By Councillor Nathenea MacRae
Over the weekend, I had the honour of attending the Mackay RSL 2025 Gala Dinner, a night that celebrated both our proud military history and the incredible community spirit that defines our region.
One of the most moving moments of the evening was seeing the return of the original 42nd Battalion bagpipes, gifted by the people of Mackay in 1916 and carried by our soldiers through the battlefields of France.
To hear those very pipes played once again, their sound echoing through the room, was something very special.
After being lost to history for more than a century, these pipes were unexpectedly rediscovered in California. Thanks to the determination of the Mackay RSL team and local advocates, they have finally been brought home. They’re not just instruments, they’re a piece of our city’s soul and a reminder that Mackay has always stood up, reached out and looked after one another.
That same spirit continues today through initiatives such as the RSL Wellness Centre at Illawong, which will provide vital support for veterans and their families, a place for healing, connection and community. Proudly supported by Mackay Regional Council, RSL Queensland, and local businesses, the sub branch is determined to keep the project community-driven from the ground up. Council is proud to play a role, including leasing the premises to the RSL to help this important service thrive.
As these historic pipes find their place once again in Mackay, the RSL has also launched a new mission: to identify the 13 men pictured in the 1916 Pipe Band photograph. These were our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers and sons of this region whose faces deserve their names back.
I encourage every family, history enthusiast, and proud local to be part of this search. Visit the RSL, look through old family albums, and help uncover the stories of the men who carried Mackay’s music into the heart of war.
Our history has come home, now it’s up to all of us to help it speak again.
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