Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Earlier this month, Michelle Landry was officially declared the winner of the seat of Capricornia by the Australian Electoral Commission. At the Declaration of Results event, Ms Landry was confirmed to have retained the seat with a decisive margin of 11,512 votes. “This is an incredible honour and I want to sincerely thank the people of Capricornia for once again putting their trust in me,” Ms Landry said. “To be elected for another term is deeply humbling. I never take this job for gra
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Tucked away on the sun-drenched shores of Blacks Beach, just 20 minutes from Mackay, Comfort Resort Blue Pacific is one of regional Queensland’s best-kept getaways. Blending seclusion, spacious comfort, and standout service, this award-winning beachfront resort is framed by the natural beauty of the Coral Sea. Guests are welcomed with roomy, fully self-contained one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, ocean views, and direct beach access. From peaceful strolls beneath swaying palms to sun
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MADEC is proud to announce the launch of a new dual wheelchair-accessible community van, thanks to the generous support of Macrossan & Amiet and the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. The new van is a significant step toward improving transport accessibility for people with disabilities in the Mackay region. As part of MADEC’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, the vehicle will be made available to other local not-for-profit organisations who support individuals with disabilities. “This van
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For 2025 Woollam Art On Show Awards The Mackay Art Society is proud to announce that acclaimed artist, Ron McBurnie, has been selected as judge for 2025 Woollam Art on Show Awards & Exhibition. A celebrated artist and educator, Ron previously served as guest judge for Mackay’s prestigious Woollam Art on Show Awards in 2010 and will return in 2025 to once again lend his expertise. McBurnie’s artistic journey began in 1975 at Queensland College of Art. In 1980, he relocated to Townsville,
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The Mackay VIEW Club recently received a generous $1,000 donation from the Mackay Alpha Rho ESA Club. Since its inception, the dedicated members of ESA Mackay have raised substantial funds in support of the Cancer Council of Queensland, the Leukaemia Foundation, and various local charities this year, including the Mackay VIEW Club. “This most generous donation will assist with our ongoing support of our 5 Learning For Life students,” said VIEW Club President Elizabeth. VIEW is proud to
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By Simon Hood, Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing It’s great to see the 2025 production season off to an early start, with crushing under way in the Burdekin and Plane Creek regions, and the Herbert commencing this week. The weather continues to cooperate, and we hope that remains the case so all regions can get sugar into the sheds. The #11 sugar contract continues to trend lower, with little change in the global surplus production forecast. The recent UNICA report for the first half of Ma
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By Amanda Wright In the quiet community of Andergrove, a local treasure known as MAD Animal Addiction, a cherished petting farm, finds itself facing an uncertain future. For over six decades, the property at 81 Andergrove Road has been a vibrant tableau of rural life, a place where the gentle bleating of goats and the soft rustle of feathers have harmonised with the daily rhythm of the neighbourhood. Yet, as its owner, Karen Mason, shares, recent actions by the Mackay Regional Council (MR
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Mackay Teacher Claims Back-To-Back World Titles
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Ex-Servicemen Hit The Road To Help Sick Kids In a world where recognition often follows spectacle, two local veterans are quietly carving a road less travelled … one of grit, heart, and community backing. Tony Ciantar and Wayne Davis, both retired servicemen, are trading boots for bonnets and embarking on a 10,000km journey in their lovingly restored 1994 Ford Fairmont as part of this year’s Variety Bash. Although, this isn’t just any road trip. It’s a rugged, soul-stirring mission to r
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The Australia Wide Novice Pairs were played in May with 28 Novice players from Mackay competing. N/S winners were Mary Cruickshank and Geoff Cowan. E/W winners: Ted Cullinan and Susan Gibson. Weekly Results Monday 2 June 2025 –- 8 Table Mitchell Green Points N/S E/W 1st Janelle Conroy / Terry Sheedy 1st Margaret Lane / Barbara Tait 2nd David Ting / Eric Goodchild 2nd Noel Bugeia / Geoffrey Patterson 3rd Edward Kliese / Diane Stokes 3rd Ming Ting / Pamela Finger 3rd Joy Block / Nancy Wix 4th H
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At Inaugural Eimeo Surf Club Event Approximately fifty runners enjoyed ideal weather conditions and generous hospitality at the inaugural Mackay Road Runners event hosted by the Eimeo Surf Club. Participants tackled either a 5km or 14km course through the scenic and undulating suburbs of Eimeo, Dolphin Heads and Blacks Beach. Mackay Road Runners Club President, Paul Tilse, extended his gratitude to the Eimeo Surf Club for their warm welcome, which included access to parking, amenities, deliciou
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Cairns once again proved itself an ideal host city for the Great Barrier Reef Masters Games, held from May 29 to June 1, with over 220 swimmers taking part in three days of competitive pool events at the Tobruk Memorial Pool, followed by an open water swim at Lake Barrine. This year’s swimming program concluded with a scenic open water event on the Atherton Tablelands, where 74 swimmers took on either a 1500 or 3000 metre course in the 24-degree waters of Lake Barrine. Among the competitors we
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A Season Of Celebration, Opportunity, And Community Spirit It’s been an inspiring and action-packed few weeks across our region, full of energy, ideas, and community pride. From welcoming visiting ministers to celebrating local achievements in training, sport, education, and the arts—there’s so much to be excited about! We were thrilled to host Assistant Minister for Finance, Trade, Training and Employment, Amanda Stoker. Her visit gave locals a valuable chance to share feedback on gover
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The competition that combines artistic fun with serious safety messages is now open to all Queensland primary school children from Prep to Year 6. Twelve different pieces of artwork from Queensland primary students will be chosen to feature in the calendar, with a different safety theme for each month. Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations Jarrod Bleijie said the competition is about creative young minds promoting the
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It was a strong showing for Dunbar, with their players demonstrating a keen eye at the plate, drawing 11 walks to get on base. Tristan Hillier connected well with the bat, though was caught out by Dragons’ Lachlan Colless. Dragons’ powerhouses Connor Doolan and Noah Baxter made it on base three times each, both eventually crossing home. Boyd Baxter launched a centre-field home run, helping secure a 14-6 victory over Dunbar. Heavy Iron Hawks dominated Dragons Ausgroup in a 14-6 win. Justin Loche
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By Owen Menkens, CANEGROWERS Chairman It’s been a big week in cane country. Harvesters are up and running in the Tableland and Bundaberg districts, marking the start of the 2025 crush. For growers, there’s nothing quite like seeing the first cane bins filling up – it signals a new season, a fresh start, and hope for better days after a challenging run last year. Across the rest of Queensland, farms are almost ready. Growers are fine-tuning gear, checking fields, and waiting for their loc
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As we mark National Men’s Health Week, Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank reflects with pride on the many years of support provided to the Sarina and District Community Men’s Shed. In 2014, Community Bank Sarina provided a community grant to lay the foundations – quite literally – for the Sarina Men’s Shed location that is now the organisation's home. Close to $100,000 in funding supported essential infrastructure that enabled construction to begin and by 2015 it was operational. Sarina
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One thing I’ve come to really value in my role as Councillor is how often a simple conversation can make a difference. Whether it’s chatting to someone at my market stall, a message on Instagram or sitting down for a coffee with a local community group, these everyday moments are where the real work of a Councillor happens! People sometimes imagine that Councillors spend most of their time in council chambers, debating complex policies or poring over budgets. While meetings and reports are 100
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The Marian Bowls Club has once again demonstrated its generous community spirit, rallying together to support local charity Chances House with a thoughtful and timely donation. After learning of the organisation’s needs, club members reached out directly to see how they could help. “After a phone call direct to Chances we were advised what products/clothes were required and we then set out to provide a package for them,” said club secretary Lyn Jackson. On Wednesday 4 June, the ladies w
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In a significant step towards supporting vulnerable Queenslanders, the Queensland Government has officially opened a purpose-built Vulnerable Persons Hub in Mackay — a place designed to offer compassion, connection, and coordinated care for those in crisis. By bringing together key specialist units under one roof, the Hub will deliver a unified, trauma-informed response that places safety, dignity, and recovery at the forefront. Inside the thoughtfully designed facility are two dedicated
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The Greater Whitsunday region is once again taking bold steps toward a low-carbon future with the return of its highly anticipated event, "Decarbonisation Accelerated: Continuing the Conversation". Following the success of last year's sold-out Decarbonisation Accelerated Summit, this year's event will deepen the discussion around practical decarbonisation strategies and amplify regional voices in the national conversation. Attendees will engage in dynamic discussions on: Strategic Flexib
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Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank celebrated 20 years of community impact in our region with a special celebration on Saturday, 7 June – acknowledging the many people who’ve been a part of this momentous journey. Directors, former directors, staff, shareholders and community leaders gathered to reflect on the milestones achieved and Community Bank Sarina’s proud record of reinvesting over $4.2 million into local organisations and initiatives since opening in 2005. The night also featured a luc
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Mackay Regional Council has reassured the Sarina community that its museum items will be returned to the township once a project documenting the items of significance is completed. Mayor Greg Williamson said that complex process was expected to be completed in about six months and the collection would then be returned to Sarina. “The museum rationalisation project is, for want of a better term, a ‘stocktake’ of our museums collections,” Mayor Greg Williamson said. “This has been a mammo
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Seagrass is thriving off the Isaac region’s coastline according to the latest monitoring data collected by the Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership. Researchers have been able to track seagrass condition off Clairview’s coastline for the past seven years, thanks to continued investment from Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal Pty Ltd (DBCT P/L, also known locally as Daly Bay) and Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure (DBI). Principal Research Scientist at James Cook University’s Centre for Tropical Water a
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Country Fest Queensland Saddles Up For A Massive Weekend In Bloomsbury With cowboy boots dusted off and the sweet scent of fresh-cut grass in the air, Country Fest Queensland is set to roll back into Bloomsbury from June 27–28, promising two days of music, mateship and good old-fashioned country hospitality under the stars. The paddocks are primed, the line-up’s locked in, and the buzz is building – from long-time fans to curious first-timers, there’s plenty to be excited about. Among th
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