The Whitsundays has long been a beloved destination for LGBTQ+ travellers, especially during the late 90s when Daydream Island was affectionately known as "Gay Dream Island", for travellers holidaying after Sydney’s Mardi Gras. Nathan Fleming, a pillar of the Whitsundays LGBTQ+ community for over 20 years, remembers those days fondly. "Back in the day, the late 90s, Daydream Island was a popular hot spot. After Sydney Mardi Gras, everyone would head up here and have a big party session in the Wh
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Maree Franettovich has been providing career coaching over many years – guiding professionals with individualised support to find their purpose toward a fulfilling career. Whether it’s graduates looking to launch their careers, or professionals looking for career progression, Maree’s approach focuses on professional growth and personal wellbeing. Feeling stuck in your career can be demotivating, and impacts other aspects of your life. You want to explore a change but are not sure where to
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Cent sales are always billed as ‘mega’ but Sarina Arts and Craft Centre’s upcoming event will be exactly that. Centre manager Jenny Costello and a core group of helpers are putting together an amazing collection of prizes for the sale, at the Sarina Sporting and Services Club on Saturday, March 8. “We’ve had a marvelous response from business, organisations and people within the Sarina and wider Mackay area as we’ve been collecting for the sale,” Jenny said. “We have lots of high-quality priz
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Following on from their successful concert series, Swing & Song in 2021, Summertime and All That... in 2023, and Hot Note in 2024, local vocal ensemble Tutti is proud to present The Voice Within this March at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music Mackay. Who is TUTTI? Tutti is a female vocal ensemble led by Janice Whelan OAM. Jan is renowned in Mackay for her exceptional piano skills. Tutti sings well-known swing, ballad, Latin and folk songs with exquisite harmonies. The concert will
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Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) has welcomed another strong intake of graduate registered nurses for the year as the third orientation session reaches completion this week. Mackay HHS Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery James Williams Jenkins said 79 newly qualified nurses have been recruited to the 2025 Mackay HHS Nursing and Midwifery Graduate Program. The three cohorts were comprised of 16 new nurses in December, 38 in January and another 25 graduates welcomed to the Mac
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Sunset Bay Outrigger Canoe Club had a stellar showing at the 2025 Sydney Harbour Challenge, taking on tough conditions over three days of intense racing against Australia’s best and international competitors. The event kicked off on Friday with a 13km race on Sydney Harbour, where paddlers faced a dramatic ‘white-out’ as heavy rain reduced visibility. Despite the challenging conditions, the Sunset Bay Masters Mixed crew powered through, completing the course in an impressive 1 hour and 6
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Last week was a rollercoaster for our young club—full of soaring highs, bittersweet farewells, and a Thursday night training session that looked more like a tactical masterclass than an amateur run-around. Monday night saw a solid turnout of 14 players, proving once again that we’re more than just a collection of enthusiastic athletes—we’re a growing force. By Thursday, we had 17 eager bodies on the pitch, and if we keep this up, we might need to start taking reservations. One thing is clear:
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Federal Member for Capricornia, Michelle Landry, is backing Isaac Regional Council Mayor, Kelly Vea Vea, and the Nebo Showgrounds Committee as they push for vital funding to upgrade the Nebo Showgrounds. They are lobbying for Stage 2A of the Nebo Showgrounds Master Plan, which includes upgraded camping facilities, a redeveloped undercover arena, and planning for a new outdoor arena. Ms Landry previously secured $2.8 million in 2022 for Stage 1, delivering key infrastructure improvements,
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Simon Hood Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing February was a positive month for prices with growers using the rally to tidy up 2024 season Target and GMPRS pricing. Additionally, with 2025 season prices breaking through $650/t, there has been increased scale up selling from Target price growers. There is, however, still plenty of 2025 pricing to go with only about 25 per cent of Target prices locked in at this point. The rally has also allowed our 2024 season pools to be forecasting hi
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The Mackay Road Runners launched their first Club Championship race of the season in style, with nearly 80 runners taking to the streets of East Mackay from Queen’s Park. The event was a long-standing favourite among members, and was once again proudly sponsored by MAD Fitness Mackay. No stranger to supporting the local running community, MAD Fitness Mackay has been a generous sponsor for several years, not only backing the Club Championship race but also donating a sought-after prize pac
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Monday, 24 February 2025 – 5 Table Howell (Green Points) 1st: David Ting & Eric Goodchild 2nd: Jewel Schmidt & Janine Rodgers 3rd: Janelle Conroy & Tex Sheedy 4th: Jan Harris & Helen Van Den Broek 5th: Joy Block & Nancy Wix Tuesday Evening, 25 February 2025 – 4.5 Table Howell (Green Points) 1st: Noel Bugeia & Eric Goodchild 2nd: Andrew Canavan & Jan Harris 3rd: Helen Van Den Broek & Tex Sheedy 4th: Shirley Worland & Simon Barnes Wednesday, 26 February 2025 – 9 Table Mitchell (Green Poi
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After a soggy finish to the Junior Cricket season and the cancellation of last week's scheduled Grand Finals, the sun finally shone on Saturday morning. Four Proserpine teams faced early starts as they hit the highway, heading down to compete against rival teams in each grade for the coveted premiership titles. This achievement in itself is a testament to the strength of the country club, which continues to punch above its weight in the regional cricket scene. U12s: Pitbulls Fall Shor
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At The Table ** Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday Morning Fixtures, February 25, 2025: Division 1: Mars Pioneers (Delma Knight, Kevin Abbott) d Saturn’s Rings (Charlie Payne, Coral Morgan) 6-3. Luna Legends (Donna Abbott, Pam Joyce, Noreen Fredericksen) d Venus Voyagers (Peter Goodson, Branko Vucurovic, Marie Taylor) 8-4. Noreen d Peter -4, 10, 5, -8, 8. Rocket Stars (Allan Robins, John McGee, Veronica Shepherd) d Solar Comets (Doug Dungavell, Judy Zahn, Bryan Marshall) 7-5. Judy d John -9, -
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Nigel Dalton is trading politics for pool laps this March, diving headfirst into Laps for Life – a nationwide swimming challenge making waves for youth mental health. The Member for Mackay and avid swimmer will take to the water with his North Mackay Sinkers Masters Swimming Club teammates, raising funds for ReachOut Australia, which provides crucial mental health support for young people. Mr Dalton has long been a dedicated advocate for suicide prevention in Mackay. As the region’s former Crim
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By day, Usadee Phiraphak is an electrical apprentice at Revolution Electrical, helping to keep the Mackay Base Hospital running smoothly. But when she’s not working behind the scenes, she’s lighting up the community in more ways than one. “Something that most people don’t know about me is that I am always trying to help out my community whether it’s donating blood or being a member of Mackay Street chaplaincy to look after those at their most vulnerable and making sure people are safe. “I want
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One of Mackay’s most popular community events will unveil a fresh, new course this year, with record-breaking participant numbers expected as ‘run-mania’ continues to surge. The track for this week’s Mackay Airport Twilight City Run has been varied to accommodate more people while also giving participants additional sweeping views of the Pioneer River. More than 1000 participants are expected to turn out for the event on Friday 7 March, the highest number yet. Mackay Airport Head of Ope
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Advocating for change and bringing people together makes Ash-Lee Johnson's heart sing. As a Councillor for Mackay Regional Council, her passion for community betterment radiates through her kind, yet fiery spirit…and her drive for change is one of inspiration and purpose. “I’m driven by a sense of purpose – the desire to see positive impact and to advocate for those who need it most,” she says. Cr Johnson is a firm believer in the power of working together, and her passion lies in helpi
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Businesses in Mackay and the Whitsundays are invited to make a meaningful impact by becoming a ‘Beacon of Hope’ Superhero Sponsor for Broken Ballerina Inc. (BBI). This sponsorship provides essential support for survivors, including Escape Bags, emergency accommodation, and crisis assistance. With no government funding, BBI relies solely on community generosity to continue its impactful work in the region. The sponsorship program features three flexible tiers—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—allo
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Mackay Regional Council has completed works to restore or replace six aged timber bridges in rural areas. The bridges replaced were Palm Tree Creek Bridge (Pinnacle), Ash's Bridge (Devereux Creek), Barren Creek Bridge (Calen), Greens Bridge (Mt Charlton), Old Hampton Road Bridge (Marian) and One Mile Creek Road Bridge (Mount Pelion). All the bridges have been restored to a 44-tonne (T44) loading capacity. The final bridge in the project to be replaced was Barren Creek Bridge, which open
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Mackay Regional Council and Mackay Isaac Tourism have hit the launch button on an “ultimate calendar” for events in the Mackay region. Launched today (Thursday, March 6) at the Mackay Event Connect Networking evening, the new platform, Mackay Events, was met with considerable excitement by local businesses owners, event planners and industry representatives. Mackay Events is a user-friendly platform for managing, promoting and showcasing events in the Mackay region. Mayor Greg Williamso
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To celebrate and acknowledge International Women's Day, Resource Industry Network (RIN) is thrilled to host its annual business lunch to champion inclusivity and gender equity in the workplace. The global theme for International Women’s Day is "Accelerate Action,” focusing on the need to take swift and decisive steps to address the systemic barriers and biases that women face in professional spheres. At the current rate of progress, full gender parity won't be achieved until 2158, about five g
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On 8 June 2005, Community Bank Sarina opened its doors for the very first time – built on the belief that banking should strengthen the community it serves. From day one, their mission was clear: to provide essential banking services while investing in the people, businesses and organisations that make our region thrive. Now, 20 years later, that commitment is stronger than ever. Thanks to Community Bank Sarina’s customers, they have invested over $4 million into local schools, sports c
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The recent monsoon has challenged the growers in the Central region, but our hearts go out to growers across the far north who have borne an immense blow to their crops through fast moving floodwaters. It has been heartening to see the industry come together and rally support for the affected growers, who bore the brunt of the monsoon event across early February. It is positive to see disaster recovery grants made available for growers, with the State and Federal Government making fundin
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Empowering both people and animals, Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) has created an inclusive and welcoming space where growth, compassion, and connection seamlessly intertwine. HPHH is a national not-for-profit that exists to create positive connections between isolated Australians and rescue animals in need. Their focus is to help participants on their journey of change from social isolation to inclusion and wellbeing, supporting people with disabilities, youth at risk, and people with a
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As directors of Macrossan & Amiet Solicitors, Caitlin Roberts and Samantha Sticklan prioritise searching for and achieving the ever-illusive luxuries amounting to the perfect work life balance as a woman in law. “We are represented by a number of talented and committed female directors and solicitors and each member of our team attempts to achieve a work life balance in different ways - the firm tries to support all of our solicitors and staff to achieve this,” explained Caitlin. Under t
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