This week at the Bowls Club was bustling with activity across various events. On Monday, the self-selected triples saw Robin Stitt, David Madden, and Chris Frew clinch victory against Viv Boskma, June Paynting, and Chris Healey. The jackpot, unfortunately, was not won. Tuesday’s social bowls featured a thrilling match on Rink 1, where Mary Jackson, Col Parker, and John Tainsu triumphed over Bruce Thompson, Ann Kayser, Brian Bellingham, and Greg Colquhoun. The runners-up were Karon McKenzie, Ther
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The weekly 9-hole Stableford competition saw Peter Bitz emerge as the winner, securing first place with 22 points. Rhys Bartholomew claimed second place with 19 points, while Jay Steele finished in third place with 18 points, determined by count-back. On Friday's 9-hole Stableford, Donnovan Pettiford took top honors with 20 points. Peter Bitz followed in second place with 19 points, and Andrew Gomez secured third place with 18 points, also determined by count-back. Sunday's 18-hole Stableford wa
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Sunday brought a beautiful, sunny day to the Whitsunday Golf Club after players navigated dense fog from both directions on their way to the WGC August Monthly Medal and Least Putts competition. Despite the fog, 17 golfers participated, and everyone enjoyed the fine weather, with no complaints about the conditions. Whitsunday Golf Club Results: Ladies A Grade: • Winner: Tiina Randmae with a nett score of 74 • Runner-up: Anna Winterbourn with a nett 75 • Longest Drive: Karen Rix Ladie
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The Cannons Swim Club gathered for a night of celebration during their recent Club Night, where achievements and milestones were recognized with great enthusiasm. Coach Ken Crittenden led the evening by acknowledging the exceptional performances of the club’s returning state swimmers. The club takes immense pride in these athletes, who competed against Queensland's top swimmers, and the anticipation is already building for the next State event in December. The evening continued with the announce
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By Amanda Wright The 9th Annual M&P Services-Key Solutions Group Charity Golf Day was a swingin’ success, teeing off with a record 166 players on Friday. Mayor Greg Williamson officially kicked off the event, where local businesses took to the greens, aiming for glory and a good cause. Despite no one claiming the $25,000 hole-in-one prize, the day was a hit with novelty holes like "Hit & Hope," where a lucky participant won a large LED TV from Harvey Norman Electrical. The event, now a premier
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As the Olympic flame fades and our screens return to more mundane fare, I can't help but reflect on some of the highlights that had me practically shouting at the TV. Not too loudly though, I had a sleeping toddler in the next room. My Olympic enthusiasm runs deep—so deep, in fact, that when my husband and I first met in 2008, our second date was a late-night affair watching the Beijing Opening Ceremony, only to doze off waiting for New Zealand to appear. And a fun fact, my high school had me p
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Matt from Pressure Kings Pressure Cleaning recently made a significant impact in his community through a touching act of generosity. A local neighbour shared on Facebook how Matt generously offered a free driveway pressure clean to Pete, a veteran facing terminal cancer. Not only did Matt take care of the cleaning, but he also personally thanked Pete for his service in the army. Matt is now offering free driveway pressure cleans to other elderly residents who might be in need. This initiativ
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The Queensland Government said that the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project has reached its next milestone, with Premier Steven Miles visiting Mackay last week to announce that more than 5 kilometres of core samples have been collected. “To date, more than 50 boreholes have been drilled,” the state government said. The project is now entering its next phase, with publicly-owned energy company Queensland Hydro confirming structurally solid granite throughout the project site. The Pioneer-Burdek
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Last Thursday morning, August 8, at around 6:30 am, police responded to a distressing call confirming the discovery of a deceased man inside a submerged vehicle at the Mackay Marina. Authorities believe the van may have rolled into the water and become trapped under a pontoon, which later crushed the vehicle as the tide rose. Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage to better understand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Emergency services, including police, fire, ambulance and ot
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Councillor Karen May has been elected as Deputy Mayor of Mackay Regional Council, succeeding Belinda Hassan after a vote by her fellow councillors. At a special council meeting on Wednesday, August 7, three councillors expressed their interest in the position. Karen May, who previously served as Deputy Mayor in the last term, was ultimately chosen to step back into the role. Experienced Councillor Alison Jones and first-term Councillor Ash-Lee Johnson also vied for the position. In a closely con
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Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, is no stranger to the Bruce Highway and has launched a campaign, Back Our Bruce, Back Our People. The section of the Bruce Highway that runs through the electorate of Dawson, from Mackay up into Townsville, has been identified as the most dangerous section of the entire highway, with the worst identified as the 100km stretch between Bowen and Home Hill. “As someone who spends a lot of time on the Bruce Highway, travelling to meet with businesses and
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A $7.5 million project, funded by the new Miles Labor Government, has revved up CQUniversity’s Ooralea Trade Training Centre in Mackay with the completion of a state-of-the-art Heavy Automotive Training Facility. This impressive 1600 sqm extension more than triples the centre’s training capacity, gearing up to train up to 400 students for vital local industries like mining and agriculture. The new Heavy Automotive Training Facility will offer training in areas such as diesel fitting, mobi
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Despite the rain, the Centenary Family Fun Day at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School remained a joyful celebration last Sunday. Families, teachers and students gathered together to celebrate the significant milestone, reflecting on how the school has grown and evolved over the years. The event was a bittersweet reminder of the school’s rich history whilst also highlighting its ability to adapt and support the generations to come. The oldest former students and the youngest current student joi
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The Mackay community is mourning the loss of two beloved figures, Brenden Borellini and his mother, Marlene 'Merle' Mitchell. Brenden, a former Young Australian of the Year and a passionate advocate for inclusion and accessibility, passed away recently, followed tragically by his mother just days later. Their passing has left a significant void in the hearts of many. Brenden was well-known for his extraordinary contributions to the arts in Mackay. As the 2021 Mackay Regional Council Australia Da
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A crime scene was declared after a fire tore through a house on River Street in Mackay, prompting a swift response from emergency services. The blaze, which occurred on Tuesday night, August 6th, around 7:18 pm, led to the establishment of a 100-metre exclusion zone, which was lifted shortly after. A woman was transported to Mackay Base Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and police are now investigating whether an accelerant was used to fuel the fire. Detective Senior Sergeant Chris E
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By Hannah McNamara Each year, on the 18th of August, communities across the nation stand together for Vietnam Veterans Day to honour the courageous Australian soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War. Among the numerous battles fought during the Vietnam War, the Battle of Long Tan stands as one of the most significant. On August 18, 1966, 18 Australian soldiers lost their lives and many others were wounded in one of the war’s fiercest encounters. On that day, the 6th Battalion, Royal Au
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By Hannah McNamara Steve Haidle’s journey into the Navy began in 1966 at just 18 years old, when he was drafted onto HMAS (His Majesties Australian Ship) Hobart as a seaman gunnery. Within three months, he received the news that he was headed to Vietnam. Reflecting on that time, Haidle recalls, “most of us were just 18 years old…and off we went.” During his seven months in Vietnam, Haidle served as a seaman gunner, tasked with a critical role as a Seacat missile aimer. He was responsible f
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The Mackay Memorial Services And Community Wellness Centre Welcome To All The Mackay RSL Sub Branch has some exciting news up its sleeve with the latest announcement of The Mackay Memorial Services and Community Wellness Centre, located near Illawong Beach in South Mackay. This community hub for all to enjoy will feature beach volleyball courts, a mini golf area, a laser tag zone, a pool, a bar and a welcoming seating area. While the office rooms are still in need of renovation, the RSL is ca
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MARIAN SUB BRANCH INC.10amVeterans and their families are invited to a service to be conducted at the Cenotaph, Main Street, Mirani from 1000 hours. Afterwards, there will be a light lunch served at the Mirani Motel. For any further inquiries please reach out to the Mirani RSL Sub Branch at: info@mirani.rslqld.net.auCenotaph, Main Street, MiraniMACKAY SUB BRANCH INC.5.30pmVeterans and their families are invited to pay their respects to those who served and sacrificed their lives for our country.
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Grade eleven and twelve Students from Mackay North State High School have undertaken an ambitious project at Mackay Engineering College to restore cars, transforming vehicles that would otherwise be sent to the wreckers into fully functional cars ready for community use. This initiative has seen significant support from local businesses who have generously donated their time, parts and services to the project. Repco Mackay has been a major supporter of this cause after jumping on board for th
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By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay The sugar price remains strong, and is expected to do so as the market for sugar continues to outstrip supply. Last year saw some real sugar rush price peaks, but it has softened into what is still a solid price moving around the $600AUD/tonne. For growers, building productivity is critical to making the most of strong prices, and a counterweight to meeting input costs like fuel and fertiliser. Increased productivity equates to improved profitability T
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This week Season to date Cane crushed 46,791 282,734 Average bin weight 3.85 3.84 CCS 13.18 13.13 Cane variety performance for region Variety % CCS Variety % CCS Q183 28.0 13.02 Q253 20.3 13.96 Q240 9.4 13.77 Q138 3.1 12.01 Q208 12.3 13.23 SRA9 10.6 11.53 KQ228 5.4 14.52 Q242 2.7 12.15 Comments: Plane Creek Mill processed about 46,800 tonnes of cane for the week, bringing the season total to just under 283,000 tonnes. A cleaning intermission and work to isolate the master shredder turbine took p
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In recent years, Australians in rural and regional areas have faced unprecedented challenges that have taken a toll on mental health and well-being. Factors such as inflation, cost-of-living pressures, climate change, and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored the importance of mental health support, particularly for farmers and rural communities. Recognising the critical need for support, Zoetis has partnered with Beyond Blue to once again champion mental health initiat
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Those four short words will never leave my memory, for as long as I live. Those lonely words came from the mouth of my 83-year-old Dad in Sydney last week as I held his hand. I thought it would be the last time I saw him with my own eyes. He was exhausted and had lost the will to live. Three weeks ago, my Dad was playing bowls on a Wednesday, as he normally does in Windsor, Sydney with his mates. He didn’t feel the best, so he went home and rested. The next day he didn’t feel so well, so he s
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Two not-for-profit community housing organisations have joined forces to fast-track fulfilling the need for housing stock in the Mackay region. Mackay-based Connect Housing Group, established in 2009, has integrated with national company BlueCHP to strengthen the region’s position in advocating and actioning an increased supply of affordable and social housing. Connect Housing Group Board Chair Karen May said the joint effort had “expanded our position and access to opportunities,” including a
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