The decadent food offering in Airlie Beach has reached a whole new level with the recent opening of Gelatiamo Dolce Patisserie and Gelato store on the Esplanade in the centre of town.

Passers-by will have noticed the vibrant fridge display boasting an array of colourful cakes which beckons in those looking for a sweet treat for morning tea or perhaps a sumptuous dessert to finish off a perfect evening.

A vision of Joe and Deanna Panuccio for many years, the concept began with traditional Gelato made with ingredients sourced directly from Italy.

This soon turned into the new addition of a Patisserie, which was made possible with the creative magic of head pastry chef Andrea Manna.

Meanwhile Joe’s sister, Vanessa, is the backbone behind all of the stunning gelato flavours and products in the store.

Having arrived in Australia one year ago, Andrea is astounded by the opportunities presented to him in a country he has now decided to make his own.

A fortuitous Facebook post saw Andrea and Joe connect over a shared passion for creating exciting desserts and cakes.

“Joe asked me if I wanted to open a pastry shop in Airlie Beach, so I booked a flight!” recalls Andrea.

That was six months ago now, and the pair have not looked back.

Initially introducing a small display fridge and extended dessert menu at his nearby restaurant, Paradiso, Joe quickly saw the demand and was thrilled to refit and re-brand his gelato shop to create Gelatiamo Dolce Patisserie and Gelato late last year.

Originally from northern Italy, Andrea grew up in his parent's restaurant, a business his family owned for over 50 years.

After working at the restaurant for five years he knew that “pastry was my life” and moved to Padua where he studied the craft at Hangar 78.

“I learnt all the skills from so many chefs from all over the world,” said Andrea.

“And now I am bringing them here to Airlie Beach.”

So far, Andrea has introduced the popular Cannoli which is made with puff pastry and house-made own custard, the signature Hazelnut and Chocolate Dome, the Lemon Meringue Pie made with tangy lemon curd, a New York Style Cheesecake with fresh strawberries and, most recently the stylish Mille Feuille.

Every pastry, sauce, cream, ganache and decoration is made from scratch and with love in the dedicated pastry kitchen.

Each individual cake in the display fridge is a treat for the senses - they are exciting masterpieces to behold, fashioned with intricate craftsmanship, and backed up by taste - giving every customer a sensational experience, they will always remember.

Gelatiamo Dolce Patisserie and Gelato are also introducing a selection of pre-order birthday cakes based on a traditional French recipe which involves layers, mousse, and texture.

“They are very fresh and very summery, more like a mousse cake instead of a sponge,” explained Andrea.

“There are lots of layers with different flavours like vanilla and raspberry or pistachio and passionfruit – different textures like a crunch or a mousse – they are so good and my favourite to make.”

Gelatiamo Dolce also have plans to launch a wedding cake selection soon, as well as the exciting news of branching out and opening a new store in Townsville.

Whether you are looking for a refined morning tea, a sweet treat takeaway or a classy dessert bar, Gelatiamo Dolce Patisserie and Gelato is Airlie’s brand-new offering that is setting a new benchmark in the industry.

Caption: Andrea Manna, Head Pastry Chef at Gelatiamo Dolce Patisserie and Gelato in Airlie Beach. Photo credit: Rachael Smith

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Emily

Australian actor-turned-director Frances O’Conner, with her debut film Emily, has managed to create something interesting and thoughtful – beautiful in its own right – yet something more akin to our modern sensibilities than it is to the time of the Brontë sisters.

Cobbling together some old things, placing them into a new form, and wiggling them around a bit, O’Connor has put to screen a well-constructed debut that muddles with the factual parts of history. Although, there is not too much known about the middle Brontë – so it is a land rife for creative imagining - other than her penning of what is one of literature’s finest, wildest romantic stories: Wuthering Heights.

In Emily, O’Connor uses a great deal of artistic license to imagine the transformative, exhilarating, and uplifting journey to womanhood of who she envisages as a rebel and misfit. It is ostensibly a recreation of Wuthering Heights where its creator plays the main role. “How did you write Wuthering Heights,” Emily’s sister, Charlotte -the famed writer of Jane Eyre – asks in the film. Well, this fever-dream film proposes that she lived it.

Someone who was historically reclusive, the Emily we see here is instead transposed with a sardonic, “I-won’t-play-your-game” archetype of the tortured artist who eventually becomes one of the world's most famous, enigmatic, and provocative writers.

Certainly, this will not be the last time the Brontë sisters are “reinvented” for contemporary audiences. This writer believes it is a reductionist way of viewing a group of complex women to reflect ourselves, rather than allowing them to be who they are, to teach us things.

It is not purposefully harmful, trying to package them within the constraints of our modern life and sensibilities, yet it still is. Emily still has its merits belied by O’Connor’s message: do not conform, express your creative freedom, even in the face of ridicule.

For a rainswept period piece and a romantic fairy-tale with visual brilliance in its cinematography, Emily is worth the watch – just remember it’s hardly true.

Emily will show at the Bowen Summergarden Cinema from February 18.

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Friday 10th Feb

• The Pub: Acoustic Sessions, Andy Mammers (7-10pm)

• Paradiso: Tasman (7-10pm)

• Grandview Hotel, Bowen: Tim Griffin (from 8pm)

• KC’s: Aaron Saxon (8pm-late)

• Hotel Metropole: Live Entertainment (8pm-late)

Saturday 11th Feb

• The Pub: Green Day/Blink 182 Tribute (2-5.30pm)

• The Pub: Acoustic Sessions, Andy Mammers (7-10pm)

• Paradiso: Mike Duff (7-10pm)

• KC’s: Sam McCann (8pm-late)

• Hotel Metropole: Live Entertainment (8pm-late)

Sunday 12th Feb

• Paradiso: Aaron Saxon (1-4pm)

• The Pub: MTV Unplugged (2-5.30pm)

• The Pub: Acoustic Sessions, Lloyd Saunders (7-10pm)

• KC’s: Aaron Saxon (8pm-late)

Monday 13th Feb

• KC’s: Live music (8pm-late)

Tuesday 14th Feb

• KC’s: Live music (8pm-late)

Wednesday 15th Feb

• KC’s: Live music (8pm-late)

Thursday 16th Feb

• Paradiso: Aaron Saxon (6.30-9.30pm)

• The Pub: Acoustic Sessions, Lloyd Saunders (7-10pm)

• Grandview Hotel, Bowen: Sam McCann (from 8pm)

• KC’s: Live music (8pm-late)

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Wake up, ‘Sleeping Beauty’. This ain’t no ‘Science Fiction’, you can believe your eyes – a match made in ‘80s pop heaven is making its way to Airlie Beach in mid-February for a performance of epic proportions.

It’s time to get to The Pub – ‘One Way Or Another’, however you can - because nobody can miss this tribute mash-up of the Divinyls and Blondie, some of the Me-Decade’s biggest female success stories on the world stage.

The Divine Blonde tribute show brings together these two icons of the era in a set of doubleheader shows arriving express from Melbourne to the party paradise of the Whitsundays.

Broken up into two performances back-to-back on a single day, Divine Blonde brings the memories of the ‘80s flooding back – the ‘Pleasure and Pain’ from that Decade of Greed.

First up, Divine Blonde’s lead vocalist, Danni, pays tribute to the late great frontwoman of Aussie rock, Christina Amphlett – that brash, bold brunette – before taking on the role of Blondie’s captivating, punk rock frontwoman Debbie Harry (a beautiful blonde bombshell, to be sure).

As Amphlett, Danni captures the bombastic, wild-child nature of the Sydney singer at her best, taking to the stage in school uniform and fishnet stockings for the complete look, embracing the aggression of a particularly Australian brand of punk rock.

Then, embodying Harry, the Melbourne singer brings the sound of American new wave punk in the ‘70s back to life, expressing its vibrancy, angst, anger, and expression in ‘Atomic’ fashion – it’s like Harry is on stage. Blondie’s sound was the sound of a more motley decade than most – the ‘70s had no sound to pin itself down and Blondie encapsulated that most. Reggae, progressive rock, new wave, punk, post-punk. Blondie did it all.

Danni runs the repertoire of these incredible artists, singing all their greatest hits: Boys in Town, Only Lonely; Atomic, Hanging on the Telephone, Call Me, Heart of Glass, and all the rest.

‘Picture This’: One of Melbourne’s hottest acts bringing two female icons ‘In The Flesh’ together in one heart-stopping show, then backing it up the very next day on Sunday. It’s a double salute to two iconic women of song, showing off their pioneering power in the ‘80s for women in a heavily male-dominated music industry of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Divine Blonde, the Blondie and Divinyls Show Doubleheader, arrives at the Airlie Beach Hotel on Saturday, February 18, before crashing back onto the Bar Top Stage on Sunday, February 19, to do it all again in back-to-back free shows.

Get ready to hear ‘The Disco Song’ live and loud in this tribute show at The Pub.

WHAT: DIVINE BLONDE! Blondie & Divinyls Show – Double Header!

WHEN: Saturday, 18 February, and Sunday, 19 February, from 2pm to 5.30pm.

WHERE: Airlie Beach Hotel

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Caption 1: The Airlie Beach Hotel is getting set for its Blondie and the Divinyls tribute show starring one of Melbourne’s best singers

Caption 2: Danni takes on the roles of both Christina Amphlett and Debbie Harry in this doubleheader show

Caption 3: Don’t miss all of their best songs from Boys in Town to Only Lonely, Atomic to Hanging on the Telephone, Call Me, and Heart of Glass

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On Saturday night, it was another sold-out charity event hosted by  the group of dedicated local volunteers who are raising money to build homes for homeless women over 55. Held at Waters Edge Resort in Airlie Beach, 100 people attended the event dressed in Bali-inspired attire.  

Photo Credit: Will Finley

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Friday 10 February

Friday SUN.sets

Every Friday Evening From 6pm

Knock off drinks, lakeside dinner, good friends, and LIVE MUSIC.

Wake House Australia

Lucid Wings Duo Live

Friday, 7:00pm to 10:00pm

Cap off your work week at the Seabreeze Hotel. Dance the night away with Lucid Wings performing from 7pm - 10pm.

Seabreeze Hotel

Saturday 11 February

Remembering Shandee - 10 Year Commemoration

Saturday, 5:00pm to 7:30pm

Remember Shandee Blackburn while supporting Mackay Women's Services at Harrup Park on Field 2 with access via the front of the club. A community event to commemorate Shandee 10 years on. Kids face painting, balloon twisting and bubble release on sunset to remember Shandee. Huge raffles with all proceeds going to Mackay Women's Services providing support for families affected by domestic violence. Gold Coin Donation on Entry. Special visit by Nigel Dalton from crime prevention on site. Live music performance by Vama.

Harrup Park

Sunday 12 February

JET Maintenance Services Sports Expo and Sign-on

Sunday, 9:00am to 1:00pm

The JET Maintenance Services Sports Expo and Sign-on is back! The action-packed event will be live at the MECC on Sunday, February 12 from 9am to 1pm.

The in-person event will include interactive stalls, active zone demonstrations, the crowd favourite mascot race and competitions and prizes.

MECC

Workshop: Exploring Public Art with Bernadette Boscacci

Sunday, 10:00am to 3:00pm

Local artists are invited to join acclaimed public art practitioner Bernadette Boscacci as she shares practical information and advice for developing and managing quality public art projects in public spaces. Public art enhances built and natural environments, engages people, supports the development of the local arts sector and provides opportunities for cultural tourism. This workshop will feature a visual presentation, open discussion and engaging activities, providing participants with an opportunity to share their ideas, explore concept designs and create maquettes for public art projects.

Artspace Mackay

Sunday Live Music – Mango Junction

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

Monday 13 February

Pioneer Toastmasters Speechcraft Program

Monday, February 13 to Monday, March 13, 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Join the Pioneer Toastmasters Speechcraft Program, where leaders are made. Learn to become a confident speaker in a friendly atmosphere. Speechcraft is an interactive short course designed for beginners. Over five sessions, you will develop your skills for public speaking and leadership abilities in a supporting and encouraging environment. Learn how to: Speak comfortably and effectively in front of people; Organise and present your ideas logically and convincingly; Confront and control your nervousness; Use body language in different ways; Select the right words to communicate ideas; Run effective meetings. Cost is $140 (includes all five sessions and course material). Places are strictly limited. Book now! Contact Stephen Oberg on 0409 232 368 or email soberg64@gmail.com.

Jubilee Community Centre

Tuesday 14 February

Library Lovers in the Gardens

Tuesday, 10:00am to 2:00pm

Find out how your local library enriches the lives of the community. The Mackay Regional Council Libraries Community Outreach team will be out and about, reading stories, making paper craft out of recycled books and a range of other activities for all ages and abilities. Who knows what you will discover about the library.

Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens

Valentines Cabaret at Haunt Mackay

Tuesday, 6:30pm

Join Haunt Mackay for this one night only hilarious cabaret show. Treat yourself, bring your loved one or you and all your single pals.

Haunt Mackay

Wednesday 15 February

Teen Shed Mackay Teen Circle

Every Wednesday, 4:00pm to 5:30pm

Teen Circle is a place for all teens in the community to come together. It's a safe space for them to connect, heal & learn from each other. They can be seen, heard & understood with no judgement. It's a space to honour the uniqueness of each individual, everyone is equal. They will be able to speak from their hearts about things that trouble, annoy, frustrate them. This gathering will be held every Wednesday, all teenagers are welcome to attend. It is a free event, but attendees are asked to register for numbers.

Kutta Mulla Gorinna Special Assistance School

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

Anh Do

Wednesday, 7:30pm

Anh Do’s bestselling book The Happiest Refugee has made readers laugh and cry and was described by Russell Crowe as “the most surprising and inspiring read I have had in years.” Anh’s stage show takes it a step further, combining stand-up comedy with real life stories, photos and filmed pieces to retell his amazing story.

MECC

Thursday 16 February

Mackay Riverside Market

Every Thursday, 3:00pm to 7:00pm

Come and meet your local growers, bakers and makers, chill on the lawn listening to some beautiful tunes and grab some delicious dinner and desert.

Bluewater Quay

Exhibition Floor Talk – Deanna Hitti

Thursday, 5:30pm

Lebanese-Australian artist book and print maker Deanna Hitti explores identity and visual misrepresentation themes in M is for Madraseh (School). In an ambitious 156-panel installation, Hitti combines cyanotype and colour screen print to re-present exoticised visual portrayals of the East. Early nineteenth century French Orientalist imagery overlayed with text from a language text book in Arabic creates an interplay between object, figure and language. In doing so, Hitti deliberately interrogates the Western gaze, giving agency to the dualities that exist within her own cultural identity.

Artspace Mackay

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Caption 1: Lucid Wings Duo

Caption 2: Remembering Shandee

Caption 3: Sports Expo and Sign-on

Caption 4: Mango Junction

Caption 5: Anh Do

Caption 6: Exhibition Floor Talk – Deanna Hitti

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Get ready for a soulful and unforgettable experience at the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre (MECC)! The Friends of the MECC’s Morning Melodies is proud to present the talented Mat Verevis and Alisha Todd on Friday 17th February, bringing you an electrifying performance that will leave you spellbound.

Remember Mat Verevis from his impressive audition on the 2014 season of a popular singing show, The Voice? The soulful singer stunned the judges with his rendition of "New York State of Mind," earning him a whopping 4 chair turns. The talented musician continued to captivate audiences with his powerful vocals and piano skills, performing hits such as "Rocket Man" by Elton John and "All In Love Is Fair" by Stevie Wonder.

Joining Mat on stage is the talented songstress Alisha Todd, who was recently a finalist at the 2021 Gold Coast Music Awards for Song of the Year. Together, they will take you on a musical journey, performing iconic songs from the past 50 years by artists like Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Etta James, among others. The setlist is sure to impress, with Mat Verevis showcasing his incredible musical skills and Alisha Todd's powerful voice.

The Friends of the MECC’s Morning Melodies is a popular season enjoyed by seniors in Mackay’s local community, but Manager of MECC and Events, Andrew Bobeldyk, says all ages are welcome. The performance includes complimentary tea, coffee, and biscuits, and lucky door prizes from Whitsunday Biscuit Factory and Walkerston Guardian Pharmacy. Get ready to experience the best of music, with four performances in 2023, each taking place on a Friday at 11am. Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience!

Other performances in the series include:

Lovely Day – Friday 17 February

Blue Bayou – Friday 24 March

A Hard Knock Life – Friday 19

May Christmas with Karen Knowles – Friday 1 December

What: Friends of the MECC’s Morning Melodies Lovely Day

When: Friday 17 February 2023, 11am

Where: MECC Auditorium

Tickets: www.themecc.com.au

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Queen Bohemian Rhapsody The Greatest Hits Tour Celebrates 50 Years Of Rocking The Stage

Following a string of sell-out tours in 2021/2022, Queen Bohemian Rhapsody is back with a brand-new show celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest rock bands of the 20th century. The show combines Queen's greatest hits and some of the most popular songs from their albums, taking fans on a nostalgic journey through the decades.

The hit movie "Bohemian Rhapsody" exposed Queen to a wider audience, making the band even more popular than ever. And now, fresh off the heels of the successful movie, comes an all-new tribute show from well-known Australian Freddie Mercury impersonator Thomas Crane.

Along with his talented band, Bohemian Rhapsody, Thomas brings the visual excitement, sound, and stage energy of a Queen concert back to life. The show will perform all the classic hits, including "We Will Rock You," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "We Are the Champions," "Radio Ga Ga," and, of course, "Bohemian Rhapsody."

A huge part of the Queen live experience was their stage presence, flamboyance, theatrics, and energy, and Thomas and Bohemian Rhapsody bring those traits to the stage in their visually and energetically stunning rendition of a Queen concert.

"Bohemian Rhapsody manages to take everything that made a Queen show unique and bring it back to life before your very eyes and ears," said Crane.

Don't miss your chance to relive the magic of Queen with Bohemian Rhapsody The Greatest Hits Tour.

What: 50 Years On – Queen Bohemian Rhapsody

When: Saturday 18 March – 7.30pm

Where: MECC Auditorium

Tickets: www.themecc.com.au

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Mackay is in for a treat as Harrup Park Country Club presents a sneak peek of their newly completed Great Barrier Reef Arena development during a special "Party in the Park" community open day on Saturday, 18th March.

"We are thrilled to invite everyone in the region to enjoy this exclusive opportunity to view our fresh Great Barrier Reef Arena development," said Harrup Park Country Club Chair Terry Doolan. "With the strong support from the State and Federal Government, we have delivered this amazing new community asset and we want everyone to share in the excitement."

Not only will the community get a glimpse of the Great Barrier Reef Arena, but they will also experience the Grand Final of the prestigious DBCT Poole Cup cricket competition, along with family entertainment, delicious food, and fireworks.

Mr Doolan continued, "Great Barrier Reef Arena will become one of Australia's leading event destination experiences, hosting brilliant sport and entertainment events, and promoting the amazing natural wonders in our backyard to the whole state and nation. What better way to kick it off than with the pinnacle event for our local cricket competition."

Local AFLW hero and Great Barrier Reef Arena ambassador Lauren Bella will also be in attendance to join in the celebration. "After growing up playing football here and returning to play with the Gold Coast Suns, I truly feel that the Great Barrier Reef Arena is my natural home.

“I'm sure that is also how everyone in our sports-loving community feels, particularly now with this amazing new stand and facilities," said Ms Bella.

Mark your calendars for May, as the official Grand Opening of the Great Barrier Reef Arena is planned to coincide with the Legends on the Lawn concert featuring Paul Kelly, Bernard Fanning, Missy Higgins, Mark Seymour, Ian Moss, Vika and Linda, and Troy Cassar-Daley.

The Party in the Park event is on Saturday 18 March, entry is a gold coin donation and will run from 1pm to 9pm.

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Image: Local AFLW hero and Great Barrier Reef Arena ambassador Lauren Bella will be at Party In The Park to join in the celebration. Photo credit: Gold Coast Suns

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In keeping with tradition, the Collinsville community gathered together for their Australia Day Breakfast and Awards Ceremony and, with over 200 people in attendance, the event was a lively affair fuelled by a delicious hot breakky served by the Lions Club.

Mayor Julie Hall, Member for Burdekin Dale Last, Councillors Michelle Wright, Jan Clifford and Clay Bauman were all in attendance on the day.

Award winners on the day included: Citizen of the Year Graham Smith, Young Citizen of the Year Jack Groocock, Community Event of the Year Springlands Campdraft Association, Young Sports Award Rilee Mackie, Senior Sports Award Gregory Fuller, Environmental Achievement Award Carol Cosentino and Volunteer of the Year Award Christine Pennay.

The Awards Breakfast was a free community event open to award nominees, their families and members of the general public.

This year Council voted to unite other Australia Day regional events but Collinsville was permitted to continue with a standalone celebration.

Collinsville Community Centre Association coordinator and MC for the day, Shayne Crump, said that they were thrilled to host another successful event and glad that it was able to remain in Collinsville.

“It’s very important for our community because we are further away from the more populous areas,” he said.

“Recognising local people locally is very important to us.”

Following the breakfast, additional Australia Day celebrations took place across town.

The Pit Pony Tavern hosted the annual Truck Pull Competition, the Workers Club organised toad and crab races, and the children enjoyed bouncy castles and face painting.

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Images:

1: L-R Cr Clay Bauman, Cr Michelle Wright, Member for Burdekin Dale Last and Mayor Julie Hall enjoying the Australia Day Breakfast in Collinsville

2: Mayor Julie Hall cuts the cake with Citizen of the Year Graham Smith

3: Cr Michelle Wright, Collinsville Community Centre Association (CCA) coordinator and MC for the day, Shayne Crump and President of the CCA Committee Diane Watts

4: The delicious cake from the Collinsville Bakehouse was a hit with the kids. Photos supplied

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Steven Spielberg has crafted his newest and most personal film, the Fabelmans, with the grace of his cumulative decades earnt in a lifetime of filmmaking.

The highest-grossing director in cinematic history can now, perhaps, claim his final mastery of the medium -- no director has ploughed more creative ground. A staggering 33 feature films are behind him in his career (and hundreds of producing credits, too), the only place left to create from was his experience; looking back across the field of years to find where his sense of self came from.

In The Fabelmans, Spielberg creates a memoir of his upbringing in the 1950s in New Jersey – close to truth yet maudlinly toned. Here, Sammy Fabelman, a thinly veiled Spielberg stand-in, finds his early, burgeoning love for cinema after watching Cecil B Demille’s The Greatest Show on Earth. His passion for filmmaking erupts and we continue to follow Sammy through his life, through family drama, and until his inevitable success.

It is a coming-of-age story through and through and allows Spielberg to show off his best asset: the playing up of childhood’s saccharin nature, its naivety and glowing perspective of the world, of new things – something he has done more deftly than any director before or since. Spielberg has mastered the so sweet it hurts your teeth, somehow it is never cloying. It is an ode to childhood, to loss of innocence, to passion and art, and the complexity of familial dynamics and love.

“Most of my movies have been a reflection of things that have happened to me,” Spielberg said. “But in the sense of The Fabelmans, it wasn’t about metaphor, it was about memory.”

Here is presented what we all fall in love with on the big screen: exceptional cinema that shows us ourselves. It stands on its own on two fronts; as an autobiographical, self-critical insight into a cultural figure, and as a piece of movie magic that is true to the human spirit.

The Fabelmans (M) is showing at the Bowen Summergarden Cinema now.

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Here is a story as old as music: the travelling artist - guitar strapped to their back - arrives in a beachside town with song on their lips. And they never leave.

Airlie Beach has become a rest home for more musicians and maestros, more bards and bands than it may have any right to – it is a place polished in creativity, in which artists have scraped at the sheen, hoping to keep a piece for themselves.

It is breezy. Here is the sound of it: water lapping with low sounds at the beachside, the acoustic guitar playing alongside it, as easy as the wind. Airlie Beach connects to the soft sensibility of some artistic core.

Yet, Airlie offers another side to its cruisy village aesthetic: -- it has a raucous, party-boy heart found in places like KCs, Magnums, Boaty’s. It is manifold, like life. At one time serene and another rowdy. And it also has a community.

Ash Smith is one of Airlie Beach’s musicians - part of a long tradition - who has found a home here far from his own.

Most people in Airlie Beach are from somewhere else. Ash is no different: he is a native son of Lisburn in Northern Ireland, having arrived in Airlie Beach six years ago, bringing with him his music from across the globe.

And he is Airlie Beach to a tee, part of its musical fabric: he embraces the swelling sounds of the seaside but can rock it out with the best.

Like all the Beach’s musicians, he has a story:

“I’ve been in a few different bands in my life: one called Whanau, which means family in Maori, and a grunge band, ‘Smoking Tongue’. I’ve always been a big fan of Pearl Jam, Allice in Chains, Soundgarden, and chilled out music like Pink Floyd and Ben Howard. I started gigging around in my early-20s and ended up going to the United States, to New Zealand, and eventually here,” Ash said.

“I was just travelling and if you’re a travelling muso, what’re you going to do? You’re going to play music. And when I came to Airlie Beach to watch another band, and I was gigging around and I couldn’t say anything but yes to living here.

“I was luckily offered a sponsorship from Total Entertainment, and it was a yes, straight away – no hesitation. I still work closely with them today. They’re fantastic. At the time, I was working down in Mackay hauling cane for the visa and then coming up here to play on the weekends. It was an amazing life. I think most of the musicians that come here are the same; they end up loving the place and then finding a community.”

With a repertoire of covers and his originals, Ash has become one of Airlie’s longstanding artists in the music scene. He’s performed everywhere and says it allows him to enjoy both sides of his music – which are also both sides of Airlie.

“Playing music makes me feel good. If anything bad is s happening in your life, you can get lost in it; it clears everything up,” he said.

“On some nights, you’re feeling the slow, intimate stuff and others you’re ready to go hard. I play everywhere – it’s a nice mix of vibes from one to the next. It’s a seven-night-a-week kind of place for musicians. It’s awesome.

“The music scene in Airlie Beach is great, and the original scene is picking up. It’s a great place to write music – it’s a great place to do anything.”

Find Ash on Facebook at Ash Smith Music.

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It’s game day and The Pub is packed: the fever pitch rises at every kick, every crunching tackle, every catch. And a silence descends; only a few huddled gasps and whispered encouragements -- “Go, you good thing!”

Then the roar of the crowd.

Every day and every night at the Airlie Beach Hotel’s Sports Bar, the big screen is filled with football, with fights, with bat and ball sports. And its atmosphere is always unmatched, it’s like being in the stadium.

And what’s on the menu? The full sporting scope.

The picks of the bunch from the early parts of this year have been the Australian Open (Djokovic’s win producing a groan from the Australian crowd), the A-League and Premier League, ODI Cricket and T20, and the NBA, NBL, and UFC.

Airlie Beach Hotel Sports Bar manager, Mathew Rowley, said it’s been a sporting start to the year – and they’re looking forward to more variety courtesy of their patrons.

“Any sport you can think of, we’ll put it on,” Rowley said.

“We don’t care if it’s hopscotch! If we can find a channel, it’s up on the big screen, ready to go. The atmosphere in here is incredible when there’s sport going.”

Rowley said the biggest event so far is the upcoming 2023 Super Bowl on Monday, February 13, one of the world’s largest sporting events which he said is ready to take over Airlie Beach’s largest sports screen – a nine by two metre mammoth that covers the length of an entire wall.

It’s certainly going to be a game to remember for football fans, too, with The Philadelphia Eagles taking on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl LVII – the second time in six seasons for the Philadelphia team.

They come into the game as slight favourites – and it’s easy to see why, any American Football Fan will have witnessed the dominating NFC title game where the Philly side ran riot against the 49ers.

At The Pub, the day will kick off early at 9am with the Sports Bar operating in the morning hours thanks to a special license, so there’s plenty of time to grab a few drinks before the 9.30am start.

And you won’t want to miss this: Rowley will be hosting and dishing out Free Hot Chicken Wings all morning – his shout!

There’s no better atmosphere in town to experience one of the world’s biggest sporting events and the feel of prime-time football.

Grab yourself a freshly poured beer Stein of your choice and settle in for the Super Bowl – and plenty of other sports coming up this year.

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Images:

Airlie Beach Hotel’s Sports Bar manager Mathew Rowley said the preparations for the Super Bowl were well underway at local’s favourite local

The matchup is bringing together the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs for Super Bowl LVII

One of the biggest sporting matches of the year is just a taste of what’s on offer at the Airlie Beach Hotel

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Hundreds of children enjoyed an Australia Day slime-filled fun fest at the Whitsunday Sportspark last week thanks to the first annual event run by Proserpine Youth Space.

Photo credit: Rachael Smith and Sophie McManus

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It has been more than 10 years since the iconic Misogyny speech by the 27th Prime Minister of Australia. And, as was predicted by those attending parliament that day, history was made.

Julia Gillard’s justifiable anger at the shocking misogyny she had experienced during her leadership exploded into a speech which has survived the test of time. Since then, the speech has inspired thousands of renditions through social media platforms, with some TikTok videos reaching more than 100,000 views.

The Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre (MECC) has proudly partnered with international songwriter Karen Jacobsen for a new stage production, Misogyny Opus.

Misogyny Opus, composed by Ms Jacobsen, transforms Julia Gillard’s historic speech (word for word) into a ground-breaking composition that will debut at the MECC late February.

Ms Jacobsen remembers the first time she heard the iconic speech by Julia Gillard.

“I was living in New York City and noticed many friends in Australia posting the video link to this speech,” Ms Jacobsen said.

“The impassioned delivery had me take notice,” she said.

“I felt totally compelled to set it to music.”

The performance will be supported by musicians from Queensland Symphony Orchestra and will premiere at the MECC in February, the week before International Women’s Day.

Manager MECC and Events Andrew Bobeldyk said this year’s International Women’s Day theme was ‘Embrace Equity’.

“This theme and the timing is very fitting for this premiere and we couldn’t be happier to host it at the MECC,” Mr Bobeldyk said.

Ms Jacobsen is a life-long performer and is also well known to Mackay audiences. She grew up performing in the Mackay Eisteddfod before gaining international fame as the voice of Siri. Ms Jacobsen appreciated her years at school here in Mackay.

“I performed every year at the Mackay Eisteddfod in many sections at the Theatre Royal, and the phenomenal school musicals at North Mackay Primary and North Mackay High School,” she said.

“Some incredible teachers have guided me along the way, including Mrs Kathryn George, Mrs Tziolis and Mrs Pam Jensen.”

Audience members are advised there are two performance times available.

What: Misogyny Opus – Not Now, Not Ever

When: Friday 24 February 2023, 11am (student performance) 7.30pm (official premiere)

Where: MECC Auditorium

Tickets: www.themecc.com.au

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Image: Karen Jacobsen speaking of Misogyny Opus during a recent networking event hosted at the MECC

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