Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Why not spend some quality time with your girlfriends and help raise money for breast cancer awareness and research? Sure to be a Saturday afternoon well spent, this Breast Cancer Fundraiser, hosted by Espresso and Bloom, with catering by Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant, has an all star cast. Tickets are only $75 and include canapes, a welcome glass of bubbles, auction paddle and a lucky door prize. Don’t miss the exclusive spread of auction items, donated from businesses in the region, especia
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The Easter Bunny is about to come hopping through our region with both children and chocolate-loving adults excited for his arrival. To celebrate the Easter weekend, two of our favourite family-friendly locals are putting on special events which are sure to entertain the kids while giving the parents time to relax with a nice cool bevvy. Reef Gateway Hotel has created a special event – the Easter Family Fun Weekend which is due to take place on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 March. There will be f
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I am so excited! “It’s Autumn”. Autumn in the Whitsundays means temperatures drop into the high twenties instead of low thirties, the humidity drops, rainfall decreases (so ready for that!) and Veggie Gardens get started. What isn’t there to love about Autumn in the Whitsundays? March is still a transition month, so not quite time to get planting every imaginable tropical kitchen garden food, that’s the April celebration. March is all about preparation in my vegetable garden. Vegetables are hun
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St Paul’s Anglican Church in Proserpine is holding their annual Cent Sale which is due to take place this Saturday. This year the event will be held at a different venue, with the Proserpine Show Pavilion becoming the site of the Cent Sale. Doors are set to open at 11.30am for a 12.30pm start. Admission of $5 includes Lucky Door prize and a Devonshire tea. Raffles and lots of wonderful prizes to be won. All money raised goes to the maintenance of this heritage list
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Full name: Mila Westley Age: 11 Name: Mila Westley Grade/Age: Year 6 / 11 years old Sports: Proserpine District - Soccer, Whitsunday District - Touch Football, Netball and Basketball, Capricornia Region - AFL Who inspired you to start playing sport? My Mum and Dad have always encouraged me to try my best at everything, including sport. Without their support there is no way I would be able to have a go at so many different things. Can you tell us about a memorable moment or achievement in you
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Tuesday afternoon bowls went ahead and skipper Andy McDougall confirmed his great skills with a fantastic performance inspiring his lead Robin Brown, and Arthur McManus ably assisted his team performance. Wednesday afternoon's Jackpot Bowls had a huge roll up under the guidance of Mervyn Stewart who saw four teams playing for the prizes on offer and once again it was skipper Warren Mills and Lu Rogan whom ably assisted and Alan Pershouse. The Jackpot wasn't won and will rise next week. However
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We had a great crowd attend our barefoot bowls on Friday night. Everyone enjoyed themselves and I am sure improved their skills by the end of the night. Our next night will be Friday 22 March. Our club competition has begun. Results so far: Men’s A singles K Jewell defeated M Drummond. Ladies Crooked Jack resulted in Deb Retchless defeated Teresa Willshire, Robyn Stitt defeated Gwenda Lydom and Penny Warren defeated Denise Wallace. Ladies Fours will be played this Sunday morning and the Final S
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This week’s Premier League darts saw a couple of wins for Joe Wilson to go top of the league, just above Josh Fraser who had a few wins of his own on Sunday morning at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club. Joe Wilson claimed the 2024 Champion of Champions shield with a 7/5 win over Dom Friend. Art McMinn claimed joint 3rd spot on the ladder with a win over Hawkeye Rick, and Naomi Mitchell slipped down from 2nd to 6th after suffering back to back losses. The league table is held up by Jamie Maher, Hawk
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On Saturday, members welcomed in the 2024 season with a 4BBB event by Bowen Small Motors & Cycles, Thank you Scott and Lisa for your support. Winners Josh Fraser and Kaleb Brunker 48 points, Runners up Gordon Brackley and Paul Martin 43 points, 3rd Place John and Jack McEniery 42 points on a countback. Accuracy shots to Glenn Wright and Robyn Slade. Pin Shots to Elona Lynch, Jo Kukura, Julie Martin, Judy Atkins, Tate McGrath, Brendan Malone, Geoff Fellows and Paul Martin. Mike Uerata claimed
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Celebrating International Women’s Day, Whitsunday Sailing Club used the opportunity to conduct a Lady Skippers’ race, with nine of the 15 boats with female helms. Strong winds and rain squalls were the topic of discussion from the Bureau of Meteorology during the day on Wednesday, as the fleet for the Whitsunday Sailing Club twilight race found out. As the Division 2 fleet approached the starting line, rain and strong wind arrived, limiting visibility to a few metres for those who could se
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Despite the wet conditions, the Cannonvale Cannons had a very busy week. On the weekend, five swimmers competed at the Lightning Swim Club LC Transition Meet in Townsville. The Cannons would like to commend Jacob Bell, Tiana Bell, Jy Parkinson, Noah Maltby and Nelson Malady on their outstanding achievements. Jacob achieved top placings in his Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly, and medley events. Tiana’s best swims include her 50m Freestyle and 100m Breaststroke which earned gold medals. One
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Hey boaties, we need your help and cooperation! When one of our rescue vessels is displaying a towing flag (Code D) and our yellow strobe is flashing, it indicates that we have a vessel under tow or alongside, and we may be restricted in our ability to manoeuvre. We may also broadcast the situation on VHF 16, and use sound signals. Any of these actions mean that we may need you to reduce speed to minimise your wake, and possibly alter course to stay clear. And just because you are in a sailing v
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By Amanda Wright Amidst the flurry of campaign posters and eager constituents, three distinct figures emerge, each carrying a story as colourful as a Shoal Point sunset, each vying to be our region’s next Mayor. First in the lineup is Greg Williamson, a name familiar to many, not just for his tenure as Mayor but for his roots deeply embedded in Mackay's community. Yet, few know of his formative years spent amidst the disciplined ranks of the Air Force cadets. It was there, under the wing of mili
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Imagine our community as a stage, set for a performance unlike any other. As the curtains draw back on the upcoming local elections, the spotlight falls on three individuals poised to take centre stage in shaping our collective future. On page 30, David Fisher, our friend from Gardian, shares his candid perspective on the candidates. He humorously admits his dilemma of remaining neutral due to his friendships with all three contenders. It's a sentiment many of us can relate to! I, too, find myse
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As the demand for commercial real estate investment continues to surge, the team at Gardian Real Estate, hosted a commercial insight night where guests were given the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of growing interest and investment demands in commercial real estate. Monday night’s event at Ocean International presented an invaluable platform to explore current market trends and potential benefits of investment as professional keynote speakers embedded in the industry informed and educa
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On a typical night out, Jayme Wilson was enjoying dinner with her friend and children just as a police car pulled up nearby on the side of the restaurant. As Jayme’s son Jack eyed off the police car, much to their surprise the kind officer noticed the young boys’ interest and called out, inviting him to meet a very special companion…his police dog. In excitement and awe, Jack leaped at the opportunity to meet the dog on duty alongside friendly police officer, Paul. During this encounter, J
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In a tragic incident that unfolded on Saturday, March 9, Ryan Craig, a 40-year-old resident of North Eton, lost his life in a boating accident at Kinchant Dam near Mackay. Mr Craig's heroic act of attempting to save his nine-year-old daughter from drowning during the incident has garnered widespread tributes from the community. The sequence of events began when Mr Craig and his daughter went overboard from their boat sometime after 11 am, prompting an immediate search and rescue operation. Despi
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Last week, the first Honours and Awards Ceremony for the Mackay Whitsunday Police District were held at the Ocean International Resort in South Mackay. Acting Assistant Commissioner Graeme Paine and Acting Superintendent Emma Novosel were both on hand to present all awards. Individual officers from across the district were selected to receive acknowledgements including National Police Service Medal, National Medal and Clasps, QLD Police Service Medal and Clasps, National Emergency Medal - link
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Our beautiful blue water river is now more accessible than ever with the opening of the Pioneer River Floating Pontoon. The pontoon can be accessed via a gangway from the Brisbane Street fishing pier, next to the Bluewater Quay. Mackay Regional Council’s Director Planning, Growth and Sustainability, Aletta Nugent, said the pontoon was an exciting part of council’s Mackay Waterfront Riverside Revitalisation project. “It’s fantastic to have this project reach fruition, thanks to an amazing joint e
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By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay CANEGROWERS Mackay has been attacked on social media in recent weeks by a council candidate, who asserted that CANEGROWERS Mackay had collaborated with a Mayoral candidate to agitate on the rates issue. CANEGROWERS Mackay had extended an open invitation via social media to any Mayoral and council candidates to meet with the Board. The Board and District Manager have met with all who have requested such a meeting. CANEGROWERS Mackay has not assisted,
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As the vibrant hues of summer slowly fade into the golden shades of autumn, gardeners across Australia have a prime opportunity to embrace the changing seasons and engage in the art of autumn planting. Contrary to popular belief, autumn is not just a time for garden maintenance but also a perfect window for sowing seeds and transplanting seedlings. With its mild temperatures and ample rainfall in many regions, autumn sets an ideal stage for nurturing a variety of flowers and produce, ensuring a
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Mackay Regional Council employees have proven that serving the community runs in their veins. Last month, council was presented the annual Red Cross Lifeblood Teams award for ranking number one in the Mackay region for the most blood and plasma donations in 2023. Council’s contributions were tracked as part of Red Cross Lifeblood Teams program, which saw staff from more than 299 local workplaces roll up their sleeves to give blood and plasma throughout the year. Council’s team made more than 162
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St Patrick’s College Mackay Year 7 to 12 recently celebrated its Opening Year Mass and Investiture of the 2024 College Leaders at the College’s Senior Campus in Gregory Street. Nine hundred people attended the special Mass which included students, staff, parents and local dignitaries. Miss Leesa Jeffcoat AM, Diocesan Director Catholic Education Diocese of Rockhampton gave her address to the College and was joined by Michael McCusker, Assistant Director: Schools (Northern Region); Sister of M
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A recent roadshow through north Queensland invited growers to hear from Rabobank’s experts on what the organisation believes the future holds for the sugarcane industry. Pia Piggott is an Associate Analyst in the research division of Rabobank, RaboResearch, who presented to growers in Mackay last week. Based in Sydney, Pia’s role includes public speaking at events, recording RaboResearch podcasts and publishing various reports, generating widespread media coverage that resonates beyond the agric
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The excitement is building as the countdown begins for the highly anticipated Mackay Sugar Ag Trade Expo 2024, set to be hosted by the Western Suburbs Leagues Club (Walkerston). This event promises to be a spectacular celebration of all things agricultural. Julie Crowley, Coordinator for the event, expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support from the local community. "We've been thrilled with the response from exhibitors, with bookings pouring in daily. We have an incredible lineup
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