Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
This week Season to date Cane crushed 51,322 90,771 Average bin weight 3.80 3.77 CCS 12.73 12.73 Cane variety performance for region Variety % CCS Variety % CCS Q183 37.7 12.65 Q253 8.9 13.04 Q240 14.3 12.99 Q232 3.0 13.79 Q208 14.0 12.74 Q252 2.9 12.79 KQ228 9.0 13.85 Q138 2.5 11.53 Comments: Plane Creek Mill processed just over 51,000 tonnes of cane for the week, bringing the season total to more than 90,000 tonnes. Throughput was disrupted on Sunday and again on Friday due to powerhouse issue
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Unions negotiating a new enterprise agreement with Wilmar Sugar and Renewables are consulting with members on a company suggestion that the parties accept an invitation from the Fair Work Commission for the assistance of a Commissioner in resolving issues remaining in dispute. The invitation for assistance was extended by a Commission Vice President after a hearing of the Full Bench in Sydney earlier this month (5 July). During last week’s talks between the company and union representatives, t
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Well, just like that, my holidays have come to an end. I’m back on air on Monday, and I will tell you now, I am a little excited! Sure, the last two weeks have been great. Sleeping in, movies, running training, hockey, weddings, fitness, and fun! All in the space of 14 days, I sure have packed a lot in. Do you get up to a lot when you have a break? When you take holidays from work, do you hit the road, or relax at home in the garden? I hope you do, as it’s one of those things we all take for gra
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The Artspace Mackay team has returned to our regional gallery and is excited to be rolling out workshops, programs and activities once more. Closed for refurbishments since late 2023, the facility now boasts new flooring, walls and a state-of-the-art climate control system, which will ensure it remains a AAA-rated, international standard gallery space long into the future. Kicking off at 1pm, Friday, July 19, will be Conversations with Art, a free and enjoyable discussion led by Artspace staff a
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Life changed significantly for 11-year-old Callum Brown when he was diagnosed with diabetes; but a new program is helping kids like him feel supported at school and giving their parents peace of mind. Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) is one of two pilot sites outside of Brisbane to run the Diabetes in Schools program, an information and training program designed to help schools better support students with Type 1 diabetes. Callum, a Year 6 Emmanuel Catholic College student, was diagnos
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I’m a big fan of liberalism and the central belief of that philosophy that focuses on the individual and his/her rights in a capitalist, free market democracy. However, I am clearly in the minority as the world increasingly defines people by the group to which they are seen to belong: if you are black or gay or Muslim or a woman, for example, you are allocated your group and the world is somehow supposed to view you through that lens rather than as the individual you are with your own specific v
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Mackay’s Kutta Mulla Gorinna Special Assistance School is ready to grow following the State Government's granting of a 30-year lease for a new location. The school will be based on the site of the city’s old fire station on Sydney Street which closed in 2018. This pivotal development will allow the school to expand and enhance its facilities, all aimed at creating a nurturing and advanced learning environment for Mackay’s youth. Kutta Mulla Gorinna Special School specialises in providing educa
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Hundreds of lucky locals and visitors were invited onto Cape Hillsborough Beach earlier this month, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Between The Tides, a signature event of QLD Music Trails’, The Reef Trail capped off its back-to-back two-night run with a headline performance by multi-ARIA Award winner, prolific singer-songwriter, Josh Pyke. The QLD Music Trails is a program run by Queensland Music Festival (QMF) and known for using the power of music to create experiences perfectly uni
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Join Broken Ballerina in supporting their annual charity fundraiser, the 2024 ‘Be Bold, Be Brave, Be Beautiful Ball,’ taking place on Saturday, September 21st at Mackay Turf Club. The evening begins at 5pm with pre-dinner nibblies and a complimentary drink upon arrival (beer, wine, or soft drink). Guests are encouraged to dress in Spring Cocktail Attire, embracing the theme of charity colours: Pink, White, and Black. Hosted by MC Kim Tower, the event continues from 6pm to 11pm where attendees
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The Best of the Bee Gees will honour the legacy of the Grammy award-winning album Saturday Night Fever at the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre on Saturday 24 August from 7.30pm. The performance will feature two special guests - child actor/original Bee Gees drummer, Colin “Smiley” Petersen and global chanteuse Roslyn Loxton. In a two-act performance, the Best of the Bee Gees will open with the group's greatest hits spanning the decades, followed by a high energy second act showcasing t
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Friday 19th July Performance Parts Plus Road Trip Drag Challenge 7am The Performance Parts Plus Road Trip Drag Challenge is a social Drag Racing event where entrants, crew, family & friends get to enjoy taking their registered cars down the strip in a controlled environment and cruising down the road with like-minded car enthusiasts. Palmyra Drag Racing Club Greater Foundations24 8.30am At Greater Foundations24 professional development event, you’ll hear directly from industry leaders about
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Jacki Cooper is a jazz and big band singer who has performed around the world. From singing in the famous Landing Jazz Club in San Antonio, Texas, to touring as a featured cruise ship vocalist around Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and the Mediterranean. From there to the Sax n Art Jazz Club in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam and then touring China, including a performance with the Shanghai Symphony Big Band. She now resides in Sydney and council are excited to have her performing at the Friends of the
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Over 300 mountain bike riders descended on the brand-new Finch Hatton MTB trails for a weekend of racing and camaraderie at the Rocky Trail Entertainment (RTE) Fox Superflow® presented by Stan’s. Despite some damp weather, the trails held up remarkably well, and the event was a resounding success, exceeding expectations with a strong showing from local riders and a positive economic impact on the Mackay region. The event attracted a diverse range of riders, with some “big hitters” battling it o
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After going into caretaker mode in 2022, Sarina & District Athletics Club has successfully reopened in 2024 thanks to the support of local volunteers and businesses. With a new committee in 2024, the Club had to go through extensive updates to revive the athletics field, membership, marketing and finance options. Club Secretary Nicole McCowan said that the Club’s base of operations, the athletics field, “didn’t have anyone looking after it for over 12 months”. “Getting it up to scratch was a
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Wisely Wine and Food Day 2024 will be bubbling with mouthwatering food, refreshing beverages, epic music and copious amounts of bubbles – 12,000 every minute, in fact. The flood of bubbles is thanks to The Bubble Canteen, a captivating and interactive installation that promises to transport young families to a world of wonder and whimsy. Entry to The Bubble Canteen, and the entire Wisely Wine and Food Day, is free. And The Bubble Canteen is just one of the new Wisely Wine and Food Day attraction
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When Sunshine Coast Falcons flyer Flynn Camilleri returned to his old Mackay stamping ground last weekend, he didn’t require a knowledge test. The former Cutters winger knows every blade of grass on BB Print Stadium – the scene for many of his try-scoring feats in the QRL Hostplus Cup competition. Back on his home patch the quicksilver Camilleri made his presence felt in the Falcons’ rousing 38-20 victory over Mackay to stay on track for the finals. The elusive try merchant opened the scoring
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By Hannah McNamara Mackay is becoming the epitome of regional talent after celebrating the rise of 24-year-old Lachlan Stitt, now crowned the Welterweight Boxing Champion of 2024. Known in the ring as 'Deadshot,' Lachlan achieved a remarkable knockout victory at the recent EternalMMA event held on the Gold Coast. Despite now residing in Sydney, Lachlan fondly acknowledges Mackay as his hometown and points his beginnings in combat sports to his early days playing karate and footy at the age of
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The Mackay Novice Pairs Congress was played on Saturday with 16 pairs from Bowen, Mackay & Sydney competing. Well done to all the Placegetters and Director Ian Cruikshank and Convenor Anne Lutz. First place was Jill Brabon & Noel Saunders with Annie Lynch & Diane Stokes second.
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Debbie Mackenzie, the Games Coordinator of North Mackay Ladies Bowls Club, made club history by winning all four of her matches in the B Grade Singles Championship of Champions competition held at the West Tigers Bowls Club. In the Open Singles Champion of Champions, Chris Woo, one of the club's Coaches and Umpires, put up a commendable performance. Chris triumphed in her first game against seasoned player Heather Brown from Proserpine. Although her journey ended there this year, Chris’s determ
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With seven-time past King of the Mountain champion, Liam Mumford, and reigning Queen of the Mountain champion, Alana Kenzevic, in the fifty-strong field, the competition for the annual King and Queen of the Mountain event finishing in Eungella was always going to be tough. The Laura Pettifer Inspirational Trophy/Podiatry Mackay Junior King and Queen of the Mountain was unfortunately a quieter affair due to many local junior runners being away at state titles and various other representative spo
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Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday night fixtures May 28, 2024: Division 1: Green (Tim Shehan, Leo Gilbert) d Brown (Andrea Nicholson, Barry Patterson) 6-3. Tim d Barry 8, 5, -9, 4. Purple (Emma Widdup, Tony Bowman, Robbie Richards) d Blue (Will VanDeKaa, Steven Whiting, Lee Brake) 8-3. Robbie d Steven 9, -8, -7, 9, 9. White (Andrew McHugh, Neil Brown, Mark Sleeman) d Red (Geoff Cowan, Anne Sheridan, Daniel Warfield) 10-1. Geoff d Mark -6, 10, -7, 6, 9. Orange (Donna Abbott, Janice Kent, Geoff Den
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The brand-new VMR Headquarters was officially opened last weekend, with invited guests and dignitaries celebrating both a new era of operations and an epic history spanning an incredible 60-year period. Guests were offered a tour of the newly expanded VMR facility which had been brought about following the consistent lobbying of both Member for Dawson, Andrew Wilcox and Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm. The extension, which nearly doubled the floor space of the operational room, began in 2023
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Hi Everyone, I came home this evening and for some unexplained reason I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness wash over me. I can’t place the exact feeling, just a heavy weight of negative thoughts – I’m a terrible boss, I don’t have time for anyone! I am a terrible mum, I have no energy left at the end of the day! That sort of thing. Each thought compounded and all of a sudden, my life was terrible and I was feeling fairly depressed. Fortunately, I have learnt over the years that it is bet
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In a display of community support, locals gathered from all walks of life to extend a helping hand at the Drug ARM Street Outreach Service in Airlie Beach. On board with the powerhouse team was Shirley from Whitsunday Housing Company Limited, providing essential accommodation and wellbeing support. Isaac from YWAM (Youth with a Mission – Whitsundays) ensures ongoing care and collaboration throughout the week, addressing various needs from housing to mental health services. Patrick from Airl
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Over $20,000 was raised for the Whitsunday Suicide Prevention Network (WSPN) event held in Cannonvale over the weekend but volunteer Matt Stokes said the fact that people knew the organisation was present within the community was even more valuable. “Raising community awareness that we are here to talk was the biggest value of the night,” he expressed. WSPN is an active charity organisation which is dedicated to raising awareness about suicide prevention and helping those impacted. Any mone
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