Post by: Alita DeBrincat in Community

Did you know the Whitsundays biggest employer is small business?!

The Whitsunday Coast Chamber were proud to host Ry Collins & Damian Beasley last week. 
Ry Collins from the Whitsunday Coast Regional Council presented an Economic Update for the region and Damian Beasley presented on the Funnel Bay Eco Tourism project proposal.
WHITSUNDAY REGIONAL COUNCILThe Whitsunday economy experienced a significant boost in June and July with flights recommencing through Whitsunday Coast Airport from Brisbane and Sydney. 
The QLD school holidays saw Inbound flight loads of between 85% – 90% through Whitsunday Coast Airport. Indicative property vacancy rates for rental properties was less than 1% pre-COVID which jumped to 5% at the height of the job losses in the region before falling again to approximately 3.5% percent at time of reporting. 
38% of Businesses within Whitsunday region have registered for Jobkeeper payments. Between 70% – 80% of local businesses had reopened since the easing of stage 3 restrictions came into effect on July 3. 
Economic Update Presentation

FUNNEL BAY ECO TOURISM PROJECTDamian Beasley presented the new Funnel Bay Eco Tourism project proposal and announced that their family are prepared to donate up to $50k of family money to drive the new proposal forward. 
The Eco-experience Walking Track (the Track) will journey through the great natural features of Funnel Bay. The Track will go from Flametree to Mandalay: – starts from Yangaro’s land at the corner of Jasinique Dve and Langford Rd in Flametree, meandering alongside the creek and Langford Rd parkland; – as it crosses Discovery Dve, it will transition onto a boardwalk that tracks alongside the tidal wetland in Flametree; – then, subject to receiving approvals from relevant authorities, it will go from the Well Smart future hotel site to the Outdoor Chapel in Mandalay, traversing through the national park land around the headland with a carefully positioned lookout to capture a 270o vista from Airlie Beach around into Funnel Bay.
The Beasley family also owns the land where the Track starts in Flametree (22 Jasinique Dve). If the government ultimately funds the construction and maintenance of the Track, the Beasley family is happy to contribute a perpetual license/easement over their land for public access to the parklands at the start of the Track.
FUNNEL BAY PROPOSAL