Brought to life by the likes of Harley Mann, a Wakka Wakka man of Queensland, THE WET speaks to traditional North Queensland, of connection, and of being one small cog in a much bigger wheel of life. Produced and performed by Circa Cairns, THE WET is led by First Nations People, and is made of an ensemble showcasing the heart and soul of Cairns, speaking to the country of Far North Queensland, of the tales of the landscape and the legacy of yarns with community and country. Telling of ancient
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Elise Hodgson won Tuesday's stableford with 39 points, with Lyn Muller the second lady on 33 points. Scott Mason had 35 points to edge out Phil Luckett in the men's field. Pins went to Tiina Randmae, Larry Muller, Gerard Lovell, and Craig McLean. Joshua Norris edged out Tom O'Brien on 38 points to win Thursday's competition. John Roser and Brad Fleet had 37 points to lead the A division. Pins went to Aaron Prosser and Joshua Norris. Brendan Spann won Friday's Met run with 21 points, with Lar
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Airlie Beach local Dennis Winstanley has shown the high calibre of NQ sailing talent in the Windsurfer World Championships held over the New Year at the South of Perth Yacht Club in Western Australia, winning gold in the heavy weight Course Racing and silver in the Marathon. The 2023 Worlds were held in Australia, following the successful reboot of Windsurfer World Competitions in Italy in 2022. Taking the opportunity to attend a rare ‘home’ Worlds, Dennis, former 2001 World Champion and multi
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23 Cannonvale Cannons travelled to Townsville to compete at the Townsville Tourists LC Meet. The Cannons had an excellent weekend with swimmers achieving State and National qualifying times, accumulating 70 PBs, earning A Grade times, ribbons, medals, and the Skins. Jy Parkinson qualified for the Australian Age Championships for his 100m Backstroke and won all his events. Jacob Bell won the Medley Skins event and was thrilled with the prize money. Addie Sanders, Andie Reynolds, and Indi Smith
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Mackay Regional Council faced a tough call last week as they made the difficult decision to cancel this year's Australia Day Awards Gala, originally set for Thursday, January 25. The cancellation came as a precautionary step, considering the unpredictable weather conditions tied to TC Kirrily. Mayor Greg Williamson acknowledged the heaviness of the situation, stressing the council's commitment to community safety. He said the fact that we had a cyclone forecast to cross the coast late at night
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In a startling act of destruction, a man has been caught on CCTV engaging in what appears to be an intentional arson attack on a mobile camera trailer in Mount Pleasant. Police have released CCTV footage of a man they want to speak to in relation to an arson investigation of a mobile camera trailer in Mount Pleasant on January 20. In a statement shared by police, initial investigations indicate a man approached the trailer on Malcomson Street around 10.30pm and set the trailer alight. "Emerge
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As we embark on the journey that is 2024, there's no denying that the financial rollercoaster is taking us for a spin we didn't sign up for. The economic ups and downs are leaving many of us feeling a bit queasy, especially when it comes to the ever-rising cost of living. But fear not, because we're all navigating this terrain together. Let's dive into those proposed tax cuts. The powers that be in Canberra have put forth some potential changes to income tax rates and thresholds, slated to take
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Five children under the age of thirteen are being relocated to a local Mackay home after it was alleged that they weren’t being taken care of properly. In a heartfelt attempt to give the children a better life and a fresh start, a compassionate Mackay local has taken the children into care despite not having extra beds or necessities for school supplies to cater for the five young children. This act of kindness shortly reaped a multitude of generosity after the caretaker made a post on a local
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Mr Colin Meng OAM, an esteemed former businessman and former Mayor of Mackay, has been honoured with Australia's highest distinction, the Medal of the Order in the General Division (OAM), in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the community through various organisations. Prior to assuming the role of Mackay's Mayor in 2008, Meng forged a successful career in the automotive sales industry, establishing Meng Tyres and Mechanical in 1982. After nearly three decades in business, he trans
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One of council’s signature projects, the Northern Beaches Community Hub, will begin taking shape onsite. Council has awarded a $10.2 million tender to Fergus Builders for stage 1A and associated works of the key piece of infrastructure to service the rapidly growing Northern Beaches. It includes an undercover multi-purpose court, adjoining kitchen and store, nature play and picnic spaces, as well as landscaping, pedestrian links, and a parking area. Mayor Greg Williamson said construction was ex
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The final piece of the new Pioneer River floating pontoon – a 40 metre gangway – will be lifted into place next week. The new pontoon, at the end of Brisbane Street near the Bluewater Quay, is part of the Mackay Waterfront Priority Development Area’s (PDA) Riverside Revitalisation project. Contractor SMC Marine has already installed the piers and pontoon and the gangway will be delivered to site and assembled on Monday and Tuesday (February 5 and 6) before being installed on Thursday (February 8
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CAN YOU HELP POLICE IDENTIFY THIS PERSON? Mackay Detectives are investigating a theft that allegedly occurred at about 1.35pm on January 26 at a business on Victoria Street in Mackay City. Police allege that a man entered the business at that time and stole alcohol. Senior Sergeant Steve Smith said, “as he was leaving the business, the man allegedly said he was in possession of a gun. “The man allegedly left in a dark blue hatchback.” Police believe the pictured person may be able
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The 2024 local government elections are officially underway, following the publishing of the Notice of Election last week. Around 3.7 million Queenslanders will head to the polls on 16 March to have their say about the mayors and councillors they want to represent them in their local community for the next four years. Residents in the State electorate of Inala will also vote for a new Member of Parliament during the poll, following the resignation of former Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Elec
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Councillor Laurence Bonaventura, who recently declared his candidacy for mayor, faced a pivotal moment in his political journey as the Mackay Regional Council were required to deliberate on the findings of a conduct breach investigation conducted by the Office of the Independent Assessor (OIA). The untimely occurrence of this vote emerged within 24 hours of Bonaventura's mayoral campaign launch, where he declared he would be running for Mayor as a self-funded independent, promising to deliver br
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2024 ISAAC REGION CITIZEN OF THE YEAR Amanda Raymond This award recognises outstanding members of the community for their personal endeavours, achievements and community input. The 2024 winner, Amanda Raymond, is an absolute community superstar – local nurse and volunteer extraordinaire on the local and regional arts and culture scene. She’s a major supporter of many events around the region through her ties with Moranbah Arts and works in collaboration with Dysart Arts Inc and Clermont Art
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By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay Once again, Mackay has dodged the cyclone bullet, experiencing only the edge effects of the Category 2 Cyclone Kirrily last week. Rainfalls to 90mm in some parts of the Mackay region and gusty wind conditions that did not reach the expected gusts of up to 120km meant that the district dodged the bullet once again. Our thoughts are with growers in the cane areas across the Burdekin and Herbert and further north, who were more impacted by the system, alt
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The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) has opened consultation on the operation of the Dairy Industry Code. The Dairy Industry Code provides a fairer process for negotiating contractual arrangements between dairy farmers and dairy processors. The consultation process follows DAFF’s review of the Dairy Industry Code in 2021 with the support of the Dairy Industry Code Review Reference Group. Acting Deputy Secretary of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy Group Dr Ja
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A national commitment to eradicate one of the world’s worst invasive species, the red imported fire ant (RIFA), has been reinforced with further confirmation of funding to the National Fire Ant Eradication Program. The Australian, Queensland, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory and Victoria governments have now all locked in funding to deliver the four-year response plan, with Western Australia confirming funding for two years. These commitments maintain importa
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Mackay Regional Council has taken a proactive step towards securing the future development of the region by recently welcoming five graduates into its workforce through the Graduate Program. With a strategic focus on addressing skills shortages in crucial areas like urban planning, process engineering, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering, the council aims to lay a robust foundation for the region's growth. Mayor Greg Williamson said council was excited to welcome the new employees in
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Five major Queensland coal producing regions will share in $118.2 million for community projects from the latest round of the Resources Community Infrastructure Fund. The $118.2 million from the RCIF’s third round builds on $55 million from Round 2 and $47 million from the fund’s first round in 2021. The fund’s biggest project will be an up to $40 million investment for the Isaac Resources Excellence Precinct at Moranbah that will focus on innovation. New housing will also be built for worker
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Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) has developed a new training course that aims to share the lessons from historic disasters, to improve safety and health outcomes in mines and quarries. Learning from Disasters has been created by Simtars, the testing, training and research division of RSHQ, and focuses on failure patterns and trends in disaster scenarios. The course is a mandatory requirement under the Board of Examiners* for statutory ticket holders at Queensland mines and quarri
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In today's dynamic workplace, women are breaking barriers and achieving remarkable feats, yet the gender gap persists, particularly in areas like salary negotiations. It's time for women to embrace assertiveness, shatter the glass ceiling, and speak up for the remuneration they truly deserve. Assertiveness is not about being aggressive; it's about confidently expressing thoughts, needs, and desires while respecting others. In the professional realm, women often face challenges in advocating for
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Yoga, with its ancient roots tracing back thousands of years to India, has always been a practice embraced by both men and women. However, convincing men to delve into the world of yoga has historically posed a challenge in Australia. The misconception that yoga is primarily for women is gradually fading, thanks to initiatives like the monthly Men's Yoga Class starting this February at Tranquil Yoga in Mackay. Yoga Benefits Tailored For Men: 1. Stress Relief: Yoga is renowned for its unparallel
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Navigating the landscape of parenthood in Mackay, mothers find themselves grappling with the dual challenge of limited daycare availability and the rising cost of living. As demand for childcare spots increases, mothers are exploring inventive ways to contribute to household finances while maintaining their active roles in their children's lives. Enter the world of side hustles, a flexible and home-based solution that empowers mums in Mackay to strike a harmonious balance between family life and
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