Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
The Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation (QATSIF) extends a warm congratulations to students from Sarina State High School, who have now joined an outstanding collective of 4290 QATSIF students. QATSIF provides educational scholarships to assist Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The foundation also funds $500 each semester across Years 11 and 12 to assist with essential educational costs such as school fees, uniforms, excursions, subject levies an
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In just 24 hours, Eva, a tiny, frightened kitten, has shown a remarkable, yet rapid transformation in character and health after arriving at Mackay Pet Rescue Inc. On arrival, Eva was extremely lethargic and weighed only 364 grams, raising high concerns among the staff and volunteers, which prompted preparations to implement fading kitten protocols - a last resort for kittens in critical condition. Despite her chronological age of five-weeks-old, she remained the size of a three-week-old kitten,
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If it’s pink, you are in luck, and tonight is your night to shine. Tonight is a massive night for sporting fans in Mackay. It’s a night to get your pink on and have some loud fun at Mackay Basketball on Juliet Street because our top-level competition, the NBL1 North comp starts up, and tonight is the night you don’t want to miss. Our Meteors and Meteorettes start their 2024 campaign against Townsville, and we want to fill the stadium, make more noise than ever before, and start the year off in
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You don’t hear the term “Chinaman” much these days. It was fairly common some decades ago in Australia and you used to hear it in Hollywood Westerns, usually describing some poor old pony-tailed gold-fossicker from the Orient. It was a dismissive term with racist undertones/overtones and has largely disappeared from the language. Serious cricket fans will also be familiar with the term “chinaman”, a word formerly used to describe a “googly” or “wrong-un” delivered by a left-arm spin bowler. The
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With Artspace Mackay’s annual Rock, Paper, Scissors Art and Design Market taking a hiatus in 2024, Wisely Wine and Food Day is set to welcome an influx of creative exhibitors. Artspace Mackay Director Tracey Heathwood said this year, the team would focus their efforts on professional development programs for local artists and artisans. “By investing in professional development opportunities for our local artists and artisans in the off year, we hope to attract a larger number of unique, high qu
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Kucom Theatre recently welcomed a new management committee last month on Tuesday March 26 at its AGM. Outgoing President Bronwyn Grannall paid tribute to two valued Kucom members; Life Member and past President Joe Clutterbuck, and former Patron and Honorary Member Kevin Casey, both of whom passed away within the past few months. 2023 Committee members were recognised for their hard work and dedication during the year along with the individual donors and corporate sponsors who had made it possi
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The winner of the 2024 BMA River 2 Reef Ride Youth Art Competition was the talented Naiya Luczynski from Moranbah State High School. Her captivating design, inspired by the diverse landscapes of Mackay, won the hearts of both event followers and the community. Alongside Naiya, finalists Amelia Webber from Holy Spirit College Mackay and Abbie Boulton from Sarina State High School were also recognised for their exceptional designs. Naiya shared her inspiration behind the design, stating, "My de
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By Hannah McNamara On May 18, a candle lighting vigil will be held, in honour and remembrance of the lives of those who were devastatingly taken in an abrupt act of domestic and family violence. Broken Ballerina Inc will hold the special event at Eimeo Surf club by the beach, commencing from 5pm, gathering locals, supporters and survivors alike to pay respects to the innocent lives that were cut short in an attempt to raise awareness of the rising issue. Broken Ballerina Inc is a non-for-pr
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Get ready to ride the waves of excitement at the upcoming River of Life Festival! Scheduled for April 20th from 11 am to 11 pm, this free community event promises a day packed with fun and entertainment for all ages. With 28 fantastic acts lined up across three vibrant stages, the festival will showcase the incredible talents of local performers. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Mackay’s sparkling blue Pioneer River and utilising the newly developed Waterfront Precinct, attendees can loo
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Sarina Sugar Shed. Photos by The Wilde Collective
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The next phase of the exciting Woodlands District Park project in Andergrove is about to begin. Vassallo Constructions on behalf of Mackay Regional Council, will start construction on phase two of the Woodlands District Park project in mid-April, weather permitting. The first phase of stage one has recently been completed and included drainage improvements, path construction barbecue facilities and lighting. Phase two will see a 300-metre multipurpose track and public toilets installed, alon
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Queenslanders can now book in for a free flu vaccination ahead of the 2024 flu season. From 1 January to 24 March, there have been more than 7,000 flu cases reported, with 713 admitted to hospital. To combat this, the State Government is backing free flu vaccinations in 2024, as part of a $40 million commitment to ease pressure on hospital emergency departments this flu season. The peak season for influenza varies from year to year, but typically starts in May and lasts until around October,
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We slap them on our wrists, clip them to our chests, or weave them into our workouts. Wearable fitness trackers and smartwatches have become a ubiquitous part of the Aussie fitness scene. But beyond counting steps and monitoring heart rate, how can we truly harness the power of these devices to smash our fitness goals? Level Up Your Training: Many wearables offer advanced metrics like VO2 Max (a measure of cardiovascular fitness) and recovery time. Use these to personalize your workouts. Push yo
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North Queensland's wet season paints the rainforest a lush green, but it also brings an unwelcome guest – ticks. These tiny bloodsuckers can transmit serious illnesses like Rickettsia and Queensland tick typhus. With increased tick activity during the wet months, here's how to stay safe while exploring those tropical trails. Become Tick-Savvy: Not all ticks carry diseases, but it's best to err on the side of caution. Learn to identify common North Queensland tick species. The paralysis tick, wit
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Mackay Indoor Pickleball club held a very successful inaugural Pickleball Competition throughout the Easter Weekend. It was held at McDonald's Multi-sports Stadium nd welcomed players from near and far. The event consisted of both local players, as well as visitors from across Townsville, Home Hill, Bowen, Whitsundays, Rockhampton, Brisbane and even California. The competition was friendly and social but undoubtedly very intense, with a focus solely on competitions with men’s and women’s doubles
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In a gripping round of rugby league action, the Mackay Cutters faced formidable challenges across divisions. The Hostplus Cup clash against the Townsville Blackhawks showcased a fiercely contested battle at Jack Manski Oval. With an early lead courtesy of Ross Bella's third-minute try, the Cutters traded blows with the Blackhawks throughout the first half. Townsville responded with a four-pointer in the 15th minute, and John Radal crossed for the Cutters in the 25th minute to keep the match leve
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The North Mackay Bowls Club recently hosted the Mackay Ladies District Master Pairs event, spanning over two weeks of spirited competition. Generously sponsored by Carlyle Gardens, this tournament attracted 22 teams hailing from Airlie Beach to Sarina, with the majority of participants representing the host club. It was no surprise as the competition narrowed down to the final four teams that three of whom were from North Mackay. Last year's winners, Joan McGrath and Larda Purdie from Airlie B
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As the countdown begins for the much-anticipated start of the NBL1 competition, basketball fever is reaching its peak in Mackay. This Friday night marks the commencement of an electrifying journey for the Mackay Meteors and Meteorettes as they kick off their NBL1 campaigns with a home advantage at the iconic Crater. This season's opener holds an extra special significance, as Mackay welcomes back one of its own legends – Australian Boomer Todd Blanchfield. Blanchfield's return to the McDonald’s
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Nearly one hundred runners and supporters met Sunday afternoon for the running of the annual five and ten-kilometre, Tilse Toddle handicap start event. The five-kilometre loop course took runners through the West Mackay streets towards Archibald Street and return. The steamy conditions put ten-kilometre runners to the test as they headed out for their second lap. The events had runners in clusters at the start line based on their formal club handicap. This enables the faster runners to start
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Mackay’s table tennis juniors brought home four medals from the state junior championships in Brisbane. Olie Hamelink, Trent Day, YiLin Jiang, Saisha and Misha Palod and Lily Boland competed in the state junior table tennis championships. Lily Boland and Saisha Palod both brought home medals as part of a six-player Mackay squad, who competed against more than 100 from around the state. Lily won silver and bronze in the U19 girls singles and doubles, while Saisha took out silver in the U15 gi
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Saturday saw the playing of the second qualifying GNOT Gold Point Teams event. Twelve teams vyed for Gold Points which are only available to win in certain events or if players travel away to congresses. It was pleasing to see many novice players enter the competition. Once the basics of Bridge have been taught, then the more a person plays the better they get at the game and the more they learn and the better they play. It takes years to become match fit, but it is so much fun to play and learn
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Bowen Orbital Spaceport was officially opened last week, with dignitaries gathered to mark this significant moment in space industry history. With final approvals and permits pending, Gilmour Space Technologies are closer than ever to an official launch date which will see this Queensland-based company become the first in Australia to launch a locally made rocket into orbit. Bowen is now one of only three dedicated launch sites globally, chosen for its precise location, 20 degrees south of the
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Hi Everyone! How cool is it that a rocket ship is about to blast off into space from our region? I am so excited to see this incredible project finally take-off (literally!) and I think it will be a game changer for not only Bowen, but our entire region. It will invigorate a new stream of tourism, create a bunch of highly-skilled jobs and put Bowen on the map both nationally and globally. I was chatting with our Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, earlier this week and he is absolutel
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Having always seen other people post about their experiences of random acts of kindness on our local community chat sites, Madeline Mullet was thrilled to finally make a post of her own this week. The last thing Madeline Mullet expected during her Bunnings shop was a heart-warming gesture, which left her with a desire to express her gratitude. Whilst at the Bunnings register with her young boy, Haines, the Bunnings worker handed Haines a stuffed toy ‘just because she felt like it’. “I’m rea
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