Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
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At The Airlie Beach Festival Mackay Road Runners were spoilt for choice over the weekend, with members taking part in both the local Bluewater Quay social run and the popular Airlie Beach Running Festival. While just over twenty runners enjoyed perfect winter conditions along the Bluewater Trail, it was Mick Vivian who blazed a strong trail in the Airlie Beach Marathon. Vivian looked set to take out top honours in the 42.2km event before a persistent hamstring niggle forced him to dig dee
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Mackay Bridge Players Shine Bright BRIDGE The Townsville Congress was held in June, with four players attending from Mackay. Janelle Conroy, Geoff Taylor, Terry Sheedy and Noel Bugeia had an eventful weekend placing in two out of three events. Terrence and Noel won the Walk ins North/South and Janelle and Geoff won the Walk ins East/West. The four combined in the teams event to come in third place. Well done, red points for everyone! Weekly Results Monday 14 June 2025 –- 8 Table Mitchell Gre
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When did the supermarket stop being exciting? As a kid, tagging along with Mum to grab the milk felt like an adventure. The fluorescent lights, the hum of the fridges, the quiet promise of a treat in the trolley — all of it was thrilling. Somewhere along the way, that little errand turned into a dreaded chore. We swapped excitement for efficiency, wonder for ‘why is butter $8?’ Over the weekend, I watched my son giggle with delight as he helped crack eggs for scrambled eggs. He marvelled
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A humble Mackay local has found himself at the centre of a feel-good viral moment after a simple act of kindness captured the hearts of thousands online, and even landed a Japanese hitchhiker on national TV. Matt, who was travelling from Bowen to Mackay, offered a lift to a Japanese traveller named Tom, who is hitchhiking his way across Australia from Cairns to Melbourne. But the generosity didn’t stop there. Matt also took Tom to a local pub, shouted him dinner and a beer, and shared a t
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By Amanda Wright More than 90,000 Mackay region residents will cast their votes in a full postal ballot by-election next month, following the resignation of Councillor George Christensen in late May. The by-election, scheduled for Saturday 30 August 2025, will determine who fills the vacant seat on the Mackay Regional Council. With the nomination period now open and closing at noon on Thursday 24 July, the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) is urging interested community members to
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OPINION PIECE Last week, I attended the inaugural Queensland Resources and Innovation Expo at the Resources Centre of Excellence in Paget, Mackay. The expo, promoted as a platform showcasing cutting-edge technologies, fostering industry collaboration, and driving sustainable advancements in the resource sector, definitely delivered – what a fantastic event it was! I was incredibly proud to meet so many local innovators and industry experts, all deeply committed to their products and ideas
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Queensland Police are appealing for further information as part of ongoing investigations after a 61-year-old Mackay man was recently charged with child sexual assault offences. On Saturday 12 July, Detectives from the Mackay Child Protection and Investigation Unit (CPIU) attended a Mackay address where they took a man into custody. Police will allege the man sexually assaulted two boys known to him, within the Mackay area over the past several months. The man has been charged with ten
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Mackay has officially been recognised as one of Australia’s top 10 cities to launch a start-up, according to the latest Reckon Startup Cities report. Mackay was also named the third best city to start a business in Queensland, behind Brisbane and Toowoomba. The study, which analysed 50 cities across the country, highlights Mackay’s strong business survival rates, affordable living costs and robust internet infrastructure as key factors driving its entrepreneurial appeal. Reckon CEO Sam
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Resources Innovation Expo Showcases Queensland’s Cutting-Edge Capability Regional innovation and industry excellence were on full display last Friday at the inaugural Queensland Resources and Innovation Expo, hosted at the Resources Centre of Excellence (RCOE) in Mackay. The one-day event, backed by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) as principal sponsor, brought together more than 30 exhibitors from across Queensland and interstate, including Western Australia, South Australia and Vi
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Massive Sport Upgrade To Kick Off In Walkerston Walkerston is set to become a sporting powerhouse, with a record-breaking $3.125 million investment locked in to upgrade the home of the Wests Tigers — the largest single boost to sports infrastructure ever seen in the Mirani electorate. Backed by the Queensland Government, the funding delivers on Member for Mirani Glen Kelly MP’s key election commitment, and marks a major win for the region’s sporting future. Delivered under the state’s Ga
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The new state-of-the-art Industrial Technology and Design (INTAD) Precinct at Holy Spirit College was officially blessed and opened earlier this year by Bishop Michael McCarthy and our Diocesan Director, Catholic Education Mr Michael McCusker. The Blessing and Opening marked a significant milestone in Holy Spirit College’s journey with Vocational Education. Consisting of six workshops, including a construction court, storage and shared machinery zones, three project development rooms with
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Community spirit is thriving in the Mirani electorate, thanks to a welcome injection of funding aimed at strengthening local services, improving facilities, and supporting regional resilience. Nine community groups across the electorate have shared in more than $216,000 through Round 123 of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund (GCBF) – a vital initiative that supports not-for-profit organisations delivering meaningful outcomes in their local areas. Member for Mirani, Glen Kelly MP, congra
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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW Wisely Wine and Food Day 2025 will be a delight for all the senses with mouthwatering food, refreshing beverages, epic music and the feel of juicy grapes between your toes! Yes! Grape stomping is just one of the many amazing Wisely Wine and Food Day attractions on offer at Queens Park on Saturday, July 19. Whether you’re in it for fun, or just a great photo op, festivalgoers will have the opportunity to step back in time and experience the age-old winemaking t
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The Kemmis Park Skatepark in South Mackay temporarily closed on July 14 to allow for essential repairs to its shade structure, with works aimed at ensuring the facility remains safe, shaded, and enjoyable for years to come. The upgrade is part of council’s ongoing investment in recreational infrastructure, with repairs expected to take approximately one month, weather permitting, and the site anticipated to reopen by mid-August. While the skatepark itself is fenced off during the works,
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State Budget Delivers Vital Funding For Homelessness Services Last Friday, The State Government’s 2025–26 Budget announced and delivered a 20 per cent increase in funding to frontline services, aiming to bolster support for people facing homelessness in Mackay and the Whitsundays. Billed as laying the groundwork for a fresh start, the Budget includes an additional $592 million for homelessness services across Queensland, with a strong focus on critical, on-the-ground support for the stat
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Service will offer free, walk-in support for everyone Mackay residents are being urged to help design a new mental health service to ensure it meets the unique needs of the region. Northern Queensland Primary Health Network will host a community-wide workshop Thursday 31 July giving locals the opportunity to share their experiences and help codesign the Mackay Medicare Mental Health Centre - a service specifically for Mackay and the surrounding area. Although the service is still in the
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If you have grown up in Mackay, or spent any decent amount of time here, you will know just how deep sport runs through our veins. It is stitched into our weekends, brings our communities together and it is where many of our kids find their first sense of purpose. From footy ovals and soccer fields, netball courts to the athletics tracks and swimming lanes, sport is a big part of who we are. That is why I am excited that the North Queensland Games is returning to our region in May 2026. W
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It’s official: Mackay property prices have grown faster than any other capital or regional city in Australia in the past 12 months. Median house prices in Mackay have gone up by $100,000 in the past 12 months, according to a report by realestate.com.au using statistics provided by property market researcher PropTrack. And the median house price in Mackay is now $635,000. The data, which came out this month, confirms what Mackay people have been feeling in what has been a very hot market
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A new financial year is not only a good time to refresh on financial goals but also life and career goals. The big question is – are you any closer at EOFY25 to where you want to be and the future you imagine, than you were in EOFY24? And if not, then it’s time to TAKE ACTION as TIME PASSES ANYWAY. An old proverb, which appeared in a work of Chaucer in 1395, states: Time and tide wait for no man. The moral is that if you do nothing, the days become weeks and then months, and another ye
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When it comes to marketing, most people want the big moment – the splashy campaign, a viral post, some dramatic “before and after”. But the truth is, the best marketing usually doesn’t look like a grand reveal. It looks like small, repeatable actions done well + done often (soz, boring – I know). No bells. No whistles. Just smart strategy, consistency – and sticking to a system. If your marketing currently happens in bursts – a few posts when things are quiet, a last-minute ad when leads
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Productivity has become a bit of a buzzword lately — rolled out in political speeches, budget pressers and corporate strategy days like it’s the magic fix for everything. Apparently, if we can just lift productivity, we can grow the economy, raise wages, and fix a whole lot of things. Easy, right? But when a politician says they’re going to “increase productivity,” what do they actually mean? (Is it just me that imagines a government official standing behind me with a stopwatch?) At its
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The Mackay business community kicked off the new financial year with a serving of economic insights (alongside their eggs) at a sold-out breakfast hosted by the Mackay Region Chamber of Commerce, with platinum sponsor, Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank. Aptly named Eggonomics, the event featured keynote speaker David Robertson (known as ‘Robbo’), Chief Economist and Head of Economic and Markets Research for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. The event attracted a diverse mix of local business l
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Zoe Kennedy – Financial Adviser The calendar has flipped and the new financial year has officially begun. But while many people are looking backward as they finalise their tax returns, the new financial year presents the perfect opportunity to reset, refocus, and take control of your financial future. Whether you’re starting from scratch or simply refining your finances, here are some powerful money moves you can make this July to set yourself up for a stronger, wealthier year ahead. Review an
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The National Fire Ant Eradication Program has confirmed a detection of fire ants in Moranbah — marking the pest’s arrival in the greater Mackay region and signalling a serious biosecurity threat to Central Queensland. On 9 July 2025, program officers responded rapidly to the detection at BHP Mitsubishi Alliance’s Broadmeadow Coal Mine site, destroying fire ant nests using direct nest injection treatment. This detection has triggered an urgent response, with eradication officers set to ca
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Community Power Drives New Firetruck For Habana Brigade Habana Rural Fire Brigade has proudly unveiled its brand-new Quick Response Firetruck, a major milestone made possible through years of planning, saving, and strong community support. The locally driven initiative began when the brigade recognised the urgent need for a faster, more agile emergency vehicle, one that could get “straight out the door and first to the fire.” Rather than wait for funding, the brigade began saving its fir
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