As part of works to upgrade the sewer rising main at Hamilton, Graves and Ungerer streets in North Mackay, Mackay Regional Council will be constructing a new sewer manhole in Ungerer Street.
The new manhole will allow for connection of the new rising main to the existing network.
The works began earlier this week on Monday, September 23, and will take place between 6am and 6pm, Monday to Friday, for no more than two weeks, weather permitting. Some weekend work may be required.
During this time, a section of Ungerer Street between Grendon and Graves streets will be closed to through traffic.
Only residents living in this section of Ungerer Street will be able to access their properties during the road closure.
Other vehicles will not be able to travel through the area of works and will need to enter the local access zones either via the Graves Street intersection or from Grendon Street, depending on the location of their residence.
Detours will be in place and motorists are asked to follow all traffic signage.
Council apologises for any inconvenience caused and appreciates your patience during these essential works.
For enquiries, please contact council on 1300 MACKAY (622 529).

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A new team has been established to rapidly respond and help people across Mackay experiencing homelessness.

The Critical Response Team will work with the local homelessness network to regularly visit known areas where people are experiencing homelessness and offer rapid support to help them find accommodation.

In just a couple of weeks, the team has already engaged with more than 15 people to help them find a safe place to stay and work with them on longer-term housing options.

It’s part of the state government’s new long-term housing plan – Homes for Queenslanders – which also included a 20 per cent uplift in funding for homelessness services.

The team is based on the success of Brisbane’s inner-city Critical Response Team which was established last year and has helped more than 800 people find safe accommodation.

Labor Candidate for Mackay, Belinda Hassan, said that housing and supporting vulnerable people in Mackay is a top priority. By advocating to have 27 modular units delivered to the Mackay region on top of the social units already under construction on Palmer Street, a tangible difference has already been actioned to support those looking for homes. Addressing the homelessness crisis, Ms Hassan said that the Critical Response Team is already making a difference to those sleeping rough.

“It’s the Miles Government that has been doing what matters for our region – providing cost of living support, building more homes and supporting those sleeping rough,” Ms Hassan said.

“We just announced new modular homes for Mackay, and this new team will play an important role in reaching out to people and helping them find a safe place to stay.

“It adds to record funding to tackle homelessness through our Homes for Queenslanders plan, including a 20 per cent increase for our hardworking homelessness organisations.

“This is all at risk however, under the LNP who cut social housing when in Government and just last year voted against investment in 30,000 social and affordable homes.”

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said that the Homes for Queenslanders plan isn’t just building one million homes – it’s also providing critical funding towards ending homelessness.

“The new team will be out in their van every day offering people a safe place to stay, wraparound support and longer-term housing,” Minister Scanlon said.

“The LNP  have spent months railing against homeownership for thousands of Queenslanders – now it’s clear why, because the first thing they want to do is take an axe to them.

“We’ll get on with the job of helping those sleeping rough and building more homes.”

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Labor candidate for Mackay Belinda Hassan with members of the Critical Response Team in with the mobile housing unit, ready to provide rapid support and safe housing solutions for those in need. Photos supplied

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Mackay Regional Council staff began scheduled maintenance of palm trees in the Mackay City Centre this week.
The maintenance started on Tuesday, September 24, in Wood Street and will include removing dead fronds, cutting away visible fruit stalks and removing seed pods.
Arborists will be on site between the hours of 5am and 9am on weekdays and they will be carrying out maintenance on trees located on Wood, Victoria, Sydney, Macalister and Nelson streets, and Matsuura Drive and Mangrove Road.
Work on Sydney Street has been scheduled for Saturday, September 28, to minimise disruption to the public and to avoid the heavy traffic on this road during the week.
The maintenance is expected to be completed by Thursday, October 3, weather permitting.
Full traffic control will be in place and some road/lane closures will be required during the work.
Residents are asked to obey all instructions from council staff and traffic control officers.
The work is part of council’s annual maintenance program.
For further information call 1300 MACKAY (622 529).

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Construction is set to roll for three Sleepbuses for the Mackay region.
Lisa Jamieson, of Safe Sleep Mackay, said there had been some delays with construction, and getting the buses ahead of us in the construction queue into service.
But she said the not-for-profit organisation sleepbus®, based in Melbourne, had shared their construction program, with delivery of the buses scheduled for 2025.
“Safe Sleep Mackay is eagerly anticipating the arrival of the first Sleepbus into Mackay,” she said.

“We are excited to witness its positive impact on the lives of numerous individuals experiencing homelessness in our region.”
A total of three Sleepbuses will be supplied to the Mackay region.
One will be for Mackay and one in Sarina. Another will be a Pink Sleepbus, with all female volunteers, to be available in Mackay.
Able to house up to 20 people, each Sleepbus has dual sleep pods with safe and dry storage for personal belongings, air-conditioning, and TV screens with a channel displaying support service contact details.

“sleepbus® will retain ownership of the buses and responsibility for ongoing operations, such as maintenance, volunteer coordination and service delivery requirements,” she said.
“But the successful operation of the Sleepbus service relies on a dedicated pool of volunteers, who assist with various tasks. Anyone interested in volunteering Mackay or Sarina can register their interest on the sleepbus.org website.
Each Sleepbus costs $100,000 to launch. Safe Sleep Mackay, with support across the Mackay region from corporate and private donations, has funded three Sleepbuses.

“We are so appreciative of the generosity of Mackay people and their willingness to help make life a little easier and safer for those sleeping rough in the Mackay region,’’ Mrs Jamieson said.
“We wanted to provide this update to once again thank those who have donated, let them know about the delays, and when we’ll see this much-needed service in our region.”

An update for Safe Sleep Mackay’s Platinum donors was held last week.

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Marcus Pillhofer, Mackay Community Foundation; Antoinette du Toit, Safe Sleep Mackay; Graham Towsend, Freemasons Mackay; Cr Alison Jones, Safe Sleep Mackay; Julianne Gilbert, Member for Mackay, Lisa Jamiesen, Safe Sleep Mackay; and Diane Smith, Safe Sleep Mackay. Photo supplied

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We are excited to announce that the local Mackay community is putting hands into pockets to pay for this essential addition to our Brigade.

We all know that First To The Fire has the best chance of extinguishing it quickly - saving fences, paddocks, stock, cane, homes and lives. We have our state allocation of two larger fire trucks but we are often hampered - especially during the weekdays with no truck driver!

Habana Rural Fire Brigade (RBF) has been planning and saving to add a lighter, Quick Response vehicle which does not require a truck licence. So, the first firefighter to the shed can be in this truck and on the way.

With 600 litres of water on board...that firefighter may be able to extinguish the fire before it gets a bigger hold, or the firefighter can quickly assess the situation and radio for one or more trucks to assist.

Remember rural firefighters are all volunteers, and we are all first responders... that means we drop what we're doing, get to the fire shed and into the trucks.

ABOUT THE QUICK RESPONSE FIRETRUCK

Having purchased a Landcruiser cab chassis last year from our savings account - it's now painted yellow and fitted with a bull bar. The truck is in Brisbane to have the full fire truck build and fitout to the specifications of the Rural Fire Service Qld.

This is a Brigade initiative to introduce a quick response fire truck for fast turnout and will be paid for by the Brigade.

We are moving forward and seeking donations wherever we can and the community is welcomed to help too.

The cost of the Light Attack Fire truck build and fitout is $116,000.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation towards this Quick Response Fire truck - you can safely do so here through our Rural Fire Brigade Association of Qld: www.rfbaq.org/donate-to-a-brigade

For further inquiries, or if you wish to join the Brigade as a volunteer…please call David Stewart 0411 078 648 or Peter Attard 0432 388 330

Help to keep us all safe and to be First To The Fire!

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Contributed By Habana Rural Fire Brigade

A Landcruiser cab chassis has been purchased and is currently undergoing a fire truck build and fitout
Habana Rural Fire Brigade crew. Photos supplied

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This week
Season to date
Cane crushed
56,156
604,380
Average bin weight
3.94
3.88
CCS
14.62
13.63
Cane variety performance for region
Variety
%
CCS
Variety
%
CCS
Q183
26.4
14.99
Q253
14.1
14.56
Q240
9.9
15.03
SP80
2.4
14.08
Q208
19.4
14.58
SRA9
10.8
14.42
KQ228
3.2
14.68
Q242
2.2
12.95
Comments:
Plane Creek Mill processed just over 56,000 tonnes of cane for the week, bringing the season total to just over 600,000 tonnes.
Average CCS rose by 0.2 of a unit over the previous week, closing out at 14.62 units. The year-to-date average is now sitting at 13.63 units.
Standover cane made up 6.5 per cent of the week’s cane supply.
The highest CCS honour for the week was a rake of Q183 plant cane from the Koumala productivity area with a CCS of 17.50 units.
With school holidays still under way, parents and guardians are once again reminded to warn their children of the dangers of playing near cane railway lines.
Families and visitors who are doing road trips over the school holidays are reminded to use their train brain and always give way to cane trains.
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Lindsay Wheeler
Cane Supply Manager
Plane Creek Region

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Are you natural disaster ready?

Queensland primary producers are being urged to prepare now ahead of the natural disaster season to help ensure the safety of their farms and reduce damage to crops and livestock. 

There is an expected increased risk of fire for large areas of Queensland following last summer’s rain, great pasture growth and a drier winter.

Understanding which natural disasters or severe weather events are likely to occur in your area will help you prepare for events that are most likely to impact your business.

Northern Queensland has also experienced unseasonal rainfall leading to increased fuel loads and fire authorities have warned of increased fire danger as temperatures increase during spring.

It's important to ensure you have adequate insurance and a solid financial plan in place. That’s why the Queensland Government has information and resources available to help producers ‘get ready’.

Take photographs of your assets in their pre-disaster condition for reference. Make sure that everyone on the property is familiar with the evacuation plan in case of a flood, bushfire, or cyclone.

Additionally, ensure that livestock have access to higher ground or can be moved to safer areas with access to food and water. Keep emergency phone numbers handy for your local council, veterinarian and animal welfare agency and make sure your livestock can be properly identified in the event of a natural disaster.

To manage a disaster, remember to prevent, prepare, respond, recover and communicate.

For more information on flood and cyclone preparations, such as local evacuation routes and public shelter arrangements, please phone your local council.

Information on disasters for small business, including primary producers, is available at business.qld.gov.au/disaster-hub.

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Primary producers are encouraged to ‘get ready’ for natural disaster season

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Simon Hood
Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing

By nominating Wilmar as your GEI marketer for the 2025 season, you are choosing to work with a leading global sugar trader. This gives you direct exposure to insights into the world sugar trade backed by in-depth analysis of international supply and demand fundamentals that ultimately determine price outcomes.

For growers who use Call and Target pricing, access to this research and analysis is a comparative advantage when making pricing decisions for forward crops. This is backed up by an experienced and educated Grower Marketing team who can assist you with understanding the nuances of price determinants.

A highlight of the marketing year is the presentation from our global sugar traders, Peter Bingham and Neil Foo, who always draw a large crowd to their events.

For growers who prefer to price their GEI exposure through the pooling mechanisms, Wilmar provides a couple of options. The most popular is the Production Risk Pool which allows growers to commit some, or all, of their GEI tonnes without the concern of washouts if they can’t deliver due to unforeseen circumstances.

For the past three years, our Production Risk Pool has returned excellent results, outperforming the QSL Harvest Pool by an average of $38.74/t IPS. The 2024 season is shaping up the same way with the current forecasted price of approximately $30/t IPS ahead of QSL’s Harvest Pool.

We also offer a Managed Pool, enabling growers to participate in the same pool Wilmar uses to market the GEI exposure from its own farms’ production.

Another popular tool used by growers who market with us is the Pre-Season Payment. This facility allows growers to receive a pre-payment of the 2025 crush proceeds from mid-January 2025. The standard advance is $5/t of nominated cane tonnes. So, from 10 January 2025, a 20,000-tonne grower can nominate to receive the payment by checking a box on GrowerWeb and, 10 days later, $100,000 is deposited in their bank account. Interest is currently advised at 6.00% but will be reviewed on December 1, 2024.

The facility is repaid as your 2025 season crush income is generated.

Remember you have a choice of marketers, or you can split your nomination. You are not locked into your current marketer until after 31 October each year.

To find out more, please contact a member of our Grower Marketing team.

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Wilmar’s Production Risk Pool has outperformed QSL’s Harvest Pool for three consecutive seasons

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By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay
There is a rule of thumb that by Father’s Day, the crop should be 50 per cent crushed, but this year we saw that day come and go with about 65 to 75 per cent of the crop still sitting in paddocks across the district.
If you are in the Mackay Sugar milling area, abysmal performance at Marian mill has left growers up the Pioneer Valley far behind in removing their crop, with attempts to restore equity by increasing Marian cane through Farleigh and Racecourse. While some of those growers are far behind others, overall the miller is 10-15 per cent behind, with the miller and harvest sector is working hard to catch up. The CANEGROWERS Mackay Area Committee has been likewise working hard to address equity and grower cash-flow concerns with Mackay Sugar and sugar marketers. It was good to see Mackay Sugar management and grower directors come to engage on this issue with a large number of growers attending the CANEGROWERS Marian branch meeting last week.
While it was positive mid-September to finally see a resolution to the protracted industrial dispute between unions and Wilmar Management over their Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, it was unfortunate that we have seen industrial unrest across all Wilmar Mills including Plane Creek impacting the first three months of the 2024 crush
The long-winded dispute has impacted crushing to the extent that the huge losses to the industry will never be recovered. Wilmar operate eight of the 21 Australian mills, alongside other refining and distillery operations. It is a massive chunk of the Australian Sugar industry.
As severely impacted as growers have been, they, along with the supply chain including the harvest sector, are a third party to the dispute. CANEGROWERS was vocal in the community and media, but it was difficult to make representation beyond Statements of Impact to the Fair Work Commissioner, given the dispute was only between the two parties.
This meant that apart from attempting to convince the parties to get on with a resolution – including via an online petition, from the outside there was not much that could be done to help resolve the issue, and exacerbated growers’ frustration. It has bought to an end a period of great uncertainty, anxiety and delays.
Hopefully now with this behind us, the Central District will now be able to get on and finalise the crush without further disruption. Weather and mill performance permitting. Thankfully, sugar content (CCS) is holding at present, so there is an opportunity yet to make good on the 2024 season and current good prices.
On that note, I commend sugar marketer Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL) for taking a lead and responding to the issues with cash flows for growers across the industry by increasing its Standard Advance Rate Default Payment in September by $17. It is that kind of industry responsiveness that will help the grower and harvest sector manage through a challenging year. CANEGROWERS Mackay, along with other sugarcane production district areas, was vocal in articulating the difficulties growers have faced, and we thank QSL for listening.
The delays of the season mean that most likely we will be harvesting into the Christmas season again, well past the mid-November finish that is best for best farming practice and for sugar make. Although Mackay Sugar is touting an 18 December finish, but this is down to the line of the Heavy Vehicle Christmas Curfew that commences on 19 December through to 2 January. Wilmar looks set to proceed past Christmas should weather hold.
Once again, CANEGROWERS is liaising with the appropriate authorities in an attempt to get exemptions put in place for the Christmas period, just in the case we need them, and will likewise work with members and their contractors to assist them to secure their permits.

Photo credit: Kirili Lamb

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By Hannah McNamara

$38 million in funding has just been announced to enhance Kestrel Coal Resources' capabilities, supporting the construction of a waste gas-to-energy plant as part of the state government’s efforts to decarbonise its resource sector, if re-elected in October.

This investment, along with an additional $5 million to develop the Resources Centre of Excellence in Mackay, was discussed during a meeting between Deputy Premier Cameron Dick, Labor Candidate for Mackay Belinda Hassan and Steve Oxel, CEO of the Resources Centre of Excellence. The funding aims to expand both the coal industry and the broader regional economy by promoting sustainability and innovation.

Deputy Premier Cameron Dick commended the leadership at the Resources Centre of Excellence and its role in shaping the future of Queensland’s resource sector. 

“The work being conducted in Paget, Mackay, is not only renowned but also globally recognised,” he said.

One of the key announcements from the Deputy Premier was the allocation of the second funding stream from the government’s Low Emissions Partnership Program. This program is dedicated to supporting initiatives that reduce emissions and ensure the sustainability of Queensland’s metallurgical coal industry. As part of this effort, $38 million has been earmarked for Kestrel Coal Resources, a major mining company near Emerald.

This funding will facilitate the construction of a waste gas-to-energy plant that will capture emissions, including methane and convert them into energy.

“That’s enough energy to power 40,000 homes in Queensland," said Mr Dick.

"It’s a big win for the mining industry and a significant step toward sustainability, and it’s something we are committed to delivering as a government.”

In addition to this investment, the government reaffirmed its commitment to the Resources Centre of Excellence, with a promise of an additional $5 million to support the second stage of the centre’s development.

The new funding will help expand its capabilities, including the establishment of a FlexiLab mineral processing plant.

"We’ve been so incredibly impressed by the work the Resources Centre of Excellence has done, particularly through the stage one development,” Mr Dick said.

“Now, the facility moves to stage two, and that additional $5 million will ensure this facility can be the best of its kind in the world.”

Belinda Hassan, Labor Candidate for Mackay, also expressed her enthusiasm for the announcement.

“We punch well above our weight in providing economic benefits to Queensland, and to see that money come back to our region and to be able to expand that is absolutely amazing,” she said.

Steve Oxel, CEO of the Resources Centre of Excellence, welcomed the news, noting the importance of continued support for the centre's growth.

“Our region has so many opportunities ahead of us…it would be wrong not to take advantage of the opportunities that are there," Mr Oxel said.

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Steve Oxel, CEO of the Resources Centre of Excellence with Labor Candidate for Mackay Belinda Hassan and Deputy Premier Cameron Dick. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

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How good are you at trivia?

Great or just average? Can’t get anything right if you’ve been before? Feel like you’re letting the team down, just because you’re in the group?

Tonight is your night then!

My mates at the Mackay Dragonboat Club are having another one of their remarkably successful trivia nights at the harbour and by all reports, it is set to be another cracking fun night.

A couple of years ago Dale called me up to ask if I’d volunteer some time on the mic asking the questions with their first event at Blacks Beach. That night raised a lot of money for this club, and since then, there has been more fun at the harbour answering questions, doing skills sets, and eating comps. All in the name of community.

I’d like to say come along tonight, but at last count the room is full, so it’s a sellout.

Just goes to show there are a lot of community-minded people in our backyards.

There is also a Mum who is reaching out to help her son Samuel, and she and the wider community are hoping to raise over $20,000 before Monday. Amber’s little beautiful son has varying issues that affect everyday life that you or I would not understand, but Amber and her family deal with it all like champions.

Right now, the money will be used to buy a car equipped to get Samuel around town and off to various specialists’ appointments for his AGR. If you have a few spare dollars and you’d like to find a great place to help, this would be it for sure.

You can find a donation link on their Facebook page at Samuels Rare Life. While you’re there you can get a glimpse of how life is for Amber, Samuel and big brother Zachariah. Any donation is welcomed with big wide arms and a big smile.

As we get ever closer to Christmas time, it will be time to get the 4MK Jingle Jail out of the back room and set it up somewhere to help a very worthwhile charity this year. If you know someone or a group that needs our help, please let me know.

I wonder if we can set it up at the annual Rotary Xmas Fair and get Col Meng to sit in jail for a couple of hours to raise bail money to get out. I wonder how much we can raise to keep him behind bars. Now I’m thinking… Leave that with me.

Have a fun weekend.

You can join Rob Kidd from 5am weekday mornings on 4MK 1026 AM in Mackay and Proserpine, 91.5FM in Airlie Beach or just ask your smart speaker to play 4MK on iHeartRadio!

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Often when we have been in a career or organisation for some time, or even as we reach a time of year, maintaining motivation can be a challenge.

The follow on from a loss of motivation may see us nudging more of a negative mindset than a positive one, which can result in a negative spiral, which pervades all aspects of our lives.

It takes a purposeful shift in mindset and here are some practical actions to assist with putting the WOW back into our WHY.

1. Reflect on what was your original motivation for career, job or journey

Take time to reflect on what were the drivers for your original decision. Are these still relevant? What’s changed? A personal career audit can assist to reconnect with your purpose – are small  tweaks required or a major shift?

2. Give yourself permission to rest and refresh

Does your schedule allow some regular downtime to rest and refresh? Do you plan a longer break at least once a year to disconnect and reset and recharge? Regardless of how much we love what we do, we all need a recharge. A change of scenery or routine can spark new energy.

3. Are you doing too much and feeling overwhelmed?

Review your commitments – personal and work. Are you draining your energy with an ‘overfull’ schedule? Be ruthless – what can you choose not to do at all or not as often, or is there another way to achieve the same result.

4. Take care of your health and well-being

You know the drill - regular exercise, proper nutrition and sleep are significant to how we feel and improve focus and motivation.
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5. Practice gratitude
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When thing are not going to plan, it’s easy to fall into a negative mindset spiral. Reflect on the things you’re grateful for. Shifting your mindset to focus on positive aspects of life can help reignite your appreciation for your work, relationships, and goals. Seek professional assistance if you need.
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6. Tap into your Cheer Squad
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Surround yourself with positivity. Be selective about who you engage with and limit your exposure to negativity. Being around motivated individuals can reignite your own motivation and reinspire to achieve your goals.

7. Visualise success

Spend time visualising ‘your best you’ and the success of your why to inject that motivation to persist. To complement, a vision board with images and/or words that represent your goals helps stay focussed.

Working with someone else can assist with putting the WOW back into your WHY   - this is where we can help. Contact me at powerup@careerforceaustralia.com.au or 0409 894 131 to learn more.

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Australian Church Women will celebrate World Community Day at 10 am on Friday 25th October, at Northside Uniting Church, Bedford Road Andergrove. We will also collect the ‘least coin donations’ that members have collected each time they pray for peace, justice and hope during the previous year.
The Fellowship of the Least Coin is a global prayer movement that supports and advocates for peace, and justice and hopes to promote the physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being of women and girls throughout the world. The money is used to support various programs and projects that raise awareness of women’s issues and to empower and encourage girls and women to succeed. It enables them to learn more about their human rights and the importance of human dignity, enabling them to become financially independent and enhance their ability to achieve their dreams and aspirations in a difficult and often violent environment.
The theme of the Service on 25th October is “Young Women and Older Women Working Together”, and centred on the message in Acts 2:17;
“…I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young people shall see visions, and your old people shall dream dreams.”
I hope you will be able to join us as we get together to pray for a better world.
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Anne Jennings
Secretary/Treasurer
Mackay Unit Australian Church Women

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Historically high work participation, lots of job vacancies, seriously strong population growth, rental and sales prices up by 10 per cent in the past financial year putting median house prices in Mackay up above the $500,000 mark.
That was the message from Knight Frank Managing Director Craig Stack at a recent Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) function in Mackay.
The facts and figures were a confirmation of the “feeling” that we have all had about how this city and region are on the move.
We all know that demand and supply are the key drivers of economic activities and the combination of population growth, strong business activity and increasing rents have all had a role in housing activity in Mackay.
Mr Stack’s figures showed that 112,400 people are currently employed in the Mackay region, significantly up from 65,900 in June 2001. Our unemployment rate is 2.8 per cent, virtually non-existent.
The figures showed that the median house price moved to $500,000 in the 2023-2024 financial year. However, Mr Stack said that figure had already climbed to $530,000 from June to August this year.
So, while there was a 10 per cent increase in the median price in the 2023-2024 financial year, there was a further 6 per cent increase from June to August.
And, while the population has increased dramatically over the past 20 years, the number of weekly sales has dropped. While it was 63 properties a week in 2003, it was 46 in 2012, 56 in 2022 and 50 in the financial year 2023-2024.
As for average days on market, Mr Stack’s figures showed Mackay’s sat at 11 days in the last financial year, compared to 22 days in Brisbane and 32 in the Gold Coast.
The average rent on a two-bedroom unit was about $260 a week in June 2019 but that has increased to $450 a week this year. A four-bedroom house rented out on average for $400 a week in June 2019 and in June this year that figure had increased to $650 a week.
As for rental vacancies, they were at 3.6 per cent in June 2019. It is now at 0.6 per cent.
And Mr Stack indicated that the research shows continuing growth in rents of 5 per cent and 7 per cent until early next year at the earliest.
He is also predicting a median sales price growth of 5 per cent to 8 per cent to June next year, so whether it is rents or sales, prices look like they are still going up.
Mr Stack said Mackay has the capacity to provide 2000-3000 detached houses at the moment, which he points out is simply not enough to meet the market demand.
Mr Stack, like the rest of us, cannot predict the future and there are certainly issues such as an economic slow-down in China, a drop in the price of iron ore and coking coal and other geo-political issues on the horizon that means nothing is certain.
But I do know that investors from southern markets are injecting themselves in a big way in the Mackay market and they are having a significant role in pushing the prices up.
Those investors see strong rental returns on what they feel are affordably priced properties and they want a piece of the action.
I am not here to tell people what to do or to predict what is going to happen from here but it would be a shame to see local people miss out on the current buying opportunities only to see prices go even higher in the years ahead.
You can still buy a two-bedroom unit for under $300,000. Maybe it will stay like that for a long time … maybe not.

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Glitz, glamour and goodwill came together for a heart-warming cause last Saturday, as Broken Ballerina Inc. hosted its annual 2024 Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Beautiful Charity Ball at the Mackay Turf Club.

Guests arrived in the early evening, gathering in the picturesque garden area before being welcomed into the grand ballroom at 6pm. Attendees were greeted with complimentary drinks and the sight of a glamorous pink carpet leading them into a beautifully decorated space.

The ballroom itself was a vibrant display of bright pink, black and white to represent the colours of the organisation, creating an atmosphere both elegant and full of life.

A delicious alternate drop of entrees and mains were served, and later guests indulged in Jules’ famous homemade cupcakes for dessert.

The event was graced by several notable figures from the region, including Cr Alison Jones, Labor candidate for Mackay Belinda Hassan, Member for Mackay Julianne Gilbert MP, LNP candidate for Mackay Nigel Dalton and former Whitsunday Mayor Julie Hall.

As the night unfolded, excitement filled the air, particularly during a live performance by Raise Your Glass: Australian P!nk vs Gaga Tribute. The energetic performance had everyone on their feet, dancing and singing along to iconic hits like P!nk’s U + Ur Hand and Lady Gaga’s Telephone. The vibrant energy in the room was contagious, with the dance floor full of smiles all around.

From gardening packages to luxury salon and beauty treatments, The 2024 Broken Ballerina Charity Ball had incredible raffle prizes, worth a total value of over $7,000.

The best was saved until last, with a lively auction that had guests diving deep into their pockets and purses in support of domestic violence victims in the region.

Among the most sought-after auction items were a bright pink acoustic guitar signed by local musician Bella Mackenzie, framed posters of P!nk and Lady Gaga with a microphone and signed letters of authenticity…and the most admired of all… a pair of signed boxing gloves from former Australian professional boxer Jeff Fenech. The highest bidder also secured a once-in-a-lifetime experience - a personal dinner with Fenech at his home, complete with a tour of his legendary man cave.

Throughout the night, there was no shortage of fun, laughter and heartfelt moments, but beyond the glamour and entertainment, the true purpose of the evening was to raise funds for Broken Ballerina Inc. and the vital work that Founders Jules and Pete Thompson do for domestic violence survivors in the region.

Broken Ballerina Inc. is a non-for-profit charitable organisation that relies on community donations and business sponsors to continue their mission of helping victims flee domestic violence. Despite receiving no government funding, its approach is like no other in the region, delivering a heart-to-heart service where they are able to offer not just support on a personal level, but also provide essential items such as self-care necessities, food, car repair services and even accommodation, depending on the client’s needs.

Local QPS domestic and family violence representative, Tamara Cook said, “Broken Ballerina provides invaluable services and resources to those escaping domestic violence.

“Their ability to continue this support relies on contributions from business and donations from their community.

“Thank you to those who have already provided donations and continue to do so.”

Kim Tower, Marketing Manager of Broken Ballerina Inc. and the event's MC on the night, praised the team's dedication, calling their passion and hard work truly commendable.

“What Jules and Pete do is amazing…but no one sees what goes on behind the scenes… whether it be food, fuel, groceries, getting their car serviced, even flights to get these people in need out of town, that’s what Broken Ballerina does, and they do it instantly.

“The passion that these guys have and the work and effort that these guys put into everything they do is truly commendable.”

Should you wish to donate, sponsor through your business, or are in need of services, please visit www.brokenballerina-inc.com.au

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Glamour meets goodwill at the 2024 Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Beautiful Charity Ball hosted by Broken Ballerina Inc. at the Mackay Turf Club. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

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