Proserpine Community Centre acquires land for expansion

By the end of 2013, the two vacant blocks beside the Proserpine Museum will boast an expansive centre with a purpose for everyone in the community.

The Department of Community, Child Safety and Disabilities Services has played a major part in assisting the Proserpine Community Centre committee securing two Gardenia Street blocks which will eventually turn into the new purpose-built community centre.

This acquisition is a huge step for the centre which has been operating temporarily in the Old Ambulance Building on Chapman Street.

President of the Proserpine Community Centre Association Col Mengel said Whitsunday Regional Council has also played a significant role with the proposed new building.

“When complete, it will be the hub of many community services as well as visiting services from Airlie Beach, Mackay and Townsville who require a space,” Mr Mengel said.

The major project has been a long time in the making.

“I believe we have sufficient funding for the project,” he said.

“We are excited. A lot of hard work has been put in.”

The centre will boast around 15 rooms in the 500-700 square metres of building and is set to be complete by the end of next year.

“The facility will be suitable long term and will provide its needs for many years to come.”

“We are looking into a crystal ball.”

The community centre association is calling for potential clients facility users to attend a meeting today, Wednesday, July 11 to express their interests in the new centre.

The meeting will begin at 5.30pm and will be held at the Proserpine Community Centre at 9 Chapman Street.

The centre is also seeking expressions of interest in a project manager position which will involve managing the design, construction and commissioning of the centre.

Please register interest by Friday, July 20 to secretary, PO Box 678, Proserpine, Queensland 4800.

Mike Brunker weighs in to de-amalgamation debate in Whitsundays

The state government will hold their community cabinet meeting in the Proserpine/Airlie Beach area on August 5 and 6.

Mayor Jennifer Whitney shared this news with the Guardian yesterday after the LNP’s business breakfast in Mackay celebrating 100 days in government.

"I gave a thank you speech to the premier which expressed council’s gratitude for him taking time out to visit smaller communities like us in the Whitsundays," the mayor said.

The LNP went to the 2012 State Election promising to consider applications from former shires which wanted to revert to their old boundaries.

The Boundaries Commissioner Col Meng who is former mayor of the first amalgamated council has been appointed to assess the viability of the de-amalgamations.

"Personally I don’t think there will be a large amount of councils that want to de-amalgamate purely because of the cost associated, but if the Whitsunday region is one then whoever is pushing the de-amalgamation will have to get a petition signed by at least 20 per cent of the voting population," Mr Meng said.

"Over the next few weeks I would like to sit down and talk with community groups, as well as councils and see what their intentions are," he said.

The LNP has put up an online fact sheet detailing exactly what was required to be considered for de-amalgamation including a deadline of August 29.

If the Whitsundays is one of the successful shires, a referendum will be held before the year’s end.

"Basically it has to be all done and dusted by February next year," Mr Meng said.

If residents back de-amalgamation and the
Government supports the proposal, new elections will be held for a mayor and councillors in the breakaway area.

Former Whitsunday mayor who was also mayor of the former Bowen Shire Mike Brunker says he will not be putting up his hand should de-amalgamation be successful.

"I don’t think de-amalgamation will be successful but what this will prove is that the old Whitsunday Shire was broke. Nobody would believe me, even Jennifer wouldn’t believe me. Let’s see what happens now?"

The former Mayor who rejected rumours of him running for a seat in any of the three tiers of government, including the state seat of Mackay which is currently held by Tim Mulherin, said it was amazing how people’s views changed overnight.

"If the 600 votes had have gone my way, then there’d be people at the beach screaming for de-amalgamation … now they’re fully supportive because they have a mayor they think they can control. These people just attacked everything we did for four years. They were pushing their own barrow, Mr Brunker said.

However, Mayor Jennifer Whitney said she certainly did not think the former Whitsunday Shire was broke, and rejected Mr Brunker's comments.

"We had a debt of $22m which was quite sustainable … if I thought we were a basket case for the debt of $22m what are we now with this new debt of $80m contracted out the water and sewerage plant work? We are a sustainable council," she said.

The mayor said if the greater community wanted to look into de-amalgamation then the council would certainly listen to their views, however she warned the process wouldn’t be too unlike a divorce.

"We are one region and we can be one great region … we just need to work together," she said.

Whitsunday Regional Council sworn in

The region’s new team of leaders was sworn in on Friday morning, with Jennifer Whitney officially becoming the region’s new mayor, and Cr Peter Ramage being elected the deputy mayor.

Taking the oath of office for the second time were Jan Clifford, Peter Ramage and Dave Clark, who were all returned in their respective divisions, and freshmen Councillors Kevin  Collins, who ousted Rogin Taylor in Division 2, John ‘Sarge’ Collins, who succeeded Cr Whitney in Division 3, and Andrew Willcox, who has replaced former councillor Mark Gaudry in Division 6, who did not re-contest his seat.

If Cr Whitney was suffering from first meeting nerves, it certainly didn’t show as the long-term councillor and former local government employee confidently opened the meeting and proceeded through the agenda with ease.

The first hurdle emerged when Cr Whitney called for the adoption of a rotational system of electing the deputy mayor, suggesting that the Council reviews the position every 12 months and either elects or re-elects the deputy mayor.

Following a short discussion, in which several councillors sought clarification over Cr Whitney’s proposal, the position of deputy mayor was declared open, with councillors Clifford and Ramage emerging as the two contenders for the coveted role.

During the discussions Cr Willcox had indicated an interest in the role, but did not contest the position.

“If we don’t put our hand up today for deputy mayor, does that mean we can’t nominate in two or three years’ time?” he asked.

“No, not at all,” Cr Whitney responded. “As I said, the position will be reviewed every 12 months, and the process will begin anew each time.”

Councillor Clifford was nominated by Cr Kevin Collins, and seconded the nomination herself. Councillor Ramage was nominated by Cr Dave Clark, and seconded by Cr John Collins.

The mayor provided both candidates with an opportunity to make a pitch to their colleagues, with Cr Clifford claiming she was without baggage and Cr Ramage stating that he had the experience required to excel in the position.

“I am a product of the amalgamated Council, with not baggage from the former Whitsunday or Bowen shires,” Cr Clifford said. “I love the whole region, and while I love representing the people of Airlie Beach, I do not possess some myopic view that Airlie Beach is the centre of the world.”

“I have no small children that would take my away from Council,” she said. “I have a husband and a dog, who manage quite well without me.”

 “In fact, I think they quite like the arrangement,” she joked.

 “I have never missed a council meeting,” she said. “I am honest, reliable and hard-working and I work well with Jennifer.”

Councillor Ramage took a different approach, stressing his experience first on Bowen Shire Council and now on Whitsunday Regional Council.

 “My experience goes back 12 years,” he said. “I have been through the amalgamation process, I know how much Council has bled over this, and I know it has taken a long time to heal.”

 “This is my fourth term in local government, and I know I’m up for the job,” he said.

While Cr Clifford managed to gain Cr Kevin Collins’ vote, Cr Ramage, who enjoyed the support of Councillors John Collins, Dave Clark and Andrew Willcox, won the ballot.

This morning council meets in Bowen.

Development to help rejuvenate Airlie Beach

Mayor Mike Brunker is confident that the proposed Airlie Beach entertainment precinct will rejuvenate the community, whilst helping to address the town’s parking problems.

“Once you’ve done the islands and visited the lagoon, you’ve got limited options, especially if it’s raining,” he said.

The planning of the precinct and development of the 2.1ha site, beside the Magnums car park and adjacent to

Waterson Way

, will commence after an extensive community consultation process.

“Community consultation will be important,” Cr Brunker said. “Suggestions include a cinema, library and conference facilities.”

Cr Brunker was supportive of relocating the library, currently situated at Centro, to the precinct.

“There will be greater access to the library’s services if it’s at the heart of the community,” he said.

Cr Brunker explained that there were plans for a Woolworths to be built next to the site, and for extensive parking spaces to be a feature of the development.

“(The precinct) will eventually be a continuation of the town centre,” Cr Brunker said.

When asked if he was confident ahead of the local government election, Cr Brunker replied that he was “quietly confident,” and dismissed rumours of a potential tilt for the Burdekin electorate at the next state election, should he be unsuccessful in his bid to remain Whitsunday Regional Mayor.

“Rumours have been around for years,” he said. “Those days are over.”

Are you the fastest texter in the Whitsundays?

Can you move your fingers across phone buttons with precision and speed? Well if you are aged between 12 and 17 you can enter the Whitsunday libraries’ text off competition which will determine who really is the texting champion.

As part of National Youth Week the local libraries are hosting some exciting events for young people in the area.

The libraries have gone above and beyond with their imagination to make this week memorable, a text off for the fastest texters in the region to be held Thursday, April 19.

The competition won’t be easy however Robyn Batman from the Proserpine Library is putting together a jumble of symbols, words and acronyms, such as LOL and B4, to really test the participants. The winner will receive a gift voucher.

Young people will also be in for a treat with the library member movie night on Friday, April 27.

Library members will see The Hunger Games screening at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre for free with RSVPs to be in by April 25.  Bus transport is available at all regular bus stops from Jubilee Pocket to Centro.

For more information on these events and more contact the local libraries.

Proserpine voter receives blank ballot paper from ECQ

A completely blank ballot paper has one local resident concerned just how many more bungled papers have been delivered into letter boxes this week.

Proserpine resident Graham Wilson opened the envelope from the Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ) yesterday afternoon to find his Division 3 paper completely blank.

“The mayoral paper is okay, but there is absolutely nothing on the second piece, it’s like it’s the end of the printing role or something,” Mr Wilson said.

Far from a conspiracy theorist, Mr Wilson said he understood it could well have been an accident but worried how many more were out there like his.

“A lot of people wouldn’t give a stuff and probably wouldn’t bother to vote after receiving something like this.”  

 “And also … how many people would leave it to the last minute to fill it out only to realise there’s nothing to fill out!”

Mr Wilson will be either calling the electoral commission or visiting the returning officer in Cannonvale, which is precisely what mayor Mike Brunker suggested yesterday.

“Get hold of the electoral commission and get it sorted. He probably doesn’t want to be trundling off down to Cannonvale - and nor should he have to - so yes everyone check their papers and if there are any problems call the electoral commission right away,” Mr Brunker said.

A spokesperson from the ECQ said initial investigations revealed the blank paper was a human error.

“Ballot papers are printed out of books of 50, and what normally happens is the backing paper is torn off before the books are put into the printer, but this hasn’t happened and it appears Mr Wilson has received a backing paper,” the spokesperson said, believing the error was a one off.

Anyone with questions about their ballot papers are encouraged to call the ECQ voting hotline on 1300 881 665.

Save our Street builds momentum in the Whitsundays

The residents of Airlie Crescent refuse to be bulldozed.

Mounting a massive campaign before media yesterday, the man leading the charge to "Save our Street" Lachlan Queenan called on newly-elected LNP member Jason Costigan to put his money where his mouth is.

"Come on Can Do Costo … let’s see what you Can Do!" said Mr Queenan.

The campaign to save the street began a few weeks ago when it was decided Airlie Crescent would be closed at the Waterson Way entrance to make way for Airlie’s main street upgrade.

"Neither the Whitsunday Regional Council nor Main Roads have consulted with the residents about the proposed closure. There are 300-plus residents who will be directly affected on a daily basis by the proposed closure. The residents are demanding an explanation," Mr Queenan said.

Vowing to fight the closure all the way, Mr Queenan was joined by mayoral candidate Jennifer Whitney, council candidates Jan Clifford, Louise Mahony and Alan Dufty and a number of other concerned Whitsunday residents.

"There has to be a better way to revitalise the main street of Airlie Beach. We have a new government, now we need a new council to make sure our community moves forward," Mr Queenan said adding reclaiming the Hertz site was one way around closing the road.

A spokesperson for Council said that Council has liaised with Airlie Crescent residents on numerous occasions by way of correspondence and meetings.

"Council instructed GHD to explore every available option for retaining direct access into Airlie Crescent from Waterson Way. It became clear that there is simply no means by which this could be achieved to the standard required by the Dept of Main Roads.

"Accordingly the adopted solution required by Department of Transport and Main Roads is for a cul-de-sac to terminate Airlie Crescent.

"This decision was ultimately out of the control of Council. The appropriate residents have been advised this information and Council has also liaised with Emergency Services, Whitsunday Transit and Police."

LNP Member for Whitsunday Jason Costigan said he has been in touch with the regional director for Main Roads with a view to getting a briefing on what is happening in the electorate.

"There is no doubt I will be raising the issue of Airlie Cres with him as well as our new Minister for Main Roads."

Challengers to take on Mayor Mike Brunker

The man who is tipped to be the next most likely contender to run for mayor says rumours he will ask Councillor Jennifer Whitney to stand down from her campaign are simply not true.

Anthony Maine whose background is in corporate marketing, moved from Sydney to the Whitsundays almost two years ago after selling his successful IT company to a major telco.

“Some people may be saying it out of vicious intent … others just get excited and run away with the story, but I haven’t even met Councillor Whitney yet and i honestly, have not yet even made up my mind whether or not I will run,” Mr Maine said.

Mr Maine’s story begins earlier this year after a series of discussions and meetings with Mike Brunker.

“I was seeing more and more that the Whitsunday region was sick, really sick. So I thought with my 35 years of experience in the world of corporate marketing, I would phone the mayor and go and see him, help him develop a plan because as far as I could see, nothing was fitting in,” he said.

“But they were just humouring me.”

Over the next few months, Mr Maine says the conversations around dinner tables at countless functions were constantly drifting towards concern with the current council.

“I knew they were looking for someone to stand … there were several meetings and names were thrown around but because of business responsibilities or the like, many felt they wouldn’t do it justice. Then there was another meeting and they came back to me and said they would like me to consider running for mayor.

“I didn’t put my hand up for the job. This is something I could never orchestrate myself. The community itself really needs a pat on the back for moving forward with a story and a redirection for the whole region,” said.

On the momentum of the story for the whole region, Mr Maine and his entourage held meetings in Bowen, Dingo Beach, Hydeaway Bay and Proserpine with Collinsville in their sights before Christmas.

“Now we met with a very wide field of key people and I am not going to say that they were marching as one against council wanting to pull the walls down, but there is a definite feel that they are not happy,” he said.

“The Whitsundays is not a homogenous unit. It is not just one thing … apart from the name. The social structure of Airlie Beach is completely different to that of Bowen so if we are going to put up a challenge for the mayoral position we have to be mindful of what the community wants and we are doing that by talking to people everywhere,” he said.

Mr Maine says after Christmas he would be announcing his decision.

“Do we really want this challenge and how are we going to pay for it? They are the fundamentals of it.

“I understand it would be a cheeky, gutsy move to spend 20 months in a place, get a feeling for it and think I might stand for mayor.

“But I am not that barefaced and it is the community who deserves the pat on the back for calling for this challenge.”

***

After hearing rumours of a possible candidate asking her to stand down, Councillor Jennifer Whitney reaffirmed her commitment to the community.

“I always knew it wasn’t going to be a one horse race. I had heard that someone might ask me to stand down but my clear intention is that I will not. I have the skills and knowledge to undertake this role. I have been working within the realms of local government since the early 1980s, and I know that I can hit the deck running,” Cr Whitney said.

Moving to the region from Mackay with her husband Shane in 1983, Ms Whitney said her long term history within local community groups had established mutual trust.

“I have been involved with this council since I moved here. I was secretary to the CEO and the Mayor from 1984 for 13 years until I decided to run for council and was successful in 1997.

“I ran for mayor in 2000 but I was unsuccessful, and in 2012 I am hoping the community will see what is in front of them and know that I will do my very best to put the community’s interests first. At the end of the day I am hoping people will see how dysfunctional we have been since amalgamation,” she said.

The woman who prides herself on honesty and integrity said she didn’t believe there were splinter groups within the community – just people who wanted to be able to trust their local council.

“These groups form because people feel they have been let down. They feel council is not listening,” she told the Guardian, adding she would welcome the opportunity to meet with Anthony Maine.

“If the community can’t see the offer in front of them then there is nothing I can do.

“Everyone who knows me realises my passion is for
the whole region and over the next few months I will be meeting with as many people as I can,” she
said.

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 Coast Airport's new branding takes off

 The redevelopment of the Whitsunday Coast Airport reached a milestone last week with the revelation of new branding and further funds for a comprehensive marketing campaign.

 Whitsunday Coast Airport business development manager Scott Waters said he was “very excited” to have the facility’s new logo unveiled by the acting premier, tourism minister and mayor.

 Mr Waters described the new branding as “basically the council logo and existing vibrant colours with aviation themes incorporated into it and also a new tag “gateway to the Whitsundays and coalfields”, which very much represents inbound and outbound travel”.

 “This gives us a new beginning. It shows we’re a region on the rise from an aviation perspective. Our tourism industry is a very strong story and one we will continue to tell but we also need to encapsulate where we sit from an economic perspective,” Mr Waters said.

 “This (airport) is the key gateway for the entire Whitsunday region and we can also be a launch pad into the Bowen basin and future Galilee basin as well,” he said.

 Acting premier Andrew Fraser announced a further injection of $80,000 in marketing money, on top of the $7million already spent on upgrading the Whitsundays’ “welcome mat”.

 Tourism minister and Whitsunday MP Jan Jarratt said this was “aviation history in the making”.

 “Just as we have rejuvenated the airport itself, it was imperative to rejuvenate the airport’s image,” Ms Jarratt said.

 “This logo gives a dynamic and professional impression, letting the major players in aviation know we are serious about increasing services and connectivity to the Whitsundays.

 Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Mike Brunker said the appointment of a business development officer was already paying dividends.

 “Scott’s only been in the hot seat for a few weeks, but he hasn’t missed a trick,” Cr Brunker said.

 “Now we’ll be working together on short, medium and long-term growth strategies for our airport,” he said.

Community divided over upgrade to Airlie main street

 Straight versus curved, land swap versus resumption, four-storey building versus uninterrupted park: these are the issues dividing the community, with the future of the Airlie main street upgrade still up to local residents to decide.

 Just two weeks ago Whitsunday Regional Council recalled its main street survey referring the matter to local MP Jan Jarratt and minister for natural resources Rachel Nolan, but Ms Nolan says a formal application to the state government for the proposed land swap that would allow Des Davey’s building to be turned on it’s side has not yet been lodged. 

 “I will consider such a proposal when and if this happens,” she said.

 Mayor Mike Brunker said due to the costs and bureaucratic processes involved council would not make the submission unless it was sure of community support.

 “There’s no point in putting in an application if the community isn’t supportive, so we’re trying to gauge opinions first,” Cr Brunker said.

 “At the end of October we’re going to have to get our heads together and see whether we proceed or not,” he said.

 “If we’re not going to go ahead with it (the current design) we need to get new designs for a straight road, which will cost a couple of hundred thousand dollars.”

 Meanwhile both the Airlie Action Group (AAG) and Save Our Foreshore (SOF) are continuing to rally support, with SOF taking their pink caravan to the Airlie Beach markets championing the protection of public land and AAG holding a stakeholders question and answer meeting at the Reef Gateway Hotel earlier this week.

 Member for Whitsunday Jan Jarratt said she was engaging in extensive consultations with all groups concerned.

 “Just last week the acting premier Andrew Fraser and I met with Save Our Foreshore and the Airlie Action Group to hear both points of view,” Ms Jarratt said.

 “In the interests of expediting this process for the benefit of our entire community, my office will continue to accept submissions until Monday October 31 and I will make an announcement on the Main Street upgrade shortly thereafter,” she said.

Arrow Energy talks coal seam gas in Proserpine

 More than 100 people turned out to Arrow Energy’s Coal Seam Gas update at the entertainment centre on Monday.

 After his near one-hour presentation on who Arrow Energy is and what they want in the region, the company’s Vice President of Explorations Tony Knight and his team of experts answered questions from the crowd.

 "Arrow Energy has 237 exploration wells in Queensland at the moment, only two of them are in this region. We only plan on sinking the same amount again in 2012," he clarified.

 How the landowners will be compensated, what will happen with the water and what are the risks associated with the practice were just some of the 30 or so questions fired at the presenters during the session.

 Greens candidate for Whitsunday Jonathan Dykyj asked whether there was any data into the cumulative effect of all the companies searching for the same resource to which Mr Knight answered he wasn’t sure but it was up to governments, not his company.

 Mr Dykyj also asked what the ratio was between compensation paid to landowners and how much money each well would generate to which Mr Knight said it was impossible to answer.

 "How much money does a software company make?" he said.

 Bloomsbury landowner Trevor Costigan put the meeting into perspective when he asked Mr Knight what his gut feeling was.

 "Are we talking about this and it's never really going to happen? Are we getting all worried for nothing," he said.

Whitsundays briefed on cyclone season ahead

 Whitsunday Regional Council’s CEO John Finlay was one of a number of attendees at Friday’s Queensland Tropical Cyclone Consultative Committee (QTCCC) workshop in Airlie Beach. Mr Finlay and other representatives from local government and disaster management agencies were able to hear firsthand from a panel of experts, including Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) and the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), who all gave advice on preparing for the season ahead. 

 “It’s absolutely tremendous to have all the different departments and agencies in one room advising and telling us of their roles, that from a council perspective, we include in our disaster management plans,” Mr Finlay said.

 “Ultimately it’s about having all of the information so that in the event of a disaster we are 100 per cent prepared,” he said.

 Mr Finlay said the overall message was to not be complacent.

 “Adhere to all the warnings – the preparations with batteries and food etc – those things are so important,” he said.

 Mr Finlay also said the forthcoming cyclone shelters would be a “plus” for the region.

 “It’s really positive to have those types of facilities constructed here and in terms of evacuation centres we are lucky we’ve got a lot of buildings in the region that can be quickly converted (into evacuation centres), so we’re well catered for in the event of a disaster.”

 Regional Director for BOM Jim Davidson gave a presentation on the outlook for the forthcoming season, saying the weather pattern was “trending” towards a La Nina.

 “The jury is still out. The experts are still undecided as to what’s going to happen. It may not become one, but more than likely will,” Mr Davidson said.

 Though a La Nina generally means above average rainfall and the possibility of increased cyclone activity for our tropical coast, Mr Davidson said this did not mean a repeat of last year’s extreme weather events was necessarily correct.

 “No two La Nina’s are the same and we’re a far cry from where we were at this time last year, but we still need to keep our guard up,” he said.

 “Even in a normal wet season, we need to be prepared.”

Debate heats up over Airlie's main street

 Whitsunday Regional Council’s recent move to gauge public opinion on the Airlie main street upgrade (via an online opinion poll) has sparked more intense comment in the ongoing curved-versus-straight-street debate.

 Out-of-town property investor Gary Dunn says any opinion poll should take into account the views of non-resident ratepayers, without whom, in his judgement, the area would be “an economic disaster”.

 Mr Dunn recently wrote to the offices of local MP Jan Jarratt and WRC expressing his concerns and accusing community group Save Our Foreshore (SOF) of “once again impeding the economic development of Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays by opposing the main street upgrade unless it is done on their terms”.

 “If SOF think turning the area totally into a park with a ‘soundshell’ and waterslide is going to draw tourists to the area they are sadly uneducated as to what modern day tourists demand.

 “The failure to allow the redevelopment of the car park with the so called Outrigger Hotel (largely as a result of the opposition by SOF) back in 2008, now has consequences that can be seen by empty shops and an untouched main street,” Mr Dunn said.

 Meanwhile SOF continues to defend its stance on the protection of public land, saying the area in question is simply “not the mayor’s to give away”.

 “The curve in the road is a pretty design feature which is not needed, is too expensive for the limited budget, is not wanted by many and will benefit one flood-prone property owner,” said SOF president Suzette Pelt.

 “Let’s be realistic and practical about this and live within our means. Leaving the road straight with tree plantings and landscaping will deliver the results (and more likely within budget). Importantly, it will deliver without wrecking Airlie’s unique foreshore asset. The Main Street upgrade was never intended to be dependent on taking public foreshore land,” she said.

 Members of the public are being encouraged to have their say by completing the WRC online survey at www.whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au with a cut-off date of Wednesday October 19.

Whitsunday Lions Classic Car Display draws crowds to Airlie Beach

 The inaugural Whitsunday Lions classic car display proved extremely popular with locals, visitors and businesses in the Airlie CBD, who jointly benefitted from Sunday’s event.

 Lions club member and event organiser Geoff Smith said the concept of bringing classic cars to the foreshore at Airlie Beach originally came from noticing the crowd-pulling appeal of vintage bikes.

 “There were classic bike enthusiasts who used to arrive en masse and park their bikes here. People would always stop and admire the bikes but one day, while the riders were off spending money in town, the police turned up and left what we believe were parking tickets on their seats and we haven’t seen them since,” Mr Smith said.

 With this in mind, Mr Smith approached Whitsunday Regional Council requesting parking permits for a classic car event.

 “They were very helpful. I hope there’s someone here from council to see how good it’s been,” he told the Guardian on Sunday, as literally hundreds of people stopped by to admire the display.

 A total of 34 rare and classic cars were on show, including eight from the Holden Club in Mackay, a number from the Proserpine Restorers Club and one from the Jaguar Club, with the rest being privately owned.

 Mr Smith said there were at least another 10 cars on stand-by “because we just couldn’t fit them in”.

 “I knew there were a lot of cars out there. My neighbour has 30,” he said.

 The location at the junction of Shute Harbour Road and the Esplanade was chosen to maximise exposure for the Airlie CBD.

 “The whole idea was to bring people into the middle of town. We didn’t want to do it in a supermarket carpark or a football oval – that could be anywhere. We wanted it to be in Airlie Beach on a high tide to bring people into town for a family day,” Mr Smith said.

 Mr Smith said the display was so successful he was already looking to organise another.

 “This could maybe even lead to a full concourse event.”

 Local resident and car exhibitor John Cadwallader said he thought a Whitsundays’ concourse could be “bigger than Pebble Beach” (USA).

 “It’s a perfect way to showcase the area and the cars,” Mr Cadwallader said.

 To register interest in any further events contact Geoff Smith on 0437 224 648. 

Magistrate fines Cyril Vains for punching Whitsundays mayor

Bowen Turf Club president Cyril Vains has been slapped with a $500 fine for punching mayor Mike Brunker in the nose.

 The long-running saga came to a close in Bowen Magistrates Court on Friday after the carpark punch-up at last year’s running of the Ben Bolt Cup on August 8.

 Punters got more excitement than expected as the high-profile pair swapped insults and punches after a dispute over political advertising hoardings.

 The dispute led news broadcasts and newspaper headlines across the country as one of the ‘highlights’ of a dreary Federal election campaign.

 Mr Brunker, Whitsunday Regional Council mayor and Labor aspirant for the seat of Dawson, went to the track to boost his profile and left after a Vains’ punch ‘popped the blackheads on his nose’.

 After a number of adjournments from December when the charge was first listed to be heard until Vains pleaded not guilty to common assault during a two-day hearing in May, the matter reached a finale when magistrate Ross Risson gave his findings on Friday.

 He did not accept Vains’ version of events on the day and acceded to a call from defence counsel Alex Raeburn not to record a conviction saying a lack of remorse was not a factor to apply one.

 Mr Risson said he accepted evidence heard during a two-day trial in May that Vains threw the first punch to Mr Brunker’s nose with the mayor then retaliating.

 “You were foolish, in my view, to call Mr Brunker outside when security could have removed Mr Brunker and his signs,” Mr Risson told the 70-year-old defendant on Friday.

 “You have been the subject of wide media coverage and no doubt will be again after today.”

 The magistrate took his seat on the bench at noon and spent the next 25 minutes outlining his decision before announcing he rejected Vains’ version.

 Prosecutor Mark Fenlon made a five-minute speech saying a good behaviour bond was out of the question as Vains had shown no remorse or contrition.

 He said taxpayers had been put through the costs of a two-day hearing. Vains had already been charged, found guilty and suspended by Queensland Racing authorities, Mr Fenlon said.

 He said a conviction would not have any affect on Vain’s chances of getting a job as he was 70 and retired.

 Mr Raeburn countered saying going to trial was everyone’s right and did not mean a heavier penalty should be imposed.

 “He’s 70, has no criminal record and I ask for a bond with no conviction recorded,” Mr Raeburn said.

 “There was no bodily harm….the blow was not sufficient to knock his (Brunker’s) hat off.”

 Mr Raeburn said Vains had already been penalised by Queensland Racing, was disqualified from his job for three months and not allowed to go on any track during that time.

 He said a conviction could have implications for the turf club’s liquor licence.

 Mr Raeburn said Vains tried to settle the matter through mediation but Mr Brunker would not agree.

 He also held up a thick folder of newspaper clippings which he said Vains had had to “suffer” as the story unfolded from the punch-up in the carpark last August and which would increase following Friday’s sentencing.

 Mr Risson fined Vains $500 to be paid within two months or he would serve eight days in jail. No conviction was recorded.