Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Pauline Hanson And Julie Hall Advocate For Local Communities From addressing common electoral issues to confronting topics often deemed "controversial" by critics, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party continues to be a vocal advocate for what it sees as the pressing concerns of everyday Australians. The party has made a name for itself by tackling issues that many believe are overlooked by the major political parties, positioning itself as a defender of traditional values and fair working class.
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Mackay Athletics Club made a strong showing at the Athletics North Queensland (ANQ) Championships held at the Townsville Sports Precinct from Friday, September 27 to Sunday, September 29. This year’s event was the largest on record, drawing 722 athletes from across Australia, with competitors ranging from Under 5 to Masters, and participating in a full program of track and field events. Among Mackay’s standout performances was Toby Rule, who defended his title by going back-to-back in the presti
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BB Print has thrown its support behind regional sport and entertainment by signing a major sponsorship deal. Mackay Regional Council and BB Print Pty Ltd have signed off on a four-year agreement to cement the naming rights of Mackay’s 12,000-capacity stadium. Mayor Greg Williamson said with naming rights of the Stadium Mackay expiring on August 18 this year, council invited tenders for the rights on June 14, 2024. “It was tremendous to see BB Print once again step up and back our regional stadiu
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The Mackay Spine Care Chiropractic Benita Willis 10km Handicap Event was won by an elated Werner Van der Linde, despite the steamy and humid conditions at the Bluewater Lagoon Parklands. Nearly fifty competitors, supporters, and generous sponsors participated in the final handicap points race of the Mackay Road Runners’ 2024 formal program. The Mackay Spine Care Chiropractic Team, including Doctors George, Ryan, Matt, Alicia, and Onyx, joined members and day runners in competing for the prestig
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Blokart enthusiasts are gearing up for a "wheelie" exciting event as the 12th and 13th of October race days at Cape Hillsborough fast approach! Competitors from across the country are fine-tuning their wind-powered rigs, racing against time and each other to take full advantage of the stunning coastal conditions of the Mackay region next month. This exhilarating sport takes the principles of yacht racing and applies them to three-wheeled karts, propelled by the wind across the hard, sandy str
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Four members have travelled to New Zealand to play in the 2024 New Zealand Bridge Congress. They will be competing in the pairs and team events. We wish them all the very best in a tough field of approximately 600 competitors. Weekly Results Monday 23 September 2024 – 7 Table One Winner Green Points 1st Debra Goodchild / Geoff Taylor 2nd David Ting / Eric Goodchild 3rd Griffin Bancroft / Sandy Ford 4th Edward Kliese / Diane Stokes 5th Helen Van Den Broek / Jan Harris 6th Ming Ting / Pamela Fi
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The Rumble on the Reef Wakeboard Championships brought an electrifying showcase of talent to Mackay this week, with top athletes from around the world hitting the water at Wake House Australia. The three-day competition, part of the broader Rumble on the Reef Festival, drew competitors from across Australia, ranging from grassroots participants to professional-level riders. Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson, who attended the event, expressed pride in the calibre of talent on display. "This year, we’
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Once a year Mackay Table Tennis players get to battle it out on the table at the Mackay Closed tournament. For the first time, this event was held over one day of intense play which tested not only the ability to play to a high standard but to endure the 12 hours of gameplay for some. Club president Janice Kent congratulated everyone for their participation. What other sport can you have players from the age of 9 years to 80+ years playing in the same tournament? 2024 Champions Womens Open
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The Proserpine Entertainment Centre hosted the elegant and colourful 2024 Mayor’s Charity Ball over the weekend. Over 200 people attended the evening, and it was a night of delicious food, generous fundraising and merriment. Mayor Ry Collins selected two charities this year, BMA CQ Rescue and Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network (WSPN), two charities that do important life-saving work in our region. Over $60,000 was raised for these great charities through ticket sales, raffles, and an aucti
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The Collinsville Men’s Shed could get an upgrade if plans to enhance its facilities with a proposed $400,000 extension go ahead. Under the leadership of Club President Philip Higham, the shed has served as a vital gathering place for local residents since its inception eight years ago. Higham, who has been president for five years, emphasises the shed's role as a sanctuary where members can engage in meaningful projects, vent their frustrations, and foster camaraderie. The shed is known for its
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Hi Everyone, Over the weekend I had the honour of listening to Matt Stokes from Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network (WSPN) speak to an audience of over 200 people at the Mayor’s Charity Ball. He was on stage to thank the Mayor and attendees for donating half of the proceeds of the ball to WSPN, but his message was so much bigger than that. The suicide rates in Australia are heartbreaking to witness and one so recently here in our own community was undoubtedly on the minds of many as they
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Meet Darcy, a kind-hearted gentleman who generously donates his homegrown pumpkins to the Proserpine Community Centre for those in need. In today’s world, fresh and healthy food can be a luxury, and sometimes, just one pumpkin can make a huge difference in someone’s day. Ingrid Ruck, coordinator of Proserpine community centre commented on how amazing Darcy had been for the centre: “He is well respected within our community, and I think he has been overwhelmed with the response.” Many community m
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The search for missing man, Joel Pringle, sadly came to an end when his body was discovered last week. The 40-year-old man was last seen on Monday 19 August at 4.30pm at the Lagoon in Airlie Beach and, when he did not return home, was soon reported missing. A massive search ensued with emergency service personnel and dozens of regular people all involved in a desperate effort to bring him home alive. Teams of people scoured the areas he was known to frequent by land and by air, but there was
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Congratulations to Steve Pilcher from Pilcher’s Mitre 10 Bowen who won the Mackay and Whitsunday Life 2024 NRL Footy Competition. It was an extremely close contest, with Steve winning by just one point with 132 points and Bruce Spannagle from the Metropole Hotel in Proserpine and Stacey Gerhart from Leader Group in joint second place with 131 points each. Steve said he has been watching football on and off his whole life and his knowledge of football plus checking weekly stats helped him reac
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4-year-old Theo Large is described as an easy-going and fun-loving kid, who always has a bright smile on his face. Sadly, little Theo’s life changed on the 14th August 2024, when he was diagnosed with Childhood Leukaemia. Theo was taken to the Proserpine Hospital on 14 August, as it was clear to his parents something wasn't quite right. He was taken by ambulance to Mackay hospital that evening. Theo was then flown to Brisbane by Life Flight on the 15th of August and his treatment began at the Qu
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Equipped with all-new, state-of-the-art facilities, the brand-new Airlie Beach Fire Station has opened its doors and is ready to serve its community members. The stunning new space has replaced the older and smaller station that was located in Jubilee Pocket, near PCYC. With Airlie Beach’s continued population growth, the decision to upgrade and expand the local fire station was in order to better help serve the community, with the old station having been in operation for the past 45 years. Fou
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Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm MP is calling on Whitsunday residents frustrated with the lack of decent boating infrastructure in our region to have their say and register their support for boat ramp upgrades. “We have the highest boat ownership per capita in the state and our boating infrastructure is not sufficient to meet demand,” Ms Camm stated. “And the infrastructure we do have is not only under par but in some cases dangerous. “Shute Harbour boat ramp is a prime example of a gover
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Last week in this newspaper we incorrectly stated that Julie Hall ran against Amanda Camm in the last state election. Please note, this information was incorrect. Julie Hall in fact ran for the One Nation Party in the Federal election. We apologise to Ms Hall and look forward to featuring more about her current election bid as a candidate for the role of Member of the Whitsundays in the upcoming state election due to be held on October 26th.
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Eurovision, America’s Got Talent and The Voice (Australia) superstar Johnny Manuel joins the Whitsundays Songwriter Festival. Johnny Manuel has an impressive 20-year career as a singer, songwriter and musician, and we get to see his skills here in the Whitsundays. He has recently performed for United States President Joe Biden in New York City and, has appeared on America’s Got Talent, The Voice Australia and Eurovision, honing his skills and building an international fan base along the way.
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Direct flights from Adelaide to the Whitsunday’s started earlier this month, and the flight path has been an instant success. In just two hours and 20 minutes people from Adelaide can get to the region, whereas previously visitors would have to catch a connecting flight, equalling approximately an eight-hour journey. CEO of Whitsunday Coast Airport Craig Turner said the new route is making it much easier for people from Adelaide to get here to the Whitsundays and beyond. “For a long time, it
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Skytrans Airline has been operating a flight from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Cairns for over two years and they want more people to know about it. Why fly south and spend up to six hours in transit, when in just 1 hour and 25 minutes you can get from the Whitsundays to Cairns, and still enjoy that wonderful tropical weather? Whitsundays to Cairns is over 600 kilometres and a takes several hours to drive, which is a long drive and too long for some. The direct flight from Whitsundays to Cair
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Earlier this month Paige and I attended ‘Love Letter to Queensland’ a heartwarming event at the Coral Sea Resort Hotel as part of the Whitsundays Writers Festival. This special celebration honoured the Queensland writing competition that captured what makes our state truly remarkable. The atmosphere was filled with romance and country pride as we settled in to hear the inspiring words of our speakers. The event boasted a diverse lineup of special guests, each contributing their unique perspect
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Many will know that the Proserpine Community Centre does a lot of great things for the community and recently the Centre has been busy cultivating a wonderful garden for everyone to enjoy. Five dedicated volunteers, have come together to transform the space into a beautiful retreat and learning ground for the community. The project has involved volunteers clearing ground, constructing garden beds and planning and creating a herb garden and garden shed. Coordinator of the Proserpine Community Cen
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It’s been another busy time for businesses in the region, with a number of regional events wrapping up and school holidays upon us. While business owners are constantly dealing in 'the now', we also need to keep an eye on 'the future'. With the Queensland State Election on our doorstep, the Chamber will soon issue our State Election Statement that reflects the critical priorities our members want to see addressed. We have invited Chamber members to share their view, and provide impact example
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Whitsunday Regional Libraries is now part of the North Queensland Network for BorrowBox, giving our library patrons access to an even larger collection of eAudiobook and eBook titles! Whether you're into the latest bestsellers, classic literature, or informative non-fiction, there's something for everyone. Library membership is free, and with just your library card, you can start exploring this vast digital library from the comfort of your home. Download the Whitsunday Regional Libraries app or
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