There are compliments and there are compliments. When the compliment comes from your mum, it’s nice but … well you know, it’s from your mum. Like the time I brought home a useless wooden box that I had “crafted” in a manual arts class at school. It was an ugly insult to the woodwork industry and had a stupid lid that wouldn’t close because the sides were uneven. “Oh, darling that’s fantastic,” my mother said. Thanks mum. The best, most credible compliments come from people who work and succeed i
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In the quintessential Aussie country town of Appleton, change happens slowly if at all. Agricultural Show Society President ‘Bev Armstrong’ (Jeany Elliot), and Secretary ‘Barb Ling’ (Katrina Hansen) are planning the highlight of the year, The Annual Potato Race. Bringing in the requisite shandy is Bev’s daughter-in-law: overworked barmaid, hairdresser, kids footy coach, mother of four boys and reigning champion of the women’s race ‘Nikki Armstrong’. At Nikki’s salon, her prodigal sister, ‘Dr Pe
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Around 3,000 people had an absolutely crab-ulous foodie, culture, art and nature adventure at the award-winning three-day 2024 St Lawrence Wetlands Weekend earlier this month. Popular television personality Costa Georgiadis, Queensland’s food ambassador and professional chef Matt Golinski, Australia’s most loved First Nations dancer Patrick Thaiday, chart-topper Jeremy Marou from Busby Marou, Golden Guitar winner Brad Butcher and rising country star Loren Ryan were among some of the biggest dra
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For me, school holidays looked a little different this time with my mum travelling over from Perth to visit, which was amazing. We had a beautiful time visiting Bowen and just spending time together. She soaked up so many cuddles with the kids, and we created some great memories. I'm extremely grateful that she is able to travel from Perth to Mackay a couple of times a year. Yet, every time she goes, I feel like a little kid who gets upset and misses her mum. I've always been terrible at goodb
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Dive into the next film night…tonight! Featuring: ‘The Teachers' Lounge,’ a 2023 German drama by Ilker Çatak. This film will broadcast from 7.30pm, this Friday July 12, at CQU Conservatorium of Music Theatre so book your tickets now! About the film: Commencing her first job at a high school, Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and maths teacher, stands out among the new staff because of her idealism. When a series of thefts occur at the school and one of her students is suspected, Carla decides to
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One year on from the devastating news of the passing of musical icon Tina Turner, world-renowned tribute producers Showtime Australia are bringing their international concert production TINA The Ultimate Tribute to The Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll to Mackay on 4 August 2024. “Tina Turner is universally loved – everyone young and old knows her music and there’s so many really energetic, upbeat rock and soul tracks that are the epitome of a good time, so we wanted to make the effort and give as many pe
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The much anticipated and loved Whitsunday Voices Youth Literature Festival has returned for its 20th year this weekend, with the Mackay region once again hosting some of Australia’s best literary talent. Whitsunday Voices is the largest youth literature festival in regional Queensland, with over 17,000 seats booked for school students from as far as Townsville to Rockhampton. Renowned for its quality fun-based learning and cultural experiences, over 87 schools will enjoy this year's lineup wit
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The Mackay Cutters secured an impressive 20-14 victory over the Tweed Seagulls in the QRL Hostplus Cup, with crucial tries from Jaxon Purdue, Josh Smith, and Riley Dean. Playing a pivotal role in the number six jumper, Purdue, fresh from his successful NRL stint with the North Queensland Cowboys, combined seamlessly with halfback Riley Dean. This dynamic duo was instrumental in helping the Cutters notch their sixth win of the season, keeping their finals hopes alive. Purdue, a standout Queenslan
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There are two exciting events in the Mackay Festival of Arts where you can sing and dance like no one is watching. Massaoke OZ is a mind-blowing, high-energy live music experience that will have you singing your heart out to the biggest hits of the 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond. Acting Executive Manager MECC and Events Jemma Carey said Massaoke was karaoke on a massive scale and the atmosphere that built at the shows was electrifying. “Massaoke started life in a London pub basement as a live band sin
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Calling all high school students! Get ready to put your journalistic skills to the test. As part of the Mackay Careers Expo, Mackay Regional Council will be holding a competition for students to interview the Mayor and CEO and receive a $100 gift card to celebrate! Mayor Greg Williamson said council was excited to launch this competition to encourage the future leaders of our community to start getting involved in local government. “The competition is open to all students in years 10 to 12 and
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Mackay’s very own Paris Santacaterina, has carved out an impressive legacy at Dodge City Community College (DCCC), leaving a memorable mark on the basketball courts over the past two seasons. Her journey from Australia to the heartland of America has been defined by extraordinary achievements both on and off the court. Paris achieved a milestone that hadn't been accomplished at DCCC since 1987, earning NJCAA All-American honours. This recognition played a pivotal role in the Conquistadors' su
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By Hannah McNamara Two local boys, Sangwani Chinula and Lucas Haack from Mackay have captured the hearts of their community with their exceptional achievements in rugby league, earning esteemed positions in Queensland representative teams and showcasing their talent on a broader field. Sangwani (also known as Sasa) was born in New Zealand, however, moved to Mackay at the age of two, embracing the region as his home while honing in on his rugby league dream. His hard work recently paid off whe
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The pedals are turning for a special event commemorating the farewell of the Walkerston BMX Track on Sunday, July 14th at 2pm. Situated at McLennan Park in Walkerston, this track has been fundamental to the Mackay BMX community since its inception in 1981 and was the first BMX Club to exist in the Mackay region. The track was founded by Fred Vella, Jamie Stuart, Joe and Ruth Gaviglio, Doug and Loraine Johnstone and Phil and Carmel Kirwan. All past and present members, life members, and the
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Calling all girls aged 14-17! Unleash your potential and join the thrilling world of Australian Football with AFL Mackay's Youth Girl Competition! Build confidence, develop your skills, and grow as a player while staying active and enjoying a fun and exciting way to stay fit. Connect with girls who share your passion for the game. To register your expression of interest, scan the QR code to fill out the registration form, and get ready to play and have fun! Don't miss out on this incredible
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The last two weeks have seen some travel for the Sinkers as they headed both north and south for various events. Brisbane Southside long course meet - This was a well-attended event that drew 184 competitors representing 31 clubs (28 from Queensland, one from NSW, one from Tasmania and one from New Zealand). The program for the meet was split so that the shorter and longer events were spread throughout the day and masters’ swimmers could target their swims according to their personal preferences
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Twenty-four Mackay players attended the Bowen congress on the weekend, with Mackay scooping the pool with winners in sections A, C and D. The A section was won by Terry Sheedy and Noel Bugeia, who led the competition all weekend. Second in the A section were Diane and Max Holewa, with Frances and Alan Brown in third place. Sandy Patterson and Geoff Cowan won Section C, with Susan Ross and Laura Howland coming in first in Section D, along with Joy Block and Lynne O’Neil second and Vicki Howard an
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By Chris Karas St Patrick’s College Mackay is celebrating a historic Confraternity Shield Girls Rugby League championship. In one of their proudest achievements, the famous sporting nursery has toppled The Cathedral College Rockhampton to bring home the school’s first-ever girl's title. Played as a curtain-raiser to the women's State Of Origin decider at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium, the St Patrick’s whiz kids edged out their Rockhampton rivals 8-4 to snap a 21-year drought.
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Australia’s newest and largest racing yacht, as well as the smallest and oldest, have entered the 2024 GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race. The GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race begins to intensify with the official entry of Wild Thing 100 – one that is said to be the newest 100-foot super maxi to be launched in the past decade. Grant Wharington, winner of the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart bought the boat previously known as Beau Geste with co-owner Adrian Seiffert, renaming the Botin 80 design
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A new initiative to streamline the tourism experience and provide unparalleled customer service to all Whitsunday visitors has been launched by a forward-thinking local marketing agency 8 Seconds, in collaboration with Tourism Whitsundays. The project is the brainchild of Tolita Dukes, Director of 8 Seconds, who was inspired to give local industry the tools to provide exemplary customer service by helping operators deliver best practice and sharpen their people skills. Read more on page 4. Cr
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Unexpected acceleration while performing a U-turn on a steep incline was cited as one of the contributing factors that could have caused the golf buggy accident that resulted in the death of newly wed Marina Hanna on Hamilton Island two years ago. Ms Hanna’s husband of 10 days, Robbie Awad was at the wheel on that fateful day in June 2022 and was subsequently charged with driving without due care and attention causing death, pleading not guilty to the charge. He did, however, plead guilty to f
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Hi Everyone, Back to school this week and many parents (and grandparents) may be feeling relieved to have the routine returned – I know I am! Although I love the holidays, I think children get so much from school these days, not only connection with friends but also mental stimulation that both challenge and invigorate them. My son, however, certainly didn’t realise this new routine was a welcome addition when he woke up on Monday morning. In fact, he promptly informed me that he hated school,
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This week’s Good Deed goes to Whitsunday Coast Airport (WRC) which has just announced news that it has broken the 500,000 annual passenger barrier for the first time in its 73-year history. A gateway to the region, Whitsunday Coast Airport plays a vital role in bringing tourists to town and it has adapted to significant increase in traffic over the past three years, recording 280,000 guests in 2021 and jumping to a whopping 507,000 this year. Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins said b
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A beautiful array of colours, flags, banners and decorations lined the streets of Bowen on Monday the 8th of July for the annual NAIDOC Week Flag Raising and March. The event launches a week full of festivities, highlighting the communities' inclusive spirit and celebrating the invaluable contributions of the Indigenous members of the community. Girudala, a community control society, that is celebrating its 50th year, this year, organised and hosted the event with CEO Associate Professor Carmen
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As of Monday this week transport around the Whitsundays just got a whole lot easier with the introduction of ride-sharing app, Uber, which now has 50 vehicles operating in the area. While transport users are undoubtedly excited by Uber’s arrival, which is set to provide both cheaper rates and better availability, there are concerns about how Uber will impact the livelihood of existing taxi operators. Local taxi driver Matt Raymant, however, said that Uber will definitely help ease the load dur
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Welcome to the latest Whitsundays Chamber of Commerce and Industry article showcasing our diverse business community. Dr Faye McPherson graduated in 1991 and took sole ownership of Proserpine Vet Surgery in 2010 after partnering with Dr William Bowman. The Surgery serves the community by providing the high standard pet and animal care. “It’s a very rewarding and fulfilling business that is never dull. There are continuing developments in medications, treatments, ever increasing restriction
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