Achievers Squad. Photo supplied: Raylene Rusmussen

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The Cannonvale Cannons are gearing up for an exciting start to the local swimming season, with 13 young swimmers recently taking advantage of a special development opportunity in Mackay.  

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On Saturday, the Cannons travelled south to participate in the Swimming North Queensland (SNQ) Achievers’ Swim Clinic. Swimmers were selected for the squad based on their outstanding performances last season.  

Congratulations to Billie Jamieson, Pippa Laguna, Leo Mulliss, Lucas Korosec, Evie Doherty, Zavier Woolston, Andie Reynolds, Ruby Harland, Koa Harland, Wilson Hounsell, Jax Eaves, Caleb Woolston, Finn Temple and Eric Mulliss on their selection and participation.  

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More than 50 swimmers from across the Mackay district attended the clinic, taking part in an athletic development session before hitting the water to refine their butterfly, backstroke or breaststroke technique.  

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Cannons' coach Mark Erickson led the Butterfly sessions and said he thoroughly enjoyed the morning and the opportunity to work with the enthusiastic group of swimmers.  

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Each participant was presented with a special SNQ cap as a memento of the clinic. The Cannons sincerely thank Swimming North Queensland for continuing to provide valuable development opportunities for regional swimmers.  

Back home, excitement is building as the Cannons prepare to launch their local season, with Club Nights resuming on Wednesday, 2 September.  

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Club nights are family-friendly and provide swimmers with the opportunity to race, challenge themselves and enjoy being part of a supportive club environment. For many Cannons, it is about much more than competition – it is about friendships, setting goals, celebrating improvements, and sharing a love of swimming.  

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Contributed with thanks to Raylene Rusmussen.  

The NQ District Championship 4s winners, Denise Wallace and Penny Warren Wangaratta and  Denise Davis and Bernadette Hay Thuringowa

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Good news for Wangaratta Bowls Club this week, with our lady representatives enjoying success at the North Queensland District Championships.

Denise Wallace and Penny Warren joined Thuringowa players Bernadette Hay and Denise Davis in the winning Fours team, making it back-to-back titles after winning in 2025.

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Penny then reached the Singles final to finish runner-up. She and Singles winner Terri McCalary, from Marlin Coast, were jointly awarded the Rozwill Trophy for winning the most games across the Singles, Pairs and Fours. Linda Scells also performed, reaching the Singles quarter-final.

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In Monday’s self-selected triples, Graeme Read, Mark Drummond and Allan Rolfe defeated Eileen Dunn, Shirley Smith and Shirley Jones. Runners-up Dianne Hallas, Ken Wallace and Chris Frew defeated Gus Murray, Rob Agg and Denis Madeley. However, the jackpot did not go off.

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Tuesday’s jackpot was won by Alex Beaumont, Graeme Smith and France Wilmann after they defeated Shirley McSwain, Lindy Suann and Joe Paynting.

Penny Warren and Allan Rolfe claimed the Club Mixed Pairs title on Thursday, defeating Greg Colquhoun and Fely Duncan.

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Saturday’s Mark’s Greenkeepers Day was sponsored by Dreger Glass and Aluminium. Bill Myers, Paul Madden and France Wilmann won the afternoon, with Viv Boskma, Ken Wallace and Fely Duncan runners-up.

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Sunday’s winners were Karen Halton, Diane Hallas, Brian Bellingham and Graham Dodd.
As our southern visitors head home, we wish them safe travels and hope to welcome them back next year.

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Our final Winter Bingo will be held this Friday, August 28, from 9.30am, with all jackpots to go off.
Contributed with thanks to Penny Warren.  

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Heather Brown represented the club in the Champion of Champion Ladies Singles at North Mackay on Tuesday, falling 25–18 to Airlie Beach’s Vicki Spann. Mackay City’s Emma Pash claimed the title, with Souths Suburban’s Gail Meng finishing runner-up.

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David Ling took to the green for the Men’s Singles at Northern Beaches on Saturday, where he was defeated 25–17 by Paul Foot. Foot went on to win the championship, ahead of last year’s winner Philip Blackburn from Wests Tigers.

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Proserpine hosted the Ladies Champion of Champion Fours, with competitors producing some excellent bowls on a well-prepared green. Friday’s final went down to the wire, with Souths Suburban scoring three on the final end to edge Club Northern Beaches 21–20.

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The club thanked Andrew Bell, David Ling and everyone who helped prepare the green, along with Philip Brown for running the bar and Mike Harrison for organising sandwiches and afternoon tea.

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In Wednesday’s social bowls, Carol Smith and Philip Brown defeated Graham Thropp and Sandy Daffara 17–5, while Alen Sanderson and Mike Harrison beat John Anderson and Nev Smith 16–10. Anderson and Smith then defeated Thropp and Daffara 12–5.

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Heather Brown also joined the visiting North Mackay ladies for a practice match, giving competitors another opportunity to become familiar with the Proserpine green ahead of their championship matches upcoming.

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Sunday’s winners included Mary Hedgelong, Trevor Parsons and Sandy Daffara 11–9; Robert Berglund, Arthur Griffith and Heather Brown 21–1; Carol Smith, Berglund and Philip Brown 12–9; and Heather Brown, Alen Sanderson and Daffara 21–3.

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The Champion of Champions Zone Playoffs will be held at North Mackay next weekend, with Mackay District competitors contesting the Singles, Pairs, Fours and Mixed Pairs.

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Contributed with thanks to the Proserpine Bowling Club.

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Eleven horseball players from the Whitsundays have been selected to represent Queensland at the Australian Horseball Cup in Tamworth from 1–6 September.

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The Queensland squad comprises six junior players aged between 12 and 16 and six senior players aged 18 and over, with all but one coming from the Whitsunday region.

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The team has spent the past few months preparing to face New South Wales at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, where the tournament will feature as part of the Tamworth Agricultural Show.

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“Our players have been training hard for the last few months and are looking forward to taking on NSW at the tournament,” head coach Linda Gray said.

Players have also held barbecues and raffles to help cover the cost of travelling to Tamworth and purchasing uniforms.

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With the Australian Cup approaching, the community can still support the riders by purchasing raffle tickets, with prizes including a three-night stay on Hayman Island.

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The team is looking forward to competing against some of the country’s best horseball players while proudly representing Queensland and the Whitsunday region on the national stage.

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Bikekhana Winners

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The 10th anniversary of Collinsville Bacon Busters brought another huge day of action to town, drawing competitors, families and visitors together for one of the community’s most anticipated events.

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Hunters brought in 226 pigs weighing a combined 9,341.95 kilograms, almost nine and a half tonnes. The Yeah the Sows team claimed the biggest boar at 105 kilograms, while the heaviest sow caught by Rhy Reeses tipped the scales at 122.3 kilograms. Daniel Honnery recorded the longest tusks at a piercing 175 millimetres, while Karl Hocking took out the biggest barrel category with a 170-kilogram catch.  

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Beyond the hogs, the day delivered plenty of country-style fun, with a mullet competition, gymkhana relay, dog jumping, touch footy, amusement park rides and an ironman obstacle course featuring barrel jumping giving attendees plenty to do.

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The Collinsville State High School Student Council also joined in the fun, selling showbags to raise funds for the school.

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North Mackay Saints volunteer Louise Goss has been recognised as a local ‘Legend of the Tongs’ for her four years of dedication to grassroots football and the club community. Photo supplied

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North Mackay Saints AFC volunteer Louise Goss has been recognised for her dedication to grassroots football, being named one of Australia’s local ‘Legends of the Tongs’ as part of a national search.

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For the past four years, Louise has played an important role behind the scenes at North Mackay Saints AFC, helping keep the club running and supporting its players and families.

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Her involvement has included working as youth coordinator, Under 17s team manager, sports trainer and canteen volunteer.

With her husband coaching and her children playing, Louise has embraced the Saints’ family-focused culture and chosen to contribute wherever she is needed.

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She said she believes every child should have the opportunity to play the game they love.

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The Saints have built a strong community around making sure players have a place at the club, with every age group valued and dedicated junior presentation nights introduced.

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While recruiting volunteers remains an ongoing challenge, the club continues to rely on a strong team effort to support local families and keep football thriving.

The recognition comes as the senior men’s team chases a sixth consecutive premiership, highlighting the contribution of the volunteers who help make opportunities on the field possible.

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Bunnings Mackay North Complex Manager, Neil Foord, said Louise’s contribution went well beyond the BBQ.

“From firing up the BBQ to coordinating volunteers and fundraising efforts, volunteers like Louise are the heart and soul of community sport,” Neil said.

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“Louise is the person who makes things happen, organising junior teams, supporting volunteers and helping deliver successful fundraising events for her club. Her tireless work behind the scenes helps create opportunities for young players and strengthens the entire club community.”

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“It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to give back to clubs like North Mackay Saints AFC with equipment that helps make a real difference for their volunteers,” Neil said.

As part of the recognition, the Saints will receive a BBQ prize pack valued at more than $585, including a Jumbuck 6 Burner BBQ and pop-up marquee.

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Louise is also in the running for a trip for two to attend the Toyota AFL Grand Final and the overall ‘Legend of the Golden Tongs’ title, which comes with $25,000 in products and materials for the winner’s club.

Bunnings Head of Community, Sponsorship and Events, Michelle Walter, said the initiative recognises the contribution of volunteers across grassroots AFL and AFLW.

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“Legend of the Tongs is all about recognising the heart of Australian rules football – the more than 200,000 volunteers who show up week in, week out to support their clubs,” said Walter.

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“Following a hugely successful first year, we’re proud to bring Legend of the Tongs back in 2026, delivering practical equipment and support that helps grassroots AFL and AFLW clubs focus on what matters most – their people and their community,” said Walter.

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Nominations were open until August 16th, with winners announced weekly.

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Annett, Diane, Tricia, Christine and Louise, hardworking girls. Photos supplied

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A big thank you to members of the club who attended the working bee last Sunday. Many hands make light work and it seems fun galore. Afterwards a BBQ lunch and well earned drink for lunch. A big shout out to member Simon Barnes who with help from Frances, Alan, Rick and Martin replaced all the light fittings at the club earlier in the week. This was such a generous contribution of Simon’s time and expertise. No more glare on the cards. Well Done and Thank You Simon!

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Weekly Results

Monday 10 August 2026 – 10 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Monica Darley / Joy Block

1^st

Helen Van Den Breok / Jan Harris

2^nd

Janelle Conroy / Terry Sheedy

2^nd

Nancy Martin / Geoff Taylor

3^rd

Rosalyn Stevens / Marilin Robins

3^rd

Eric Goodchild / David Ting

Tuesday Evening 11 August 2026 – 7 Table Mitchell Green Points  

N/S

E/W

1^st

Ann Whitmore / Frances Brown

1^st

Geoff Taylor / Janelle Conroy

2^nd

Patricia Garner / Faye Wright

2^nd

Martin Pearce / Glen Cocup

3^rd

Simon Barnes / Andrew Canavan

3^rd

Marilin Robins / Adrian Westcott

Wednesday 12 August 2026 – Anne Hird Memorial Week 2 of 3 – 12 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Sue Mayer-Miller / Noel Bugeia

1^st

Simon Barnes / Jennifer Cameron

2^nd

Louise Renton / Jan Harris

2^nd

Eric Goodchild / Annette Howe

3^rd

Joy Block / Diane Stokes

3^rd

Janelle Conroy / Ann Whitmore

4^th

Debbie Ludkin / Patricia Garner

4^th

Geoff Taylor / Diane Cox

5^th

Andrew Canavan / Frances Brown

5^th

Anne Lutz / Colleen Riddel

Thursday Evening 13 August 2026 –- 6 Table Mitchell Green Points

1^st

Rodney Miles / Terry Sheedy

1^st

Jan Harris / Julie O’Neill

2^nd

Anne Lutz / Geoff Taylor

2^nd

Mick King / Griffin Bancroft

3^rd

John McGee / Adrian Westcott

3^rd

Martin Pearce / Simon Barnes

Friday 14 August 2026 –- 8 Table Mitchell Green Points

1^st

Lynne O’Neill / Roland Taylor

1^st

Christine Nice / Diane Cox

2^nd

Monica Darley / Barbara Tait

2^nd

Joy Block / Christine Fitzpatrick

3^rd

Janelle Conroy / Terry Sheedy

2^nd

Mick King / Geoff Cowan

Saturday 15 August 2026 –- B1 of 2 - 12 Table Mitchell Red points

1^st

Anne Lutz / Geoff Taylor

1^st

Diane Holewa / Max Holewa

2^nd

Joy Robinson / Ken Seaniger

2^nd

Jan Harris / Griffin Bancroft

3^rd

Ming Ting / David Ting

3^rd

Lynne O’Neill / Janine Rodgers

4^th

Alan Brown / Frances Brown

4^th

Terry Sheedy / Christine Nice

5^th

Monica Darley / Nancy Martin

5^th

Janelle Conroy / Robert Carless

6^th

Faye Wright / Marilin Robins

6^th

Martin Pearce / Patricia Garner

Contributed by Joy Block

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Approximately thirty runners eagerly tackle the inaugural Farview Tavern Mystery Social 5k & 10km

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Mackay Road Runners took on a challenging course through the cane country township of Farleigh at the inaugural Farview Tavern Mystery Social 5km and 10km.

The course featured a number of technical challenges, with runners tackling strong headwinds and long stretches of undulating ascents and descents. While particularly demanding for the 10km competitors, completing the course brought a strong sense of achievement for participants.

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Organisers thanked Andrew Short for creating the course and said the event could become a regular fixture on the Mackay running calendar, particularly with the opportunity for participants to enjoy a post-run drink at the Farview Tavern.

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The club also expressed its thanks to Jo Skinner, Steve Oberg, Andrew Short, Craig and Bec Malcolm and paramedics who came to the aid of a runner who suffered a significant fall during the final 300 metres of the 10km event.

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Two NSW visitors, Kerry and Glen, also assisted after inadvertently taking a wrong turn and witnessing the incident, while local resident Maryanne provided further assistance.

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Mackay Road Runners will next host its annual Signature and Club Championship Event, the North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) and Podiatry Mackay Magic Mile, next Sunday morning at the Mackay Marina Breakwater entrance.

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Registrations close at 6pm on Friday 21^st August. Prizes will be awarded in the NQBP Open, Podiatry Mackay Under 13 and Under 18 categories.

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All runners are also eligible for the annual Magic Mile Milo Award, which will be randomly judged on the day.

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Meanwhile, club captain Jim Ford continues to conduct free Wednesday afternoon track training sessions at the Aquatic and Recreation Complex (ARC) at Ooralea. The sessions focus on maintaining and developing running technique and are open to everyone, including those who are not Mackay Road Runners members.

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Contributed by Janelle Tilse

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Lily Boland. Photo supplied

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Tuesday Evening Fixtures

Division 1:  Magpies (Barry Patterson, Abbas Irshad, Rod Mahumas) defeated Lions (Josh Brown, Graham Brake, Will VanDeKaa) 7-4, Abbas outlasted Graham (8,9,-7,-8,10).  Jaguar (Mick Ruhl, Graeme Walker, Syed Hossain) outlasted Tigers (Anne Sheridan, Lily Boland, Remy Zhan) 7-4, Lily won a great 5 set match against Syed           (4,-7,11,-5,4). Cheetahs (Neil Brown, Janice Kent) defeated Pumas (YiLin Jiang, Duncan Treloar) 4-1, with YiLin winning Pumas only match against Janice (-10,-3,9,6,9).  Leopards (Emma Widdup, Geoff Cowan, Dilini Ranasinghe) just got home against Hawks (Robbie Richards, Lee Brake, Andrea Nicholson) 6-5, with no 5 set matches Andrea won a close battle with Geoff (10,-7,13,9).

Division 2: Cuttlefish (Ian McKay, Logan Brown, David Symons) defeated Trevally (Tony Bowman, AmandaLiu, Liz Burton), Tony and Ian both battled hard but in the end Tony won (-4,6,-11,7,8).  Squid (George Camilleri, Peter Goodson) snuck home 6-5 against Grunter (Simon Hogan, Rachel Fiesta, Jason Lee), George won close win over Simon (4,-10,7,-10,6).  Cod (Delma Knight, Steve Mathieson, Darryl Ross) defeated Dolphins (Ross DeBoer, Ricky Zahn, Mark Bowerman) 6-5, Delma and Darryl came home strong to beat Mark and Ross in 5 sets (-10,7,-8,10,9).  Mackeral (Matt West, Ollie Hamelink, Craig VanDeKaa) won 7-4 over Bass (Daniel Warfield, Tiffany Camilleri, Jeff Bennington), Jeff and Craig both played very well, with Jeff getting over the line (-6,2,9,-8,6).  

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Tuesday Morning Fixtures

Division 1: Spartan Serve (Delma Knight, Ross DeBoer, Kevin Abbott) beat Pirate Plunge (Andrea Nicholson, Steve Mathieson, Darryl Ross) 9-3, Kevin overcame Steve to win great 5 sets (-2,7,11,-9,7).  Celtic Smash (Donna Abbott, Pam Joyce, John McGee) defeated Roman Legion (George Camilleri, Judy Zahn, Noreen Fredericksen) 9-3, no 5 set matches Donna outlasted George (11,5,-7,7).  Zulu Spears (Branko Vucurovic, Doug Dungavell, Veronica Shepherd) got home 9-3 over Pharaoh Aces (Tony Bowman, Peter Goodson, Bryan Marshall), Doug won close match against Bryan (4,-8,9,-5,5).

Division 2: Buffalo Herd (Sally Muir, Coral Morgan, Cheryl Pearson) won 7-5 over Bear Claws (Helen Ware, Gloria Vella, Louise Gould), Coral was in fine form against Louise (-10,8,5,-8,9). Dolphin Dives (Ian Dodds, John Hamelink, Frank Caruana) defeated Cheetah Race (Ken Best, Josie Davis, Chris Collins) 8-4, John got home against Chris (-6,8,-9,7,6).  

Division 3: Mongol Power (Iris Grasso, Gerry Synnott, Myles Dutton) won 9-3 against Gladiator Grip (Sharon Muller, Rondel Brown, Trish Zamparutti), Iris found her form coming home to win against Sharon (-11,6,7,-10,6).  Aztec Warriors (Janelle Kuene, Laurie Bradshaw, Glenda Dutton) ended up tied 6-6 against Amazon Guards (Allison Day, David Muir, Glenda Brookes), Janelle outlasted Glenda B (5,-8,-6,4,3)  

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Contributed by Andrea Payne

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Ken Fihelly. Photo supplied

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Last Sunday a small number of club members enjoyed an outing to St Helen’s Creek, situated about a 50 minute drive northwest of Mackay. This is a beautiful rain forest water course in a National Park, and within a few kms of Mt Dalrymple itself. 

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The creek has been visited many times over the decades by the Bushwalkers’ Club and offers several inviting swimming holes which are particularly popular during the summer months, but on this occasion the water was too cold for any of the participants to enjoy a dip.

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However, there were lots of other attractions to be found in the rich rain forest lining the banks, including butterflies and birds such as forest kingfishers and cormorants, and small black snakes, as well as the remnants of a pineapple patch, and lots of convenient slab rocks to facilitate progress along the creek.  

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The walkers covered several kilometres before reaching the first junction after numerous creek crossings approximately every 500 metres. The walk was led by local resident and long-term member of the club, Kate Brunner.

This Sunday, current members of the club will be able to choose between climbing Mt Jukes with club president Peter Bennett leading the troops, or walking the Pioneer Valley Rail Trail,  starting out from Gargett, under the leadership of Mandy Nimmo.

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Future outings on offer include Cascade Creek, a spectacular waterfall in the Finch Hatton Gorge area, and Mt Ossa. To become involved, phone 0429 363 929.

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Contributed by Carole Weekes

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Karla Pound, Ena Ladd, Fiona McTavish and Charlie Smith. Photo supplied by Fiona McTavish

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Four women whose friendship was forged in Airlie Beach are preparing to push themselves well beyond their comfort zones, taking on the mammoth challenge of rowing 4,800 kilometres across the Atlantic Ocean.  

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Fiona McTavish, Karla Pnd, Charlie Smith and Ena Ladd first met while living and working together in Airlie Beach more than a decade ago, before careers aboard superyachts, tank boats and expedition vessels eventually scattered the four across Australia and the world.  

Despite the distance, their shared love of the ocean remained, and a few years ago the four decided to reunite around a challenge unlike anything they had attempted before. Becoming the first woman to ever row across the Atlantic Ocean.  

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“I think it was just to push ourselves, you know, trying to get out of our comfort zones that we've all kind of fallen into,” Fiona said.

“And yeah, it seemed like a perfect way to do that.”

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However, with little to no rowing experience between the four, their boat currently stationed in the UK and Charlie and Ena living in Western Australia, there are plenty of challenges to overcome before they even reach the starting line.  

“Actually being able to come together has been pretty scarce,” Fiona said.  

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“None of us are rowers. None of us have ever done any rowing at all in any way, shape, or form.

“But we’re pretty confident that when we are together, we obviously just knuckle down and we all have the same mindset. We’re all working towards the same goals.”

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The four have done a few trips to the UK in an effort to build some team unity, including a practice row in the North Sea, even anchoring themselves overnight.  

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Back in Australia, training continues separately, with Charlie and Ena able to get out on boats in Western Australia, while Fiona’s preparation in Airlie largely consists of rowing machine sessions and strength training in the gym. Karla, meanwhile, balances her training with her work as an expedition leader, travelling to places including Antarctica, Greece and the Kimberley and gaining plenty of time at sea along the way.  

They will start the crossing come December and are expected to finish between six and eight weeks, with the women facing weeks at sea and conditions that could include waves reaching up to 6 metres tall.  

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Beyond the sheer distance and rough seas, the team will also have to contend with some less obvious dangers, including the possibility of marlin striking their boat.

“In the past, some teams have had some marlin strikes on the boat where it’s actually penetrated or gone through the hull,” Fiona said.

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“That’s definitely something that scares me.”

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Through all the obstacles, reaching the other side will be a moment in history, where the inexperienced rowers will become the first women in history to cross the 2nd largest ocean in the world.  

“The all-female aspect is something that we take pride in,” Fiona said.

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“It’s good to see that and give back some sort of inspiration and be kind of a role model to some other females, not just for rowing, but in other aspects of life.

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“Just giving something a try, getting out there and giving stuff a go.”

2026 NQ & CQ Swimming coaches conference. Photo supplied: Raylene Rasmussen.

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It wasn’t just the swimmers sharpening their skills on the weekend, with Cannonvale Cannons coaches hitting the learning lane at the NQ & CQ Coaching Conference in Mackay.

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The two-day conference brought together coaches from across North and Central Queensland to learn, share ideas and gain fresh inspiration to take back to their clubs.

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Cannons coaches Mark Erickson, Ken Crittenden, Kate Thomson, Giselle Burton and Raylene Rasmussen attended presentations on coaching philosophy, athlete development, Individual Medley coaching and the technical points of breaststroke, butterflyand backstroke. Practical pool sessions also gave coaches the chance to see specialist techniques in action.

But the coaches weren’t the only Cannons learning!  

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Six Cannonvale swimmers were invited by Swimming Queensland coach Barry Prime to take part in the Backstroke and Breaststroke Clinic held in conjunction with the conference.  

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Congratulations to Tora Delac, Roxy Groom, Levi Smith, Jax Clayworth, Hamilton Anflous and Charlie Doherty, who jumped at the opportunity to develop their skills and receive valuable feedback.  

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For the Cannons, having coaches and swimmers involved made the weekend valuable, with coaches returning to Cannonvale with fresh ideas, technical knowledge and practical strategies to share across the club.

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Opportunities such as the NQ & CQ Coaching Conference help ensure Cannons swimmers continue receiving quality coaching while developing their skills and love of swimming. The club thanked Swimming North Queensland and Barry Prime, Swimming Queensland, for organising the weekend.

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Contributed with thanks to Raylene Rasmussen.

Anna Winterbourn and Vic Feldman. Photo supplied: John Roser.  

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Ideal golfing conditions brought out some strong scoring at Proserpine Golf Club, with a field of 44 players taking on the single Stableford event.

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The club welcomed new members Sue Collins, Kerrie Johannesen and Jim House, returning member Andrew Albergo and six visitors for the day.

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Anna Winterbourn led the ladies with an impressive 44 points, finishing ahead of runner-up Elspeth Scotford on 42. Jan Shuwalow followed with 39, ahead of Jenny Hounsell on 36 and Heather Luvis on 35.

In the men’s competition, Vic Feldman claimed the win with 40 points, while Steven Stewart finished runner-up on 38. Barry Mortimer was next with 37, followed by Michael Stewart on 36 and David Murdoch on 34.

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Pin shots for the ladies went to Leanne Alexander, Elspeth Scotford, Jenny Hounsell, Jan Shuwalow and Anna Winterbourn.

Men’s pin shot honours were shared by Gerald Lovell, Billy Brownlie, Barry Mortimer, Harro, Allen Roberts, Noel Busk, John Roser, Wilf Herweg and David Woods.

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John Roser and Peter Lindsay recorded chip-ins, while Beryl Nosworthy and John “let’s go fishing” Strelec collected the NAGAs and a ball each.

Leanne Alexander and Gary Scotford were also thanked for their work behind the scenes organising WINTERSUN and keeping the event going strong.PGC General Manager Lisa Rogers also introduced herself and drew the club’s Major Raffle.

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Coming up, golfers will contest the August Monthly Medal and count their putts on August 18, before the Whitsunday Group heads to Collinsville on August 25.

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Contributed with thanks to John Roser.

Winning team for Under 200s George MacDonald, Gavin Milne(NQAS Representative/ Sponsor), Peter Koloczy, Barry Jackson and Wally Kleidon from Marian.  

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This weekend in August is always a great one, with teams coming from far and near to compete and enjoy some great bowls.

This year’s major prize was taken out by Marian’s Barry Jackson, George MacDonald, Wally Kleidon and Peter Koloczy with five wins and a plus-75 margin.

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Harry Craig, Marcus Craig, Wade Cranston and Nathan Harriott finished second with five wins and plus 44, while Dave Peet, Grahame Kinnear, Cooper Whitestyles and Peter Blackburn claimed third with four wins and plus 32. Mike Harrison, Gavin Noonan, Andy MacDougall and Harry Quod finished fourth with four wins and plus 26.

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Round winners were Michael Kinnear’s team, Wayne Handley’s team, Scott Hamilton’s team, Mitch Wright’s team and John Hamlyn’s team.

We were lucky with the weather and many thanks go to everyone who helped prepare the green, clubhouse and surrounds, organise food, work the bar and keep the weekend running smoothly.

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Thank you also to generous sponsors Metropole Hotel Proserpine, Cane Country Tyres and NQAS, and everyone whose contribution, smiles and enjoyment made it such a great weekend.

Good luck to David Ling and Heather Brown, who are competing in the Champion of Champion Singles at North Mackay.

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Proserpine will also host the Champion of Champion Ladies Fours, with the first games beginning at 9am Thursday before the final at 9am Friday.

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Contributed with thanks to Proserpine Bowls club.

Escape Jiu Jitsu showing off the hardware. Photo supplied: Danny Johns.

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Whitsundays-based Escape Jiu Jitsu returned from Melbourne with three Australian National Champions following a huge three days of competition at the 2026 Australian National Championships.

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More than 3,000 entries made it the biggest tournament in Australian Jiu Jitsu history, with Escape taking a squad of 20 competitors more than 2,000 kilometres to compete.

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Adult competitor Shay got the team off to a flying start on Day 1, claiming gold and the Australian National title in Adults No Gi before backing it up with silver in Gi the following day.

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The junior team kept the pressure on Sunday, with Summer and Paityn both crowned Australian National Champions. Summer achieved the feat just seven months after starting Jiu Jitsu, while Paityn is also still in her first year of training.

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Coach Bec Johns added silver after stepping down an age bracket and entering the Open Weight division, while Coach Zane Johns collected silver and bronze.

The Escapes Women’s talent stuck out amongst the heat of the competition, finishing 11th in the No Gi team standings, while the academy placed 29th overall among 94 teams to reach the podium on the final day.

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“For most of our team, this was their first major tournament,” Head Coach Danny Johns said.

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“The courage it takes just to step onto those mats is huge, and I couldn’t be more proud of the way every one of them represented Escape Jiu Jitsu and the Whitsundays.”

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Contributed with thanks to Coach Danny Johns.