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Chinese developer hits back at Whitsunday locals

<p>A Chinese developer accused of kicking Aussies off a beach in the Whitsundays has fired back, saying locals are “anti-development” and are “actively working to undermine progress”.</p> <p>According to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://news.com.au/" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>, wealthy developer China Bloom had become locked in a stand-off with land owners on Keswick Island, 30km from Mackay, after purchasing the head lease in 2019.</p> <p>The Hong Kong-based company has been accused of closing off beaches and putting fences up to prevent access to national parkland and banning short term accommodation and rentals.</p> <p>Locals had enough this week when a Christmas tree, which was decked out in ornaments for 12 years had been chopped down following reports of the feud in the media.</p> <p>The Queensland Government has been facing pressure to intervene after a member for Whitsundays, Amanda Camm released a statement, saying: “This is not Communist China, this is Australia. This is Queensland and this is the Whitsundays.”</p> <p>China Blooms finally issued a response after repeated requests for a statement.</p> <p>The company claims all national park areas are open and accessible and they are “implementing changes to the island’s operation to ensure compliance with the regulations set out in the headlease agreement”.</p> <p>China Bloom claims it is working to “increase visitation and access to the island for both tourists, current and future residents” but the work is being interfered with by a group of residents who it claims “have indicated they are anti-development for many years and are actively working to undermine the progress of any future development of the island”.</p> <p>The developer says it’s working to build houses, a hotel, a new boat ramp, a jetty and a boat marina and that “previous island management failed to manage operations to the standard required”.</p> <p>China Bloom has claimed that despite reports in the media, the developer is meeting “with sublessees on a regular basis, including providing monthly updates on the progress of works and other issues”.</p> <p>It says national parks are “open with unrestricted access” and that a locked gate “featured in media coverage is actually of a private track leading to a construction zone” and that “sub-lessees are able to easily walk around it”.</p> <p>But residents aren’t buying it, saying their statement is misleading.</p> <p>Rayna Asbury, who has owned a house on the island since 2005 is a member of the Keswick Island Progress Association spoke to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://news.com.au/" target="_blank">news.com.au</a><span> </span>on behalf of the residents on the island.</p> <p>She claims China Bloom is not being completely honest.</p> <p>On the issue of access to national parks, Ms Asbury claims “the famous locked gate is the only access from the island to the National Park lookout” and that “access is not unrestricted” as China Bloom suggests.</p> <p>According to Ms Asbury, almost 40 turtle nests were located earlier this year on Connie Bay in early 2020, and that China Bloom’s claim that none have been found for over a decade does not add up.</p> <p>“Turtles are common around the island and residents frequently see them swimming in the crystal waters of Basil Bay,” she said.</p> <p>China Bloom has claimed the beach where turtles used to nest was “not graded by the current developer”, but Ms Asbury has said that is a “blatant lie”.</p> <p>She revealed photos of machinery and turtle tracks were taken in November 2019 and the head lease was transferred to China Bloom in May that same year.</p> <p>Northern Beaches local Bed Lawson has organised a “peaceful protest” at Basil Bay for Australia Day.</p> <p>Her protest will include a “flotilla of boats” at the beach where the Queensland Government told news.com.au locals are not allowed to go “past the high tide line”.</p> <p>“I thought, being a boating community (Mackay), what better way to do that than get a flotilla of boats, let’s get out to Keswick Island,” she told 7 News.</p> <p>“China Bloom don’t have ownership below the high tide mark. So, technically, they can’t stop us getting on to the beach.”</p>

Travel Trouble

“It’s a very exciting time”: How the Whitsundays is rebuilding after damaging cyclones

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A billion-dollar transformation is underway for the Whitsundays as the once-popular tourist destination works hard to bring families back to the area.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marine biologist Johnny Gaskell was one of the first to return back to the Whitsundays after the destructive Cyclone Debbie first hit the island back in 2017.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/whitsundays-transformation-a-current-affair/0c1cb522-9144-48f9-9c3d-97007b27c2b9"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>A Current Affair</em></span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gaskell, who runs the island's living reef, returned to the island expecting the worst. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The one pump that we had on for the living reef which got submerged, had big waves crashing all over it, it's not a pump that's supposed to go under water. Somehow kept running," he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daydream Island’s living reef is now the centrepiece of the resort after it underwent a $120-million-dollar upgrade with families at the forefront.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are upgraded rooms and facilities as well as a larger focus on reef restoration and education. There is also a coral garden that is supporting the restoration of three Whitsunday reefs that were damaged by Cyclone Debbie.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It takes about a year to get the corals to a point where we can out plant them into a damaged site and then hopefully nature does the rest," Mr Gaskell said.</span></p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FACurrentAffair9%2Fvideos%2F423994431654777%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tourism Whitsundays CEO Tash Wheeler says it is part of a $1.2 billion rebuild.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We've got new hotels, we've got revitalised hotels, we have new experiences for people to enjoy, we have a new airport, it's a very very exciting time," she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The rebound and resilience of the community and the development that's happened right now is spectacular,” says Venue Manager Brad Henstock.</span></p>

Domestic Travel

How you can see Australia’s iconic Heart Reef up close and personal

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It doesn’t get much better than the beautiful and mesmerising Heart Reef – and now, for the first time ever, people are able to experience it up close and personal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Until recent months, the only way travellers were able to experience the Heart Reef was way above in the sky for a stunning scenic flight. </span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BysEZFRFSiR/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BysEZFRFSiR/" target="_blank">A post shared by SALTY WiNGS (@saltywings)</a> on Jun 14, 2019 at 4:30am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, after a decade of development and $2 million spent to make an impossible mission possible, visitors will now get the rare opportunity to see it up close with the launch of Whitsundays Heart Island. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What makes it a sight to behold isn’t just the fact that it’s in the most iconic destination filled with privacy and solitude, but travellers can also take pride in the fact that they are one of the first people to have exclusive access to the luxury experience. </span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz7MTAfnBDG/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz7MTAfnBDG/" target="_blank">A post shared by Hamilton Island (@hamiltonisland)</a> on Jul 14, 2019 at 9:59pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Heart Island provides our guests with an unsurpassable way to explore the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef," Bourke said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Since being purchased by the Oatley family in 2003, Hamilton Island has worked to become a world-class destination, epitomised by our six-star luxury resort qualia. We are proud to offer this preeminent experience for our guests in partnership with Hamilton Island Air."</span></p>

Cruising

This airline is offering $33 flights to the Whitsundays

<p>Tigerair Australia has good news for any seniors looking for an opportunity to escape the Autumn chill, introducing rock-bottom airfares to the Whitsundays.</p> <p>The sale, which ends midday, May 9 or until sold old, is in support of Whitsunday Tourism recovery efforts post-Cyclone Debbie, which left the holiday region devastated. </p> <p>Airfares start at an incredible $33 each way from Brisbane, and $66 each way from Sydney, which seems almost too good to be true.</p> <p>Tourism operators are banding together to support the beleaguered region, with more than 150 recently rolling out beach towels to spread the Welcome Back message. </p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhitsundayEscape%2Fvideos%2Fvb.237440622942992%2F1410417558978620%2F%3Ftype%3D3&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Tourism Whitsundays chief executive Craig Turner, It's important the world knows that most hotels have opened their doors, tours are back on the water and the sun is again shining on the Whitsundays.”</p> <p>If you’ve ever had an urge to visit the Whitsunday’s, now’s the time to do so. For more information or to access the sale, <a href="https://tigerair.com.au/destinations/flights-whitsunday" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a>. </p>

International Travel

10 jaw-dropping photographs of the Whitsundays

<p>Lying on the northeast coast of Queensland, the Whitsunday Islands are a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and one of the real highlights of Australia.</p> <p>The 74 islands that make up the Whitsundays are characterised by dense rainforest, winding hiking trails and white, sandy beaches, giving the region an iconic beauty.</p> <p>Australian travel photographer Lisa Michele Burns captures this beauty in her photography, showcased in the gallery above, which features the best the Whitsunday Islands have to offer from deserted islands to gorgeous, sprawling stretches of coral.</p> <p>To see all the photographs, scroll through the gallery above. If you’re as impressed as we are, you can also discover more of Lisa’s travel photography <a href="http://www.lisamicheleburns.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>Have you ever explored the Whitsundays? If so, what was the highlight?</p> <p>Let us know in the comments.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram / the_wanderinglens</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/04/6-places-to-whale-watch-in-australia/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>6 places to go whale watching in Australia</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/07/7-best-beaches-on-australias-east-coast/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">7 best beaches on Australia’s east coast</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/07/whale-puts-on-stunning-show-for-jet-skiers/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Whale puts on stunning show for jet skiers in Queensland</strong></em></span></a></p>

International Travel

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