Students of Chelona State School swapped their uniforms for crazy hair and bright colours last Tuesday to raise funds for RACQ CQ Rescue.

Almost all of the 127 students enrolled at the school got involved, coming to school in their craziest getups and raising almost $1,450.

“The whole school comes in crazy dress, so pretty much anything goes,” said teacher aide Michelle Bath.

“The mums organised a meal deal for lunch, so money was raised through that as well.”

The school holds a ‘Crazy Dress Day’ annually to raise funds for the organisation which is close to the community’s hearts.

“We had quite a few families within our community affected by Cyclone Debbie and had to get rescued.

“Some people have had family members that have been involved in accidents so have had to have CQ Rescue come out to help them.

“It’s very important and close to a lot of families’ hearts within our community so that’s why we chose to get involved every year.

“I’d hate to not have it within reach.”

A member of the RACQ CQ Rescue team will be delivering a presentation at school parade today where they will explain to the students what the organisation does, what’s involved with the helicopter and how the funds will help.

Posting to Facebook, RACQ CQ Rescue said, “Small schools have huge hearts and from the very bottom of ours, we thank everyone at Chelona State School for this very impressive effort and for helping ensure we can continue to fly to the rescue of hundreds of people each year across CQ.”

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Local mental health service, headspace, is contributing to the wellbeing of young people in the Whitsundays by providing a range of essential items to those doing it tough.

By working with national charity, Share the Dignity, who partner with 3000 other Australian charities, they are a distributor of free sanitary items for women and girls.

Looking after young people, headspace Whitsundays, invites anyone from the age of 12 to 25 to come into their clinic at 41 Main Street in Proserpine to have a friendly conversation and receive a personal hygiene pack.

Shiraz Lakey from headspace has been packing bags all week and says she has lots of supplies.

“We are really grateful to Share the Dignity,” she said.

“Through them we have more opportunity to help local youth and spark a conversation about mental health.”

With more than just sanitary items, headspace’s care packs are full of other products such as underwear, shampoo and conditioner, soap, hair clips, loofas, tissues and wipes.

The team would also like to reach out to residents and appeal for donations for personal products for young men and any other items that could benefit youth doing it tough.

Headspace is open from Monday to Wednesday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, and is a free mental health service that is dedicated to helping young people.

“We have lots of stock on hand,” said Shiraz.

“We’d love you to come in, get anything you need and have a chat with our friendly team.”

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Shiraz Lakey from headspace putting together hygiene packs for local youth

For the first time since 2019, the whole of Proserpine State High School (both juniors and seniors) gathered together for their annual Awards Night last Wednesday.

More than 600 family members also attended the evening which celebrated a range of achievements from students who excelled at pursuits that included sporting activities, leadership, innovation and cultural contribution.

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox and Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm also attended the evening with Mr Willcox stating that it was an honour to attend the event.

School Principal Don McDermid congratulated all award winners, saying he is very proud of all their outstanding achievements.

“I reflected on an array of personal achievements that students accomplished throughout the year, in state school initiatives and activities,” he said.

“These achievements highlight the range of experiences students at Proserpine State High School are exposed to and have the opportunity to engage within.  

“Our school encourages students to be proud of their awards, and to know that striving for excellence is a great thing. That perseverance, hard work and aiming for excellence is an attribute to be respected.

“Thank you to everyone who supported the evening, whether it be those who attended to acknowledge the wonderful talents and success of our students, or our generous community partners and sponsors for their contribution to the evening.”

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox with some of the award winners

Jess Knox from Year 12 received the Long Tan Youth Leadership Teamwork Award

Mac Rogers is Student of the Year

Giselle Tronc, Callum Edmondson and Jai Dennison took out sports awards

Toby Anderson received the ADF Future Innovators Award

Photos contributed

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I would consider myself an entry-level plane spotter, those magnificent machines always inciting awe and excitement inside me so, living near the airport, I’m often treated to the thrilling sight of a plane taking off or coming in to land.

I was driving home one day this week and as I neared the airport, I saw a plane making its descent – not uncommon, but a scene that never gets old.

As I turned the corner onto Bridge Road, I saw the plane on the tarmac and noticed its purple fin and bold purple lettering: “Bonza”, with a cheeky thumbs up in the place of the B.

The announcement of a new budget airline offering routes from Mackay to Cairns, Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast made headlines, but we’ve been waiting a while for Bonza to launch these new and unexplored routes.

It’s exciting to see Bonza make strides with their first test flights to Mackay, which you can read about on page five, and I look forward to the opportunities the airline will bring.

Anyway, this week’s paper is the last week my face will be gracing page two, with Amanda to return next week and I, like the rest of the team, am looking forward to her return.

A lot has happened in Mackay while Amanda’s been away.

We’ve had visits from high-profile politicians, there’s been gigs, festivals, swimming carnivals and pop culture conventions, and I’ve still been able to bring you the stories I’m passionate about and love to write, like interviewing musicians for the upcoming Airlie Beach Festival of Music – you can find chats with Eskimo Joe, Lash78 and Lily and King scattered throughout this week’s paper.

I’ve done my best to cover it all for you, with the gracious help of Rachael and Declan from our Whitsunday team, and I’ve learnt a lot in the process.

It’s been a chaotic month but an undeniably fun one; a small insight into what writing the paper would have been like for our editors Amanda and Rachael before us journalists joined the team.

In saying that, I’m very much looking forward to having our editor back and taking a bit of a break myself this weekend.

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Federal Members for Capricornia and Dawson, Michelle Landry and Andrew Willcox, have come out swinging after the Federal Budget was announced on Tuesday evening, saying funding for local projects has been axed and the Government has failed across key issues like infrastructure, childcare and cost of living measures.

Ms Landry said Labor has failed the test they set out for themselves in providing true relief to Australian families while Willcox said the cost-of-living crisis is set to get worse under this budget.

“The test for the federal budget was to address the cost-of-living crisis bearing down on Australians,” Ms Landry said.

“Labor has failed this test. This budget does nothing to assist your family budget,” she added.

“Just before the election, the Prime Minister told Australians that they ‘will be better off under a Labor government.’

“In fact, by Christmas, the average Australian family will be at least $2,000 worse off,” Ms Landry said.

Mr Willcox added that “Groceries are eight per cent higher, not just because of natural disasters, but also because of Labor’s foolish political decision to scrap our Ag Visa.”

“Supply has been slashed because farmers and processors are only working at around 60 per cent capacity, which has put upward pressure at the checkout for families in Dawson,” Mr Willcox said.

He also added that retail electricity prices are predicted to go up by 50 per cent.

“Interest rates have already gone up and are predicted to go up further under Labor, which is ripping hundreds of dollars out of households each month.”

Labor’s budget has far-reaching effects on Capricornia and Central Queensland and Ms Landry fears the region will be left worse off after considering some of the key measures announced.

“$32 million has been allocated to help the Queensland Government drive people in the Pioneer Valley out of their homes.

“$10 billion in regional programs have been axed, including the Regional Development Plan, Regional Accelerator Program, Community Development Grants, and the Building Better Regions Fund,” Ms Landry said.

“Labor’s Pioneer-Burdekin Project is nothing more than a thought bubble that is set to wipe out local homes,” Mr Willcox added.

Regarding childcare, Ms Landry said the Federal Budget has “clearly turned its back on families desperate to find regional and rural childcare places”.

Ms Landry said accessibility is the key issue for regional families.

“While the Treasurer announced $4.7 billion in childcare measures, he couldn’t create one new additional childcare place, leaving regional and rural families no better off.

“Childcare affordability is not the main issue for regional families - accessibility is,” Ms Landry said.

Mr Willcox added, “In another blow, Labor is taking the fun out of regional and rural Australia.”

“The Budget won’t proceed with round 2 of the Agricultural Shows Development Grant program and is also scrapping funding for the Agricultural Show and Field Days program.

“Labor doesn't understand regional Australians and what’s important in our communities,” Mr Willcox said.

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Millions of Scouts from across the globe came together for an October weekend jamboree of gigantic proportions - but not in person – instead, clubs like Proserpine Scout Group embraced the digital age.

At the annual JOTA-JOTI (Jamboree On The Air and Jamboree On The Internet) scouts from 171 countries participated in the world’s largest digital Scout weekend.

Held every year in October, the event connects millions of young people from almost every country on earth for a full weekend promoting communication, friendship, and global citizenship.

The weekend is broken up into two sections: JOTA and JOTI.

In JOTI, Scouts worldwide log into a closed internet server to chat to each other about how different their world’s may be, as well as have a chance to play Minecraft together.

Proserpine Scouts Qualified Cub Leader Sally Griffith said two patrols from Proserpine’s Cubs and Joeys, spoke with Scouts from as far afield as Indonesia and parts of America.

“It makes the youth realise how big the world is,” Ms Griffith said.

“We explain on regular Tuesday night meetings that Scouts is worldwide, how many kids are in it, but until they chat to a Joey in Indonesia, Fiji, or even to another cub in Sydney, they don’t realise how massive it is.”

For the JOTA portion of the jamboree, Scouts head on a more traditional adventure, going south to Farleigh at the Hibiscus Coast District Scout Park where they camp, enjoy radio centred activities, and learn Scout values.

Ms Griffith said activities for JOTA include the use of GPS navigation, where one group is directed by another via radio in a scavenger hunt style event.

“To see them use a radio for the first time and become comfortable with it was really cool,” she said.

“The awesome thing about this camp is those JOTA activities, but also when they’re completed, then we have the rest of the weekend to entertain the kids and get them to do so many different things they wouldn’t normally get to do.

“They might take part in cooking for badge work, bushwalking, even just setting up tents and learning the buddy system – things they might not get to do.

“Even though this is a technology style camp, it still gets the kids off technology and teaches them the skills they need to be successful Scouts.”

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Proserpine Scout Group headed on a combined jamboree where they spent time speaking with Scouts across the globe, as well as taking in nature and valuable skills

A new multisport cycling complex in Mackay is in the planning stages, with the combined forces from three local cycling clubs leading the charge to create one of Australia’s best multi-use facilities.

Mackay and District BMX Club, Mackay Cycling Club and Mackay and District Mountain Bike Club each have representatives in the united group, who were successful in securing a $30,000 grant from council.

The Minor Infrastructure Grant was approved this week and will allow the Mackay Combined Cycling Club Group to undertake a business case for the facility.

Community Grants Committee member Cr Russell Seymour said the funding would allow a study to be undertaken by an external third party to evaluate the need, potential locations and potential operating models such a facility would require.

“The group has a vision to see Mackay construct a complex that would provide for a combination of cycling sports,” Cr Seymour said.

“Ideally, the complex would offer BMX facilities, velodrome, criterium, cyclocross, a pump track and an education area, as well as facilities for toilets, shower and change facilities, a canteen, office, storage, meeting and timing rooms, car parking, barbecues and shelters,” he said.

“This is really an exciting project that the committee was happy to support, as it has the potential to attract people to our region and support the development and retention of up-and-coming athletes.”

Mackay Cycling Club President Tanell Thomsett said the facility will help to inspire the next generation of athletes who have their eyes on the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

“At this early stage we are looking for the ideal location, but future plans include a fully-covered velodrome and a BMX track that is under a roof as well, to have a facility that allows riders to race and train in all weather conditions,” Ms Thomsett said.

“We are also planning a criterium circuit that will allow juniors to race, as currently they aren’t allowed to race on the open roads. It will be a safer place for cyclists of all ages to race and train.

“We are investigating ways of making the facility user-friendly for a variety of different sports, so it won’t just be cycling codes who will benefit.”

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A wish-list item for Whitsunday mountain bikers could finally be on the cards as a local club announced its plans to develop a “world-class mountain biking” course alongside local developers.

Whitsunday Mountain Bike Club Inc. have lodged a development application to Whitsunday Regional Council for a staged development network of mountain bike trails at Hidden Valley – a large-scale rural residential community development in Mount Marlow.

The housing development site along Rifle Range Road – eight minutes from Airlie Beach – is hoping to host a mix of green, blue and black difficulty rated trails, according to the lodgement application.

The construction would be an “exclusive” set of trails which will initially only be accessible by current Whitsunday Mountain Bike Club members.

Home to what local riders have explained as “great elevations and terrain”, the Mount Marlow locale has been lauded with the potential of being one of the best mountain bike holiday locations in the country.

The local developers of Hidden Valley Whitsundays said there has been extensive work between the land’s Traditional Owners, environmental consultants and both council and the Mountain Bike Club.

A developer at Hidden Valley Whitsundays, Brett Evans, said the development has held the land for more than two decades and the mountain bike tracks are a part of its “bigger picture.”

“This is another aspect to that site where there’s a master plan there that will bring mainland tourism to the Whitsundays,” Mr Evans said.

“We know people come to the Whitsundays and promise things all the time, so we’ve been quiet about this and there’ll be more details to come after Christmas.”

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Budget airline Bonza began test flights to Mackay this week, with its distinctive purple planes spotted landing at Mackay Airport.

Australia’s newest and only independently owned budget airline was announced last October and welcomed its first Boeing 737 MAX, which has since been christened as ‘Shazza’, to its Sunshine Coast base in August.

The aircraft, coming from America, was then refitted here in Australia, with more planes following.

Mackay residents will be offered two flights a week to Cairns and Melbourne and three flights a week to the Sunshine Coast, while a drive to Whitsunday Coast Airport will give access to Newcastle and Toowoomba twice a week and the Sunshine Coast three times a week.

Flights are expected to cost around $50 for each hour of the flight, including 8kg of baggage, with the aim to deliver competitive rates seldom seen in regional air travel and enable Australians to explore more of their own backyard at low-cost prices.

Bonza’s previously hoped-for launch dates of mid-June and late-September have been and gone while the airline awaits regulatory approval through the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

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Many local businesses are struggling to find staff or operating understaffed - one Airlie Beach cafe even had a sign up saying ‘sorry we’re shut, no chef’.

In an effort to help, the Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce (WCCC) is working to establish a new approach to solving staff shortages.

This innovative government scheme called a Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) would allow lower skilled overseas workers to come to live and work in the Whitsunday, Mackay and Isaac Regions.

The DAMA gives overseas workers the opportunity to pursue permanent residency through a five-year program which includes training at TAFE while working full-time and contributing to ease the strain on local small business.

Gus Walsgott from WCCC said that there are currently DAMAs in operation in both Townsville and Cairns which is effectively “sucking the workforce” out of the Whitsundays.

“We are at a competitive disadvantage at the moment,” said Mr Walsgott.

“The DAMA is set-up purely for the benefit of the business community as a whole and it will have flow-on effects for the rest of the region.”

The reason our region currently does not have a DAMA is because we had previously been without a Designated Area Representative (DAR), but now that the WCCC have stepped forward, we can expect to become a classified DAMA within the next six months.

This classification will open up many doors for our region and Martin O’Dee from Speedy Global, discussed the advantages at an information night for local businesses last week.

“It’s all about helping people with their life journey,” he said.

“It’s not just about bringing a work force – it’s about providing a system that means people will want to stay, contribute to our communities, raise families and build lives in the region.”

In order to become a DAMA, the WCCC need to gather 100 completed surveys from local businesses.

The surveys take four minutes to complete, and they are an opportunity for businesses to put forward the type of position they are lacking.

There are limited types of roles that will be included under the DAMA so if you want a certain position filled, make sure you fill in a survey so that the specific role is covered.

“We are the vehicle to get us to the end game, but there needs to be a lot of momentum to get us there,” said Mr Walsgott.

“It needs to be driven by the business community.”

There are strict criteria for qualifying for an overseas worker, most importantly that the role has been offered to Australians looking for employment and that it cannot be filled by an Australian first.

If you would like to receive the information pack, please email admin@whitsundaycoastchamber.com.au.

To complete the survey, go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/L8JTZCC

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Becoming a Designated Area Migration Agreement will open the doors for overseas workers to ease the strain on workforce shortages. Stock image

Gus Walsgott from Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce. Photo supplied

Martin O’Dee from Speedy Global. Photo supplied

The Mackay Conservation Group (MCG) has engaged with local National Australia Bank (NAB) branches, calling on the bank to cease funding of fossil fuel projects and accusing it of “greenwashing”.

The group gathered outside the Mackay City branch last Friday, October 21 in peaceful protest as part of a nationwide movement called Move Beyond Coal which is in the midst of six weeks of activity, with 58 groups taking similar action across the country.

“We’re calling on them for not another dollar to any fossil fuel project starting with Whitehaven Coal,” said Jono Dykyj of MCG.

“We don’t want them funding the climate crisis which is already impacting the community.”

Mr Dykyj said the goal of the protest was to raise awareness with customers, staff and the public.

“This is directed at the higher-ups who make those decisions, but we think that when people find out what the company is actually doing, they’ll be disappointed,” he said.

“We want them to raise their voices, it’s a people-powered movement and we feel that we can shift the dialogue and get NAB to make those sensible and ethical decisions around climate and funding.

“Here in Mackay, we’re concerned about the impacts of climate change on the community, the economic, the health, the social impacts.

“We’re also aware that Mackay is needing to be the forefront of a transition away from a reliance on fossil fuels and that can bring lots of opportunities.

“We need to act now to halt the worst aspects of climate change but, despite those threats, there are also opportunities for our community to move forward and to grow and to prosper.”

NAB’s website states that “we support the transition to a low-carbon economy and will seek to manage our portfolio to align with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to less than two degrees celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels.”

The website continues: “NAB’s updated climate strategy covers: a goal of aligning our lending portfolio to net zero emissions by 2050, working with customers to decarbonise and build climate-related resilience, managing climate risk.”

MCG has called this “greenwashing”.

“We’ve got major banking corporations doing sneaky deals with coal corporations and it really concerns me because the public don’t actually understand what’s going on,” said MCG volunteer Tonia Binsair.

“They’re putting up wonderful emissions targets and telling people they’re doing these terrific things when they’re quietly sneaking into the backroom and doing deals with corporations like Whitehaven that don’t even have reasonable emissions targets at all so we’re not going to see any changes.

“National Australia Bank really, really need to take a look at their practices and we need to move towards a better future.”

Ms Binsair approached NAB Mackay Branch Manager Liam Afflick a week before the protest, saying he was receptive to the group’s message.

“I can’t speak for him, but I don’t think he had an awareness of what was happening,” Ms Binsair said.

“It’s not only the public that needs to know but people like Liam and all of his staff, all of the staff across the country, need to know what National Australia Bank is doing.

“Personally, Liam was wonderful to talk to and I really appreciate that from him.”

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The Hibiscus Coast Scout District (HCD) held their annual district Jamboree weekend on October 15 and 16 at Rowallan Scout Park.

This was a District run event with all Scout and Guide sections invited for the 65th Jamboree-On-The-Air (JOTA) and the 26th Jamboree-On-The-Internet (JOTI) as a joint event.

This is the world’s largest digital Scout weekend taking place on the Internet, in person and over the airwaves.

Held every year in October, the event connects millions of young people around the world for a full weekend that promotes communication, friendship, and global citizenship.

This year there was an amazing youth committee containing Joey Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts, Venturer Scouts, and Rover Scouts deciding on the activities along with an enthusiastic team of leaders, rovers, and adult helpers planning, supporting and running the activities at the event.

Youth members from Sarina, Proserpine, Mackay City Central and Banksia Scout Groups attended with youth from five years and older participating in a host of fun activities.

These included a Scoutlink IRC chat base, a Minecraft challenge base, an electronics construction base, an amateur radio base, and a challenging communication scavenger hunt that took the youth all over the park.

The chat base saw members talk to other Scouts over the internet from Germany, Spain, Scotland, Indonesia, Siberia, India, New Zealand and many other places.

The Minecraft base saw the youth, and even the Activity Leaders, complete challenges together using communication, creativity and teamwork in the video game.

The communication scavenger hunt activity contained four messages, each in a different style of communication, that the youth members transcribed to give them the location of the next message and part of a larger second message.

The electronic base had the Scout and older sections soldering and making little 9V ‘Head or Tail’ electronic kits and the Joey Scouts and Cub Scouts using insulating and conductive play dough to create electronic circuits where they could light up several LED lights as part of their creations.

Lastly, the Amateur Radio Base was where youth members talked to other Scouts over the airwaves and had them navigating each other around the park with GPS trackers and walkie talkies.

At the end of the day a traditional district scout campfire was held with songs, skits and story telling with lots of fun and frivolity.

Coordinator, Jim McIntyre said he was happy to see each group and youth section running their own communication and scout knowledge activities over the weekend.

“When they weren’t doing the District activities, I saw some making solar powered miniature cars and learning about solar energy among other activities,” he said.

During the weekend, a formal parade along with award presentations took place.

Contributed with thanks to Jim Mcintyre

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Most people have received their annual super statement to 30th June 2022 in the last few months.  Most returns have been negative for the last 12 months on the back of higher inflation, rising interest rates and geopolitical tensions around the world. This often leads to people questioning if they’ve got the right fund.  There are three main types of super fund, Industry Super Funds, Retail Super Funds and Self-Managed Super Funds.

Industry Super Funds offer a low cost, pooled option with limited investment and insurance options.  They are a simple option and due to the pooled nature of their investment choices, many Financial Planners use this style of fund for their younger, lower balance clients.  There are other types of more sophisticated super accounts including Retail Funds and Self-Managed Super Funds.  

Retail Super Funds are where you decide to purchase a fund from a product provider.  Modern retail Super Wrap offerings have thousands of investment choices with a wide choice of risk and return and your account is separate to all other members.  Care and guidance need to be taken to ensure your portfolio of investments is well diversified with such a huge choice.  This choice enables your portfolio to be customized to say protect against downturns if you are drawing a pension or to screen out investments with questionable ethical or environmental credentials if that’s your preference.  These may suit people with higher balances or who are making larger contributions and want more control and flexibility around investment options and the potential tax on transferring to pension phase within their super.  

Self-Managed Super Funds are where you set up your own super fund, usually with up to 6 other family members so you can pool your funds to invest.  SMSF’s offer the most investment choices and flexibility but are expensive.   The ATO suggests the minimum balance to justify the set up and ongoing costs with a SMSF is $500,000.  Purchasing property in a SMSF comes with even more costs so is generally only for those with very large balances.  There are significant compliance requirements and most SMSF’s are paying administrators, tax agents, auditors and financial planners each year.  

The key with super is to ensure you have a fund that matches where you are in your financial journey and not something that you fell into or that suited where you were years ago.

If you’d like an obligation free review of your situation, to review your super structures, call us for an appointment today.

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A Mackay man, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has just taken home the first prize in the Luck Lotteries Super Jackpot Draw.

Purchased online and using just two lucky numbers which were drawn at random, the man said he was bewildered but thankful for his good fortune.

“Well, this is absolutely magical!” he exclaimed.

“Lucky the Cat has come up trumps for me this time!

“I’ve been playing for a while but never expected to win anything. You always dream about it, but you can’t expect that it will ever happen to you.

“It’s arrived at just the right time.

“I’ll be able to live a carefree life, pay off some bills and maybe even treat myself to a few things.

“What amazing news!”

The ecstatic man won the guaranteed 1st Prize of $100,000 in Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw 10720, drawn Tuesday 18 October 2022.

The Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot prize is now $15.65 million for draw 1596, while the Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot prize is now $32.525 million for draw 10721.  

In FY22, 169 Lucky Lotteries 1st Prize and Jackpot winning entries across Australia won more than $32.95 million.  

Last financial year, Australia’s official lotteries contributed more than $1.6 billion via state lottery taxes and donations to help community initiatives, such as hospitals, health research, disaster relief and education.

Caption: Lucky the Cat comes through for local lotto winner

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Emergency services from throughout the region will face off in a 60km Swim Challenge to raise awareness and funds for men's health in November.

Now in its third year, the challenge differs from the previous two years in that the services, Queensland Fire Service (QFS), Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Police Service and the Mackay Airport Fire and Rescue, will race each other to the 60km mark.

Mackay Fire and Rescue Firefighters Carl Jackson and Kyle McCormack organised the challenge last year and are again at the reins this year, saying the event promotes networking and bonding while raising awareness for men’s mental health and raising funds for Movember.

“The whole goal is to raise funds and awareness for men’s health,” said Kyle.

“We’re lucky that we get to use that common goal to network with the other agencies as well.

“We all do a very similar job and we’re super competitive in our nature, so the event just works perfect for us in getting people in there and making connections.”

“We see them on jobs … so now we'll have that better connection and we can work in better with them,” added Carl.

Between 40 and 50 swimmers participated last year, with all services collaborating to complete the 60km goal in three hours.

This year, each service will enter its own team and race to complete the goal individually.

“It makes it a bit more competitive,” said Kyle.

“There’s a bit more pressure for everyone to get down there which is what we want at the end of the day.”

The nature of the industry and the potential of being exposed to trauma means mental health is of the utmost importance to QFS.

Additionally, with differing shifts, firefighters aren’t always offered the opportunity to get to know their colleagues while at work.

“It’s really about just getting everybody together and connecting,” said Kyle.

“There’s lots of different people and personalities within the workplace, just like every other workplace.

“It’s important to me because we all get to have a conversation and talk and connect, especially with the other services, so they don’t feel like they’re on their own.”

Mental health awareness is engrained in the culture of QFS, seeing frequent collaborations with Movember, R U OK? Day and Black Dog Institute, and Carl says these causes help to promote open communication.

“The more you work with someone, the more you start to realise maybe they’re not having a good day,” he said.

“If you know someone well enough, you’ll be able to talk to them.

“It’s not awkward, it’s not a hard conversation because you feel comfortable, and you feel supported.

“That’s what we’re trying do with this, to encourage people to speak up - it’s okay to not be okay.”

The Challenge will take place at Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Centre on November 11, bringing together emergency services from Mackay and throughout the region and their families.

Emergency vehicles will be there for the kids to explore as well as mascots, a sausage sizzle and games and competitions outside the pool for everyone to get involved in.

There is also a trophy on offer for the first service to complete the 60km swim.

To find out more about the event and to donate, scan the QR code.

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