The Whitsunday Lions Club has generously donated $2,500 to support a junior sailing camp hosted at the Whitsunday Sailing Club in Airlie Beach. This contribution will help purchase essential items such as rudders, centreboards, sails, and flags. As a non-political service organisation, the Whitsunday Lions Club fosters leadership and networking among its members. The club actively supports local fundraising initiatives for community projects, builds parks and venues, and provides disaster relie
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By Hannah McNamara Acquiring a police badge isn’t easy, in fact it comes with great grit and resilience…but when the uniform comes off, it’s important to remember those who died wearing it. Last Friday numerous marches and memorials took place across the region, honouring the sacrifices made by officers who laid down their lives in the name of duty, while also celebrating the remarkable mateship within the Queensland Police Service. Current and former officers gathered with family, friends and
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The race is officially on! While candidates and parties have been warming up for months, this week kicks off the real sprint toward Queensland’s election. The banners are out, the promises are polished, and the countdown to decision day has truly begun. For the brave souls running in Mackay, Mirani, Whitsunday, and Burdekin, it’s a mix of nerves, excitement, and a lot of handshakes. Fun fact: Did you know that all four of these electorates overlap with our Mackay Life distribution area? It reall
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A local woman's heartfelt gesture has left the Mackay community in awe, after demonstrating an act of compassion during a time that is challenging for others. Last Tuesday, the woman reached out on a community Facebook page, looking for someone in need to take her leftover food before her work trip. She expressed a preference for sharing with others rather than freezing the food for herself or throwing it away. With many struggling with the rising living costs, her generous offer reflects a
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By Amanda Wright The Queensland state government and federal opposition have both claimed a role in the nearing completion of the $251 million Walkerston Bypass, a project set to improve safety and traffic flow on the Peak Downs Highway. Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, pointed to the LNP’s significant contribution of $181.83 million, secured in 2020, as critical to the project’s funding. Landry emphasised the bypass as another example of the former Coalition Government deliver
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Mackay Regional Council has made some minor amendments to its Corporate Plan and the draft is now open for two weeks for public comment. Mayor Greg Williamson said extensive community engagement had been done in preparation for the previous Corporate Plan 2022-2027. He said the new council, after being elected at the March local government elections, reviewed that existing plan. “The council decided that the Corporate Plan, a legislative requirement that sets our strategic direction for five
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Mackay Regional Council is calling on residents of Slade Point to attend a community meeting on Tuesday, October 15. This meeting has been organised due to community interest in forming a Progress Association. The informal meeting will kick off at the Slade Point Bowls Club at 1 Wren Street, Slade Point, from 6pm. It’s an opportunity for residents of Slade Point to meet with council’s Community Development Officers to chat about what a Progress Association is and the opportunities it can create.
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The council is inviting suppliers to tender for inclusion on two panels for mowing services. The panels will assist council with mowing operations across our region, especially over the summer wet season. For more details, including tender documents, please visit QTenders at https://bit.ly/3TMEC2X or council's website at https://www.mackay.qld.gov.au/.../procure.../current_tenders Tenders close Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 10am.
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The Mackay Base Hospital Cardiac Catheter Laboratory is set to commence scheduled works on Tuesday, 8 October 2024. The Cath Lab and its service will close for eight weeks while works are carried out by contractors. These works are due to Cath Lab equipment reaching its 10-year end-of-life period. Upgrades to the Cath Lab are also required to suit the new equipment, along with a sterile stock room within the unit. All works will be carried out within the eight-week timeframe. Replacing major
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54-Year-Old Man Charged With Assaulting 12-Year-Old Boy A man has been charged following an alleged assault in Mackay last Tuesday morning, September 24. According to reports, around 8:30am, a physical altercation occurred between a man and a 12-year-old boy on River Street. The individuals were not known to each other prior to the incident. Following the altercation, the man reportedly left the scene on a motorbike. The boy sustained minor injuries and was transported to Mackay Base Hospi
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During the recent Whitsunday Cambodia Service Tour, a dedicated group of students, staff, and parents proudly supported the People Improvement Organisation (PIO) in Phnom Penh. This remarkable organisation delivers quality education to over 1,500 students, ranging from Kindergarten to University, with a mission to break the cycle of poverty through education. Whitsunday Anglican School had the unique opportunity to assist in refreshing the classrooms, painting and enhancing the learning envir
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A successful education and compliance campaign restricting vehicle access to foreshore areas north of East Point is being extended to further protect the environment. An ordinary meeting today resolved to implement measures to prohibit vehicle access to the foreshore and beach on council-controlled land from Harbour Beach to East Point. Access inland to the Pioneer River in this area will remain unchanged and there is pedestrian access to East Point from there or along the beach. Mayor Greg Will
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Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Bill Boyd has retired after more than 30 years of delivering babies at Mater Private Hospital Mackay. Born and raised in Scotland, Dr Boyd’s journey to Mackay began when he married his Australian wife Julie, then a student midwife in Scotland. The couple moved to Australia in 1982 and headed to Mackay four years later. “My first job in Australia took us to Weipa, where I was the Medical Superintendent, before moving to Adelaide, where I worked at the Queen Vi
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By Hannah McNamara The LNP recently announced a $20 Million Mackay Bucasia Road / Golf Links Road intersection upgrade, if elected on the 26th of October. Jarrod Bleijie Deputy Leader of the Opposition said, “Traffic congestion is a big issue in the Mackay region… that’s why I’m so excited to announce that if the LNP is elected on the 26th of October, we will be investing $20 million into the Mackay Bucasia Road intersection upgrade.” It comes after countless complaints from locals travelling
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In memory of the beloved Mackay figure Mr. Brenden Borellini, a retrospective exhibition showcasing his impressive photography work is open this month at Crossroad Arts. The event honours Borellini, who was not only an Artist in Residence but also a cherished ambassador for the local community. The opening night took place on Friday, September 20, from 6pm to 8pm at Crossroad Arts, located at 55 Wood St, Mackay. Guests enjoyed light snacks and drinks while viewing over a decade's worth of Borel
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Earlier this week, on Monday, October 1, Queensland officially entered 'caretaker mode' ahead of the state election set for October 26. From this point until the election results are determined, the government is subject to several restrictions under caretaker conventions. With the election campaign now officially underway, Queensland Premier Steven Miles kicked off his re-election bid by highlighting his government's introduction of 50c public transport fares. On Tuesday morning, he rode a bus
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Tell us about yourself and what qualifies you for this role? I’m a fifth-generation Mackay local, a second-term Councillor, and was elected as the Deputy Mayor in April 2024. Prior to Council, I was the Manager of Mackay Funerals for almost 8 years, an after-hours Support Worker at the domestic violence shelter for 9 years, and the Service Manager at Mackay Women’s Centre for 4 years. I’ve also held roles in financial services, real estate, IT, and retail, and been a small business owner. I have
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Tell us about yourself and what qualifies you for this role? As a sixth-generation farmer, the bush runs through my veins. Running a business and managing budgets in the face of rising costs has given me firsthand experience of the challenges many locals face. As a long-serving volunteer rural firefighter, I’m passionate about safeguarding our rural way of life in Central Queensland. I believe my background and dedication make me well-qualified to represent our regional community and fight to g
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Tell us about yourself and what qualifies you for this role? I am a wife, mother of 5 and local small business owner. I have worked across many industries, battled financially and also succeeded. I am an everyday person that understands real world and local issues, not a career politician If you could initiate a project or address one issue in the region – what would it be and how you would go about it? Whilst our region has many issues, the one that comes to the forefront of most peoples m
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Tell us about yourself and what qualifies you for this role? I’m a former police officer who has spent the past 22 years working in Mackay, mainly in crime prevention. I retired earlier this year and I’m looking for the next challenge. I’ve spent most of my time working with young people, on projects to teach safety and prevent crime. However I also have many other community connections with seniors, men’s, church and sporting groups. I am ready, willing and able to keep serving this community
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Tell us about yourself and what qualifies you for this role? Apart from having already served two terms as the Member for Mirani, I have a deep connection to this region, which I believe, uniquely qualifies me for the role. Not only was I born and raised in the region, but so were my parents, grandparents and great grandparents. So regardless of what happens on the 26th, I will remain an active and committed member of the Mirani community, which I love dearly. How many other candidates can s
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Thirty new Habitat Reef (HR) modules have been installed in Mackay’s coastal waters, marking a significant milestone in the region’s efforts to restore marine biodiversity. As part of the Mackay Whitsunday Turning Rubble into Reef project, led by Reef Catchments, the initiative is set to revitalise fish habitats and boost the health of local ecosystems. The HR modules have been purpose-built, divided into two clusters to create vertical structure in otherwise bare marine areas. These concrete st
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This week Season to date Cane crushed 62,079 666,380 Average bin weight 3.96 3.89 CCS 14.80 13.74 Cane variety performance for region Variety % CCS Variety % CCS Q183 27.1 15.20 Q253 22.0 14.34 Q240 6.9 14.65 SRA9 11.1 15.17 Q208 17.6 15.18 SRA21 1.4 14.75 KQ228 3.7 14.15 Q138 1.7 14.43 Comments: Plane Creek Mill processed just over 62,000 tonnes of cane for the week, bringing the season total to just over 666,000 tonnes. Average CCS rose by 0.18 of a unit over the previous week, closing out at
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Running a successful farming business in the arid regions of Queensland is tough and maximising the productivity of your land is essential. Nobody knows this like rural business owners Nichole James and Jake and Adam Fietz. Nichole, Jake and Adam are participating in a field trial being delivered by Central Highlands Regional Resources Use Planning Cooperative (CHRRUP) as part of the Future Drought Fund (FDF) Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes program. The project aims to demonstrate drought
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By Sonia Ball QCAR Central District Manager There is change in the air with the establishment and continued growth of Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables (QCAR) in all cane growing regions across Queensland and into New South Wales. It’s an exciting change for sugarcane farmers with regional QCAR district committees operating in the Herbert River Region, but also right here at home in the Central District (Proserpine, Mackay and Plane Creek) and of course the Burdekin. Last week the Ce
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