Winners - Aquila (Front Row L to R) - Mitchell Bird, Carl Schultz (vice - captain), Nick Doherty (captain), and Vincent Fitzgerald.

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Queensland Mines Rescue Service (QMRS) has brought together some of the state’s most capable mines rescue teams for the 21st QMRS Memorial Cup, held at the QMRS Dysart Rescue Station on 7th May 2026.

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Now in its 21st year, the Memorial Cup continues to honour the legacy of those who have shaped mines rescue in Queensland, while giving teams the opportunity to demonstrate the specialist skills, discipline and teamwork that underpin strong emergency response capability across the sector.

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Teams representing Oaky North, Aquila, Broadmeadow, Centurion, Crinum, Ensham and Ironbark No.1 competed throughout the day in a series of real-world emergency scenarios designed to test decision-making under pressure and strengthen operational readiness across the industry. The top four teams will now progress to the State Rescue Competition in August.

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QMRS Chief Executive Officer Tim Jackson said the event plays a key role in maintaining preparedness.

“Events like the Memorial Cup are about building capability and making sure our people are ready when it matters,” he said.

“The scenarios are designed to test teams under pressure, and the standard on display reflects the strength of mines rescue across Queensland.”

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Aquila Mine took out top honours, followed by Oaky North Mine and Ironbark Mine. Awards for the George Carbine Perpetual Trophy for Best First Aid and the QMRS Fire Fighting Excellence Award in memory of Ramsay Wells were both awarded to Aquila.

Captain of the winning team, Nicholas Doherty, said the result reflected strong preparation and teamwork.

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"This result reflects the standard across all teams that competed. The scenarios are built around real incidents, so every decision counts. For us, it comes down to discipline, communication and trust in each other. This win is a credit to the work the team has put in and the support behind us. More importantly, it is about making sure we are ready when it matters.”

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Aquila Mine General Manager Braedon Smith said the result reflected sustained effort and team development.

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“Winning the QMRS Memorial Cup is a proud moment for our Aquila team members and recognition of the hard work, discipline and commitment they have shown building capacity together as a relatively new team,” he said.

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“This result did not happen overnight. Our team has trained consistently, backed each other in every scenario, and built strong trust and teamwork along the way. Mines rescue competitions test the skills, communication and decision making that make a real difference should an emergency situation occur either on site or in the community.”

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QMRS acknowledged the support of its industry partners, with the Memorial Cup made possible through contributions from FRSA, 3M, Dräger, Fire Response, Performance Training, MSA, PIP, Simtars, Blackwoods and Lunar Mining, as well as the efforts of staff, district assessors, team marshals, patients, assistants and supporters who helped deliver the event.

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Barry Patterson. Photo supplied

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Over the weekend of 8th–10th May, Mackay Table Tennis Association was proud to host the Queensland Northern Veterans and Mackay Open Tournament, welcoming more than 100 players from across the State, who travelled from Cairns to the Gold Coast to compete in the event.  

The weekend featured both Aged and Rated events and showcased an incredible range of competitors, from our youngest junior player at just 7 years old to our oldest veteran player at 85 years old.

For the first time in several years, we crowned new Men’s and Women’s Open Singles Champions. Alan Walsh from Townsville defeated Paul Green from Mackay to claim the Men’s Open title, while Crismi Lovera fought back strongly against Andrea McDonnell, with both players representing Townsville, to secure the Women’s Open title.

Mackay Table Tennis Association would like to sincerely thank everyone who travelled, competed, umpired, and assisted throughout the weekend, along with the wonderful referees whose efforts helped make the tournament a success. A special thank you also goes to all the sponsors who generously donated prize money and raffle prizes to the Club — your continued support is greatly appreciated.

Tuesday Night Fixtures

Division 1: Curlews (Barry Patterson, Geoff Cowan, Anne Sheridan) just got home against Budgies (Emma Widdup, Graeme Walker, Graham Brake) 6-5.  Barry won a very close battle with Graham B (-6,6,-13,10,9). What an exceptional 5 Sets!  Cockatoos (Mick Ruhl, Mark Sleeman, Neil Brown) won 6-5 over Geese (Steven Whiting, Lee Brake, Janice Kent), no 5 set matches but some very close games.  Canaries (Lily Boland, Josh Brown, Yilin Jiang) defeated Bowerbirds (Trent Day, Allan Edwards, Syed Hossain).

Division 2: Doves (Daniel Warfield, John McGee, Will VanDeKaa) defeated Owls (Rod Mahumas, Peter Goodson, Ricky Zhan) 6-5 with a good 5 set doubles match between John and Daniel coming home against Rod and Ricky to win (-3,7,-12,8,3).  Eagles (Andrea Nicholson, Ollie Hamelink, Rachel Fiesta) won 9-2 against Kites (Matt West, Tiffany Camilleri, Simon Hogan), Andrea found her groove in the 5 set to win over Matt (-8,3,4,-7,6).  Galahs (Donna Abbott, Remy Zhan) beat Parrots (George Camilleri, Darryl Ross) 5-3, George got his monies worth with 2 big 5 set matches, he lost to Donna but came out and snuck home against Remy (-9,7,-8,7,12)

Division 3 are still playing in there groups with the leader board changing often.

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Tuesday Morning Fixtures  

Division 1: Orion Orbitors (Andrea Nicholson, Veronica Shepherd, John McGee) defeated Astro Aces (George Camilleri, Peter Goodson, Sally Muir), Peter overcome John in 5 sets (9,4,-9,-9,4).  Eclipse Spin (Branko Vucurovic, Kevin Abbott, Darryl Ross) won 8-4 against Nova Smashers (Doug Dungavell, Veronica Needham, Bryan Marshall), Kevin got the better of Veronica N (-9,11,-7,5,6).

Division 2: Spartan Spin (Ian Dodds, Gloria Vella, Helen Ware) overcome Ninja Strikes (Ken Best, Frank Caruana, Chris Collins) 10-2, Helen outlasted Chris in 5 sets (-8,-8,1,10,7). Viking Raiders (Kim Daffy, Louise Gould, Josie Davis) defeated Samurai Swords (John Hamelink, Coral Morgan, Robyn Bushell) 7-5, Kim overcome John in close 5 sets (16,-5,-9,11,10).

Division 3: Celtic Smash (David Muir, Trish Zamparutti, Myles Dutton) won 7-5 Gladiator Grip (Sharon Muller, Allison Day, Madge Saunders), Myles overcome Sharon in 5 sets (7,9,-8,-7,7).  Aztec Warriors (Kim Challendar, Janelle Kuene, Pam Kuene) defeated Mongol Power (Gerry Synnott, Glenda Dutton, Thelma Caruana) 11-1, Pam outlasted Gerry in close battle (7,-8,8,-3,7).  

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Contributed by Andrea Payne

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Barry Patterson. Photo supplied

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The 30^th Barrier Reef Contract Bridge Congress was played in Townville last week. Players travelled from all over the state to compete. Five pairs of Mackay players received coveted Red points in the Walkins. Noel Saunders and Martin Pearce won the Novice Pairs (Gold points) with Team Morris – Sandra Morris, Annie Lynch, Jan Harris and Helen Van Den Broek placed second in the Restricted Team event, also Gold points. All Mackay players competed well and received a percentage of Red or Gold points.  

Weekly Results  

Monday 11 May 2026 – 5 Table Mitchell Green Points  

N/S

E/W

1^st

Griffin Bancroft / Gwen Liddell

1^st

Patrick Rasmussen / Mary Rose Ramsden

2^nd

Monica Darley / Joy Block

2^nd

Sandy Patterson / Karen Caldwell

3^rd

Faith Hutchinson / Mary Jane Marsh

3^rd

Diane Stokes / Edward Kliese

Tuesday Evening 12 May 2026 – 4 Table One Winner Green Points  

1^st

Eric Goodchild / Noel Bugeia

2^nd

Ken Seaniger / Ann Whitmore

3^rd

Patricia Garner / Adrian Westcott

4^th

Vicki Howard / Richard Wix

Wednesday 13 May 2026 –8 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Griffin Bancroft / Diane Stokes

1^st

Anne Lutz / Gwen Liddell

2^nd

Bob Ellis / Susan Wright

2^nd

Andrew Canavan / Kath Poole

3^rd

Robert Carless / Joy Robinson

3^rd

Geoff Taylor / Ian Vary

4^th

Josie Cowley / Barbara Tait

4^th

Mary Rose Ramsden / Patrick Rasmussen

Thursday Evening 14 May 2026 – 4 Table One Winner – Green Points

1^st

Faye Wright / Adrian Westcott

2^nd

Griffin Bancroft / Mick King

3^rd

Ken Seaniger / Robert Carless

Friday 8 May 2026 –- 6 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Joy Robinson / Geoff Taylor

1^st

Nancy Martin / Kath Poole

2^nd

Monica Darley / Barbara Tait

2^nd

Sue Mayer-Miller / Gwen Liddell

3^rd

Joyce Deguara / Shirley Worland

3^rd

Eric Goodchild / Sandy Patterson

Saturday 9 May 2026 – 10 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Janelle Conroy / Robert Carless

1^st

Christine Nice / Mary Rose Ramsden

2^nd

Joy Robinson / Ken Seaniger

2^nd

Eric Goodchild / Debra Goodchild

3^rd

Max Holewa / Diane Holewa

2^nd

Monica Darley / Nancy Martin

4^th

Ann Whitmore / Sandra Morris

4^th

Errol Morris / Ian Gaskell

5^th

Gwen Liddell / Julie O’Neill

5^th

Anne Lutz / Ian Vary

Contributed by Joy Block

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WUFC Women Photo supplied

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Women in Football Week started on a high for Whitsunday United, with the Women’s Premier side securing a dominant 5–2 away win over Country United. Sarah Chilton struck twice early to set the tone before Michelle Sothmann extended the lead to 3–0 in the opening stages. Country United responded before the break and applied pressure through the middle stages, but Whitsunday remained composed defensively. In the second half, Alexis Ripps scored her first goal of the season before Vaneesha Robertson sealed the result with a long-range free kick into the top corner.

The U14 Premiers also enjoyed a thrilling victory against Magpies FC. Sam Hazelton opened the scoring before Shannon Matthews added another. Nick Moranino converted from the spot to make it 3–0 before Harley Hetherington restored a three-goal lead just before halftime for a 4–1 advantage. Eli Wallis struck twice early in the second half to push the margin to 6–1, but Magpies fought back with four unanswered goals. Whitsunday’s teamwork held strong to secure an important 6–5 win.

The U13 Premiers capitalised on a strong first half performance, with goals to Jack Reynolds, Mayson McDowall, Liam Keyte and Finlay Moss. Strong defensive efforts from Addie Sanders, Tommie Spratt, Jace Hickey and goalkeeper Kye Land ensured another clean sheet.

The U13 Division 1 side drew 1–1 with City Brothers, with Charlie Monroe scoring early before City Brothers equalised in the second half. Summah Gomes was strong in goal, Elaina Hanns impressed with the throw-ins and Kahta Sulter dominated the midfield, whilst Evan Stokes and Harry Melville remained consistently strong in defence.

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Contributed with thanks to Joscelyn O’Keefe

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Smoking Ceremony Photos supplied

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On Saturday the Whitsunday Sea Eagles travelled down to Harrup Park to take on the Moranbah Bulldogs and the Mackay City Hawks in the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round. Wearing the Ngaro inspired Indigenous Round Guernsey designed by Leo Gabey in collaboration with Shirtfront Solutions, the Under 17s, Senior Women and Senior Men’s teams took the field in style.  

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The Under 17s started off strong, dominating the first quarter as they held front position and hit the scoreboard. Ending the first quarter strongly with an 8-14 score. From there on the players were put under a lot of pressure in their defensive fifty. They worked hard to lock the ball down but unfortunately the Bulldogs got away from them in the second quarter.  The Sea Eagles pushed on but couldn’t hit the scoreboard, with a final score of 15-50.  

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After two weeks off the Senior Women were keen to take the field. Despite their low numbers they were ready for a fight, bringing plenty of energy and determination from the opening bounce. They competed hard all day, putting their bodies on the line and working tirelessly for one another across the ground. Their pressure around the contest and willingness to never give up showed great character, with the team continuing to battle right until the final siren. Despite a final score of 7-62, the players were proud of their efforts and proud to represent in the Indigenous Guernsey.  

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The Senior Men came out ready to take on an undefeated Hawks lineup. They ended the first quarter level at 14-14 and needed to lift in the second quarter. Utilising the wind and showcasing their potential as a team the Sea Eagles scored three goals to take the lead at the end of the second and they went into second half hungry for the win. Despite staying in front and demonstrating their talent as a team, the Hawks managed to score a last-minute goal putting them ahead by 4. Final score 63-67.  

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This weekend the Sea Eagles travel out to Moranbah to take on the Moranbah Bulldogs. See you there cheering on your local teams!  

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Contributed with thanks to Whitsunday Sea Eagles

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Andie Reynolds with medals Photo supplied

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The North Queensland Games celebrated its 42nd year over the weekend, hosting more than 40 sports across the Mackay, Whitsundays and Isaac regions and welcoming athletes of all ages to compete in one of regional Queensland’s largest multi-sport events. Twenty-seven swimmers from the Cannonvale Cannons proudly represented the region at the Mackay swimming carnival, with the club recording the largest team attendance at the meet.

The Cannons produced an outstanding performance in the pool, with many swimmers achieving personal best times and strong results across the meet. A special congratulations goes to Harris Delac, Roxanne Groom, Blaire Harland, Indigo Harland, Joshua Ketchup, Stella Mulliss, Andie Reynolds, Faithlyn Trotter, Caleb Woolston, Lily Woolston and Zavier Woolston for recording either substantial personal best improvements or an impressive number of PBs across the day.

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The one-day carnival schedule was demanding, with several Cannons swimmers committing to a full suite of events. Competing in eight races or more in a single day is a significant physical and mental challenge, making the efforts of Roxanne Groom, Miller Eaves, Koa and Ruby Harland, Lucas Korosec, Andie Reynolds, Celeste Orenshaw and Jax Clayworth especially commendable.

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The club also celebrated several dominant performances in the pool. Congratulations to Eloise Chegwidden, Harry Chegwidden and Wilson Hounsell, who each placed first in every event they entered across the carnival.

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The Cannonvale Cannons continue to demonstrate fantastic depth, sportsmanship and team spirit at regional competitions, with the NQ Games Swimming meet another strong showing for the club. This weekend the club will celebrate the success of its swimmers over the 2025 / 2026 season with their annual end of season presentation night.

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Contributed with thanks to Jade Korosec

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Photo credit: Patricia Wiggins

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It’s never an easy trip whether it’s Moranbah coming to Prossy or vice versa, and this time it was the Brahmans heading to Daryl Bourke Oval for another huge day of rugby league.

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The Under 20s kicked off the day against a strong Miners outfit. It was a tough opening half for the Brahmans boys as they searched for rhythm, but a halftime rev-up from coach Zach Hoffmann sparked improvement in the second half.

Local youngster Darcy Tetley again impressed, scoring two tries and kicking two conversions in another standout performance. While Moranbah claimed the win 40-22, the Brahmans showed plenty of positive signs as the season continues to build.

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With the women’s competition on a full-comp bye, Reserve Grade took the field next. Despite limited player availability, the Brahmans still produced a competitive side packed with local talent.

The contest remained try-for-try for much of the game before Moranbah managed to break away late. Byron Taylor made a huge impact across multiple positions and crossed for two tries to help keep the scoreline close.

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The Brahmans eventually fell 32-16 but walked away proud of their effort against one of the competition’s toughest sides.

As the weather cooled for the 7pm A Grade clash, the Brahmans arrived ready to make a statement against the 2025 minor premiers. New coach Harley Bateup had been warned about the challenge of facing Moranbah on their home turf, but the Brahmans were determined to rise to the occasion.

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The two sides traded tries throughout a brutal contest, with Adam Clydesdale leading from hooker and finishing with two tries. Local favourite Lachlan Garrels also crossed twice as the Brahmans piled on six tries for the night.

Moranbah managed only three in reply as the Brahmans powered their way to a historic 32-16 victory.

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The win marks the club’s first victory in Moranbah in almost a decade, breaking another long-standing drought for the Whitsundays club.

Back-to-back wins now have the Brahmans building momentum ahead of one of the biggest clashes of the season against competition favourites Souths Sharks.

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The Brahmans return home this Sunday, May 17, for what the club is calling the “Games of the Round” at Whitsunday Sports Park. Under 20s, Reserve Grade and A Grade are all confirmed, with the women’s draw still to be announced.

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The headline clash will see the mighty Brahmans take on an all-star Souths Sharks side coached by former NRL star Ben Barba.

VIP tickets are available through Whitsunday Sports Park, with fans encouraged to head to Airlie Beach to catch former NRL names including Adam Clydesdale, Sam Kasiano and Mahe Fonua in action.

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Contributed with thanks to Mandy Bateup. 

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Advance warning  -

Sunday 7/6 : Get ready - it’s the 4somes Club Ch‘ships

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AND NOW FOR THE RESULTS : WEEK ENDING Sun 17/5/26

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TUESDAY 12/5/26

PGC - Stableford

MEN :

Winner : Louis Neethling 33 points(C/B)

R/Up : Allen Roberts

NTPs : Kev Cooper (2^nd), John Grosskreutz (13^th & 16^th)

LADIES :

Winner : Tiina Randmae 29 points

VETS :

played a Stableford game @ C’ville with the Whitsunday Group

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WEDNESDAY 13/5/26

Stableford

LADIES :

Winner : Leanne Alexander 34 points (C/B)

R/Up : Heather Luvis

NTPs : Robyn Whitham (2^nd), Leanne Alexander (13th)

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THURSDAY 14/5/26

PGC - Stableford

MEN :

A Grade :

Winner : George Steane 40 points

R/Up : Adam Hosie 34 points

B Grade :

Winner : Bradley Wilkinson 36 points

R/Up : Bailey Hayward 34 points

NTPs : Blake Gee (2nd), Ray Johannesen (9^th), Adam Hosie (13^th), Ryan Kenny (16^th)

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FRIDAY 15/5/26

9 hole Run sponsored by the Metropole Hotel : Front 9

Winner : Paul Skinner 20 points

R/up : Jack Pirlo 18 points (C/B)

3^rd : Wil Bernett

NTPs : Sara Hagy (2^nd), Jonathon Kellaris (9^th)

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SATURDAY 16/5/26

March MM - kindly sponsored by the Metropole Hotel

Overall Winner : Jayden Lloyd 68 nett

MEN :

A Grade :

Winner : Jayden Lloyd 68 nett

R/Up : Gavin Kerwand 70 nett

B Grade :

Winner : Ben Bullock 69 nett

R/Up : Jake Cremor 71 nett

C Grade :

Winner : Ross Hammond 70 nett (C/B)

R/Up : Barry Mortimer

NTPs : Rob Stanley (2^nd), Owen Clarke (9^th), Brent Franke (13^th), Ross Hammond (16^th)

LADIES

Winner : Sara Hagy 74 nett (C/B)

R/Up : Toni Clauss

3^rd : Trish McNeill 77 nett

NTPs : Sara Hagy (2^nd & 9^th)

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SUNDAY 17/5/26

PGC- Stableford

MEN :

Winner : Greg Puttick 33 points

R/Up: Clay Coles 32 points (C/B)

3^rd : Dean Barnard

NTPs : Daniel O’Donnell & Paula McQuat (2^nd), Jason Bourke (16^th)

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Contributed with thanks to Tiina Randmae

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FRIDAY 22 MAY – ⚽ Whitsunday United FC Night Fixtures v City Brothers
• 6:00pm – Div 2 Men
• 8:00pm – Div 1 Men

SATURDAY 23 MAY – ⚽ Whitsunday United FC Home Fixtures
• 11:30am – U13 FQPL v Dolphins U13 FQPL
• 1:00pm – U14/15 Div 1 v Mackay Lions U14/15 Div 1
• 3:00pm – Women v Magpies FC Women
• 5:00pm – U23 Men v Dolphins FC U23 Men
• 7:00pm – Men v Dolphins FC Men

SUNDAY 24 MAY – 🎯 Club Masters Darts Tournament – Club Whitsunday Sportsbar
The Club Masters returns with players competing for $500 prize money and Club Masters glory.

• From 9:00am
• Open to all
• $20 entry fee
• $500 prize money
• Numbers limited

Now in its 5th edition, this event is one of the club’s major blue-ribbon darts events outside of the Premier League and Xmas Open.

SUNDAY 24 MAY – 🏉 Brahmans v Souths Rugby League – League is coming to Airlie Beach
Field 1 and Field 2:
• 10:00am – U20s
• 11:30am – Ladies
• 1:00pm – Reserve Grade
• 3:00pm – A Grade

MONDAY 25 MAY – 🏉 Whitsunday Touch Competition
• 4:30pm – Rookies
• From 6:00pm – Senior Competition

FRIDAY 29 MAY – ⚽ Whitsunday United FC Night Fixtures v Mackay Lions
• 6:00pm – Div 2 Men
• 8:00pm – Div 1 Men

SATURDAY 30 MAY – 🏉 AFL Sea Eagles v Saints
Five games across the day:
• 9:15am
• 10:40am
• 12:15pm
• 1:50pm
• 3:20pm

SATURDAY 30 MAY – ⚽ Whitsunday United FC v Mackay Lions
• 11:30am – U13 FQPL
• 11:30am – U14/15 Division 1
• 1:00pm – U14/15 FQPL
• 3:00pm – FQPL 3 Women
• 5:00pm – FQPL 3 Men U23
• 7:00pm – FQPL 3 Men

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Twelve players from the Bowen Bridge Club took part in the 30th Barrier Reef Congress in Townsville last week.

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After five days of tough competition involving 280 players across 70 teams, the Bowen players returned home proud of their achievements.

Justine McAllister and Maureen Baxter finished second East/West in the walk-ins and claimed first place in the Novice Zone Pairs.

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Jane Seaborne, Lyn Adams, Maureen Gallichan and Thea Weekes also celebrated success, finishing first in the Restricted Zone Teams.

Congratulations to all players on their outstanding results.

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Contributed with thanks to Lydie Martin.

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B Grade Singles Ladies Final 2026 Photo supplied

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Tuesday’s winners were John Hayson and Ron Hyde who defeated Sue Shearing and Denis Madeley. In the other games Barry Donn, Lorraine Knight and Penny Warren defeated Stumpy Adams, Kevin Baxter. Gus and Lindy Suann and Laurie Land defeated Shirley Jones and Maureen Hyde. The jackpot card did come out but the recipients decided to let it ride for a bigger payout.  

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Club Competition for the week: The final of B Singles was played on Saturday. Congratulations to Linda Scells who had a great game to win against Deb Retchless. Ladies A Pairs Denise Wallace and Penny Warren defeated Celly Jeal and Deb Retchless.  

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On Sunday afternoon the winners came out on Rink 5. They were Eileen Dunn, Maureen Hyde and Allan Rolfe who defeated Bron Tolcher, John Hayson and Denis Madeley. In the other games Shirley Smith, Linda Scells and Pat Tracey narrowly defeated Teresa Willshire Shirley Jones and Stuart Jeal. Toni Bowen and Laurie Land defeated Skin Querro and Lorraine Knight. Ron Hyde, G Smith and Graeme Read defeated Bill Myers, Bouff Querro and Kevin Jewell. The jackpot didn’t go off.

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Our barefoot bowls has started on a Friday Night. Check our Facebook site for further details.


Contributed with thanks to Penny Warren

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Our pennants season has begun. On Saturday, Division 1 played the first round at North Mackay. North Mackay defeated Proserpine 80–33. Nathan Harriott’s team was the best-performing team on the day, going down by just three shots.

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On Sunday, Division 1 played at Northern Beaches, with Proserpine coming away with the win, defeating Beaches 72–56, with all three teams taking a win. The ladder order is Souths Suburban, North Mackay, Airlie Beach, Northern Beaches, Proserpine, and then Sarina. Souths Suburban is currently the only club with two wins.

In Division 5 on Saturday, Proserpine showed North Mackay how to play on a grass green. Proserpine defeated North Mackay 77–13, taking significant wins on both rinks. On Sunday, Northern Beaches defeated Proserpine 40–29, with Mark Holmes’ team scoring a win. Proserpine is currently in second place on the ladder. City is leading the way with two wins, followed by Proserpine, St Helens, Northern Beaches, Mackay, and then North Mackay.

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There were no social bowls on Wednesday due to rain. On Sunday, Graham Thrupp, Heather Brown, and Bruce Uhe defeated Michael Floerchinger, Heather Brown, and Philip Brown 40–7; Arthur Griffith and Henny Tattam defeated Alen Sanderson and Sandy Daffara 38–11.

Next Saturday, Proserpine has both pennants divisions playing at home, and on Sunday, Division 5 will be at home while Division 1 is away. More details will be available when the teams are selected.

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Contributed with thanks to the Proserpine Bowls Club

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Warren Mills and Manny Isgro, proudly showing the scoreboard following their wonderful performance against the extremely strong North Mackay Bowls Club. Photo supplied

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Another huge week for our little club, with pennants starting up again this week in a completely new format, with both men and women joining forces in all divisions.

Firstly, the social news started with Tuesday Social Bowls, which had a reasonable turnout. The winning team was skipped by Sue Walker, with Gina Passfield at lead and David Bradley at second, in a great game. Congratulations must go to them.

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Wednesday afternoon Social Bowls was expertly run by Mervyn Stewart, with 28 bowlers vying for the top prize. The biggest winners of the day were the team of John Matterson, who is showing a remarkable return from open-heart surgery, at lead; Mandy O'Brien at second, who gets better every game and will be a great asset to our little club as she reads the game so well; and skipper Russell Jackson, who has represented the club with great distinction. They won 29–15 in an awesome display of accuracy.

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Wednesday night’s Business House Bowls had a huge roll-up, with over 50 bowlers vying for the winners’ trophy, and team results will be published in next week’s issue. This is the biggest event of the week and all are welcome. Businesses are encouraged to participate, with play starting at 6.30 pm. It is certainly the place to be in Airlie Beach.

Aishmeen Sandhu and Shaniah Saremo have amazing talent but need to be more vocal and have confidence in their abilities, while Pazel Davis, Ollie Webb, and Cooper Wilde continue to impress with their application to the game.

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Saturday morning saw Division One and Division 4 travel to South Suburban, and although Division One narrowly went down in a close game, Division 4 secured a win with great performances by new bowler Alma Rose Mawson, Tony Kelly, John Askew, Stacey Hadlow, and Phil O'Brien.

Sunday morning saw Airlie’s 32 pennant players at home, and while Division 2 went down fighting against a competent Mackay City side, both Division One and Division 4 were very convincing with fantastic performances.

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Manny Isgro’s team was unstoppable, as was John Askew’s team in Division 4.

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Contributed with thanks to Mark Mawson

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17-year old Joshua will soon represent the Whitsunday Sailing Club and Australia at the upcoming ICLA U19 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark. Photo supplied

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17-year-old Joshua King’s sailing journey began at birth.

“I was part of my first ever yacht race at 3 weeks old on my Dad’s trimaran and frequently spent weekends cruising on the boat as a kid,” Joshua said.  

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“I first sailed independently at 6 years old in a dinghy that my Dad bought for a few hundred bucks.”  

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In August Joshua will represent the Whitsunday Sailing Club and Australia at the upcoming International Laser Class Association (ICLA) Youth Under 19 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark. This endeavour has been a long time in the making for Joshua.  

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“I’ve dedicated a large portion of my life in the pursuit of competitive sailing, especially in the ICLA. I have always aspired to have a competitive career.”

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ICLA is a self-administered, self-funded international organisation that provides coordination, organisation and communication for sailing worldwide. It acts as a hub where sailors from across the world can meet, communicate and compete to help foster talent and give aspiring sailors – such as Joshua – a chance at a competitive career.  

Sailors compete in a class of single-handed, one design sailing dinghies. Australia has a rich history of this type of sailing, having won every Olympic gold medal in the sailing class since the London 2012 event.

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Having competed in 3 national ICLA championships against other Australian sailors, Joshua has now qualified to compete at the U19 World Championships in Denmark. He has an intense training regime, spending 6 days of the week in preparation, through a mixture of water sessions and intense fitness work. In the lead up to the event, he will take part in training camps in Brisbane and Spain.  

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“This my is first time representing Australia on the world stage, so it feels really special. I’m proud to be representing Airlie as well.” Joshua said.

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Joshua has set up a fundraising campaign to support his great next step. To donate, scan the QR code below.  

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“My main goal is to soak in the experience and learn as much as possible. Sailing is the greatest sport in the world, and this is one of the best locations in the world for it. It is fantastic in so many ways.”

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Priscilla Cahill

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Mackay Parkrun has recorded a series of notable personal milestones throughout May, with local participants reaching significant finish totals in recognition of their ongoing commitment to regular participation and community-based fitness.

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May milestones at Mackay Parkrun (so far):

• 50 finishes – Tim Robb

• 100 finishes – Priscilla Cahill

• 50 finishes – Peter Young

• 50 finishes – Brooke Ramsay

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