday Jason Costigan who has been heralding the need for overtaking lanes for some time now, said even if the two new overtaking lanes were built within the two-year promised time frame, there still wouldn't be a northbound overtaking lane anywhere between Bloomsbury and the Burdekin River.

"That's a distance of more than 200 kilometres!" Mr Costigan said.

"Is this the same Minister who recently got confused between Sandy Gully, north of Bowen, and Sandy Corner, up in the Burdekin?

"I welcome any moves to improve road safety and the state of the Bruce Highway but this is nothing more than a last-ditch attempt by Labor to hang onto the seat of Whitsunday, a seat they’ve taken for granted for almost two decades.

"Why haven’t these overtaking lanes come to fruition years ago?" he said.

"If elected, I will fight to change this by working closely with my North Queensland-based ‘Can Do’ LNP colleagues, the likes of Burdekin MP Rosemary Menkens and Hinchinbrook MP Andrew Cripps, to get our fair share of funding for the Bruce Highway in North Queensland and that includes more overtaking lanes, flood-proofing in places such as Goorganga and Lethebrook and more rest stops to combat driver fatigue."

Schoolies spend up in the Whitsundays

An army of dedicated volunteers is stepping up its safety campaign ahead of the arrival of more than 3000 school leavers who are making their annual pilgrimage to the Whitsundays this weekend.

Whitsunday Regional Council’s manager of community development and projects Deborah Carrington, who has been heavily involved with Whitsunday Schoolies for a couple of years now, says you can’t hold back the tide – but you can put safety measures in place.

“Some people in the community say we are encouraging a party. But we are not. We can’t put our heads in the sand, thousands of kids are coming here to the Whitsundays so we have to prepare. Whitsundays Schoolies does not market the words event and party – we are a “safety response” and we have the support of police, emergency services, the Red Frogs, business owners, nights spots, ambulance officers, SES – everyone!” Ms Carrington said

While Whitsundays Schoolies is an alcohol and drug-free zone, Ms Carrington said unfortunately there would always be the few who engaged in risky behaviour.

“There will be a high police presence and child safety officers at the beach over the weekend. And those who choose to engage in risky behaviour, we want to arm them with enough information to keep them as safe as possible. We will be especially linking the message about how alcohol can lead to sexual assault. Basically don’t leave your drink unattended and never accept a drink from another person,” she said.

Schoolies Central will be the focal point of the five day party which officially begins on Saturday but will be gathering partygoers from as early as today.

Schoolies Central has two focus areas which are the registration marquee and the chill out zone which Ms Carrington says are still needing the help of volunteers.

“Because its only a few days until the response program kicks off we can only accept people who already have a blue card. But yes we need more volunteers.”

Ms Carrington says the nightspot owners in Airlie’s main street have been in perfect harmony with council’s response approach.

“The managers at Magnums have been to our emergency services meetings. They know all the tricks in the book about how kids try to get into night clubs.

“The message is that we want to ensure the kids who come here - get home safely again to their families,” she said.

Visit the website, www.whitsundayschoolies.qld.gov.au for more of information.

Opposition to Airlie land swap

The Whitsunday Rate Payers Association (RPA) and Save our Foreshores (SOF) have joined forces and are planning a class action against the local and state government if they proceed with the controversial "landswap" decision in Airlie’s main street.

RPA secretary Tony Moscato said over 90 per cent of the community were against the land swap decision and would fight to keep the foreshore area in the community’s control.

"At the end of the day it will be good for locals and visitors alike. We want to retain the ownership in the control of the community and the best way we know to do this is if council owns the facility. We don’t want it sold to private enterprise," Mr Moscato said.

The plight of RPA and SOF has attracted the attention of the Federal Member for Dawson George Christensen and the LNP candidate for Whitsunday Jason Costigan.

Mr Christensen told the Guardian he had called on the minister for regional Australia to take a look at exactly how the federal funding was being used.

"A number of residents have raised valid questions with me that deserve answering.

"They want to know why the plan is to deliberately put a kink in a perfectly straight road. They have been told it is to open up a view, which would then be partially blocked by a four-storey building," Mr Christensen said.

"The community’s opposition stopped a similar proposal some years ago and it appears Mayor Mike Brunker and the Labor Minister Jan Jarratt are quashing public opinion.

"The Federal funding is supposed to be for the benefit of the community and the community should have a say in what that benefit is," he said.

"I have simply suggested the Minister should ask the council to conduct a proper survey of the community and heed its results.

LNP Candidate for Whitsunday Jason Costigan reiterates he is "all for the revitalisation" of Airlie’s main street and always has been.

"After all, Airlie has been to hell and back and we need to get the town back on a pedestal, like the Airlie of old. Anyone who says I’m against the upgrade must think I’m against Christmas. Who are these people? Are they Labor stooges or members of the Jarratt/Brunker fan club?," Mr Costigan said.

The debate here is about the land swap, Costigan says, which has been endorsed by the Labor Member for Whitsunday and the Labor-leaning Mayor of Whitsunday.

" I believe the land swap isn’t necessary and isn’t wanted, reflected by the views of more and more local people, including members of the Whitsunday Ratepayers Association. What we need is a straight out resumption, just like what happened in Townsville where a McDonalds restaurant was resumed to make way for the redevelopment of Flinders Street.

" I am not alone in this fight and I’m very pleased to have the support of Federal MP George Christensen and Airlie’s resident Councillor Cr Jan Clifford who, let’s not forget, was kept out of the original planning group back in 2009.

"The ratepayers, I know, won’t be going away and nor will the LNP’s ‘Can Do’ man for Whitsunday."

Decision imminent for Airlie main street

 Airlie main street submissions to the office of local MP Jan Jarratt have now closed, with the tourism minister expected to make an announcement by the end of the week.

 At the time of going to press on Tuesday afternoon Ms Jarratt was in the process of reviewing more than 100 formal submissions. While the minister had yet to make a decision she also ruled out an extension, requested by the Whitsunday Ratepayers Association, until November 4.

 “The original design concept has been out for discussion for more than a year and I have previously made it clear that October 31 would be the deadline for submissions. I have spoken with the Whitsunday Ratepayers Association committee’s president and committed to accepting their submission, provided it is received by tomorrow,” Ms Jarratt said.

 “I believe our town needs an expedient resolution on this matter and I intend to deliver that,” she said.

 Save Our Foreshore president Suzette Pelt said over 1,063 local people had signed objection letters (to the idea of a land swap and proposal for a four-storey hotel) to date.

 “The public oppose this so-called land swap for good reason and have come out and made their wishes known. The Minister must consider the Land Act’s guiding principles which are founded on the duty of the State Government to “protect the public interest” in the use of State Land on behalf of all Queenslanders. There is clearly no overwhelming community support for the proposal for any public land swap,” Ms Pelt said.

 “Last week’s successful four-day Reef Festival is just one example of how this site benefits the whole town and its organisers are to be congratulated.  There is nowhere else like it,” she said.

Strathdickie couple christen Whitsundays' white whale

 Strathdickie residents Barry Brant and Lorraine Alexandrou have a self-skippered five-night sailing trip in their sights, as winners of the official competition to name the Whitsundays’ baby white whale.

 Mr Brant’s suggestion of “Chalkie” for the white whale calf’s name was selected by a panel of judges from a total of 599 unique and creative entries, submitted to Tourism Whitsundays over the past two weeks.

 Mr Brant said he chose the name because of the colour of chalk.

 “I just thought that chalk in its natural state is white and I thought it was cute,” he said.

 Tourism Whitsundays CEO Peter O’Reilly said the judges particularly liked the name because of its relevance to Chalkie’s Beach on Haslewood Island, which along with Whitehaven boasts beautiful white, silica sand.

 “Ultimately we chose Chalkie because of it’s double meaning – with chalk being white like the baby whale, and also there is a Chalkie’s Beach in the Whitsundays with stunning white sand near where the whale was first spotted,” Mr O’Reilly said.

“While a number of entrants suggested a similar name, the spelling ‘Chalkie’ was chosen to be the same as the beach, and Mr Brant was the only entrant to suggest the name spelt that way,” he said.

Mr Brant owns a motorboat but has never been sailing before and says he is looking forward to the “peace and serenity – just getting away from it all”.

Whitsunday Escape General Manager Trevor Rees said there was even a chance Mr Brant might spot Chalkie during the charter, which will take place in July/August next year.

 “Sailing through the Whitsundays is beautiful any time of the year, but we really hope that Barry and his friends are able to spot ‘Chalkie’ on their trip, during what is some of the best weather of the year in the Whitsundays and peak whale watching season here,” he said.

 There are now plans to establish a Facebook fan page for Chalkie so that whale watchers can post their photos and track sightings of the rare and unique whale as it grows up.

Whitsunday real estate agents join fight against insurance premium hikes

 Harcourts real estate agents Robyn Tyson (managing director) and Sharon Dewsbury (consultant) have joined the ongoing fight against body corporate insurance premium hikes.

 Ms Tyson said units with outgoings, sometimes in excess of $10,000 a year, were now becoming harder to sell.

 “Traditionally (these types of) units were often taken up by retirees, but what retiree can afford ongoing costs of $10,000 a year on a pension?” Ms Tyson said.

 “I think it is interesting that most of the insurance claims prepared by our office after the cyclones were related to trees down and fencing damage. Homes and in particular units had no damage to remark of. But these are the very clients that have seen their insurances double if not treble as well as rates increase,” she said.

 “How do you convince an investor to purchase a unit or a home when there is such extraordinary fixed costs per year to take on board? Insurance companies should be taking our money and investing wisely so that they can ride the storms so to speak not put up insurance premiums to ensure their profitability.”

 Ms Dewsbury said the current situation was not sustainable, with homeowners now forced to spend existing funds and levies on increased insurance premiums instead of building maintenance and upgrades.

 “There’s simply not enough money to do both. If this isn’t rectified, in the long term we’re going to have an awful lot of shabby buildings that are non-compliant,” Ms Dewsbury said.

 Executive for the Queensland Insurance Division (QUID) of Whitsunday Ratepayers Association (WRA) Lester Riley, said Harcourts was the first real estate agency to speak out.

 Mr Riley said QUID was currently working with federal government representatives but had yet to see any action from the state.

 “Warren Entsch (chief opposition whip) and George Christensen (federal member for Dawson) have responded at a federal government level and are in there fighting for us. Why can’t the state do the same?” he asked.

 Ms Dewsbury said it was now up to homeowners to take a stand.

 “We’ve got locals here in town who own a unit in a body corp, that never go to a body corp meeting and take part.

 “I think we need to bring it to the awareness of REIQ (Real Estate Institute Queensland) and the head offices of franchises like Harcourts Qld, but (essentially) it’s the owners of units that are the ones who need to pull their heads out of the sand and speak out. A real estate agency could then support that,” she said.

 For more information contact lesterriley1@gmail.com

Whitsundays man appointed to Tourism Queensland board

 For local man Adrian Bram, an appointment to the board of Tourism Queensland (TQ) marks the realisation of a 20-year dream.

 “It’s been an ambition of mine to be on the board of TQ for over two decades, having previously held some senior positions with the WA tourism commission including media and industry affairs manager, regional director Asia (based in Singapore) and regional director Europe (based in London),” Mr Bram said.

 Mr Bram originally sailed into the Whitsundays and has called the region home since 1996.

 “I decided that I really didn’t need to go too much further on the planet,” he said, detailing the commencement of a colourful career locally, including the role of international sales manager with the previous incarnation of TW, and involvement at management levels in the crewed and now bareboat charter industries.

 Mr Bram said he felt it was important for the Whitsundays to have representation on the board of TQ.

 “For a place like the Whitsundays, which is primarily dependant on tourism for employment it’s critical to have a voice on that table.

 “In these trying times it’s (also) critical that the state’s peak tourism body, which manages millions of dollars of taxpayer funds, channels that investment into the right areas. It’s an enormous privilege to have the opportunity to participate in that process,” he said.

 Minister for Tourism, Manufacturing and Small Business Jan Jarratt welcomed Mr Bram as one of two new appointments to the TQ Board.

 “As the General Manager of Cumberland Charter Yachts, Adrian has an acute understanding of the needs of regional tourism operators and has a long history of working with government,” Ms Jarratt said.    

Airlie Beach business wins TNT award

 One of Airlie’s longest standing booking agencies won a prestigious award in Sydney last week, thanks to nominations by the very customers it serves.

 Owner/director of airliebeach.com Travel and Internet Centre, Tony Laurent, said the 17-year-old business picked up the “best small travel agent in Australia” award at the “Golden Backpackers Awards” organised by international young travellers’ magazine TNT.

 “This was an a-political competition, which was about votes from customers so we were over the moon (to win),” Mr Laurent said.

 “We have a very simple mantra – put the right people on the right trips and in the right accommodation and they come back happy. That’s the thing my wife and I have always adhered to. We’ve always said that honesty and integrity are what it’s all about and we’re lucky to have great local Whitsundays staff that reflect those principles,” he said.

 “I’m very proud of them (the staff) and I’m proud of the recognition they justly deserve.”

 Mr Laurent said winning the award was also a coup for the Whitsundays as a whole.

 “It’s a wonderful reflection on the region. The standard of operators here is very good. Here you’re not so much a travel agent as a facilitator.

 “There’s a lot of quiet achievers here in Airlie Beach. We just have to feel good about ourselves and our region and present it in a genuine way,” he said.

Whitsunday Game Fish Club hosts light tackle tournament

 The Whitsunday Game Fish Club’s 2011 light tackle tournament was once again a huge success with 28 boats and more than 90 anglers taking part.

 “It was a fantastic weekend and we’re going to start planning for the next one straight away,” said club president Bob Spees.

 The three-day competition ran from Friday to Sunday (inclusive) last week, with weather conditions proving reasonably favorable for the event. Species caught included sailfish, black marlin, Spanish and shark mackerel, longtail and mac tuna, barracuda, cobia, wahoo and shark.

 “There were three billfish caught and probably 30 raised, but they were very shy on the bite,” Mr Spees said.

 Skipper Ashley Matthews from the overall winning team on “Reel Work” described the competition’s shotgun start on Friday morning as “quite spectacular”.

 “Boats blasting off to the horizon in search of big fish, the adrenalin pumping and of course bragging rights of winning the shotgun start are always discussed back at the club on the Friday night!” Mr Matthews said.

 Fellow competitor Bryan Harries, who came fourth overall, agreed the weekend was as much about a spirit of fun as catching fish.

 “It’s not just about the fishing – it’s about everyone at the club getting together and having a good time,” he said.

 Mr Harrie’s son Ben won the prize for champion junior angler, scoring 200 points to win this category.

 “The kids had a good time – they loved it,” Mr Harries said.

 For Scott Grigg and the crew of Bonejara the competition was a win-win event, with the boys taking out the prizes for champion team (under 7 metres) and largest tuna (caught by Jason Bourke), as well as coming third in the Calcutta and winning the “Renegade” raffle prize worth $2,750.

 “We didn’t expect to win that much but we knew we had a chance. We put a lot of work in. We worked out a plan before the competition and stuck to it and it paid off,” Scott said.

 Mr Spees said organisers took great satisfaction in the tournament’s success.

 “Everyone wants to come back next year and that’s a big thrill,” he said.