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In the heart of Mackay, nestled on Level 1 of Canelands Shopping Centre, parents have discovered a haven where their little ones can play, explore, and unleash their boundless energy. Say hello to Cheeky Little Monkeys Play Centre, the ultimate destination for children under 5. This fully enclosed, safe play space has become a cherished haven for parents seeking a respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life. From as little as $6 for under-1s and $10 for 1-5-year-olds, parents can sit back a
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What do you get when you cross a hockey player, a 6-time marathon runner and a bloke who loves mowing his yard? You get me. That’s right, I do all those things and I’m here to tell you all about it. Two weeks ago, I was in Sydney doing another marathon run through the streets of Australia’s greatest city, and I am pleased to tell you that I finished and feel terrific for doing it. I’ve had plenty of people asking how it all went, times, injuries and anything else. I can say all is great and
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In a gallant gathering of bowlers from across the district, the Annual Challenge Cup, formerly known as the Past Presidents Cup, took centre stage at the North Mackay Bowls Club. Twenty-two teams converged to mark the inaugural edition of this exciting event, and the day was filled with camaraderie and fierce competition. The men's team emerged triumphant, led by the skilled hand of skipper Mick Walsh from the Mackay Club. On the ladies' front, it was Lidia McCarthy from the North Mackay Club wh
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This October will mark 15 years of the Choir of Unheard Voices, who are celebrating with a concert that is not to be missed. Margaret Ross has spent the years witnessing the power of singing, for people in our community who are dealing with mental illness and disability. In 2008, the Choir of Unheard Voices began as a way to reach into the closed spaces of the people who came to sing. They had their very first performance that year, to mark Mental Health Week. In 2009, the choir travelled to
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Created for athletes and the Mackay/Whitsunday community, Capricorn Muscle & Fitness will host a new bodybuilding competition at the MECC in October. The Mr & Ms Capricornia Bodybuilding Competition provides amateur athletes and the Mackay/Whitsunday community the chance to compete and support their favourite athletes in a local competition. The event is organised and run by the production team from Capricorn Muscle & Fitness, a brand associated with CAPSA PTY LTD. The team found that limi
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With the semi-finals of The Voice 2023 coming to a close, Moranbah’s sweetheart, the beautiful Bella Mackenzie was unfortunately eliminated from this years’ national singing competition. On Sunday night, Bella performed a unique rendition of Australian icon John Farnham’s ‘Two Strong Hearts’. She dedicated her performance to her late grandfather, ‘Feno’. On her Facebook page, Bella stated, “We found out that Pop had cancer a week before my blind audition and we lost him not long after that.” “He
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North Mackay Saints have etched their names in the local AFL record books after securing a fifth consecutive Senior Men’s premiership. The well drilled Saints stamped themselves the most successful club in the 2023 AFL Mackay competition after toppling the Eastern Swans 9-9 (58) to 5-4 (34) to lift the Allied Cup at Etwell Park in Bakers Creek. It was a Grand Final Day to savour for the proud North Mackay organisation who also clinched the Senior Women and Under 14 premierships to come away wi
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Mackay Magpies trump cards Jaxn Sign and Ben Zurvas stole the show as the CiteCon Kingfishers captured the inaugural Porters Mitre 10 Twenty20 Smash title last weekend at Great Barrier Reef Arena. The 20-year-old young guns showed nerves of steel to help engineer a Grand Final victory over the BTB Electrical Breakers with their batting heroics. Sign – who was named Player of the Final - top scored with 71 runs off 42 balls in an innings that featured four sixes and six boundaries while Zurvas
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Swimming enthusiasts were treated to a thrilling spectacle last weekend as Central Queensland emerged victorious in an action-packed swimming event held at the ARC. This two-day extravaganza, presented by Swimming North Queensland and Central Queensland Swimming, brought together the finest swimmers from both regions, creating a swimming showdown reminiscent of a State of Origin clash. The event lived up to its promise of showcasing power, strength, and stamina as swimmers from Central Queensla
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Basketball is thriving in the Mackay region after St Patrick’s College brought home the Boys and Girls trophies from the Champion Basketball School of Queensland tournament on the Gold Coast. With Mackay coaching guru Jamiey Douvendans at the helm, the College showcased its current crop of emerging talent with skilful performances at the prestigious event at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre. Regarded as the premier school basketball tournament in Queensland, St Patrick’s trophy double in the Senio
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Mackay became the epicenter of Queensland's athletic excellence as the Athletics North Queensland 2023 Championships unfolded at the ARC, drawing athletes from far and wide. The event saw a dazzling display of talent, with Mackay athletes well represented across the podiums of the special trophy races. The Jeff Buchanan Memorial 100m event delivered one of the standout moments of the championship. Julie Brims, a World Champion Masters Athlete, took the spotlight with an electrifying performance.
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Mackay’s Harbour Beach is making way for redefined coastal living with exclusive, upscale beachfront townhomes under construction in response to market demand for low-maintenance living by the sea. ‘The Beach Collective’ features seven luxury townhomes by national developer Urbex, in collaboration with Bold Architecture that pays homage to the coastal surrounds and is a first for the Mackay region. “We are seeing a shift in lifestyle demand across Queensland, as an increasing number of buyers
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Results for week ending 24 September 2023 Tuesday Evening 19 September 2023 – 3 Table Howell One Winner Green Points 1st FRANCES BROWN - SANDRA MORRIS 2nd HELEN VAN DEN BROEK - TEX SHEEDY 3rd DIANE MORGAN - ERIC LEIVESLEY Wednesday 20 September 2023 – 10 Table Teams Under State/Over State Green Points E/W 1st JOY BRIUNETTE / DON POOLE/ IAN CRUICKSHANK / MARY CRUICKSHANK 2nd SUSAN ROSS / RICHARD WIX / VICKI HOWARD / JANINE RODGERS 3rd IAN GASKELL / KATH POOLE / MONICA DARLEY / CAROL GA
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For the second week in a row, marine staff from Cruise Whitsundays are on strike and, while their right to protest is acknowledged, many are frustrated that their behaviour has disrupted countless travel plans during the busy school holiday period.
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Hi Everyone,What a week for local breaking news!To write the front-page story this week we’ve had lengthy conversations with both parties, in an effort to present a fair and impartial story.On Friday last week I sat down with some of the workers from Cruise Whitsundays who are now in the midst of what is expected to be a lengthy strike to demand fairer pay.
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Although Scott Lynch’s job is all about equipping Whitsunday youth with the necessary tools to achieve their employment goals, he is always excited when a participant comes to him with an update of success, especially one with such a fairy-tale ending.
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Residents and tourism operators in Airlie Beach are celebrating this week following news that our local holiday town received the silver accolade in the Top Small Tourism Town category.
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Citizenship Day was celebrated in style last week thanks to a special event hosted by Whitsunday Regional Council.During the ceremony, a total of 35 conferees from 17 countries, including New Zealand, Philippines, Scotland, Spain, Turkey, Malaysia, South Africa, Italy, and Zimbabwe became Australian citizens.
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How do you think The Voice could benefit the country?This is a really difficult question to answer because we know nothing about it yet. What would have been much fairer is if The Voice was legislated and all the details were provided, then Australians could make an informed decision as to whether they wanted it enshrined in our constitution.
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Last Friday night was a big night for Term 3 of the PCYC Get Set For Work program, with all participants officially graduating at a special ceremony.Get Set For Work is a 10 week program for children aged 15 to 19 year-olds who are no longer attending school and undertake the program to attain skills to secure employment at the conclusion of the program.
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Aligned with Seniors Month, Whitsunday Regional Council Libraries are holding a series of innovative workshops, to help older locals with their digital literacy. Not limited in their scope, the workshops will explore handling personal devices, managing online banking and online business, and how to use My Community Directory to build community relationships.
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Are you in the later stages of your working life? Starting to think of ‘pulling the pin’? If so, you should start assessing whether you are ‘retirement ready’. This means being financially ready as well as emotionally ready.
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This question was something Deb and Paul Murphy had not really considered until they started receiving advice from Eclipse Financial Planning and realised they could pre-plan retirement to create enough wealth to retire early.
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Mackay and Whitsunday Life Newspaper is excited to introduce our newest team member, Ruby Gorlick. A born and bred Airlie Beach girl, Ruby is confident, competent, and dedicated to helping local businesses grow.
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Many of us have seen the advantages of awe from spending time in nature or doing something extraordinary that leaves us feeling revitalised and inspired.It turns out studies back this up, showing that having the feeling of awe on a regular basis can enhance creativity and improve decision-making.
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