The festive season has officially arrived at News Whitsunday, where owner Rich Bates and his team have once again transformed the store into a Christmas wonderland. Now in their fourth year of returning Christmas memorabilia Rich said excitement continues to build as locals return each season to see what new decorations are on offer. "We get a lot of custom made stuff for us, and we try and get different ones every year, just so the locals can get different ones," he said. “This year we’ve go
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The Ultimate Music Holiday Is Here! The countdown is officially over the Airlie Beach Festival of Music is set to transform Airlie Beach into Australia’s most spectacular music playground. With venues across town polishing their stages and the Main Tent standing proudly against the Coral Sea, anticipation for the four-day music extravaganza is reaching fever pitch. This year’s lineup features a phenomenal mix of Australian legends, powerhouse performers, and exciting new talent, all set agains
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After several months performing across Europe, Melbourne singer-songwriter Tanya George is heading home to play at this year’s Airlie Beach Festival of Music. Tanya said the past few months have been a dream come true after being flown to Italy in July to perform at the Roma Busking Festival. Since then, Tanya said she has been touring Europe, with large crowds welcoming her and making her feel immensely proud of how far her music can reach. Tanya George was a finalist on The Voice and has wo
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Tucked inside the Whitsunday Shopping Centre, Tranquil Breeze Massage has been helping locals and visitors unwind since new owners Angela and Grant opened their doors on September 17. Angela says the business has quickly developed a roster of loyal customers, thanks to its convenient location and calming atmosphere. “There’s lots of foot traffic going past, and it’s great to see people stop in to relax,” she said. Originally from Taiwan, Angela and her family moved to Australia in 2019, drawn
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By Sharon Ashman ADHD can bring unique strengths to relationships such as creativity, energy, and spontaneity but it can also create challenges. Forgetfulness, distractibility, or impulsivity may sometimes cause tension with partners, friends, or family. The good news is that with awareness and strategies, relationships can thrive. Open communication is key. Letting loved ones know how ADHD affects you builds understanding. Equally important is listening to their experiences, so everyone feels
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Now in its 21st year, one of the Whitsundays’ most beloved charitable events, Camp and sCare, once again brought families together for a frightfully fun weekend — all in support of a vital local cause. Held at BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, the sell-out event raised an impressive $14,036.69 for Whitsunday Suicide Prevention, with 100% of proceeds from Friday night campsite bookings and activity donations going directly toward local mental health awareness and support initiatives. Guests emb
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Friday 7 November Airlie Beach Hotel: INXS Tribute (from 2pm - 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Soul Chisel (7pm - 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Three's a Crowd (from 8pm) Horseshoe Bay Cafe: Sam Bannick (5.30pm - 8.30pm) Sorrento: Airlie Beach Festival of Music Events Club Whitsunday: Airlie Beach Festival of Music Events Colonial Palms Motor Inn: Airlie Beach Festival of Music Events Elementa: Airlie Beach Festival of Music Events KC's: Airlie Beach Festival of Music Events Saturday 8 November Airlie Be
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November 7 Airlie Beach Festival of Music (day one), Whitsunday Sailing Club, 3pm 7 Rango followed by Drop Dead Fred, The Movie Screen at Airlie Beach Foreshore in Coconut Grove, 6:00pm 8 Airlie Beach Festival of Music (day two), Whitsunday Sailing Club, 4pm 9 Bowen Community Markets, Hansen Park, from 8:00am 9 Airlie Beach Festival of Music (day three), Whitsunday Sailing Club, 1pm 10 Airlie Beach Festival of Music After Party, Northerlies Beach Bar & Grill, 1pm **11 Remembrance Day **
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Meet Max, a big, beautiful boy with a gentle heart who’s waiting for a second chance at happiness. This large mixed-breed dog is currently in the care of Bowen & Collinsville Pet Rescue Inc. (BCPRI) and is searching for a dedicated foster carer to help him rebuild trust and find his forever home. Despite his impressive size, Max is known for his soft, loving nature. He’s well-behaved, good around other dogs, and eager to please — especially when treats are involved! Max thrives on companionship
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U11 Boys – Written by Luke Valmadre The Pitbulls hosted Magpies Black on Saturday. Captain Logan won the toss and batted first, with N. Garroway smashing a rapid 21 to help post 66. Despite tight bowling from J. Gibbs, J. Smith, and strong fielding including four runouts, the Magpies chased down the total with 118. Player of the Match went to Nick Garroway for his batting and bowling. U11 Girls – Written by Danni Green The Pitties in Pink faced the Sarina Spartans. Batting first, M. Neal and G.
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Australian music legend Andrew De Silva is bringing two powerhouse tribute shows to Airlie Beach this weekend, celebrating the music of Prince and George Michael with all the style, soul, and groove of the originals. Dedication to Prince has been one of Andrew’s signature performances since 2016, coincidentally debuting just three weeks before the music icon’s passing. For Andrew, Prince’s influence runs deep. “Prince has always been in my DNA when it comes to music,” he said. “The way he mix
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Hi everyone, I hope you’re all enjoying our new Great Barrier Reef–inspired rebrand, which so many of our team helped bring to life! I don’t know about you, but this heat has me wanting to stay indoors. While we’re keeping cool, things are heating up underwater as coral spawning season begins. Enjoy reading about the wonders of coral in this edition. We’ve also included a great octopus story from the fantastic Whitsunday Conservation Council. Happy reading, Ruth
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A few nights after the full moon, something begins to spawn...and no, we don’t mean werewolves! It’s coral spawning season. This weekend, corals across the Great Barrier Reef will release their reproductive bundles into the water column in a spectacular, synchronised event. For the Reef Catchments team, it’s one of the busiest and most exciting times of the year. As a partner in the Boats4Corals project, Reef Catchments works alongside the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), local to
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What has three hearts, a big brain, and blue blood? The octopus, of course! These bizarre yet brilliant creatures have been around for hundreds of millions of years. For humans, they’ve inspired emotions ranging from curiosity to admiration — and even fear, thanks to their starring roles in Hollywood monster flicks. Belonging to the class Cephalopoda, octopuses are easily recognised by their soft, flexible bodies, large heads, and eight long tentacles lined with powerful suckers. They are com
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A brief shower early in the morning had players wondering whether the 4BBB Team of Two event would go ahead, but common sense prevailed and all sixteen teams took to the course. Conditions soon cleared, and the competition produced excellent scoring, with just ten points separating first and last place. Leading the way were Tessa Aitken and Mark Richards, who claimed victory with a superb 47 points. Runners-up were Jim Sherrington and Vic Feldman on 45 points, edging out Gary and Elspeth Scotf
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It’s been a week of sizzling golf at Proserpine Golf Club, with hot temperatures and plenty of run on the fairways helping players post some impressive scores. The dry conditions were welcomed by many, though golfers know it won’t last long before the next round of rain slows things down again. Tuesday, October 28 – Single Stableford & Vets 4BBB Gary Scotford dominated Tuesday’s Single Stableford with 45 points, ahead of Tommy Gallagher on 41. Elspeth Scotford led the ladies with 38 on countbac
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How hot has it been here in paradise! Thankfully, our wonderful cover has made things much cooler for all the bowlers — though the bowling itself has been sizzling hot. Tuesday afternoon social bowls saw 14 bowlers vying for the prize. They should have realised that Tony “Take the Money” Whitehorn was playing, and teamed with Dawn Dowell, the pair won convincingly with 21 points. On Wednesday afternoon, social bowls produced another brilliant performance, with skipper Arthur McManus and Alan P
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It’s been another exciting week for the Cannonvale Cannons, with our swimmers making waves both locally and on the national stage. First up, a huge congratulations to Eloise Chegwidden, who proudly represented Queensland at the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships in Ballarat, Victoria. Despite the freezing temperatures, hail, and storms, Eloise powered through with incredible focus and determination. On Day One, she placed tenth in the country in the 100m Breaststroke and helped her
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Olympic Legend Cathy Freeman Returns Home! By Hannah McNamara Olympic legend Cathy Freeman OAM returned to Mackay last week to announce a state-of-the-art sporting facility named in her honour. “It is quite surreal,” Freeman said, celebrating the milestone as the region prepares to nurture the next generation of champions. The Cathy Freeman Sports Performance Centre, part of the Great Barrier Reef Arena’s Stage Two expansion, promises to give young athletes from Central and North Queensland a
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Hi lovely readers, What an amazing week it’s been! As you may have seen on the front cover, the legendary Cathy Freeman was in town, and I had the honour of meeting her last Thursday as she announced stage 2 of the Cathy Freeman Sports Performance Centre right here in Mackay. You can read all about it on the next page, and don’t forget to check out the pictures from the ‘Run With Cathy Freeman’ event on page 16. Last Friday, it was inspiring to see so many students from across our regio
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At The Whitsunday Wealth Enchanted Garden, Hosted By Life Publishing Group It was glitz, glam, and pure enchantment last Saturday as guests stepped into The Whitsunday Wealth Enchanted Garden, hosted by Life Publishing Group and Core Life Magazine – an evening brimming with sparkle, soul, and sophistication. Held at the breathtaking Elementa, perched high above the Whitsundays, the event lived up to its promise as “a night like no other.” Beneath a canopy of fairy lights and lanterns,
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A revolutionary blood test developed by a Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) gastroenterologist is poised to transform coeliac disease, offering patients a less invasive path to diagnosis. Mackay HHS gastroenterologist and biotech co-founder and director Dr Robert Anderson said the antigen-specific T-cell blood test eliminates the need for patients to undergo a gastrointestinal endoscopy. “Potentially, you no longer have to do that,” Dr Anderson said. “You can just draw blood
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OPINION PIECE Next Tuesday, being the first Tuesday in November, the race that stops the nation will be beamed into homes and workspaces across Australia. But many won’t just be watching the horses. Mortgage holders will be eyeing the Reserve Bank’s Cup Day decision and praying for relief in the form of a rate cut. In recent months, economists have poured cold water on the chances of any more rate cuts this year, pointing to a return to higher inflation and the Labor government’s failure
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Mackay has received a major boost in youth support and community safety initiatives, with two local organisations sharing in $300,000 of funding as part of the Crisafulli Government’s Gold Standard Early Intervention program. The investment is part of a $115 million statewide initiative designed to help make Queensland safer by tackling the causes of youth crime early and supporting at-risk young people before they become entrenched in offending. Two new early intervention programs will
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Catholic Education – Diocese of Rockhampton has worked closely with the Daniel Morcombe Foundation (DMF) for approximately 20 years. From the commencement of the 2015 school year, the teaching of a Child Safety Curriculum in all Catholic kindergartens, prep, primary schools and colleges in the Diocese of Rockhampton has been mandatory. This safety curriculum is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education and consists of classroom lessons across 3 phases of learni
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