A lucky Mackay man has declared a life-changing $114,000 win in a recent Keno draw, which he says has come at the most ‘perfect time’ for his upcoming family holiday.
 
The North Queenslander looks forward to a total prize of $114,014.30 after he scored the Keno prize in draw 190, on Tuesday 28 May 2024.
 
Coincidentally, the winning man shared he almost left the club without putting a Keno ticket on but decided to stay a bit longer to celebrate his friend’s birthday.  

“I am still in complete shock. Wow!” he cheered.
 
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my numbers come up.
 
“I have a holiday coming up and I can use it towards that!

“Round up the family and have the best holiday!
 
His winning entry was purchased at O’Shea’s Hotel Motel, 1 Bold Street, Walkerston.

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Local Mackay man wins big with unexpected Keno prize of $114,014.30. The winner says he will use the bonus money to spend with his family on an upcoming vacation

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A series of break-ins have occurred and locals have been urged to contact police with any additional information regarding the incidents.

May 23 - Four Teens Caught Following South Mackay Break In
Around 11.20pm on May 23, it is alleged that four people were observed entering a fenced complex on Milton Street and breaking into a caretakers shed.
Police were contacted and promptly attended the scene.
It is alleged that the officers sighted the four people driving a Kawasaki buggy out of the shed before exiting the vehicle and running on foot onto nearby Meero Street in South Mackay.
A police dog and handler were deployed and with the assistance of police, all four people were found and arrested.
A 14-year-old North Mackay boy, a 15-year-old Ooralea boy, a 15-year-old South Mackay boy and a 13-year-old Beaconsfield boy will all be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
 
May 29 - Two Vehicles Stolen From Sarina Beach
Police have been investigating a break in of a business on Sarina Beach occurring between 3.30pm on May 28 and 5.45am on May 29.
It is alleged offenders have stolen 2 vehicles along with multiple car keys.
The intruders have gained entry to the building and located the vehicle keys.
A large hole was cut in the wire fencing where the intruders have driven the vehicles out of the yard.

June 2 - Break And Enter Appeal In Bucasia
Police are investigating a break and enter at a business at Downie Avenue on June 2.
Initial investigations indicate at around 3.10am on June 2, an unknown vehicle rammed the front roller door of a business causing significant damage to the front entrance and gaining entry to the inside of the business.
Police are appealing for any information, dashcam or CCTV footage between 2.30-3.30am on June 2 at Downie Avenue to contact Mackay Northern Beaches Police Station on 07 4969 7666.
Investigations are ongoing.

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Please be advised that Badyari Yalu Road (pronounced bud-jar-e yar-loo), which links Rosewood Drive and Eimeo Road through the new Northern Beaches Community Hub site, will be closed for approximately four months from Monday, June 3.

The internal road will be inaccessible until late September as part of additional works being undertaken in stage 1A, including civil, landscaping and drainage works.

Stage 1A of the project is partly funded by the Australian Government and Mackay Regional Council. The Australian Government committed $6.5 million towards stage 1A, with council contributing the remainder of the cost of the works.

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Badyari Yalu Road will be closed as of Monday June 3rd for approximately four months to undergo civil, landscaping and drainage works. Image Credit: Mackay Regional Council

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Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox has emerged as an advocate for the agricultural sector within the region, addressing the evolving needs of Australian farmers and the underlying issues they face.
Mr Willcox has recently welcomed the Federal Government’s backflip on the ill-advised changes to the Pacific Australian Labour Mobility (PALM) Schemes mandatory work hours.
In his statement, Mr. Willcox outlines the detrimental impact of the previous policy, implemented despite warnings from various quarters including the Coalition and industry bodies.
“Last year, the Government ploughed ahead with unworkable changes to the PALM Scheme, despite numerous warnings from the Coalition and industry bodies, which put our agricultural industry and our foreign relations in jeopardy,” Mr Willcox said.
The burden of a rigid 30-hour workweek requirement posed significant challenges for farmers, whose livelihoods are intricately tied to the unpredictable nature of seasonal and weather-dependent agricultural work.
“The changes forced employers to guarantee 30 hours per week. As a farmer by trade, I know firsthand how unworkable the constraints of guaranteed work hours are,” Mr Willcox said.
“Farming is seasonal, and weather dependent, which dictates how many hours a worker will be able to work, and forcing farmers to pay each person they employ on the PALM Scheme the mandatory 30 hours, regardless of if they only worked 10, was having a detrimental effect on our hard-working farmers.
“These new changes will see these constraints relaxed, and now 120 hours can be averaged out over 4 weeks per employee, which will be much more workable.
“Our concerns were raised in Senate Estimates, in Questions in Writing to the Minister for the Pacific, and through strong media advocacy which has, thankfully, turned the tide.
“Thankfully, now the Government has backflipped but only after seeing a decline of 10.2 per cent in short-term workers and 10.4 per cent for all PALM workers in agriculture.
“These changes will come into effect from July 1, and I will continue to fight against red tape that makes things harder for our farmers and Pacific relations,” Mr Willcox said.
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Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox advocates for regional farmers against the PALM Scheme. Image supplied.

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Around 530 patients in the Mackay region have benefited from the new dedicated post-operative care services at the Mackay Base Hospital.

Following surgery, the Post-Operative Support System (PODSS) team meet with the patient before they go home, providing them with information and a phone number to call for assistance for up to 30 days post-surgery.

Patients have said the Clinical Nurse Consultant gave them the extra support needed once they were home such as organising additional medication, timely advice as well as check ins on how their recovery was progressing.

It is also estimated that since the service commenced in March, it has halved the need for further ED presentations post-surgery.

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert stated that, "these fantastic new roles are helping us take pressure off our busy emergency departments and enhancing care for people post-surgery”.

"Sometimes we need extra support once we're home from hospital and that's where the PODSS team comes in,” she explained.

"We will continue to look and find innovative ways to enhance the delivery of world-class healthcare for our growing community."

The PODSS follows the recent introduction of medical and nursing commanders to ensure smoother transfer from ambulances to EDs.

These new roles and the PODDS respond to the Miles Government's five-point plan to improve patient flow in Queensland's public health system.

These initiatives build on work underway including the $764 million Putting Patients First plan, new Satellite Hospitals, the work of the Queensland Ambulance Service clinical hub and the Surgery Connect program to reduce elective surgery wait lists.

Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman said "this new service is just one way we are investing in measures to improve patient flow and boost the care provided to Queenslanders.

"It's wonderful to hear from patients that this extra step of support is helping them to recover at home and get the care they need.

"I want to thank our dedicated and hardworking health heroes who are continuing to provide world class healthcare for the Mackay community."

Mackay HHS Chief Executive Susan Gannon commented that "the Post Operative Discharge Support Service (PODSS) at Mackay Base Hospital has been a great success and is helping to not only relieve pressure on our busy Emergency Department, but also provide better support for patients as they recover from surgery.

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Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert with Mackay HHS Chief Executive Susan Gannon and Mackay base hospitals clinical nurse consultants, Chelsea Presley and Erin Sherry. Photo Credit Hannah McNamara

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Dunes Harbour Beach isn’t just a beach destination - it’s a growing vibrant community nestled right on Mackay Harbour, offering a lifestyle that feels like a holiday, every day against a backdrop of stunning coastal vistas.
One of their standout events is the free Beachside Breakfast which kicked off at the end of May, drawing beach lovers for a delicious bacon and egg roll catered by Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club and barista-made coffee by Deja Brew Café and Catering. Plus, there’s free face painting for the kids, ensuring fun for the whole family.
Community is paramount at Dunes. The Beachside Breakfast successfully unified people whilst supporting local organisations like Phoenix Place Inc., who are dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to lead the life they choose. Initiatives, such as Deja Brew Coffee van, provide work opportunities and foster inclusion.
“Our aim is to support the flourishing community at Dunes Harbour Beach and encourage both locals and visitors to embrace the coastal lifestyle that’s right on their doorstep. Events like Yoga By the Beach and the upcoming Tunes in the Dunes provide opportunities for well-being and social interaction fostering a sense of belonging.
“Our community embodies the essence of what makes a place truly feel like home. With breathtaking scenery right here in our backyard, there’s every reason to take the short 10-minute drive from town and experience it for yourself!” said Lori Kersten, Marketing Manager at Dunes Harbour Beach.
Everyone’s welcome whether you’re a resident or visitor, Dunes Harbour Beach invites you to explore coastal living and join in at their next Beachside Breakfast this month. Mark your calendars—it's going to be a morning not to miss!
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Start Date: Sunday, 23 June 2024
Time: 8am – 11am
Location: Dunes Harbour Beach, Sol Drive next to the Community Square.

Registration is essential for catering. Please visit the website to register: http://www.dunesharbourbeach.com.au/community-and-events

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The Whitsunday Anglican School STEAM Centre, designed by BSPN Architecture, made an impressive impact at the North Queensland Regional Architecture Awards in Townsville last weekend.

The STEAM Centre was officially unveiled on the 23rd of May at Whitsunday Anglican School and has since marked a significant milestone for education within the Mackay region.

A first for the Mackay and Whitsunday region, the world-class facility is available for students from Kindergarten to Year 12, placing them at the forefront of innovative, future-focused education. 

The Centre triumphed for the Mackay region with three prestigious accolades: the esteemed Walter and Oliver Tunbridge Award for Building of the Year, a highly regarded Regional Commendation for Educational Architecture, and the beloved People’s Choice Award. These honours celebrate the STEAM Centre's exceptional design and its significant contribution to innovative education for the future.

Designed in partnership with BSPN Architects, Whitsunday Anglican School and the University of Melbourne, the research-driven building was designed to foster creativity, collaboration, flexibility and innovation.

The Centre was designed to link in with the region’s industry strengths and provide students with critical skills for the future in STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Design, and Mathematics. It will educate students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

The building features scientific laboratories, extended experimentation investigation laboratories, innovative learning environments, idea-generating pods, learning commons, incubators, maker spaces and a tertiary inspired library.

Whitsunday Anglican School Principal, Mr Andrew Wheaton praised BSPN Architect and project lead Bretton Watson, Fergus Builders, and the school staff, for bringing the School's vision to life.

“From its inception, the school had the vision to design a cutting-edge, research driven educational building that will inspire innovative teaching and learning into the future, that creates the skills of tomorrow, enabling our students, to confidently navigate a dynamic world, where the only constant is change.

“Our exceptional teachers who support our students on their learning journey, set strong foundations over many years to ensure our students continue to grow and be the best version of themselves.

“The STEAM Centre will play a critical role in the future of our School, and this represents just the beginning of a new future at Whitsunday Anglican,” Mr Wheaton said.

Bretton Watson, project lead at BSPN Architecture said the STEAM Centre design stands as a catalyst for intellectual curiosity and achievement, transcending conventional educational paradigms to establish a dynamic learning hub that empowers students, faculty, and the wider school community as active participants in the pursuit of knowledge and innovation.

“It is always a rewarding fulfilment to not only see the building and its spaces used as intended but also how the students and staff can find other opportunities on how to learn and collaborate beyond expectation,” Mr Watson said.

Whitsunday Anglican School proudly continues to affirm itself as Queensland’s top academic regional school, and the STEAM Centre is just the start of the School and BSPN’s revitalisation plans for the school campus into the future.

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Whitsunday Anglican School launched the regions first STEAM centre, with an aim to equip students with a future-focused education. 
 
Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox with Whitsunday Anglican School Captains. Photo Credit: Hannah McNamara  
 

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Queensland Police Service issued an online announcement, later shared on a community Facebook page, seeking public assistance to locate the owners of a lost mobile phone.

QPS said that on May 22, police from Mackay came into possession of a mobile phone (iPhone 15) at a location in Glenella and it was suspected of being a stolen item.

Efforts were made to identify the owners of the phone found by the police, with the aim of returning it to its rightful owner. When the phone was powered up, an image was displayed on the home screen and police encouraged anyone with information regarding the image or the phone's ownership to contact the Mackay police station.

Not long after, Queensland Police Service reported a positive outcome, stating, "We need to thank you all for your help - the owner of the mobile phone referred to in the release below has come forward and been identified to police." They expressed gratitude for the community's assistance, adding, "Great for it to happen this way, even better to see it happen so quickly, thank you."

With the cooperation of the community, the phone was successfully returned to its rightful owner, ensuring a swift and successful outcome.

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Image displayed on the lost phone. Image sourced

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Care Kitchen was founded in 2014 as a cooking school for adults with a disability. Each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday you will find six amazing participants achieving some outstanding results, preparing, cooking and presenting a wide variety of dishes using a range of cooking methods.

The point of difference is that all of this is done from a professional outlook and the participants proudly wear a chef’s uniform.

So, what does a typical day look like? Weighing, sifting, beating, baking, cooling, slicing, chopping, measuring, stir frying, stewing, roasting… the list goes on. Include a lot of respect, chatter and laughs, cleaning rosters, morning tea and lunch breaks as well as presenting our finished dishes.

Care Kitchen dishes are varied, from simple stir-fries to beef wellingtons, scones to lemon meringue, pies and rum cakes and even toffee apples and dagwood dogs for show week.

Wherever possible, recipes are started from scratch or from the basics to minimise the use of convenience products.

Each day crews at Care Kitchen are incidentally learning life skills and gaining lifelong friends.

This unique organisation is not for profit and the committee is run by volunteers, where the instructors are qualified chefs and some of the participants have their own independent support workers alongside them in class. Most crews are supported by their NDIS plans.

Unfortunately, Care Kitchen is currently doing it a little tough and are finding it difficult to source instructors and committee members.

If you would like to be part of this amazing organisation please give it some consideration, check Care Kitchen out on Facebook and if you are interested… president Peter can be contacted on 0418755331.

Join the team today and embark on a rewarding role at Care Kitchen Mackay.

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Four former Mackay school students are all smiles about returning to the region and doing their final year dentistry placement at Mackay Base Hospital.

Jael Mezieres, Carly Featherstone, Lauren Pearson and Aditya (Adi) Suvarna all attended primary and high school in Mackay and are now in their fifth year of studying a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in Cairns. They are part of a group of eight students in their final week of a four-month placement in the dental unit at Mackay Base Hospital.

Jael, who is originally from Zambia and moved to Mackay with her family aged five, attended Mackay Christian College and St Patrick's College for Year 11 and 12.

Coming from a large family including six brothers, Jael always knew she would pursue a career in healthcare.

"I always had a passion for science and thought I’d do either medicine or dentistry - it's science but with people and doing something where you are helping and serving people."

Carly Featherstone is excited to be working and learning in the dental unit of the hospital in which she was born. She lived in Moranbah until she was 10 before moving to the Pioneer Valley, completing her schooling at Mirani State Primary and State High Schools.

"I undertook a school-based traineeship and completed a Certificate 3 in Dental
Assisting which enabled me to work at a practice in Marian two days a week while still finishing high school," Carly said.

Her years of work experience solidified her decision to return to study and earn her degree in dentistry. Placement in regional areas complemented her clinical knowledge and helped build skills, experience and attitude to become competent dentist.

"I'd really like to return and work in regional areas as there's still a lot of stigma about going to the dentist," Carly said.

Adi, who attended St Francis Xavier Primary School for Years 5 to 7 and then Mercy College for years 8-9, originally moved to Mackay from Scotland with his parents who are both doctors. His father worked as an orthopaedic surgeon at Mackay Base Hospital.

After the family moved to Townsville, Adi completed a biomedical degree at JCU Townsville in physiology and pharmacology with a focus on research. In his third year and while studying genetics, his interest in dentistry was piqued by an oral cavity unit.

"I'm very excited to actually start work as a dentist - it's been a very long eight years of studying," he said.

"Having lived in India, England, Scotland, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns, I really don't mind where I end up."

The trio were thrilled to be back in Mackay working beside and learning from the
"fantastic team" in the MBH dental unit.

"It's a fantastic place to learn from people who are very keen to help teach you. They are all so approachable and very helpful," Carly said.

Lauren Pearson says “being in the dentistry industry is so flexible, it’s good money and I get to help so many people and I like the artistic side of it as well like restoring people’s smiles.

“Smiles are so important, so being able to help people like that is really interesting to me.”

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(Left to Right) Supervisor Nancy Thanki, Jael Mezieres, Carly Featherstone, Lauren Pearson and Aditya (Adi) Suvarna. Photo Credit: Hannah McNamara

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Shockingly, one in seven Australians experience social isolation and over one in six experience loneliness. That’s a 33% percent increase since 2012 with loneliness now declared as a global health epidemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Knowing this, Australians are being encouraged to engage in volunteering as a way to alleviate the impacts of social isolation and make a real difference in the lives of those in the community who are in need.

Orange Sky is a not-for-profit organisation that provides free laundry services and free showers to those experiencing homelessness.

Luke is Mackay’s youngest Orange Sky Volunteer and began volunteering with Orange Sky when he was just eighteen years old with a passion for interacting with people and making others feel heard.

“I always find the best part is talking to them, making them feel heard and just listening to them, and actually treating them as you would anyone else,” Luke said.

“I started because I wanted to help others out but I didn’t realise how much of an effect it would have on me.

William is another young local hero who also volunteers alongside the Orange Sky service with his schools breaky van, and wants to volunteer with Orange Sky once he graduates school.

While volunteering often involves flipping eggs and bacon at the breaky van, William says he loves creating “an immediate, real impact with people.”

“I just love having conversations with people while I cook for them.”

“The breaky van is a great way to get involved in the community and make an impact, and although it may be small there are major benefits and you learn a lot along the way.”

Orange Sky Co-Founder and CEO, Lucas Patchett says volunteering has the ability to bring together people from all walks of life, helping them to develop bonds founded in commonality.

“Our volunteers participated in nearly 90,000 hours of conversation last year – this is 90,000 hours of building bonds and forming tangible, and long-lasting connections.”

For more information, visit orangesky.org.au.

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William volunteers with his school breaky van and hopes to continue after he graduates.
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Luke began volunteering with Orange Sky when he was just eighteen years old and tries to find time whenever he can between his Uni studies to volunteer at Orangesky. Images supplied.

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Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, has welcomed the announcement that China will lift its ban on Australian beef exports.

“This is a positive step for Australian beef farmers and producers, with the suspension of five of the bans being lifted immediately,” said Mr Willcox.

“China has always been a valued trading partner for Australian agriculture which is a trade dependent sector, exporting more than 70% of what we produce.

“My concern now is the workforce shortages that our farmers are facing.”

With Australian farmers currently working at just 60 to 70 per cent capacity, Mr Willcox said the Ag Visa desperately needs to be reinstated.

“I welcome the discussion to reinstate the Ag Visa to allow foreign workers into Australia at the right quantities and in the right places, while still having a commonsense migration policy,” he said.

“Myself, along with my National Party colleagues, will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our Australian farmers and our beef industry.”

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As Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations continue between Wilmar Sugar Australia and its relevant employees and their respective Union representatives, Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables (QCAR) has urged parties to take negotiations “off-line” to enable season commencement to proceed with urgency.
With its collective member organisations representing approximately 20% of the sugarcane farmers and 15% of the total sugarcane production in Australia, QCAR CEO Stephen Ryan said the organisation is immensely concerned about its third-party risk and exposure from what has transpired during the latest round of negotiations.
“We (QCAR) represent our members, and the most important thing for our members is to have those mills open on time, running properly with maximum mill availability, and to have an orderly season and a timely finish so that next year’s crop isn’t deleteriously impacted,” Mr Ryan said.
“We empathise with all sides and positions, but we would like to see the parties take this off-line.
“Why can’t we take advantage of the good weather, get the season underway, keep all the towns humming and negotiate to the side?
“We don’t want the harvest season used as a bargaining chip.”
Industry trends show that Australian sugarcane production is expected to grow at 2.3% and opportunity growth is estimated at $3.6 billion over the next five years.  
Mr Ryan said for the Australian sugar industry to achieve this, the industry will rely heavily on the nation’s largest sugar cane processor, Wilmar Sugar Australia, to be optimally operating at exceptionally high levels of reliability and productivity.
He said a delayed sugar production season will have negative impacts on various aspects of the community, industry and supply chain.
“It puts pressure on everybody so we’ll either experience a compressed season to the extent that it’s able to be compressed, which can raise issues around cost and health and safety, but more often it means that the season gets pushed back and that negatively impacts next year’s crop,” he said.
“People are stressed and nervous to varying degrees, depending on what part of the supply chain or community they are, but obviously if this keeps going, it’s going to affect a wide variety of stakeholders.
“There are hidden impacts, but they are there.”
Whilst QCAR has no intentions of entering into the debate and detail of the negotiations and empathises with the difficulty of balancing the tension between an employer wanting to increase their profits versus a worker’s right to be properly remunerated for their efforts, Mr Ryan said the organisation and its members does have concerns and encourages the parties to rapidly settle their impasses.
“The restoration of industry stakeholder harmony is a strong part of QCAR’s mission towards Securing a Stronger Future.
“We desire to see, once again, the days where the sugar mill was the most desirable and esteemed career prospect in a local community which would set the highest calibre of standards in terms of employee performance and remuneration.”

QCAR’s Concerns
   1. An urgent need to take advantage of a currently available dry start to the 2024 season.
   2. Impaired Business Cashflows across all stakeholders.
   3. Wilmar’s advice that their Sugarcane milling factory performance and availability has been severely compromised in recent years due to the retreating of good, experienced operators and trades personnel and their inability to secure and retain such skilled labour.
   4. The dispute which has spilt into the public arena.
   5. Our members being directly impacted by the current industrial action.
   6. Short and longer-term industry sustainability risks through reduced productivity and profitability.
   7. Industry Mental health and well-being, being linked to concerns that this may create an increased expectation on industry partners potentially causing unintended consequences, particularly where fatigue becomes unmanageable in attempting to fill the void.
   8. Conjecture of a Mass Employee “Walk-out” because of this dispute.
   9. A legitimate fear of a repeat of the dark and disastrous 2010 season, where industrial action prevented a timely start-up during fine weather, eventuating in a season of a supply collapse when untimely wet weather set-in.

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Innovative automation technology has been developed at the Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre to revolutionise the soil-scanning process vital for effective planning in broadacre cropping planning.

For a long time, electro-magnetic survey scanning has been a cornerstone in soil variability detection, analysing salinity, water, and clay levels.

Traditionally, this method relied on a scanning sled towed by an all-terrain vehicle, offering insights crucial for informed agricultural decisions and land management strategies.

However, in a possible world-first, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries team at the Smart Cropping Centre has developed an automated scanning process.

The innovation has the potential to save hundreds of hours on-farm, freeing farmers, staff and resources for other tasks.

The system they have developed brought together SwarmRobot Sunny and an ElectroMagnetic (EM) 38 Survey Unit and analysis service provided by Data Farming, two of Queensland’s stand-out AgTech and Innovation companies.

Alicia Dunbar, the senior innovation broker at the Queensland Smart Cropping Centre commented on the profound impact of this innovation for farmers in enhancing drought resilience and optimising farm agronomy.

She highlighted the potential integration of this technology into autonomous robots like SwarmBots, which continuously generate highly accurate soil and moisture maps in real time.

"The impact of this innovation for farmers to better manage drought conditions and overall farm agronomy is huge," she said.

"We can see this becoming a standard add-on to autonomous robots such as SwarmBots that are continually building hyper-accurate soil and moisture maps in real time.

Dunbar emphasised that these units provide a non-invasive, efficient, and precise method for assessing and monitoring soil properties.

"These units offer a non-invasive, efficient and precise means of assessing and monitoring soil properties and we’re excited to work with industry to make this a widespread tool for producers.

"The technology supports our research and production systems including soil salinity assessment, soil texture and structure analysis, soil moisture content, mapping soil depth and guiding our soil sampling efforts.

"The Smart Cropping Centre in Emerald is producing real-world results, propelling our research capabilities to better manage the uncertainties of the future in broadacre cropping that will help our famers to be more productive and more profitable."

The Smart Farm Initiative supports the delivery of our AgTech Roadmap, through taking innovative solutions and making them a reality for industry.

To read more about the Roadmap, visit https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/news-media/campaigns/agtech/about/strategy/roadmap

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Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre has developed a world-first soil-scanning process that is set to potentially revolutionise the future for farmers. Image supplied.

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By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay

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 The Plane Creek milling area produces sugar cane as economically and sustainably, and equal or better quality than any region along the Queensland coastline. And that is something to celebrate!
200 people in The Plane Creek growing community came together at Koumala Community Hall last Friday evening (May 31) for the annual Plane Creek Productivity Awards, presented by Plane Creek Productivity Services Ltd (PCPSL).
While many of the awards are based on who is producing the highest tonnes of sugar per hectare (TSH), there are also awards that acknowledge excellence in harvesting performance, sustainability practices, and emerging talent and leadership among younger growers and harvesters across the district.
To determine the overall district productivity award winners, there are awards for the growers producing highest TSH in each of the 13 zones across Plane Creek. This data then tells who the Best Producer of the Season and winner of the Arthur Gardner Shield is; the Best Producer over five years; and the Cane Growing Excellence Award, which goes to the grower highest above average in their Zone. The grower with the Highest Average Relative CCS is also acknowledged.
You might be thinking “What’s the difference between TSH and CCS?  TSH -Tonnes of sugar per hectare is the total tonnes of sugar made for each hectare on the farm, usually taken as an average across the farm. CCS – or Commercial Cane Sugar- is the measure in percentage of the sucrose that is able to be extracted from a grower’s supplied cane. It’s a number worked from a sampling and analysis system at the mill and will vary for the grower across the season, depending on the time of the season (cool, dry weather = higher CCS), the variety, and soil conditions in the paddock. 
Productivity is one of the most important parts of farming- it drives profitability, but celebrating the growers who can really produce a great crop is important. No-one gets into growing cane to win awards, but there is a lot to learn from growers with high productivity achieved within sustainable systems. It makes you think, as a farmer: what can I learn and do better myself? How can I achieve results like that also? As an industry, we are trying to produce more but with less inputs. If someone is achieving good results sustainably, then there is something to learn there, it gives us something to take note of, and aspire to. It’s the start of a conversation between growers about how we can improve productivity.
The event also gives local businesses the opportunity to highlight their part in the process of producing a crop by sponsoring the awards. We would like to thank all those sponsors along with the Koumala State School P&C for their great catering and excellent decoration of the hall on the night. 

SIDEBAR BOX- Winners list
Major Awards:
Arthur Gardner Shield: Best Producer for the Season - Hindle & Co Family Trust (16.37 TSH)
Best Producer over 5 years: Average of best farms over 5 years - FG & JR Axiak (15.64 TSH)
Cane Growing Excellence Award - FG & JR Axiak (15.72 TSH – 31% above Mt Christian Zone Average)
Highest Average Rel. CCS by Farm – Jackson’s Farming (15.59 CCS)
Next Generation Grower – Jake Antoney Galea
Best Harvesting Group - Gerard Axiak
Jim Pedersen Sustainable Management Award – WF Garnham and Son
Zone Winners:
Plane Creek – PD and MM McDougall (9.82 TSH)
Dawlish – JFM & R Muscat (13.01 TSH)
Main Line – Quattromani Farming (13.51 TSH)
Cliftonville – Jake Antoney Galea (13.11 TSH)
Yukan Zone – MP & MM Borg (13.68 TSH)
Koumala Zone – Sangal Holdings (14.62TSH)
Bolingbroke Zone – MR &TJ Sleeman (12.65 TSH)
Turnors Paddock Zone – KA & HM Malone (14.69 TSH)
Mt Christian Zone – FG & JR Axiak (15.72 TSH)
Ilbilbie Zone – JJ &JM Quattromani (13.54 TSH)
West Hill Zone – Hindle & Co Family Trust (16.37 TSH)
Carmila West Zone - Hindle & Co Family Trust (14.6 TSH)
Carmila Zone - Hindle & Co Family Trust (14.37 TSH)

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CANEGROWERS Mackay Chairman Kevin Borg and District Manager Michelle Martin.

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