Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Nigel Dalton is trading politics for pool laps this March, diving headfirst into Laps for Life – a nationwide swimming challenge making waves for youth mental health. The Member for Mackay and avid swimmer will take to the water with his North Mackay Sinkers Masters Swimming Club teammates, raising funds for ReachOut Australia, which provides crucial mental health support for young people. Mr Dalton has long been a dedicated advocate for suicide prevention in Mackay. As the region’s former Crim
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By day, Usadee Phiraphak is an electrical apprentice at Revolution Electrical, helping to keep the Mackay Base Hospital running smoothly. But when she’s not working behind the scenes, she’s lighting up the community in more ways than one. “Something that most people don’t know about me is that I am always trying to help out my community whether it’s donating blood or being a member of Mackay Street chaplaincy to look after those at their most vulnerable and making sure people are safe. “I want
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One of Mackay’s most popular community events will unveil a fresh, new course this year, with record-breaking participant numbers expected as ‘run-mania’ continues to surge. The track for this week’s Mackay Airport Twilight City Run has been varied to accommodate more people while also giving participants additional sweeping views of the Pioneer River. More than 1000 participants are expected to turn out for the event on Friday 7 March, the highest number yet. Mackay Airport Head of Ope
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Advocating for change and bringing people together makes Ash-Lee Johnson's heart sing. As a Councillor for Mackay Regional Council, her passion for community betterment radiates through her kind, yet fiery spirit…and her drive for change is one of inspiration and purpose. “I’m driven by a sense of purpose – the desire to see positive impact and to advocate for those who need it most,” she says. Cr Johnson is a firm believer in the power of working together, and her passion lies in helpi
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Businesses in Mackay and the Whitsundays are invited to make a meaningful impact by becoming a ‘Beacon of Hope’ Superhero Sponsor for Broken Ballerina Inc. (BBI). This sponsorship provides essential support for survivors, including Escape Bags, emergency accommodation, and crisis assistance. With no government funding, BBI relies solely on community generosity to continue its impactful work in the region. The sponsorship program features three flexible tiers—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—allo
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Mackay Regional Council has completed works to restore or replace six aged timber bridges in rural areas. The bridges replaced were Palm Tree Creek Bridge (Pinnacle), Ash's Bridge (Devereux Creek), Barren Creek Bridge (Calen), Greens Bridge (Mt Charlton), Old Hampton Road Bridge (Marian) and One Mile Creek Road Bridge (Mount Pelion). All the bridges have been restored to a 44-tonne (T44) loading capacity. The final bridge in the project to be replaced was Barren Creek Bridge, which open
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Mackay Regional Council and Mackay Isaac Tourism have hit the launch button on an “ultimate calendar” for events in the Mackay region. Launched today (Thursday, March 6) at the Mackay Event Connect Networking evening, the new platform, Mackay Events, was met with considerable excitement by local businesses owners, event planners and industry representatives. Mackay Events is a user-friendly platform for managing, promoting and showcasing events in the Mackay region. Mayor Greg Williamso
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To celebrate and acknowledge International Women's Day, Resource Industry Network (RIN) is thrilled to host its annual business lunch to champion inclusivity and gender equity in the workplace. The global theme for International Women’s Day is "Accelerate Action,” focusing on the need to take swift and decisive steps to address the systemic barriers and biases that women face in professional spheres. At the current rate of progress, full gender parity won't be achieved until 2158, about five g
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On 8 June 2005, Community Bank Sarina opened its doors for the very first time – built on the belief that banking should strengthen the community it serves. From day one, their mission was clear: to provide essential banking services while investing in the people, businesses and organisations that make our region thrive. Now, 20 years later, that commitment is stronger than ever. Thanks to Community Bank Sarina’s customers, they have invested over $4 million into local schools, sports c
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The recent monsoon has challenged the growers in the Central region, but our hearts go out to growers across the far north who have borne an immense blow to their crops through fast moving floodwaters. It has been heartening to see the industry come together and rally support for the affected growers, who bore the brunt of the monsoon event across early February. It is positive to see disaster recovery grants made available for growers, with the State and Federal Government making fundin
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Empowering both people and animals, Happy Paws Happy Hearts (HPHH) has created an inclusive and welcoming space where growth, compassion, and connection seamlessly intertwine. HPHH is a national not-for-profit that exists to create positive connections between isolated Australians and rescue animals in need. Their focus is to help participants on their journey of change from social isolation to inclusion and wellbeing, supporting people with disabilities, youth at risk, and people with a
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As directors of Macrossan & Amiet Solicitors, Caitlin Roberts and Samantha Sticklan prioritise searching for and achieving the ever-illusive luxuries amounting to the perfect work life balance as a woman in law. “We are represented by a number of talented and committed female directors and solicitors and each member of our team attempts to achieve a work life balance in different ways - the firm tries to support all of our solicitors and staff to achieve this,” explained Caitlin. Under t
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In an 80% male dominated industry, Leanne Benson thrives as Business Owner and Lead Software Developer of Key to I.T. Day to day, Leanne liaises directly with clients to analyse their individual software needs, requirements and business processes to develop a custom-made design programmed from start to finish with the occasional delegation to another programmer as needed. “We need more women in Software Development and different perspectives are always helpful,” highlighted Leanne. “If
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Mackay Surf Club nippers and youth members recently took on a gruelling 4-day training camp for Hell Week 2025 – an annual training event for the surf sports group which prepares them for the up-and-coming State and National Surf Lifesaving Titles. The 15 athletes ranged from U10 – U17 and their hard work and commitment towards the Surf Club should be commended. The program was designed to challenge participants both mentally and physically. Over 7 sessions as well as 6 difficult team challenge
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Nicole Batzloff, from Laffos Bar and Pizzeria, is bringing her vibrant energy and bubbly personality to the 2025 Dancing With Heart event, and she’s ready to dazzle the crowd! Known for her infectious energy, Nicole is a true crowd-pleaser, and it’s no surprise that she’s stepping up to dance for such a worthy cause. Nicole shared, “In 2009, my mum suffered a massive heart attack. I was with her at the hospital when the nursing staff did their best to stabilise her. “They were not able to sta
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Despite a grey, wet, and windy start, with a tropical low looming, the Sinkers Fun in Feb meet went ahead at the Mackay North State High School pool. Once again, wild weather couldn’t stop the Masters swimmers from coming together. Set-up crews bravely faced the conditions, setting up gazebos, tables, lane ropes, and flags in preparation for the 11 am warm-up. The early arrival of more volunteers ensured the final touches were added just in time as swimmers were welcomed with registration, a ra
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At Whitson Dawson, the numbers add up not only when it comes to accounting but also in how they support their staff, especially the women leading the way. As a family-run business with a strong foundation built on client outcomes and employee wellbeing, Whitson Dawson has always been about balance—balancing the books, balancing work and life, and most importantly, balancing the scales of opportunity for women. The firm is well-known for offering more than just the standard nine-to-five gr
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Katrina Dhu has always been driven by one powerful goal: to help others take control of their financial destinies. As a financial adviser at Alman Partners, her role is about much more than just providing advice—it's about empowering clients to align their finances with their values, ensuring they have the tools to achieve what matters most to them. With over 30 years of experience in banking and finance, Katrina has a deep well of knowledge that she shares with clients, breaking down com
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A new generation of tradespeople is stepping up in North Queensland, with 37 apprentices launching their careers with Wilmar Sugar and Renewables. Among them, six fresh recruits have joined the ranks at the Plane Creek Mill in Sarina, ready to learn their craft in one of the region’s most vital industries. Seventeen of the new recruits are based in the Burdekin region, where Wilmar owns four sugar factories, five are based at Proserpine Mill and the rest will be joining the Herbert region.
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Softball in Mackay is booming, with young athletes making a significant impact on the national stage. Rising stars like 14-year-old Evie Grace, who recently competed with the Queensland development squad in New Zealand, are hitting the ground running on their path to success. “It’s good to get to know girls from other countries and get to know more people in Queensland,” Evie shared, adding that the experience involved “a lot of hard work” but she enjoyed building friendships along the way. Ev
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The long-promised upgrades to the Bruce Highway appear to be slipping further out of reach, leaving residents of Dawson frustrated and disappointed. Despite a commitment of $7.2 billion in funding, recent Senate estimates hearings revealed that only $432 million will be spent on the highway over the next three years—just a fraction of what was expected. Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, has voiced his dismay at the slow rollout, calling it yet another letdown for Queenslanders.
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Rising grain exports and continued strong trade in petroleum and sugar have helped push the Port of Mackay past a two million tonne milestone. North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) CEO Brendan Webb said between July 2024 and January 2025, the government-owned port facilitated 2.2 million tonnes of trade. “The top three traded commodities - petroleum (1.1 million tonnes), sugar (607,000 tonnes), and grain (245,000 tonnes) - have once again led the way to another trade mileston
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OPINION PIECE It’s been a busy start to the year, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. As Member for Mackay, I’ve had the privilege of meeting with locals, attending community events, and advocating for our region both here and in Parliament. Since the start of 2025, I’ve engaged in 40 community events, visited 14 schools, and undertaken eight department visits, including three trips to Mackay Base Hospital. From touring the Resources Centre of Excellence to lending a hand at Orange Sky
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A service which nurtures and cares for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families has taken a further step in its development with the opening of a special facility located within the community in North Mackay. The Kem Kem Yanga Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) program is a maternity service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and babies which was established by Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) in May 2019. Mackay HHS Chief Executive Susan Gannon said the
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Jean-Claude Arruo is stepping out of his comfort zone to dance for a cause close to his heart. Initially nervous about participating in Dancing with Heart, Jean-Claude was inspired to take part after learning about the Mackay Hospital Foundation’s invaluable work in supporting essential health services in the community. As he puts it, "I just had to put all my reservations aside and get involved in what is sure to be a great night, for a great cause!" Jean-Claude works as the Manager of Busin
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