Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Open your books, put pen to paper and write down the date of the newly announced Whitsunday Writers Festival which is due to take place from September 6-8 next year.Following an eight-year hiatus, the festival is making a triumphant return to the region and the long-awaited event promises to be a celebration of words, writers, and readers, rekindling the literary flame in the heart of Queensland.
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Whitsunday Sea Eagles Senior Men and Under 12s travelled to Rogers Oval in Mackay for Preliminary Finals and a shot at Grand Final appearances. Sea Eagles Senior Men missed out on the Grand Final in a heartbreaking loss to Eastern Swans by the narrowest of margins 76 – 77.
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Whitsunday Touch Football has welcomed a group of new players, sharing the sport of touch footy with individuals living with intellectual and physical impairments.The eight-week program is called All Abilities Touch Football and is an inclusive program for people of all abilities to learn Touch skills and play the sport in a supported environment.
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With 5 teams of 10 in the final’s series, there was plenty to cheer about for the orange army in Mackay. And with 4 of those five progressing, there is still plenty more to cheer about next week!The day started early with the Under 13’s Div 1.
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Perfectly aligned with Queensland Mental Health Week, Healthy Kids Project will be hosting their inaugural Happy Hike early next month. No matter age, ability, or experience, the Happy Hike encourages everyone in the family to take on one of two hikes in Airlie Beach, in order to promote positive mental and physical wellbeing.
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Spring has arrived, the birds are singing and preparing their nests for new arrivals and the flowers are blooming and so has our bowls starting on Tuesday with 14 teams.All ladies competing for the Spring Fling 56 smartly dressed ladies all competing for the top prize, which was won by Margo Stanley's team with lead Marie Duck and second Dorothy Wise both from North Mackay with our own little champion Betty Nicole at 3rd.
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On Wednesday we had a good turn up for Social bowls. Bruce Uhe and Peter Lawton defeated Ted Cullen and Russell Jackson 16 - 14 in a game of traditional pairs, in practice for the upcoming Pratt Cup. Alen Sanderson and Philip Brown defeated Jim Bownds and Paul Gerbich (visitor from Queenbeyan) 19 - 17 in a game of 3 bowl Pairs. Mark Mawson, John Askew, and Arthur Griffith defeated Pat Bownds, John Askew, and John Anderson 24 - 16.
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It has been another big week for Wangaratta Bowls. Ladies President Margaret’s Day was a great morning followed by a scrumptious lunch. Our North Qld District officials together with bowlers from Thuringowa, Brandon, Ayr, our southern visitors, and local members made it a memorable day for Margaret.
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20 players competed on Tuesday, with Brian Smith narrowly defeating Rees May on a countback with 38 pts. Aaron Prosser claimed 3rd place.NTP winners: Paul Williams and Paul Gray
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Last Tuesday the Proserpine Vets travelled to Collinsville to compete in the Whitsunday Veterans Comp. Sixty-four players attended from Bowen, Proserpine, Home Hill, Ayr, and Collinsville.
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The weekly 9-hole competition belonged to the Pettifords with Donovan in 1st place and Edwina in second. Glenn Scott was just one point behind. On Friday it was Chris Barlett on 21 for the win followed by Justyn Durbin on 19 and Jay Steele with 18 points.
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From August 19th to 25th, Children's Book Week 2023 cast its spell on young book enthusiasts and eager learners across the nation. Orchestrated by the Children's Book Council of Australia, this annual event unfurled under the theme "Read, Grow, Inspire," placing the spotlight on the profound impact that books wield in shaping the minds of the youth. Throughout the designated week, schools, libraries, and families actively participated in a myriad of engaging activities and creative displays that
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The Blueprint Exhibition concept began as a way to activate the wall in Foodspace Café while highlighting emerging artists. The concept is now being taken to the streets – specifically to Second Lane (off Gregory Street), where Blueprint 2.0 will launch this Friday night (September 1). A free outdoor art gallery launch, with artist Autumn Skuthorpe, will run from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. Skuthorpe is an experienced Māori wahine inclusive arts practitioner who proudly celebrates the voices and stories o
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Launched By Local Socialpreneurs A social enterprise initiative aiming to tackle a significant gap in housing availability and suitability has been designed and launched by local ‘socialpreneurs’ Elisa McFadzen and Jenna Armstrong. ‘Millions in the Middle’ aims to provide a stable, affordable housing solution for those impacted by the housing crisis. “We saw friends and colleagues, hard-working professionals, struggle to keep a roof over their head,” said Ms McFadzen. “We knew we had to do some
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Last week, the tables turned, and I found myself on the receiving end of a good deed. Typically, I'm the one orchestrating acts of kindness, but it seems the universe had a different plan in store for me. Amidst a busy workday, I had a meeting scheduled at Caneland Central right after lunch. Naturally, I couldn't resist a detour past one of my beloved fashion boutiques. Call it serendipity or a lunchtime whim, but I ended up acquiring a few additions to my work wardrobe ensemble. However, as f
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Ah, the days of curling up with a Roald Dahl classic, the era when my imagination was sparked by the magic of words. Fast forward from my childhood to today, and life's script has added a new character: my 5-month-old son. While his attention span for books might rival a squirrel's, I seize every chance to introduce him to the imaginary world of storytelling. One gem in our collection is a heartfelt token from one of my New Zealand aunt’s – a book titled "Kuwi the Kiwi." Now, before you envisio
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Wheels In Motion Again After Stroke Survivor Was Hit By Car Tommy Quick, a resilient stroke survivor, has re-embarked on a massive journey to achieve a monumental feat—becoming the first person in Australia to traverse the country's four most extreme mainland points on a recumbent trike. Though his journey has been anything but smooth. 29-year-old Tommy is on track to complete a 9,000 kilometre cycle, as far north as Cape York, east to Byron Bay, south to Wilson’s Promontory and far west to Stee
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Rescue Helicopter’s Busy Bowen Basin Weekend A fatal two-vehicle traffic crash at Moranbah on the morning of August 27 has claimed the life of a Moranbah father. Initial investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit indicate that at around 9:40am, a prime mover truck crashed with a road train truck as it was travelling southbound along Moranbah Access Road, near Cunningham Way. The driver of the prime mover, 46-year-old Moranbah man James Rolph, was declared deceased at the scene. A 56-year-old So
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Amidst a nationwide homeless crisis that has taken a crippling toll, the Mackay region is battling a worsening housing struggle. In the wake of the Greater Whitsunday Housing Summit, Regional Development Australia Greater Whitsundays (RDA GW) has emerged as a pioneering force, leading the charge in supporting the Greater Whitsundays Housing Alliance. Informed by insights from the Urbis Housing Research report and the Urbis Greater Whitsundays Region Housing Playbook, Robert Cocco, CEO of RDA GW
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An exciting new website has been launched encouraging people to “Discover Mackay”, promoting Mackay as the ultimate destination to live, work, invest and explore. Mayor Greg Williamson said the website extended on council’s existing Discover Mackay promotion, with a special emphasis on investing and working in our region. “The four key features of the website aim to encourage visitors to discover exactly what they will find if they choose to visit or make Mackay their home,” Mayor Williamson sai
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As the day of bad dad jokes approaches, Porters Mitre 10 is celebrating amazing dads and their little helpers. From tackling big DIY projects like building a cubbyhouse to those weekends wandering through Porters with your youngest in tow, bombarding you with "what's that?" a gazillion times – a father figure holds a special place in all our lives. But let's face it, Father's Day isn't just about applauding our dads for their lightbulb-changing skills and heroic spider rescues; it’s about appre
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Amidst the maritime currents that link trade and opportunity, North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) welcomes Brendan Webb as its new Chief Executive Officer. With a seasoned background in ports, commercial leadership, and a commitment to North Queensland, his return sets a course for sustainable port trade and economic growth. NQBP Chair Jane McTaggart said the Board has welcomed Mr Webb, who is currently the CEO of Ports Victoria, back to NQBP and back to Queensland. “As a government-
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A successful ‘Save Glenden’ campaign has secured the mining town’s future after a fast-tracked piece of amended legislation passed in Queensland Parliament last week. Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker led a small contingent in Brisbane to witness the historic moment alongside long-term Glenden resident Milissa Phillips-Payne. “The future of Glenden has now been enshrined in law with the changes to the Mineral Resources Act ensuring that the community will continue to thrive,” Mayor Bake
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High school students have the world at their feet and as ambitions begin to soar, so too can the cost of education. Whilst scholarships provide fantastic financial support, Sarina local Josie Dahtler discovered that they can also be a catalyst for a bright future, receiving the first ever Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank Senior Schooling Scholarship at Sarina State High School (SSHS) in 2017. The former SSHS student has always been a strong believer in ‘giving it a shot’, saying she applied
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This year’s Clean Up, Mackay Region has seen an increase in volunteers, with 124 people collecting close to three tonnes of litter at nine sites across the region. Mayor Greg Williamson said it was the loyal volunteers who kept these events running, year after year. “We would like to thank everyone for taking the time to help keep our region beautiful,” Mayor Williamson said. “As pledged, this year council will plant five native plants either as street trees or revegetation, for each of these vo
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