Two new faces have joined the Mackay Hospital Foundation’s team, and the pair are both diving straight into their roles with four of their biggest events due to be held in the next two months.

The foundation is a non-for-profit organisation that is set-up to raise money to fund equipment and projects which have not been included within the Queensland Health budget.

The fundraising arm for the broader Mackay Hospital and Health Service, the foundation plays an integral part in providing facilities for the best possible health results for residents across the region.

Kristi Algate has taken on the role of General Manager, bringing with her five years working in care management.

The new GM said it was a pleasure meeting some of the people working within various units at Mackay Base Hospital and that she is looking forward to visiting the rural hospitals.

“It’s also been wonderful to meet with a number of our corporate supporters, but it may take a little longer to get around to personally meet with all of our major donors and sponsors,” she said.

Brenda McFadzen is the other new face on the team at Mackay Hospital Foundation, taking on the role of Community Engagement Officer.

Instrumental in organising major events including galas, charity golf days and a host of other fundraising activities for various charities, Brenda will no doubt thrive in her new workplace.

Brenda says she is looking forward to events on the calendar such as the Cinema Under the Stars by Harvey Norman Bedding and the Christmas Gift Wrapping at Mt P and Myer.

Image: L-R: New General Manager Kristi Algate and Community Engagement Officer Brenda McFadzen

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The second annual Giving Day is coming up next week and there are plenty of ways the community can participate.

This innovative fundraising day is organised by the Mackay Hospital Foundation and proceeds from the day go towards extra facilities that improve the comfort and overall experience for patients and their families.

“Giving Day is an opportunity to donate to Mackay Hospital Foundation and make a difference to the lives of so many,” said Mackay Hospital Foundation General Manager Kristi Algate.

While vital equipment is provided to the eight hospitals that the foundation represents, extra funding is often required for the creature comforts many of us take for granted.

When you have visited your local hospital, it is likely you were sitting on a chair, watching a television or underneath a warm blanket that was funded by one of Mackay Hospital Foundation’s fundraising projects.

Last year’s face of the Giving Day campaign was 6-year-old Kacey Sanfilippo who was diagnosed with high-risk B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia as a 2-year-old and went on to endure two and a half years of cancer treatment.

This year, 7-year-old Kacey is returning as a Giving Day Ambassador and will be joined by 10- year-old Cade Duncan.

Cade was your typical healthy four-year-old boy, and over a couple of weeks suddenly became very tired, pale and disinterested in physical activity.

When a rash appeared, Cade was rushed to the Emergency Department at the Mackay Base Hospital.

After finding his white blood cell count was dangerously low, Cade was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). He was treated with chemotherapy given intravenously, orally and into his spine under anaesthetic.

Cade’s treatment continued at Mackay Base Hospital and Brisbane Children’s Hospital for almost four years.

It was during his time of treatment when Cade and the Duncan family’s friendship with Kacey and her family blossomed.

Giving Day kicks off with the Corporate Breakfast which last year attracted over 60 business sponsors who kindly donated to the cause.

From 8am, a host of telemarketers also hit the phones, using the foundation’s database to call local residents.

If you receive a call, make sure you dig deep and donate.

The third fundraising arm comes from the tireless efforts of hospital staff who receive donations from friends and family.

Each year, there is a good-natured competition between hospital wards to see which ward can generate the most – good luck to everyone this year!

If you would like to donate to the cause, please go to charidy.com/mhf

WHAT: Mackay Hospital Foundation - Giving Day

WHERE: Mackay Base Hospital Courtyard

WHEN: Thursday October 13, 8am – 8pm

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Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was in Mackay last week to reveal further details pertaining to her announcement of a $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

The plan includes the biggest pumped hydro scheme in the world to be built in the Pioneer Valley.

“This pumped hydro is going to be nation-building and it’s happening right here in Mackay,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“It is going to set this city up for the future.

“It’s going to mean jobs; it’s going to mean more industries attracted to this region.”

The project is said to have the potential to deliver up to 5GW for 24 hours or 120GWh, which is 617 times larger than South Australia’s Hornsdale battery and 20 times larger than Wivenhoe.

The construction of the project will take place in two stages near the small community of Netherdale.

“The majority of the land is either existing cattle grazing land, or it is sugar cane farming land,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“This project is going to be right on the doorstep for Mackay and the region.

“There will be no inundation of any national parks, as well.”

Plans will see the project affect around 50 homes and properties around Netherdale as well as the existing Mackay Eungella Road.

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said it’s important for the government to work closely with landowners.

“We’ve already established meetings with around 20 per cent of those landowners,” he said.

“This is a process that we take seriously, of course, and we want to be respectful of those landowners.

“We’ve researched around 1,000 sites across the state and this one stacks up as simply the best pumped hydroelectric opportunity anywhere in Queensland, in fact, it represents one of the best opportunities in the world.

“Of course, we’ll work through all of those appropriate environmental approvals, starting from today.

“There’ll be a range of other approvals that we’ll need to work through, but they are consistent with all other projects.

“Most importantly, this project delivers us a significant economic opportunity for north Queensland.”

Mr de Brenni hopes the project to be in full construction by 2025 and the first stage completed by 2032.

The announcement has been met with some opposition, with Federal Members for Capricornia and Dawson Michelle Landry and Andrew Willcox claiming they weren’t included in any discussion or consultation.

“To come out and make an announcement with zero consultation with the local Federal MPs and then immediately call for federal funding, makes me wonder if this is a serious announcement or is it just for show?” Mr Willcox said.

Ms Landry said the announcement has left her with more questions than answers.

“The Premier has guaranteed jobs for workers at coal fired power stations but there is no mention of guarantees for coal miners,” she said.

“So where does that leave job security for mine workers, their families and every small business owner in our coal mining towns.”

Local conservation groups have also raised concerns over the plan, with Mackay Conservation Group Coordinator Peter McCallum concerned about a lack of detail.

“We’re very supportive of renewable energy but we also want to see the most economic and energy efficient forms of renewable energy installed in Queensland,” Mr McCallum said.

“We’re not sure that pumped hydro is the best option into the future, and it could lead to Queensland tax payers and energy users paying more for electricity than they need to in decades to come.

“There’s no detail available to members of the public.

“We’ve known that this project was being considered for several years and you’d think that, by now, there could’ve been more detailed information released about the proposal.

“At this stage, we don’t have that detail.”

How Does Hydro Work?

• Pumped hydro acts like a giant battery.

• It uses electricity from the grid or nearby renewables (in this case, solar) to pump water from a lower reservoir into an upper reservoir when energy prices are low.

• When energy is needed, water is released from the upper reservoir into the lower reservoir, generating energy as it passes through a turbine.

• Hydroelectricity can be generated almost immediately and at any time, so power can be fed into the grid when it is needed.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Written by Rachael Smith

Mackay Base Hospital’s busiest surgeon, Dr Daryl Stephens, conducts over 100 operations a month and sees 120 patients in clinic every week.

When he was suddenly suspended from duty three weeks ago, the national media got hold of the story and dug deeply into his professional career, looking for additional ways to discredit him and add further injury to his story.

They painted a story of incompetence - but while those that didn’t know him judged a mis-represented version of events, built upon speculation rather than fact, it was his own patients that gave him the strength to fight back.

Able to continue practicing at the Mackay Mater Hospital while he served a four-week suspension at the Mackay Base, Dr Stephens was visited by 27 of his Mater patients on the first day after the story broke around the country.

All of them took his side without question.

“My first three patients were in tears when they saw me, I got three hugs and all were supportive, there was not one single cancellation,” he said.

“When I finished at 4.30pm, I was in tears. I’ve had nothing but support. I’m a very private person but the outpouring and the support has been a bit overwhelming.”

In the profession of saving lives, there are a multitude of checks and systems to ensure every procedural element is adhered to, with no exceptions.

The media storm that ensued last week reported that Dr Stephens had ‘blown his nose’ in the operating theatre which was the reason he was subsequently suspended.

Dr Stephens says he has since been able to remember the incident.

“My registrar was operating on the patient and I was leaning over the top helping him,” he explained.

Dr Stephens remembers leaning over with his head close to the drapes and believes it was a person behind him who made the complaint.

“I don’t remember doing anything like wiping my nose, but I may have moved and given that impression.”

A kind-hearted man who likes to believe the best in others, Dr Stephens says he does not blame them for reporting him.

“The [person] is a delight and I’ve got no criticism of them,” he said,

“I think that they didn’t understand how under that situation things can escalate, they are an absolute sweety and an absolute professional.”

“The standard of surgical care at the Base is far beyond any other hospital I’ve worked at before”

Digging deep into his history, media agencies discovered that Dr Stephens had been involved with another case in Perth where he had failed to give pathology results to one of his cancer patients.

An accurate account of this is that the pathology results were sent to the hospital but not to the rooms.

He had booked the patient for review after three months and the pathology report arrived within two.

Dr Stephens saw the patient two weeks later.

“I was the only urologist in a hospital as busy as Mackay,” explained Dr Stephens.

“I had no registrar, no resident and we were swamped.

“There was a very small growth on the patient and I wanted to keep my eyes on it.

“Of the five ways of looking after it, I ticked three, but I didn’t do two so there were omissions on my part no doubt about that – but at the end of the day there was no harm to the patient.”

This case dates back to 2013, but the tribunal did not take place until 2018, two years after he started working at Mackay Base Hospital.

For the first 12 months Dr Stephens volunteered for all his cases to be reviewed by two colleagues and during this period there were no concerns raised.

His new employers were aware of the tribunal, the outcome of which saw a mark placed on his record for five years.

This is due to lapse in January 2023.

Since this incident, Dr Stephens has practiced at Mackay Base and developed a strong, trustworthy reputation with all his patients.

A humble man at heart, Dr Stephens grew up “dirt poor”, living at Broadmeadows in Melbourne, a few streets away from infamous gangland figure, Carl Williams.

His father died when he was young and by secondary school, Stephens already knew he wanted to be a doctor.

“I never felt I was disadvantaged, I was working three jobs and I loved it!” he said.

“I just scraped into medicine, and I see surgery as a calling - if you want to do what’s good, you have this amazing capacity, and if you keep on doing good then that’s absolutely fantastic.”

Now, almost 45 years later, Dr Stephens has two adult children and a career he is immensely proud of.

“I’m proud of my surgical record. Patient’s welfare is absolutely number one for me and I love working at the Base,” he said.

“It is one of the most wonderful places I’ve ever worked – in surgery I work in theatre, clinics and the ward, and it’s just wonderful.

“The nursing staff, the medical staff and my fellow surgeons are totally devoted, it’s a pleasure to work there.

“The standard of surgical care at the hospital is far beyond any other hospital I’ve worked at before.”

Dr Stephens has almost finished his four-week suspension and will be reinstated to full duties next week.

Image: Dr Stephens will return to work at Mackay Base Hospital next week

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National Police Remembrance Day brought together police from across the region last week as well as family members, special guests and members of the public to honour those officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

Police also remembered and honoured staff members, retired police and officers who have died off-duty last Thursday, September 29.

The day began with a march from Brisbane Street to St Patrick’s Church where the service was held.

Superintendent Graeme Paine welcomed guests to the service.

“It’s really important, the support we have from our community for our police, it’s something that’s really critical and today is one of those days which is a solemn and reflective day for all police and all of their families,” Supt. Paine said.

Supt. Paine also shared a statement on behalf of Queensland Police Service Commissioner Katarina Carroll.

“Today is a day of reflection and we stand together and reflect in honour of them and their loved ones and acknowledge the unimaginable loss they have suffered,” Ms Carroll’s statement read.

“All police officers take considerable risks every day to keep our communities safe and this honourable commitment is something that deserves to be recognised, hence the importance of this day for us as a police service.”

The service was attended by special guests including Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert and Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson.

“It was a pleasure to have the premier there, obviously, and she thought it was an excellent service as well,” Mr Williamson said.

“It’s important for the morale of the police force to know that the community is behind them.

“As with every workforce, but more particularly in the police who do an incredible job, the last thing you want to have happen is for a police officer to go to work and not come home.

“Unfortunately, that does happen, and we’ve recognised, as a community, the police that we’ve lost in our community and in general across Queensland and across Australia.

“That recognition is just for the community to say that the police force is trusted and respected and we really are appreciative of what police officers do in keeping us safe.”

Ms Gilbert said the service was an opportunity to reflect and honour serving police officers that have lost their lives in the line of duty and give support to the family and friends of these officers.

“It gave me an opportunity to reflect on my own personal contact with serving officers and the appreciation I have of their day-to-day effort in keeping our community safe, at times at great risk to their own safety,” she said.

A candlelight vigil was also held the night before to remember fallen officers.

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Tonight, if you’re anywhere near the MECC, you will be hearing a lot of cheering and fun.

No, the kids at Central State School aren’t having a school disco. All the noise and fun will be a part of the Mackay Isaac Tourism Awards.

This annual gala night will have hundreds of legends all glammed up as we celebrate what we have in our beautiful Mackay Isaac region.

From the coffee houses around Mackay, to the sporting facilities in the Northern Beaches, to the walking mountain trails in Clermont, to the beach visits at Bucasia and also the ever popular restaurants and bars in the whole region. They will all be part of this great night.

When you think of it, we have a lot to be thankful for living in our Mackay Isaac region.

We have the beaches at our back doorsteps. We have beautiful mountains to climb like Mt Blackwood, The Leap and Wolfang Peak just to name a few. They are all brilliant. If you haven’t climbed them yet, go and see one of our volunteers at our visitor information centres around town.

What about the beaches? So many to pick from. Seaforth is beautiful. So is Platypus Beach, Bucasia, Sarina and Far Beach too. Don’t forget to ask the locals about when the tide is in especially at Town Beach. If you go at the wrong time, you could be walking quite a while before you hit water. Just saying.

We have some of the best nature experiences in the world right here. From rainforests to clear river streams, to platypus having a swim at Eungella, to sipping rum at the only council owned rum distillers in the world. Yes! We have it lucky and tonight they will all be thanked for promoting this region to the world at our gala night of nights.

Before I go and head off and get my suit ready for the party tonight, I’d personally like to thank each and every one of our volunteers who go out of their way to promote where we live. We are all ambassadors. We are all advertisers. We are the people who make or break our region.

Let’s shout it to the rooftops and tell Australia and the rest of the world. Come to the Mackay Isaac Region and have a holiday. Better still, move here. You won’t regret it.

I’ll see you all tonight! Good luck everyone!

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

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Council spends money each year to improve the liveability of the region through its events and conference attraction programs. Bringing sporting events and conferences to our region provides bed nights for our hotels and increased spending in our eateries and retail shops. But as important, it exposes visitors to our region in the hope that it will encourage them to come back for a holiday or even better, decide to move here for the lifestyle. The Mackay region can support thousands more residents without the need to drastically upgrade its infrastructure.

The more people that live here, the more the rates burden is shared across the region, leading to lower rates rises. Over the last six years council has worked hard to make the rates burden fairer. In 2016 we had the highest rates in Queensland in our category. Now we are down at eighth spot and moving further down. Rates rises over the same period have been below 1.5 per cent on average.

To help with that we need to take advantage of the other ways to improve and diversify our economy and liveability. I sit on the board of Mackay Isaac Tourism as Mackay Regional Council’s representative to ensure that the money council invests into tourism gets the best return it can for the residents. The national visitor survey results are now in, showing that 679,000 business travellers came through the region over the last 12 months – that’s a 3.6 per cent increase on the previous year and a 65 per cent increase since 2019, making it a new record for the Mackay Isaac Region.

We are on the precipice of tourism making a full comeback to our region just by taking better advantage of what we already have. Council has been helping businesses in the Valley understand the wants and needs of the up to 30,000 mountain bikers visiting to the region at the completion of the world class mountain bike park linking Finch Hatton and Eungella.

As part of the Mackay Waterfront Priority Development Area Riverside Revitalisation Project, council is building a pontoon in the Pioneer River to create new opportunities for commercial tourism right from the CBD. We have operators already heading out there regularly, go and have a look! We can build tourism back up and past what it used to be if we all believe that we’re all in the business of selling tourism.

Cr Justin Englert

Mackay Regional Council

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In short: a lot.

The proposed dam and hydro scheme in the Pioneer Valley is expected to provide half of Queensland’s energy needs at its planned completion date in over a decade.

This project, which will dwarf the Snowy Hydro Scheme, will employ many thousands of people and, if it goes ahead, will be a major driver of our economy.

The announcement was very short on detail and we really need a lot more information than we had at the time of me writing this column for us to speak confidently about what it will mean.

As always with projects of this magnitude, there will be people who suffer and, in this case, residents in parts of the Pioneer Valley will be forced to sell their properties to accommodate the dam. We need to be conscious of what that means for those people and those residents will need support and consideration.

There are certainly questions to be asked about locations effected and what it will mean for services, transportation and the impact on communities.

Those details will emerge in the months and years ahead but the opportunity a project of this size provides for Mackay cannot be underestimated.

The project will employ thousands of people and will offer enormous opportunities for local companies that, until now, have largely been servicing the mining sector.

This will mean apprenticeships for local kids and career paths for Mackay people who will benefit from the certainty of long-term employment.

We should also expect the project to create an influx of workers to Mackay to help meet the demand for the skills that are required for such an enormous engineering project.

Of course, the Premier said the dam and hydro scheme is part of the Government’s effort to phase out coal, so it will be welcomed by the climate change cheerleaders. But what we know is that she is talking about thermal coal, used in coal-fired power plants, not metallurgical coal.

The vast majority of the coal we dig out and export is metallurgical or coking coal, used to make steel, and there are no plans to phase that out.

So, we could have one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country being built on our doorstep while we continue to export the best metallurgical coal in the world.

That would be great for businesses, jobs and our economy. The influx of people to Mackay will also be terrific for the real estate sector as it will add to demand for housing and give confidence to those who have bought in Mackay.

With such a long-term project many people who move to Mackay will want to buy properties rather than rent. But if this all goes ahead, our lack of rental properties will become a big issue for the local and state governments.

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The lessons we learn as kids are the ones that stick with us for the rest of our lives. And one of the best things we can impart on our bubs is the importance of exercise.

There are a few ways to make sure the kids are getting out and about in their young days and getting into the habit of moving – regardless of their age.

If they’re a teenager, they might moan, if they’re a bub, they might cry, but they’ll thank you later for it. And it might just get you fit too while you spend the days outside.

Where To Start:

• Whenever possible, indulge your child’s interest in physical activity – kick the ball with them when they ask.

• Show your child how to perform basic sporting skills – like kicking the ball. Research suggests that children whose basic skills are poor tend to avoid sports, so start them kicking early.

• Take them to the playground and help them to use the equipment. Have a go yourself – slides and swings are fun!

• Make sure that family outings are (sometimes) physically active.

• Take your kids for regular walks around the neighbourhood. Babies and young children can be pushed along in prams – once they get older, encourage them to walk part of the way.

• But, for our number one tip, try out different sports in age-appropriate classes. Not only is it good for the body, but it’s also good for the soul. Get your kid hanging out with other kids in a team environment!

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There is no denying that the kitchen is the heart of the home – and to keep it pumping and healthy, you need to be giving it some tender loving care.

And tender loving care is just what the team at Porters Mitre 10 are great at! Designing or updating your home’s heart is a lot easier when you have Porters Mitre 10 and Principal Kitchens on your side.

Designed for contemporary living and durability, Principal Kitchens products are backed with a 10-year warranty on cabinets and a lifetime warranty on hardware – ensuring your home’s heart is always beating at its best.

All In The Details

Your new kitchen will come with Italian soft close hinges as standard – perfect for kids who like to swing open the cupboard doors. All hardware, including hinges, soft close runners, screws and cabinet feet, come with your new Principal Kitchen, meaning there are no additional purchases required. All cabinets are Australian made, ensuring high quality and long-lasting wear.

DIY

If you’re handy on the tools, you can build and install your new kitchen – yourself! Delivered in flatpacks, your new kitchen can easily be assembled by dowel and screw method for a stronger build. Or if you aren’t so savvy on the tools, the team at Porters Mitre 10 can refer you to a local trade professional to assist in the installation.

One Stop Shop

The best part? Your entire kitchen, including cabinets, handles, tapware, sinks, storage solutions and lighting, can all be ordered from one place – Porters Mitre 10! With three kitchen displays and a laundry display already setup for you to walk through, organise a meeting with trained and experienced designers to order your new Principal Kitchen. If you want to start designing your dream kitchen early, use the 3D online planner to then bring to your consultation for the experts to finalise.

Contact the team at Porters Mitre 10 to help bring life back into your kitchen - 07 4967 3386.

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In the wake of Queensland Government state coal royalty tax increases in the June State Budget, there was uproar from mining giants.

But now an independent body representing the commercial resources sector is jumping onboard the criticism train: The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) are calling on the Palaszczuk Government to review the decision.

QRC have queried the state government over their choice to increase the tax to what are the highest rates in the world – all with no consultation to industry.

“Earlier this year, and almost overnight, the State Government increased Queensland’s top coal royalty tax rate from 15 percent to 40 percent,” QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said.

“This is an outrageous impost on our industry, which was done with no consultation or consideration of the damage this will do to regional communities, which rely so heavily on the employment and business opportunities that come from the resources sector.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and her ministers have been stalwart on the decision, though, even with it receiving staunch opposition upon announcement and in the months since.

“I believe that Queenslanders are on our side,” she said.

“Queenslanders will see that some of these companies are making billions of dollars, coal’s being exported overseas and we can reinvest that money for Queenslanders into hospitals and schools and regional Queensland.”

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Moranbah Bulldogs AFC junior Abbey Rankin was awarded the 2022 Troy Clarke Scholarship by AFL Queensland last month, named after the late Brisbane Bears player and AFL Queensland Development Manager Troy Clarke.

The scholarship is designed to support a young person from regional Queensland who displays the core values Troy, a South Cairns junior, embodied during his football journey including dedication, passion and respect.

The scholarship will specifically look to focus and improve Abbey’s football, education and personal development.

The scholarship was presented at Gold Coast’s Bond University on September 22 ahead of the Under 16 Girls Championships where Abbey represented the Gold Coast SUNS Academy Team who defeated the Brisbane Lions 45-7.

AFL Queensland say they selected Abbey for this prestigious scholarship due to her genuine commitment to pursuing her football ambitions.

Growing up in Moranbah, Abbey started playing Aussie Rules for the Moranbah Bulldogs only four years ago before being selected in the Gold Coast SUNS Academy.

During this time, she has travelled to pursue playing football at the highest level available.

Abbey and her family have now moved to Mackay where she plays for the Mackay City Hawks, this year’s 2022 AFL Mackay Premiers.

Head of AFL Queensland Trisha Squires congratulated Abbey on receiving this scholarship.

“Abbey is a worthy recipient of our Troy Clarke Scholarship,” she said.

“Her dedication to chasing her football pursuits through travel to training and seeking additional opportunities to improve her game, is demonstrative of her passion.

“We look forward to watching Abbey’s development as a footballer and person.”

The 16-year-old said she was honoured to receive this scholarship.

“It’s such an honour to receive this scholarship,” Abbey said.

“It has encouraged and inspired me to push even harder towards my goals.

“I know from personal experience that regional kids feel like they are always overlooked and forgotten about.

“This scholarship has done the opposite and inspired me to train and play harder.

“My ultimate dream is to play in the AFLW and be a role model for other regional kids.”

Abbey is the second player from the region to receive the Troy Clarke Scholarship, with Alana Gee from Mackay receiving the scholarship in 2019 before being drafted to the SUNS AFLW team earlier this year.

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In the Bowen Basin, the people of Moranbah and Dysart - two communities central to BHP’s Queensland mining operations – are having their voices be heard by a multi-billion-dollar company.

Home to the new Smart Transformation Advisory Council (STAC), a community-led forum that brings together BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) with community representatives, these two towns are helping the major company navigate the opportunities and impacts of what they call the “fourth industrial revolution”.

Moranbah State School Principal, Anthony Edwards said the forum is providing an avenue for the whole community to impact the direction of Moranbah’s future.

“I think the big thing that Smart Transformation has achieved is bringing community members to the table and to the conversation,” he said.

Since it began in 2019, the Smart Transformation Advisory Council has delivered several important outcomes for Dysart and Moranbah.

It saw the introduction of the Digital Connectivity Project, which is enhancing digital connectivity to both towns in a jointly funded by BHP and Telstra effort.

It initiated a new skills and training project, where an innovative new Careers Navigator role was established as part of the Queensland Future Skills Partnership. And it’s seen the establishment of the Isaac Childcare Leadership Alliance to help improve access to childcare - underpinned by a $1m commitment from BHP over two years.

Moranbah Discount Tyres & Mechanical Owner and Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) Director, Carolyn Fritz said the variety of voices helps to distil the core community needs.

“It’s very important to bring those voices all together and understand the real and basic requirements that the community and business owners alike, need and value,” she said.

“It’s amazing BHP are willing to listen to that.”

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Image: Mayor Greg Williamson and Local Laws staff cut the ribbon to officially open the new Mackay Animal Management Centre. Photo supplied: Mackay Regional Council

The new Mackay Animal Management Centre was officially opened last week with the help of Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson.

Mr Williamson said the new facility would ensure council continues to meet the needs of the community into the future.

“The new facility is three times the size of the existing Animal Management Centre and the upgrades have brought the facility into line with current animal management standards,” he said.

The facility upgrades include 42 dog enclosures, increased from 18, and 22 cat condos, increased from nine cat cages.

“This is a great result for the community, as it means we will be less likely to reach capacity and can provide the best possible care for abandoned animals,” Mr Williamson said.

“The new dog enclosures have also been designed with improved health and safety features, allowing staff to clean one side of the enclosure at a time so they don’t need to be in the enclosure with a dog.

“We have also introduced larger cages for cats called cat condos, background music for the animals, a hydrobath, and improved security measures such as CCTV cameras throughout the facility.”

Julieanne Gilbert MP said the State Government was proud to support important community projects like this.

“The new Mackay Animal Management Centre will be a place that residents can not only adopt a new pet, but also be reunited with their furry loved ones,” Ms Gilbert said.

“Should your pet go missing, you can be rest assured that it will be provided with the best possible care until you can collect it.”

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Do you want your kids to learn some invaluable skills for both life and sport? If so, take them to Rugbytots, a non-code associated play program for 2–7-year-olds that teaches the basics of rugby.

Whether you are a league or union fan, the coaches at Rugbytots can show your children ball skills like catching, kicking and passing right through to life skills such as teamwork, listening to instruction and taking turns.

A friendly and fun atmosphere, this unique rugby program is dedicated to little ones and not only lets them share in the sport you love, but also helps to create strong, confident and resilient children.

Rugbytots first started in the UK in 2006 when a rugby-playing dad couldn’t find a pre-school rugby class for his three young boys.

Almost 20 years later and over 80,000 children in 20 different countries participate in Rugbytots and we are lucky enough to have one of them here in Mackay.

When Krystal Berrigan brought her children to Rugbytots several years ago as a parent, she loved it so much that she soon progressed into the role of a Coach and, almost 7 years ago she took over the reins, running the business ever since.

“Rugbytots is wonderful for your child’s development skills such as hand-eye coordination, social development, balance and agility,” she said.

“It’s a fun environment that gets kids out and active, away from the screens!”

“They love the structure of the sessions and, with their parents close-by, they can find their independence with the comfort of having a parent with them.”

Suitable for both boys and girls, these weekly classes are available, year-round, right across the Mackay Region.

Monday classes are in Marian, Friday in Ooralea and Saturday in Beaconsfield.

Reach out to Krystal to find out more details about how your child can enjoy learning about rugby and gain more confidence for life along the way.

Image: Rugbytots is a unique rugby program with a fun and friendly atmosphere

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