Townsville Weekend
Frances whiting
hello, hello and I hope 2026 has begun beautifully for you all. I also hope you had a great New Year’s Eve, sending off 2025. I had an absolute banger, if by banger you mean in bed by 10, with a cup of tea. Now, as 2026 begins – and does anyone else...
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BRINGING HER VISION TO LIFE
LEVANTI’S FRESH MENU BRINGS FINE DINING WITHOUT THE PRETENCE
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Frances whiting
as Mariah Carey would say, “It’s tiiiii-iiiime.” What Mariah is referring to is the release of her iconic Christmas anthem All I want for Christmas is You, and her annual musical video announcement to go with it. If you are unsure what I am talking...
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Frances whiting
well, I asked – and boy, did you deliver. A few weeks ago, I asked if you would share your favourite things with me, and I said I would compile them in a future list. Here is that list, and I apologise in advance if your favourite thing is not on it....
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Alan Davies
Your show is called Think Ahead. When was the last time you really wished you’d thought ahead? When I booked tickets for Day 4 of the Ashes test at the MCG in 2006. It didn’t happen. Australia recovered from 5-84 to post 419 and won by an innings in...
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NIKKI OSBORNE
Gendered roles still play a large part in society whether we like it or not. I’m not surprised. We’ve got centuries of conditioning that we can’t unprogram overnight. Plus, like it or lump it, we weren’t physically, mentally, emotionally or hormonally...
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FRANCES WHITING
Look, I know many, many of you do not like her, but I do not care: I want to be Meghan Markle. I do, with all my heart. I have just watched some of Season Two of With Love, Meghan and while I know – because I have the internet – that this woman seems...
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FRANCES WHITING
The lights going down just before the movie starts. Crossing the last thing off the list. Your 84year-old mother still taking your hand to cross the street. Dark plum jam, bought at the fete. Chenille bedspreads at rented beach houses. Licking the...
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NIKKI OSBORNE
At some point in our lives, we all have a moment that makes us want to get revenge. Whether it’s a relationship dumping, an affair, a work sacking or a friend who does you dirty, we all reach that crossroads of: Do I stand tall, be the bigger person...
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NEW ISSUE ON SALE NOW
The NQ Women’s Leadership Forum, held in Townsville on November 7, highlights that when women support women, it creates momentum for social change. Through inspiring talks and connection, the forum empowers women to lead, share stories, and build...
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NIKKI OSBORNE
We’re all brought up with different views and opinions on matters. Our views are shaped by our own lived experience and no two people have lived the same life so it would seem unreasonable to expect everyone to share the same opinion, right? It always...
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NEW ISSUE ON SALE NOW
Townsville’s generosity shines brightly through the Breaking Point Challenge for the Cure., held this weekend. With more than $300,000 already raised, the city’s spirit is unmatched. The local identities who are taking part in the challenge this...
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NEW ISSUE ON SALE NOW
Dr Jo Lukins’ new book, The Whistle Blower, offers practical mental strategies such as positive self-talk and small daily habits, that help referees stay resilient under pressure. But these tools are useful for everyone, whether managing stressful...
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FRANCES WHITING
Iam not a car namer. In fact, I’m always a little suspicious of people who say “Hop in, I’ll give you a lift in old Betsy.” Or “Have you met Mr Bean?” I once dated a man who called his car “T Rock”. That’s the reason I only dated him once. Anyway, I...
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SAVOUR THE NEW
Subject to availability, cancellation and change. Terms and conditions apply. Drink responsibly. Visit the-ville.com.au for details.
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FRANCES WHITING
Say what you will about gen Z – and plenty of people have plenty to say, not all of it positive – but personally, I think they are amazing. I am the mother of two gen Zers, so I know those two particular representatives well, but I also know their...
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NIKKI OSBORNE
We used to joke about Father’s Day being “every day”, however those times are changing. What once used to be a Sunday of steak, socks and a jovial card has become a day of deeper reflection of sacrifice and loss of identity because, for about 40 per...
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NEW ISSUE ON SALE NOW
Nine-year-old Jemima Perry steps onto the Townsville Eisteddfod stage, continuing a remarkable family tradition. Four generations of the Perry family have performed at this beloved event, with roots tracing back to Jemima’s greatgrandmother Glennys...
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“WhatsApp is like texting but without the commitment”
The art of language is rapidly changing. Where once there were sonnets and poetry, there’s now memes and emojis. Speaking is becoming a thing of the past as a video with a dog falling over in a puddle with an inspo quote on it says it soooo much...
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FRANCES WHITING
Look, there’s no getting around this: I’m cheating on you. There is another column in my life, and it’s been going on for some time, right under your noses. How long, I hear you cry? Twentyseven years, so really, it’s not like there weren’t...
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Property dreams start here.
Real estate is a national obsession, one we joyously share with you. From a bird’s eye view to deep local knowledge, we tell the stories that spark dreams into reality. Our expert real estate team is committed to keeping you inspired and informed all...
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Property dreams start here.
Real estate is a national obsession, one we joyously share with you. From a bird’s eye view to deep local knowledge, we tell the stories that spark dreams into reality. Our expert real estate team is committed to keeping you inspired and informed all...
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A place to call home: How Yumba-Meta Limited helps Townsville’s homeless reclaim their lives
As Townsville continues to grapple with homelessness, Yumba-Meta Limited (YML) is quietly transforming lives with a practical, compassionate, and community-led approach. As a Townsville-based Indigenous organisation with deep roots in the city,...
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Property dreams start here.
Real estate is a national obsession, one we joyously share with you. From a bird’s eye view to deep local knowledge, we tell the stories that spark dreams into reality. Our expert real estate team is committed to keeping you inspired and informed all...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
A Homegrown Answer to Townsville’s Housing Crisis
As the housing crisis continues to grip Townsville, one organisation is quietly delivering long-term solutions with proven results. Yumba-Meta Limited (YML), a community-controlled Aboriginal organisation, has become a pillar of support for...
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FRANCES WHITING
The other day I was at home, kicking back and reading about Charlemagne, the eighth century Carolingian King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor – and if you haven’t figured out by now that I am the world’s biggest nerd, well, then here’s your...
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Healing Families, Changing Lives
When Sarah* arrived at Flora House with her three young children, she was out of options. After enduring years of emotional and financial abuse, the 34-year-old Indigenous mother made the heart-wrenching decision to flee the only home her children had...
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FRANCES WHITING
Are you the sort of person who has trouble saying “no”? Do you find yourself agreeing to do things you absolutely do not want to do/have zero interest in/would rather stick a hot poker in your eye but when asked to do said thing immediately answer:...
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NIKKI OSBORNE
‘Take a concrete pill and harden up” is the Aussie motto. Contrary to our ancestors, the whingeing Poms, we appear to have adopted the attitude that admitting to any struggle is a sign that you are failing in life. There’s no doubt that we see “acting...
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PROTECTING OUR REEF
World Oceans Day spotlight: scientists lead reef restoration innovations
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“Here she was, back at the school fete. Surrounded. Like a rock star”
Sometimes, when I am growing weary of the world something will happen that sets me on a more optimistic course. That exact thing happened to me last weekend at our local primary school’s fete. Now, I love this fete, particularly as my children are no...
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“As far as addictions go, surely books is the best one to have”
My husband John and I had a “discussion” the other day. You know when you have a “discussion”? It’s another name for a fight for married people. Or people who have been together for a long time. It is what we have when we want to pretend we are grown...
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“I’m going to tell you what your star sign would be if you were a dog”
Astrology has been around for thousands of years, and yet it is something that is fast to provoke the naysayers. Usually men. Who fish. I mention them in particular because out of anyone, they’re also the first people to track the moon and tides. Why?...
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FRANCES WHITING
Mother's Day is tomorrow, and it’s a complicated business, isn’t it? For some of us, it’s a day of joy and celebration; breakfast in bed with handmade cards, lukewarm tea, burnt toast and kids curled around us like question marks. But for others, it’s...
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“I don’t need to go to space to feel super connected”
Today I’m here to talk to you about Katy Perry. Why? Because imagine going all the way up to space and coming back and telling everyone absolutely nothing about what it’s like going to space. I must say she’s come across as a bit of a space cadet …...
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“I am never, ever, ever cutting my own fringe again”
So, it turns out it wasn’t just the Catholic kids who recited the “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer each night. Yes, judging by your many, many letters, you were all at it: Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and one woman I won’t name who was very...
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TO READ
All of It Brooke Boney: Allen & Unwin, $35 Notes on public life and private joy … reflections on love, loss and ambition from the former Today show presenter.
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F
irstly, thank you to all of you for sending in your suggestions for a reader on how to be happier. I appreciate it, and I am compiling them all for a future column that I hope our friend who wrote in will read. Anyway, your letters tell me so much...
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TO WATCH
Running Point Netflix Kate Hudson stars as a reformed party girl unexpectedly put in charge of her family’s pro basketball team.
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TO READ
The Ancients Andrew Darby: Allen & Unwin, $33 An odyssey to discover the world’s oldest surviving trees in forest valleys or remote mountains in wild Tasmania.
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We know which way wind blows
Didn’t we cop it with saturation media on Cyclone Alfred once it started making a beeline for the southeast corner of the state. God help us if a Cat 4 or 5 ever places Brisbane in the crosshairs. It’ll be bigger than D-Day. And you can’t rule it out...
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COWBOYS GAME DAY
‘What are you doing?” my friend Judith asked me the other day as we were talking on the phone. I was running late for work, which is very unlike me*, and I was quickly scribbling out a note to my son reminding him of our dog Wilson’s vet appointment,...
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Janelle Poole
Having worked as a police officer before her time as an elected MP, Ms Poole was voted in as the member for Mundingburra in the 2024 state election. After the news she had claimed the seat which was once held by now Premier David Crisafulli - Ms Poole...
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TO WATCH
The Breakthrough Netflix A tense, true-crime Scandi-noir thriller in which a detective and genealogist team up to catch a killer.
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“Until one day, you will find you have a proper moment to exhale”
When you first have children, you will be told at some stage by people – all people, it doesn’t matter who; your parents, the bloke at the fish and chip shop, the woman in the line next to you at the supermarket – “enjoy this time, they grow up so...
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MY ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY
Kenza McIntyre creates haircare brand Laffrey, merging personal passion with business success
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“The dinner party descended into chaos”
We held a dinner party this week which, I am very sorry to say, started off in a very civilised manner but, shortly after dessert, descended into what can only be described as a melee. There were wild accusations flung about, finger pointing and one...
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“Name your kid something so absurd they will never be overlooked”
Naming a baby is one of the biggest responsibilities a parent can have. We try to not have prejudice when meeting someone for the first time but there’s no denying that certain names evoke certain perceptions of someone. For example, if I asked: who’s...
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T
hey say as you get older and uglier the trade off is you also get wiser. To some degree, yes that is true. You learn how to make money more efficiently. You learn that you can count your true friends on one hand. You understand that good times and bad...
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H
appy 2025 everyone, it’s lovely to be back with you all. Now, I don’t know what your position on New Year’s Resolutions is, but mine is firm. I don’t make any. What I do instead is a decidedly less ambitious affair; not a New Year’s Resolution list,...
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T
o the sea, to the sea. Around this time of year the Pacific Ocean calls to us, beckoning its sons and daughters into its salty embrace. I do not know what it is about the ocean that speaks to us, I only know the call gets stronger somewhere between...
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C
hristmas is a magical time of year but there’s always some bugger who spoils it. Now this may not be intentional because a lot of the rules of Christmas are unwritten. So in order to help everyone have happier tidings this year, I’m putting the...
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FRANCES WHITING
When I was studying for my journalism degree, one of the many part-time jobs I had was in David Jones’ make-up section. I was behind the counter one day when a woman aged in her – I’d hazard a guess – late 80s/early 90s asked for a particular shade of...
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“I’m here to tell you what Aussie animal your star sign would be”
Gday, Bush Barbie here. Now normally you’d be reading an article from that bird Nikki Osborne banging on about Karens, elections and politics. However, this week I’m taking over the column so we can focus on the really important issues in society. I’m...
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“You have to be a certain sort of person to own a white couch”
Idon’t believe people when they say they don’t regret anything. This is because I regret so many things. From questionable career choices to past partners, including a far too long romance with a man who wore leather trousers who wasn’t Michael...
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ENTER NOW AT ESCAPE.COM.AU/WIN
In this edition Amy Aquilini, who was recently honored with the Gold AusMumpreneur Award for Rural and Remote Business Excellence, shares her journey of resilience and creativity. Her new children’s book, “Our Mum is Different,” challenges perceptions...
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“I did not know that men walked in groups and gossiped about other men”
The other day I was on a walk with my dog Wilson when something very out of the ordinary happened. Wilson came when I called him. No, it wasn’t that, although that is very rare. Something else. Something strange. Something that made me stop in my...
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“Elaborate costumes are for bored mums and guilty absentee fathers”
We’re all starting to accept that Halloween is a tradition that although isn’t ours, is here to stay. As you gear up for another year of pounding the pavement in your makeshift ensemble, here’s what your Halloween costume says about you! ● The garbage...
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“Tasmanian magpies do not, or very rarely, swoop … why?”
First of all, thank you all so much for your letters following my last column about introducing magpie dodging as a new sport for the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. Second of all, I’m moving to Tasmania. This is because several Tassie readers wrote to...
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“I started running over exit strategies with my husband”
Recently I flew to Spain sans kids. You can hate me, that’s fine. You’re only human. However, I must admit, not going with the kids opened up a whole new raft of logistical difficulties I’d never experienced. Normally when airborne with our standard...
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‘This is a sport all Australians are trained in from childhood’
Now that breakdancing has been ruled out as an Olympic sport for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games – no further comment – spots have opened up for other non-traditional Olympic sports to be showcased. This is done every Olympic Games and, for the...
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“Everyone needs a bogan in their life”
Igrew up in Queensland in a bayside place called Redcliffe, packed full of bogans … or as the locals would say, chockers. My husband however, grew up in the pish posh part of the UK on a steady diet of literature and political discussions and he would...
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“Is a ‘Dear Frances’ too much to ask?”
At the risk of sounding like a grumpy, middleaged woman – which, to be fair, I am – I would like people to stop sending me emails that begin with any salutation other than the following. Dear Frances. That’s it. I don’t think it’s too much to ask, and...
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1 OF 3 TRIPS TO BE WON!
Townsville boasts a rich literary culture, home to numerous award-winning authors such as Barbara Hannay, Veronica Lando, Ian McIntosh and Syliva Kelso to name a few. In this edition we profile another talented writer, Rachel Armstrong. Rachel has...
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