Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Kucom took a popular David Tristram comedy to the North Queensland Festival of One-Act Plays (NQ-FOOAP), which was held in Townsville on the May Day long weekend. Last Tango in Little Grimley was first performed by Kucom at the old Shakespeare Street Theatre 30 years ago and is still one of the funniest and most relatable one-act plays about a struggling amateur theatre company – and last Saturday adjudicator Pamela Cassidy obviously agreed, because she awarded Kucom the trophy for Best Play, wh
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It was a quieter week at the Mackay Contract Bridge Club last week as the club held the Barrier Reef Congress 2024. Members transported tables, chairs, boards, welcome bags and more to 500 Pavilion Mackay Showgrounds in preparation for the Barrier Reef Congress. Members cooked multitudes of biscuits, set up tables, covered windows from the sun and made sure all preparations were completed in time for the cards to start. Convener Diane Morgan has worked tirelessly for months to ensure the event
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The past weekend hosted the Prestige Fours event at the Mackay Bowling Club, where skilled bowlers from the Mackay district competed for the title. In the final saw Wayne Handley Team of Cooper Whitestyles, Clint Vassie and Jason McMullen play against Jason Little, Trevor Kelly, Dave Maskell and Dave Pinkard with the winner going to Wayne Team. Presige Fours Carnival Results: Division 1 Winners Jason Mc Mullen, Cooper Whitestyles, Clint Vassie, Wayne Handley Division 1 Runners up: Lason Littl
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After a long-anticipated wait and numerous training sessions, the Masters Queensland State Championship was attended by 12 North Mackay Sinkers Masters Swimming Club Members. This year’s State Championships event was delivered at the prestigious Brisbane Aquatic Centre in Chandler across four days of exhilarating swimming action, that took place from Thursday 18 April to Sunday 21 April 2024. The Championships offered a wide range of events, spanning from 25m to 800m, with no event limits, ensu
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Mackay Cutters’ trump card Emma Manzelmann has reached another milestone in her burgeoning rugby league career. The crafty hooker is set to earn a slice of history after gaining selection in the Queensland Maroons Origin squad for the opening match of the interstate women's series against NSW on Thursday, May 16 at Suncorp Stadium. Both the Blues and Maroons will contest a three-match Origin series this year for the first time and the durable number nine is determined to consolidate a spot in
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Over the weekend, spanning from Saturday, May 4 to Monday, May 6, the hotly contested Foley Shield tournament took place. Each day featured two games, where women’s and men’s teams from Mackay, Townsville, and Far North Queensland competed for the Foley Shield title. Selections for the Queensland Country Team were made based on performances during this weekend's matches. Mackay Regional Mayor, Greg Williamson expressed the importance of not only having the Foley Shield in Mackay for local rugby
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Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday night fixtures April 30, 2024: Division 1: Brown (Andrea Nicholson, Barry Patterson, Vince Boeske) d Blue (Steven Whiting, Lee Brake, Will VanDeKaa) 6-5. Steven d Vince -8, -7, 4, 4, 16. Red (Anne Sheridan, Graeme Walker, George Camilleri) d Orange (Donna Abbott, Janice Kent, Geoff Denman) 10-1. Geoff d George 7, -5, -5, 3, 4. White (Andrew McHugh, Neil Brown, Mark Sleeman) d Purple (Duncan Treloar, Emma Widdup, Tony Bowman) 6-5. Mark d Duncan -9, -6, 5, 4, 9. Bl
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Century Cricket Competitions have secured a three-year deal with the Mackay Regional Council to bring its hugely successful independent competition to North Queensland. Century Cricket Group Chair Stuart Giles said that “Since their inception, Century Cricket’s Senior Competitions have been about showcasing talent. “To be able to bring our competition to Great Barrier Reef Arena as a world class cricket stadium and not only continue to elevate our on-field competition, but to also showcase on
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Congratulations to City Bowls Club on winning the prestigious Dr Williams’ Shield at the weekend. City defeated Seaforth, Souths Suburban and Pioneer Valley on their way to the final against North Mackay. City’s last win in the Shield, which they have hosted for 68 years, was in 2008.
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Another exciting bowls event from the Ladies Section at North Mackay Bowls Club. The Annual Symons Shield was held at Northern Beaches Bowls Club with nine Clubs competing. The finalists were decided after some nail biting finishes – Souths Suburban played North Mackay. It too came down to the last bowl and North Mackay Ladies were declared the winners by one point. The event is held at the same Club each year on land donated by the Symons family. The Ladies presenting the Shields are members
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Just over thirty runners kicked off amidst the sights and lively sounds of the Bluewater Quay before heading off onto the Forgan Smith Bridge for a very social 5k and 10km run. Runners had the option to do participate in anything between the 5km and 10km depending on where their current abilities were at, with some tackling an extra kilometre or two at Mt Bassett. Ten-kilometre runner, Grant Holmstrom easily accounted for the Mt Bassett section of the event before storming home on the comparat
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Mackay Brothers are proving a force to be reckoned with in the 2024 Northern Region Mackay & District Junior Rugby League A Grade competition. The all-conquering Leprechauns have opened the season in ominous style with three consecutive victories under the coaching of Thomas Heggie and shape as the team to beat for this year’s title. Having notched an incredible 24 tries to date, Heggie’s much vaunted charges boast a powerful forward pack and enterprising back division with attacking strike acro
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Century 21 proudly announces the launch of Century 21 Coast to Coalfields in Mackay, under the leadership of seasoned real estate professional Luke James Curtis. With over 14 years of industry expertise, Luke aims to cater to clients' diverse goals and property needs, whether buying, selling, or investing. Having deep roots in the local community, Luke brings intimate knowledge of the market's trends and nuances. Luke expressed the following on what he hopes to accomplish with this new offic
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Bridge players will congregate in Mackay this long weekend to compete in the Barrier Reef Congress. Players will travel from the Atherton Tablelands & Cairns in the North and Victoria & Tasmania in the south for this annual event. Several players are even making the trip from New Zealand. Approximately 300 players will compete in pairs and team events over the 4 days. Many current and former Australian & Queensland representative players will be vying for the top honours. Also, in the runnin
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With Queensland Police statistics showing a steady increase of crime levels in the Mackay region since 2012, the State Government are aiming to combat the issue with the recent announcement of new Police Service recruits. Queensland Premier Steven Miles came to the region last week to bring the exciting news that 900 positions over the next three years will be filled to fortify community safety in the Central Police Region. This includes 57 new Police Officers for the Mackay, Whitsundays, and Ca
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So, here I am, embarking on one of the toughest conversations I never imagined having to have. It's the 'how do I even start this' dialogue. Of course, as with most things in life, the best way is to dive headfirst into the uncomfortable because, well, that's what I do. I talk, I write, I process my emotions. And this, is just another chapter in my story, another bend in the road that I must navigate. So, let's talk about it. Last week, I received news that no one ever wants to hear: I've bee
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Photo credit: Hannah McNamara Northern Beaches Photo credit: Hannah McNamara Walkerston Photo credit: Hannah McNamara Mackay Photo credit: Mackay Regional Council Dysart Photo credit: Isaac Regional Council
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Photo credit: Hannah McNamara Northern Beaches Photo credit: Hannah McNamara Walkerston Photo credit: Hannah McNamara Mackay Photo credit: Mackay Regional Council Dysart Photo credit: Isaac Regional Council
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Norman Arthur Waterson, also known as 'Norm', has invoked great courage and resilience throughout his life journey, having served in World War II at just sixteen years of age, he now stands as an inspiration to those lucky enough to know him. Born on December 11th, 1923, in Mackay, he attended Swaynesville School Sarina, laying the foundation for a life marked by service and dedication. His life story intertwines with the archives of history, particularly during his service in World War II from
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“As you got to know him, you couldn’t help but love him. He was loyal, a hard worker and he’d do anything for anybody - community minded and overall, a really good guy,” said Ben Phillips, Managing Director of Gardian. Colleagues and locals alike gathered in front of the Gardian building on Wood Street to commemorate former son, brother, friend and colleague, Finley Smith. Finley was a 25-year-old young man headed for a successful life and career within the confines of Gardian, having been br
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In a lifechanging event, a Sarina woman has been left overwhelmed with joy after scoring $1.6 million in last weekend’s Saturday Gold Lotto draw. The lucky woman says she feels “truly blessed” and is excited to be able to give her adult children a kickstart in life. The Sarina resident secured one of the three division one winning entries in the Saturday Gold Lotto draw 4463 on April 27, 2024. Each winning entry in division one received $1,648,240.31. “I’m just so overwhelmed and pretty exc
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Split Spaces Mackay was recently awarded $77,500 in funding to excel in a new era of innovation and technological advancement within the region. With a focus on driving Mackay's tech potential forward, Split Spaces is always evolving and making crucial changes that will benefit businesses and entrepreneurs alike. One key initiative facilitated by this funding is the development of comprehensive strategies to harness the power of technology for business success. Through workshops and training se
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Debbie Jackson and her family are living through the pain of seeing a loved one battle the later stages of dementia. Her husband Gary, who is 61, started to deteriorate in January last year following a series of brain bleeds. By the end of 2023 he was diagnosed with vascular dementia and given a life expectancy of just twelve months. It’s been a difficult time for Debbie who was caring for Gary at home until the physical and emotional toll became too great. “We had 24/7 support at home, bu
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The 2024 Legendary Neighbour Campaign marks a heart-warming celebration of community spirit and neighbourly kindness. With over 70 residents participating in the campaign, the outpouring of stories and sentiments showcased the true essence of what it means to be a legendary neighbour within the region. Mackay Mayor, Greg Williamson says that, “My Legendary Neighbour Campaign has been going for several years now.” “It started off by celebrating neighbours who are getting together and it’s evolved
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For a long time the strategy for selling properties in Mackay was very straightforward… list at a specific price, usually with a 9 at the end. So properties would list for, say $499,000 or $549,000. It was very easy for everyone; sellers wanted to get as close as possible to the mark and buyers understood that but also knew the sellers were not looking for more than that. As the market has changed and prices have gone up, agents such as me have changed the pricing advice to sellers. You will oft
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