Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Everyone is invited to join in the Whitsunday Lions Charity Golf Day for a fun active day on the Whitsunday Green. All funds raised go towards the local Proserpine Hospital, raising money for a place that is essential for our health. At this year’s event, whether you play, sponsor a hole or donate a prize for the raffle, your contribution to the community will not be looked over, and your support is valuable. The Whitsunday Lions Club previous events have been fun and a great way to spend the
Read more
Queensland Day at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre was a huge success last Sunday 2 June. Mayor Ry Collins was in attendance and conducted a Welcome Speech, followed by live music performances by Luella and Shayne and Skyhigh Juggling. Food stalls and activities kept everyone busy. Everyone was in high spirit and enjoyed the wonderful Whitsunday winter weather. The day was celebrated the Whitsunday way. A celebration of Queensland’s birthday; it marks its official separation from New So
Read more
Hundreds of people flowed through the doors of the inaugural Pre-loved and Vintage Clothing Markets which were held in the large function room at Kipara Rainforest Retreat on Sunday. Dozens of stalls hosted by enthusiastic fashionistas created an Aladdin’s cave of delights where attendees could explore the racks of colourful clothing and discover hidden gems to add to their own collection. Photo credit: Rachael Smith
Read more
More than one thousand people attended the bi-annual St Mary’s Catholic School Family Fun Day in Bowen last month, and with over 400 ride passes sold, it was clear that the children had a lot of fun! One of the organisers, Angela Gonzalez, said they were thrilled with the event’s success. “We were all very stoked with the turn out!” she said. “Thank you to all the sponsors and all our volunteers who made the event happen.” There was plenty to do on the day, including fairground rides, face p
Read more
As winter arrives, the Cannonvale Bowls Club experienced a week filled with competitive spirit and camaraderie, featuring Ladies Pennants, Social Bowls, and Men's Pennants. Tuesday Highlights Tuesday's Ladies Pennants and Social Bowls included 14 players, with special guests Diana Stowers and Ian Gillies from Bangaroo Bowls Club on Bribie Island. Ian, alongside new player Dana Watson and Mark Mawson, secured an easy win. However, Tony Whitehorn and "Wild" Bill Gordon took home the prize money. I
Read more
Club Pairs Results • Ron Gould and Steve Roome defeated Lee Welsted and Jason Wright in a tightly contested match. Wednesday Social Bowls Results • Mary Ellen Pratten, G. Cornell, and Daryl Tuttle defeated Sue Fox, Lloyd White, and Helen Jacobsen. • Daryl O’Connell, Ray Muir, and Steve Roome defeated Eddy Neylon, Jane Gilbert, and Bob Lindsay. • Peter, Ron, and Gus defeated Bev, Peter, and Rob. • Anna Delic, Wendy Coles, and Gary Turner defeated Glenys, Ian Thatcher, and D. M
Read more
Proserpine Bowls Club's Division 5 team clashed with North Mackay last Saturday, resulting in a 41-all draw. The team's Gavin Noonan, Harry Craig, Dale Haack, and Brett Saroglia secured a 23-20 victory, with both sides taking home 2.5 points each. On the same day, Division 1 faced a strong Souths Suburban team. Despite a win by Shane Kinnear's quartet (16-13), the team suffered overall losses in other matches, with Souths Suburban taking the day 60-47 and earning the majority of match points. Su
Read more
The Wangaratta Bowls Club enjoyed an eventful week, with the Tuesday social bowls seeing fierce competition and strategic plays. Notable victories included John and Denis outplaying Alan and Norm, while B. Tolcher, S. Shearing, and Domingo took down C. Bellingham, K. Armstrong, and their team. Other winners of the day were J. Hayson, B. Bellingham, and G. Colquhoun, who defeated P. Mullins, L. Knight, and M. Hyde. M. Nesbit, P. Nesbit, and J. Steele bested Tracey, Jill, and Mark Drummond. M. Mul
Read more
The Bowen Golf Club recently showcased exceptional golfing talent during the Abbot Point, Onsite Rental Group & Gilmour Space 2024 Pro-Am. Professionals John Lyras and Darcy Boyd both excelled, finishing their rounds 6 under par. In the amateur rankings, Ryley Malone topped the Men's division, with Craig Newell and Kailan Batchelor trailing closely. Claire Garrod led the Ladies' division, followed by Meg Garrod and Jo Kukura. Notable performances in pin shots came from Danny Borgh, Jason Craig,
Read more
This past Sunday, the Whitsunday Golf Club hosted its June Monthly Medal and Least Putts competition, with 14 players braving the wet course conditions. The event, generously sponsored by Airlie Panel and Paint and Master Butchers Whitsunday, saw reduced participation due to the ideal fishing weather and some players opting to wait for drier playing conditions. The persistent wet weather has been particularly challenging for smaller country courses, affecting player numbers. The club remains hop
Read more.png)
This week at the local golf club, the 9-hole Stableford competition saw some closely contested scores among the players. Rob Lodders emerged victorious on Wednesday, securing first place with an impressive 23 points. Hot on his heels was Edwina Pettiford with 21 points, clinching second place, while Levi Smith rounded out the top three with 20 points on a countback. The excitement continued into Friday's 9-hole Stableford, where Brad Low triumphed in a tight finish, taking first place with 21 po
Read more.png)
June 10 1944 1400 hours It was a quiet Saturday afternoon in Proserpine. Walter Magnetti was getting ready for his wedding and a young Ivo Botta recalled that many men were away playing bowls. With the sound of a plane crashing into a cane paddock in the Foxdale/Up River area, locals could be forgiven for thinking the war had arrived at their door. The plane was a Spitfire (A58-345) on transit from Amberley to Darwin with Flt/Lt Alan Edward Davison 9106931 at the helm. An hour and a half afte
Read more%20(1).jpg)
The Whitsunday Sea Eagles hosted the Moranbah Bulldogs this week, following a successful and respectful Indigenous Round against the Swans last weekend. The matches were filled with excitement and challenges across all age groups. Under 17s End in Thrilling Draw The Under 17s match was a highlight, ending in a nail-biting 48-48 draw. The Sea Eagles, eager to showcase their improvement after a Grand Final defeat last year and a preseason loss, dominated the first half. However, the Bulldogs came
Read more
This week’s matches at the Airlie Bowls Club saw fierce competition as Dom Friend and Joe Wilson continued their battle for the top spot in the premier league. Key Results: • D. Friend 7-1 S. Edmonds • N. Mitchell 2-7 J. Lloyd • J. Lloyd 2-7 D. Friend • J. Wilson 7-3 N. Mitchell Dom Friend impressed with two victories, defeating Scott Edmonds 7-1 and Jayden Lloyd 7-2. Joe Wilson retained his lead by beating Naomi Mitchell 7-3, thanks to a superior leg difference. Jayden Lloyd rec
Read more
Whitsunday United faced a weekend of mixed results against tough competition in Mackay. Friday Night: Division One and Two Men’s Teams The Division One Men continued their impressive form with a 5-2 victory over Rangers. Stef and Rale each scored twice, with Radders adding the final goal. However, the Division Two Men narrowly lost 2-1 in a close match. Alistair Sawers scored his first goal for the club. Saturday: Youth Matches The U13 Division One team remains at the top of the leaderboard de
Read more
The Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club hosted its annual Presentation Night on Saturday, celebrating the achievements of its swimmers and the invaluable contributions of parents and volunteers. The evening was a resounding success, filled with recognition and pride. Special Awards for 2024 • Swim of the Year: Jy Parkinson (200m Butterfly Final at Age Nationals) • Sportsperson Award: Jacob Bell • Junior and Senior Trainer Awards: Harris Delac, Zach Trefz, Andie Reynolds, and Jacob Bell
Read more
The Whitsunday Touch Association's (WTA) Winter Season concluded on Monday night with Grand Finals in four divisions. Holding the Grand Finals on a Friday night is a new approach by the WTA, aiming to attract a large number of supporters and enhance the evening's atmosphere. Spectators can expect thrilling action, with the playing surface of the fields in excellent condition. Come to the Sportspark for an enjoyable evening. You'll be well catered for with plenty of food and refreshments. The act
Read more
The Whitsunday Game Fish Club held its Q & T rally on Saturday, drawing 14 dedicated members to a day of almost perfect weather and thrilling fishing. New member "Frenchy" stole the spotlight, winning the best Trevally award with an impressive 107 cm GT, narrowly edging out Josh by just a couple of centimetres. Jessy claimed victory in the Queenfish category with a 78 cm catch, beating both Josh and Steve in a close contest. Future champion Benson Smith earned the title of best junior angler
Read more.png)
On Saturday evening, five yachts set sail under a nearly full moon for the annual Full Moon race, covering approximately 30 nautical miles. Reignition (Charles Wallis) and Overdrive (Rupert King) vied for the lead at the start, with Manteca (Frank Tennyson), Rossgo (Greg Hammon), and Miss Behavin’ (John Morton) close behind. Reignition finished first, followed by Overdrive and Miss Behavin’. On corrected time, Miss Behavin’ emerged victorious, with Reignition and Overdrive in second and third.
Read more
Queensland Police have issued an appeal to the public for assistance in locating Celeste McGain, a 40-year-old woman reported missing since Saturday 1 June from the Whitsundays area. Celeste McGain was last seen on Paluma Road in Woodwark around 2pm on Saturday 25 May. Since then, there have been no sightings or communications from her. Concerns for Celeste's well-being are heightened as her disappearance is considered out of character by family and friends. Described as Caucasian, approximately
Read more
The culmination of four years dedicated efforts to bring free local news to the Mackay community has been recognised at the Queensland Country Press Awards, which were held in the Sunshine Coast last Friday night. Mackay Life was honoured to bring home the award for Best One-off Commercial Feature for its in-depth coverage of the Fergus Builders 40-year celebrations. Sister publication, Burdekin Life also won Best Locally Produced Advertising Campaign and the broader Mackay and Whitsunday Life
Read more%20(1).jpg)
Hi there to our lovely readers, I don’t think I could ever fill the shoes of Amanda as she does such an amazing job, but rest assured, all going well, she will be back very shortly! I’d like to start off by introducing myself if we haven’t crossed paths already at recent events. I’m Hannah the cadet journalist with Mackay Life Newspaper, and what I love most about my job and working with this paper, is that we all have a great love for our community. I was born in Melbourne but I now call
Read more%20(1).jpg)
An anonymous member of the local community took to a neighbourhood crime page on Facebook, not to report an incident, but to express her heartfelt gratitude. The focus of her message was directed towards a family wearing orange hi-vis attire and the manager of the Ooralea McDonald's, both of whom came to her aid when she unexpectedly fell ill around 8:30pm the previous Sunday night. In her post, the anonymous individual conveyed profound thanks, expressing regret for the inconvenience caused by
Read more%20(1).jpg)
The Council's elected members took a firm stand against domestic and family violence last week when Mayor Greg Williamson emphasised the community's rejection of violence, highlighting a commitment to proactive measures for change. “Not now, not ever” was a pledge that was taken last Wednesday by council’s elected members. The pledge was signed to highlight Council’s collective stance against domestic and family violence (DFV) within the community. Mayor Greg Williamson said violence in any form
Read more%20(1).jpg)
The 2024 Mayors Ball wasn’t just a glamorous affair but a rallying point for local charities, thanks to the generous support of sponsors and ball-goers. With a resounding spirit of community, the event successfully raised crucial funds to uplift organisations such as the Australian Street Aid Project and Grapevine Group. Mackay Regional Mayor, Greg Williamson said that “The main goal of the Ball is to support local charities, who are sometimes overlooked by state and federal funding but are in
Read more