BRING GURNING TO QUEENSLAND

BRING GURNING TO QUEENSLAND

Image: 19x Winner of the Male Wold Gurning Championships Tommy Mattinson – Image courtesy of Guinness World Records   It might sound unusual, but the centuries-old tradition of gurning continues to draw crowds and competitors from around the world. The...
IT TAKES A VILLAGE

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

National Palliative Care Week, held from May 10 to 16, is a time to raise awareness, start important conversations, and highlight the support available for people living with life-limiting illness. As shared by Palliative Care Australia:“Every day in Australia, over...
YOUR SKIN IS A GARDEN

YOUR SKIN IS A GARDEN

Nurture it inside and out   Spring is the season of growth. Seeds sprout, light returns, and nature reminds us that nothing thrives by accident — it flourishes because it’s tended. Your skin is no different. Think of your skin as a garden. Not a high-maintenance,...
LEARNING THE ROPES: A SAILING REFLECTION

LEARNING THE ROPES: A SAILING REFLECTION

Amid the myriad of experiences that make us who we are, there are some that stand out. Significant for numerous reasons, these are the ones we remember the most, the ones that shape us. For me it was learning to sail, and I can still remember my very first sailing...
FROM FIRST TACK TO OPEN REEF

FROM FIRST TACK TO OPEN REEF

THE CORAL COAST IS BUILT FOR SAILORS   It is easy to overlook what sits quietly on our own coastline. Yet the waters off Bundaberg and the Fraser Coast offer some of the safest and most rewarding sailing anywhere in the world. Sheltered by the Great Barrier Reef,...
MOORE PARK NEEDS MORE SAND

MOORE PARK NEEDS MORE SAND

Coastal erosion is a natural process driven by fierce storms, shifting ocean currents and long-term climatic cycles. A 2024 government report confirmed that erosion along Queensland’s coastline is largely the result of natural fluctuations in oceanic processes —...
REFLECTTING ON THE FLOODS

REFLECTTING ON THE FLOODS

March 9th, 2025 is a date that remains etched in the memory of many on the Fraser Coast. The flash floods brought on by ex-Cyclone Alfred swept through Hervey Bay with little warning, leaving behind what would later be described as the region’s worst flooding event in...
CHAPTER 8 – AGENTS OF THE STATE

CHAPTER 8 – AGENTS OF THE STATE

The Public Health Law Quietly Rewritten To Turn Trust Into A Weapon   Most Queenslanders believe they would notice if the government passed a law allowing people to be detained, transported, and medically treated against their will. They wouldn’t. Because that...
OWN YOUR OWN SECRET LAIR

OWN YOUR OWN SECRET LAIR

ONLY 1 HOUR FROM BRISBANE   Just an hour west of Brisbane, a rare piece of Australian wartime history has hit the market: a genuine WWII RAAF communications bunker at Mount Tarampa. Built with 30cm-thick concrete walls and partially buried into a hillside, the...
FROM TIRED TO TRANSFORMED

FROM TIRED TO TRANSFORMED

Budget Friendly Ways To Improve Your Home   Home improvement isn’t just about glossy magazine makeovers or six-figure renovations. For most of us, it’s about making a space feel more ours—without emptying the bank account. Whether you own, rent, or invest, there...
THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR REGION

THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR REGION

As live music in our region continues to grow in demand, pubs, clubs, and community spaces are rising to the challenge — creating places where locals can gather, connect, and support the musicians who give our towns their soundtrack. Music has always been more than...
A LETTER, A PAUSE, A REASON TO STAY

A LETTER, A PAUSE, A REASON TO STAY

I was scrolling through social media one evening when I came across a video of a young man named Ben. He spoke quietly and sincerely about losing his younger brother to suicide at just 17 years old. What Ben’s brother never got to see was the ripple effect his death...
Angels

Angels

Tucked away on Bourbong Street is a quiet achiever doing some seriously big-hearted work. Angels Second To None Op Shop has been in motion since 2024 on Bourbong Street and has become a hidden gem, not just for bargain hunters, but for the community members who rely...
SCHNAUZER’S SOCIALISE IN KALKIE

SCHNAUZER’S SOCIALISE IN KALKIE

Local pet owners are calling on fellow Schnauzer devotees to bring their famously bearded, highly opinionated dogs along for a monthly social gathering in Kalkie. The Schnauzer Social will be held on the first Saturday of every month from 8am, giving dogs and owners...
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS…

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS…

Will You Answer? Practical Paths to Ownership.   In Bundaberg and the Fraser Coast, thousands of local businesses hang like fruit on the trees—full of value, ready to nourish the next generation. With many Baby Boomers looking to retire and pass on their...
BUILT ON BAMBOO

BUILT ON BAMBOO

Inside Bamboo Land –  Australia’s Most Immersive Tropical Gardens   The Chitchat Newspaper recently caught up with Janne Nilsson to talk tropical gardens, business growth, and how the once-exotic bamboo plant helped build a thriving family business...
Eat Smart Live Well Nutrition Program

Eat Smart Live Well Nutrition Program

Food is more than just fuel, it brings people together, sparks conversations, and plays a huge role in how we feel every day. Whether it’s a quick breakfast on the run, a family dinner at the table, or a cuppa with friends, the choices we make around food matter. And...