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A uniquely Australian spirit will enter the market in just a few months showcasing the flavours and innovation of the Whitsundays in the first of several steps of a major project.
Top Shelf International has revealed its new agave spirit will be market-ready in September, marking the major milestone for the Eden Lassie farm south of Bowen.
It will deliver a uniquely Whitsunday product to the Australian market which has proven to be among the largest consumers of tequila behind only the US and Mexico.
And all projections show that trend continuing, a factor Melbourne-based distiller Top Shelf International is keen to tap into, adding to its Ned Whisky and Grainshaker vodka product range.
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A Bloomsbury farmer is applying to allow caravanners to stay-over on his land to enjoy a nature-based experience among hundreds of fruit and nut trees.
Nicholas Cronan, whose property is about an hour’s drive north of Mackay and 50 minutes south of Airlie Beach, lodged plans to Mackay Regional Council to create a space for five recreational vehicles up to 5.5m long.
“We feel that there is a growing need for small facilities offering a quiet secluded break away from the large crowded caravan parks,” Mr Cronan stated in his application.
“We intend to offer our guests a unique experience on a tropical fruit farm with over 200 different varieties of fruit and nuts trees.
A preliminary report revealed during the cruise the pilot detected fumes in the cockpit and noticed the clutch actuator light flicker, followed by an issue with the drivetrain belts.
The pilot conducted a forced landing at the Hamilton Island aerodrome just before 1pm. No one was injured and the aircraft was not damaged in the incident. A charter helicopter was forced to land at Hamilton Island during a scene flight to Whitehaven Beach.
A post-flight inspection revealed a drivetrain belt was missing.
As part of the investigation, ATSB transport safety investigators will interview involved parties, analyse any available recorded data, and examine maintenance records and other relevant documentation.
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Daily Mercury and
Whitsunday Times understand the 800,000 discounted tickets are expected to include return flights from Sydney to both Proserpine and Hamilton Island between April 1 and July 31. Increased flights will go to an initial 13 regions - the Gold Coast, Cairns, the Whitsundays, the Sunshine Coast, Lasseter and Alice Springs, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie, Broome, Avalon, Merimbula and Kangaroo Island. Demand will drive flights, routes and the total ticket number, which are subject to final discussions with the airlines. The half-price tickets will be available on airline websites from April 1. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said this next step in the COVID-19 recovery plan would target the businesses, workers and regions still doing it tough.
Cheap COVID-recovery loans with 24-month repayment holidays are on offer for Mackay and Whitsunday businesses that move off JobKeeper by March 28. More than 350,000 current JobKeeper recipients Australia-wide are expected to be eligible under the expanded SME Loan Guarantee Scheme. Loans will be available from April 1 and must be approved before December 31 this year. The Morrison-McCormack Government will extend the scheme as part of its commitment to support up to $40 billion in lending to small and medium enterprises. Under the existing scheme, the government says more than 35,000 loans worth more than $3 billion have already been provided to help businesses get to the other side of this pandemic.