Hervey Bay Gossip

Yachts anchored off the beach at Scarness in Hervey Bay are not uncommon throughout the year but we rarely see one quite this big.

When the sun came up on Saturday “First Light” was anchored just off the pier at Scarness.

Jim McKellar asks a hard question that will probably never be answered.

The following item from the minutes of the last FCRC meeting should, perhaps, have raised more comment than it seems to have.

ORD 15 GENERAL BUSINESS

ORD 15.7 Return of Council Vehicle

Councillor MucKan said that if people were wondering why he was walking around was because he had given his vehicle back to Council. He said he wanted to get out and walk around and see our city first-hand.

He said that for those living on the outskirts of town it was a long way but if people offered him a cup of tea and lunch he would be happy to visit the outlying areas.

This statement can only have one of two implications. Firstly it is just a blatant political stunt of no substance. Maybe?

Or, does Councillor MucKan believe that all areas of importance in the Fraser Coast Region are within half a days walk from his home and everything beyond that is not worthy of his attention. Has the good Councillor forgotten that he was elected to equally represent the interests of all the people of our fair region?

This statement may go some way to explaining the perception that we have a Hervey Bay-centric Council. Or would Councillor Muckan have us believe that he can comfortably jog up to Maryborough for lunch, conduct his business and jog home by tea time?

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Paul Lucas today announced a new multi-million dollar satellite renal unit for Maryborough.

Mr Lucas also announced the Maryborough Hospital would become the Fraser Coast centre for rehabilitation and sub-acute care.

“These very important initiatives were identified in a review of Fraser Coast health services, which I committed to in November last year,” Mr Lucas said.

“I know that renal services are a core priority for the Fraser Coast community, a fact this review confirmed.

“What’s more, local Member Chris Foley has been a strong advocate for renal services on behalf of the community.

“That’s why I am pleased to announce that Maryborough will benefit from a new $3 million, six chair renal unit.

“This means that by the middle of next year, Fraser Coast residents will be able to receive their dialysis at Maryborough or Hervey Bay hospitals.

“Further, we will also establish a $1.8 milli on, 22 bed specialist rehabilitation unit at Maryborough Hospital by mid 2011.

“The Rehabilitation Unit development will not only provide first-class services for those patients requiring care, but it will free up acute beds at Maryborough and Hervey Bay hospitals for patients who need an acute bed in hospital.

“Today I am here to send a clear message to the people of the Fraser Coast that the Hervey Bay and Maryborough hospitals have a very solid future.

“The Queensland Government is committed to continuing to provide safer and better coordinated services across the Fraser Coast.

The review of health services in the region determined Hervey Bay Hospital would continue to provide the majority of acute services while Maryborough Hospital will be developed and enhanced to provide the majority of elective day surgery and become a rehabilitation hub.

“This means some services, such as the Intensive Care Unit, maternity services, paediatric s and neonatal care will continue to function from Hervey Bay Hospital.

“And it means the Maryborough Hospital has a very important future in the development of safe and sustainable health services on the Fraser Coast.

The review also highlights the development of a new $8 million 13 chair oral health facility to be built near the Hervey Bay Hospital – more than doubling the size of the current facility.

“And the $4.27 million Pathology Lab planned for the Hervey Bay Hospital is expected to be completed mid-2011.”

It’s been quite a while since we went whale watching but when a client asked us to revamp their website and add some images we decided that it was time for us to go and do our own photos. So yesterday we headed out on M V Mikat and we had an incredible time.

Now you’ll hear all the other whale watching centres tell you why they’re the best and Hervey Bay has certainly lost a lot of whale watching tourists to those other centres but frankly … if you don’t do it in Hervey Bay then you’re missing out.

If you want to rock and roll in the open sea off the Gold Coast or off Sydney Heads then by all means but don’t forget your sea-sickness tablets. If you want calm conditions and whales that aren’t in a hurry to get home then you’ll come to Hervey Bay.

We saw plenty of whales that stayed around the boat for ages … in fact one got so close and stayed so close that we were a little late getting back. That particular whale hung around the side of the boat … within a metre or two of the boat … and didn’t want to go away so while it stayed we couldn’t move.

Earlier in the morning a female and one of its friends played tag around the boat getting as close to the bow as what you see here in this photo.

And there’s always something awe inspiring about a creature that’s almost as big as the boat and slowly cruises by a metre or so below the surface just to see what we’re doing in its playground.

We had an amazing day and so did everyone else on the boat and we want to thank the guys from Mikat – they’re not our client but they sure did look after us and all the other whale watchers too.