A Minute With The Mayor Ry Collins Collaborating for a Stronger Whitsunday Region

Collaborating for a Stronger Whitsunday Region

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of hosting Federal Senator for Queensland and Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef Nita Green to tour our region and witness firsthand some of the transformative projects underway in the Whitsundays.

Senator Green is a tremendous advocate for North Queensland, and visits like this highlight the importance of collaboration between local government and other tiers of government to ensure our region gets its fair share of funding and support.

During her visit, we toured two exciting projects that have recently secured significant federal funding under the Growing Regions Program:

Cannonvale Community Hub – This state-of-the-art facility received $14.8 million in funding and will provide much-needed infrastructure for our growing community. It will feature a modern library, meeting rooms, and spaces designed to foster education, business, and social initiatives while enhancing disaster resilience.

Whitsunday Regional Sports Precinct – Also receiving $15 million in funding, this project will create a premier sports and recreation destination for our region. The precinct will offer multi-purpose fields, courts, and facilities that cater to both local sports teams and community events, promoting active living and sports tourism.

These projects are game changers for our community, delivering social, economic, and cultural benefits while supporting job creation and regional growth.

In addition to these visits, I took Senator Green to inspect Goorganga Plains on the much talked about Bruce Highway, an area that once again experienced severe flooding just before Christmas. This flooding caused chaos for our community, cutting off access to our airport during the busiest week of the year. The disruption underscores the urgent need for targeted infrastructure investment in flood-prone areas.

The Prime Minister’s recent announcement of $7.1 billion allocated to upgrades along the Bruce Highway presents a critical opportunity. As Mayor, I will continue to advocate to ensure that these funds are spent on priority areas within our region, like Goorganga Plains and Bowen to Ayr, to improve flood resilience and maintain connectivity for residents and visitors alike.

Collaboration is key to achieving these goals. By working closely with leaders like Senator Green, we can deliver the projects and improvements our community needs to thrive. The Whitsundays deserves the best, and I am committed to ensuring we continue to build a brighter future for our region.

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