Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
The Flametree Gathering is set to return in 2025 with a new location, an expanded program, and the same vibrant community spirit that has made it a much-loved event in the Whitsundays. For the first time, the festival will be held at the picturesque Lake Proserpine, offering three days of music, art, wellness, and family-friendly fun from August 29-31. Festival organiser Bronwyn Garland said the move to Lake Proserpine brings a fresh energy to the event. “It’s quite exciting that we’re moving
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One of the Whitsundays’ most cherished community events is back at the Great Barrier Reef Festival (GBRF)! Locals are already preparing their best outfits and teaming up as excitement builds for the Rotary Street Parade, set to light up Airlie Beach Main Street on Saturday, 2 August from 5pm. As a key highlight of the festival, the parade is a colourful, high-energy celebration of creativity, reef life, and community pride. Businesses, schools, community groups and performers will bring the stre
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Art lovers across the region are in for a treat as the Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition returns for its second year, promising a vibrant and inspiring showcase of local creativity. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Whitsunday Sailing Club, the exhibition will run from July 31 to August 4 and feature 78 original artworks created by 61 talented regional artists. With entries spanning painting, sculpture, and photography, each piece draws inspiration from the Reef’s breathtaking m
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Immerse Yourself in a Reef of Art and Imagination The Airlie Beach Foreshore will be transformed into an oceanic dreamscape from 1 to 3 August as the Immerse Art Installation, proudly sponsored by Tassal, makes its return for the Great Barrier Reef Festival. Spanning the length of the foreshore and centred beneath the iconic fig tree, the installation invites festivalgoers to wander through a vibrant, reef-inspired wonderland. Created by local artists using recycled plastics, materials and marin
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Creative students from Proserpine State High School, St Catherine’s Catholic College, and Whitsunday Christian College are invited to enter the 2025 Reeflections Student Art Competition, now open to students in Years 10, 11, and 12. This year’s theme, “Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef – Celebrating Marine Beauty and Conservation,” encourages young artists to explore the natural wonders of the region and express their connection to the reef through original artworks. Finalists will have the
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Airlie Beach will be set aglow next weekend as the annual Coral Sea Marina Lantern Parade returns to the Great Barrier Reef Festival, lighting up the Bicentennial Boardwalk in a vibrant display of colour and creativity. In the lead-up to the event, lantern-making workshops have given families, children and local artists the chance to craft glowing creations from simple materials. These handmade lanterns will form part of a dazzling procession from Coral Sea Marina to the Airlie Beach foreshore.
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Score front-row seats to the GBRF’s most dazzling night of the year. Locals and visitors are invited to soak up the magic of the Great Barrier Reef Festival fireworks aboard the Camira Twilight & Fireworks Cruise, setting sail on Friday, 1 August 2025. This unforgettable evening offers a spectacular vantage point from the water, as Airlie Beach’s night sky explodes in colour. Departing from the Cruise Whitsundays Maritime Terminal at 5:45pm, this exclusive 3-hour cruise aboard the sleek sailing
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Football - Whitsunday United Football Club Friday 25 July 6:00pm: Div 2 Men vs City Brothers FC at City Brothers FC 8:00pm: Div 1 Men vs City Brothers FC at City Brothers FC Saturday 26 July 9:30am: U14 vs Magpies FC at Whitsunday Sportspark 9:30am: U15/16 vs Mackay Lions at Whitsunday Sportspark 11:00am: U13 Div 1 vs Country United FC at Mackay Football Park 11:00am: U13 FQPL vs Mackay Lions at Mackay Football Park 5:00pm: U23 Men vs City Brothers FC at City Brothers FC 7:00pm: Men vs City Bro
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It was another fantastic week at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club, with strong numbers, plenty of visitors from down south, and an exciting new season of Business House Bowls under lights. This time of year always draws bowlers from southern states to our friendly little club, and this week was no exception. Among the many visitors escaping the cold were Greg and Glenys Pepyat from Bright Bowls Club in Victoria, here for their fifth consecutive year; Ken McAllister from Queenscliff Bowls Club, who h
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Unfortunately, the Divisional Men didn’t get to play their scheduled home game as Magpies forfeited. The squad still made the most of the afternoon with a scratch match. U13 Division 1 had a busy weekend. On Saturday, they delivered a dominant 10-0 win over Mackay Dolphins at Jubilee Sports Park. After a tight opening, Logan Prowse broke the deadlock and by halftime the side led 4-0. The second half saw WUFC add six more, with hat-tricks from Logan and Kobi M, a brace from Nick J, and goals fro
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On Saturday 12th July, 19 swimmers swam their hearts out at Cannonvale Cannons SC Winter Meet. With an incredible 106 individual events entered, 72 PB’s were swum, showing our swimmers and families that their hard work at training has certainly paid off. The cheering, support, encouragement and camaraderie from all swimmers was to be commended. Everybody knew the Whitsunday Swimming Club was there. From the grand entrance to the birthday celebrations for George, our swimmers were loud and prou
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A fleet of 17 boats took to the water last Sunday for the annual Warri Cup yacht race, hosted by Abell Point Yacht Club in Airlie Beach, with competitors spread across three divisions and clear winners emerging in each. Sailors were treated to a stunning day, with sunny skies, mild conditions, and a steady breeze — just enough to keep things lively without too much drama. That is, until Malfunction unexpectedly demasted mid-race. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the crew returned safely to
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Airlie Beach welcomed over 700 runners from around the world for the 12th Tassal Airlie Beach Marathon Festival held over July 19–20, with ideal weather helping set new records in all races except the half marathon. The weekend began with the McDonald’s Airlie Beach Foreshore Magic Mile, won by Kirra Hamilton (Urangan) in the women’s category and Nick Mooney (Kiamba) in the men’s. In the North Queensland Championship Marathon, Whitsunday Running Club’s Liv Compton claimed her third consecutive
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The Bowen Polocrosse Club has once again hit the road — and the five-hour journey to Capella proved well worth it. Seven dedicated players made the trek to represent Bowen, with the Bowen 1 side comprising Bryce Watson, Michael and Jesse Foster, Wade Bidgood, Ashlea McConnell, and John Norman. Competing fiercely in the C Grade division, Bowen 1 battled through a series of tough games and were rewarded with a well-deserved C Grade win. While there was plenty of action on the field, some players
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Bowen Bridge Club was abuzz with activity as 78 players from across Queensland and interstate converged for the club’s annual Congress earlier this month. It was a strong showing from the visiting Mackay Bridge Club, with Diane Morgan and Janet Hansen taking out the championship title. Fellow Mackay players Jan Harris and Helen Van der Broek secured the runner-up position, capping off a successful weekend for the club. Local players also had plenty to celebrate, with four Bowen pairs earning p
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The perfect weather conditions on Tuesday brought several players out of the woodwork for a well-contested stableford competition, and the course certainly didn’t disappoint. Elspeth Scotford came agonisingly close to a hole-in-one, striking the pin before sinking a short one-foot putt for birdie — a heart-stopping near miss that drew plenty of attention. Jacqui Wall had a fantastic round to take out the ladies’ competition with 36 points, while Gary Scotford delivered the performance of the d
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It’s been a huge week for the club, both at home and away. Club pairs champions Denise Wallace and Penny Warren travelled to Townsville for the District Club Champion of Champion event, where they won three tight matches to claim the title. They’ll return in August to play the Far North Queensland winners for a spot in the State Finals. Later in the week, Denise, Penny and Tiarna Rogers represented North Queensland in the Northern Women’s Challenge. After nine games over three days, North Quee
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It’s been another action-packed week at Proserpine Golf Club, with strong turnouts and impressive scores across the board. Fixtures – Week Ending 27 July Mon 21/7: Social play Tue 22/7: Stroke / Vets' Closed Championship Wed 23/7: Stroke Thu 24/7: Stableford Fri 25/7: Metropole Hotel 9-Hole Run & Putt for Cash (Draw 4pm, Play 4.30pm) Sat 26/7: Course closed – Ladies’ Pennants Sun 27/7: Ladies’ Pennants (AM), Course reopens 12.30pm for social play Tuesday 15/7 – Stableford Men: Gary Scotford 41
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In the wake of one of Mackay’s darkest weeks — with eight lives tragically lost in traffic crashes in Central Queensland — the community has turned its collective heart toward those who stand on the frontlines, offering comfort, care, and courage in the face of unimaginable grief. From paramedics and police to nurses, doctors, and emergency staff, these everyday heroes hold steady for us amid chaos. As tributes flow in for the victims of last weekend’s tragedies, many residents are also pausing
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There are moments in a newsroom that stop us in our tracks. This past weekend was one of them. In just three devastating days, eight lives were lost on our Central Queensland roads — four of them right here in Mackay, on highways and intersections many of us drive every single day. The ripple of grief has been swift and profound, touching classrooms, workplaces, sports fields, and quiet family kitchens across our region. Three teenagers — full of promise and spirit — were taken in an ins
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Mackay’s City Centre has come alive in spectacular fashion as Daly Bay Illuminate lights up the night. Kicking off on Thursday, July 24, the city has been transformed into a glowing wonderland, with giant amphibian inflatables and large-scale projections showcasing First Nations stories and community artwork. Running nightly from 6pm to 9pm until Sunday, July 27, the vibrant display is turning heads and drawing crowds as part of the 2025 Mackay Festival of Arts. Mayor Greg Williamson sa
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Eight Lives, One Region, And A Community In Mourning What can only be described as a chain of unimaginable tragedy has unfolded across our region, with eight people, including two children and three teenagers, losing their lives in just three days on our Central Queensland roads. Last Friday night, thick fog settled over Mackay as three 19-year-olds — two males and one female — travelled south around 10.40pm on the Mackay Ring Road near Glenella. Initial investigations suggest the green M
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Laffos Bar and Pizzeria has once again served up generosity, raising an impressive $12,730 through its annual Pizza for a Purpose fundraiser in support of local suicide prevention organisation, The Grapevine Group. Owners Nicole and Mark Laffin presented the cheque to Grapevine President Deb Knight yesterday, marking the fourth consecutive year the family-run business has backed the organisation’s vital mental health education and support initiatives across the Mackay region. Held each J
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By Andrew Willcox, Member for Dawson This week marked the first sitting of Federal Parliament since the May election, and as the Member for Dawson, I’ve been in Canberra raising the concerns of our region. Thank you to everyone who shares their stories with me — your lived experiences shape the fight I take to Parliament. During the election campaign, the Prime Minister told voters “all you need is a green card” and claimed only Labor could deliver cost-of-living relief, while warning th
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For me, safety in our homes, neighbourhoods, and community has always been my paramount priority. Over the years, we’ve invested in secure streets, strong support networks, and educational initiatives to protect what matters most—our families. But in today’s world, a new frontier of safety has emerged—one that we can’t lock behind a door or fence: digital safety. As screens become ever-present and technology weaves deeper into our lives, the risks are no longer just about online scams or expos
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