Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Film & Arts Mackay will host a special charity film night on Friday 8th May, raising funds to support Mackay primary students attending an annual camp for deaf children. The evening will feature the French film My Brother's Band, which organisers selected following its major success at the Cannes Film Festival. Organisers describe the film as an engaging, crowd-pleasing choice they believe will resonate with a wide-ranging audience while helping boost fundraising efforts for the students. The film has taken home multiple international awards including an Audience Award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival 2024, an Audience Award at the American French Film Festival 2024 and a Cannes Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival 2024. Description: A sensation at Cannes and a box office hit, Emmanuel Courcol’s My Brother’s Band follows two estranged siblings brought together by music. Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe), a renowned orchestra conductor, discovers after a health scare that he was adopted. He finds his younger brother, Jimmy (Pierre Lottin), a school cafeteria worker and trombone player in a community band. Though their lives differ, Thibaut sees Jimmy’s talent and aims to nurture it. A crowd favourite, My Brother’s Band blends humour and heart in a moving, feel-good story. Bring your family, your friends and some tissues. **DESIGNER NOTE - BREAKOUT BOX/HIGHLIGHT FOR THE BELOW** Event Details My Brother’s Band Film & Arts Mackay Charity Fundraiser Rated: M 7.30pm Friday 8 May Cook Theatre, CQUniversity Ooralea Campus, Building 1 (at the end of the road) Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/DKULT
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Friday 1st May North Queensland Games FREE Community Event 5pm The community is invited to celebrate the opening of the 2026 North Queensland Games at Harrup Park on Friday, May 1 from 5pm. The free, family-friendly event will feature food trucks, jumping castles, community stalls, the March of Athletes, Holy Spirit College drumming corps, the lighting of the Games torch, live entertainment, fireworks, the Channel 7 100m Sprint Cup and an NQ Games cricket match. Five-time Olympian Nat Cook will also attend. Harrup Park, Mackay Saturday 2nd May Mens Breakfast 7.30am The community is invited to the Iona West Men’s Breakfast at Iona West Uniting Church, 7 Brooks Street, from 7.30am on Saturday, May 2. The $5 breakfast will feature guest speaker Doug Foster from Cairns, who recently retired after many years serving as State Chaplain Coordinator for the Uniting Church and previously as a police chaplain and congregation minister. Married with three children and seven grandchildren, Doug will share stories from his life and ministry. For enquiries or to RSVP, contact Anthony and the team. Iona West Uniting Church Saturday Story Time 9.30am Families are invited to enjoy a fun and engaging morning at Saturday Story Time at Gordon White Library from 9.30am to 10am on May 2. Designed for children aged one to five, the free session features captivating stories, singing and interactive activities that support early language and literacy development while giving parents and little ones a chance to bond and enjoy a relaxed weekend outing together. Gordon White Library, 54 Phillip St, Mount Pleasant Beach Clean Up 3pm Community members are invited to help protect the coastline at a beach clean-up at Blacks Beach on May 2 from 3pm–5pm. Volunteers will work together to remove litter while enjoying time in nature and connecting with others who care about ocean health. Participants are encouraged to bring a hat, water bottle, enclosed shoes and sun-smart clothing. The initiative is supported by BHP Mitsubishi Alliance. Blacks Beach Mackay Rural View and Rosewood Drive Walk 4pm Walkers are invited to meet at 3.50pm in the back car park of Woolworths Northern Beaches (Rosewood Drive side) for a relaxed community stroll past the high school and around the nearby lakes, where swans are often spotted. Participants can also stay for dinner afterwards at Northern Beaches Bowls Club. The casual walk is shared for information by the Women Who Walk group, with participants asked to sign an indemnity form. Nth Beaches Woolworths back car park (meeting spot) Sunday 3rd May Community Meditation and Breath Work 10am Residents are invited to explore mindful breathing through BMS Pranayam classes held Sundays from 10am–11am at Mind Psyence. Led by experienced yoga teacher Prabha Srinivasan, the free community sessions introduce traditional yoga breath and energy work aimed at reducing stress, improving clarity and supporting wellbeing. Suitable for beginners, the session includes guided breathwork, meditation and a Q&A. Donations are welcome to help cover costs. Mind Psyence, 358 Slade Point Road, Slade Point Writing Sunday 11am Writers of all levels are invited to take part in Writing Sunday at Dudley Denny City Library from 11am to 1pm on May 3. The free, volunteer-led program offers a supportive space to finish projects and connect with fellow writers. Using the Pomodoro Technique, sessions are structured into focused writing blocks with short breaks to boost creativity and productivity, encouraging participants to build momentum while refining their craft in a collaborative community setting. Dudley Denny City Library Monday 4th May Come & Try Gateball 1.30pm Community members are invited to a free “Come & Try Gateball” session at Mackay Croquet Club on Monday, May 4, with arrival from 1.30pm for a 2pm start. Gateball is a fast-paced, social team sport similar to croquet, designed to be easy to learn and suitable for all ages and abilities, with short 30-minute matches. The event offers a relaxed opportunity to stay active, meet others and enjoy an afternoon outdoors. Phone:0413 500 897 for more information. Mackay Croquet Club, 105 Juliet Street, South Mackay. Tuesday 5th May The Mum Hub – Sparkly Brain Society 10am Mums are invited to connect and share experiences at a neurodivergent mums support group hosted by The Held Projecteach Tuesday at 10am at The Mum Hub Mackay. Facilitated by founder Amanda, the welcoming group is open to mums on the spectrum or those who feel they don’t fit traditional boxes, with or without a formal diagnosis. Babies and young toddlers are welcome, and tea and coffee will be provided in a relaxed, supportive environment. 10/46 Mulherin Dr, Mackay Harbour
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Community members are being encouraged to step forward and make a difference as the Mackay VIEW Club joins the nationwide call for volunteers during National Volunteer Week (18th–24th May). The club is inviting locals to support children’s education charity The Smith Family by giving their time and skills, helping create brighter futures for young Australians. VIEW — which stands for Voice, Interests and Education of Women — is a leading women’s organisation with more than 13,000 members in close to 260 communities across Australia. Members are dedicated to supporting children in need through education by fundraising, raising awareness and volunteering with The Smith Family. This year’s National Volunteer Week theme, “Your Year to Volunteer,” serves as a call to action for Australians to get involved in their communities and help create positive change. Mackay VIEW Club President Elizabeth said the theme strongly reflects the organisation’s purpose and the work being carried out by members across the country. “We help The Smith Family make tremendous change by giving children the best start to life through a quality education. “Last year alone, the charity’s educational and mentoring programs reached over 186,499 children and young people across the country. “VIEW members’ generosity, compassion and commitment create life-changing opportunities for young Australians every day. “As we celebrate ‘Your Year to Volunteer’, we honour those already giving their time and talents and invite others to discover how volunteering can spark connection, purpose and a powerful sense of community.” Elizabeth said members support a range of important initiatives through their volunteering and fundraising efforts. “We help raise funds for programs like student2student, which pairs younger children with reading buddies, we sponsor students through the Learning for Life program, so they are supported throughout their entire education, and members can volunteer at Learning Clubs, where children are given help with their homework after school.” Chief Executive Officer of The Smith Family, Doug Taylor, said the organisation’s work would not be possible without volunteers. “Each year, thousands of volunteers play a vital role in our learning support and mentoring programs and provide invaluable in-house administration support, with the students and families we support being the ultimate beneficiaries. “We are very grateful to all VIEW members for continuing to donate their time and energy, especially during the last few years which have been disrupted by the pandemic, and now the cost-of-living crisis.” Members of Mackay VIEW Club support The Smith Family through a range of local activities including raffles and money boards, collecting Containers for Change, Christmas gift wrapping with ESA, market stalls, the Seniors Expo and monthly lunch meetings. Elizabeth said there are many ways for people in the community to become involved. “There are many opportunities for people to help out. “We are always looking for women to join us in supporting The Smith Family and we’d encourage anyone interested to get in touch and come along to our next meeting to learn more about VIEW.” Anyone interested in learning more about Mackay VIEW Club can contact Elizabeth on 0438 715 731, visit the VIEW website, or find the club on Facebook at VIEW Club – Mackay, Queensland. The Mackay VIEW Club is encouraging community members to volunteer during National Volunteer Week, supporting children’s education through The Smith Family by fundraising, mentoring and community activities. Photo source: Mackay View Club
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The Rise of Video on Demand : Netflix Not long ago, a Friday night meant standing under fluorescent lights, scanning video store shelves and hoping the latest release hadn’t already gone. A couple of decades on, a quiet red “N” sits in almost every lounge room, not just ready to entertain, but ready to decide what we watch next. The rise of Netflix didn’t happen overnight, though it can feel that way. Founded in 1997 the same year as redhotblue : ) it began as a mail-order DVD service. You’d queue films online, they’d arrive in the post, and you’d send them back when you were done. No late fees, no queues, no awkward counter chats. Convenient, yes, but not yet cultural. The turning point came when Netflix stopped behaving like a distributor and started thinking like a platform. In 2007, it introduced streaming quietly, almost as an add-on. The catalogue was limited and the tech imperfect, but the idea was powerful: instant access, no physical media, no waiting. Then came the bold move many legacy players couldn’t make, it bet against its own success. As DVDs peaked, Netflix doubled down on streaming. It leaned heavily into data, tracking what people watched, paused or abandoned. While traditional broadcasters relied on ratings and guesswork, Netflix built a real-time feedback loop. That approach reshaped content itself. When it launched originals like House of Cards, it wasn’t just commissioning a show it was engineering one. It knew audiences liked political drama, it understood the draw of Kevin Spacey, and it backed the binge model. Dropping entire seasons at once broke decades of convention and audiences loved it. Hits like Stranger Things and The Crown followed, cementing Netflix as more than a platform. It became a studio, a network, and a cultural force. Timing helped. Broadband improved, smart TVs became standard, and the shift from ownership to access already underway in music and software took hold in screen content. Netflix didn’t create the shift, but it aligned with it better than anyone else. There have been stumbles. Prices have climbed, and competition is now fierce, with studios launching their own platforms. But the behaviour Netflix shaped has stuck. Entertainment today is expected to be on-demand, personalised and immediate not a luxury, but the baseline. What’s remarkable is how quietly it happened. No single moment, no grand arrival just a steady build of smarter decisions, better content and fewer barriers. Until one day, the red “N” wasn’t new at all. It was simply there, part of the furniture. And like all things that become common place, it now faces its next challenge: staying essential in a world it helped create. JODY EULER, redhotblue DESIGNERS – INLCUDE HEADSHOT OF JODY AS PER PREVIOUS COL
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Major businesses are jumping onboard local festival Rhythm & The Reef ahead of its second event in September.
Field Mining Services Group has partnered with the festival, helping to put on an event that has quickly become an icon of culture and community in North Queensland.
Mackay Regional Council, Daly Bay and the Ambassador Hotel have also joined forces in support of bringing big city entertainment to regional Queensland.
Event Director James Slade says the support of these businesses helps events bring bigger and better artists to Mackay, ultimately putting on a better festival in a turbulent time for the industry.
“These businesses see the importance of creating a culture of excitement throughout the region, and by doing so encouraging more young people to move north and fill crucial roles of employment,” he said.
Rhythm & The Reef is expected to attract punters from Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and southeast Queensland, providing a major boost to the economy.
In 2021, the Rumble on The Reef events collectively brought over 5000 people from all over Australia to the region across a two-week period.
This year’s line-up includes Running Touch, Touch Sensitive, ShockOne, Jack Botts, Ivan Ooze, Godlands, Felipe Baldomir, Moss and heaps of local favourites.
The event will also feature life-size marine sculptures made from beach debris, live art displays and heaps more.
This year’s event will be held on the riverfront at Bluewater Quay.
Tickets are selling fast and are available online now.
WHAT: Rhythm & The Reef 2022
WHEN: Friday, September 24
WHERE: Bluewater Quay
TICKETS: Oztix
Rhythm & The Reef is back for 2022 thanks to local business. Photo supplied: Rhythm & The Reef
A local artist has won the Woollam Art on Show Award for 2022.
Mackay’s Emily Jayne Carroll won the award with her work entitled ‘Fredrick’ which was entered in the Easel Painting category, topping numerous entries received from all over the country.
“I’ve always been drawn to the old masters, so like the renaissance era of art,” Emily said.
Emily says she became obsessed with art in her senior year of high school, studying with a private art teacher, entering competitions and working as a commissioned artist after graduating.
She eventually embarked on a hairdressing career, seeking career and income stability, and opened her own salon.
“I actually hadn’t painted at all for ten or 11 years and ‘Frederick’ was my first finished piece in ten years,” Emily said.
“It was incredible, winning, it just gave me a lot of validation that this is actually what I’m supposed to be doing with my life and I’m on the right path, so I shut down my hairdressing salon and I’m putting all my focus into this now.
“I really do think that, right now, the world desperately needs art.
“I think with everything happening in the world, it’s so important, it provides an alternate glimpse into a different world for people and pulls people away from the negativity and the state of the world currently.
“I think these competitions are just so important.”
Melbourne-based artist Deanna Hitti was the guest judge at this year’s Art on Show Awards and says she can see unique subject matter reflected in works coming out of the Mackay area.
“I go to quite a few towns within the states of Australia and they’re all so different,” she said.
“All the voices are different, the medias are different, there’ll be one media popular over another, the approach to the media will be different, the themes will be different and this is quite an eclectic mix here which is quite lovely to see.
“There’s so much talent here.
“(The works are) very, very personal.
“You very much get a sense of place here…I felt as though there was quite a connection between the artist and their subject matter.”
Deanna attributes Mackay to beginning her art career after she won the Libris Award in 2008.
“Conceptually, I started to know why I wanted to bring printing and books together, and then I won that award and then two years later - back then there was a symposium for artists' books as well so I exhibited in that and it was massive exposure and it started right here, which is amazing.”
*breakout box*
Woollam Art on Show Awards 2022
$3000 Overall Winner – Woollam Art on Show Award 2022
Artist: Emily Jayne Carroll
Title of Work: Fredrick
Section 1 – Easel Painting Award 1st Prize
Artist: Sharon Ruhle
Title of Work: Waiting
Section 2 – Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal Works on Paper Award 1st Prize
Artist: Desma Munro
Title of Work: Abandoned
Section 3 – 7 Mackay Local News Miniature Award 1st Prize
Artist: It Hao Pheh
Title of Work: Pumpkins
Section 4 – North Jacklin Emergent Artist Award 1st Prize
Artist: Georgia Farlow
Title of Work: Endemic
Included in Section 4 – Keith’s Mean Machine Excavations Emergent Artists Arts Practice Award
Artist: Georgia Farlow
Title of Work: Endemic
Section 5 – Artists’ Book Award 1st Prize
Artist: Avril Makula
Title of Work: Bibliolater
Art on Show Guest Judge Deanna Hitti and Award Winner Emily Jayne Carroll with Emily’s piece ‘Frederick’. Photo supplied: Melissa Broadhurst
Mackay’s Rosemary Payne won the MineMech Services People’s Choice Awards for 2022 with her work ‘There Lies a Tale’. Photo supplied: Art on Show
Mikayla Parrotta won second in the People’s Choice Awards with her work titled ‘Moments Before Disaster’. Photo supplied: Art on Show
Friday 19 August
MackHack 2022
Friday, August 19 to Sunday, August 21
MackHack is back! A ‘hackathon’ long weekend where teams work on genuine industry challenges with the objective of driving the commercial acceleration of METS and mining, mining equipment, technology or services locally and across the state. This cross sector event will feature guest speakers, case studies and workshops in AI, Robotics, XR (VR, AR, MR) technology. It will bring together thinkers, makers, doers, creatives, innovators and entrepreneurs, designers, engineers and programmers to solve internal business challenges, or bigger industry challenges. There will be major cash and prizes up for grabs. To find out more and book your tickets, visit www.mackhack.com.au
Split Spaces
Accommodation Options in Retirement
Friday, 11:00am to 12:30pm
Free seminars for your financial future delivered by Services Australia discussing accommodation options in retirement. Comparison of accommodation types, financial advantages and disadvantages, Centrelink assessment, and aged care fees and charges will be discussed. Bookings required.
Dudley Denny City Library
Conversations with Art
Friday, 1:00pm to 2:30pm
A free and enjoyable discussion led by Artspace staff as they look at images of traditional and contemporary artworks. Held on the 3rd Friday of each month, Conversations with Art is held in one of the three gallery spaces, or in the Artspace Workshop Room. It’s not an art theory lesson, it’s simply a casual conversation to talk about the art, deconstructing the works, considering themes, possible techniques used by the artist, and creating links with our own personal experiences. Whether you’re an artist, an art and language lover, beginner, or expert, everyone’s welcome!
Artspace Mackay
QCCS presents NQ's Rock'n Country 2022
Friday, 8:00am to Sunday, 11:00pm
QCCS presents NQ's Rock'n Country is back, bigger and better! If you thought the 2021 festival was impressive, wait until you see what is planned for 2022! Bring your camp chairs and picnic blankets and settle in for a massive three days, with over 40 of the best national and local country music artists playing across four stages.
Mackay Showgrounds
Mal Meninga Luncheon
Friday, 12:00pm
When you buy tickets to the Mal Meninga luncheon, you’re helping raise money to help Mackay’s rugby league juniors, plus you get to listen to a rugby league immortal while having a delightful lunch with beverages included at the beautiful Ocean International. Every cent raised (plus more), thanks to the support of our major sponsor Queensland Country Bank and media sponsor, StarFM and the Sunrise Rotary Club Perpetual Fund, goes back to our Juniors.
Ocean International Hotel
Friday SUN.sets
Every Friday Evening From 6pm
Knock off drinks, lakeside dinner, good friends, and LIVE MUSIC.
Wake House Australia
Saturday 20 August
Soroptimist International Mackay High Tea
Saturday, 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Soroptimist International Mackay invites you to a High Tea Event. Tickets are $65 per person. Funds raised go to the Trudy Crowley Foundation. Buy tickets from https://www.trybooking.com/CADXW.
The Ocean International
Discovery - Winterlogic Tour
Saturday, 8:00pm to 2:00am
A part of Discovery's "Winterlogic Tour", McGuires welcomes you all to come and get funky with the Happenings Co. crew bringing you the best Daft punk show in northern Queensland.
McGuires Hotel
Sunday 21 August
Unearthed Free Community Event
Saturday, 9:00am
Enjoy an action-packed program of free STEAM-inspired entertainment for the whole family. Discover local megafauna and prehistoric sea monsters from real fossils to digital models, live science experiments, music and talks, drones, robotics and virtual realities, meet Queensland Museum Network curators, battle it out in our Minecraft competition, get creative with the art of science and more!
MECC
Sunday Live Music – Lucid Wings
Sunday, 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Music every Sunday from 2pm - 5pm. Head down to the Seabreeze Hotel this Sunday for some fresh tunes, delicious food, and ice-cold brews.
Seabreeze Hotel
Sugar City Rock and Roll Mackay Rock n Roll Dance
Sunday, 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Rock n Roll dance at Glenella Hall this Sunday. BYO Drinks. Members: $5. Non-Members: $8.
Glenella Hall
Monday 22 August
My Choir
Monday, 11:30am to 12pm
My Choir is aimed at those in the community affected by dementia and memory loss, their families, friends and carers. Singer or not, just come along and experience the joy of singing. Bookings required.
Gordon White Library
Wednesday 24 August
Mackay Farmers’ Market
Every Wednesday, 6:30am to 10:30am
The market is a showcase of our region’s amazing produce direct from the farmer.
Bluewater Quay
Sugar City Rock and Roll Mackay Club Wednesday Night Lessons
Every Wednesday, 7:00pm
Why not come along and learn to rock ‘n’ roll in a friendly and fun atmosphere with the Sugar City Rock ‘n’ Rollers Mackay Club? Previous experience is not required. Everyone learns at their own pace and, even better, the first lesson is free on your way to learning the four step style of rock ‘n’ roll. $5 for members and $8 for non-members after that. The club caters for social activities for club members with regular dances with live bands in attendance and away trips. For further enquiries call 0408 983 911.
58 Macalister St, Mackay
Thursday 25 August
Book Week - Picnic in the Gardens
Thursday, 9:30am to 11:30am
Dress up as your favourite book character and join in for a picnic at the Botanic Gardens, Story Time under the trees and Baby Bounce on the lawn. Join the Libraries team for face painting, puppets, craft activities and heaps more for children up to five years old. Baby Bounce will begin at 10am and Story Time will begin at 10:30am. This is a free event.
Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens
Amy Shark – See U Somewhere Tour
Thursday, 7:30pm to 9:45pm
Fresh off her Cry Forever arena tour, adored pop singer-songwriter Amy Shark will be hitting the road for a mammoth 42-date regional tour of Australia presented by triple j, Handsome Tours and Select Music. Support Act Cult Romance: 7.30pm - 8pm. Amy Shark: 8.30pm - 9.45pm. Tickets on sale now!
MECC
It was the year 1922 when the Sarina branch of the Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA) was formed and, 100 years later, the branch is hosting a wide range of centenary celebrations.
Next Tuesday, August 23, QCWA Sarina are proudly hosting a Race Day at the Mackay Turf Club.
While Race Day Luncheon tickets are sold out, general admission to the racetrack is free and all are welcome.
Moreover, a major raffle will be drawn on the day with heaps of amazing prizes including a bottle of Sarina Sugar Shed Anzac Commemorative Rum, vouchers and a bottle of port.
Traditionally renowned for their culinary skills, the scones and cakes made by QCWA members have saved lives — raising millions of dollars for those struck by natural disasters and drought, women and children's health, rural education, mental health, and disease.
Members of the Association around Queensland are celebrating the colossal impact of rural Australia's largest advocacy group.
President of QCWA Sarina Mary-Therese Watson said the group have been “planning and excitedly looking forward to the centennial celebration for a while now”.
“The Race Day is about having fun, to not only celebrate but also to raise funds that support the Sarina Branch and its work to assist women and their families,” Ms Watson said.
“We thank Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank for their sponsorship towards our Association, as well as sponsoring the major raffle and the second prize for Race Day.”
Tickets can be purchased by direct deposit, in person at the QCWA hall or at the race day.
You will also find a commemorative centenary display at Community Bank Sarina brimming with history – make sure to stop in and check it out.
Community Bank Sarina Branch Manager Charmaine Matsen said the purpose of the sponsorship for QCWA Sarina Branch was to “provide support to women in our community who are trying to improve the lives of others”.
“It’s important to invest back into organisations that positively impact our greater Sarina region, in a way that inspires action and makes a practical difference in our communities,” Ms Matsen said.
Find QCWA Sarina Branch on Facebook for more information on all their celebrations.
Check out the QCWA Sarina Centenary Display next time you’re in Sarina Community Bank. Photo supplied: QCWA Sarina
Fresh off her Cry Forever arena tour, ARIA award winner and alt-pop singer songwriter, Amy Shark is hitting the road for a mammoth 42 date regional tour of Australia, presented by triple j, Handsome Tours, Select Music and Rage More.
Amy Shark will bring her critically acclaimed Cry Forever and Love Monster albums to regional fans right across Australia.
Amy has been touring Australia since May, and finally the show comes to her home state of Queensland this month.
“I’m the happiest when I’m on stage performing and I can’t wait to travel further into Australia where I’ve never been before, to explore some of these towns and meet everyone, it’s going to be a fun one,” Amy said.
After bursting onto the global music scene in 2016, Amy Shark’s 6 x Platinum single Adore put her on the map as one of Australia’s most formidable emerging songwriters.
This was followed by APRA award winning (Song of The Year) 6 x Platinum and number one Australian airplay chart hit, I Said Hi and the 2019 3 x platinum single Mess Her Up.
Shark’s debut/breakthrough #1 ARIA album and Platinum-certified LOVE MONSTER was recognised in 2018 with four ARIA awards (Album of the Year, Best Female Artist, Best Pop Release, Best Producer [Dann Hume]) and was nominated for another five.
LOVE MONSTER went on to become the highest selling album by an Australian artist for 2018. Not one to slow down, even in a global pandemic, 2020 saw Amy release her ARIA award winning, 2 x Platinum accredited single, Everybody Rise, which is nearing 37 million streams globally and spent 12 weeks in the top 10 Australian airplay chart.
Amy’s latest album, CRY FOREVER was her second #1 ARIA debut holding the top spot for two weeks consecutively. Shark teamed up with blink 182’s Travis Barker on Gold accredited single C’MON and global superstar Ed Sheeran to co-write platinum single Love Song’s Ain’t for Us featuring Grammy award winning artist Keith Urban.
Today Amy has amassed 798 million combined global streams.
Thrilled to be performing such an epic run of shows around Australia and showing her endless gratitude for the huge love from her regional fans, Amy enthuses, “I don't know when I'll get the chance to do a huge Australian run like this again so if I'm coming to your town, you are mine that night!
“No excuses.”
What: Amy Shark - See U Somewhere Australia Tour
When: Thursday 25 August 2022, 7.30pm
Where: MECC Auditorium
Tickets: For tickets and further information, head to https://www.amyshark.com, or www.themecc.com.au
ARIA Award winner Amy Shark is performing at the MECC next Thursday evening
Motorheads are meticulously putting the final touches on their muscle, vintage, and souped-up cars ahead of tomorrow’s day of displays at the Proserpine Showgrounds.
Whitsunday Old Iron Restorer’s Club will launch their debut Car and Motorcycle Show, Swap Meet and Field Day on Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
The local club is eager to display its “old irons” alongside market stalls and live entertainment for the Proserpine community – especially its car-lovers.
But for those displaying their hotrods – of which there are many; each car club in the region has been invited to show off their motors - it kicks into gear this afternoon, carrying on into the night where anyone can come along for live music at 7pm to 10pm by artist Paul Burger.
For those looking for a day out at showgrounds packed with cars and food, the official start is on Saturday with gates open 9am until 3pm.
It will be the first event of its type for the new club and will send all proceeds from the day to Black Dog Institute - a non-for-profit research organisation investigating mental health diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
“When you’ve got something like what we have – these beautiful cars - you should use it for a good cause,” Club President Mark O’Keefe said.
Mark said there’s plenty to look out for with cars coming from as far afield as Cairns, and hotrods like his own restoration of an ’84 Jeep CJ10 – of which there are only 400 in the world – will be the ones to look out for. As well, patrons can enjoy some excellent vendors, entertainment, and motorbikes.
Entry is a $5 dollar donation.
WHAT: Car and Motorcycle Show, Swap Meet and Field Day
WHEN: Saturday, 20 August 9am-3pm
WHERE: Proserpine Showgrounds
President of Whitsunday Old Iron Restorer’s Club, Mark O’Keefe is excited to be showing off a few of his prize cars at the event on Saturday
Hey Joe, did you hear? One of Australia’s best blues and rock guitarists is bringing the Jimi Hendrix Experience to The Pub as part of two rock-and-roll shows hitting the venue in September.
Reviving Hendrix with all-star guitar licks, Steve Edmonds Band is travelling up the east coast of Oz for two performances at the Airlie Beach Hotel: one as the Jim Hendrix Tribute Show, and the other as his own Blues, Rock & Boogie extravaganza.
It starts on Saturday when the amp kicks in and the electric guitar starts purring with the two-part rock experience of the Steve Edmonds Band Jimi Hendrix Tribute Show.
This tour de force will have you on the air guitar as it pieces through Jimi Hendrix’s most popular tunes.
In part one, the band pay tribute to Hendrix’s most famous live performances from Woodstock to Monterey Pop, featuring classic hits like Voodoo Child, Foxy Lady, Purple Haze, Little Wing and many more favourites.
Then, in part two, Edmond’s and his band dedicate time to the classic rock songs of the 70s – anthems from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Doors, Thin Lizzy, Cream, ZZ Top and many more.
In a breathless-on-the-dance floor performance, they hammer through some of the biggest guitar anthems of the biggest bands of 70s rock in a must for fans of the great, classic style of guitar-driven rock.
It was the sound that made the 70s so iconic - and it’s certainly a not-to-miss for Jimi Hendrix devotees.
Then they’re back on Sunday with the Blues, Rock & Boogie Father’s Day special, a ferocious dose of killer classic rock, frighteningly funky blues, and monster guitar riffs.
From Sydney, the band has wowed audiences across the country with high-energy, funky blues, roots and rock.
They’re led by Steve Edmonds, whose professional career spans over three decades; a guitarist who’s recorded and toured with some of the country’s biggest luminaries: Jimmy Barnes, Billy Thorpe, Renee Geyer, Human Nature, Delta Goodrem, Shannon Noll, Doug Parkinson, Matt Finish, Hippo’s, Doug Williams, Australian Idol Band, and many more.
As singer, songwriter and band leader Edmonds has seen over three decades of constant sessions, touring, playing established festivals and creating residencies in an ailing live music environment on the East Coast of NSW.
He delivers a live set of killer music with skill and experience in his set that encompasses a wide variety of Roots/Rock/Blues music punctuated by Edmond’s acclaimed Hendrix and Vaughan interpretations, original material, hit list of classic rock guitar anthems and a respectful nod to some of the greatest feel-good bands and songs of our generation.
It’s a guaranteed knockout performance – the second in just as many days.
Grab your dad and treat him to a performance of the rock that had him in a Purple Haze for all of the 70s – rock on!
What: The Steve Edmonds Band ‘Hendrix and Heroes’ show, and Blues, Rock & Boogie show
When: Saturday, August 3, and Sunday, August 4 from 2.00pm to 5.30pm each day
Where: The Airlie Beach Hotel
Steve Edmonds Band is bringing two live shows to the Airlie Beach Hotel’s bar-top stage
The Hendrix and Heroes Show – a monster mashup of electric 70s anthems and the Blues, Rock & Boogie Show
A uniquely freaky production inspired by a Hollywood blockbuster is bringing its imagination defying, tantalising, and mystifying performances to Whitsunday audiences next week.
The World’s Greatest Freakshow is set to highlight the peerless talents of some of the most powerful, enchanting, and miraculous ‘freaks’ from across the country when it rolls into the Reef Gateway Hotel on August 25.
An all-new, Aussie-made production, The World’s Greatest Freakshow is a rotating roster of one-of-a-kind acts in a unique showcase of exquisite mastery ranging from the likes of contortionists to the pain-proof, from the satirical to the incandescent.
World’s Greatest Freakshow producer Darren Sutton – who himself has a long and storied career in entertainment - brought together his acts with one goal in mind: to amaze.
“I was watching the World’s Greatest Showman. It’s my favourite movie; an absolute blockbuster. In that, Hugh Jackman started a normal show – and it failed,” Sutton said.
“So, he said, ‘let’s get the freakiest people and make this the freakiest show on earth. So, I thought, why can’t we do that? We searched the whole of Australia to get the very best.”
And they did just that, collating a menagerie of ostentatious and freakish performers for their first travelling show up the east coast.
But there’s none in the show’s five-piece set of freaks like the mind-blowing Samora Squid, who leaves audiences questioning the bounds of human dexterity as a “natural contortionist.”
“My bones have the consistency of a jellyfish,” Samora said.
“I love what I do. But I think what I love most is our team: it’s like the X-Men, and our powers combined sort of thing. One minute you’ll see someone lay on a bed of nails, then while they’re still reeling from that, they’ll see someone lift a bowling ball with just their tongue.
“People have just had their mind blown and that just keeps happening; it’s a cavalcade of extraordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
Samora said he was excited to be bringing the show to Airlie Beach.
“For people in the city they’re a lot more likely to see something like this. You go to Vegas, that’s what it’s known for. It’s not what Bundaberg and Rockhampton are known for – or Airlie Beach,” he said.
“What I want from the audience is the response to the intrinsic part of being human: spectacle. People connect through shared spectacle; they are absolutely essential to the human condition.
“I can’t wait to bring that visceral, involuntary reaction to Airlie Beach.”
What: World’s Greatest Freakshow
When: Thursday, August 25 at 7pm
Where: Reef Gateway Hotel
Tickets: $69.90 at OzTix
Samora Squid is just one of five freaks coming to Airlie Beach as part of The World’s Greatest Freakshow next week
World’s strangest strongman The Great Gordo Gamsby is another set to amaze during the show at the Reef Gateway
We seem to be in an era of quaint, British everyman films. Films where men like Maurice Flitcroft stand up to a stuffy establishment and – politely, mind – say “I’ll have a crack.” Often delightful films where we’re whisked away to a simpler time (persistently set in post-World War Two) where hope and change are inseparable.
Director Craig Robert’s ‘Phantom of the Open’ is just one such a tale. A biopic based on an incredulously true story that warms the heart. And, unlike its referential namesake, is no musical, but instead an optimistic vignette of one man’s dream-chasing.
Maurice Flitcroft, that dreamer, was (at least in the real world) a chain-smoking, shipyard crane-operator from Barrow-in-Furness, a small port town close to England’s Lake District.
In Robert’s true-to-life rendition of Flitcroft (played in earnest, lovable and daffy fashion by Mark Rylance), we follow a man of aspiring dreams who has put those dreams on hold for his family. In an occupational ennui, Flitcroft decides upon a late-in-life charge to finally meet his lofty ambitions. He endeavours to participate in the British Open Golf Championship – much to the ire of the golfing upper crust.
The crux of the matter is that he’s never played a round of golf before. But this is an extraordinary story of an ordinary man.
With the support by his family and friends, he manages to gain entry to the 1976 British Open qualifying, and with pluckiness and unwavering self-belief, Flitcroft pulls off a series of stunning, hilarious and touching attempts to compete at the highest level of professional golf – becoming likely “the world’s worst sportsman” and a cult hero along the way.
Uplifting and moving, The Phantom of the Open manages the balance between comedy and drama deftly, all the while illuminating a man who pursued his dreams and shot for the stars, no matter what hand he was dealt.
You can watch the hole-in-one film Phantom of the Open (M) at Bowen Summergarden Cinema from August 20.
Marky Rylance is a delight in the whimsical comedy, Phantom of the Open
Look into these Angeleyes, because you ain’t seen nothin’ yet; The Pub is set to turn into a Summer Night City of synth, high energy, and soprano when SOS – A Tribute to the Songs of ABBA rolls into the coastal town.
Voulez-Vous, come dance with me, Fernando? I can hear the distant drums and bugle sounds closing in on the Airlie Beach Hotel. Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha, and Freda are back and As Good As New in this perfect recreation of the Swedish supergroup.
SOS are armed to the teeth with fantastic costumes, incredible vocal talents, animated ABBA dance moves, and even crazy Swedish accents.
For years these band members have been leading a double life; by day, they’re mild-mannered Australian musicians, but by night, they’re crazy ABBA fans with a healthy love of all things Swedish and an obsession with 70’s disco music.
They banded together to obsessively re-create the sound, music and look of the Swedish pop sensation they loved so dearly. Now, they walk out on stage, leaving behind their everyday lives and transform into rock stars as The Australian ABBA Tribute Show.
Sam Bennet, who fills the shoes and takes up the pick as SOS’s Bjorn, said that audiences in the Whitsundays should “Bring their Chiquititas”.
“This will be the furthest north we’ve ever been and, being from Melbourne with the cold and rain, I cannot overstate how excited we are for some sunshine,” Sam said.
“I’ve been with SOS for the past eight years, and what I love about ABBA is that it’s multi-generational and it reaches everyone.
“You can tell how much it means to people – there’s always a song in the set where there’s a twinkle in their eye that they’re remembering a moment in their life. Whether that be heartbreak, love, it’s a real honour to perform that music.”
Sam said the group doesn’t just perform to emulate the records, they match the energy that audiences saw when ABBA played at Wembley or the Sydney Mine Music Bowl.
“We match that energy and the arrangements we use are often based on those live performances rather than the records,” Sam said.
“The one thing we try and do is give the audience an experience of what ABBA was in the 70s and 80s.”
Patrons at The Airlie Beach Hotel are in for two free shows (that’s right! For absolutely no Money, Money, Money): one on Saturday August 27, and (Mama Mia, here we go again) another on Sunday, August 28, when SOS take the Bar Top stage one last time!
Put On Your White Sombrero for their afternoon shows from 2.00pm to 5.30pm!
What: SOS – The Australian ABBA Tribute Show
When: Saturday and Sunday, August 27 and 28, from 2.00pm to 5.30pm both days
Where: The Airlie Beach Hotel
The Airlie Beach Hotel is eagerly awaiting the Arrival of SOS – The Australian ABBA Tribute Show in late August
They faithfully recreate not just the sound, but the look and theatrics of the Swedish supergroup
Make sure to “bring your Chiquititas” for the show at The Pub
Whitsunday Christian College, a local Prep – Year 12 school is inviting the community along to celebrate its 25th anniversary in late August with ‘A Night Under the Stars’ event.
Whitsunday Christian College will open its doors on Friday, August 26, bringing together families and the wider community to enjoy an event where music, market stalls, Eat Street, fireworks and a movie under the stars will celebrate the school’s special anniversary.
“We would like to use this special event to open up the College and connect with the local community, offering a family experience” Whitsunday Christian College Principal Kylie Langshore said.
A Night Under the Stars will be held across the campus and invite families to weave through the school both geographically and interactively, enticing people to explore the grounds and meet the school community.
A petting zoo, inflatables zone, an art exhibition, book fair, and sideshow amusements will be spread out across the campus, lit by festoon lighting to capture the Eat Street atmosphere.
The event will also see students hosting fete and market stalls, and even performing on the big stage. Iterations of songs like Wherever I Go, Wakka Wakka, and Footloose, will be performed by classes from Prep up to Year 12.
Stalls developed and run by staff and students will include games like Pie Face, Chocolate Bed, The REEL Deal, Balloon Darts and even a Donut Bake Sale.
To showcase the night theme, families will be given the opportunity to enter the ‘Star Gazers Lucky Stars Competition’ where they will need to find and collect stars from around the College to go into the draw to win a Nintendo Switch Lite.
“The whole concept of building community is important to us, and that’s what we want to achieve with this event. Come by, stick around, enjoy some fun, have a meal, watch a movie, and enjoy the winter weather.
“We’re honouring the past, celebrating the present and looking towards the future with this community event.”
Starting at 4.00pm, A Night Under the Stars will run until 8.30pm, with food stalls, sideshow amusements, fireworks, and will conclude with a movie from 8.30pm – 10pm.
WHAT: A Night Under The Stars (Family Event)
WHERE: Whitsunday Christian College
WHEN: Friday, August 26 from 4pm
Whitsunday Christian College Principal Kylie Langshore and students are looking forward to their Night Under the Stars event in late August.
It’s been billed as a part-concert film and part-road movie, showcasing “stunning local landscapes, remarkable people and amazing stories”. Lee Kernaghan: Boy From The Bush, comes from the minds behind “Slim and I”, the famed documentary-style story on Slim Dusty’s life.
Poignant, in a way, seeing as Kernaghan has equalled Slim’s record of 37 Golden Guitar Awards, and has certainly had a celebrated country music career that might even rival the Australian icons.
Lee may well have picked up the pick, just where Slim left it. He’s shaped a generation and made a huge impact on the country music scene both in Australia and around the world. He has become a part of the outback; something he calls “more than a setting” in the film.
“It’s a character in our shared story,” he says. “But when you take a place, a person, a time, a story and wrap it up in words and music, that’s magic.”
And it certainly is magic. The film features live performances of some of Lee’s greatest hits and even a brand-new song. It also details the local landscapes, people and stories that have inspired him throughout his 30-year career.
It’s a film not just for the urbanites, but for everyone; it pushes the format of concert-films before it by being interspersed with documentary vignettes, filled with sweeping shots across the outback and countryside, as Kernaghan takes audiences on the road and speaks to the rural life and community that colours his lyrics.
It’s a “tone poem”; a love letter to rural Australia, as seen through the prism of Lee’s songs and stories.
The week-long regatta will come to a close next Thursday evening with live entertainment, food vans and a fantastic firework display at the Festival Village.
Happy yet weary sailors will raise a glass to the week’s activities and the winners of each division will be officially announced, as well as the overall winners.
Two special awards will also be handed out – a prize going to the best local boat and the Boss Hog award which is given each year to a sailor that has gone out of his or her way for others and best embodies the true character of the event.
This year for the first time, there will be a lucky draw with over $3000 dollars’ worth of marine electronics up for grabs thanks to Twenty 16 Communications.
Bring the family along to the celebrations, enjoy some hot food from one of the food vans and listen to some reggae beats from ‘The Feels’ who kick-off at 6.30pm.
The fireworks will illuminate the sky at 8pm, a worthy finale to a huge week of on-water action and on-land festivity.
Airlie Beach Race week is not just for sailors, this is also a community event and everyone is invited to come down to the Festival Village, enjoy the atmosphere and get an insight into the friendship and camaraderie that exemplifies our vibrant local boating culture.
When: Thursday, August 18
What: Airlie Beach Race week closing ceremony
Time: From 6.30pm
Fireworks: 8pm
Soak up the vibrant atmosphere of the Festival Village
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