Two 13-year-old Bowen school girls are setting a fine pace for other youngsters in the region by running a successful business that, over the past four years, has paid for holidays and set themselves up for good savings.

Katie Austin and Casey Holt first started creating handmade earrings at Katie’s birthday party when they were nine years old, and it wasn’t long before a hobby morphed into a profitable side business.

The colourful resin earrings proved so popular with friends and family that Katie and her friend Grace started a small market stall under a carport at home.

Before long they began attending the markets and holding a stall there as well, naming the business K&G Jewellery.

Unfortunately, Grace was unable to commit enough time to the business, so she graciously stepped down allowing their other friend, Casey, to become the new business partner.

The girls agreed to keep the name the same though.

Katie and Grace have now become a well-known supplier of local earrings, with Katie’s mum Victoria saying that now “every business in Bowen owns a pair of custom-made earrings!”

The girls take orders from around town and can even complete branded commissions.

And at $2 per pair, the community snaps them up!

While $2 sounds like a modest amount, however, Katie says she has saved every cent and put it to good use.

The profits from earring sales have paid for the girls to go on holiday to Daydream Island and flights down to Brisbane to watch the ballet.

“When I’m 16 I’d like to buy a pink sparkly jet ski!” said Katie.

Proud mum, Victoria said she gets emotional when she thinks about how far they have come – “people often say to me that they’ve watched the girls grow up before their eyes!” she said.

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Katie Austin and Casey Holt from K&G Jewellery. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Officer Natasha Marshall is no newcomer to youth support, traveling to Bowen PCYC from Rockhampton, to relieve holidaying Sergeant Michelle O’Regan.

However, she is not alone, bringing her nine-year-old Maremma cross Border Collie named Winston along for the ride.

“He loves it, he comes with me on the bus-run in the morning, picking up kids for school,” said Officer Marshall.

“They jump on and give him a hug and a pat. … He gets lots of pats from a lot of people every day.”

Back home in Rockhampton, Officer Marshall is a school-based police officer, in Rockhampton State High School.

“My role is a lot of education, educating around cyber safety, trying to keep kids safe on online,” she said.

In recent months, the Bowen PCYC has seen an upturn in community involvement in programs. This past week, 63 students caught the bus with Winston.

Fitter for Life, a movement group for over-40-year-olds, has seen 31 participants, with 25 children taking part in the Little N Active program.

Most impressive is the Friday skating initiative, where 150 children participated with Officer Marshall and Winston.

“I am impressed with Friday night skating. I put on my skates and get out there!” she said.

“I love the PCYC youth and community. Bringing people together, that’s what it’s all about. I’m learning a lot from Sergeant Michelle and If I ever get a position in a PCYC, she is someone I want to emulate.”

Although Winston is not a regular occurrence in the Bowen PCYC, he has welcomed the love and attention he has received from the children and other PCYC patrons. Officer Marshall looks forward to returning to the Bowen PCYC if offered the relief position again.

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Officer Natasha Marshall and Winston welcomed into Bowen PCYC. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

Working as a speech pathologist was sown into the psyche of Bowen Hospital’s Jack Innes by a mother with a passion for her profession.

Jack’s mum, a ‘speechie’ herself, was always encouraging her son to consider a career in the vocation.

“I can’t remember a day in high school that I wasn’t visiting my Mum’s workplace to help in some way.

“I’d considered it for such a long time, but I did something else – studied sports and exercise – for a while and that helped me to make up my mind that it was what I wanted to do.”

Now a speech pathologist – helping people of all ages with communication and swallowing disorders - Jack has made his mother extremely proud.

“It was very exciting for Mum when I did decide to do speech pathology; she didn’t do a very good job of containing her excitement.”

While many of his patients are children, Jack also spends a lot of time working with oncology patients.

“I’ve had a couple of wonderful experiences with oncology patients recently,” he said.

“Patients can be struggling with their swallowing because of radiation and need assistance returning to regular diet and fluids.

“I do swallow and vocal assessments, check the movements of muscles, work out what’s safe for them to eat and drink and provide swallowing strategies and exercises.”

Now in his second year based at Bowen Hospital, Jack is loving the transition from the busy southeast to the relative peace and quiet of the north.

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Bowen Hospital speech pathologist Jack Innes “Still can’t believe when going up the hill to work that I get to enjoy these views”

It is expected that a record-breaking amount of mango sorbet will be sold at the Bowen Information Centre before the end of the 2023 financial year.

In the 2021-22 financial year, the Big Mango sold 18.5 thousand mango sorbets to visitors, and it is estimated to sell 20 thousand before June 30.

“The delicious mango sorbets are a major attraction to the visitor information centre and are very famous across Australia,” said Leanne Abernethy of Bowen Tourism and Business.

The famous mango sorbet is made from 100 per cent locally grown mangos, which are puréed and frozen, by local Patrick Martin.

Patrick has been making these sorbets for 24 years, and sources all his mangos from local Bowen farms.

The Information Centre is currently averaging 50 mango sales daily, but with the increase of tourists over the holidays, they have been exceeding 100 a day.

40 thousand visitors a year are greeted by the team, made up of staff and volunteers, and an increase in tourist numbers has been noticed.

“We expect the number of sorbet sales to increase further between now and the end of the financial year, with May and June being busy with tourists for Bowen,” said Leanne.

The famous mango sorbets are made with Kensington Pride Mango, a thriving local fruit in Bowen.

Kensington Mangos are large, bright orange in colour, often with a red blush, and have a deep orange flesh that is free from fibrous strands.

The Big Mango is turning 21 in May, with a celebration plan underway for locals and visitors to enjoy the momentous occasion.

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The Big Mango turns 21 and breaks records. Photo supplied

From the outside of Bowen Pools and More, you could well believe that this is your average pool shop, but upon closer inspection you will discover its multi-talented business owner has different ideas.

Sue Martin operates a successful pool maintenance business with her husband and son from the front of the store, while a secret door to the right reveals an intimate fitting room and bra boutique that is quickly becoming popular with local ladies.

Priding herself on inspiring others to feel comfortable and empowered with their bodies, ex-nurse Sue, says she loves helping women find the right fit, style, and shape of bra for any occasion.

“The main focus is to allow women of any shape and size to feel good about themselves,” said Sue.

Sue’s bra boutique stocks the Intimo brand which was started by an Australia business woman who was frustrated by the limited range of bras stocked for big breasted women at regular department stores.

She vowed to create a range that was comfortable, durable, and so all women could look good and feel good.  

“We stock everything from your plain everyday contour bras and soft cup bras, right the way through to your laces with the different designs and colours,” Sue explains.

“We also have a range of clothing – staples like black pants and singlet tops, leggings, dresses which are excellent for layering.”

The loungewear is made out of a soft natural fibre called Modal – it is breathable, sustainably produced and a very comfortable material to wear in our hot tropical climate.

Customers are welcome to call into the store and explore the range or call ahead and make an appointment with Sue who offers a professional bra fitting and wardrobe curation service.

The range is extensive. The experience is special. The rewards ‘rewarding’. Book your experience, refer your friends and enjoy the rewards.

The product is backed with a six-month warranty and a free exchange program.

So, come and see Sue today and discover how you can be empowered inside and out.

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Sue Martin is Bowen’s exclusive Intimo supplier. Photo credit: Bronte Hodge

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View the ANZAC gallery here:

Two Men Winched To Safety, One Man Sadly Lost

A massive sea rescue search mission involving multiple aircraft and on-water vessels was conducted to find survivors of a boating tragedy which occurred last Thursday evening.

Three men, two of whom were brothers, were left clinging to their seven-metre Goodwin Longboard 150 kilometres out to sea after a large wave hit and overturned their boat.

One man was winched to safety at 6am Friday morning, a second was brought aboard a VMR vessel at 11am that morning and a third man remains missing.

Police announced on Monday that, despite best efforts, they have now sadly suspended the search.

A Cruel Fate At Creal Reef

When three men departed Mackay Marina on Tuesday last week, they had no idea that tragedy would strike and only two of them would be returning home.

The trio had been fishing recreationally 150 kilometres offshore near Creal Reef, 85 nautical miles from Mackay, when their boat overturned.

One survivor later reported that a large wave caused the vessel to capsize.

They managed to activate their emergency locator at 8.10pm on Thursday evening and the signal was sent directly to Canberra where a central office deployed the emergency services.

Within hours the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter had made the long journey to the remote location, homing in on the destress beacon.

The aircraft spotlight and Night Vision Goggles were used to locate one survivor who was spotted clinging to the hull of the upturned boat at around midnight.

Despite best efforts, however, the helicopter had to return to base without the man, a mechanical issue and low-fuel were cited as the reasons it was unable to winch him to safety.

Volunteer Marine Rescue was immediately deployed to retrieve him, but it took several hours to reach the site, meaning the man had to endure a long and terrifying night at sea.

Search efforts resumed just before dawn and within five minutes an RACQ CQ Rescue pilot spotted a naked man floating near the reef.

He was winched to safety and taken to Mackay Base Hospital suffering exposure, dehydration and hypothermia.

It was then confirmed that he was the same person located by the chopper the previous evening.

The survivor, who was the 43-year-old friend, reported that the brothers had tied themselves to a blue esky but had somehow become separated over the night.

Fortunately, at 11.10am that morning a second man was spotted by a Volunteer Marine Rescue boat, and he was soon winched from the vessel by a Townsville helicopter Rescue 500 and transported to Townsville Hospital.

He was the older brother of the 41-year-old Mackay man who remains missing and is now feared lost.

Search efforts continued for four days, despite Inspector Andrew Godbold saying that it was unlikely for any individual to survive more than two days at sea.

He said it was a challenging search that was hampered by the remote location of the incident.

“By the time we get boats and planes out there to search they have to turn around again,” said Inspector Godbold.

“The search area was very large.”

Up to 15 emergency vessels ranging from boats, helicopters and planes were combing a 200-kilometre radius and by Monday lunchtime the search was sadly suspended after a gruelling 80-hour search.

The missing man, a 41-year-old Grasstree Beach resident, is called Scott Jasperse.

Our thoughts are with his family, and his brother and their friend as they recover from their injuries.

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One of the survivors was winched to safety, rescuers saying the shallow reef prevented him from drifting too far from the search scene. Photo supplied by RACQ CQ Rescue

The youngest of two brothers onboard, 41-year-old Scott Jasperse, remains lost at sea. Photo: Facebook

Search efforts miraculously managed to save two of the three men. Photo credit: RACQ CQ Rescue

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Good Deed Feed

A local, independent, community driven not-for-profit charity received some charity of its own to help continue it’s work supporting public hospitals in the region.

Mackay Hospital Foundation was the benefactor of a few choice gifts last Friday when two local girls dropped off donations to the organisation’s Children’s and Adolescent Unit.

Madison and Brooke, two “beautiful young ladies”, came in last Friday to donate books and toys to the Foundation, which aims to enhance the hospital experience and help improve the health outcomes for people in the Mackay Hospital and Health Service region.

The donations will help the Foundation fulfill its role of “filling the gap,” providing those extras that will help patients to receive the finest health care possible and support hospital staff.

A Mackay Hospital Foundation spokesperson said Madison knew how important and humanising small donations like this can be.

“[She] had spent a month in the Children’s Ward before Christmas so she knows first-hand the difference toys and books make while being in the hospital when you are sick,” the spokesperson said.

“Thank you girls for your generous donation, it will definitely put some smiles on children’s faces.”

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Two Mackay girls donated books and toys to a local charity last week

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Hi readers.

This week, I’m going to share my thoughts on a movie. It’s been an age since I last wrote a movie review. I had a shitty high school blog with a mate on which we would write little reviews of movies and music, so I’ve had plenty of practise, but I’d like to think my tastes have evolved since giving Transformers 7/10.

Earlier in the week, I went to BCC Mount Pleasant and saw Suzume, a Japanese animated adventure film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, known for Your Name and Weathering with You. It was a pretty spontaneous decision to head to the cinema inspired by a sponsored Facebook post. I love the experience of going to the movies alone and should do it more often – you should too.

Suzume follows the titular character, a 17-year-old high school student, as she encounters and befriends a young man and, together, they travel around Japan, preventing disaster after disaster as two of few people who can see it coming. It’s obviously a lot more nuanced than that, and I won’t pretend I understood the plot 100% of the time, but being a fantastical adventure through abandoned Japan, there was a lot going on.

My biggest takeaway from Suzume was how much of a treat it was on the eyes and the ears. It’s a visually dazzling movie, with colours and actions exploding out of the screen. Movements from grass blowing in the wind to an animate chair running through the streets of Tokyo are so perfectly created. And the soundtrack, by Japanese rock band and frequent Shinkai collaborator Radwimps, is an epic accompaniment. I’m excited to explore their repertoire.

It's an action-packed adventure with shades of coming-of-age, packaging heavy themes of loss and grief into an exciting, positive, and hopeful PG-rated kids flick. If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, why not head to the movies?

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Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, is frustrated with what he’s calling the Federal Government’s “brand-new attack on ten million low and middle-income earners in Australia”.

The Member said the Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ decision to cut the former government’s 2019 Low- and Middle-Income Tax Offset (LMITO) from the 2023 May Budget, is a “tax on ‘Aussie Battlers’.”

The LMITO was originally designed as a one-off payment but was extended through the pandemic by the former Coalition Government.

“I’m appalled at the Albanese Labor Government, who have demonstrated how out of touch they are with everyday Australians by this decision,” Mr Willcox said.

“People in Dawson aren’t any better off since they were in the pandemic, yet Labor think it’s time to put the pressure back on low and middle-income earners.”

“In the last ten months, everyday Australians have faced the biggest cost of living crisis in decades.”

The offsets removal is one of the country’s largest tax increases in history and will leave people earning under $126,000 a year with $1,500 less in their pockets.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said that the Federal Government’s work in its first budget had been that of “budget repair”, after the free spending of the previous government – it was more about repairing the public finances.

The backdrop for the revised forecasts and policy deliberations was “natural disasters, a deteriorating global economy, rising inflation and persistent structural pressures on the budget,” Mr Chalmers said.

But Dawson’s MP was unconvinced and said that the new “Battler Tax” won’t solve issues, it will just hurt his constituents, leaving them significantly more hard done by at the end of the next financial year – it’s the “equivalent to two interest rate rises at the same time.”

“Labor used to be for the worker, now they want to tax them to oblivion,” he said.

“I will be standing by the people of Dawson, and strongly opposing this tax.”

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Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox says the removal of the low and middle income tax offset is a “tax on ‘Aussie Battlers’”

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“Great Result For Mackay”

A statewide wanding blitz saw police search over 450 people for weapons over the weekend in a nation-leading strategy to detect weapons and combat knife crime across Queensland.

Here in Mackay police conducted 14 wandings, with no weapons detected.

Police Inspector Godbold said that he was pleased with the results.

“It was a great result for Mackay,” he said.

“We didn’t detect any knives or other weapons.”

Wanding is the term given to a non-invasive bodily weapons inspection that is conducted by a metal detecting ‘wand’ which is passed over someone’s clothing.

It takes about one minute to conduct the search and soon all officers will be trained in the process that is helping stop knife crime in its tracks.

Last month Queensland Parliament passed legislation that allows officers to conduct wand operations in all Safe Night Precincts and on public trains, trams, buses, and ferries and at public transport hubs.

This new legislation has been named Jack’s Law and came about following powerful advocacy of Brett and Belinda Beasley who lost their 17-year-old son, Jack, in a tragic stabbing incident on the Gold Coast in 2019.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Wheeler paid tribute to the family.

“Despite their grief in the face of their senseless loss, Brett and Belinda have been unwavering in their voice for change, ensuring the legacy of their son lives on,” he said.

“As a father and a police officer, my heart goes out to them, and I thank them for their invaluable efforts both in running the Jack Beasley Foundation and it’s important education initiatives and in seeing Jack’s Law become legislation.”

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Jack’s Law is helping to stop knife crime in its tracks. Photo: Queensland Police

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A skydiving instructor was critically injured after impacting heavily with the ground at Laguna Quays Resort near Midge Point on April 16 and has now been flown to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Douglas Ball, a 52-year-old skydiving instructor was diving with a group according to police when he “had something go wrong.”

Mackay Police Inspector Andrew Godbold said Mr Ball was solo diving with a group when the incident occurred during his descent.

“We understand his chute did deploy, it is just that he has impacted the ground fairly hard,” Inspector Godbold said.

Mr Godbold confirmed Mr Ball was skydiving solo rather than in a tandem drop when he suffered a “hard landing” at the site north of Mackay.

Queensland Health tasked the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter with attending the scene of the incident, which occurred on Sunday at roughly 11.30am.

The group of skydivers with Mr Ball immediately called emergency services, according to Inspector Godbold.

A skydiving service has yet to be associated with the incident, with Laguna Quays Resort regularly used as a “drop zone” for skydivers in Airlie Beach.

Inspector Godbold said Mr Ball is local to the area.

A spokesperson for the Central Queensland Rescue Helicopter Service said the patient is at Mackay Base Hospital with critical injuries and said it was “a horror skydiving incident.”

“Please send your strength to those involved in the incident and the families,” the spokesperson said.

The helicopter crew rushed the 52-year-old to Mackay Base Hospital, arriving at roughly 2.10pm to be met by doctors on the helipad. He has since been flown to Brisbane in critical condition.

Further details are yet to be released.

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The RACQ CQ Rescue Helicopter flew 52-year-old Douglas Ball to Mackay Base Hospital after he “had something go wrong” while skydiving near Midge Point and impacted with the ground.

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Orange Sky Mackay is responding to increased demand for their services by adding another evening shift to their roster.

With the assistance of another community minded organisation, Team Global Express (TGE), providing a fortnightly barbecue, Orange Sky will welcome friends on every second Wednesday night, starting on Wednesday, April 26.

The laundry shift will operate from 5:30 to 7:30pm with the TGE firing up the barbecue.  

“We are seeing an increased demand for our services over the past 12-15 months,” said Orange Sky Mackay Service Leader Lisa Jamieson.

“Eight months ago, we added a brekky shift that is supported by the Phoenix Place team, and now we are looking to add another evening shift to our roster to try and cope with the demand and help more people out.

“Thanks to our team of wonderful Orange Sky volunteers that are joining this new shift, so our washers and dryers are spinning around.  

“Our service provides free access to laundry machines for those needing them, along with the opportunity to sit down and have a chat in a supportive environment.”

If you are interested in joining the team, head down to the Mackay service at Juliet Street and have a chat with the team or you can come and have a chat at the volunteer expo on Sunday, May 7.

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Public concern for the future of Mackay Base Hospital’s maternity services mounted this week following reports that the ward could be going into bypass causing patients to be referred to the nearest alternative hospital.

Acting Chief Executive Dr Charles Pain was quick to deny these claims, stating that “Mackay Base Hospital has never been on bypass for maternity services and is not at risk of going on bypass”.

“I would like to provide some reassurance to the community about the safety and sustainability of maternity services at Mackay Base Hospital,” he said.

“We were able to cover a period of emergent leave last year with our team of dedicated obstetricians/gynaecologists and locum support.

“Maternity staffing at Mackay Base Hospital has improved considerably since this time last year with two new highly qualified and experienced consultants appointed.”

There are now five on-site consultants working at the ward and Dr Pain said that by June this will rise to six with a seventh coming onboard in September.

“This improvement in staffing ensures that we are a more sustainable service with reduced reliance on locum support,” he explains.

Mackay Base Hospital Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ward has been under significant scrutiny since a damning report was released by Queensland Health last October.

The report gave evidence of ‘inadequate care’ that resulted in lifelong physical and mental harm, including 21 cases of bladder, urethra and bowel injuries received by maternity and gynaecological patients within a year.

Three babies also lost their lives due to alleged negligence.

The evidence presented from almost 170 cases resulted in two dozen women, including three mothers who had each lost a child, to be offered compensation.

Several staff members were dismissed, and the entire Board was sacked.

Since then, the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ward has been recovering from the damning revelations and working to regain its good name.

Staffing shortages throughout Queensland Health, however, have created a new set of challenges with Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli saying that the entire state is experiencing a “maternity crisis”.

He believes the employment of locum staff is not the best way to run hospital services and was disappointed to see other hospitals “close to bypass” last year.

Gladstone Hospital went into bypass for a month last July and both Gympie and Mackay were close to doing the same.

With new consultants filling the gaps at Mackay Base Hospital, however, it is now hopeful that our local maternity wards will gain strength and credibility over the coming year.

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Mountain bikers, rejoice.

Three contracts have been awarded for the Pioneer Valley Mountain Bike project, with a total value in excess of $6.25 million, to complete stage one of the project.

The approved plans for the major development include 26 trails, a 100-kilometre network of mountain bike trails that navigate Eungella and Sky Window to Finch Hatton, with a 36-kilometre trail to connect Sky Window, Broken River, and Finch Hatton.

A potential trail has been proposed for the northern side of Cattle Creek has been sidelined at this stage.

The Finch Hatton development will provide facilities for the community, including carparks, bathrooms, signage, and event hosting capabilities, with the trails being designed of various difficulty levels, from beginner and family friendly, intermediate, shuttle-accessible gravity trails, and extended experienced tracks.

“These three contracts will bring the Finch Hatton trailhead, and the first of associated trails, to life,” Mayor Greg Williamson said.

This is a significant move, with two of the three contracts being awarded to Mackay local companies.

The first contract, awarded World Trail, is worth $2 million, and encompasses the design and construction of 16 trails, of 13.5 kilometres and a provisional sum for a six-month maintenance program.

The largest contract, with the value of more than $3.8 million, was awarded to Mackay company JMac Constructions, with another, worth $395,583, tendered to local TKK Service, trading as Bike Track Australia, for the pump track.

Specialising in landscape and building construction, JMac Construction has been previously completed various rejuvenation projects throughout North Queensland, including the Heatley Park upgrade in Townsville, and Cone Street Park, Mackay.

“JMac Constructions will provide the landscape construction of the trail’s entry statements, picnic shelters, amenity blocks, car parks and open recreational space at the trail head providing connections to the mountain bike trails and the township,” said a JMac Constructions spokesperson.

“JMac will endeavour to source as much labour, plant and materials from the Finch Hatton and greater Mackay region to support the local community,” the spokesperson confirmed.

Once complete, the Mountain Bike Park is estimated to generate an additional $18 million is economic revenue, another 110 permanent positions, and send an increase of 31,000 visitors to the region.

“Excitement is building and that will only be heightened with tenders awarded for stage one and the start of construction is upon us,” Mayor Williamson said.

“There has been a huge amount of community consultation done, especially with the Finch Hatton and Eungella communities, throughout planning for this project.”

“Onsite work is due to commence from approximately mid-June 2023,” JMac spokesperson said.

“[We are] not anticipating any significant disruptions to local businesses and residents, and we will work closely with the Mackay Council and locals to minimise construction impacts where possible.”

Estimated in 2020 to be costing $27 million, the Pioneer Valley Mountain Bike Park will be to international standards to host world-class events once complete.

Stage one will begin mid-June 2023 with JMac’s earth works and set to be completed by October of this year, weather permitting.

A potential trail has been proposed for the northern side of Cattle Creek has been sidelined at this stage.

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Finch Hatton Trailhead to undergo major updates. Photos supplied

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