A huge congratulations to Proserpine State High School Year 7 student Shailee Mewha, who has achieved an outstanding result at the Queensland Athletics Cross Country Championships, taking home the silver medal in a highly competitive 3km event. The championships were held last week at Toogoolawah Golf Club, located northwest of Brisbane, where runners tackled a challenging and hilly course. Shailee showed incredible determination, closely shadowing the first-place runner throughout the race and
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Bigger, Bolder, And Better Than Ever Step right up, Airlie Beach – the circus is back in town! Hudsons Circus is rolling in for a two-week season with its brand-new Bigger, Bolder, Better Than Ever tour, promising jaw-dropping acts, colourful characters and heart-pounding stunts that will thrill audiences from ages 2 to 102. Celebrating 12 years on the road, Hudsons Circus has pulled out all the stops for this year’s blockbuster production. From gravity-defying aerial acts and death-defying m
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National Program Now Open for Applications Women in the Whitsundays with a passion for music are being encouraged to apply for a unique opportunity as part of the 2025 Australian Women in Music (AWM) Queensland Regional & Remote Women’s Music Program. Expressions of interest are now open for the sixth annual program, which invites First Nations women, female, and gender-diverse music practitioners living in regional and remote Queensland to apply for a fully funded, two-day professional develop
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Friday 18th July Airlie Beach Hotel: Aaron Saxon (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: Nite Lightning (from 8pm) KC's: Retro Joe (from 8pm) Saturday 19th July Airlie Beach Hotel: Geed Up (2pm – 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Aaron Saxon (7pm – 10pm) Grand View Hotel: DJ Night (from 8pm) Coral Sea Pavillion: DJ Bad Girl (1pm – 6pm) Sunday 20th July Airlie Beach Hotel: Geed Up (2pm – 5.30pm) Airlie Beach Hotel: Sam McCann (6.30pm – 9.30pm) Grand View Hotel: Nite Lightning (4pm - 8pm) Coral Sea Pavillion:
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July 19 Tassal Airlie Beach Marathon Festival, Races between Port of Airlie & Cannonvale Beach with the Race Precinct at the Sound Stage on the Airlie Foreshore 20 Bowen Community Markets, Hansen Park, from 8:00am 22 Tech Help, Cannonvale Library, 2:00pm-3:45pm 23 Whitsunday Quilters & Hand Crafts Group, Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre, 9:00am-1:30pm, $5pp. 26 2025 Mayor's Charity Ball, Proserpine Entertainment Centre, 5pm - 12am, $250 27 Bowen Community Markets, Hansen Park, from 8:00am
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Fans of Australian music legend John Farnham are in for a treat next month, with The Whispering Jack Show set to take the stage at The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel, on Saturday, August 2, from 2pm to 5.30pm. Hailed as the country’s premier Farnham tribute, the high-energy production has been touring nationally for almost 20 years, playing to packed theatres, RSL clubs, festivals, and cruise ships. Backed by a dynamic seven-piece band, the show brings Farnham’s chart-topping hits to life in a perform
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Patches is a gentle three-year-old Mastiff x Bull Arab who was heartbreakingly left behind by his former family. Rescued in poor condition, this big softie has slowly regained his strength—and his trust in people. Now, he’s searching for a fresh start with someone who’ll show him the kindness he deserves. He’s not an energetic dog and is happiest lounging on the couch, enjoying short play sessions or walks by your side. Once Patches trusts you, he’s incredibly affectionate, loyal, and easygoing
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The Great Barrier Reef Festival is thrilled to announce a series of events dedicated to sustainability and environmental education. The Festival's commitment extends to supporting the Traditional Owners, local High Standard Tourism Operators, and the vital work of Master Reef Guides, delivering a collaborative approach to the conservation of the Great Barrier Reef for future generations. The festival’s sustainability focus is headlined by several key events designed for all ages: **Nature Cele
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The Giant Clam certainly lives up to its name. As the largest bivalve mollusc, the giant clam weighs an average of 200kg and can grow over a metre across its shell. They can live for several decades, with some individuals living for over 100 years. These clams are found sitting on the sandy bottom in the warm, shallow waters of the Great Barrier Reef. They are easily spotted by their distinctive, fluted shell and the brightly coloured mantles (the “lips” of the clam). Giant clams are filter f
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Spring Comes Early at Coral Sea While the rest of the Whitsundays are still shaking off the last chill of winter, spring has already sprung in an unexpected place – the seagrass nursery tucked inside Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach. Here, rows of sunlit tanks are quietly nurturing the next generation of seagrass meadows, offering a hopeful glimpse into the future of our coastal ecosystems. Zostera muelleri, or “eelgrass”, has produced the first flowers for the year - and in abundance. Found in
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The Tassal Airlie Beach Marathon Festival takes place this weekend of 19/20 July. The McDonald's Airlie Beach Foreshore Magic Mile will be run along the beachfront at 4:00pm on Saturday with a dash for cash. The winner and podium finishers will take home the cash in the open race with the junior runners competing for gold, silver and bronze medals. Sunday will see over 600 runners competing in a variety of races from the 42 to 1 km. These races will be run over several laps between the Port of
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Find out at the Coral Sea Marina Resort Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival! Get ready to feel the energy of the Whitsundays as you dive into the ultimate challenge! The Coral Sea Marina Resort Airlie Beach Triathlon Festival isn't just about setting personal bests; it’s a high-energy friendly competition. This year, we're challenging local businesses, groups of mates, and junior stars to step up and claim the crown for the fastest team in town! Forget stuffy boardrooms and boring team-building se
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The Bowen Polocrosse Club delivered a strong and spirited showing at the recent Nebo Carnival, fielding four chukka teams across all grades and showcasing skill, determination, and true sportsmanship against top teams from around Queensland. In D Grade, Bowen 4—a young side featuring Rhadaya Bidgood, Addison Odger, and a teammate from Wandoan—gained valuable experience with every match. Their improvement and resilience were clear to all watching. Bowen 3 stole the show in C Grade, bouncing bac
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Football - Whitsunday United Football Club Friday, 18 July 6:00 PM – Whitsunday United FC Div 2 Men vs Sarina Saints Div 2 Men at Whitsunday Sportspark 8:00 PM – Whitsunday United FC Div 1 Men vs Magpies FC Div 1 Men at Whitsunday Sportspark Saturday, 19 July 9:30 AM – Whitsunday United FC U13 FQPL vs Mackay Wanderers U13 FQPL Rubies at Whitsunday Sportspark 9:30 AM – Whitsunday United FC U14 vs Mackay Rangers FC U14 Gold at Whitsunday Sportspark 11:00 AM – Dolphins FC U13 Div 1 vs Whitsunday U
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Last Saturday saw Sea Eagles Senior Men and Women head deep into enemy territory to take on Eastern Swans in the gusty and blustery conditions Mackay put on. Sea Eagles Senior Men had a hard task ahead of them taking on the reigning premiers and top of the table Swans. Sea Eagles came out strong but were inaccurate in front of goal with the Swans leading up until the half time break. Sea Eagles regrouped at half time and had control of the play in the third quarter kicking 4 goals 3 points and
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It’s been another action-packed and inspiring week for bowlers from Airlie Beach Bowls Club, both on and off the green. At the Para-Powerlifting Nationals on the Gold Coast, our very own Di Jackson took out the bronze medal, proving once again that her wheelchair is no match for her inner strength. Di continues to inspire with every achievement, adding another chapter to her remarkable story. Back on the green, the Men’s Triples Championship brought some serious drama. After preliminary rounds
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Under clear skies and easing winds, the Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club hosted the 2024 Winter Short Course Transition Meet on Saturday at the Cannonvale Swim Centre. The meet welcomed 104 swimmers from 13 clubs across Queensland and provided one of the final chances for athletes to secure qualifying times for the upcoming 2025 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Short Course Championships. Many swimmers rose to the occasion, posting impressive results, smashing personal bests and taking home a hau
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It was a picture-perfect day for golf, with 31 players hitting the course for the July 2025 Monthly Medal. And while some rounds may have had their shaky moments, a few solid shots and timely putts were all it took to keep spirits high—and golfers keen to return next week. Congratulations to our Monthly Medal winners: Elspeth Scotford for the ladies and Gerald Lovell for the men. We were also pleased to welcome visitors Shane Aldridge and Gerald Heavey, who added to the day’s fun. Ladies Resul
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It’s been a vibrant and busy week at Wangaratta Bowls Club, with full greens and strong competition across all events. Monday Triples saw a full field with Jan Harvey, Rodney Barter, and Glenn Harvey claiming victory over S. Farrel, H. Beech-Jones, and K. Pedlar. Runners-up were Glen, Nick, and John, who defeated Neal, Bruce, and Robyn. The jackpot once again went unclaimed. Tuesday afternoon was a special occasion as the club honoured its Patroness, Merle Elphinstone—our oldest Life Member wh
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The Lions Club of Whitsunday’s fourth annual Charity Golf Day teed off on Sunday at Whitsunday Green, raising more than $10,000 for local causes. Proserpine Hospital will once again be the major beneficiary, with additional recipients to be confirmed at later dates. Golf Committee Chairman Alan Gravelle said the day was a huge success, thanks to generous community support. “It's a long day, but at the end of the day, when you see everyone happy and all the support and positive comments it sort
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The ladies from Marian Bowls Club have shown that community spirit is alive and well, recently donating ten beautifully handmade knee rugs to the residents of Nanyima Aged Care Home in Mirani. Over the past few months, members have been busy crocheting and knitting squares from home, later joining them together to create colourful, cosy rugs designed to keep elderly residents warm while in wheelchairs. On Wednesday, June 25, Marian Bowls Club President Thelma Johnston, Treasurer Judith Miller
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It’s not every week I get the privilege of having the Mayor cook me dinner — but thanks to Crunch Time, part of this year’s Mackay Festival of Arts, that’s exactly what happened. The live-theatre-meets-dinner-party event delivered five unpredictable courses dictated by democracy and whipped up by Mayor Greg Williamson himself. Let’s just say the democratic process took a dark turn when someone voted for Natto — a fermented bean experience that confirmed some things are better left off the plate
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Last Sunday, the Mackay Army Cadets once again laced up their boots and marched with purpose – this time around the Bluewater Trail – as part of a growing movement to raise awareness and support for veteran homelessness. Twelve months on from the extraordinary 382km trek in 2024, the cadets returned to action, completing a symbolic circuit of Mackay’s scenic Bluewater Trail. The event served as both a show of continued solidarity and a powerful reminder that, for many veterans, the battle
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$6 Million Allocated For Victim Safety And Justice Access Mackay’s justice precinct is set for a significant transformation, with a $6 million funding injection from the Queensland Government to upgrade the region’s courthouse—placing victim safety and frontline justice services firmly back on the agenda. The funding forms part of an $18.8 million boost to the state’s Domestic and Family Violence Courthouse Improvement Program, announced in the 2025–26 Budget. The additional investment li
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The Mackay Vietnam Veterans Support Group has crafted a colourful mud kitchen at Nebo State School, providing a creative play space for students of all ages. With help from sponsors and grants, the project took just over two months to complete and includes cupboards, an oven, a slide-out tray, and is even painted in the school’s colours. Kate Hardwick, a representative from Nebo State School, said the mud kitchen supports “some really creative play, particularly for the younger participa
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