Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
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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Supporting Sustainable Farming And Cleaner Waterways Reef Catchments (Mackay Whitsunday Isaac) is launching the Proserpine Integrated Project (PIP), which brings together seven initiatives tailored to the unique characteristics of this region. The project focuses on improving water quality through practical, place-based solutions that balance environmental, social, and economic factors. The PIP is part of the Queensland Government’s investment of over $5.5 million through the Queensland R
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Central’s Crushing Reality We are now well past the first month into the 2025 crushing season in the Central District, with millers reporting reasonable factory operations, albeit plagued by wet conditions and other adverse impacts. Mackay Sugar Limited, as of 6 July, was at 8 per cent of its 5.15Mt estimate, leaving around 4.75Mt to crush. The miller is predicting, on current estimates, that the season will end—dependent on the usual myriad of factors, including weather—around 5 December. The
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By Joseph Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay
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Powered by returning naming rights sponsor Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank, registrations for the 2025 Cruisin’ the Coast Sarina Beach Run & Ocean Swim are now open. Hosted by Sarina Surf Lifesaving Club, the 31 August event has five different runs and two new ocean swims options to choose from, with all proceeds going to support the Club. Sarina Surf Lifesaving Club President Trent Vernon said that the event is the Club’s principal annual fundraiser, combining “fun, fitness and fanta
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The beloved Mackay Scottish Bluewater Fling returns this year with added flair, now proudly featured as part of the Mackay Festival of Arts. This free, family-friendly community event will transform the Bluewater Quay next weekend into a vibrant celebration of Scottish and Celtic culture through music, song, and dance. Honouring Mackay’s deep Scottish heritage, the Fling also marks the 99th anniversary of the Mackay & District Pipe Band. A line-up of talented pipe bands from across Queens
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Friday 18th July Crochet & Conversation 9am Join a welcoming morning of crochet, coffee, and conversation with Northern Beaches locals at Beachfront Bar & Restaurant on Bucasia Esplanade. Bring your own tools or borrow from the communal box. All skill levels welcome—just look for the yarn to find the table. Connection and creativity guaranteed. Bucasia Beachfront Bar and Restaurant Christmas In July 12pm L&H Mackay is hosting its Annual Christmas in July event at Fairways Golf Simulator
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Mackay Unites For NAIDOC 2025 A record-breaking crowd gathered at Queens Park last Friday to mark the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC celebrations in Mackay, with this year’s Family Fun Day hailed as one of the most powerful yet. With the event held during school holidays, families turned out in force to celebrate the 2025 theme Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy. Mayor Greg Williamson described the turnout as “wonderful,” praising the contributions of youth performers and cultural
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Get your pencils ready, Mackay! The much-loved story of The Gruffalo’s Child is leaping from the page to the stage this August for a limited run at the MECC, and we’re giving your little one the chance to win a family pass to the 6pm evening show on Tuesday 6 August. It’s set to be a ripper of a night, packed with fun, laughter, and live theatre magic the whole family will love! To enter, simply colour in this page, then send a photo of your masterpiece to hannah@lifepublishinggroup.com
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LASSÙ Lands In Mackay Giddy up, Mackay — the most exhilarating event of the year is about to touchdown. From 18 to 27 July, the Mackay Showgrounds will transform into a galaxy of glitter, grit and gravity-defying glamour as LASSÙ — the adults-only cosmic cabaret — rockets into town. Think space cowboys, alien drifters, and a dash of vintage rodeo magic, all set under a stunning bespoke big top. This isn’t just a circus. It’s a bold, risqué, interstellar journey through time and space, wh
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A heartfelt Christmas in July event hosted by disability support group SNAGS brought smiles, music, and mid-year cheer to nearly 90 participants and support workers in Mackay last Saturday. “We received a donation from the Rotary a few weeks back, so we planned on what we could do with the donation, which became Christmas in July,” said the group’s organiser Rainelle Peterstorfer. With the support of Sally’s Curry Hut, who donated their time and cooked the meal, the SNAGS team brought th
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The 13th annual Mackay International Film Festival (Mackay IFF) returns this year with an exciting lineup of thought-provoking and visually stunning films from around the globe. The festival will open with a special screening at Pinnacle Playhouse on Saturday, 26 July, followed by the main program from 1–3 August at BCC Cinemas Mt Pleasant. Since its inception in 2011, the Mackay IFF has brought diverse and powerful stories to regional Queensland, offering local audiences a rare opportuni
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Mackay’s own Riley James was in Canada from July 8 to 14, where he helped defend Australia’s 2022 softball championship title at the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup Finals in Prince Albert. Starting his softball journey as a junior with the Angels in 2004, Riley has since represented Mackay, Queensland, and Australia on numerous occasions. Riley James is a pure product of Australia’s highly successful Men's National Team programme. He joined the programme at a young age, and at just 23 yea
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Mackay Road Runners Life Member and Club Asset Manager Andrew Short delivered another unforgettable afternoon with his signature Mystery Run, launched from the Mackay Surf Club. His cleverly written, cryptic course description was worthy of a wordsmith’s masterclass another legendary effort from the club stalwart. Approximately 30 runners took part in the 6km and 10km events, enjoying new and previously unexplored terrain. Perfectly sunny and cool conditions made for ideal running weather
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Future Stars Shine At Ruby North Competition In Mackay Mackay was the heart of Queensland netball last weekend, as the Netball Queensland Board held its regional meeting in the lead-up to Round 3 of the Ruby North competition at the Mackay Multi-Sports Stadium. The action-packed weekend brought together elite competition, community connection, and a shared vision for the future of regional netball. Leanne Coddington, Chair of Netball Queensland, said the board’s visit to Mackay underscored ho
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By Amanda Wright One of Mackay’s most versatile riders is showing no signs of slowing down, as 12-year-old cycling talent Camden Brownsey backed up his national mountain biking triumphs with two dominant wins on the tarmac at the 2025 Queensland Road State Titles in Bundaberg. The rising star proved he’s just as fierce on the bitumen as he is on the bush trails, securing gold in both the Under-13 criterium and road race — an impressive double that cements Camden as one of the brightest yo
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