It was a bumper week of bowls action at Airlie Beach as the first week of winter delivered packed greens, thrilling finishes, and a welcome return of the club’s much-loved June Carnival. Tuesday afternoon saw over 40 players take to the green, including more than 20 social bowlers, while Ladies Pairs and Triples competitions continued to advance. One of the day’s most gripping moments came during the singles match between Betty Whitehorn and Ladda Purdie, with Whitehorn edging out the Thai favo
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June 13 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow, Proserpine Entertainment Centre, 7:30pm 14 Botanical Bites, Club Whitsunday, 3pm - 5pm, $120 14 Multicultural Festival, Bowen Foreshore Sound Shell, 4pm - 8pm 14 Echoes of Pink Floyd - 60 years of Pink Floyd, Proserpine Entertainment Centre, 8:00pm 15 Bowen Community Markets, Hansen Park, from 8:00am 17 Tech Help, Cannonvale Library, 2:00pm-3:45pm 20 Whitsundays 112th Annual Regional Show Day 1, Proserpine Showgrounds 21 Whitsunda
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Friday 13th June Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Jackson Dunn (from 8pm) Saturday 14th June Airlie Beach Hotel: Grease vs Rocky Horror (2pm – 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Sam McCann (from 8pm) Coral Sea Pavillion: (Live Music & DJ Session 1pm – 6pm) Sunday 15th June Airlie Beach Hotel: Grease vs Rocky Horror (2pm – 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Paul Fergus Morris (6.30 – 9.30pm) Grand View Hotel: Jackson Dunn (4pm - 8pm)
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BMA CQ Rescue has responded to a high number of callouts over a busy start to June, taking to the sky 15 times between Monday 1 June and Sunday 8 June. The rescue helicopter completed flights to a wide range of locations including Clermont, Moranbah, the Whitsundays, Hamilton Island, Dysart, Bowen, Townsville, Palm Island and throughout the Isaac region. One of the 15 flights was a training mission. Among the week’s missions was a call to Hamilton Island, where the crew stabilised a patient an
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Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) is excited to announce 74 Islands Distillery as the Naming Rights Sponsor for the 2025 Airlie Beach Race Week (ABRW), boosting anticipation as entries surpass 100. This comes shortly after Whitsundays and Townsville were named venues for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games Sailing Competition. Terry Archer, ABRW Regatta Chairman and regular competitor, said, “A local artisan gin and vodka distillery on the Whitsunday coast, 74 Islands Distillery is one our club and com
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For those chasing a dreamy Whitsundays escape, Wings Sailing Charters offers the ultimate sailing experience from Airlie Beach. Recognised on the Best of Queensland list for exceptional personalised service, Wings delivers three premium products to suit every style of traveller. The Whitsunday Islands Sail, SUP and Snorkel Day Tour is perfect for those short on time but not willing to miss the magic. This six-hour experience cruises to stunning Langford reef and surrounding anchorages, with fle
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What’s more important to you in the City Centre – cool, green garden spaces or vibrant public art? Mackay Regional Council is in the process of finalising the draft Mackay Waterfront Place Strategy and is asking residents to have their say on the actions to prioritise. The Mackay Waterfront Place Strategy is a collaborative project setting goals to support placemaking in the City Centre and Riverfront – helping the areas to offer more for residents, better support local businesses and at
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Laughter, stories, and a touch of nostalgia filled the air at Carlisle Gardens on 26 April, as the descendants of the late Frederick Leonard Stayt (Lenny) and Margaret Francis Eleanor Stayt (née Mosey) gathered for a heartfelt family reunion. Frederick, born in 1896, was a well-known farmer at Newbury Junction near Marian and the proud patriarch of eight children and 27 grandchildren. This special occasion brought together 47 adults and 17 children – including two cherished matriarchs, 17 firs
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Students Shine In Pioneer Valley Film Workshops Noosa Film Academy’s hands-on program, supported by the Mackay Regional Arts Development Fund, gave Mirani, Marian, and Mackay students a rare opportunity to direct, act, and edit their own short films – resulting in a red-carpet premiere at the Pinnacle Playhouse. Laughter and applause filled the historic theatre as young filmmakers walked the red carpet to debut their creative works. The audience, made up of proud families, educators, and
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Next film night June: Ghostlight Alex Thompson and Kelly O'Sullivan’s moving, gently comic collaboration is about the power of live theater to make sense of our offstage dramas and personal narratives. Ghostlight centers on Dan (Keith Kupferer), a melancholic middle-aged construction worker grieving a family tragedy. Cut off from his devoted wife, Sharon (Tara Mallen), and talented but troubled daughter, Daisy (Katherine Mallen Kupferer), Dan finds comfort and community in a misfit company of a
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A program with a proven track record of improving the quality of care for surgical patients has been introduced at Mackay Base Hospital and the clinical team overseeing the initiative is excited about its potential. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) was developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in the early 90s to monitor the surgical care of veterans. The project is led by Surgeon Champion Dr Adrian Westcott and clinical nurse consultant Emma Jacobson, who wa
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A popular coastal haven near the Port of Mackay is receiving a major upgrade, with construction officially underway on the $2 million North Wall Recreational Area improvement project. The works were launched on Tuesday morning by Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates, alongside Member for Mackay Nigel Dalton, Member for Mirani Glen Kelly, North Queensland Bulk Ports (NQBP) Chair Jane McTaggart and Acting CEO Carissa Mansfield. They were joined by some of the commu
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Sunset Bay Outrigger Canoe Club has returned from a strong showing at the Australian National Long Distance Titles, held in Mooloolaba from May 23–25, 2025. With just nine senior paddlers attending, the team still managed to bring home a haul of medals and proud performances. Friday brought cool conditions, but it didn’t take long for Bryan Wilkinson and Steph Lomas to find their rhythm, earning a silver medal in the 16km Senior Master OC2. New club member Peter Drew made a bold debut in a fiel
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The foreshore area adjacent to the McEwens Beach swimming enclosure – locally known as “the Knoll” – is undergoing a makeover. The project, initiated by the McEwens Beach Progress Association, will see 2000-plus tube stock, all local coastal species, planted to reinforce the foreshore’s native vegetation and help stabilise the foredune. Beach fencing, which has improved access to the swimming enclosure and will help protect the new plantings, has already been installed. Mayor Greg Williamson
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After a strong wind warning snuffed out SPARK a fortnight ago, the exciting pop-up event is set to reignite from Thursday, June 12, to Sunday, June 15. After the event was postponed, organisers sprang into action to reorganise the dozens of activities and attractions scheduled to activate the old cinema car park on Wood and Gordon streets. SPARK will now ignite with an evening networking event from 5pm to 7pm on Thursday, June 12, and will then be followed by three days of continuous activatio
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There’s so much happening in Mackay in July, but for the art-lover there is nothing better than Artspace Mackay’s Libris Awards. Artspace Mackay, in partnership with Daly Bay, is delighted to announce the finalists for the 2025 Libris Awards: Australian Artists Book Prize. The shortlisted entrants’ artworks will be exhibited at Artspace from July 5 to September 14. The prestigious Libris Awards bring together works by leading and emerging artist book makers from across the country. Mayor Gre
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Where Every Meal Feels Like A Celebration Whether you're planning a casual brunch, a romantic dinner, or a celebration with friends, Ocean International is the place to be from sunrise to sunset. Start your day with a breezy beachfront breakfast, settle in for a long lunch, or toast to good times with a sunset dinner on The Deck. Oceans Bar & Restaurant, open to the public seven days a week, offers elegant à la carte dining alongside your favourite seaside classics. Craving something new? Try
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Nothing says “Aussie comfort food” quite like a piping-hot cob loaf fresh out of the oven. Once a staple at every neighbourhood gathering, footy night and backyard barbecue, the humble cob loaf is staging a triumphant comeback – and this time, it’s dressed to impress. At its heart, a cob loaf is simplicity itself: a crusty round bread, hollowed out and filled with molten goodness, then baked until golden and gooey. But the new generation of cob creations is pushing flavour boundaries in all th
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Local Women Pack Power At Weekend Self-Defence Workshop Over the course of a weekend, a diverse group of women and girls, spanning various ages and physical abilities, came together to learn practical self-defence techniques aimed at increasing personal safety both at home and in the community. The sessions were led by Helle Smith, who also runs the Northern Beaches Karate Club (Shyto-Ryu), and supported by Sergeant Steve Smith from the Crime Prevention Unit, along with Volunteer in Policing, G
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The Beating Heart Of Sweet Success There’s a reason Sarina Sugar Shed continues to steal both hearts and headlines. This small-but-mighty attraction is the region’s crown jewel, distilling the essence of Mackay’s sugar industry into an unforgettable visitor experience. With a trophy cabinet brimming with accolades – including Best of Queensland 2025, TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards, and a sweep of honours at the Mackay Isaac Tourism Awards for Best of Queensland Tour or Attraction,
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As the crushing season begins, this year will be “back to the future” in one important aspect. And I feel it is it is important to inform the sugar city and surrounding areas about what that might mean. There will be greatly increased frequency of cane fires seen around the district this crush season. For those of you who have been around long enough, you will remember that, late most afternoons in the crush season: the smell of a cane fire, the crackling tones and the black soot floating throu
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Tech from the big trucks and diggers at Bravus Mining and Resources Carmichael mine near Clermont in central Queensland has been upcycled to help regional Queensland families doing it tough. Bravus Mining and Resources Head of Production and Site Senior Executive Glen Corfield said more than fifty state-of-the-art tablets no longer needed for mining operations had been upcycled to support the work of Ronald McDonald House Charities North Australia and the Salvation Army. Mr Corfield said the i
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The Bowen Basin Women in Leadership Program hosted by Regional Development Australia Greater Whitsundays (RDA GW) and supported by Local Buying Foundation (LBF) assisted in bridging the cross-industry skills gap, by empowering local women. During this initiative, participants learned how to reposition their workplace skillset, understand their value, increase confidence, become more self-aware and reduce feelings of ‘Imposter Syndrome’. Program participant Manager of People and Capability Isaa
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Discover how you can make a difference in your community at the 2025 Mackay Volunteer Expo. From emergency service personnel to comedic performers, street chaplains to crime stoppers, wildlife carers to choir singers and everything in between – more than 40 groups will have hundreds of roles on offer. The expo will be held this Sunday, June 8, from 9am to noon, in the Big Shed at the Mackay Showgrounds. Mayor Greg Williamson said the National Volunteer Week theme of “Connecting Communities” w
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By Amanda Wright After nearly two decades in public office, George Christensen has resigned from Mackay Regional Council, effective last Friday, citing urgent family responsibilities and voicing serious concerns about the culture within council chambers. The former federal MP, who returned to local government in 2024 after serving four terms in Canberra as the Member for Dawson, announced his resignation during last week’s ordinary council meeting. While his departure marks the end of an extens
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