Whitsunday Tourism Awards honour industry's best

 Nearly 300 guests attended the 2011 Whitsunday Tourism Awards, with this year’s red carpet rolled out at the Whitsunday Airport for a night of celebrations with an aeronautical theme.

 Tourism Whitsundays’ CEO Peter O’Reilly made a spectacular seaplane entrance flanked by his wife Megan and the evening’s emcees. Ben Southall (fresh from his ‘best expedition in the world’) and Bruce “Hoppo” Hopkins (all the way from ‘Bondi Rescue’) were on hand for the presentation of 21 awards, paying tribute to the achievements of the Whitsunday tourism industry’s best.

 “It’s been a tough year (for the tourism industry) and this is a night to honour those who’ve gone the extra mile,” said Mr O’Reilly in his opening speech.

 Mr O’Reilly also commented on the tough job faced by the panel of independent judges, responsible for allocating each of the awards.

 “The standard and competiveness of the applications this year was exceptionally high. A number of the awards came down to just a handful of points,” he said.

 “The high quality of submissions shows just how hard we are working to promote the Whitsundays to the rest of the world.”

 Impassioned acceptance speeches were the flavour of the night with industry stakeholders encouraging each other to stay strong.

 Manager of Villa Botanica Janet Hogan, who was also celebrating the eve of her company’s 150^th wedding, said maybe Charles Darwin was wrong.

 “It’s not about survival of the fittest – it’s about co-operation and working together – understanding that each one of us is just a very small part of a larger organism – the Airlie Beach community,” Ms Hogan said.

 Especially notable award winners included young achiever Emily Smart and Volunteer Ambassador Co-ordinator Judi Dunn, who received a standing ovation for her “outstanding contribution by a volunteer”.

 “My husband is not going to believe this  - I am so touched I don’t know what to say,” Ms Dunn announced as she accepted her award.

 Ms Dunn was one of a handful of ladies whose high standards of fashion gave rise to an impromptu “best dressed” competition, with Caroline Allen eventually taking the crown.

 The evening was catered for by Fish D’Vine, with after dinner entertainment by the 1RAR band, who ensured that the Whitsunday tourism industry kicked up its collective heels.

Council approves controversial development application at Villa Botanica

 It’s “business as usual” for Whitsunday wedding venue Villa Botanica, where the Hogan family can now legally hold weddings for 80 guests, up to 120 times per year, after council approved their development application to do so last week.

 Mayor Mike Brunker described councillors as “the meat in the sandwich” in an emotion-fuelled battle between the Hogans and lot owners on the gated Botanica Estate, whose argument centres around the degradation of amenity in an area originally designated for rural-residential use.

 “At the end of the day this (decision) was done on planning grounds. Although there’s an increase in the numbers of people to a wedding, we’ve reduced the amount, we’ve looked at traffic issues; we’ve taken in as much as possible of the objectors concerns to add that into the conditions of the planning scheme,” Cr Brunker said.

 “I think beyond us rejecting it totally, that would be the only thing that would make the objectors happy… but if we go to court in the future that will either be decided as right or wrong,” he said.

 Councillor Jan Clifford declared a conflict of interest and left the room, following which councillors voted five to one in favour of the DA, with only Cr Rogin Taylor against.

 Cr Taylor questioned the Hogans’ ability to comply with conditions saying the previous regulations “haven’t been adhered to since day one”.

 “The major problem I have is that this conflicts with the zoning. If this goes to the planning and environment court, which it probably will, it’s going to end up on the side of the residents,” Cr Taylor said.

 Cr Whitney urged all parties to think carefully before going down this path.

 “From my experience when these issues do go to court, no party wins,” she said.

 Chairman of the Botanica Estate Body Corp Greg Lange said lot owners were “gutted” with the decision.

 “Just because Council approved it doesn’t necessarily make it right,” he said.

 “Owners paid a premium for their lots because they were promised something exclusive.

 “These people (the Hogans), who have operated unlawfully for three years, were granted approval, and to self-regulate.

 “The conditions associated with that approval were embarrassing and an insult to our intelligence.”

 Mr Lange said members of the Body Corp committee would meet on Friday to look at the options of mediation versus the planning court.

 “I think everybody will sit down and listen to the Hogans and then decide what to do,” he said.

Battle for Villa Botanica

70-Year-old Dagmar Thomsen believes her chance for a peaceful retirement could be shattered if Council approves a controversial development application at Villa Botanica.

 Ms Thomsen owns a block of land outside the Botanica residential estate, which directly abuts the boutique-wedding venue ‘Villa Botanica’. Owners of Villa Botanica and developers of the gated estate Ralph and Janet Hogan currently hold a permit to operate small 15 person weddings, which they have now applied to expand.

 Ms Thomsen and other landowners within the Botanica precinct say the Hogans have been running larger weddings for some time, despite the fact their current permit does not entitle them to do so. Ms Thomsen and the Body Corporate of Botanica estate say they are now prepared to go to the planning court if the application is approved.

 “Before I even signed the papers I told them (the Hogans) my situation. I’ve worked hard in the tourism industry for 27 years. I wanted to make sure I had distance from my neighbours. They said it was a small family business and they had no aspirations to get any bigger,” Ms Thomsen said.

 “Now I have to put up with the noise and traffic. I try to avoid coming down here anymore. I got physically sick. I’m stressed out. This is just the worst thing.”

 Meanwhile the Hogans say it was never their intention to upset anyone; merely that their business model has evolved.

 “We would do anything to get on with our neighbours. We love this property,” Mr Hogan said.

 “The best solution in all of this is for people to come here and see the venue. I don’t see that we’ve compromised anyone’s peace and quiet. Time will prove that. At the end of the day it will all come down to whether we are genuinely causing a problem or not,” Ms Hogan said.

 Chairman of the Botanica Body Corporate Greg Lange says he feels very sorry for Dagmar.

 “The poor lady must be devastated,” he said.

 “How many councillors would like to be in Dagmar’s shoes? This is not what the town plan had set aside for this area. Gated residential estates are about homes and residences, not commerce.”

 Mayor Mike Brunker said Council was planning to make its decision at the end of this month during an ordinary council meeting.

 “It will be assessed under the town planning scheme and the objectors submissions will all be taken into account like in any other development application we assess,” he said.

 Cr Brunker said Council had decided not to waste time and money on prosecuting the Hogans (for their current practices), now that their application was lodged because of prior precedents.

 “In previous cases where we’ve tried to issue an injunction the judge ruled that the application had to be heard first,” Cr Brunker said.

 “In the meantime I would prefer them (the Hogans) to stick to the original licence of 15 person weddings,” he said.