Some areas of Great Barrier Reef are reporting their highest amount of coral coverage in 36 years of monitoring as it recovers from past storms and mass-bleaching events – including reefs in the Whitsundays.

Coral coverage is the proportion of the reef covered by sponges, algae, and other organisms – which has improved significantly in the northern and central sections of the 2300-kilometre reef.

Coral cover has reached record highs according to new data from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), part of a three decade-long monitoring mission.

Dr Paul Hardisty, CEO of Australian Institute of Marine Science, said he would categorise the story as “good and bad news.”

“The good news is obviously the north and central areas have reached record coral, and that signals the reef is resilient,” he said.

“The not so good news is the recent bleaching events in 2020 and 2022 signal the reef is in a different era than it was 36 years ago.

“The easy thing to take away from this story is: coral cover is as good as it was in the 80s. But are the conditions the same? No. We’re walking a tight-rope and that recovery isn’t going to continue unless we act to turn it around.”

Dr Mike Emslie, who leads the AIMS’s long-term monitoring program, elaborated: “the resurgence could be short-lived with the increase driven by fast-growing Acropora corals that are highly susceptible to bleaching, wave damage associated with cyclones and outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish.”

"This isn't the first time the Great Barrier Reef has recovered. It's been seen before. The rate of increase has been seen before. But all it takes is another summer of bad bleaching or a cyclone, which we haven't had for a while, and things can change,” he said.

The latest monitoring report is based on surveys at 87 reefs between August last year and May this year. About half of that work was done before this year's bleaching event.

Dr Hardisty said there were three things we could do.

“Bring global emissions down as quickly as possible, continue to protect the reef’s resilience through crown-of-thorns starfish management, water quality, and the third thing is help the reef adapt to climate change,” he said.

“If you give the reef a chance, it can recover. If the disturbances like cyclones and bleaching come too frequently, it won’t.”

The Great Barrier Reef is showing its resilience in the face of increasingly frequent coral bleaching events, but scientists say it still needs our help

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choice will soon be yours with new Lake Proserpine caretakers, Red Cat Adventures, announcing glamping will be added to the ever-improving tourism locale.

Only new as custodians of Lake Proserpine, Red Cat Adventures Director, Julie Telford, said her business – a famed Whitsunday tourism operator - wasn’t resting on its laurels, and have already been in proactive planning for the future, which included the addition of this new tourism offering.

“We are excited to announce that we aim to be offering “Glamping” tents in time for the September school holidays,” Ms Telford said.

“Lake Proserpine will still be a relaxed outback environment, it will still be bush camping, but by adding the option of “Glamping” visitors can now choose the type of experience which suits them.”

“We will also use our extensive experience and knowledge of the tourism industry to raise the profile of Proserpine as a destination which will have a flow-on benefit to the town’s local businesses.”

Glamping, a portmanteau of glamorous and camping, describes camping with amenities not usually associated with traditional bush camping – think luxurious tent-living.

Ms Telford said they were confident on expanding the Lake Proserpine experience even further.

“[We want to] improve on the land and water activities,” she said.

“There are also plans to introduce low-impact water sports, so it is timely for Red Cats to expand and invest in new land-based projects in the region.”

Ms Telford said it was a “slice of paradise” and the new caretakers Ilze and Mark Huston, are passionate about their roles and enthusiastic about meeting and greeting visitors daily.

Acting Mayor John Collins said it was exciting to have the multi award-winning Red Cat Adventures onboard and helping to grow the Lake Proserpine experience.

“Regional tourism is booming and we look forward to the exciting initiatives that such a proactive local tourism stakeholder like Red Cat can bring to make Lake Proserpine a must visit for tourists,” Acting Mayor Collins said.

A new tourism offering ‘Glamping’ is coming to Lake Proserpine courtesy of its new caretakers, Red Cat Adventures

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On August 13, thousands of Whitsunday residents will cast their vote in the Whitsunday Mayoral by-election at voting booths across the region.

More than 4000 people have already taken advantage of early voting ahead of the Saturday mandatory vote, according to the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ).

They expect up to 12,000 more people could cast their vote at one of four early voting polling booths in Bowen, Cannonvale, Collinsville, and Proserpine before Saturday.

Electoral Commissioner Pat Vidgen said Whitsunday early voters were making the most of early voting options, including voting in person at early voting centres, via postal votes or telephone voting for those eligible.

“We still expect around 40 or 50 per cent of votes to be cast before Saturday’s polling day,” Mr Vidgen said.

“We know the last couple of days before election day are always busy so we encourage anyone interested in voting early, to get in early to avoid queues.”

Early voting booths are open daily in Bowen, Cannonvale and Proserpine from 9am to 5pm, except Friday when they close at 6pm. Collinsville opens today until Thursday from 1pm to 5pm and from 1pm to 6pm on Friday.

• Bowen PCYC, corner Hay St and Queens Rd, Bowen

• Whitsunday Shopping Centre, shop 150/226 Shute Harbour Rd, Cannonvale

• Collinsville Community Centre, 11 Conway Street, Collinsville

• Proserpine Whitsunday Freemason Lodge, 29 Chapman St, Proserpine

Voters have until midday on Saturday to register for telephone voting and can vote up until 6pm on election night. To register phone 1300 912 782.

Telephone voting is available to those who meet certain criteria, including having to isolate due to a COVID-19 diagnosis or those who are interstate or overseas.

Where To Vote On Election Day:

Five polling booths will be open from 8am to 6pm on election day, Saturday 13 August:

• Cannonvale State School, 56 Coral Esplanade, Cannonvale

• Collinsville Community Centre, 11 Conway Street, Collinsville

• Father Tom Guard Hall, St Catherine’s Catholic College, 90 Renwick Road, Proserpine

• Hamilton Island Resort, Hamilton Island

• Bowen PCYC, Corner Hay St and Queens Rd, Bowen

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Athletes are constantly searching for cutting edge technology to help them to train longer to perform stronger or faster. Recovery has been an underrated component of training for decades, with more sports scientists striving to find the balance between beneficial recovery and loss of time training.

Compression boots and sleeves have been in the market for a while, however world class athletes are learning the art of lymphatic drainage and compression from the lymphatic community, where compression that includes the torso and back is providing remarkable rest and recovery results.

Elegance Beauty and Detox Centre in Marian is gaining a reputation for lymphatic drainage therapy for lipoedema / lymphoedema patients as well as an athletic recovery centre.

Owner and Lymphoedema clinician Laura Hamilton has fought lipoedema and secondary lymphoedema most of her life. As she struggled with weight that wouldn’t budge, she underwent gastric sleeve surgery, but found there was still a buildup of lipoedema fat that she could not remove, no matter how much she exercised or reduced her energy intake.

“I was basically just called fat and put in the corner. It still frustrates me today the lack of knowledge around the lymphatic system and conditions such as lipoedema. I wish someone had told me a decade ago what I know now.”

Laura has undergone multiple surgeries to remove the lipoedema and says she still has some way to go, but the difference in her appearance is remarkable. In total she has lost 50 plus kg and has had 10lts of lipoedema removed from her legs. She has changed the salon into a space that can now offer help to others suffering with lipoedema and lymphoedema through massage and compression.

At her base in Marian, Laura uses world class technology with the Lympha Press, pneumatic compression therapy which can assist with lymphatic drainage and reduce inflammation. While most of her patients visit her for lipoedema and lymphoedema related treatment, Laura says the Lympha Press can be used to reduce pain for a number of conditions where inflammation is a problem. It’s also gaining worldwide chatter as an effective way to recover after strenuous sport.

Hamish Wright is a local track cyclist. Now competing in his mid-40s, Mr Wright said that quick and effective recovery is more crucial to his training than when he was younger.

Mr Wright will be competing at the Masters World Track Cycling Championships in Los Angeles next month, and uses the Lympha Press to recover from heavy training sessions.

“I’m a sprinter, so my training sessions can be quite brutal, especially coming into a big competition,” Mr Wright said.

“It’s a lot of explosive power training as well as top-end speed, so recovery that allows me to get back on the bike feeling better is crucial to lead into a big event like the world championships.”

Mr Wright picked up two golds, a silver and a bronze at the Masters Track Cycling Nationals earlier this year and will be competing for Australia at the World Championships.

His recovery session at Elegance Beauty and Detox Centre starts with a lymphatic massage, to open the lymph nodes to assist with drainage to reduce inflammation. The massage is very gentle, more like a sweeping motion over the skin rather than a deep tissue massage that athletes are used to.

Then, the Lympha Press is used from 30 to 45 minutes. Where standard compression boots only compress the legs, the Lympha Press includes the torso, allowing drainage from the inguinal nodes along with other nodes to thoroughly rid the body of inflammation.

Laura sets the room up as a relaxation hub, with soft music and starry sky lighting for full relaxation while the Lympha Press compresses and decompresses using air pumps.

Mr Wright said the difference in his recovery has been noticeable since trying the Lympha Press.

“Usually, my legs would ache all day after a heavy session, but after the Lympha Press, the soreness is instantly reduced and I feel less tight, more flexible,” Mr Wright said.

“The ability to get back on the bike the next day with less pain means I can push each training session harder, thanks to accelerated recovery.”

Compression is helping athletes across a wide range of sports play at a higher level and stay in the game longer.

The clinic has an 8 cell Lympha Press hire unit so that the therapy can be tried at home, or Laura can assist with the purchase of a Lympha Press for people who would benefit from everyday use.

Laura can also measure and fit compression. The clinic offers a range of services as well as stocking Talking compression, Juzo, Lipoelastic, Mobiderm and Hardingham garments.

With first-hand experience dealing with inflammatory conditions, Laura can offer plenty of great advice and tips on pre to post surgery for lipoedema.

Contact Elegance Beauty and Detox Centre to book a Lympha Press session to feel the recovery benefits for yourself.

Track cyclist Hamish Wright using the Lympha Press at Elegance Beauty and Detox Centre for post-training compression recovery

Hamish Wright will be representing Australia at the World Masters Track Cycling Championships in Los Angeles next month

Laura Hamilton is the owner of Elegance Beauty and Detox Centre

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Robyn Geiger completed her first Vision Board in her 50s and says she’s since achieved nine out of ten of the goals she put on her board.

“It made me realise the power of the mind is amazing,” she said.

“You put these things up on your wall when you get home and visualise them constantly.

“I just think it’s a great way for people to do goal setting and personal development.”

Robyn runs Vision Board workshops with Phoenix Counselling, giving participants the opportunity to think about what their plans are for the future and set new goals for themselves.

Workshops are done in small groups where Robyn says bouncing off others can be a great way to get ideas and motivation flowing.

“We sit on the floor with scissors, glue, a board and about 1000 magazines and they just cut out the pictures or the words to put on the board – it might be exercise, it might be walking, it might be travelling,” she said.

“For young mums that feel that everything’s all about raising children and they don’t see where they’ll be in 2-5 years, doing a Vision Board workshop gives them an opportunity to stop and think about the direction that they’d like to take.”

And that goes for anyone, Robyn says.

“It can be anybody, really, it doesn’t matter what age you are.”

While Vision Board workshops are great for personal development, Robyn says there are also many benefits to running the exercises in businesses and schools.

“It’s good for staff development when they get out of the office and do something like that, so that they can be encouraged to work towards something – they’re not just going to work to pay off the car, pay off the house and put the kids through school – they can still have some personal goals,” she said.

“They’re also very good for year 11 and 12 students who are trying to think about what they’d like to do and set some goals for the future.”

Robyn hopes to run Vision Board workshops monthly in the future.

“It’s one of the things that helped me develop as a person and as a professional and I’d like to pass that on to others,” she said.

“It’s just a great way of envisaging where you can go in life.”

To find out more about Vision Board workshops and other services offered by Phoenix Counselling, call Robyn on 0497 912 009 or find Phoenix Counselling on Facebook.

Caobyn Geiger of Phoenix Counselling

Vision boards involve manifesting through cutting and pasting images and words. Photos supplied: Robyn Geiger

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STEM, it is one of the most talked about topics in education. STEM, now also known as eSTEAM, is a teaching approach that combines science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. The “e” stands for entrepreneurship.

STEM emphasises collaboration, communication, research, problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity; skills that students need to be successful in today's world. Our future will be built on our capacity for innovation, invention, and creative problem solving.

There is STEM education with regards to the teaching of STEM in the classroom, but also, a STEM education in terms of you, me, parents, teachers; all of us becoming more educated on the importance of STEM.

If we aren’t educated on the importance of STEM, we won’t push our kids to become educated in STEM.

So, let’s talk about STEM jobs:

STEM jobs pay very well.

For some students and parents that’s all you need to know!

STEM jobs are abundant.

STEM, by its very nature, won’t stop growing and evolving, ensuring jobs for our kids into the future.

STEM and innovation.

While STEM jobs are already a part of our daily reality, it’s not out of the question to think that our kids will be working jobs we haven’t even dreamed of. Research cool STEM jobs and down the Google rabbit hole you will go!

STEM jobs are interesting.

A rocket company launching satellites out of Bowen! A museum curator combining technology and art to engage audiences with virtual and augmented reality experiences! Robotic, AI and drone technology to increase agricultural productivity!

There is no shortage of STEM opportunities in our region for our children. Award-winning STEM Punks director and co-owner, Fiona Holmstrom says, “Mackay is one of our favourite and most visited places and the whole region is always buzzing with potential and positivity!”  

Over 25 per cent of the Mackay region’s workforce is employed in sectors with strong STEM links; which is higher than both the state and national figures. Mackay Regional Council proudly supports the Whitsunday Festival of STEM, Split Spaces and its own library programs that champion STEM events and foster linkages between students, entrepreneurs, local business and industry.

So, check out STEM jobs, home-based activities and events in our region. Introducing STEM in ways that are relevant, memorable and impactful, that tap into our childrens’ interests, is setting them up for secure jobs today and into the future.

Councillor Michelle Green  Mackay Regional Council

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What I like about economics is that it can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make it. There’s Paul Keating’s j-curve, monetarism, Keynesian theories, macro and micro economics … a complex array of theories and perspectives.

But there is also the theory of demand and supply, which is quite simple and explains a lot. I’m no economist but the basis of the theory is that the price of something will vary until it reaches a point where the quantity demanded equals the quantity supplied.

So, basically, if there is a glut of something on the market and the demand does not meet the supply, the price drops until the market decides to start buying.

If there is a lack of supply and strong demand, prices go up until demand and supply reach an equilibrium.

I mention this because of some recent figures that came out about population ups and downs in Australian regions and what it said about Mackay.

Michael Matusik is a property analyst and adviser who puts out a very interesting blog called the Matusik Missive and his most-recent blog featured an Australian Bureau of Statistics re-assessment of population growth and falls in Australian cities.

The ABS recently released their reassessment of population growth (and falls) from what they predicted in 2021 and found various places, such as Sydney and Melbourne, were predicted to be down 2 or 3 per cent from the earlier prediction.

Gold Coast was down 2 per cent, Brisbane was zero change.

Mackay was among the regional areas that bucked the trend with a prediction that it would be up by 5 per cent. There were only two other places in the country that had a higher prediction than Mackay; Kalgoorlie at 7 per cent and Geraldton at 8 per cent.

Even Rockhampton and Cairns were at zero per cent.

My primitive understanding of economics tells me that population growth will create a demand for housing. We know that there was not an increased supply from 2012 till 2018 because nothing was built and it is very difficult to get homes built now because of staff shortages and supply issues.

So, if we have a growing population (more than expected) and a limited supply of housing, one would expect a strong outlook for the housing market in this town.

There is a lot of national media talk about housing downturns as a result of high inflation and high interest rates. But there could well be a different experience in a city like Sydney with million-dollar mortgages and lower population growth compared to somewhere like Mackay with much lower mortgages, a growing population and a lack of supply of properties.

Meanwhile, open homes are getting good numbers and properties are definitely selling in this town. Our Mackay economy, rather than the national economy, is the key and I look forward to writing about that in the coming weeks.

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EEK, A SPIDER!

A phobia is an irrational fear of something that’s unlikely to cause harm. The important words here are “IRRATIONAL” AND “UNLIKELY TO CAUSE HARM”.

Although that is the case, people who suffer from phobias have a very real fear of the thing they have a phobia about. And, as I say, where the mind goes, the body follows. If you think something is true, it becomes true to you.

Phobias are basically your subconscious mind’s way of protecting you. The thing is, the subconscious mind doesn’t know that the thing you are afraid of is unlikely to hurt you. The example I like to use is The Spider. And a fear of spiders is something that you may relate to.

Let’s imagine that you’re back as a 4- or 5-year-old. You’re in the kitchen and a spider runs out. Mum screams and jumps on a chair, and your learning mind says, “that’s the right response to those things because mum just did it and that’s who we’re learning from”.

That goes into your subconscious mind and on to your map of reality. Then every spider you see for the rest of your life, your subconscious mind produces a fear response. You tense up, your heart beats faster and you start to sweat, even though your logical mind is now saying “that’s tiny, it can’t possibly harm me”. However, all of that logical stuff is being rejected by your subconscious mind because it doesn’t match up with what you already know: “Spiders are scary!”

Hypnosis is able to remove phobias by speaking directly to the subconscious mind and letting it know what your conscious mind already logically knows – “this thing cannot harm me”. Once that change is made, the phobia is gone!

Next week, I’ll talk about hypnotherapy for trauma. Until then, remember: You CAN change!

David Lornie is owner and principal hypnotherapist at Frontier Hypnotherapy in Mackay. He can be contacted on 0401 223 780 or help@frontierhypnotheray.com.au. W: www.frontierhypnotherapy.com.au

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Step 6 - Time

As far back as time goes, even in Biblical days, the idea of time has always been a vital part of human existence as evidenced in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 verses 1 through 8. Time is so important that it is regarded as the most valuable currency in the world today. We have one life to live, and how we spend our time on this earth determines the outcome of the life we lead, the legacy we leave behind, the impact we have on our loved ones, the people around us and our society as a whole.

Even though time is so vital, we live in a world today where people are so busy that they do not make time for themselves. The number one reason people say they do not exercise or do things that would benefit their health and wellbeing is because of the lack of time.

Why is this? Why is everyone so time poor?

I’ve found there are a number of factors responsible:

1. THE AGE OF THE RAT RACE

We live in the age of the rat race, a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power, or both. The rat race means no life/work balance, no independence, high stress, long commutes, and general dissatisfaction with life. What this does is leave the everyday person, especially business owners, with no time for themselves because they are constantly chasing, competing, and struggling to get ahead and to be able to feed their families as well as keep a roof over their heads. They often put everyone and everything first before themselves.

2. LIVING OUT SCRIPTS THAT ARE NOT OUR OWN

We all come into this world knowing nothing. Everything we know and do, we learned first from our parents, family and friends, society, and culture, so if we grew up in a household where our parents did things a certain way, we tended to follow their example consciously or subconsciously, because our parents are our number one teacher. We follow the examples of our friends because we are social beings, and we will do everything in our power to try to fit in more times than not. We follow the trends of our society. If something is in trend, we try to fit in because not being a part will mean we are left behind, not cool, or out of touch. If our culture places value on certain things – good or bad – we blindly follow without investigating whether it is the right path for us.

And the list goes on but there are practical things we can do today to get back our time and focus on the things that really are important and matter to us.

For more detail on how to achieve this, grab a copy of my How Bad Do You Want It? The 6 Steps to Living Your Best Life.

Kay

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In case you missed it last Friday, I announced that I’m currently pregnant with my second baby, YAY!

Now don’t get me wrong I could not be more grateful and excited to welcome another little one to the family, however it certainly took me by surprise.

You know when you have your year planned out, maybe taking holidays or working. Well, that was me, 2022 was meant to be full of getting back into work and having a few wines but, surprise! The universe had other plans for me.

I will say It’s certainly a different experience second time around, especially when it comes to people’s reactions to your news.

Telling people that you are having another baby so close to your first, is not always welcomed with the big burst of congratulations you receive the first time around. Instead, initial reactions are, getting told to strap myself in for 2 under 2, and all the madness I’m in for.

Now I’m sure I will regret saying this at some point on my motherhood journey but nothing about having 2 under 2 scares me, in fact I’m very much looking forward to it.

As I never had siblings growing up, I couldn’t be more excited to give my little girl a sibling nice and close in age.

Be sure to tune into the breaky show weekday mornings to see how quickly I take back that statement and feel free to give me any tips for 2 under 2, (if there are any haha).

Also, this Friday make sure to keep an eye on the Star Facebook page for our Floatie Race video, where you will witness this pregnant girl struggle to win a race on a giant inflatable poo emoji for Airlie Beach Race week!

There’s a visual I bet you never expected to see haha!

Until next time, Rach xx

You can join Scotty & Rach from 5am weekday mornings

on Star 101.9 Mackay and 90.7 in Airlie Beach

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Mackay Sugar established a new business unit last week, dedicated to improving the end-to-end services it provides to local growers and ensuring a stronger focus on all commercial aspects across the sugar, molasses and electricity business streams.

The Commercial and Agriculture unit will bring together two key Mackay Sugar grower services – Queensland Commodity Services (QCS) and Cane Productivity – and seeks to provide more contact points for growers for sugar pricing and productivity services.

“We see ourselves as being an adaptable business that seeks out opportunities for improvement,” said CEO, Jannik Olejas

“Improving cane productivity through higher yields and securing acreage with cane is a critical part of our business strategy,” said Mr Olejas.

“As is ensuring we maximise on global market opportunities and creating more profitable partnerships from the growers right through to consumers,” he said.

The new business unit will be led by Brent Casey, formerly General Manager QCS.

Brent has a long and successful history in sugar marketing and pricing structures as well as a thorough understanding of the local sugar cane industry. He also has many years of commercial experience across multiple sectors. Supported by Mackay Sugar’s existing Cane Productivity team, the business is positioning itself to build stronger relationships with growers by focusing on cane and applying a global market perspective, whilst also acting in the best interests of the local community.

“In 2020–2021, the sugar industry’s gross value-add to the Mackay region was $784 million,” said Brent Casey, General Manager Commercial and Agriculture.

“This is a significant contribution to our region, but it is just as important that we build on this to secure cane and sugar production for the future,” he said.

“We need to expand our supply of cane while also ensuring global markets and sugar prices are sustainably and profitably managed,” he explained.

“By maximising grower returns and creating cash flow to achieve optimal productivity, we can shine a positive light on sugar cane farming with the aim of supporting industry growth and encouraging new growers to join our community,” said Mr Casey.

Mackay Sugar CEO Jannik Olejas

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National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day was celebrated across the nation last Thursday with Sarina Youth Centre hosting celebrations.

Children’s Day is a day for children, families, communities and all Australians to celebrate the strength and culture of children.

The occasion, which has been run annually since 1988, provides an opportunity to show support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children as well as learn about the crucial impact that culture, family and community play in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Sarina Youth Centre marked the day with arts and crafts and other activities, creating birds and other animals out of a variety of materials.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day at Sarina Youth Centre

Sarina Youth Centre celebrated with a day of arts and crafts. Photos supplied: Sarina Youth Centre

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Have you discovered Sarina’s Heritage Walking Trail?

Launched in 2021 as part of Mackay’s contribution to the 2021 National Trust Heritage Festival, the online trail includes 11 stops, ranging from the State Heritage-listed Sarina Air Raid Shelter to the Sarina Pie Cart.

1. SARINA RAILWAY STATION

Sarina could first be reached by rail in 1915 when the large wooden station was erected. In the early days of rail in Sarina, local services ran by rail motors, which provided passengers with their own train to Mackay, or the choice of joining the longer distance trip to Carmila. Today, the railway building serves as the Mackay Region’s state-of the-art Visitor Information Centre. The centre is open seven days a week from 9am to 3pm. Take a step inside to see the inside of this historic building and use the latest technology.

2. SARINA BAKERY BUILDING

Constructed in 1936 the bakery was the first two-storey masonry building to be built in Sarina. The original “Sarina Bakery” lettering remains visible on the parapet of the original portion today and the bakery use continues in the 1950s extension to the building. The bakery is important in demonstrating the growth and success of Sarina during the Interwar period, and the trend towards masonry buildings following the 1918 cyclone and 1924 fire in Broad Street.

3. SARINA WAR MEMORIAL

This State Heritage-listed Sarina War memorial was erected in 1919 with a public ceremony held. The cenotaph was erected as a tribute to the people of the shire who lost their lives in the great war. In celebration of the coronation of King George VI on May 17, 1937, Sarina residents held a Coronation Celebration Program, which involved church services, an official tree planting ceremony and laying of a foundation stone for a sundial commemorating the coronation. The war memorial at Sarina is still used for Anzac Day services.

4. SARINA AIR RAID SHELTER

This State Heritage-listed Sarina Air Raid Shelter is important as a surviving component of the Air Raid Precautions that were implemented as part of the defence of Queensland during World War II. The proximity to Mackay aerodrome meant that there was a credible threat of aerial attack on Sarina during the war years. It demonstrates the urgent measures taken by State and local authorities for protection of the public from attack by hostile forces during a time of war.

5. SARINA PIE CART

The Sarina Pie Cart, known by locals as “The Diner”, is one of the most iconic buildings in Sarina, standing on this spot since 1937. This is the oldest original eating house in Sarina, with meals still cooked on a wood stove. At the Pie Cart you will receive a hearty homecooked meal and great burgers.

6. SARINA COURT HOUSE AND WATCHHOUSE (FORMER)

A new Court House and Police Station were completed in October 1901, with Constable Robert Brett appointed the new Clerk of Petty Sessions. The Court House was renamed to Clerk of Petty Sessions, Sarina, when the town was renamed in 1911. Due to the insufficient space to accommodate the growing police force, the Court House closed in August 1961 after the new Court House was approved for construction in 1960. When the new Court House was built, the original building was relocated to St Anne’s Catholic school, where it was used as a classroom. In 1995, the building was fully restored. The Sarina Arts and Crafts Centre is now housed in the historical Sarina Court House.

7. MT PELION SCHOOL BUILDING (FORMER)

Mt Pelion School opened on February 26, 1924, and continued to be used for schooling, meetings and entertainment until its closure on December 12, 1970. A previous pupil of the decommissioned school, John Preston, purchased Mt Pelion School as a reminder of his struggles with his education. John donated the building to Northview State School, where it was located from August 11, 1987, to October 24, 2014. Due to the building continuing to age and deteriorate, the building was relocated to Sarina Field of Dreams in 2014 and restored for community use. This building is now used as an administrative office and function room for Sarina Arts and Crafts.

8. SARINA FAMILY PLAQUES

The Sarina Family Plaques serve as a local history record for the town. The plaques include the names of residents who have lived in Sarina for more than 15 years. These plaques represent the families who have helped shape Sarina into the town that you see today.

9. SARINA CATHOLIC PRESBYTERY (FORMER)

The former St Anne’s Catholic Convent building was built by Brown and Broad Pty Ltd and opened on November 18, 1923, as a Presbytery for the Catholic Priest in Sarina, Fr Thomas Hogan. In 1988, for the upcoming 10 years, the Convent was the Parish Centre for St Michaels Catholic Church, as well as being home to the Blue Nursing Respite Care Centre. The convent was relocated on January 19, 2001, to the Field of Dreams and handed over to the Heritage Committee for use by Sarina District Historical Centre on May 2002. The building reopened as a museum on May 31, 2003, after renovations.

10. YUKAN RAILWAY STATION (FORMER)

The Sarina Art Gallery is housed in what used to be the Yukan Railway Station built in 1911, originally named the Eungella Range Railway Station. In 1913, the station was renamed Netherdale Railway Station and served as such until 1973 when the track behind Finch Hatton fell into disuse. The Netherdale Station was moved to Yukan in 1978 and in 2002 was moved to its forever home in the Sarina Field of Dreams Parkland.

11. SARINA SUGAR SHED

Sarina Sugar Shed celebrates the rich history of sugar cane farming in the Mackay Region. Visitors can enjoy a one-hour guided tour and learn how sugar cane is grown, farmed and processed.

The Tea Rooms at Sarina in 1928. Picture: Mackay Regional Council Libraries

A waiting crowd at the Sarina Railway Station

Sarina War Memorial

The Diner in Sarina

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The Sarina Surf Life Saving Club has elected their new committee for the 2022/23 season.

The following members have stepped up, taking on roles to ensure the club continues to strive.

Fundraising Coordinator and Bar Operations positions are still available so get in touch with the club via Facebook to express your interest.

2022/23 Committee

President - Trent Vernon

Vice President - Dave Young

Secretary - Shelley Brady

Treasurer - Liz Keune

Club Captain - Lisa Vernon

Junior Activities - January Sarich

Deputy Junior Activities - Shona Gibson

Green Caps - Leigh Ford

Director of Surf Sports - Lisa V

Club Coach - Lisa Vernon

Membership and Blue Card - Trent V

Chief Training Officer - Dave Y

Trainers - Neil, Trent, Lisa

Youth Development - January S

Canteen Coordinator - Tania Higgs

Clubhouse Coordinator - Kylie John

Grants and Sponsorship - Neil John

IRB Officer - Dave Young

Radios - Dave Young

First Aid and Marine Stinger - Sam Trapp and Neil John

Vehicle Officer - Neil John

Gear and Equipment - Neil John

Grievance Officer - Haley Saye

Administration Officer - Kylie J

Photo supplied: Sarina Surf Life Saving Club

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National Tree Day was back earlier this month and saw Australians get their hands dirty and give back to the community.

Starting in 1996, National Tree Day has become Australia's largest community tree planting and nature care event.

Students from Sarina State High School got involved last Tuesday, planting native trees and plants around the school grounds.

Sarina State High School students planting native trees and plants around the school grounds for National Tree Day. Photo supplied: Sarina State High School

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