Council is investing $128 million into its capital assets as part of the 2023-2024 capital budget, with a strong focus on roads, drainage and improving drinking water quality in regional areas.

That figure will include $58 million on renewing existing assets, $20 million on upgrades and $50 million on new assets.

Mayor Greg Williamson said council managed a diverse range of infrastructure assets valued at $3.7 billion and was responsible for the construction, upgrade and renewal of these assets.

“One of the largest capital outlays for the coming budget will be $21.5 million in drainage works, including the South Mackay Levee, Pioneer Levee (Rivers Edge to Heaths Rd) and Sarina northern trunk drainage upgrade,” Mayor Williamson said.

“These vital works will ensure we are prepared for extreme weather events,” he said.

“We are also investing a significant $6.5 million to improve drinking water quality in regional areas.

“This will include the $2.5 million Bloomsbury Water Supply Scheme and water quality improvement projects at Eton, Calen and Sarina.”

Chief Executive Officer Scott Owen said council’s 2023-2024 budget aims to deliver high-quality services and infrastructure while ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

“This year’s capital works program is one of the largest to date and focuses on improving the region’s infrastructure and amenities,” Mr Owen said.

“We have allocated funds to continue with the planning and implementation of sustainability and urban greening initiatives that will offer long-term savings to council,” he said.

“Including $220,000 to start an electric vehicle trail for our passenger fleet and investigate the transition to LED street lighting with Ergon.”

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REVEALING COUNCIL’S
BLUEPRINT FOR GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY

- Mackay Regional Council Unveils $420 Million Budget

- ORGANISATIONAL REALIGNMENT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE

- Council Balances Ambitious Projects With Long-Term Financial Sustainability

- COUNCIL APPROVES RATES RISE IN FINELY TUNED BUDGET

- CAPITAL BUDGET INVESTS HEAVILY IN DRAINAGE AND REGIONAL WATER QUALITY

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Mackay Base Hospital's Future Funding Relief

By Amanda Wright

Navigating the labyrinthine car parks of Mackay Base Hospital has been a nightmarish ordeal for patients, visitors, and staff alike. But the days of this hellish game of hunting are now numbered, with the State Government announcing last week that its vision for a revitalised health haven for Mackay has been backed by more than $600M from its budget announcements, which includes plans for a multi-storey car parking building.

The drawback to easier parking access is that it will come at a cost to users, with the facility being government owned and operated. The cost per day isn’t yet confirmed, however Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick indicated it would be more than $10 per day.

“In our most recent public hospitals it’s been a maximum of $13 per day,” the Treasurer said.

Preliminary work and analysis have already begun to ensure that future car parking demand and access needs for staff, patients and visitors to the health facility is met. Treasurer Dick said the first step will be community consultation and the planning will take approximately one year, then once construction begins it will take around two years to complete.

Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said she had first hand experience navigating Mackay Base Hospital’s car park in search of a space and welcomed the Treasurer’s commitment to easing the issue for staff, patients and visitors of the public health facility.

“There are people who are frail who can’t park down the road like I had to today, they need access to closer parking spaces,” she said.

“I have been advocating for this for many years so it’s exciting to see it happening in health across our district.”

Mackay Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive Susan Gannon said that the hospital’s staff, patients and visitors will be incredibly happy to know there is an end in sight to the facility’s car parking challenges.

“We know on some days it can be hard to find a park, particularly when we have big specialist outpatient clinics, and that this is frustrating for everyone,” she said.

The car park will boast over 1,000 spaces, with a provision of $75 million allocated in this year's budget for its construction costs.

The eagerly anticipated project seeks to significantly augment the existing capacity and fortify the $256.1 million expansion and enhancement plans for the Mackay Hospital site. With completion scheduled for 2026, the expansion aims to accommodate the growing demand for healthcare services by incorporating 128 new patient beds across specialised paediatric, medical, and surgical wards.

Treasurer Dick said that car parking is the last thing patients and visitors to hospitals should be worried about.

“A new multi-storey car park at the Mackay Base Hospital will make life easier for the local community, while supporting jobs during construction,” he said.

Ms Gilbert added that it’s great to see another investment in the Mackay Base Hospital.

“We have already announced the $256.1 million expansion and improvement to the hospital site, and the new car park will make it easier for the community to use this facility,” she said.

Ms Gannon added that the demand for car parking has steadily increased as the hospital brought on new services, which in turn means they are employing more doctors, nurses and support staff.

“As we provide an increasing amount of care for our community and build an additional 128 beds, this demand will only grow,” she said.

“I acknowledge that construction will create additional parking pressures so the health service will now start to consider mitigation strategies such as off-site parking to minimise this disruption.”

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State Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick, MP Charis Mullen and Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert announced funding for a multi-storey car park for Mackay Base Hospital

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Chances Op Shop have turned to Facebook to thank some recent donors, including Councillor Martin Bella who orchestrated the donation of a whole beast.

“Cr. Marty Bella came to us a few weeks ago with an idea,” the Facebook post read.

“He wanted to purchase a beast for us through generous donations from people he knew, most of whom were farmers or in the agriculture industry.”

“We are so grateful to all of the people involved in making this possible.

“Meat is one of our largest costs and this donation will go a long, long way.”

Chances Op Shop have also recently shared their gratitude to Country Women's Association Mackay for their donation of $200, Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert who donated 15 pizzas for a State of Origin night, and the ladies at Scope Mackay for their donation of lightweight swags.

The op shop serves as a fundraising initiative of Australian Street Aid Project, utilising the funding from the op shop to provide essential homelessness services.

Offering a daily breakfast and lunch service, homelessness healthcare, a drop-in lounge, essential items and more, Australian Street Aid Project aims to promote dignity and positive social interactions in an inclusive and welcoming environment which enables people to exit the cycle of homelessness and increases their chances of leading a fulfilling life following their homelessness experience.

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Councillor Martin Bella organised the donation of a beast to Chances Op Shop. Photo supplied

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When Tanell Thomsett noticed her nine-year-old daughter, Millie, was feeling unwell one Friday night, she initially thought it was just a common virus. However, by Sunday, it became clear that Millie's condition was more serious. She was quickly rushed to Mackay Base Hospital via ambulance for urgent medical attention.

“Being a typical mum of three children I just thought she had a tummy bug or something,” Ms Thomsett said.

“We had gone out of town for the weekend, but once we got back to Mackay I realised she was really sick,” she said.

After thorough testing, doctors determined that Millie was likely suffering from a kidney infection, which required her to stay at Mackay Base Hospital for five nights. Reflecting on that challenging week, Ms Thomsett shared, "Lots of antibiotics, sleepless nights, and high temperatures."

Ms Thomsett stayed by Millie’s side for two nights in hospital before discovering the Ronald McDonald House Family Room.

“It was so comforting to know you had people here to help you out,” Ms Thomsett said.

Amidst the difficulties, the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Mackay Base Hospital played a pivotal role in alleviating the burden for Ms Thomsett, Millie, and their entire family.

Ms Thomsett expressed her gratitude, saying, "It was just amazing. My husband would bring the kids up at night after they had finished work and sport. We were able to eat as a family and spend time together. I was able to see our other two kids, and they were able to see their sister."

The volunteers at the Ronald McDonald Family Room made a significant impact on the family's experience.

Ms Thomsett praised their dedication, saying, "They were amazing. They washed my clothes for me. I walked in with a bag of clothes, and they said, 'here, we'll do that, sit on the couch, have a nap'."

One volunteer, Ruby, stood out in particular for helping distract Millie from her medical ordeal. Ms Thomsett recalled, "It was so beautiful to see young Ruby in there when we went over one afternoon just to get a break from being in the hospital. She sat there and played Minecraft with Millie, and I was very grateful for that because I don't understand video games at all!"

Fortunately, Millie has made a full recovery and no longer requires antibiotics. Ms Thomsett expressed her relief, stating, "We're finally off antibiotics, which we're very happy about. Hopefully, we don't have to use the amazing service again, but we're so grateful it's there if we do."

After experiencing the invaluable support of the Ronald McDonald Family Room, Ms Thomsett is now urging the community to consider donating to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) North Australia this tax time. She exclaimed, "If you ever wonder where to make a donation, it's definitely to this amazing charity!"

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Millie Thomsett at Mackay Base Hospital

Millie and brother Eli (12 years old) playing video games in the Ronald McDonald House Family Room

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By Sam Gillespie

For one afternoon a year, Therese Russell and her sister Grace invite friends and supporters to the riverbanks of Dumbleton for their annual afternoon tea and cent sale.

It’s an opportunity for friends to get together for a wholesome afternoon in the outdoors while raising much needed funds for cancer research and treatment.

The sisters have been hosting the event for 21 years and Therese estimated over $30,000 has been raised in that time.

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve been donating to the McGrath Foundation because we like the idea of nurses who go out and help women who’ve had breast cancer and their families,” Therese said.

It’s become an event that people look forward to every year.

“It’s our supporters who keep us going, the people who come along, donate prizes and enjoy the afternoon, plus we like to do something for charity,” Therese said.

“We really appreciate the support we get from businesses and the individuals that come.”

Hosting this year’s event at the start of June, Therese and Grace welcomed donations from businesses and supporters for a raffle and cent sale, raising over $2,500 for the McGrath Foundation.

Therese said the sisters started hosting the morning 21 years ago after family members were affected by cancer.

“What we have to do for one afternoon a year is nothing compared to the suffering people go through with cancer treatment,” she said.

“That’s what drives me every year.

“You want your house to look nice, you want your garden to look nice and I stop and think, ‘Anybody who’s going through cancer would much rather be doing what I’m doing than go through what they’re going through.’”

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Therese and Grace

More than $2,500 was raised at the annual afternoon tea and cent sale in June. Photos supplied

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The Post-Footy Journey Of Steve Jackson

By Sam Gillespie

He’s known for scoring one of the most famous grand final tries in rugby league history and after almost three decades of owning Lenard’s franchise's post-footy career, Steve Jackson has announced his candidacy for Mayor of Mackay.

Jackson was born in Mackay in 1965, growing up in a sporty family where weekends were spent playing rugby league, soccer, basketball and Australian rules, before he made the decision to pursue rugby league at the age of 14.

Playing representative football throughout his junior years, he made his first-grade debut for Magpies in 1985 before getting the opportunity to sign with the Canberra Raiders in 1986.

Playing a series of reserve grade games under Wayne Bennett led him to achieving his lifelong dream of playing in a grand final.

“I used to watch grand finals since I was five years old in Mackay … here I was playing in the top league in the country in a grand final, so I wanted to give it everything I had,” he said.

Coming off the bench in the 1989 decider against the Balmain Tigers, Jackson scored a match-sealing try that has become a part of rugby league history.

With a 15-14 lead with mere minutes to go, Mal Meninga collected a desperate Balmain grubber and promoted the ball to Jackson who barged his way off defender after defender.

“All I can remember thinking was, ‘I can score a try in a grand final here,’ and I reached out, popped the ball down with my left hand, looked up and saw a young Bill Harrigan pointing his arm and blowing the whistle,” he recollected.

“I remember putting my head down, it was right on the try line, and I remember saying, ‘I made it, I made it, I made it.’

“It was a dream come true.”

Jackson’s career took him to Western Suburbs Magpies, Gold Coast Seagulls and State of Origin before injury forced him to retire in 1994.

He returned to Mackay in 1995, taking on a coaching position at Magpies, but faced a dilemma often experienced by footy players at the end of their careers.

“When I retired, I not only lost the game, I lost my wife, I lost my job, so I went from the penthouse to the outhouse in 12 months and it was a dark place for me,” he said.

“The resilience I learnt in rugby league got me through.”

At 32, Jackson remarried before opening Lenard’s Mount Pleasant in 1997 and purchasing Lenard’s Caneland Central in 2018.

“The business then saved me because there was a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

“What I’ve put in place from football is the same principles and discipline in my business.”

After 27 years in business, both poultry and real estate, Jackson welcomes his next challenge: running for Mayor of Mackay.

“Greg Williamson’s doing a fantastic job, but sometimes change might be needed and I believe Mackay is a sleeping giant,” he said.

Going from challenge to challenge and strength to strength, Jackson’s advice from someone who’s experienced it all is to always have a dream.

“If I’d have told people when I was 15 years old listening to State of Origin on the radio that I was going to play nine games for Queensland and play in a grand final they would’ve laughed at me,” he said.

“But look what happened.”

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Rugby League Legend, Lenard’s Franchisee and Mayoral Candidate Steve Jackson. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

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The Mackay Festival of Arts has begun and the first week will be packed with the soulful Jazz Brunch, awe-inspiring circus Le Coup, the hilarious High Tea with Booff and plenty more.

The first official festival event will transform the MECC into a high-energy spandex romp on Saturday, July 1.  Werk It by Circus Trick Tease is an adults-only circus event that is known for its sass, swagger, colour and acrobatic feats.  

The Friends of the MECC Jazz Brunch, on Sunday, July 2, is a much more relaxed affair.

Mayor Greg Williamson said this year a sensational collaboration between Conjazz, the exceptional Australian jazz vocalist Gregg Arthur and renowned jazz pianist Peter Locke would have the crowd enthralled.

“And, of course, the array of delicious brunch delicacies never disappoints!” he said.

However, the Mayor said the hero event for the first week of the festival was the Whitsunday Wealth Festival Hub.

“The Civic Centre Precinct will transform into a hub of street food, craft beer and sensational entertainment from Monday, July 3, through to Sunday, July 9,” Mayor Williamson said.

“The shows at the Whitsunday Wealth Festival Hub are unlike anything we’ve had before,” he said.

“There’s a lot of excitement around having Le Coup in the Japanese-inspired Ukiyo tent.

“This is a show with a lot of really intense, death-defying stunts – they are swallowing swords, cracking whips and breathing fire.  

“It’s billed as ‘fight night at the circus’ and with the intimate atmosphere of the Ukiyo tent, audiences really will be ringside for the action.”

Festival and Events coordinator Sarah Porter said High Tea with Booff was also an intimate show – one that promised front row seats to every attendee.

“Each show has just 10 tickets; you are literally at a tea party with this eccentric, charming, larger-than-life character named Booff,” Ms Porter said.

“No two shows are the same – he goes off script, improvises and interacts with his audience in a way that is really original and hilarious,” she said.

“Grab your friends and come along, because High Tea with Booff is an experience you won’t forget in a hurry.”

Also on show at the Civic Precinct is a captivating digital animation projection.

Crossroad Arts and local new media artist Donna Maree Robinson facilitated a series of workshops with students and community members from all walks of life to create an animated artwork called ‘Time of our Lives’ that will be projected onto the façade of Artspace Mackay.

The artworks are the participant’s interpretation of how they mark time and special occasions and features original artworks by local botanical artist Kate Brunner.

Time of our Lives will be projected from 6pm to 8pm every evening from July 3 to July 9.

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Le Coup will be performing death-defying stunts in the Japanese-inspired Ukiyo tent as part of the Festival of Arts

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Inclement weather wasn’t going to get in the way of a successful Whitsunday STEM Challenge held in Mackay recently.

Seventeen teams had travelled from Goondiwindi, Bundaberg, Emerald, Sarina, Calen and Townsville to participate in the annual Pedal Prix race, which was called off on day two due to bad weather.

CQUniversity campus coordinator and secretary for Whitsunday STEM Challenge, Leanne Williams said 10 hours of racing at the Mackay Kart Track had been completed before the race had to be cancelled.

“That was sufficient time of racing for us to be able to finalise the winners,” Ms Williams said.

“There were over 200 people at the track to cheer on the students and the vibe was fantastic,” she said.  

“There was amazing teamwork from the students. One school lost a vehicle due to their steering snapping and another school had a lot of vehicles in the race and invited the team to join them!”  

Mackay Northern Beaches took out the senior boys’ trophy for the third year and Emerald took home three trophies including best school-built vehicle.  

The event formed part of the annual Festival of STEM (FoS) Challenge which is now in its fifth year.

General Manager of BMA’s Hay Point Coal Terminal, Linda Murry said BMA was proud to support the Festival of STEM, which encourages the next generation to consider STEM careers.

“During the festival students were exposed to STEM in a fun environment and learnt new skills from the various competitions,” Ms Murray said.  

“Programs like the Festival of STEM provide excellent insights into STEM career pathways for future generation of school leavers.”

More than 400 students registered to compete in the F1 in schools, drones and robotics competitions held later in the week.

Teams travelled from as far as Bowen and Townsville along with many students travelling from Sarina and the local high schools.

“This year the Whitsunday STEM committee has gifted robotic equipment to three different pioneer valley primary schools so they can learn new coding skills and compete in the Mackay competition,” Ms Williams said.

“Local sponsors joined CQUniversity to share career pathways with the students who attended.”

By CQUniversity

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Hundreds of students participated in the 2023 Whitsunday STEM Challenge and Pedal Prix

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By Amanda Wright

State Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick visited Mackay last week, to break down where an infrastructure spend of $623.4 million for the Mackay-Whitsunday region would happen, on top of the 2023-24 State Budget $613.1 million for the Mackay Hospital and Health Service.

After announcing the $75M provision in the budget to cover Mackay Base Hospital’s multi-level car parking building (as covered on page three), Treasurer Dick also visited the Resources Centre of Excellence to view plans for the Stage 2 development. He also spoke at the MECC as part of the Queensland Budget and Economic Outlook event co-hosted by the Greater Whitsunday Alliance and the Queensland Treasury and Trade and Investment Queensland before visiting council chambers to speak briefly at the start of the Mackay Regional Council’s annual budget meeting.

The lunch event held at the MECC was attended by more than 80 Mackay and Whitsunday government, industry and community leaders to hear from the Treasurer about the regional action plan for the Greater Whitsunday region after the 2023-2024 Queensland Budget announcement earlier in the month.

The Mackay event was one of a series of six visits by the Treasurer where he briefed attendees on the Queensland Budget and the Economic Outlook for the 2023-2024.

Speaking at council’s budget meeting, Treasurer Dick said that his presence at council and the councillor’s attendance at the economic outlook event at the MECC is an indication of the great partnership that exists between state government and local government.

“Our state government can not work without those effective and productive relationships,” the Treasurer said.

He wished the councillors well with their deliberations for the budget as he emphasised that when it comes to public entities, it is the people’s money that is being spent.

“The truth is, it’s not our money,” he said.

“I have a sign in my office, it’s a saying that my old father who has now passed used to say, ‘It’s other people’s money’, and you always have to remember that, to use it in a disciplined way for our people.”

The Treasurer said we can all take confidence in the great future that exists for Queensland and for Mackay, coming out of COVID better than anywhere else in the country.

“Record surplus, low debt profile and now giving back to the people with the biggest capital works program in our state’s history, $89B which is $30B more than our budget last year over the next four years.

“The future is bright in Queensland.”

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L-R Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert, Resources Centre of Excellence CEO Steven Boxall, Treasurer Hon. Cameron Dick and Assistant Minister for Treasury Charis Mullen look over Stage 2 plans for the Resources Centre of Excellence

Mayor Greg Williamson speaks with the Treasurer Hon. Cameron Dick and Assistant Minister for Treasury Charis Mullen at the MECC during the Queensland Budget and Economic Outlook event

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Heats Up Mackay

If you think you can handle your spice, Burger Urge is inviting you to put it to the test.

The gourmet burger chain launched the new Nashville Death Wish burger across its Mackay stores last month, featuring the sweat-inducing, tear-generating Aged Moruga Scorpion chilli which is considered one of the hottest chilies in the world, with a heat of 2 million Scoville heat units.

The hot new burger boasts a southern twist with hot fried chicken breast, jalapenos, pickles and crunchy slaw, covered in lashings of Nashville death sauce which Burger Urge executive chef, Joel Chrystal said transforms the burger into a beast.

“This is our fourth attempt at Australia’s hottest burger and over those five years, we’ve only ever seen a few crazy souls finish the whole thing so we’re excited to see which brave Aussies can tackle our hottest burger ever,” he said.

“It features what we’ve coined as Death Wish Sauce, made in collaboration with award winning local legends 13 Angry Scorpions; filled with aged Moruga Scorpion chillies which are a whopping 400 times hotter than the average jalapeno and more than 500 times than most tabasco sauce.”

While Burger Urge Mackay Back of House Crewmember Thja Gilbert hasn’t tried the burger, she said the sauce is very spicy.

“I like spice, but that level is ridiculous,” she said.

“Just the slightest bit … I tried it with a toothpick, put it on my tongue and it was instant.”

Claimed to be Australia’s most unfinishable burger, brave tasters of the new Death Wish are required to wear gloves, safety glasses, protective gear, and sign a safety waiver before tasting.

“If the customer can’t handle the spice, they can ask for a free glass of milk and milk is the only thing that will help,” Ms Gilbert said.

The hot new burger is available at Burger Urge Mackay and Andergrove until July 27.

The first 20 Bite Club members in each store to complete the burger will also receive an exclusive Death Wish keychain.

Ms Gilbert’s last words of encouragement?

“Good luck.”

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Burger Urge Mackay Back of House Crewmember says “good luck” to anyone trying the Nashville Death Wish burger. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

The Nashville Death Wish burger is claimed as Australia’s most unfinishable burger. Photo supplied

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A significant breakthrough has been made in the investigation into an alleged robbery incident that occurred on Parkland near Barnes Creek Road, just outside of Mackay, during the early morning hours of June 25. Two 14-year-old boys, who were camping at the site, were victims of the disturbing incident.

Mackay police reported that the boys were abruptly awakened from their sleep inside a tent by two men who were banging on the tent. Allegedly, one of the men threatened the boys with a knife, while the other physically assaulted one of them. The assailants then proceeded to steal belongings from inside the tent. The boys did not sustain any major injuries requiring medical attention.

As a significant development, a 29-year-old Beaconsfield man has been arrested in connection with the robbery. He has been charged with the following offenses:

Two counts of armed robbery

Unlawful possession of a drug utensil (waterpipe)

Unlawful possession of a dangerous drug (cannabis sativa)

At the time of print the alleged suspect was scheduled to appear in the Mackay Magistrates Court, where charges will be formally presented.

When assisting police with information regarding this incident, quote this reference number: QP2301046020.

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By Amanda Wright

For the sixth time in the past five years, foreshore plants at MacCarthy Street, Hay Point have been killed by what Mackay Regional Council has labelled as a “selfish act of vegetation vandalism”.

This time, 10 plants, ranging from previously replanted vegetation to mature she-oaks, have been killed, with the council saying there is clear evidence that granular herbicide was used. Vegetation vandalism has occurred at this site in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2022.

This is the sixth occurrence and is an extremely significant act of tree and vegetation vandalism, so council said it will be bringing the full weight of its Vegetation Vandalism Policy to bear.

Mayor Greg Williamson said serial vandalism of this nature was extremely disappointing.

“Council’s environmental ranger has investigated the site and conducted soil testing near the old boat ramp in front of 25 MacCarthy Street,” Mayor Williamson said.

“Two soil samples taken at the site, in 2022 and 2020, both tested positive for the same type of herbicide,” he said.

Mayor Williamson said that it was reckless behaviour causing environmental damage.

“When the coastal plants are removed, the soil and sand start to disappear, so when you get a cyclone or a large tidal influence on that piece that has nothing to hold the sand together, we’re going to get serious problems, as we’ve seen at Lamberts and McEwen’s beaches,” he said.

“These are the issues we’re dealing with and it’s ratepayers who are having to foot the bill.”

In accordance with the policy, council will be rebadging the current 1.8m x 3.6m billboard sign with a new design that states ‘These trees have been deliberately damaged by a selfish act of vandalism’ and that sign will remain in place for five years.

“We will also be placing a second billboard at the site and, once soil tests come back safe from the herbicide, we will be replanting three plants for every one vandalised,” Mayor Williamson added.

Mayor Williamson said that there was not enough evidence available to prove the identity of the person responsible for this act of vegetation vandalism.

“This incident alone is costing rate payers almost $6500, which is why we’re saying to the community, please get on board with this, come and tell us who these perpetrators are so we can speak with them.

“It’s about protecting a beach environment that the community wants to use and love, yet someone is sacrificing this just to get a view.

“This is just not on.”

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Mackay Regional Council will be reskinning the sign in the vandalised location in Hay Point and, once the soil is safe, three plants will be replanted for every one killed

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The streets of Mackay are set to become a magical, fairy light-filled wonderland.

FireFly Lighting, on behalf of council, will be installing fairy lights in the centre median gardens along Wood and Victoria streets over the next few weeks.

15 palm trees and three street trees will be illuminated as part of the project, said Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson.

“We have received a number of requests from local businesses to increase the number of illuminated trees in the City Centre,” Mr Williamson said.

“The fairy lights will help create an inviting and ambient atmosphere for residents and visitors supporting City Centre restaurants and businesses and they will improve safety in the area.

“The lights will also complement the recent public realm work completed as part of the Mackay Waterfront project and will improve the street appeal of the CBD as a whole.”

Due to safety requirements and machinery movements, the installation of the fairy lights will require road closures.

Pedestrian access will not be affected and laneways will be accessible via traffic controllers onsite.

The works will be completed in four stages to reduce impacts to businesses in the area between the hours of 7am and 5pm and road closures will be in place during working hours only.

The taxi rank in Wood Street will also be temporarily moved to the overflow taxi rank in the centre median strip on Wood Street during the works.

Visit www.connectingmackay.com.au/city-centre-fairy-light-installation for further information.

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FireFly Lighting has completed light installation projects across Queensland. Photo supplied: FireFly Lighting

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Take the Free Bowel Screen Test Today

Leigh Stoodley knows just how important it is to complete a bowel screen test.

The 59-year-old Koumala resident had a section of her bowel removed in 2015 and was back for an endoscopy procedure last year for investigation following positive bowel screen results.

On both occasions she experienced no symptoms or abnormalities prior to screening.

June was Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and Leigh is urging people not to ignore their free Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) bowel screening home test kit when it arrives in the mail from the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.

“I was 50 when I received my first test kit and I didn’t do it. I put it away thinking I would do it another day and then forgot about it,” she said.

“During a visit to my doctor I was asked if I had completed my test and I said I had received it but no I hadn’t done it.

“He said it was very important and that I needed to do the test. I completed a test and not long after I was notified with a positive result that required a colonoscopy for further investigation.”

All eligible Australians between the ages of 50 and 74 are invited by the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program every two years to do the screening test.

Leigh said after undergoing surgery on her bowel in 2015 she was nervous about what the colonoscopy in 2022 would reveal.

“Going into theatre and being in recovery was quite traumatic as I was afraid what the result would be,” she said.

“Receiving the news that some polyps were found but were non-cancerous was a huge relief for me and my family.

“I am now on five-year colonoscopy checks to keep on top of any changes.”

Gastroenterology nurse coordinator Tania Mattinson said the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program aims to reduce deaths from bowel cancer by detecting the early signs of the disease.

“Screening using a FOBT can detect blood from pre-cancerous polyps in the early stages of bowel cancer and when identified early, 90% of cases can be successfully treated,” she said.

“Regular screening is important, so take the free bowel cancer test – it could save your life.”

Leigh now encourages people to complete the test and monitor their health for any symptoms.

“It is a free service that’s not hard to do and, importantly, it provides early detection, please use it,” Leigh said.

By Mackay Hospital and Health Service

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Tania Mattinson with Leigh Stoodley

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