The region is bustling with activity ahead of the upcoming Great Barrier Reef Festival which is due to take place from 1-4 August. Many people within the community are enjoying last minute preparations, putting the finishing touches on their immersive art pieces, lanterns and recyclable rafts and perfecting their wearable art costumes. Athletes are gearing up for the Magic Mile, car-lovers revving their engines. In town, shops are starting to deck themselves out in festive decorations in anticip
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Nicky Bomba and Bustamento are returning to the Airlie Beach Hotel next Saturday for an ultimate island inspired party. Lead singer-songwriter Nicky Bomba, described the band as “classic early mento and calypso music, which was the forerunner to all Ska and reggae” “It's very danceable, tropical vibes with lots of sunshine and joy.” The band has been going for nearly 20 years, and was formed after seeing a classic mentos show in Germany: “We thought, ‘we could do this’, because it was kind of a
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For decades Medical Doctors in Bowen have delivered babies, cared for children and adults, managed or referred urgent or troubling situations, and ensured the health, dignity, welfare and peace of mind to the townspeople. To express heartfelt appreciation for the local doctors the ‘Thanks Doc’ event will showcase and praise the local doctors. The whole community is invited down to the Larrikin Hotel for a fun evening which includes canapés, beverages and live music. Tickets are $30. What: T
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Stage show adaption of the much loved and award-winning picture book ‘The Gruffalo’ is returning to Australia. Showing at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre (PEC) this is a show not to miss out on. Filled with songs, laughs and fun this is a show for children 3 and upwards. Join Mouse as she sets off on an adventure through the deep dark woods. On her journey, Mouse encounters hungry woodland animals; a cunning Fox, an eccentric Owl and a party mad Snake. To escape these hungry foes, Mouse
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Coinciding with the Great Barrier Reef Festival, Rough As Guts (RAG) 45th reunion is taking place at the Airlie Beach Hotel next Friday. Celebrating their 45th reunion anniversary, RAG celebrates people that lived in Airlie Beach in the 70’s and 80’s. In 2019, the reunion saw over 50 people attend coming from all over Australia, and this year they expect similar numbers. Rough as Guts President Ashley Kennedy said “The fact that we can still pull together people that lived in Airlie Beach in
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The long-awaited blockbuster ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ is now showing at Bowen Summergarden Cinema. Known for his crude humour and hilarious loudmouth Deadpool teams up with the serious Wolverine, played by Australian actor Hugh Jackman. In this third instalment in the Deadpool franchise, Deadpool and a recovering Wolverine must team up together to defeat a common enemy. Deadpool’s unseriousness and witty jokes has fans of the superhero genre excited to see the duo’s chemistry on the big scree
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Airlie Beach offered perfect conditions for AFL last weekend as the Sea Eagles hosted the Mackay City Hawks and Sarina, resulting in an exciting day of football. Senior Men’s Team: The Sea Eagles Senior Men secured their first home win of the season, defeating the Mackay City Hawks 78–33. The match was closely contested in the first half, but a strong second half from the Sea Eagles saw them pull away and overrun the Hawks. Senior Women’s Team: The Sea Eagles Senior Women faced a bigger and stro
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Whitsunday Running Club member Liv Compton broke her own record from last year by 7 mins to win the North Queensland Championships Marathon ahead of Natalie Goodwin (Biggera Waters) and Cailin Atcheson (Hamilton Island) in a time of 3 hours 15 minutes and 34 seconds! The men’s marathon was won by Daryl Harding of Chinchilla who powered ahead of Mick Vivian (Mackay) and Whitsunday Running Club’s Bowen representative Kyle Fleer in a time of 2 hours 55 minutes and 45 seconds. Local rivals Billy G
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The Learn to Sail program at the Whitsunday Sailing Club offers an exceptional opportunity for both adults and children to discover the joys of sailing amidst the stunning Whitsundays. Course run throughout the year, held on 8 consecutive Sundays and cater to all skill levels, from complete beginners to those looking to refine their techniques, this program is designed to instil confidence and a love for the sport in a supportive and friendly environment. For children, the program provides an e
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On the weekend, three Cannonvale Cannons swimmers participated in the 70th anniversary Magnetic Island to Townsville swim. They were among 150 swimmers from all over Australia who took on the challenge. Jacob Bell and Mark Erickson competed as solo swimmers in the 8km event, while Nelson Malady was part of a four-person relay team, with each member swimming 2km. Although initially worried about the wind and cold temperatures, the weather improved on the day, making the swim more pleasant than e
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The cold snap hasn't dampened the action at our club this week—it's been hot! Tuesday: Ladies B Pairs Final Tess Walker and Rhonda Lloyd faced Di Jackson and Maureen Barnard in a thrilling match, tied at 14-all after 14 ends and 18-all after 18 ends. Tess and Rhonda ultimately triumphed 25-20. We also welcomed visitors Donna Evans, Mark Penney, and Aileen Jacobs from Albury Commercial Bowls Club, along with Carol and Nev Smith from Swan Hill Racecourse Bowls Club. Skipper Mark Penney, Helen Ward
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Club Fours: • Ray, Ron, Herb, and Gus defeated Gordo, Mark, Crowy and Kev. Club Triples: • Robyn, Rosco, and Tiarna defeated Tracey, Lloyd, and Jason. • Ron, Kennedy, and Mark defeated Wendy, Rob, and Steve. Club Pairs: • Ray and Gus defeated Ron and Steve. • Ron and Steve defeated Daryl and Feley. Social Games: Sunday, 14th July: • Ron, Rosco, and Rob defeated Bruce, Dave, and Wendy. • Allen, Peter, and Gus defeated Ray, Keith, and Shane. • Peter and Gavin defea
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Despite the chilly weather, the bowls action heated up at our club this week. Wednesday Social Bowls: • Jim Bownds, Bob Preston (visitor from Camden), and Carol Smith (visitor from Swan Hill) defeated Bruce Uhe, Mary Hedgelong, and Sandy Daffara 22-15. • John Anderson, Arthur Griffith, Philip Brown, and Nev Smith (visitor from Swan Hill) triumphed over John Anderson, Pat Bownds, Barry Zillmann, and Heather Brown 26-8. Sunday Social Bowls: • Philip Brown, Bob Preston, and Sandy Daffar
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North Queensland Triumphs in Northern Women’s Challenge Congratulations to our North Queensland representatives—Penny Warren, Denise Wallace, and Robyn Stitt—who were part of the victorious team in the Northern Women’s Challenge this week. North Queensland defeated Mackay, Far North Reef, and Rainforest sides with seven match wins. Monday Self-Selected Triples In Monday's self-selected triples, Merle Elphinstone, D. Gorin, and G. Gordon triumphed over S. Symonds, R. Symonds, and J. Paynting. Run
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Tuesday's Competition: Trevor Madin emerged victorious with a 66 nett, narrowly defeating Paul Gray by one shot. Diane Chard won the ladies' division with a 68 nett, three shots ahead of Elspeth Scotford. Pins were awarded to Gary Scotford, Rees May, John Oates, and Lyn Muller. Wednesday's Ladies' 4BBB Stableford: Jenny Hounsell and Tiina Randmae triumphed with 42 points, three points ahead of Elspeth Scotford and Paula McQuat. Pin winners included Elspeth Scotford, Paula McQuat, Tiina Randmae,
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What a glorious day it was to be out on the golf course for the 2024 Closed Championship. The event saw 35 players, including two visitors: Stephen Guy from Toronto Golf Club, who played with us last week, and James House from Margaret River Golf Club—a long way from home. We hope they enjoyed their day with the Prossie Vets and look forward to seeing them again on our course. The course was a delight to play today. The fairways and greens were in excellent condition, surprising some players and
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On the chilly morning of July 21, 2024, 18 members of the Whitsunday Golf Club gathered for the Mark Nicol Memorial Trophy event, a 2-ball Ambrose competition, which was Mark Nicol’s favourite format. Despite heavy fog on the drive into Proserpine, the event kicked off under pleasant sunshine. However, a cool breeze picked up later in the morning, making the last few holes more challenging. Nonetheless, the winning scores reflected impressive play. Winners: • 1st Place: Mark McDougal and Lew
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The 2024 Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival marked a significant milestone with an impressive turnout of more than 7,000 students from the region, celebrating its 20th anniversary in grand style. The renowned festival brought together schools from across Mackay and the Whitsunday region, creating a vibrant platform for young minds to immerse themselves in the world of literature, music and creative expression.
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This week has been marked by the shocking and tragic events surrounding the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. It's a stark reminder of how life can be lost in the blink of an eye and the importance of treasuring every moment. President Trump is very fortunate to be alive, having turned his head at the precise moment needed for the bullet to only graze his ear. Tragically, a life was lost—that of a true American hero. Corey Comper
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Since 2016, Sew Create Donate Inc. in Mackay has been a dedicated group of volunteers who sew, knit and crochet handmade blankets and other essential items for those in need within the community. Their contributions have made a significant impact on the lives of individuals supported by the Neighbourhood Hub, who have expressed deep gratitude for the donations of toiletry bags and other necessities. With compassion woven into every stitch, each blanket represents countless hours of dedication
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Mackay is going LIVE for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games with a special celebration site to be activated at Bluewater Quay. The activation is part of statewide celebrations where Queenslanders will gather for special events backing our Aussie athletes and marking our own ‘8-Years-To-Go’ milestone as hosts of the 2032 Games. Olympics and Paralympics LIVE events will ignite the Olympic spirit from the Gold Coast to Cairns and west to Longreach during Paris 2024. Bluewater Quay will be
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By Hannah McNamara Meet Cheree Ridolfi, a kind-hearted Mackay local with a passion for making a difference in the fight against cancer. This August, Cheree will be hosting a #ForkCancer Longest Table event to raise funds for life-changing cancer research. By hosting this event, Cheree aims to gather friends, family and community members to a fun-filled feast, all while raising crucial funds for a tangible cause. With nearly 444 Australians receiving a cancer diagnosis each day, Cheree is d
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In 2006, a young Constable Marshall Roper was among the inaugural roster at the newly opened Mackay Northern Beaches police station. After previously serving at Mackay station, Roper dedicated the remainder of his career to the Northern Beaches and Marian police stations in the Pioneer Valley, retiring in October 2022. This week, the Mackay Northern Beaches police station proudly welcomes him back as he embarks on his "second" career as a Special Constable. With his extensive operational experie
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Opinion Piece Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox said Labor’s new mandatory emissions reporting is yet another attack on Australian farmers and will impose costly regulatory burdens. “In a cost-of-living crisis, this reckless policy making is going to see an added cost of $2.3 billion to farmers, which will ultimately increase the cost of fresh food and produce nationally, and will be passed onto consumers at the checkout,” Mr Willcox said. Under the new reporting requirements, farme
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selectability, officially opened the doors to its new Mackay Mental Health hub last Wednesday, on July 10 2024. The newly established Mental Health Hub consolidates selectability’s services from three locations across Mackay into a larger and more adaptable space on River St. Over 100 attendees, including local government representatives, service providers and community members gathered to explore what the new facility had to offer. selectability General Manager of Mackay, Sue-Ellen Weedon sa
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