The forecast is in… Leave your hats on and dress for a great night of Feelin’ Alright! Step into the world of music legend Joe Cocker with The Joe Cocker Express! The Airlie Beach Hotel invites you to an unforgettable evening of music and nostalgia, celebrating the legendary artist. The Joe Cocker Express will take you on a nostalgic journey with authentic renditions of Cocker’s greatest hits, ensuring a night full of timeless tunes and unforgettable moments. Experience the magic of a 9-piece
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The highly anticipated ‘Don River Dash’ will soon be taking place in Bowen. This multi-terrain off-road event is a thrill-seekers paradise and a huge crowd attraction with spectators able to watch the action from the banks of the dry Don River bed where all the action takes place. Dirt flies, motors roar as the racers all vie to complete the course in the fastest time possible. A bucket list item for many adrenaline-junkies, the race attracts motorists from all over the country. Event Secret
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The third annual Whitsundays Songwriter Festival is scheduled to take place this October and organisers are appealing for sponsors who would like to donate to this much-loved local event. The festival is dedicated to developing amateur songwriters in the Whitsundays and connecting them with world-class mentors to help further their skills, capacity, and careers. Last year, highly acclaimed artists Vika & Linda, and Toni Childs took participants on an incredible journey which culminated in a s
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The Airlie Beach Festival of Music (ABFoM) is back for its 12th annual celebration, bringing three days of legendary music and festivities from November 8th to 10th. Featuring an incredible lineup including Sweet (UK), Rose Tattoo, Pseudo Echo. Jebediah, Thirsty Merc, Southern Sons, Christine Anu, Ash Grunwald, Reece Mastin, Sandi Thom, 19 Twenty and Bondi Cigars, this year’s festival promises an unforgettable experience. To celebrate, ABFoM is offering you a chance to win the Ultimate Party
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The arrival of whales in the Whitsundays at this time of year is a big drawcard for tourists as well as locals who never tire of watching them as they move about our waters. Their presence is not a new phenomenon nor is the delight of observing these magnificent creatures. The “Proserpine Guardian” of Saturday 30 July 1938 published the following story “AQUATIC DOINGS AT HAYMAN ISLAND”. “Two immense whales decided to inspect the “June” as she lay at anchor off Bait Reef, coming within some thir
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One of the world’s most successful cult comedians is heading to the Proserpine Entertainment Centre today and the audience can expect an evening filled with his signature blend of irreverent and wildly entertaining humour. Highly hilarious and extremely popular English comedian Ross Noble is gracing the Proserpine Entertainment Centre with his 21st solo stand-up tour ‘Jibber Jabber Jamboree.’ Noble invites you to an evening of inspired whimsy and inventive hilarity, showcasing why he’s the unri
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Last weekend the first Ramped Up Whitsundays event was a huge success with over 1000 people attending over the weekend. Organiser Donny Fraser was thrilled with the turn out and is excited to make it an annual event. “It was a good turnout for the first year too, during the first year you don't have anything to promote it with,” explained Donny. “The focus was to get the best guys and girls (skateboarders) there to build something long term in the Whitsundays. “We had a lot of really high-pr
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Women and girls interested in giving the sport of bowling a go are invited to come along to a special series of events hosted by the Airlie Beach Bowls Club. Airlie Beach Bowls Club is once again running a C’mon try “learn to play bowls” program with free coaching for women and high school age girls. All coaches have blue cards. The program starts on 31st August and will run for three consecutive Saturday mornings. “We selected Saturday morning to give an opportunity to those ladies with we
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As spring nears and preparations for our new hard cover ramp up, our bowlers continue to shine. On Monday, Ladda Purdie, Jill Spencer, and Vicki Spann represented our club at the Champion of Champions triples tournament in Mackay. They defeated Mackay City, North Mackay, and West Tigers to win the 2024 Ladies Triples Champion of Champions title—an outstanding achievement for our club. Tuesday’s social bowls winners were Joan McGrath, Dawn Dowel, and Mark Mawson. Friday morning saw the Endeavour
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Sunday, August 18: • Allen Williams, Keith Kirk and Geoff defeated R. Gorro, Lloyd White, and Steve Roome defeated Trowse, Lee Welsted, and S.Trowse. • Marion, Ray, and Lloyd defeated Lindsay, Carol, and Helen to win the afternoon. Wednesday, August 21: • Janine and Steve defeated Ray and Gordo. • Ian, Geoff, and Bird defeated Marion, Lloyd, and Daryl. • Maryellen, Frank, and Tiarna defeated Ron, Jane, and Gus. Contributed by Joan Edwards
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Despite some visitors leaving, Wangaratta Bowls kept up the action with Monday's self-selected triples. Winners were Albi Vigar, Greg Colquhoun, and Kennedy Whitton, narrowly beating Kevin Daniels, Allan Rolfe, and Mark Drummond. Ken Wallace, Peter Donoghue, and Chris Frew took runner-up honors. Tuesday's social bowls saw Pam Breakwell, Liz Palmer, Keith Aykens, and David Madden winning on Rink 5. Runners-up were Joan Atkinson, Deb Retchless, Vic Palmer, and Pearl Aykens. The jackpot was not cl
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It was an exciting week for Whitsunday United, with 8 out of 10 teams advancing to the finals next week. Div 1 and Div 2 Men: The Div 1 and Div 2 men played their final regular-season games against the Lions in Mackay on Friday night. The Div 2 team ended their season with a hard-fought 2-2 draw, showing promise for the future. The Div 1 men clinched a 2-1 victory, with a late header from Mike Downing, securing a spot in the finals against the Wanderers. U13 Div 1: The U13 Div 1 team had a fan
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The August Monthly Medal was played today under fine but blustery conditions, which may have contributed to scores not being as low as in previous weeks.
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Club Champions 2024: • Ladies: Leanne Alexander • Men: Ryan Wilkes Overall Results: Ladies: • A Grade: ◦ Gross Winner: Leanne Alexander ◦ Gross Runner-up: Lyn Muller ◦ Nett Winner: Elspeth Scotford ◦ Nett Runner-up: Tina Badenhorst • B Grade: ◦ Gross Winner: Toni Clauss ◦ Gross Runner-up: Tiina Randmae ◦ Nett Winner: Heather Luvis ◦ Nett Runner-up: Anna Winterbourn • C Grade: ◦ Gross Winner: Sherri Meade
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Sea Eagles fielded four teams in the AFLQ Mackay Elimination Finals on Sunday with Sea Eagles Under 17s making it through to take on the Saints in the coming Preliminary Final. Remaining Sea Eagles teams fought hard but were unable to match the opposition and now round up their 2024 Season. Sea Eagles Under 17s had some close moments throughout their match against Mackay City Hawks but were able to dig deep when it mattered to take out the win by two goals 61 – 49. With competition aggressive
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Over the weekend, members of the Junior Achievers Squad headed to Mackay for a special training clinic hosted by Swimming North Queensland. This clinic provided an invaluable opportunity for young swimmers to refine their skills under the guidance of top coaches and train with junior swimmers from neighbouring clubs across Mackay in a non-competitive environment. The Junior Achievers Program is designed to recognise, reward, and inspire junior swimmers on their journey toward becoming senior at
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A plan to build a brand-new satellite hospital in Mackay has just been announced by the state government, when Premier Steven Miles visited Mackay on Monday. Building on the success of similar facilities in South East Queensland, this hospital will provide free, walk-in treatment for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries from 8am to 10pm, helping to reduce pressure on local emergency departments. It’s a major coup for Mackay, as it will become the first of its kind to be built outside of
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As we gear up for a special day this weekend, it’s a time to honour the fathers, step-dads, granddads, and all the father figures who have a special knack for dodgy dance moves, overused catchphrases, and, of course, those legendary dad jokes that somehow never get old. Father’s Day is a day to celebrate the wisdom, the patience, and the endless love these people bring into our lives—often served with a side of wit and a penchant for reminding us to 'check the oil.' This Sunday, the region is bu
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The community is inching closer to completing the highly anticipated Pioneer Valley Rail Trail (PVRT), thanks to the generous efforts of volunteers and cycling enthusiasts. With residents and volunteers from all walks of life contributing to its success, this project has been one driven by the community - for the community. Brothers Ryan and Evan Corry, who own the local bike shop Corry Cycles, are among the treasured names of many who have supported the rail trail from the very beginning.
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Last week marked a proud moment for Mackay as 21 eager candidates gathered at the historic Mackay River Wharfs, eager to shape the future of their community. These student participants in the groundbreaking Young Mayors Program, have undergone a transformative election process with nearly 2,500 of their peers casting votes. The result: 12 driven individuals were selected to form the next Mackay Youth Council. First introduced in 2023, the Mackay Regional Council pioneered this initiative, aimed
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Last Friday, the region took a significant step towards economic diversification with the launch of A Revenue Diversification Strategy Report from The Greater Whitsunday METS Sector. This strategy proves to be a crucial component of the Decarbonisation Accelerated Project and was developed under the leadership of Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) and the Resources Centre of Excellence (RCoE). The launch held at Field Mining Services Group in Paget, brought together key industry leaders and st
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Acknowledging 30 years since the Commonwealth Government officially recognised South Sea Islanders as a distinct cultural group in 1994, the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the unique health challenges faced by Australian South Sea Islanders. Most Australian South Sea Islanders are direct descendants of approximately 50,000 people brought from the Pacific Islands to Australia to work as indentured labourers between 1863 and 1904. QAS Chief Operating O
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Police Call For Witnesses For Pedestrian Injury In Andergrove Police are appealing for witnesses after a pedestrian was critically injured in a serious traffic crash at Andergrove last week. Initial investigations indicate at approximately 8am on Friday, August 23, a blue dodge RAM struck a pedestrian on Bedford Road near a roundabout along Oak Street and Celeber Drive in Andergrove. The 66-year-old male pedestrian sustained extensive injuries and was transported to Mackay Base Hospital befor
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The Mackay North High School Z Club recently presented a generous donation to the Mackay Days for Girls team. This donation was collected by Z Club members solely for Days for Girls in Mackay, to assist the local volunteer team in their efforts to produce sanitary kits for women and girls in developing countries. The Zonta Club of Mackay was first chartered in October 1992, and at present, it consists of around 30 active members. One of the many ways Zonta Club supports the community is by spo
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The mining community is in mourning following the tragic death of another worker at the Byerwen Mine site, located west of Glenden. Emergency services were called to the site at approximately 1.10 pm on Thursday, August 22nd, where they discovered a man believed to be in his mid 50s suffering from critical injuries. Bundaberg man, John Linwood (56), was fatally injured at the Byerwen mine site and was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident involved a collision between a haul truck and a
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