THE Whitsunday region has a new leader at the helm armed a wealth of experience within the agricultural industry and a focus on addressing the key issues faced by local producers.
Former Bowen Gumlu Growers CEO Ry Collins has stepped away from the horticultural body and turned his gaze to the wider Whitsunday region as the newly elected mayor, alongside deputy mayor Michelle Wright.
But, with strong support from rural voters during his campaign, Mr Collins is determined to help support the industry from which he came and ensure their "voices are heard".
"I see myself as being their number one supporter and I want to make sure I'm working closely with rural industries to make sure they continue to grow and achieve the outcomes they want to achieve," Mr Collins said.
"A huge swath of our region is farm land and land dedicated to rural industries (such as) sugar cane, horticulture...livestock and our cattle grazing industry.
"My experience with farmers is they get on with their business. They're not ones to speak loudly...about issues, but still need to be heard about what their challenges are. Things like land and water management are two of big ones that intersect with council and roads through those regions.
"We know if roads and infrastructure around our rural industries aren't working, it stops them making money and stops their economic output...we want to make sure we're in tune with those things."
Mr Collins recently met with Wilmar Sugar and cane growers about this season's outlook - with 12 months of strong cane prices and production expected to continue for 2024.
"Most of their concerns probably stem from urban growth and what we're seeing through that Proserpine to Airlie Beach corridor, where there is a lot of development looking to occur," he said.
"The challenge there is to acknowledge that development is going to happen but make sure rural industries aren't adversely affected in the process. If land is being purchased for new development that we're able to offset somewhere else and make sure we still have that volume of productive land.
"The mill itself is very contingent on maintaining those volumes of thorough-put so we need to make sure the industry is sustained if not grow in the future."
Mr Collins said longer term planning issues include infrastructure, problem roads and drains.
"There will be a lot more heavy vehicle movements and movement of cane trains (as we come into crush season)," he said.
One of the biggest challenges facing horticultural producers, Mr Collins said, is around supermarket price gouging - with supermarkets reporting record high profits last year yet farmers losing money or breaking even.
An especially sore point given the rising cost of living and running a business across all industries.
"Consumers are paying more but the prices growers are getting isn't more. We need to look at the balance in the market transparency, who is making what from a profit perspective," he said.
"There needs to be some government policy...(or) regulatory improvement and transparency to make sure when people buy a piece of fruit or vegetable, they have some confidence that growers are being supported and it's not just corporate profits."
Mr Collins said one thing he had noticed during his time in the region was that growers had the capability to swing between commodities (e.g. cane) - providing more balance in an industry that suffered low prices last year.
"The concern is starting to be in land valuations and the cost pressures everywhere. They need to have a harder look at the prices they're getting for cattle versus what their business operating costs look like," he said.
Another issue hurting growers at the hip pocket is the worsening issue of feral animals and pests - with wild dogs attacking calves and wild pigs ravaging crops.
"(I will) support programs for feral animal management, whether we need to beef that up is something to look at. Baiting is definitely one of the tools there," Mr Collins said.
"We can't have the growth of our herds being adversely affected by feral animal problems...(and) coming from an agricultural background, I have a good relationship with Minister Mark Furner (so) when we have the chance to catch up, this is something I'll raise with him and make sure there is support for those programs.
"(The aerial shooting) is an ongoing program. I do need to get a brief on that...it's something that's been effective in the past and I'm keen for it to continue."
After attending the Greater Whitsunday Housing Summit last year, he became aware of options for short term accommodation (including Air BnBs) - however it wasn't enough to help long-term residents.
"We need to make sure residents are not being displaced either. A worker accommodation facility is not something I see council could own or lead, but I imagine if a proposal came up, it's something I'd want to have a good look at," he said.
"There are a number of sectors that rely on seasonable labour...and previously we had worker camps.
"Having the right mix of housing available (is important for diverse populations, including families and transient backpackers). But the cost of building...is more expensive than buying.
"If you haven't got a new product entering the market and you have a shortage...people go back to the market and it's not solving the issue. Just recycling itself. We do need new products coming onto the market."
While Mr Collins said the nation-wide skills shortage is also an issue in the region, it is the housing crisis, including sky-high rental prices and lack of options, that are discouraging more workers or else forcing young and single families to weigh up the viability of living the the region.
"Modular homes or pre-fabricated buildings...we need to look at them, particularly to bring that cost of construction down in addition to land sizes and making sure it's on flat land. All things that affect the total cost of construction and house affordability," he said.
Earlier this month, the mayor visited the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, a project he was involved in for 4.5 years.
"I first met James and Adam Gilmour (Gilmour Space co-founders) here when they were looking at sites...it was very much a dream...and having seen it slowly progress, it really shows perseverance and commitment to something even as ambitious as that can actually happen and in an area like the Whitsundays," he said.
"Seeing the finished rocket on the launch pad...huge equipment designed to go into space. It's exciting for the region...a step into the future of what our future jobs, businesses and skills look like.
"It's a flag in the sand moment. Something unique to us. The potential of that industry, as seen overseas, is enormous and growing each year."
The "growth-focused mayor" said it's inclusive growth that's on the cards for the region, with residents to be taken along for the journey with developments and capital projects.
"There's a definite interest to reinvigorate the entire Bowen foreshore precinct (by NQ Bulk Ports)...to turn the (industrial public jetty) back into a public space."
Mr Collins is focused "getting the balance" by fixing what's there before building anew and ensuring the "village" feel of the town remains, listening to the majority and involving residents in identifying their regional priorities, and updating the seven-year-old town planning scheme.
"Remove the politics...and be really pragmatic. Get some real answers and get some timelines in place and be clear in communicating that."
