The Mackay Regional Council has approved the development application for a new McDonald’s in Sarina, with Mayor Greg Williamson casting the deciding vote following a robust debate. Speaking after the decision, Mayor Williamson said, “It was called to make a final decision on the development application for McDonald’s in Sarina. “After a robust debate, I used my casting vote to actually approve the development application for McDonald’s in Sarina.” The Mayor highlighted the economic bene
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Rick Price Performs For A Purpose Australian music icon Rick Price lit up the stage at Souths Leagues Club last Thursday night, performing to a lively crowd in support of Mackay-based domestic violence charity, Broken Ballerina Inc. The performance was part of Price’s Tamborine Mountain 30th Anniversary Tour, celebrating three decades since the release of his much-loved album. In a gesture that struck a powerful chord with the community, $10 from every Mackay ticket and $5 from each Bowe
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Locals are invited to come together for a free community BBQ celebrating International Men’s Day as a chance to connect, enjoy a great lunch, and raise awareness about men’s health and wellbeing. The event will be held on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, from 11am to 2pm at 160 Boundary Road, Ooralea, and promises to be a relaxed and welcoming afternoon for all ages. Guests can enjoy a complimentary BBQ lunch, fun giveaways, and free blood pressure checks. It’s also a great opportunity for m
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Meet our pet of the week - Kobe. Kobe is an 11 month old American Staffordshire X, who is looking for his forever home. Kobe loves to be around his people, loves to walk and run to burn off all his extra energy —and then cherishes curling up beside you at the end of the day. Kobe is still a young pup who will need ongoing training, but lucky for his new family, he has mastered the basics already. He lives up to his breed with excitement, but his big smile and warm heart truly make Kobe
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At Poetry In Print The Poetry in Print curation team is proud to present a bold new initiative that brings together the rhythmic pulse of poetry and the tactile beauty of printmaking in a celebration of creative dialogue and community storytelling. This unique project pairs nine poets from Mackay Poetry Slam with eleven printmakers from Printbank Mackay, exploring the alchemy that occurs when word meets image. The project began with a live warm-up session, where each poet presented two or
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Friday 14th November Weekend Fun & Beer Garden Opening At The Boomerang Hotel Friday – Sunday The Boomerang Hotel has unveiled its refreshed beer garden, a vibrant new space for locals to eat, drink, and connect year-round. Celebrate the opening with welcome weekend events from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 November, including live music, kids’ activities, roving canapés, raffles, and giveaways! The Boomerang Hotel Crochet & Conversation 9am Drop in for a relaxed morning of crocheting,
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Protein, Creatine And The Cognitive Edge By Michael James – Fitness Industry Professional, Facility Owner & Wellness Coach Training is only half the story. The other half — the part that often makes or breaks your results — is nutrition. What you put into your body determines how well you recover, how much energy you have, and even how sharp your brain feels day to day. At Fitness Cartel Mackay, we’ve made this a priority by including a café stocked with protein shakes, supplements, and t
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RUNNING The second event in the 2025/2026 Shawn’s Summer Splash n Dash Biathlon Series got off to a great start on Sunday, with milder temperatures making for pleasant conditions on the run course before competitors hit the pool for the final leg. Around 30 runners, swimmers, and supporters turned out to enjoy the relaxed, social atmosphere of the series, now in its second season as a biathlon. The event evolved from the long-running Shawn’s Summer Series, which was a running-only event
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Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club recently hosted the 35th annual North Australian Titles, which saw over 1000+ lifesavers, water safety, carnival officials and spectators descend on Mackay’s beautiful Harbour Beach. The Mackay hosts did exceedingly well in the region, beating fellow clubs Eimeo and Sarina, as well as outperforming large clubs from around the state. The club had some outstanding achievements placing 5th overall, with strong performances in marquee events such as the Lifesaver r
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With North Mackay Bowls Club The long awaited final of the Mixed Fours was played at the club on Friday Afternoon 7th Nov 2025. What promised to be a very intense and well played out final met all expectations. The team ofDave McKendry, Carmel Bell, Ken Rix and Pam Spencer came out flying with a determined game plan, to win and they certainly carried that throughout the entire game. A massive congratulations go to them as this years Mixed Fours winners. Runners up Chris Banney, Les McDermott,
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Women's Social Smash is Here! Swing Into Summer with the new social cricket competition that’s all about fun, friends, and fitness! Never played? No worries! This is a stress-free, soft-ball game for women of all ages and abilities where everyone gets a go and no one's out! It’s a perfect opportunity to get a workplace team together for a bit of fun, while looking after staff moral and wellbeing. The Details: Starts: Monday, 17th November 2025, 4 weeks only Game Time: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
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Mackay Table Tennis Fixture Results - 28th October 2025 Evening Fixtures Division 1: Eagles (Emma Widdup, Josh Brown) def Barra (Barry Patterson, Andrea Nicholson, Lee Brake) 6-5 with Emma and Josh making a awesome come back from 2 sets down to win 11-8 in 5th Set over Andrea and Graham D. Fish (Steve Whiting, Trent Day, Graeme Walker) def Jaguar (Anne Sheridan, Geoff Cowan, Neil Brown) 8-3. Graeme W and Geoff had a tough battle with the leads changing all the time with Graeme winning in the
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At Mackay Contract Bridge Club As the Bridge year gets closer to the end of the year, the Mackay Bridge Club gets very busy. Melbourne Cup Day saw Fifty-Eight players celebrate the “Race that Stops the Nation” with great Bridge, Sweeps, Fashions on the Field and a magnificent Lunch. Great fun was had by all. The weekend was the third week of the Presidents Trophy, with players playing with a different partner each week to be eligible for the Trophy. Forty-Six players vied for the Presidents Tro
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Bowen’s Youngest Residents Celebrated At Annual Baby Welcoming Ceremony Under clear spring skies, Bowen families gathered at Hansen Park for a heartwarming celebration — the 2025 Baby Welcoming Ceremony. This cherished tradition, now more than 20 years strong, brought together 30 proud families to honour their newest arrivals, from tiny newborns to curious near-one-year-olds. Mayor Ry Collins praised the “spectacular spring morning” and the incredible sense of community on display, commending t
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Hi Everyone, Many of you will know that my love for the environment inspired me to create Ruth2Reef, a column dedicated to showcasing ways we can protect it. That’s why, when I came to write this week’s article about the Ngaro Track on page four, I found myself at something of a crossroad. The new trail is an incredible addition, a 32 km hike across awe-inspiring Whitsunday Island, all while promoting what it claims to be, which is 'ecotourism.' I love hiking and I am always keen to discover n
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Last Wednesday, November 5th was another big day for MRQ Whitsunday who came to the aid of a stranded boatie at Little Black Reef. The 5.5-metre cabin cruiser, with two people on board, had broken down early in the morning when the call came through to Bill, the team’s 24/7 communications officer. Without hesitation, the crew rallied, with skipper and volunteers heading to Coral Sea Marina to prepare the rescue vessel. Nat was first on scene to begin prep work, while Rodney and the skipper dep
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Around 50 people attended the Remembrance Day Service in Cannonvale this Tuesday 11 November. The service opened with a welcome from the President of Airlie Beach RSL Club Dianne Trueman, followed by a short address and prayer led by Father Andy Wilson. Father Wilson reflected on the anniversary of the end of World War I, honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those wounded in battle, and those who continue to bear the emotional scars of war. Attendees joined together in the Prayer o
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Yet The New 32-Kilometre Hiking Trail Sparks Debate By Ruth Puddefoot Discover the real Whitsundays Island on a brand new long-distance hiking trail Stretching 32 km along the southern end of Whitsunday Island, the brand-new Ngaro Track offers spectacular vistas, ever-changing scenery, and a connection between two iconic destinations: Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet. Visitors can explore the island’s remote interior and even camp overnight at bespoke campsites. Offering both guided and self-gui
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By Daniel Heggie Residents of the Whitsundays may have spotted a newer, cleaner, sleeker looking ambulance rolling through town during the last few weeks, as the Whitsunday Ambulance Station gains a brand new Ambulance. Acting Officer in Charge of the station Erin Maree Saltmarsh said that the fellow officers have been loving it, and despite it being at the station for four weeks, this week was the first time she had time to properly take a look at it, due to constantly being used on jobs.
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The Bowen Mural at Front Beach and beside the Little Mango the Information Centre is complete. Artist Glen Gillard said he has completed the 'book ends' of a mural piece which includes old drawings of buildings on Herbert Street in Bowen. The latest artworks depict the School of Arts and the Town Hall both once prominent landmarks along Herbert Street. Glen explained that The School of Arts was badly damaged in the 1958 cyclone and later demolished, while the Town Hall, built in 1890, was des
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Whitsunday residents now have another way to fly directly from the region to Cairns — and the new connection is already proving a hit with travellers on both sides of the reef. A new direct flight between Cairns and Hamilton Island has officially taken off, reconnecting two of Queensland’s most iconic Great Barrier Reef destinations for the first time since the pandemic and opening the door for more Cairns visitors to explore the Whitsundays. The inaugural East Air service departed Cairns Airpo
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The businesses operating from Cumberland House in Cannonvale have combined fronts and united in the spirit of Christmas and gift-giving, to support the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre's annual Toy Drive. Cumberland House contains three local businesses, Whitsunday Law, Accountancy Plus and Queensland Sotheby's International Realty. What started as a casual conversation between businesses has quickly turned into a full-scale festive effort, with the team setting up a giving tree in their foyer
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The Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre has launched its 2025 Community Toy Drive, celebrating nine years of spreading Christmas cheer through its Free Christmas Pop-Up Shop. The initiative ensures every local child has a gift under the tree, with 62 families and 230 children supported last year. Businesses and community groups are invited to join by setting up a Giving Tree in their workplace or running staff-led collections. Donated new, unwrapped toys must be delivered to the Centre by Wednesday
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Tourism in Bowen was in the spotlight at the Bowen Uniting Church Friendship Club meeting last week. Manager of Bowen Tourism and Business, Leanne Abernethy was the guest speaker, invited to explain the role of the Local Tourism Organisation. Leanne was invited by Anne Steen, who helps with the club’s activities and is also a volunteer at the visitor information booth at Bowen’s Front Beach. Leanne highlighted the record number of visitors at the Bowen Visitor Information Centre and gave membe
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Cannon Valley’s Eloise Chegwidden has done her hometown and school proud, achieving remarkable success at the School Sport Australia National Swimming Championships in Ballarat, Victoria. The 10-year-old St Catherine’s Catholic College student, who trains with the Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club, earned her spot on the Queensland Representative School Sports team after medaling in two events at the State Championships held in Brisbane earlier this year. Representing Queensland on the national
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