Simon HoodWilmar Manager Grower MarketingWilmar Grower Marketing’s annual Global Traders Roadshow has wrapped up for another year after a busy week of presentations, starting in Ingham and finishing in Sarina. The events brought together growers from across our milling regions to hear first-hand insights into the forces shaping the sugar market.Guest speaker Peter Bingham, Wilmar’s London-based Senior Sugar Trader, provided an in-depth look at the global market, with particular focus on the la
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CANEGROWERS Mackay Chairman Joseph Borg said it is pleasing news that the halfway mark for the 2025 crush has now been crossed in both Mackay and Plane Creek Milling areas. “We have crossed the 50 per cent mark and moving towards 60%. We are not where we would like to be, but we are certainly in a better place than this time last year, and that’s a positive,” Mr Borg said. “Factory performance has improved on last year, but logistical issues including transport and communications have ca
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Mackay Rural Production Society Incorporated (MRPS) held its Annual General Meeting on 20 September at City Bowls Club, Shakespeare Street, where volunteers served a hearty roast meal followed by dessert. Formed in 1982 as an offshoot of the former Tropical Grassland Society, MRPS brings together like-minded people — not only from farming backgrounds — who enjoy exploring agricultural and rural enterprises. Over the years, members have travelled widely, from the Ord River in WA and the NT
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Horseshoe Bay Resort And The Café In Bowen As spring warms into summer, Bowen comes alive with crystal clear waters, golden beaches and a laid back tropical vibe that makes it one of North Queensland’s most treasured getaways. At the heart of this coastal paradise are two local gems: Horseshoe Bay Resort and The Café – together offering the perfect balance of relaxation, adventure, and flavour. Stay by the Sea at Horseshoe Bay Resort Nestled by the iconic Horseshoe Bay, this resort is a
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Australians may be spending less, but they’re hungrier than ever for new flavours, according to CupoNation’s inaugural 2025 “Forks & Searches” Food Trends Report. Drawing on more than 9,400 Google search terms and 23,706 TripAdvisor restaurant listings across six major cities, the report provides a data-driven look at how Australians are eating, discovering, and redefining food in a time of rising living costs. Despite tighter budgets, Australians are embracing dining discovery — with se
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A Proud 80-Year Story In Mackay In 1945, a young air force bomber returned from the battlefields of World War II with a vision for the future. That man was Hugh Reilly, and the business he founded in Mackay would go on to become one of the region’s longest-standing real estate agencies. With a reputation for fairness and integrity, Hugh Reilly Real Estate quickly became a trusted name in the community. In fact, when the United States forces relinquished Post Office Box One in 1945, it was hande
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“There are a lot of Asians here.” Part of the journey of life is that we go from being a young person embarrassed by what our parents do or say to being a parent who embarrasses our own children. My university-student daughter, Bianca, was in Mackay for holidays recently and I took her for lunch one day to the excellent new Japanese restaurant in Victoria St. It was the first time we had been there and soon after we sat down I made the comment about there being “a lot of Asians” in the restau
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Cr Heath Paton Our region boasts some of the greatest weather all year round and encourages us to use and enjoy the great outdoors as much as possible for a variety of pastimes. With the temperatures climbing as we're heading toward our summer months, it's a good time to remind ourselves of the potential dangers we may encounter when looking for a cool spot to take a dip. Crocodile habitat starts from Gladstone and continues through to the Torres Strait Islands and across Cape York Peninsula, w
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Friday 3rd October ** Crochet & Conversation 9am Drop in for a relaxed morning of crocheting, coffee and conversation with friendly Northern Beaches locals at the Beachfront Bar & Restaurant on Bucasia Esplanade. Everyone is welcome—whether you're a seasoned crocheter, a beginner, or just love a good chat over coffee. Bring your own tools or borrow from the communal box. It’s all about connection, creativity, and community. Beachfront Bar & Restaurant on Bucasia Esplanade Queens Park Circl
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For Mackay And District BMX
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Around 30 runners, including Mackay locals and visitors from interstate and overseas, gathered at 7am Sunday for the inaugural ACE (Australian Conveyor Engineering Fenner Dunlop) Eungella 6km and 19km Trail Run. Starting from the Eungella Chalet lawns under perfect conditions, participants enjoyed a scenic and adventurous course through Eungella National Park. Race Director Tim Magoffin set a light-hearted tone, joking about “drop bear” encounters and recommending Vegemite as protection, while
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TENNIS Day 1 Winners & Runners-Up • Open Women’s Singles – Winner: Lexi Tapp, Runner-Up: Sarah Chisholm • Division 1 Men’s Singles – Winner: Lincoln Gam Lim, Runner-Up: Chris Barbour • Open Men’s Doubles – Winners: Troy Debondi and Josh Wilson, Runners-Up: James Rogers and Barry Abbott • Open Women’s Doubles – Winners: Sarah Chisholm and Jess Brass, Runners-Up: Bree Chauntler and Ash Chauntler • Veterans Men's Doubles – Winners: Craig Bentley and Doug Boss, Runners-Up: Mike Just and Brett Walz
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SURF LIFESAVING Mackay SLSC just competed in the State Endurance Championships hosted at Alexandra Headlands SLSC on the Sunshine Coast. The team finished an impressive 8th out of 36 clubs from around Australia, out classing some of its rival super clubs like Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta and Northcliffe just to name a few. The team of 16 travelled to the Sunshine Coast as part of a NQBP sponsored Youth Development Camp hosted at Dicky Beach SLSC. Events ranged from a 2km swim, 4km beach run,
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At Mackay Contract Bridge Club Results for week ending Sunday 28 September 2025 North/South East/West 1st Janelle Conroy - Tex Sheedy 1st Helen Van Den Broek- Jan Harris 2nd David Ting - Eric Goodchild 2nd Jayne Johnstone - Joy Hold 3rd Nancy Martin - Geoff Taylor 3rd Diane Stokes - Edward Kliese Tuesday Evening 23 September 2025 – 6 Table Mitchell Green Points North/South East/West 1st Eric Goodchild - Noel Bugeia 1st Patricia Garner - Adrian Westcott 2nd Helen Van Den Broek - Tex Sheed
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Flood Mitigation Works Begin At Hamilton Plains After a lengthy wait, works have now commenced to upgrade a 1.4-kilometre section of the Proserpine-Shute Harbour Road at Hamilton Plains, following years of lobbying by local government, state and federal representatives. These works will improve flooding and drainage on the key arterial route connecting the Bruce Highway and Proserpine to Whitsunday towns including Airlie Beach, Cannonvale, Jubilee Pocket and the port of Shute Harbour. The upgr
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School holidays in Cannonvale have become a little brighter thanks to a community-minded resident who has expanded her free book-sharing initiative. Transported all the way from the Gold Coast and installed with the help of her parents, Rebecca Damsma posted on Facebook announcing the installation of another Street Library. The colourful new library, located at Whitehaven Crescent in Cannonvale offers something for readers of all ages. The shelves are thoughtfully organised, with picture book
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Hi everyone, This week, my daily commute has taken a surprising turn — and what a ride it’s been! Instead of crawling through traffic like you might on a congested motorway, inching forward in a sea of brake lights, I’ve been sailing across the Whitsunday waters on a Cruise Whitsundays ferry from Hamilton Island. It’s been an hour and a half each way — but when your journey involves ocean breezes and island views it’s hard to complain. So why the island life this week? My husband’s side of th
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The Whitsundays official National Police Remembrance Day Service was held in Bowen this year and Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP was in attendance. National Police Remembrance Day is an opportunity for family members, current Police officers, and members of the public to pay their respects to officers killed on duty. Officers whose death did not occur during service is also honoured. Andrew Willcox MP said he was proud to attend the the National Police Remembrance Day service in B
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The Whitsundays has set an all-time record of international visitor expenditure. Despite the decline in visitor numbers, international visitor expenditure climbed to a record $254 million (up 16.6%), consistent with national and state trends. International visitors stayed a total of 1.1 million nights (down 3.7%), with the average length of stay steady at 6.6 nights. Meanwhile, international travellers are spending more, with average spend per visitor rising 23.5% to $1,483 and spend per night
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The Whitsunday resident held one of the five division one winning entries nationally in Saturday Gold Lotto draw 4607, drawn Saturday 13 September 2025 and takes home a neat $2 million. His dream, is to create an emu racing track on his property because of his love for emu’s at a young age. “I could use the money to build an emu racing track on my property between Prosperine and Airlie Beach,” he joked. “I've loved emus since childhood and have always wondered if I could do such a thing. Now
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Amanda Camm MP, Member for Whitsunday, welcomed the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg, to the Whitsundays last week, to inspect the existing boat ramp at Shute Harbour, as part of the LNP Crisafulli Government’s commitment to deliver for regional Queensland. This visit marks a significant step forward in addressing long-standing safety and congestion issues at the current ramp, which has been widely criticized for its poor design. The existing boat ramp and walkway is a f
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Tourism Whitsundays have announced their 2025/2026 board of directors, with the new line-up being confirmed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last Thursday at NRMA Airlie Beach Holiday Park. Tourism Whitsundays has welcomed two new directors to its Board, with Liza Muller and Katelyn Aslett joining a team that reflects the region’s diverse tourism landscape. Meanwhile, returning directors Nathan Fleming and Phil Browne will continue their roles, ensuring consistency and providing an exp
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More than 742 people came together at the Bowen Community Carnival to celebrate Child Protection Week, transforming the day into a exciting showcase of fun, connection, and advocacy. Hosted by Bowen Community Centre and coordinated by the one and only Mrs Xena Yasso of Cooinda Family Centre, the event highlighted the power of community spirit. Children were treated to an incredible lineup of free activities, including two petting zoos, jumping castles, train rides, merry-go-rounds, a rock clim
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The Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre is set to bring back a tradition that has been missed by film fans in the community for a number of years. The Whitsunday Film Society originally began in 2018 however it was forced to close in 2023 after declining membership made it financially unsustainable. Thankfully, this is all about to change - on October 14 at 1pm the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre again will host a sign on, inviting everyone in the community over the age of 18 to join the society f
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Elizabeth Hackett, owner and operator of Magnums Unique Accommodation This month, we highlight long-time Chamber member Elizabeth Hackett, Executive Chair of Australian Adventure Tourism Group (AATG) and Operations Manager of Magnums Unique Accommodation, a well-known Airlie Beach property that has evolved with the region’s tourism landscape for over 30 years. Originally developed as a honeymooners’ village, Magnums transformed into a backpacker resort during the pilot strike era, and now stand
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