Runners and supporters gathered in strong numbers on Easter Sunday for the annual Burrito Bolt – a 5km and 10km social run hosted by Mackay Road Runners. The event started and finished in the Mackay City Centre, with runners enjoying cloudy, overcast conditions as they followed scenic riverside trails. The 10km course took participants along the Catherine Freeman Trail and through to the West Mackay parklands before a turnaround near Lansdowne Road, while the 5km runners turned just beneath the
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Mackay Table Tennis Association joined the global celebration of World Table Tennis Day on April 23, honouring the sport’s rich history and its growing presence in our region. World Table Tennis Day pays tribute to Ivor Montagu, the Englishman who founded the International Table Tennis Federation and organised the first world championships in 1926. What began in England as a light-hearted after-dinner pastime using dining tables and books for nets has since become a serious international sport.
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Results for week ending Saturday 19 April 025 Monday 14 April 2025 – 4.5 Table Howell Green Points 1st JANINE RODGERS - RICHARD WIX 3rd PAMELA FINGER - MING TING 2nd MONICA DARLEY - DIANE STOKES 4th NOEL BUGEIA - GEOFFREY PATTERSON Tuesday Evening 15 April 2025 – 4 Table Mitchell Green Points North/South East/West 1st ERROL MORRIS - PATRICIA GARNER 1st SANDRA MORRIS - DIANE MORGAN 2nd GLEN COCUP - TEX SHEEDY 2nd JANELLE CONROY - CHRISTINE MORRISON Wednesday 16 April 2025 – 7 Table Mitche
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Refurbishment works at Glenfields Park, located on Wheeler Drive in Glenella, will begin on Tuesday, April 22, weather permitting. The park will be closed for about six weeks while the refurbishment is completed. Works will include new concrete edging around the playground, fresh sand, a new seat, earthworks, improved drainage and new turf. Council appreciates the community’s patience during this time. To find an alternative playground during these works, visit knowyourburb.com.au.
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This Mother’s Day, treat the special women in your life to a delightful morning filled with joy, community spirit, and heartfelt appreciation at the Mother’s Day Morning Tea, part of the inaugural Proserpine Rock Wallaby Festival. Join us on the morning of Sunday 11th May, in the auditorium of the Proserpine Entertainment Centre, and indulge in a spread of delicious homemade goodies, enjoy light entertainment, and soak up the warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes this event so special. But tha
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In the heart of the Whitsundays, Green Energy Technologies (GET), a company owned and operated by locals for locals, boldly blazes the trail towards North Queensland's renewable future. Established in 2010 by director Kon Flaherty and James Webb, GET has experienced explosive growth from a small team of five to over 90 dedicated staff, witnessing a tremendous 30 per cent growth rate each year across offices in the Whitsundays, Mackay and Townsville. GET is Queensland's number one solar installe
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That is a tough question. The Reef is many things to many people and there are many ways to value the Reef. But it is more than just another coral reef. The Great Barrier Reef is in Australia’s cultural DNA. It is integral to the identity of Australia’s Traditional Owners. What’s more, its status as one the seven natural wonders of the world makes it an international asset. In many ways, it hardly seems necessary to quantify its value. The value of the Great Barrier Reef is priceless and we kn
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We have been recording whale songs and social noises in the Whitsundays for the last two whale seasons. Last week I wrote about why we are recording them and about the songs. The way we record them is using a hydrophone, which is an underwater microphone, connected to an amplifier and a recording device. We can record humpback whales 5 to 10 kilometers away, so we don’t have to see whales, to record them. A whale song lasts around 30 minutes and then it is repeated over and over. The fittest w
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Schools across the region wrapped up the term in festive style with vibrant Easter Bonnet Parades, bringing a joyful splash of colour and creativity to classrooms and playgrounds. Students proudly paraded their handmade bonnets, each one a unique expression of imagination and artistic flair. From bold colours to whimsical designs, the bonnets reflected the excitement of Easter and the spirit of celebration that marks the end of term. The parades have become a cherished tradition in many school
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The Bowen Health Connection event united local community members and health service providers for a day devoted to health and wellbeing across the entire spectrum of life, from babies to the elderly. Brought to life through the hard work and dedication of Stephanie Cora, executive officer of the Bowen Community Centre, and Josephenie Ferguson, community liaison officer with the Together Strong, Connected Care program. “The intention of the event was to not just focus on women's health but heal
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Miles Woods, or ‘Milo’ to friends, is the dynamic founder and president of Whitsunday Blokart Club, where his passion for performance Blokart land sailing has turned calm, breezy beaches into adrenaline pumping raceways. Since purchasing his first Blokart in April 2019, Milo has menaced his competition on a heart-thumping journey of speed, camaraderie and triumphs that have made him stick out like a sore thumb in Queensland’s and Australia’s land sailing scene. Milo’s love of Blokarting was set
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Will Donald Trump’s presidency lead to a stock market crash and how will that affect your retirement plans? We’ve all watched on as Donald Trump has taken a wrecking ball to the established world order over the last few months. This has led to what is officially called ‘a correction’, where share markets have fallen by over 10%. Will this turn into a ‘crash’ where markets fall over 20% from their highs? The real answer is no one knows. Trump’s policies are so aggressive that no one has any prec
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Nestled along the pristine waterfront of the Coral Sea, Marina Shores Airlie beach offers guests an unparalleled fusion of luxury, style and striking views. My recent tour of this exquisite property, under the guidance of the knowledgeable Ross Martin. Demonstrated why Marina Shores raises the bar for luxury living in the Whitsundays. From its elegantly designed accomodations to it’s enviable amenities, Marina Shores is a for seekers of indulgence and serenity. The tour commenced with a journey
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Blink and you’ll miss them, but catch a glimpse and you might think you’ve discovered an alien lifeform. Nudibranchs are the ocean’s most flamboyant residents: tiny, slow-moving sea slugs adorned in neon colours, wild patterns and surreal shapes. Like living confetti, they drift across the seafloor. For divers in the know, spotting one is a very special moment. These vibrant creatures come in an astonishing array of shapes, sizes and colours. Yet despite their dazzling appearance, nudibranchs c
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Hi everyone, As promised, here is the extended edition of Ruth2Reef! I’m excited to bring you three full pages of fascinating environmental news from around the Whitsundays. In this week’s edition, we explore the geological history of the Whitsundays and how the region was formed, dive into the vibrant world of nudibranchs, and share some amazing reef and whale facts. I spotted my first nudibranch a few weeks ago and it was absolutely beautiful. It was tiny, bright blue, and slowly making it
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Only one more week until the big dance – election day is next Saturday. Candidates will be making their final pitches. Chances are though, many voters have already made up their minds and are heading for an early vote. Early polling opened this week and people can cast their vote anytime from now until polls close on May 3rd. At the 2022 election 32.2% of eligible voters chose to cast their vote before polling day with another 15.9% sending in postal votes. That is a whopping 48.1% of Australia
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Tour de Cure’s is heading north for eight unforgettable days of cycling through Queensland. From Airlie Beach to Port Douglas, 190 riders and support crew will travel more than 1,000 kilometres across some of North Queensland’s most scenic and lesser-travelled roads. This isn’t just a ride, it’s a powerful movement to help cure cancer. Tour de Cure is a cancer-agnostic organisation, meaning funds raised support a wide range of cancer research, support services, and prevention projects. The fund
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The 2025 Australian Speedway Sidecar Championship, held over Easter weekend (April 19-20) at Bowen Speedway, exhilarated the Whitsundays, galvanising Bowen as a hub of motorsport. Promoted by the NQ Speedway Riders & Supporters Club, this momentous event drew swathes of people to the granite-based track at Bowen Showgrounds, revived in 2019 after decades of history since 1927. For Bowen, a coastal gem of the Whitsundays, hosting this national championship was a triumph, magnifying local pride an
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The price tag for Labor’s failed ‘Voice’referendum hit more than half a billion dollars. At a time when Australians are doing it tough, that money could have helped ease cost of living pressures, putting food on the table, covering rent, or paying power bills. Here in Dawson, I hear from families every week who are struggling just to get by. Cost of living pressures are crushing our local communities, yet the Albanese Government chose to pour hundreds of millions into a divisive referendum that
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Proserpine has a rich military history dating back to the Boer War and since then generations of men and women from this community have answered the call. Some made the supreme sacrifice and are remembered on our cenotaph. Others suffered the horrors of being a prisoner of war, either dying in captivity or returning home as shadows of their former selves. It would have been heart-wrenching for families to watch their sons head off to war, but imagine what it must have been like for those who sa
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Everywhere I go in the Whitsundays, I hear the same concern: insurance is becoming unaffordable. Whether it's families, small business owners, or strata property holders — the cost of protecting what matters most has blown out. And during a cost-of-living crisis, those costs hit even harder. Too many people are being forced to go without insurance or settle for inadequate cover. This leaves our communities exposed and underprepared — especially in regions like ours, where extreme weather event
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As the Easter treats disappear, the foil starts piling up, it is important to remember that Aluminium foil is fully recyclable. To make sure it actually gets recycled and doesn’t get mistaken for paper, scrunch your wrappers together into a ball about the size of your fist. If you somehow didn’t get through enough chocolate to make a fist-sized ball of foil (hard to believe, but it happens!), you can pop those smaller bits into an empty aluminium drink can. Once it’s full, pinch the top closed
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The Queensland Tourism Industry Council, in partnership with Whitsunday Regional Council, invites you to join us for a special World Environment Day event on Thursday 5 June at 3:00pm. Taking place at Shute Harbour Marine Terminal, this event is all about bringing sustainability into the spotlight and exploring how we can build a more environmentally-conscious tourism industry - right here in one of Queensland’s most iconic regions. Whether you're just getting started on your sustainability jo
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Pre-polling opened this week, marking a pivotal moment in the Federal Election race as candidates ramp up their campaigns, attending events, meeting voters, and making their case for the title. Last week, the Whitsunday Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a Meet the Federal Election Candidates Event, where attendees were eager to hear about the candidates' plans and promises. This will be followed by a formal debate in Mackay this Wednesday. The Australian Federal Election will be held on S
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The Mayor’s Charity ball is a fundraising event with all proceeds supporting BMA CQ rescue, the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre and the Bowen Community Centre. The event is fully funded through tickets sales and sponsorships. There are multiple sponsorship levels available, from becoming a Platinum sponsor to donating a prize for the auction or mystery reveal game. Sponsors are acknowledged during the Mayor’s Charity Ball promotional activities as well as at the event. For more information on
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