Ensure the kids are kept entertained these school holidays, with a host of fun and exciting activities across the region. > ARTSPACE MACKAY Artspace Mackay will be closed Monday, December 4, to early May, 2024 for critical facility maintenance works. Dudley Denny City Library will host Artspace Mackay pop-up during this time. Due to the closure, no school holiday activities will be held. > LIBRARIES LIBRARY KIDS CLUB (FIVE TO 12 YEARS) Until Wednesday, January 31 Sign up for Library Kids Club an
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Friday 15 December Mackay Show Association Christmas Mega Markets Friday Evening 5pm – 8pm Market & food stalls, special appearance by Santa, ham raffles. | $2 per person Mackay Showgrounds Friday Night Live Music Every Friday from 5pm Join us on Friday’s from 5pm for live music from our local favourites, good food and great company. | Free entry. Boomerang Hotel Christmas Holiday Kids Crafts Friday 15 December | 10am – 2pm Join Santa’s Elves and make your very own Christmas holiday craft
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It is the best of times, it is the worst of times in this city as we head into the Christmas period. With apologies to Charles Dickens, Mackay is a tale of two cities. The first tale of our city is a great story about home owners and how their investment is experiencing strong growth. After a horrible downturn from 2013 to about 2018, Mackay property prices are solidly and consistently growing. Prices continued to grow this year and the market is reflecting the energetic economy that is keepin
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I’ve had that song stuck in my head for a while now! But really, Hi, it’s me, your old friend! I’ve been living under a motherhood rock for the past 12 months, but I’ll be back on air on Star 101.9 bright and early in January. I actually cannot believe we are already talking about January 2024! Time is flying by. I feel there is something about saying ‘time is flying by’ that means you’re getting older. I would have heard my parents and grandparents say ‘time flies’ so many times over
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The image of the man, woman and baby in the darkened stable has a powerful hold on people’s imaginations. Why? Maybe because so many can identify with someone huddled in darkness, turned away from the inn, apart from family. How many feel displaced, not ‘at home’ in their surroundings? How many suffer the darkness of loneliness, betrayal and rejection? How many dwell in the shadow of illness and grief? How many live, as first-time parents, with self-doubt and anxiety about the future for the
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Crediton Hall Recreation Club (CHRC) and Provisional School celebrated their 80th anniversary last month, with a nostalgic and reminiscent event. Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson attended to address the attendees. CHRC provided a glorious spread of food, as well as a celebration cake for dessert. Many attendees camped overnight, enjoying a firepit and games for the children to play. The event also saw a Rolling Raffle, and past residents sharing their stories and photos from over
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No matter who you are, or where you’re from, you’ve probably heard “Jingle Bells” at least once. Some people love to blast carols in the car as early as November, and others can be less enthusiastic. No matter which side of the fence you sit on, Christmas carols are an iconic celebration of the season that fit perfectly alongside the tree that finds itself a staple in the homes of so many. Christmas carols have deep roots in cultural and religious traditions. The first carol believed to have b
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Christmas is a time to stop work, rest awhile, and turn to God. The good news of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, is a message of great joy for everyone: for you and for me. This Christmas, find your local church, attend a Christmas service, hear the good news, give your heart to Jesus, and donate to a Christmas appeal. The Journey to Bethlehem movie is showing in cinemas now. The miracle of the survival of Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, shows us God’s determination to be with us in
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Pioneer Valley Cricket Club have staked an early claim for the Mackay Cricket Association Division One Twenty20 Shootout championship title. The undefeated Valley X1 launched their series campaign last week with three impressive victories in the 20 overs format and lead the competition on 18 points. Norths Devils and the Magpies are in second and third spots respectively on 12 points after each registering two wins from three fixtures completed. Gun all-rounder Cody Filewood is the Valley’s c
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By Chris Karas Life is rewarding for Mackay’s emerging rugby league playmaker Adam McSherry. The fifteen-year-old St Patrick’s College student capped a memorable 2023 when he received the Caleb Woodland Memorial Award for the dedication and courage shown during an eventful campaign this season. McSherry accepted the trophy at the Junior Sports Award ceremony staged at the College’s Mercy campus from graduating St Patrick’s student and Queensland Schoolboys hooker Xavier Kerrisk. It has been
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Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club recently travelled to Alva Beach, Ayr to compete in the North Barrier Branch Champion Lifesaver Carnival. The event involves lifesavers being assessed on their surf sports fitness, patient assessment and CPR skills, as well as a detailed theory paper. Mackay SLSC Director of Surf Sports, Josh Grant said, “This competition is extremely important in developing the skills of our lifesavers. “These are the people who patrol our beaches and are there for the community to
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Mackay Tennis Association recently concluded its latest season of fixtures for 2023, rounding out a memorable list of centenary celebrations for the club. In Division 1, 'Team Federer' emerged as the champions in a closely contested and very competitive fixture season. Congratulations to Troy, Adam, Shane, Lexi, Clem and Bree whose consistency over the season saw them defeat ‘Team Djokovic’ by a solitary point to claim the honours. Meanwhile, 'Wanderers' combined to win the Division 2 champions
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Harrup Park and the Great Barrier Reef Arena are delighted to announce the inaugural Great Barrier Reef Arena Gift, scheduled to captivate Mackay on the 23rd of March 2024. This annual event will bring together some of Australia's top running talent, showcasing their prowess in nine exhilarating races spanning genders, ages, and distances in a celebration of athleticism and community spirit. The races will take place on the newly completed Great Barrier Reef Arena grass track, continuing the
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The Mackay Contract Bridge Club held its annual Christmas Party last Saturday. A delicious meal was catered by our own Janelle Conroy and her many helpers, with everyone enjoying the meats, salads, desserts and morning tea. Bridge was played by 63 members and partners, with merriment and fun had by all. Director Geoff Taylor made the Christmas Pudding and Christmas Cake, not only a Congress Director, teacher and mentor to many, a man of many talents. Raffle winners went home with a selection of
Read moreProserpine Cricket Club have extended their winning streak in the 2023-24 Mackay Junior Cricket Association Under 15 Mixed Division A competition. The all-conquering Pitbulls had too many big guns for the combined Pioneer Valley/Norths X1 at Abbott Park – chalking up a ninth consecutive victory to push their claims for the title. Promising all-rounder Joshua Geisler top scored with 40 as Proserpine posted 6-174 off their 25 overs with support from Malaki Gabey (32 not out), Lachlan Riley (20),
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Growing a passion for innovation and mining careers for the next generation
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Bowen Community Centre is now officially open, with a special ceremony taking place last week. In attendance were Member for Burdekin Dale Last, and Minister for Communities Leeanne Enoch, alongside local Councillors Jan Clifford and Michelle Wright. The ceremony boasted more than an additional 30 attendees, with the Bowen Community Centre facilities officially opened. The Centre is a purpose-built facility, and includes a large kitchen, meeting spaces and offices. The new building cost $4.3 m
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Hi Everyone, Have you decided what you’re going to give this Christmas? I’m not talking presents to loved ones (or yourself!), I’m talking about giving back, doing something for someone less fortunate. Two years ago, I purchased a toy and gave it to Whitsunday Counselling and Support to go towards a family escaping domestic violence. I asked my son to choose the present and told him to make it something he would really like himself. I then explained that we would be giving it away to a boy
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When Nadine Little’s daughter and husband visited Woolworths in Cannonvale a few weeks ago, they were surprised by the generosity of the grocery store’s staff. Oceana, Nadine’s daughter, brought home a massive box of goodies, including sweet treats, an advent calendar, seafood sauce, a ham bag, and even a Naughty Elf figurine. Oceana was even instructed to make sure to ask her family if they’d like to share the unexpected surprise. Turning to Facebook, Nadine’s post attracted many other commu
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The highly anticipated refurbishment of the Airlie Beach Boardwalk is complete, with the section between Pinnacles Resort and the VMR now upgraded to similar standards as the Coral Sea Marina section. For 13 weeks, Stage 2 of this refurbishment was undertaken, in order to reinvigorate the boardwalk and meet the demand and expectations of residents and visitors who regularly use the boardwalk. The project included widening the boardwalk by one metre, in order to increase user capacity and allevi
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This week marks the official end of the 2023 crushing season of Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Proserpine Mill. Group Manager Operations James Wallace said the last cane was crushed at 4.24pm on Saturday 9 December. “We processed just over 1.7 million tonnes of sugarcane for the season, to manufacture about 240,000 tonnes of raw sugar,” Mr Wallace said. “I’d like to thank all of our Proserpine employees for their hard work in processing this year’s crop. They’ve put in a stellar effort and shou
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Bowen’s claim to fame is back on the big screen, with Baz Lurhermann’s Australia being reimagined into a new six-part miniseries, called Faraway Downs. The 2008 movie was filmed in Bowen, and pushed our small regional town into global stardom, with many local icons and personalities playing keys roles in the blockbuster film. The Faraway Downs series features 2.1 metres of film that the original movie’s director, Baz Lurhmann, had kept in his possession and has not been seen until now. Mana
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It was a weekend of a lifetime for Robert Hendrickson at the Airlie Beach Festival of Music. More affectionally known as Robbie, he was tasked with an important job for the festival, as an Accessibility Ambassador at the Main Tent, greeting people as they entered. Robbie is part of Endeavour Foundation, who partnered with the Airlie Beach Festival of Music to sponsor an elevated accessibility platform for individuals of various abilities to be able to view the main stage from a great vantage p
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Budget airline Bonza has once again cancelled a range of services, including the scheduled launch of the new Whitsunday Coast Airport to the Gold Coast route. Now postponed for the second time, Bonza reasons the delay due to the “regulatory process for the new aircraft joining the fleet,” as explained by Tim Jordan, CEO of Bonza. “As we’ve previously shared, in the short term we will use an aircraft leased from our partner Flair at our Gold Coast base whilst we recruit Aussie crew for this thir
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Whitsunday region locally grown produce has travelled onto the international centre stage, with the ‘Taste of Queensland’ Agricultural Trade delegation. Travelling to Japan just over a week ago, the delegation was led by Queensland Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Mark Furner and included horticultural growers from across North Queensland. Ry Collins, Chief Executive Officer of Bowen Gumlu Growers Association, was a member of the delegation and commented, "This delegation has been a phenomen
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