Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Whitsunday Anglican School has celebrated a successful year of student sport, recognising the tremendous talent and achievements of its athletes at its 2026 Sports Awards. Among the major honours, the Bill Turner Cup Under-15 Soccer Team and Vicki Wilson Cup Year 7–9 Netball Team were named Sports Teams of the Year after winning their respective Mackay competitions and progressing to represent the Mackay Region at state competitions. Harriet received Sports Official of the Year for her commitment to netball umpiring, including her selection to officiate at Queensland Representative School Sport level, while Maverick and Chelsea were named Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for their sporting excellence, integrity and contributions to the school. The school also recognised Mr Jim Fredericksen for 20 years of volunteer coaching with its Archery Programme. Mayor Greg Williamson attended the awards, alongside guest speaker Mrs Deanna Turner, who shared insights into the value of sport in education. A former Queensland Firebirds netball player, Australian rugby league player and Queensland Rugby League coach, Mrs Turner is also a current Queensland Representative School Sport coach. Her presentation explored how sport can help build resilience, teamwork and leadership. The school congratulated all award recipients and students who represented Whitsunday Anglican School throughout 2026. Photo source: Whitsunday Anglican School
Read the full story
It’s the story about 30,000 drowned pigs and how it applies to real estate, best business practices and life in general. In an earlier life I was the editor of the Daily Mercury newspaper, back when it was published and printed six days a week and over 20,000 copies were sold on a Saturday. Different times in the media world. Anyway, this one day we were following a story about flooding in Rockhampton. Some days earlier there had been a lot of rain and some flooding in the Mackay region and, as often happens, the river system’s flood waters then made their way towards Rockhampton. When there is a rain event upstream a lot of water from various rivers and tributaries runs into the low-lying Fitzroy River system and into Rockhampton. It is very predictable and Rocky authorities can often establish that when there is flooding further north in places like Mackay that in a week’s time the Rocky area will be flooded. So up in nearby Mackay we were following the approaching flood and in communication with our sister paper in Rocky who were giving it massive coverage. It wasn’t Mackay so it wasn’t going to be front page in our paper but we were planning on a significant coverage. In the late afternoon one of our reporters came into my office and said: “30,000 pigs have drowned in the Rocky floods. They were washed away from a farm.” I said: “Thirty thousand pigs!? That’s a lot of pigs. Can we check on that?” The reporter came back five minutes later and said: “The story’s right. The farmer told the Rocky journo thirty thousand pigs have drowned from his property upstream from Rocky. Rocky’s running the story.” I asked if we had photos and he said they didn’t but would let me know when they had some, although none arrived that evening. We went pretty big on the drowning, as the Page 3 or Page 5 lead story with the obvious headline of 30,000 pigs drowning in the Rocky floods. Early the next morning the young journalist who had told me about the thirty thousand pigs drowning approached my office and tentatively knocked on the door. In a stammering voice he said: “Ah, look … about that, um, story about the, ah, thirty thousand pigs drowning near Rocky ...” I had an uneasy feeling, bordering on dread. “Uh ha … what about the pig story?” I asked. He said: “It wasn’t thirty thousand pigs. It was 30 sows and pigs.” I’m no mathematician but even I could work out that our story and big headline was out by about 29,970 dead pigs. I knew immediately how the miss-communication would have happened. A young Rocky reporter busily covering the floods. On the phone talking to a distressed farmer or piggery owner who blurts out: “Mate it’s terribly out here. I’ve lost 30 sows and pigs, all drowned.” If someone, speaking quickly, blurts out “thirty-sows-and-pigs” you can understand how someone could hear “thirty thousand pigs”. Also, who says “sows and pigs”? A piggery owner, obviously, but probably no-one else. Certainly not a reporter in the city. Anyway, we ran a correction the next day. The story reminds me that in life, real estate and business, listen to your gut. I had questioned the story. I thought 30,000 pigs was extremely unlikely but accepted it when the young reporter confirmed it. I should have asked more questions. I should have listened to my gut. In real estate, owners sometimes get the facts wrong … how many kilowatts in the solar system, how many litres the bore produces, when the previous owner had renovated the house. You can’t just pass these things on to a buyer as facts if you don’t know them 100 per cent true. You’ve got to be cautious, listen to your gut and check the facts.
Read the full story
Queensland Telestroke Service is saving lives one video call at a time, recently providing life saving consultation to 37-year-old Mackay mum Angelica Murray. Angelica suffered a stroke whilst out with a friend, and was rushed to Mackay Base Hospital. Within minutes of her arrival she was connected by video to a specialist stroke neurologist who prescribed life-saving medication. “I was in the car with my friend and suddenly I couldn’t concentrate or remember names,” Angelica said. As her condition deteriorated, her friend rushed her to hospital. At the emergency department, staff immediately recognised the signs of a stroke. “I remember all the nurses and doctors working together so quickly,” Angelica said. “They were explaining everything, even the stroke doctor on the screen.” From the advice of the Queensland Telestroke Service (QTS) neurologist, Angelica received the clot busting medication she needed. The speed of the service made a life changing difference. “I started feeling better after a couple of hours,” Angelica said. Mackay Base Hospital is now recording the fastest stroke treatment times in the state. QTS is operating live across ten Queensland sites ( Hervey Bay, Bundaberg, Ipswich, Makay, Toowoomba, Kingaroy, Rockhampton, Bowen, Proserpine, and Gladstone hospitals) with more than 850 patients being treated so far. 12 Queensland hospitals are planned to be added to the list. The service aims to make sure that regional patients are receiving specialist stroke care just as efficiently as those in central areas. Local Stroke Nurse Helen Nengasha, who has spent more than a decade caring for stroke patients, said seeing outcomes like Angelica's was exactly why the team has embraced Queensland Telestroke Service. “The introduction of QTS has streamlined care for patients experiencing time-critical strokes,” Helen said. “Now, it doesn’t matter where you live, you can get that expert care straight away. “In one recent case, the team achieved treatment in just 42 minutes, well under the national 60-minute benchmark. That’s the fastest we’ve ever done.”
Read the full story
From toilet training to prostate health, pregnancy to menopause — why pelvic health matters to us all. When you hear the words pelvic floor, what comes to mind? Pregnancy? Childbirth? Perhaps those exercises you were told to do but never quite remembered? For many years, pelvic health has been viewed as a women’s health issue. But here’s something that might surprise you: everyone has a pelvic floor, and everyone can experience pelvic health problems. Whether you’re a child struggling with constipation, a new mum recovering from childbirth, a man experiencing bladder changes after prostate surgery, or someone navigating menopause, pelvic health plays an important role in everyday life. Our pelvic floor is a group of muscles at the base of our pelvis. These muscles support our pelvic organs, help control our bladder and bowels, contribute to sexual function and work alongside our abdominal muscles during movement. When things aren’t working as they should, the impact can extend well beyond the bathroom. It might be the child who avoids school toilets because passing a bowel motion hurts. The mum who stops running because she leaks urine. The man who avoids social outings because he’s worried about finding a toilet. Or the woman who believes pelvic heaviness is simply another part of getting older. Different people. Different stages of life. But one common thread: pelvic health can influence our confidence, activity levels and quality of life. And importantly, many pelvic health concerns can improve with the right support. Pelvic health physiotherapy is about much more than strengthening muscles. Treatment might involve bladder retraining, bowel management, improving muscle coordination, addressing pain or helping someone return to activities they love. Sometimes the answer is strengthening. Sometimes it’s learning to relax. And sometimes it’s simply understanding what’s happening in your body. This broader understanding of pelvic health is also why our clinic has recently embraced a new name. After five wonderful years as Women’s Health Physio Mackay, we are now proudly Pelvic Health Mackay. Our new name reflects something we’ve always believed: pelvic health is for everyone. While our name has changed, our team, our care and our commitment to helping the Mackay community remain the same. So here’s my question to you. Have you stopped doing something you love because of your bladder, bowel or pelvic health? Perhaps you’ve given up running because of leakage, avoided social outings because of urgency, or accepted discomfort because you thought it was simply part of getting older. You don’t have to wait until symptoms become overwhelming to seek help. Many concerns can improve with appropriate assessment, education and individualised treatment. If something doesn’t feel right, start the conversation. Speak with your GP or a pelvic health physiotherapist and find out what support is available. Because pelvic health isn’t just about muscles, bladders or bowels. It’s about confidence, independence and enjoying life without unnecessary limitations. Pelvic health isn’t just women’s business. It’s everyone’s business. And your health deserves attention. Lauren Neill | APA Titled Women’s, Men’s & Pelvic Health Physiotherapist | Pelvic Health Mackay
Read the full story
Skills and knowledge in rural business development and management will be shared with the Farm Business Management Skill Set, visiting Mackay in November.
The special UQ Skills ‘for women, by women’ edition of the program was initiated in recognition of International Women’s Day and aims to celebrate and encourage women’s participation in agriculture.
UQ Skills Trainer and Assessor Janne Dipple says the program is designed for farmers and higher-level management staff in rural enterprises.
“In today’s world, farming has become a whole lot more complex and it’s really important to be business focused and business orientated,” she said.
“Younger people might sign up because they’ve got a whole farming career ahead of them and they want to get off to a good start and make sure they’ve got a really sound business plan.
“Secondly, people sign up if they’re a little bit further into their agriculture career and maybe they want to make some changes to their business.”
On completion of the program, participants will gain access to a six-month post-program agribusiness mentorship platform, allowing them to continue to share their experiences and challenges, receive professional coaching, and gain access to a library of resources.
“When people finish the four-day program, they’ll walk away with a business plan template, a succession plan template and the know how – how to implement it for their rural business,” said Ms Dipple.
“It’s not just a lecture, it’s not just like attending a classroom-style of learning.
“We actually have a lot of conversations and its very practical and hands on.”
The course will take place in Mackay from November 8-11.
Visit uqskills.uq.edu.au/mackay-fbm for more information and to enquire online.
A local community organisation began their fund and awareness raising campaign for women’s cancer and its research on Wednesday morning.
Bowen-based service Stella Life Care invited women of all ages to a Pink Ribbon Morning Tea in collaboration with the Cancer Council’s month dedicated to breast, ovarian, and cervical cancers.
The business decked out its Herbert Street premises in pink for the day with 20 local ladies purchasing tickets with those funds heading back to Cancer Council.
Stella Life Care provided the ladies with pink cupcakes cooked by Purple Rain Deserts, and set up a generous raffle of prizes, each of which was donated by Whitsunday businesses.
The raffle will be running throughout November, with Stella Life Care hosting stalls at places like Bowen IGA, Woolworths Plaza, and more. The prizes included items like a Whitsunday Jet Ski tour, Horseshoe Bay Café vouchers, a mystery box, and more, totalling roughly $1000.
Local Robyn Burrell, whose husband is a cancer survivor, said it was incredible to see so many people having conversations about getting checked for cancer.
“Cancer has touched a lot of family. To see women talking about it, it’s excellent and so important,” she said.
Bowen ladies put on their best pink outfits for Stella Life Care’s Pink Ribbon Morning Tea to raise awareness for women’s cancers
Some of the ladies who attended even styled up their old bras for decorations on the day, adding a bit of fun to what can be a serious occasion
By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay
I’ve never had such confidence that the time is right for sugarcane to grow beyond its traditional sugar commodity basis and diversify into a range of renewable, sustainable biofutures products.
There is a mature political and commercial environment for it, and it is an opportunity that we as a region need to get on board with and realise a once-in-a-generation opportunity to diversify the regional economy and steer it in the direction of a clean, green sustainable future.
Hot on the tail of Life Sciences Queensland’s September Bioeconomy Forum, in recent weeks, Trade and Investment Queensland Trade Commissioner- North America Viki Forrest and General Manager-Queensland Operations Elton Miller visited the Mackay area to discuss with the economic export potential of sugarcane-based fuels and “future foods”.
This visit included a meeting with Canegrowers Mackay, including Deputy Chairman Joseph Borg, CEO Kerry Latter and myself, where we were able to discuss the trade opportunity that biofutures presents. They also met with the Greater Whitsunday Biofutures Leaders Group, of which Kerry Latter is also a member.
As an organisation, we are committed to seeing growers benefit from the development of a regional plant-based protein processing industry, and from renewable fuels and energy. Growers are the providers of the feedstock, a critical cornerstone in the development of the sector, and as small-to-medium enterprises that happen to farm, they deserve a real value proposition. Pricing of that feedstock will be important to enthuse growers.
The Trade Commissioner affirmed the opportunities are now and into the next several years, not a decade away, and the next generation plant protein companies are looking to invest in our region.
When it comes to an industry that is committed to sustainable and ethical production and supply chains, we in the Mackay region have a commercial edge over less developed sugarcane producing nations.
We offer a mature, stable economy. Our feedstock has the strong sustainability credentials that these companies require, thanks to programs like Smartcane BMP. Obviously, we have developed strong human ethical standards that do not use child or slave labour. Our state is working towards achieving net-zero renewable energy. For these reasons, Mackay is the region on everybody’s lips.
The world population - and particularly in the Asia-Pacific - is growing dramatically, and protein is a fundamental human health and diet. At the same time, the world is looking toward affordable solutions to meeting rapidly growing protein demands with renewable solutions that have positive outcomes for land use, environment and animal welfare.
Major overseas players that are looking to invest in our region have successfully created plant-based milk and egg substitute products from corn syrup (fructose). The Racecourse Biocommodities Plant, alongside other research facilities have done the work to show that sugarcane (sucrose) is a similarly useful feedstock.
The Queensland Sugar industry has always been a world leader in innovation, with other sugar producing countries following our lead. The challenge of stepping up to a robust biofutures sector is within our grasp. Queensland is in the box seat: significant companies are keen to come to Queensland and want to invest.
Merinda State School students travelled back in time on Thursday last week when they joined the Bowen Mural Society outside Le Sorelle, The Three Sisters Café.
The school children visited the re-painted Merinda School Mural on the side of the building in Bowen, which once again depicts their school’s past in vibrant colour.
Artist Martin Jegou of Gwada Murals gave the Merinda School mural “a new lease on life” and a new coat of paint over the month of September.
“To go over someone else’s work, that is a first for me, and it’s very rewarding to see all these students here enjoying it,” Mr Jegou said.
Business Manager at Merinda State School, Sarah Groves said the mural retouching came at a perfect time with the school set to mark its 125th year in 2023.
“Something like this is incredibly important in celebrating the history of our school,” she said.
“It’s exciting, especially for the kids to see how the school has changed and how different everything was; it is so important for us to highlight that history and that culture.”
Bowen Mural Society Spokesperson Heather Skinner said it was excellent to see students appreciating the painting and made all their fundraising work worthwhile.
“That’s a memory these students will have forever,” Ms Skinner said.
Bowen Mural Society are now fundraising for the retouching of a mural on the wall of the Bowen Hotel which depicts the Denison Hotel, with plans for Mr Jegou to complete the restoring.
Merinda State School students visited the recently re-painted Merinda School mural alongside the Bowen Mural Society and the artist responsible for the revival, Martin Jegou
Image: Declan Durrant
Ever had that chat to the Police? Nope. You are very lucky.
Me, however is a different story. I have and I’ve actually been to ‘jail’ and I came out a better person.
Let me clarify.
This time last year we decided to start 4MK’s Jingle Jail and help raise money for some beautiful people who help kids 24/7 in Bravehearts.
We grabbed the make shift ‘jail’ from our PCYC mates in North Mackay, I sat myself down in it and invited a few mates over to sit in with me while they raised ‘bail money’ to be let out. We did it and we raised many $$ on the day and had a few laughs and a few tears along the way.
So this year, actually next Saturday Nov 5, we are heading to Porters in Brisbane St with our ‘jail’ and we are locking everyone up who wants to so we can raise money for Real Mates Talk.
These guys save lives with the work they do. They start conversations which in turn helps people. Meaningful conversations, something that we don’t always have or know how to do. They help us with the skills and on Saturday next week, we are raising dollars for them to continue.
I want to tell you who will be joining me in jail. Amanda Wright from this very fine publication you’re reading now will be there with me behind the cell bars at 9:30. Also former Mayor Col Meng at 8am, Adrian Young from Harrup Park at 8:30, City Fitness Steve Eden at 9am, Keiran Horsfall from Mackay Police PCYC at 10am, Trainer Col Joy at 10:30, Creperie Restaurant's Paul Rutland at 11am, and Casey Blyton from Porters at 11:30.
These legends are all on board raising money as we speak so on the day, bail will be easy. How much bail money? That’s anyone’s guess.
We’ve got donation pages already set up so if you can help, head over to the 4MK page and donate away, and feel free to come and join us next week. I’d love to see you.
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!
There’s plenty to think about when applying for your first job, like when and where you can work. Are you chasing money or work experience? How will you manage work with your other commitments?
Develop a resume
Your resume is the first time an employer will get to know you so it’s important to make a good first impression. It’s all about your experiences and interests. Here are some tips to make your resume stand out from the rest.
1. Tell the employer why you’re the right person for the job.
2. Keep your resume short and sweet for the employer to read through.
3. Prove that you are trustworthy by listing a referee in your resume. This could be a teacher, a former boss or someone in a group you belong to – not a relative.
Search for a job
Before you start looking for a job, discuss it with your parents or guardian. They might help with some great advice, and you might need them to get you to and from your job.
1. Browse through online job sites like Seek.
2. Ask friends and families for opportunities that may be available to students.
3. Job hunt in person by handing your resume to businesses you are interested in.
4. Apply for casual roles over Christmas.
Prepare for an interview
Before:
• Do some research and know as much as possible about the company.
• Think about how your skills and experience are relevant.
• Identify three or four things that will set you apart from others.
• Arrive on time – punctuality is important.
• Dress appropriately.
During:
• Be positive - believe you are the right person for the job.
• Be attentive - listen carefully to questions and give more than one-word answers.
• Try to give some examples in your answers.
• Ask a couple of questions at the end of the interview. This shows you’re interested in their business.
After:
• Didn’t get the job? Ask for feedback on how you can improve for next time.
What you need to get paid
There are a number of key accounts you need to arrange to ensure you can be paid:
• Tax file number
• Bank account - find the best account for you to minimise fees and charges.
• Superannuation
Visit bendigobank.com.au/firstjob or call Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank on 07 4943 2634 to learn more.
At the culmination of Queensland Mental Health Week, schools and community groups across the state sang a song to highlight the benefits of sharing your voice with others.
Queens Beach State School in Bowen took part in the Together Sing Music For Wellbeing awareness raising event, harmonising 370 of its students voices in a song composed for the occasion last Friday, October 21.
Performing the song ‘Where We Begin’ - which was commissioned by Queensland Mental Health Commission and Kodaly Music Education Institute of Australia’s Queensland Branch - the local school enjoyed “the benefits of singing together for mental health week.”
Queens Beach State School music teacher Sylvia Kaklamanis spearheaded the Bowen iteration of the state-wide music education program.
The song was composed by Australian Composer Slade Gibson and arranged by another Australian Composer, Will Brown.
A spokesperson for the school said it was a very different activity for many of the students with some of them a little apprehensive to sing out loud in front of their peers.
“The kids loved it. All the preps through to grade six enjoy the performance and they just couldn’t help but get involved,” she said.
“When the younger students see the older ones getting involved, they free up and start singing too. And all of the teachers thoroughly enjoyed themselves!”
The event was organised by Education Queensland and was encouraged because of music’s strong link with emotion: music can make us happy, sad, relaxed, or calm. Music can make us feel better.
370 kids raised their collective voices in song for Mental Health Week at Queens Beach State School in Bowen
The property valuers Herron Todd White put out a very instructive monthly snapshot of real estate prices, and changes, across the nation.
It’s based on the numbers, the sale prices, and for those of us who have a bit of an interest in what’s going on in the real estate sector, it is a very worthwhile read.
The most-recent update made it very clear that there are different things happening to markets throughout the country. There is not a uniform trend and certain regional areas are faring differently to big cities.
To illustrate this, October’s update said the “recent impact of increasing interest rates” has created a “pronounced drop in the median dwelling price”. But where? Not Mackay.
That reference was to places like Sydney and Melbourne.
It went on to say: “In the more affordable regional areas the recent strength of the market has been attributable in part to out of area purchasers who have viewed residential property as affordable.”
So increased interest rates are actually creating a higher level of buyer activity in affordable regional areas from people moving from expensive southern cities, particularly if those regional areas provide the services people need and the lifestyle they want.
I recently sold a property that had multiple offers in which three of the four buyers were from cities down south. The winner was a buyer from Melbourne who had just sold his house and was getting rid of a mortgage and moving to Mackay to be near the sea and have a more relaxed lifestyle.
Mackay is an attraction because it offers the services people require, it is affordable, it is a beautiful part of the country and a great place to live.
There is no doubt that interest rate changes have created nation-wide caution, but we can also see that those very changes are attracting buyers to our city and region.
Herron Todd White also includes a national property clock in their monthly market update, a snapshot of where various cities are in the price cycle. That property clock has the peak of the market at 12 o’clock, a falling market at 3 o’clock, the bottom of the market at 6 o’clock and a rising market at 9 o’clock.
In their housing property clock places like Melbourne and the Gold Coast are around the 2 o’clock mark, starting to decline. Sydney and Brisbane are at 3 o’clock, a declining market.
Where is Mackay in the property clock? At 9 o’clock, a rising market. So, when people say the property market is falling you need to be careful about which market you are actually talking about. Cairrns, the Whitsundays, Gladstone and Rocky are also at 9 o’clock.
When your see and hear on the national media about falling real estate prices they are not looking at our region. They are focused on the big cities.
Apart from interest from southern buyers looking for opportunities here, the big driver is our strong economy and the resources sector that continues to drive it. And that is looking pretty good.
In an inaugural community event, a Bowen-based mental health hub invited locals to a day promoting mental wellbeing through information, activity, and fun.
For National Mental Health Week, selectability Bowen collaborated with organisations from across the northernmost Whitsunday town, bringing awareness to its community about the valuable services on offer.
Representatives from Trapp, Feros Care, local business wellness coaches, Stella Life Care, Real Mates Talk, Bowen PCYC, and more held stalls on the day, highlighting the interconnectivity of Bowen’s vital organisations.
selectability Regional Coordinator Luana Land said the day was a huge success, with over 150 community members attending.
“I don’t even know how to put it into words how proud I was of the event. Even if we helped one person find a service, that makes the whole day worth it,” Ms Land said.
“Having a big, fun day and aligning that with Mental Health and Suicide Prevention information is something we aspire to. We wanted to help people be aware of that; to show them there are things out there and a lot of organisations locally that can help.”
The event at the Bowen Sound Shell was supported by Local Drug Action Team’s (LDAT) Community Action Plan Stronger Together, with funding supplied through the LDAT and The Drug Alcohol Foundation to provide a children’s play area, as well as catering.
Ms Land said the day received excellent feedback, and it is planned as an annual event each year.
“The response we saw and heard the most was about loneliness and having community events like this is a way we can combat that and it is what the people of Bowen were asking for,” she said.
“We will be making it even bigger and better next year.”
Locals and Bowen organisations – including emergency services - came together for a Mental Health Week event hosted by selectability
This years’ Frocktober celebrations took to social media for a large campaign that brought together 30 local people, 30 vibrant outfits and 30 stunning photographs - spreading the love and the good word of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.
This national charity is dedicated to raising money to create better outcomes for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer by funding programs which are at the forefront of finding pathways for early detection.
Award-winning marketing agency, redhotblue, took the lead again this year, bringing the event together and launching their own team which was named ‘Frock It’!
As Frocktober fundraising events take place all over the country, our own local ambassador for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, Jody Euler, is doing her bit by rallying community members for a fun photo shoot that you will have undoubtedly seen colouring your social media feed over the past month.
Her Creative Agency redhotblue, has organised its own team named ‘Frock It’ and brought together a diverse mix of personalities from around the region including Mayor Greg Williamson, doctors, fashionistas, community members and more.
Working in collaboration with local fashion house Hustle and Flo, Jody brought 30 individuals together to wear colour and embody passion for a stunning series of photographs.
The team then used their exemplary social media skills to spread the word across multiple platforms, using the powerful imagery to generate donations.
This is the second year that Jody has hosted a Frocktober event, last year saw 300 people attend a Gala Dinner, where there were raffle prizes, charity auctions and Most Fabulous Frocker Awards.
The gala dinner raised an impressive $25,000, the most amount of money for a stand-alone Frocktober event in all of Australia.
This year, while they are not holding a physical event, Jody is asking the community to donate what they would have spent on a night out instead.
“We’ve made it really easy this year, you don’t have to go and find an outfit, you don’t have to book a babysitter, it’s not a whole night out – all you need to do is click on the link and donate,” she said.
“People are a bit event fatigued so rather than add another one into the event calendar - we’ve made it easy!”
This years’ theme is ‘Life’s too short to be boring’ and countless fundraising campaigns have taken place right across Australia.
Frocktober started in 2007 when 10 friends from Geelong gathered around a table to talk about how they could help raise funds for ovarian cancer.
They decided to rethink something women used every day – their wardrobe.
The first event raised just $200 but flash forward 14 years and in 2021 the now national month-long fundraising initiative reached its first $1million.
Jody has been a passionate ovarian cancer fundraising crusader for several years, ever since a dear friend was diagnosed, and each year she likes to contribute to Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.
“The work they are doing is amazing, they keep leading the way, they keep peeling back those layers and finding new results and new outcomes,” she explained.
“They want to achieve better detection tests because often, when people are diagnosed, they are too far into it.”
If you would like to donate, please scan the QR code on this page and follow the instructions on your screen.
• 1,800 women are diagnosed in Australia each year
• Every 8 hours a woman in Australia dies from ovarian cancer
• 250,000 people die each year in the world from ovarian cancer
• Abdominal bloating
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Frequent or urgent urination
• Back, abdominal or pelvic pain
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Menstrual irregularities (bleeding in-between periods)
• Tiredness and indigestion
• Pain during or after sex
%20copy.jpg)
How do you take a break? It’s important that we do something for ourselves that just allows us to breath and nurture our mental health. For some, it could be reading a book, attending a concert or going on holidays to faraway places. For me, I try to escape and relax in the natural surroundings of our countryside. I like to camp and, yes, I’m an off-grid camper, so the more remote the better.
I’ve camped for many years in our region and I started by going to the usual spots like our national parks, Smallies Beach and Eungella etc. But after a few years, we wanted to try new places, so we joined a local 4WD club that arranged trips onto private property, so there were many new places to explore. We now use Hip Camp or Station Hoppers, which are the air BnB’s of camping, to camp locally in the region. There are so many opportunities for property owners in our region to develop this idea into a passive income. You can offer as much as (toilet, showers and fresh produce), or as little as (nothing but a paddock by a stream) you like.
I’m the first to admit there are all types of families in our region with all types of needs regarding caravanning and camping and, as such, we are in the process of developing a RV Strategy.
Council recognises the growing importance of the recreational vehicle (RV) industry. This RV Strategy will review the region’s current RV market and support infrastructure and identify and prioritise key projects. The strategy will involve engagement with existing commercial operators, industry bodies, site users, visitor centres and tourism operators. The draft strategy is expected to be released for public comment by March 2023, with information to be made available on Connecting Mackay (www.connectingmackay.com.au) closer to the date. So, please make sure you have a say.
We have great spots in our region at Mirani, Seaforth and Ball Bay, but it’s just not enough. Remember to enjoy the great outdoors and what we have in our region and relax.
Gotta love where we live!
Cr Alison Jones
Mackay Regional Council
Concluding our story about dairying in the area…
Fraser’s Dairy: (As remembered by Phil's wife, Marie)
During the war, Phil Fraser was released from the army to assist his parents, Bill and Jane Fraser, in the running of their dairy which was an essential service. Frasers delivered milk around town and out to the Army Camp at Gunyarra. After the war, the dairy was sold to Mr Shaw and Jim Fraser. Another son of Bill, stayed on to work for him. At some time during Fraser’s tenure, people were able to purchase tokens to put out instead of money to pay for the milk. Local children from that time later recalled playing with these.
Muller’s Dairy
Ron Muller Snr (Snow) started the dairy run circa 1941 when he began delivering milk to Dittmer Mines from a farm along the present dam road that his father had purchased from Bill Fraser. When Dittmer Mines began to wind down, the family moved to Crystalbrook and commenced deliveries in the town area. They purchased O’Hara's Dairy and were allowed to operate from those premises for about six months.
At first, all milking was done by hand but the purchase of a three stand Buzzacot Milking Machine allowed them to milk three cows at a time. Cows had to be milked twice a day come rain or shine and the milk either had to be used or tipped down the drain. So it was that, once, when there was a cloud burst at the top of the river and the road was impassable at Neilsen's crossing, five ten-gallon cans were loaded on an old cane truck that had been left at the siding. It was pushed by manpower along the tramline all the way down to Perske's farm where Joe, Snow's uncle, was waiting in his truck. He then drove Snow around town to deliver the milk.
For many years, deliveries were done by horse and cart. Later they used a Morris Ten and finally a Model T Ford. Sometimes people would be out waiting with a billycan but, at other times, no one would answer the door so they would simply go into the kitchen, find a container and leave the milk.
At the peak of the season, Mullers delivered seventy to eighty gallons of milk but as the year wore on and the season became drier there was not so much milk and it sometimes ran out before the run was finished. In the afternoon, they would deliver to all of the customers who had missed out in the morning.
Snow recalled that he was never able to play sport because milking began every morning at 2am, deliveries continued until about 11am and afternoon milking began again at 2pm.
The Muller family eventually decided to change to beef cattle declaring they were not sad to move on. It would seem that dairying has always been a very demanding way to earn a living.
The last vendors in the town area were thought to be the Helliers who went from house to house daily. The advent of bottled pasteurised milk brought an end this type of business that had served the community so faithfully for so many years. After moving from Proserpine, Bert and Dorothy Hellier settled in Laidley South. Their son, George and wife, Alice, purchased a dairy farm in Laidley Creek West. Two of Bert and Dorothy Hellier’s descendants, their granddaughters, Cindy Hellier-Oliver and Diane Taylor reside in the area. Cindy settled here in 1994 and Diane in 2002.
Story and photo courtesy Proserpine Historical Museum.
Hellier family at Proserpine show
1. Cardboard stops car fighting – are your children always getting in each other’s space and bickering during car journeys? Simply cut a sheet of sturdy cardboard and place it between each child
2. Fitted sheet on the beach – take a fitted sheet to the beach and place bags at each of the four corners. This provides a sand-free zone for kids and acts as the perfect playpen for little ones
3. Coffee cup drip tray – did you know that your take-away coffee cup lid can double as a perfect drip tray for your child’s melty ice-cream? Simply turn it upside down and push the ice-cream stick through the mouth section
4. Spray bottle monster killer – are your kids scared of monsters at night? If so, get an empty spray bottle, make a fun activity of decorating it with your child and then fill with water. Tell them that they can use this during the night to battle any scary monsters
5. T-shirt keep sake – On your child’s first day of school buy a large t-shirt (that would fit an 18 year old) and get it printed with the year they will graduate. Then take a photo of them every year on their first day of school for the next 13 years
6. Fan inflated fort – When your kids ask to dismantle your entire lounge to make a fort, simply reach for the fan instead. Get a doona cover and place around a fan on their bed, then turn on. This will put air into the sheet and give them a cool hideaway without messing up your lounge
Source: boredpanda.com
Coffee cup lid ice cream drip tray
Children of all ages can learn to swim in the comfort of their parent’s arms at the Mackay Aquatic Recreation Complex (ARC) thanks to the Splish Splash lessons which teach babies as young as three months to have a whole lot of fun while learning to be comfortable in the water.
Sam Westcott has been a swim teacher for over nine years and has been Aquatic School Coordinator at the ARC for the past year.
She loves watching babies discover water for the first time.
“There’s a whole lot of singing in our classes,” said Sam.
“I love watching the babies learn the songs and they soon start following our movements, they also learn the moment that their heads go under water so they feel relaxed when it happens.”
The Splish Splash classes are specifically for children three to six months old, after this point the little ones graduate to Learn To Swim Lessons.
These group classes can cater for up to eight children who are accompanied by their caregivers.
“Children can go through 500 different emotions a day!” said Sam.
“Having their caregivers with them means they’ve got their safety person; it makes the whole experience comfortable and familiar.”
The ARC boasts three pools - a 15-metre pool for beginners, one that is 25-metres and a 50- metre Olympic length pool with 10 lanes.
This means your child can learn and progress at the same facility.
Each swimming pool is heated and they are all easy to access for all ages and abilities.
“We are super family friendly and would love to meet you and your little ones!” said Sam.
Being a parent doesn’t mean your children will always do as you ask, in fact it often means you find yourself repeating the same request several times before it is even heard, let alone actioned.
There are a few reasons for this, firstly they could be so absorbed in their current activity that they honestly do not hear you. Secondly, if too much time passes, they may have forgotten your request. Or thirdly, they simply don’t want to do what you asked.
Research shows that children under 14 lack peripheral awareness, which means that if they are focused on a toy, book, game, or TV show when you ask them to do something, their brain is tuned into that activity and cannot process that request.
Here are a few helpful tips to get your child to listen to you the first time:
Get their attention
Make eye-contact and touch their arm to ensure they are listening to you
Check for understanding
Make sure they understand the request by asking them to repeat the instruction
Set a timeframe
Decide in your own mind what you want the child to do and the time frame you will accept for their compliance
Watch for Compliance
Instead of going back to what you were doing, hang around to make sure your request is being actioned
Congratulate success
Reinforcing compliance with praise means your child will be more likely to follow a request next time
Give consequences if necessary
If your child does not complete the request, then be prepared to give and follow through with a suitable consequence
Be consistent
It is vital that you stay firm, if they do not comply then there must be a direct consequence
Publishers Indemnity. Any individual or entity that places advertising, supplies copy material, or submits editorial content to Core Life Publishing agrees and undertakes to ensure that all such material:- Does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights;- Is free from any content that could be considered defamatory, libelous, or slanderous;- Does not infringe upon any rights related to privacy or breach of confidence;- Contains no obscene, indecent, or otherwise unlawful material;- Complies fully with the Trade Practices Act and all other applicable laws, regulations, or statutes.Furthermore, by submitting or placing such material, these individuals or entities agree to indemnify and hold harmless the publisher, Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd, and/or its agents from and against any and all investigations, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, costs, or judgments arising out of or in connection with the material provided. All material is believed to be accurate at the time of printing and remains the copyright of Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd.
© 2026 Mackay and Whitsunday Life Pty Ltd.
