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The company behind the $1.1 billion Whitsunday Paradise project has granted a further extension to the time Whitsunday Shire Council has to approve the project.
After years of negotiations over the project, the council had previously asked for and received an extension to the approval process time to last Friday.
However, the council has again asked for more time and information to review the application and the developer GRW Group has provided the further information and agreed to give them nother month to review the plans for the masterplanned residential community.
The new extension means the council has until October 16 to decide the fate of the project.
GRW Group general manager Blake Thomas said the series of meetings held between council representatives and his company on Friday had been positive.
"This is an especially important project for the Bowen region, and we understand that the council wants to make sure they deliver the best result for the community,'' said Mr Thomas.
"However, we can assure the Bowen residents that Whitsunday Paradise will be world-class masterplanned community that will deliver significant economic benefits to the region for many years to come.
"The people of Bowen should know that we are ready to start work almost immediately on $40 million worth of infrastructure upgrades for the Bowen region.
"Barring any further delays, we are on track to start awarding contracts before Christmas.
"These works would create 84 jobs and would include improvements to the Bruce Highway and to Bowen's water and sewerage system."
Mr Thomas said the project would lead to the development of 2000 dwellings for up to 5000 people over the next 20 years and the masterplan included a range of lot sizes to accommodate traditional houses, townhouses, units and potentially tourist accommodation.
The first stage of the project is planned to include 200 new housing lots, an AFL field with clubhouse and a service centre with food outlets.

A Gold Coast business has won a prestigious award for making money while others sleep.

Fast-growing Molendinar-headquarter business Adjusta Mattress is enjoying a heady path to success after designing and patenting its first mattress in 2017.

Three years later the company, which was founded by Jay Burnz, has more than 70 employees and revenues of more than $20 million.

The company's growth has earned the company the Health and Wellbeing Award for the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards for August.

Mr Burnz said the company's success came from its design and production of an adjustable massage mattress, the first of its kind in the market.

"We developed and patented an adjustable massage mattress that is designed to help people with a wide range of health complaints," said Mr Burnz.  "Our Adjusta Bed range is the Rolls Royce of adjustable beds, offering the ultimate in comfort and style without the price tag to match.

"Our products may help people who are suffering from reflux, fatigue, restless legs, stress anxiety, broken sleep, cramps, upper back pain, lower back pain, asthma, arthritic pain, sciatica, poor blood circulation and sleep apnoea."

And it's not just the company that likes the product. The company has partnerships with the Australian Sleep Health Foundation, Sleep Disorders Australia, Diabetes Queensland, and the Spinal Research Foundation of Australia.

Mr Burnz said the company's product range catered for caravans, motorhomes, and boats as well as homes.

"With over 678,000 caravan and motorhome registrations in Australia, the brand aims to reach a vast audience within the community and encourage healthy wellbeing through sleep health,'' he said.
The company's major sales channel has been trade shows across Australia and New Zealand. In 2017 Adjusta Mattress exhibited at just 12 trade shows. By 2019, the company was exhibiting at more than 130 events year.

Mr Burnz said the company's growth might have taken a nap during COVID-19 but all of its employees have been kept on the payroll during the health and economic crisis.

Mr Burnz was on hand to receive the Gold Coast Business Excellence Award at a presentation, sponsored by the City of Gold Coast, at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre on Wednesday night.

The other winners in the August awards were:

• Mayor's Innovation Award: CyTrack Intelligence Systems
• Student Employability Award: Blockchain Collective
• Family Business Award: Dairy Free Down Under
• Retail, Wholesale, & Distribution Award: Lauxes Grates
• Professions and Services Award: Protest Engineering
• Construction and Trades Award: Knotwood
• Emerging and Micro Business Award: Zea Relief
• Manufacturing Award: Patterson Glass
• IT and Digital Business Award: Opmantek

The awards, now in their 25th year, aim to foster pride in the city's business community and highlight its important as a business hub. Some of the city's best-known companies can claim to have been winners. Monthly winners in each category then vie for the annual awards, including the coveted Gold Coast Business of the Year, to be awarded at a gala event in November.

The awards' major sponsors include Dreamweavers, QSuper, Study Gold Coast, City of Gold Coast, Choice Homes, MPM Property, Westpac, Harvey Norman Commercial Queensland, Optus Business Centre Gold Coast and Griffith University. The awards' media sponsors include the Gold Coast Bulletin, Nine NBN Television, 92.5 MMM and Hit 90.9.
The GCBEA's major supporters are KPMG, Document Solutions Australia, Bloomtools, Consulting Hall, The Graphic Design Company, The Star Gold Coast, Regina King Photography and Bond University.

$1.1B Paradise plan passes
critical hurdle

Primal Kitchen releases dairy-free
cheese to Australia

Professionals expands during
COVID-19