WINNERS: The best of the best in the Whitsundays
Subscriber only
There's no denying 2020 has been a tough year, but it has not been without its wins for tough Whitsunday residents.
Over the past few months, we put a call out to readers to help us crown some of the best businesses and personalities across the region.
Here is a list of all your winners from 2020:
The title for best hairdresser was shared between Anita Odd from Scamps Hairstylists in Bowen and Jodi Lorraway from Shear Pleasure in Proserpine.
Denise Mccullough spoke highly of Jodi.
"The best at everything … cutting, colour, you name it, she does it and I always walk out feeling beautiful," she said.
Happy customers also rallied around Anita Odd from Scamps Hairstylists, who said she was overwhelmed by the support.
"I love making people feel good about themselves," Mrs Odd said.
"If your hair looks good, you feel so much better in yourself."
It was a busy year on the water as readers cast lines everywhere from Poole Island to the VMR.
However, it was Brad Roberts who took out the title of best catch with a coral trout he caught around Gloucester.
Whitsunday coffee lovers crowned Fat Frog cafe as the place to nab the region's best brew.
Opened in May 2013, owner Naomi McKinnon said the secret to success for good coffee was simple - great ingredients, great baristas and a great vibe.
"From day one, we set out to make the coffee as consistently as good as we can," she said.
"Every single time we make a coffee, there's no shortcuts taken, every barista delivers the same product. There's no star barista and I think people love that."
Hotel Metropole in Proserpine took out the title for the best schnitty in the Whitsundays.
One of the Metropole's chefs, Luke, said the secret to a good schnitty was fresh produce.
"We buy our produce from one of the local butchers in the Whitsundays," he said.
"We've tried a few around the area and it's just consistency and knowing where to go."
With piercing blue eyes, it's easy to see how Korah Read won the hearts of Whitsunday residents to take out the crown of the region's cutest baby for 2020.
After Korah scored the title of the cutest baby in the Whitsundays, her mother Rianna Read was modest about the win.
"I think all babies are cute," she said.
"I could give an award to every single baby, they've all got the title in our eyes."
Customer service runs in the blood of Proserpine's Sally Heath, who was crowned the Whitsunday's best customer service person.
The Filby's Motors Proserpine service Adviser called her win "surreal".
Employed with Filby's for seven years, she said the recognition made coming to work every day "absolutely worth it".
"To me, I come to work and do my job the best I can, so it's amazing to be recognised by the Whitsunday community," she said.
St Catherine's Catholic College support officer Shae Patterson said she was "overwhelmed and blown away" by the positive response that led to her win.
"Support officers might not be strictly teachers, but it makes you feel like such an important part of the education process to be recognised like this," she said.
"I've always been drawn to this line of work. I took the leap almost a decade ago after spending years in hospitality and now they would have to carry me out of here kicking and screaming. I love the school and the job."
For Dr Frans Badenhorst, the decision to become a doctor was simple.
"It gives you the opportunity to help other people," he said.
Dr Badenhorst works at Whitsunday Doctors Service in Proserpine and keeping the wellbeing of the patient and their family front of mind is an integral part of being a doctor.
"It is a very satisfying feeling to have a good outcome and a happy patient, but also to know that when the outcome was bad, one was able to support the patient and their loved ones," he said.
