THE PRACTICE
Surgeries
The Whitsunday Doctors Service, the first fully accredited practice in the area, originated in Proserpine in 1973. In 1981, the branch surgery in Airlie Beach was opened. As the Whitsunday region has grown, so too has WDS. From a two-doctor rural practice, it has developed into a doctor organization serving both Island and mainland residents, as well as the myriad tourists who visit the region annually.

Each surgery occupies purpose-designed buildings in their respective locations. Each has four consulting rooms, specific procedurerooms, x-ray rooms, staff rooms, storage rooms and the usual reception and waiting areas. While a few items of major equipment, such as gastroscope and Holter monitor, are shared, each surgery is fully equipped to operate independently of each other.

The practice now has a full-time manager and 10 ancillary staff. It has a throughput of approximately 800 patients per week, and operates six days a week in Airlie Beach, six in Proserpine. Having a core medical staff with diverse and wide-ranging interests, it caters for the entire spectrum of General Practice activities.

THE DISTRICT

Situated on the north central Queensland coast, the WDS practice lies in the heart of wonderful Whitsunday, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. It is located 130 kms north of Mackay and 265 kms south of Townsville.

The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands off the coast of the Australian mainland, some only a 10 minute ferry ride away, others more than an hour distant. Whitsunday is a major marine centre, with facilities for all forms of boating and marine activities. There are sailing clubs, angling clubs, superb marinas, dive boats, maxi yachts, and every imaginable type of watercraft.

Many of the offshore islands are National Parks, and seven of them are Tourist Resorts. The world-famous Hayman Island is probably Whitsunday’s best known resort, but we also have Club Med on Lindeman Is., Club Crocodile on Long Is., as well as the resorts of Daydream Is., South Molle Is., Hook Is., and Hamilton Is.

Yachting, scuba diving, water-skiing, game-fishing, crabbing, snorkelling and para sailing are just some of the water sports available in this tropical paradise. Other activities include bush walking, horse riding and whale watching. You can see giant turtles nesting, watch estuarine crocodiles being fed, or just enjoy the gentle antics of the abundant rock wallabies and colourful lorikeets.

Proserpine is a rural centre serving the needs of the surrounding farming community. The major local industry is sugar, and the Proserpine sugar mill employs 250 – 300 workers to process the abundant harvest from the neighbouring cane farms. Fat cattle, tropical fruit orchards, and lush market gardens are other rural activities common in the region.

Airlie Beach 25 kms east of Proserpine, is the popular gateway to the magnificent Whitsunday Islands. Airlie is on the doorstep of the world-renowned Great Barrier Reef with its spectacular coral formations, abundant marine life and breath-taking beauty. Tourism, and its associated services, is the major industry in Airlie Beach.

Climate
Unlike major centres further north, Whitsunday enjoys a steady all-year round climate, with temperatures rarely rising above 30 degrees Centigrade even in the height of summer. The average hovers in the mid-twenties for the greater part of the year, while the dry winter months bring cool nights and balmy warm days.

District Facilities
As one would expect of a vibrant, thriving tourist and rural area, Whitsunday abounds in facilities catering for a diverse range of interests and needs. There is little reason to go elsewhere to shop, conduct business, receive education, or play sport.
Below is a list of some of the services available:

• Child Care: 7 centres across Whitsunday from Airlie Beach to Proserpine.
  
• Education: 4 primary schools, 1 high school, TAFE, and adult education. Photo Tafe
  
• Religion: All major Christian denominations are present, plus Jehovah’s Witness, Seventh Day Adventist, and Salvation Army groups.
  
• Professions: Architects, accountants, banks, building societies, business consultants, chemists, dentists, employment agencies, hairdressers, insurance brokers, optometrists, solicitors, and vets are all well represented in the area. One of the main industries is sugar farming.
  
• Shopping: There are 7 supermarkets, 4 of which are open 7 days a week, the other 3 open 6 days a week. Other retail food outlets such as bakeries, butchers, and fruiterers abound. Furniture, furnishings, white goods, electrical goods, computers and telecommunications are all abundantly available.
  4 newsagencies and bookshops, second-hand book exchange Fashion, shoes, lingerie, jewellery, gifts
  Hardware, garden nurseries, handy-man, equipment hire
  Post Offices, Airlie’s being open Monday to Saturday, local newspapers
  
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• Trades: As would be expected in a growing region like Whitsunday, all trades are represented in large numbers.
  
• Sport: Rugby of both codes, cricket, soccer, tennis, swimming, netball, Australian rules football, gym, squash, and hockey are all represented in the region. Fishing, diving, snorkelling, boating – both powered and sail, bicycling, horse-riding, bush-walking, rodeos, wild-life tours, para-sailing, sky-diving, and wind-surfing are some of the recreational activities available.
  
• Recreation: For the more sedentary minded, there are bridge clubs, wine and food societies, art galleries, book clubs and gardening clubs.
  
• Nightlife: There are several night-clubs, and dining-out ranges from takeaway of a wide variety to 5-star restaurants.
  
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• Transport: The region is served by three airfields, at Proserpine, Hamilton Is., and Whitsunday, with regular daily flights from major capital cities. There are small aircraft and helicopters for hire which also provide regular services to the Reef and Island resorts. Shuttle bus services operate from accommodation to tourist destinations, or to commuter depots, while both local and long-distance buses cater for everyday transport needs. Queensland Rail operates regular services to Proserpine from both north and south. Multiple ferry boats carry passengers to and from the islands. A 24-hour taxi services serves the region all year round.

This list is neither inclusive nor exhaustive, but is a guide to the legion facilities available in the area.

Population
Whitsunday, comprising inhabited Islands, Proserpine, Cannonvale, Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour, and all the small hamlets in between, has a resident population of about 18,000. This figure is augmented by the 540,000 annual visitors to the region, divided equally between Australian and overseas tourists. It is a growing locality as both Australian and overseas visitors come for a holiday, discover the wonders of Whitsunday, and choose to make this unspoiled piece of paradise their permanent home.