Basketball is a way of life for Mackay’s respected coaching guru Jamiey Doevendans. Whether it is planning the Mackay Meteorettes’ charge towards the NBL1 North women’s title or simply devoting his spare time to assisting the St Patrick’s College Boys and Girls basketball programs, you will find this revered hoops mentor approaching his work with a genuine passion.
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When Magpies stalwart Brad Zurvas and his three sons Ben, Adam and Liam padded up for the club in a late season fixture in the Mackay Cricket Association first grade competition last summer, they each experienced a slice of history.
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Catherine McAuley College held their Swimming Carnival on Friday 10 March at the Mackay Aquatic Recreation Complex, with excellent weather, and enthusiastic students combining to make the day a great success. House spirit was alive with a sea of colour, war cries, and many with no voice by the end of a day filled with noise, laughter, fun and constructive rivalry.
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One of Mackay’s largest and longest-running basketball clubs has teamed up with Wests Tigers to ensure the future of the sport in the Pioneer Valley. Formed in 1981, Renegades Basketball Club is considered one of the big three basketball clubs in the region with 43 men’s and women’s teams from under 8s up to division 1. The club, however, has never had a base to operate out of, host meetings or run training sessions.
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Mackay endurance king Justin Rule has continued his medal-winning achievements on the Masters Athletics circuit. The 48-year-old iron man was one of three Mackay Athletics Club competitors to stamp their mark at the recent Australian Masters Athletics Championships in Sydney – bringing home gold in the 3000m Steeplechase and a bronze medal in the 8km Cross Country in the Mens 45-49yrs category.
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The Mackay Cycling Club's inaugural race of the season was a triumph for riders of all ages and abilities. The individual time trial, held along the Walkerston Homebush Road, tested the mettle of competitors ranging in age from around 8 to 80. From a 4km challenge for the youngest cyclists to a gruelling 20km test against the clock for the seniors, every rider pushed themselves to make their mark on the beginning of the season.
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Nearly sixty runners and supporters attended the very popular annual Whibley’s Wander held from the Secretary’s residence early Sunday morning. The wonderful Julie and Andrew were the perfect hosts with all runners appreciating their generosity and picture-perfect back yard. Paul Mackenzie and Alana Knesevic were the top male and female in the 12km with excellent performances by the 5km top duo of Terese Hackney and Darrin Pullen.
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Prossie High In The ‘Swing Of Things’ For Broadway Proserpine State High School students will take to the stage in the upcoming Broadway romantic musical ‘Sweet Charity’ in early May. In the school’s first musical since its highly successful play, ‘We Will Rock You’, in 2021, 100 students will take roles behind, below, and on the stage in what will be an “ambitious production.”
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The grieving mother of Luke Gilbert, who was tragically killed in a police shooting in Airlie Beach six months ago, is calling for an independent inquiry to bring the officers who she believes should be “charged with murder” to justice.
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On Saturday evening, Chantelle Jensen and her friend Bek Sinclaire were enjoying a picnic down at Cannonvale Beach with Chantelle’s mum when they saw a couple trying to free a stingray which had become trapped in the nearby stinger net.
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Hi Everyone,The Mayor invited me out for a coffee last week and it was great to catch up.As soon as we sat down, she told me it was just a casual meeting to connect and find out how Council could better assist us with delivering their news to the community.How refreshing! What a lovely thing to ask.We spent an hour discussing topics about the local community – everything from bridges to boat ramps, the housing crisis and the tough few years that could lie ahead with rising living costs.
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A fledgling community is developing at the once highly acclaimed Laguna Quays with residents accepting the challenge to determine their own future within this large rural paradise.
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Further delays in mediation have prompted Save Our Foreshore (SOF) to vow that they will “go all the way to the Supreme Court” in their fight with Port of Airlie and the Whitsunday Regional Council.
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A local not-for-profit will host a Morning Tea for Dementia fundraiser at the end of March to support families and residents of Proserpine Nursing Home. The Quota Club of Whitsunday Inc. invites the community to Father Tom Gard Centre, St Catherine’s School on Sunday, March 26, to raise monies for resources and equipment at the local nursing home and for Dementia Australia research.
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One of Mayor Julie Hall’s most prominent election promises was to increase the connection between Council and the community, and this is a vision she is now delivering upon in a series of community face-to-face catch-ups.
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The superyacht community and Coral Sea Marina are joining forces to help communities in Fiji and Vanuatu that are recovering from two recent cyclones which have caused a significant impact.
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Whitsunday Regional Councillor Mike Brunker was fined $500 at last Wednesday’s ordinary meeting for the “misuse of Council resources” during the previous Mayoral Election. Mr Brunker was found to have breached Council Policy by listing his Council email address on his mayoral candidacy Facebook page during the by-election of July – August 2022, equating to an “unauthorised use of Council resources”.
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The women of Bowen were celebrated at the local Zonta Club’s International Women’s Day celebrations last week, with over 100 guests attending a lively and entertaining evening held at the Grand View Hotel.
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Parents are invited to the Get Set for Work information night next week to learn more about the upcoming intensive employment and training assistance program for 15- to 19-year-olds commencing in April.
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The Council owned Whitsunday Coast Airport services five different airlines which offer direct flights to seven destinations across the country: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Newcastle, with our brilliant airport team currently negotiating for a further three new routes.
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Visitation to the region is booming and businesses are reaping the benefits. Whilst increasing full and more frequent flights are bringing a steady stream of longer term visitors, 17 cruise ships in the last few weeks have inundated Airlie Beach with day trippers coming ashore and spending up big. The combination has resulted in a fantastic February trade for the many small businesses in Airlie who traditionally suffer a significant downturn at this time of year.
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It has been a fabulous start to the year in Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays as we welcomed 21 Cruise Ships and over 33,800 passengers and crew ashore across the region.
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Reef Catchments Youth Ambassador Program allows local students with a passion for conservation a chance to design and deliver their own projects. These projects provide the ambassadors with experience in project management and leadership while increasing awareness around common threats to islands in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA).
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A First Nations commemorative fabricated tree and plaque are planned for installation at Bowen’s Front Beach after receiving Whitsunday Regional Council approvals. Aged care and disability service provider Feros Care, an Australian not-for-profit with operations in Bowen, plans to install the 'Sorry Tree' for National Sorry Day on May 26 in a three-stage project.
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Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox grilled the Federal Government in last week’s Question Time for “grossly misunderstanding their own policy” in its inadvertent targeting of farmers.
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