Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
While others were collecting easter eggs over the busy Easter weekend, the team at Mackay Pet Rescue Inc were collecting kittens. Two mother cats, Fifi and Persia arrived in foster care pregnant with their previous set of kittens and have been at the forefront of attention since. Despite the challenges, the team is thrilled to announce that all of their previous kittens have found loving homes. On Saturday, Fifi surprised everyone by giving birth to another litter of six kittens, meanwhile, o
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If you are a community group attending the Mackay Anzac Day main ceremony and would like to lay a wreath as part of the service, please submit the name of your community group and your contact details on Mackay Regional Council’s website before 4pm on Thursday, April 11. Website link: www.mackay.qld.gov.au/community/events/anzac_day_wreaths
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I want to move out of Mackay and the Whitsundays. Yep, you read that right. I don’t want to live here anymore – in fact, if I’m completely honest with you I don’t want to live in Australia anymore. Why, you may or may not be asking? It couldn’t be the incredible reef on our doorstep, it couldn’t be the spectacular hiking trails or the secluded waterholes and it definitely couldn’t be the amazing venues to dine and drink with your nearest and dearest… so, what in the bloody hell made this proud
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In a fun-filled event last Thursday, families gathered at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, Harrup Park, for the Triple M Jay and Dave Easter Egg Dash. Attendees of all ages eagerly hunted for tokens, with lucky winners taking home an array of Easter eggs and fantastic hampers. With separate hunts for Tiny Tots/Under 5s and school-aged children, plus the added treat of an onsite coffee van, it was a delightful day out for the community. The crew from Kool Beanz childcare centre made the most of the
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Tee It Up Until 12th April 10am – 2pm Can you ace a hole-in-one for a chance to win an awesome prize? Test your skills against friends and family on all seven holes determining who resigns supreme in the world of mini golf! No bookings required. FREE activity for kids! Caneland Central, Centre Court (near Myer) BLUEWATER LAGOON Open 7 days 9am to 6pm Cool down and splash around with the whole family at the free, three-tiered Bluewater Lagoon. Overlooking the picturesque Pioneer River in the he
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This year marks eighteen years of artistic excellence with entries now open for Mackay`s prestigious Woollam Art on Show Awards as of March 22, 2024. Mackay Show Association is proud to announce the launch of Mackay`s highly anticipated National Art Prize as the event returns on the 2nd of August and will remain open until August 5, introducing new additions to further enhance art and culture within the region. Susi Muddiman OAM, is a special guest that will be the judge of the event, bringi
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In collaboration with Sugar City Art Deco and Modernism Society, Film Arts Mackay have something very special underway for April. A production that will have you giggling and gasping in their next comedy-drama film, The Crime Is Mine. Diving into the depths of Paris in the 1930s, Madeleine, a pretty, young, penniless and talentless actress, is accused of murdering a famous producer. With the help of her best friend Pauline, who is a young unemployed lawyer, she is acquitted on the grounds of s
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Excitement strikes as the upcoming CommBank Women’s T20I Series against New Zealand is announced to take place at the Harrup Park Great Barrier Reef Arena. These two games of T20 between the Australian and New Zealand women will take place on September 19th and 22nd, marking a significant event, not only for cricket fans but also for the entire Mackay community. After announcing the season line-up, Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said, “This is one of the most highly anticipated summers of
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The last match decided a closely-fought final of first-division Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday night fixtures. With the matches tied 5-all between Lexus and Jaguar, it came down to a decider between Andrew McHugh and Tim Sheehan, which Andrew won in four games. Lexus got away to a good start, winning the first two matches in five-game marathons. Andrew beat Vince Boeske 8, -4, -4, 10, 12 and Janice Kent got up over Tim Shehan 5, -8, 5, -6, 9. Anne Sheridan opened Jaguar’s account with a win ove
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Last month, ahead of Easter, teams journeyed to Gargett for the Marian Mill Shield, engaging in three matches throughout the day. Mackay Club advanced to the Final at Marian Club. Facing Northern Beaches, the team exerted a commendable effort but narrowly missed securing victory. Congratulations to all the players for their outstanding dedication. On Saturday, April 6th, three teams will compete in the Wilmar Sugar Plane Creek Mill Shield at the Sarina Club. Team 1 G.Luck, R.Bell, N.Hollt, R.
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The Mackay Contract Bridge Club Pairs has been played over the last three Wednesdays, with some interesting hands of cards being played. The winning Team – the Terrence Sheedy Team, consisted of Terrence Sheedy, Thelma Caruana, Max Holewa, Diane Holewa and Mick King.
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Mackay Road Runners hopped to it on the Easter Weekend for another Easter Sunday Burrito Bolt social 5k, 10km from Mackay’s Zambrero’s. Nearly thirty local runners plus Southern Queensland athletes including Anthea Ford, John Seartson and Stuart Maish joined locals in vying for the fun food-inspired prizes. It was a heavy shower of rain that set runners off on their run. Mick Scholer put his club Vice-Presidency hat to good use as the master of ceremonies giving runners course directions t
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The North Mackay Sinkers continue preparing for a major meet with the Masters Swimming Qld State Championships providing the main focus for April. As part of the preparation more sessions have been scheduled along with several club nights to assist race preparation. The most recent night held Friday 22nd March saw members swimming chosen events with 25, 50, 100 and 200/400m events available to improve starts, turns and race pace skills for the event.
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Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday morning fixtures March 26, 2024: Division 1: Jaguar (Branko Vucurovic, Peter Goodson, Kevin Abbott) d Leopards (Charlie Payne, Cheryl Pearson, Judy Zahn) 7-5. Judy d Peter 9, 8, -10, -7, 3. Pumas (George Camilleri, Coral Morgan) d Tigers (Don Boettcher, John McGee) 7-2. Coral d John 8, -5, -5, 8, 7. Lions (Tony Bowman, Pam Joyce, Bran Marshall) d Cheetahs (Donna Abbott, Iris Grasso, Val Austin) 10-2. Bryan d Val 5, -13, -10, 8, 5. Division 2: Lime (Helen Ware, F
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Taylors Property Specialists announced this week that they’ve purchased long-standing Proserpine real estate agency, Whitsunday Realty. Principal of Taylors Property Specialists, Rob Taylor, said that Proserpine is an exciting and energised place to do business and he anticipates further significant growth in the township.
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Hi Everyone, Whether you are enjoying some time off with the family, working extra hard over the busy school holidays or simply continuing with life as normal – I hope you are having a happy and satisfying week. I had a very inspiring meeting with the Trudy Crowley Foundation ‘Teal Angels’ recently and was incredibly touched by their dedication to helping people living with cancer in the Whitsunday community. As many of you will know, I had bowel cancer five years ago and, after six months of
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An abandoned gold mine in Proserpine is being re-opened after extensive metallurgical test work revealed a major mineralised system exists, with only a small portion drilled to date. The historic Dittmer Mine forms one of several old high-grade workings along a 2km north-northeast trending corridor which is also crosscut by a series of structures with associated historical workings. The mine, which was discovered in 1934, had produced over 54,000 Oz of gold by the time it closed in 1951. Sin
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Last weekend the kind volunteers at the Proserpine Whitsunday Country Women’s Association hosted a cake stall at Bunnings in Cannonvale. With a delicious range of home-made cakes, jams and biscuits, the cake stall was a popular place to grab a goodie on the way home and do some good along the way. Almost every weekend the Bunnings entranceway is a place where customers can engage with a local charity organisation. In fact, there is a pre-booked schedule of community groups, charities and wort
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Residents of the Whitsundays who are living with cancer and navigating the scary and often confusing world of hospital appointments, scans and treatment, now have a free cancer service that comes right to their doors. The Teal Angels are a team of two travelling registered nurses and one Mackay-based counsellor who operate as part of a broader charity, the Trudy Crowley Foundation. These dedicated professionals provide a full range of free services from advice to basic check-ups, connecting yo
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Are you due for a breast scan? If so, the Queensland Government are making it easy for you to get one free and conveniently at their mobile screening van which is visiting the region soon. If you are between the age of 50 and 74 it is important for you to get a regular breast scan. If you are under 50 and have a history of cancer in your family, then it is important to have a breast scan at an earlier age. Breast cancer is the second largest cause of cancer death in Australian women after lun
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Two local nurses who also run a local flower business organised the first of what they hope to be a series of fundraising charity events last weekend. Held at Whisper Gin Bar and Restaurant, the lively afternoon attracted around 60 attendees who all enjoyed some delicious mimosas and plentiful canapes served overlooking the beautiful Coral Sea. Christie Ditchburn and Rosie Butterworth are the two local nurses who organised the event, electing to raise money for a cause close to their heart. “
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After two successful Big Cigarette Butt Hunts in Cairns, thanks to funding from Queensland Gives, No More Butts is now expanding the events to four new locations including right here in the Whitsundays. No More Butts is taking action against cigarette butts, the single biggest contributor to litter in Australia and around the world, holding its first event in 2022 where more than a dozen volunteers picked up 4,500 butts in just under an hour. In 2023, 20 volunteers from several different orga
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A long-serving and highly dedicated nurse who spent her career working at Proserpine Hospital is being remembered by the broader healthcare community this week, the ground-breaking ideas she implemented over the years celebrated by all that knew her. Lola, the beloved wife of Mel and mother of Marcus, Michelle and Meagan, passed away unexpectedly in January aged 74. Lola was passionate about delivering excellent healthcare to the community and it was her lifelong dream to become a nurse. Ini
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The original founder of the Whitsundays Writers Festival will be honoured at the newly revitalised event this September with an award given in her name. Gloria Burley was the driving force behind the local writers festival for many years, until she sadly passed away in 2018. The festival has since been on pause until a newly reinvigorated committee took the reins once again, re-launching the event later this year. Remembered for her vivacious personality and passionate festival prowess, Glor
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