Beautiful Bowen 15

A Last Dash For The Yellow Canary

Chris Land‘s ‘Yellow Canary’ saved his life. The Bowen local and accountant by trade credits his offroad buggy, which helps him fulfill his passion for roaring down the dirt-track of the Don River that cuts through Bowen at 140-kilmetres per hour, with giving him a new lease on life. Given the avian moniker for its diminutive stature, Chris’s ‘Yellow Canary’ holds a special place in his heart, having joined him as part of Team Land racing shortly after a bout of major sickness, which at its worst had him 48 hours away from dying. He recognises the Canary helped him conquer the mental battle which comes with coming so close to death. “I had retired from speedway and flat track racing on quad bikes at the age of 52; I kept waking up in hospital. I had always raced – done it all my life – and I just thought after one too many times: nope, that’s enough,” Chris said. “A few years after that, I caught melioidosis, a tropical disease out of the ground, and spent three months in hospital, three weeks of that in intensive care. I was supposed to be dead; none of them expected me to live through it. “They said I had less than 48 hours to go. I was skin and bone when I came out of hospital, it had eaten away all my insides, and to get myself motivated again, a friend reached out to me. “Dave Muir, a mate, had bought a buggy, and started racing and said, come back in with these because we have a cage around us, we won’t get hurt. “Just to get me positive, and I started feeling like living again. That was my mental turning point, it gave me an ambition that I’ve never stopped. “That was when I bought the Yellow Canary.” Chris has had the buggy – a Yamaha 1000R 2016 - for six years, and it brought him to the sport which he loves “for the family feel. Everyone is so welcoming”. But it may be the pairs last hurrah according to Chris, who, likely, is the Don River Dash‘s oldest competitor at 65 – and one of the event’s founding fathers, having been instrumental in its genesis four years ago. He’s tried the Dash every year in the ‘Yellow Canary’ and never finished, and this may be his last chance as he plans to retire the buggy at the end of the racing season.

Chris Land and his ‘Yellow Canary’ Yamaha 1000R 2016 will race one last time at the Don River Dash “Each time it’s broken down; once when we did five pirouettes in the air and landed and of course it couldn’t keep going. I’m gunning to finish it this year, and it would be great to do it in the Canary,” Chris said. “Every time I’ve had to retire out broken, I’ve been in the lead. This one will be the last race and to finish in it as a winner on the home track, that would be something.” Chris will be just one of the competitors from Bowen to race in this year’s Don River Dash on September 9 to 11. So, keep an eye out for him in his Yellow Canary for one last race in yellow down the home strait.

The Yellow Canary holds a special place in Chris’s heart, having played a pivotal role in saving his life

Saturday 8th October, 2022

18+ Only Event Marquee Packages Available 5 Local Races TAB & On-Track Bookmakers Licenced Bar Food Vendors ATM Social Event of the Year

Bowen and Whitsunday

Official Media Sponsor

A RELAXING TOUR

OF THE WHITSUNDAYS

Bringing a truly different type of tour to the Whitsundays, SeaLink’s ‘Big Island Day Tour’ aboard MV Nancy Wake focuses on passenger comfort, giving guests a relaxed experience where dedicated personal service makes it the most memorable day out on the water. Heather Thatcher, sales and marketing coordinator, is an impassioned advocate for the scenic cruise around the Whitsunday Islands and Whitehaven Beach. She says that the tour is especially popular with the grey nomad market who like to go at a leisurely pace, and also the families who enjoy the space and comfort inside the air-conditioning. “It’s all about passenger comfort – quality not quantity – the boat is able to take 280 people but we cap it at 85 so that everyone can eat lunch together at tables,” said Heather. “The tour is created so it is not jam-packed, and all our guests seem to love that!” Heather has lived in the Whitsundays for 29 years, working in the marine industry, predominantly as a dive instructor. She says that the SeaLink tour has brought a brand-new offering to the region and that she is incredibly proud of the product. “I love the customer interaction, making people happy and showcasing our beautiful area,” she said. Melissa Graham has just moved to the region with her husband and has many years’ experience working in reservations at golfing clubs and resorts across the country. She now feels lucky to travel out to the brand-new Shute Harbour Marine Terminal every day where she works as a sales and reservation consultant for SeaLink. “I love making it personal – you are never a number with us, and we can answer any questions you may have,” said Heather. “We have all the comforts you could possibly want when cruising.” SeaLink’s MV Nancy Wake can accept wheelchairs and people with mobility issues or guide-dogs. With three levels, guests can enjoy the air-conditioned comfort inside the spacious lower deck, or can venture upstairs to the shaded outside deck or the top sun deck for 360 degree aerial panoramic views.

A comfortable and relaxing voyage aboard MV Nancy Wake Heather Thatcher and Melissa Graham from SeaLink

FEATURES

• Guided tours to the Hill Inlet and

South Whitehaven Beach Lookouts • Educational and knowledgeable commentary on the history of the environment • Room for all guests to sit comfortably at tables to eat lunch in air-conditioning • Perfect for travellers, families and people living with mobility issues

Whitsunday Islands Day Cruise: Nothing but stars

The best scenic and relaxing day cruise around the Whitsunday Islands. Don’t take our word for it, check out our reviews.

Air-conditioned comfort

Hill Inlet

BOOK NOW sealinkqld.com.au

The Mediterranean brand of love is alive at the hilltop villa Toscana, a sun-drenched hotel with red ochre roof tiles that lives and breathes European romance – as well as its cuisine. The Belvedere restaurant, Toscana’s new restaurant which sits atop the Airlie Beach hillside and houses one of its very best views, has become a roaring success in its few short months of operation. Restaurateurs Tayla Clout and Nathan Parker arrived in the coastal town from their award-winning Blue Mountains restaurant with holiday plans, but when they saw the views of the Coral Sea, there was little choice but to dig in. “We had originally come to see the rooms at Toscana, got chatting with the owner, Jo, and she said: you need to see this,” Tayla said. “She showed us the view and we were just smitten – we knew we had to start up the restaurant here.” The Belvedere at Toscana Resort is what the couple call a “treat of Tuscany”, with the new restaurant hosting both the feel of a Whitsunday winter and the taste of European luxury and love. Faithfully emulating the Italian coastal experience of sipping wine on a balcony with a painted background of ocean behind, Toscana is unlike any place in the Whitsundays, and the food has the same appeal. Chef Nathan has curated his cuisine from French and Italian inspiration, bringing his experience from years in the kitchen to create this experiential and moveable feast. “Our food is in sync with the venue. It’s refined dining: a lot of love, a lot of heart, a lot of flavour,” Nathan said. “The Chef’s selection tasting menu of 10 different dishes to be shared, a taste of everything, is what I will always recommend; it’s an experience.” In her role at front of house, Tayla is the expert hand ready to complement each dish with a wine or cocktail. Everything on the menu is made in tastebud heaven and matched by the restaurant’s ambience: a glass of Cotes de Provence, and a goose liver pate, agrodolce, house made focaccia, all while the vista backdrop turns a vibrant purple and burnt orange cascade of colour. “It’s like nestling back above all the main strip, where you can look at all of the light and fun happening down there and spend it with someone you love,” Tayla said. “There’s nothing like it in the entire Whitsundays.”

Restaurateurs Tayla Clout and Nathan Parker have been cooking up some of the best food Airlie Beach has experienced, matched only by the views with their new restaurant at Toscana Resort

The Belvedere Restaurant sits on the hillside above Airlie Beach, and has been an absolute hit with locals

Looking for a special getaway weekend in the Whitsundays?

Booking Freecall 1800 555 684

Toscana Village Resort, 10 Golden Orchid Drive, Airlie Beach. Whitsundays, Great Barrier Reef www.toscanaresort.com ENJOY OUR NEW WINE, FOOD AND PIANO BAR

Sunsets

Waterfalls

An experienced local tour company that has been operating two successful charter boats in the area for 16 years has just launched a brand-new shorebased adventure as part of its new tour company, Ocean Roads Whitsundays. Owners Nicole and Jeremy Graham say that they are looking forward to taking guests to new horizons. “We’re excited that we are able to encompass the beauty of the islands and some of the land-based local favourites,” said Nicole. “We pride ourselves on quality service, you are never a number, and always welcomed as our guests.” Choose the classic 72ft timber sailing yacht adventure aboard the lovingly restored, Lady Enid, which takes adult only day-trippers to Whitehaven Beach, Langford Island and some incredible snorkelling spots around the reefs of Hook Island. Or, venture out across Pioneer Bay for a sunset sail complete with Aperol spritz cocktail and antipasto platter. A romantic and relaxed way to experience the ocean.

Alternatively, for a more social, party-style atmosphere, grab your mates or book a sunset cruise or event aboard Sundowner. This comfortable platform boat has an open bar, lights and a great sound system for an on-water celebration.

Introducing Ocean Road’s newest tour, the Creek to Cape adventure which takes you to the most scenic spots on-land – the majestic Cedar Creek Falls where you can swim in a fresh plunge pool and explore the waterfall. You will then head out to Whitsunday Coffee Plantation to enjoy a coffee and the friendly wild life, followed by the remote Frog Rock Beach and onto Cape Gloucester Eco Resort for a picturesque lunch and dip in the sea. Each tour is fully guided with personal and knowledgeable service giving you a taste of each Ocean Road.

Romance