Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
The Collinsville community are roaring and ready to go for their ninth annual Bacon Busters event which is due to take place this weekend and is anticipated to be the biggest and best yet.For almost a decade, Collinsville’s vibrant country culture has been displayed at it’s best through this event which brings the community together to raise funds for the local state school.
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With a newly renovated pool open for guests to enjoy, Kipara Tropical Rainforest Retreat has completed the next stage in its revitalisation, welcoming guests to indulge in the tranquil pool grounds, with new tiles, decking, and pool furniture. Kipara also boasts a suite of new villas, which were specially designed for the Retreat and are located near the fully equipped outdoor camp kitchen and dining area which was constructed in December last year.
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The Belvedere Food and Wine Bar at the Toscana Village Resort is inviting the Whitsundays to a special one night only dinner and performance featuring the iconic Billy Field. An intimate group of 40 attendees will enjoy the sweet tunes of this iconic Australian singer-songwriter. This is a special performance while he is in the area for the Airlie Beach Festival of Music, a unique opportunity to see the music legend in an intimate setting, away from the crowds.
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For many years, the fate of the “Llewelyn”, which disappeared off Queensland waters in 1919, remained unsolved, until ……… on August 28, 1998, ‘The Daily Mercury’ reported that a Mackay diver, Mark Earney had solved the 79-year-old maritime mystery when he discovered the wreck near Bees Island. It was almost intact and was resting in a vertical position. The “Llewelyn” was an iron steamship of some 350 tons, 112ft long, 19ft 6inches wide, and 9ft 2ins deep. Built in Chester, England in 1884, it
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Coming off the back of wrapping up his newest project, Australian comedic icon Wil Anderson will be performing live at the Airlie Beach Hotel for one night only!This show is set to be a roundhouse of laughter and gags, with Wil on the lookout for the best audience interactions that he’s ever faced.In a unique first for Wil, the Airlie Beach show is set to include the best of his hilarious comedy.
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Sound of Freedom follows Tim Ballard, a former Homeland Security Investigations operative, as he endeavours to rescue a young girl, Ricio, as she becomes embroiled with human traffickers. Working as a Homeland Security Officer, Tim is becoming frustrated with arresting people in possession of child pornography, but not being able to rescue a single child from this situation.
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The days are getting longer and warmer and most of our visitors have departed as spring is not far away, so Tuesday afternoon we welcomed John Langley from Rich River in Victoria whom with Betty Nicole were runaway winners and Lane Telford a great little bowler herself was proud as punch to receive the prestigious Health Hub award.
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It’s been a very full week this week. On Wednesday, Carol and Nev Smith played their last game with us until they return on holidays next year. John Anderson, Bruce Uhe, and Peter Lawton defeated Arthur Griffith, Carol Smith and Nev Smith 26 - 16; Allen Sanderson, Pat Bownds and Philip Brown drew 14 all with Jim Bownds, Pat Bownds and Sandy Daffara.
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Our Mondays self-selected triples is still being keenly contested. Winners for the afternoon were Ken Wallace, Roone Barr-kemp, and Keith Armstrong who narrowly defeated Alby Vigar, Ron Boskma, and Peter Madden. On Tuesday winners were Alan Pearso,n Austin Maxwell, Dianne Harris, and John Hallas defeated Diane Hallas, Mag Cole, Col Parker, and David Harvey
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Round 18, the penultimate round of darts, took place at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club on Sunday morning with fixtures and opportunities running out fast for some players.Jamie Maher cemented his top 4 status with a commanding 7/1 victory over Gary Robbie.
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After a busy week at the Club, competitions were back to normal. On Wednesday, Elspeth Scotford was in good form to win the competition ahead of Jenny Hounsell and Pam Casey.NTP winners were Jenny Hounsell x 2 and Heather Luvis x 2.
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Last Monday and Tuesday 115 men and women competed in the annual 2023 Wintersun Carnival hosted by Proserpine Golf Club. Thankfully the wet weather held off for the two days although the wind did get up. The course was in remarkable condition, all things considered.
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This weeks 9 hole stableford saw Jacob Nightingale take the win with 20 pts c/b, second with 20 pts was Donovan Pettiford and third with 19 pts Donna Henderson.Fridays 9-hole competition was Josh Quin in first place with 24 pts, second Justyn Durbin with 22 pts and third with a 19 pt c/b was Scott Morrisey. Great work gentlemen.
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Whitsunday Running Club member Aimee Sulzberger pulled off a magnificent victory in the recent Townsville Marathon in a time of 3:11:05. This beat her previous best time by a whooping 45 minutes!In March this year, Aimee had been crowned the North Queensland Cross Country Champion over both the 10km and 6km distances.
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The Whitsunday Raiders travelled to BB Print stadium in Mackay to take on the Moranbah Bulls for the 2023 MRU Grand Final. All season these two teams have been the strongest of the competition. It was always going to be a tightly contested game for the coveted silver cup.
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This week, on a stunning Whitsunday winter’s day, 117 impressive people ran, jogged, and walked the 5km waterfront course. There were 33 first timers, congratulations to the 18 participants that recorded new Personal Bests. Milestones for the day included Louise for 25 weeks of volunteering and Jo for 50 weeks of volunteering.
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Over the weekend, 5 Cannons completed at the Queensland Short Course Championships in Brisbane. Coach Ken Crittenden was very impressed with all the Cannons and their outstanding achievements over the weekend. Highlights include: Tora Delac, aged 12 years qualified and nominated for 9 events.
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A wildcard entry to the National Junior Basketball Championships in Melbourne has left ten promising Mackay hoopers brimming with excitement. The Mackay Meteors Under 14 Boys representative team will get the chance to rub shoulders with the finest basketball talent in their age group when they trek down south next month to compete at the prestigious carnival from September 23-29. Mackay Basketball Association was quick to snap up an invitation to participate at the national titles after the la
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From the modest stages of Mackay pubs to national television, Bella Mackenzie is well on her way to stardom. The local country music star featured on The Voice Australia’s Blind Auditions on Tuesday night, turning heads and chairs with her angelic cover of Taylor Swift’s Anti-Hero. Bella performed in front of a vocal crowd and four star coaches, Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Jason Derulo and Rita Ora, with all four pressing the big red button to express their interest in mentoring her throughou
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In a move that promises to infuse new vitality into its operations, Regional Development Australia Greater Whitsundays (RDA GW) is unveiling a trio of dynamic individuals who are set to reshape its committee landscape. Chairperson Jeff Stewart-Harris is excited to introduce three remarkable additions to the team, marking a shift towards innovation and diversity. Mr. Stewart-Harris announced the outcome of an extensive and meticulous recruitment process that culminated in the selection of these e
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A local policeman has gone out of his way to assist an elderly couple with a simple and selfless gesture. A Facebook post on Mackay Noticeboard from Let the Children Play Toyshop shared the “lovely story my parents want to share”. The poster’s elderly mother was bringing groceries in from her car one bag at a time, leaving the door open as she did so. “Coming back from the kitchen she heard Dad, who couldn’t help as he is not mobile, say ‘here comes a policeman,’” the post read. “There certain
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More than a decade ago, as I embarked on my journey in journalism, I was granted the privilege of encountering the living remnants of a bygone era – World War II veterans. Their tales were whispered reminders that we must seize fleeting moments, for the faces that hold such stories won't grace our presence forever. These words, once fleeting themselves, now reverberate with an urgency I never fully understood until today. Time marches on, and as it does, the ranks of those who bore witness to h
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By Amanda Wright Last week, services of remembrance reverberated across Australia, commemorating the significant milestone of 50 years since the withdrawal of Australian combat troops from the Vietnam conflict. This poignant occasion served as a reminder of the enduring cost of war, and the valour of those who gave their lives in service. The Vietnam Veterans Vigil, held at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Jubilee Park on August 3, stood as a testament to this commemoration, uniting the communit
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The shockwaves of road crash trauma are often felt throughout the community, but a local organisation is continually working to educate users on road safety and reduce these incidents. The Road Accident Action Group (RAAG) has been operating throughout the Mackay, Isaac, Whitsunday and Central Highlands regions for the last 21 years, completing many successful projects and programs to reduce road incidents and fatalities. Last year, those regions saw a combined 25 fatal crashes, 512 injury crash
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The 140-Year Legacy Of The Porters Group Mackay’s longest standing hardware store is turning 140 on August 13, and the history behind this locally owned business is one for the books – literally! For The Porters Group’s 125 years of service, Ray Braithwaite OAM wrote 'The End of the Beginning' – a commemorative book explaining the history of The Porters Group. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves – let’s start at the beginning, where it all began with founder Charles Porter. 1883 - Taylors Hot
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