Venue: Magnetic Island Attendance: A record-breaking 31 spectators (including Dave the bus driver and Hodgy’s legally questionable “beer squad”) The Whitsunday Bald Eagles may not move like they used to, but they still know how to win—and entertain—after a commanding 32-point victory over the Townsville Sharks on Magnetic Island. Early Morning Antics The day began with a sunrise departure, as the Bald Eagles boarded the team bus at 6:45am, fuelled by caffeine, Deep Heat, and the ceremonial cra
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May 31 Whitsunday Cruisin’ Car Club Show & Shine, Coral Sea Marina, 8:00am-11:30am 31 Traditional Owners Welcome to Whales Event, Fairy Tree Park, Airlie Beach Foreshore, 4.30pm June 3 Tech Help, Cannonvale Library, 2:00pm-3:45pm 5 World Environment Day, (LOCATION), (EVENT TIME) 5 Morning Melodies - From Stage to Screen, Proserpine Entertainment Centre, 11:00am 6 Queensland Day: Our Whitsunday Way, Proserpine Entertainment Centre (P.E.C), 5:00pm-8:00pm 8 Bowen Community Markets, Hansen P
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Friday 30th May Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Hannah Roberts (from 8pm) Saturday 31st May Airlie Beach Hotel: The Beatnix (2pm – 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Dallas Steele (from 8pm) Sunday 1st June Airlie Beach Hotel: The Beatnix (2pm – 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Paul Fergus Morris (6.30 – 9.30pm) Thursday 5th June Airlie Beach Hotel: Matt Angell (6.30pm – 9.30pm)
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Football - Whitsunday United FC Friday, 30 May 2025 6:00 PM – Div 2 Men vs City Brothers FC at City Brothers Field 8:00 PM – Div 1 Men vs City Brothers FC at City Brothers Field Saturday, 31 May 2025 9:30 AM – U13 Div 1 vs Country United FC at Whitsunday Sports Park 9:30 AM – U14 vs Mackay Rangers FC at Mackay Football Park 11:00 AM – U13 FQPL vs Mackay Rangers FC at Mackay Football Park 11:15 AM – U15/16 vs Magpies FC at Mackay Football Park 5:00 PM – U23 Men vs Mackay Lions at Whitsunday Spor
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As the final week of autumn draws to a close, the local bowls scene has been in full swing, with both men’s and women’s competitions producing great results and promising talent. Tuesday’s social bowls offered up some fantastic matches, with Tony Whitehorn leading his team alongside Sue Dakin and Di Dobbins to a strong second-place finish. But it was newcomers Des Ballance, playing lead, and skip Gail Simms who claimed top honours. Simms’ continued improvement was on full display, leading her t
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With the arrival of visiting bowlers marking the change of season, Monday’s self-selected triples kicked off with some competitive matches and strong performances. While the green wasn’t full, the games delivered plenty of action. Merle Elphinstone, Isobel Wheeler, and Robyn Stitt emerged victorious against Sugar Brunker, Graeme Read, and Kennedy Whitton. Other matches saw Maureen and Rob Hyde defeat Frank Farrugia, Bob Dykstra, and Neil Chittenden, while Joe Paynting and Neil Chittenden claime
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Favourable autumn weather brought out the best in Proserpine Golf Club members during the week ending May 25, with improved conditions leading to excellent scores across multiple competitions. Tuesday’s Stableford saw Jon Miller top the leaderboard with a strong 39 points. Peter Lindsay claimed runner-up on a countback from Tim Langford, both finishing with 37. Nearest-the-pins went to Bernie Drake on the 2nd and Jon Miller on the 13th. Meanwhile, the veterans were away competing at Emu Park an
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Whitsunday women are urged to take advantage of BreastScreen Queensland’s mobile screening service during its visit to the region over the next few months. The mobile service will be parked at Proserpine Hospital from 20 May to 14 June and Cannonvale’s Whitsunday Plaza from 16 June to 15 August offering its free mammogram screening service to local women. BreastScreen Mackay clinical director Dr Wendela Schimmer said the mobile screening service is part of BreastScreen Queensland and Mackay Ho
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Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox has today been appointed as the Federal Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capabilities, a portfolio focused on cultivating Australia’s national interests and strengthening the economy. “I am truly honoured to take on this role and welcome the faith placed in me by Leader of the Nationals David Littleproud,” Mr. Willcox said. “Manufacturing is a large contributing factor in our Australian economy, starting right here in Dawson, from south
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For many Australians living with disability or in care, life is lived on the edge of ‘just enough’. Enough to get by. Enough to pay for essentials. Enough to survive week to week. But what about joy? What about belonging, adventure, dignity… what about living? A weekend away with family. Tickets to see a favourite band live. A visit to a distant cultural site or ancestral Country. These are the kinds of experiences that bring meaning and connection – but for many locals living with disability,
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Sunset Bay Outriggers Canoe Club continues its impressive progress in 2025, with another successful campaign at the NQ Zone Grand Prix in Airlie Beach over the May long weekend. Despite extremely challenging weather conditions, wind gusts reaching 35 knots and heavy rain affecting visibility, both junior and senior paddlers from the club rose to the occasion. The club is especially proud of its two newest junior athletes, Tess Armstrong and Zara Hegarty, who displayed remarkable skill and dete
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CQUniversity Nursing graduate Nikita Van Wyk is following in the footsteps of her grandmother, mother and aunt, caring for patients at Mackay Hospital and Health Service (MHHS). The 24-year-old recently crossed the stage at the CQU Mackay Graduation Ceremony, not only receiving her testamur, but also being awarded the CQU Graduate Nurse of the Year Award. The award, which is sponsored by CQU and presented by MHHS, was first introduced in 2017 and recognises the skills and contributions o
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The Housing Industry Association says election uncertainty has masked early signs of a home building rebound, with new lending figures pointing to growing momentum heading into the second half of 2025. “Lending for the purchase or construction of new homes remained flat in the first quarter of 2025, likely the result of election uncertainty. The data also reflected the situation prior to the effect of the RBA’s first interest rate cut,” said HIA Senior Economist Tom Devitt. The ABS r
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Mackay Schools To Benefit As Foodbank Launches Townsville Hub
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By Hannah McNamara Member for Mirani Glen Kelly has thrown his support behind the introduction of divisions within Mackay Regional Council, saying it would give local residents a stronger voice and clearer representation at the table. Mr Kelly, whose electorate spans from the outskirts of Mackay to Rockhampton, said a common concern raised by his constituents is the lack of clarity around who to approach with local issues. "While I believe our Mackay Regional councillors are doing a great job
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Live music fans have much to anticipate as acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray brings his eagerly awaited new tour to Mackay for a single performance on Wednesday, 18 June, at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (MECC). Murray’s most extensive tour to date will take him to numerous regional markets across Australia, many of which he has never previously visited, with a total of 56 shows scheduled throughout 2025. While Murray needs little introduction as one of
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Mackay’s biggest annual fun run looks set to sell out again this year with over 4,000 runners from all of Australia expected to pound the pavement in support of the Leukaemia Foundation. Held on Sunday 1 June, the BMA Mackay Marina Run is now in its 17th year and to date, has contributed over $730,000 to the Leukaemia Foundation for local support services. Event Director Tim Magoffin said “We’re extremely proud of our long-term relationship with the Leukaemia Foundation. “Knowing that w
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Mackay To Unite In Honour Of Lives Lost To Domestic Violence The Mackay community is invited to gather at the Mackay Harbour Surf Club on Saturday, 24th May 2025 from 5pm for a Candle Lighting Ceremony hosted by Broken Ballerina Inc., honouring lives lost and those impacted by domestic and family violence.In a heartfelt show of solidarity, the event will bring together survivors, families, frontline workers, and supporters for an evening of remembrance, healing, and hope.“This is a special oppor
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A drizzle of rain didn’t dampen the spirits of Fitzgerald State School students, staff, families – or even the police dog – who all took part in National Walk to School Day last Friday. Held annually on May 16, the event promotes a healthy and safe approach to getting to school while reinforcing key road safety messages for children. Parents, teachers and students were joined by representatives from Queensland Police, including Police Liaison Officer Rebecca Budby and Sergeant Felipe Per
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Mater Private Hospital Mackay has come up with a “tote-ally” awesome way to recycle hundreds of kilograms of surgical equipment packaging into reusable tote bags for hospital patients. The colourful eco-friendly bags are designed and sewn by hospital volunteers and made from polypropylene fabric, which is wrapped around surgical trays, to keep instruments sterile. Each week more than 800 clean sheets, which used to become landfill, are now repurposed into fashionable and fun tote bags fo
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The City Ladies held another fantastic weekend of bowls over the May Day weekend. Each day had a full green, with Ladies Fours on Saturday and Mixed Fours on Sunday. The Marie Gravino Shield was won by Shirley Sturgeon, Anna Knight, Emma Pash and Dawn Field on Saturday. The shield was donated by Marie’s family in her honour. She was a long-time member of the Ladies Club, and held the position of Junior Vice for several years. On Sunday, the Mixed Team winners were R. Harris, P. Rintoul, R. Rin
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It was raw. It was real. And it was the start of something powerful. Earlier this month, the first Women’s Wealth Creation Workshop launched in Mackay, bringing together a roomful of women ready to reshape their futures, reclaim financial independence, and talk about money – the good, the bad, and the transformational. The event, hosted by Shirlz Russell and Robyn Agius from Area Specialist, was created to encourage and support women to build independent wealth, and to show that investin
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Nala’s Second Chance After Years On The Run In a story that reads more like fiction than fact, a dog named Nala has been found – five years after she first went missing from a backyard in West Mackay. Nala vanished in February 2020, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, near the Botanical Gardens. Her disappearance sparked an emotional and determined search by her heartbroken family. But Nala was in flight mode. Each time she was sighted, her family raced to her location, laid
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Staff from the Specialist Outpatients Department (SOPD) at Mackay Base Hospital donned blue last week in support of Do It For Dolly Day, a national campaign to end bullying and spread kindness. Held on 9 May, Do It For Dolly Day honours the memory of Dolly Everett, a 14-year-old girl who tragically took her own life in 2018 after experiencing prolonged bullying and cyberbullying. The annual day of action calls on communities, schools, and workplaces to foster kindness and stand against bu
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Well Done to Mackay Club members Ian and Mary Cruickshank who were members of the Reil Team to take out third place in the restricted team event at the Barrier Reef Congress. Saturday saw the playing of the third GNOT event with members vying for coveted Gold Points. Fourteen teams competed, with team Bugeia the ultimate winners of the day. Weekly Results Monday 12 May 2025 –7 Table Mitchell Green Points **N/S E/W ** 1st Geoffrey Patterson / Noel Bugeia 1st David Ting / Eric Goodchild 2n
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