It was another action-packed week on the green for Wangaratta Bowls Club, with strong turnouts across all competitions. Monday’s triples winners were Eileen Dunn, John F., and Geof Col, who defeated Grant Ingh, Bob Lindsay, and Leon Fox. Runners-up were Dave Richard, Bob Agg, and Denis Madeley, who overcame Buff Graham and Kennedy. The jackpot remained unclaimed. On Tuesday, the club hosted a full green for President Margaret’s Day, proudly sponsored by Tropical Beach Caravan Park. The morning
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August has been a busy month at Proserpine Golf Club, with multiple Opens, Ladies’ Pennants, and the start of the Wintersun Vets competition complementing regular play. The three Opens held from August 1–3 featured strong fields and some great performances. Men’s A Grade winners were Levi Holmes (Gross) and Ben Harrison (Nett), B Grade winners Brent Franke (Gross) and Chris Brett (Nett), and C Grade winners Kale Malone (Gross) and Chris Pirlo (Nett). Ladies’ Open winners included Sara Hagy (A
Read moreIt was another action-packed week on the green for Wangaratta Bowls Club, with strong turnouts across all competitions. Monday’s triples winners were Eileen Dunn, John F., and Geof Col, who defeated Grant Ingh, Bob Lindsay, and Leon Fox. Runners-up were Dave Richard, Bob Agg, and Denis Madeley, who overcame Buff Graham and Kennedy. The jackpot remained unclaimed. On Tuesday, the club hosted a full green for President Margaret’s Day, proudly sponsored by Tropical Beach Caravan Park. The morning
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Mackay’s Cricket Scorecard Challenge Starts Now Mackay is ready to bat above and beyond this August, as the Great Barrier Reef Arena steps up to host men’s international cricket for the very first time. This landmark event, featuring top-tier teams like Australia and South Africa, promises to ignite the city’s passion for the sport while showcasing the region’s vibrant spirit. To celebrate, the Discover Mackay Cricket Scorecard Challenge invites locals and visitors alike to explore the stunning
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Hi everyone, What a week it’s been! Sport is thriving across our region – from the recent Wanderers footy carnival featured on page 41, to the excitement building as the Great Barrier Reef Arena prepares to host men’s international cricket for the first time later this month, which you can read all about on page 38. On a more personal note, I want to take a moment to encourage you to check in – with yourself and those around you. Last week, I attended the official launch of the Univers
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Edie Weiss Honoured As Pyjama Angel Of The Year The Mackay community recently celebrated one of its own, Edie Weiss, who was named Pyjama Angel of the Year at the Mackay Pyjama Foundation Awards. This special event recognises volunteers who selflessly support children in out-of-home care, offering them hope and stability through mentorship. Edie has made a remarkable impact by dedicating one hour each week to a child in need. Through the Pyjama Foundation’s trauma-informed program, she re
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In a move set to shape Mackay’s next chapter, council chambers confirmed last Monday, August 11, that Gerard Carlyon will step in as Mackay Regional Council’s new Chief Executive Officer. The decision, made during a special meeting, marks a homecoming for Mr Carlyon, who will take up the role at the end of September after previously serving the region as Director of Community Services and Director of Planning from 2009 to 2018. Mr Carlyon said returning to Mackay was very much a homecomi
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The students of Mackay West State School had the honour of hosting a momentous occasion this week, as an official Australian Flag, previously flown over Parliament House in Canberra, was brought to the school by the Speaker of the House, the Hon.Milton Dick, as part of the Parliament in Schools program and National Flag Roadshow. This national initiative was made even more special with the visit marking the first time a Speaker has visited the electorate of Dawson. The visit was proudly f
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Over 35,000 Teachers Strike Over Extreme Workloads, And Lack Of Support Queensland classrooms faced significant disruption last Wednesday after more than 35,000 teachers walked off the job for 24 hours, citing concerns over school safety, unsustainable workloads, and deteriorating conditions – concerns they say the government continues to ignore. Despite official statements from the Department of Education claiming schools would remain “operational” with “limited disruption,” many within the pr
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Panic disorder, or reoccurring panic attacks, can be a debilitating condition which significantly impacts quality of life and two Mackay psychiatrists are keen to explore a potential solution for those willing to join a clinical trial. Psychiatrist and clinical trial lead Dr Alok Rana says patients describe panic disorder as all-consuming. “Their life actually goes on hold,” Dr Rana said. “There are triggers which are outside the house, so they start confining within the house. “Also,
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Mackay Welcomes Launch Of Universal Aftercare Program A new chapter in suicide prevention has officially begun in Mackay, with the launch of the Universal Aftercare program – a much-needed support service for locals aged 15 and over who have experienced a suicide attempt or suicidal crisis. Launched last Friday at the Mackay Base Hospital courtyard, the initiative represents a powerful collaboration between Wellways Australia, Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS), and Northern Queensl
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For the first time in more than 10 years, Mackay will experience the full power and prestige of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) when they perform Northern Lights & Southern Stars on Thursday, the 30th of October, at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (MECC). “This is the real McCoy,” said Andrew Bobeldyk, Executive Manager of MECC and Events. “Not a chamber group, not a scaled down version, this is the full Queensland Symphony Orchestra, all 55 musicians, right here i
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Council has officially endorsed a strategy to revitalise the Mackay City Centre and Waterfront. Mackay Waterfront Place Strategy is a visionary roadmap designed to transform the City Centre and Riverside precincts into vibrant, inclusive and thriving destinations. The strategy outlines some quick win actions like activating or screening empty commercial tenancies, adding more shade, cleaning up the Gregory Street bus shelter and improving the appeal of the Riverside Precinct. It also id
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Works are ramping up in Andergrove as Mackay Regional Council pushes ahead with a major revitalisation of Oak Street. Contractor Downer began stage two of the Oak Street upgrade project last Thursday, the 7th of August. The project first got under way in 2023 with stormwater pipe relining, marking the start of a multi-stage plan to improve this vital roadway. Stage two will focus on underground drainage works and is expected to wrap up by late November 2025. Mayor Greg Williamson said t
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Member for Mirani, Glen Kelly MP, has launched the Mirani Biggest Survey; the largest community listening project ever undertaken in the electorate, alongside a new series of community town halls which kicked off in Eungella on Wednesday, the 13th of August. The initiative is part of a major grassroots effort to hear directly from residents across the expansive Mirani electorate about the issues, priorities, and projects that matter most. “The Mirani electorate has been overlooked for fa
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The 2nd Annual AGIS & Broken Ballerina Inc (BBI) Charity Golf Day, held on Friday, August 1, saw pink tutus, feather boas, and plenty of golf action despite wet weather on the green as players teed off to raise both funds and awareness for domestic violence victim survivors in the Mackay and Whitsundays. The event, hosted at Mackay Golf Club, drew strong community participation and friendly competition. A representative from Broken Ballerina Inc said, “We are proud to announce that after
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Rural Aid Marks Major Recovery Milestone Rural Aid has proudly reached a major milestone this month, with its 200th farm receiving vital support as part of the charity’s Farm Recovery Event currently underway in Coraki, in the New South Wales Northern Rivers. The event, running through to 2nd August, marks a significant achievement in Rural Aid’s ongoing commitment to Australia’s farming communities. Since its inception in 2018, the Farm Recovery Events program has provided hands-on assis
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Sugarcane is set to take the spotlight at the Royal Queensland Show next week, as CANEGROWERS returns to the Ekka to showcase one of Queensland’s most significant agricultural industries to city audiences. Hosted in partnership with Sunshine Sugar and Sugar Research Australia, the sugarcane stand has become a crowd favourite in the Ekka’s Agricultural Hall, drawing thousands of visitors each year and proving there's still plenty of curiosity and pride in the industry that helped build reg
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The Mackay and Plane Creek districts' sugarcane harvest season is well underway, and as this edition goes to print, should be hovering around the 25% mark harvested of the crop, give or take. Each year, the Mackay-Plane Creek region, recognised as one of Australia’s largest sugar-producing areas, contributes to both domestic consumption and export markets, making the progress of its harvest season of considerable economic importance. At the local level, every dollar spent in the sugarcane indus
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In the lead-up to the nationally held R U OK? Day on September 11, local suicide prevention charity Grapevine Group is encouraging businesses and community members across Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday regions to stock up on their free Help-a-mate wallet cards – a vital resource listing local suicide prevention services. The free pocket-sized cards can be ordered directly from the Grapevine Group website. Each card includes a QR code linking to the Grapevine Group app, which provides a more
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The splash park at Seaforth Esplanade will be temporarily closed for scheduled maintenance from Monday, August 18 to Friday, August 22, 2025. The planned work includes replacing a foot valve at the base of one of the filtered water tanks, as well as repainting stencils on the concrete surface of the splash pad. While the splash park will be closed during this period, the nearby playground and public amenities will remain open for everyone to enjoy. The park is expected to reopen on Augu
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The Mackay Art Society launched the 2025 Woollam Art on Show Exhibition with sparkling success on Opening Night last Friday, drawing a crowd of around 240 art lovers, artists, and supporters. Guests enjoyed a fabulous evening, officially opened by Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson and expertly hosted by MC Rob Kidd from ABC Tropical North. Among the special guests were Nigel Dalton MP and Mark Svendsen, poet, writer and arts administrator of the Regional Centre of the Arts, Rockhampton who joi
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Mackay Safety has been nominated for the Expansion into New Markets Award – sponsored by Capricornia Pumped Hydro – at the upcoming 2025 Resource Industry Network (RIN) Awards. The nomination recognises their innovative payroll integration tool within the 4P Forms mobile platform, which is transforming industry data management. Designed to digitise and streamline critical business records, 4P Forms enables workers to submit timesheets, pre-start forms, service sheets, issue reporting, tasking,
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Celebrating Mackay’s Industry Trailblazers The Mackay Isaac Whitsunday region has never been short on heavy hitters in the resources sector, and this year’s Resource Industry Network (RIN) Awards finalists prove that excellence here isn’t just a habit, it’s a standard. Among the names stepping into the 2025 spotlight are four standouts already making waves nationally: ALT Industries, with Tristan Turnbull earning recognition in the Standing Out from the Crowd category; Mackay Safety, whos
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With Dual RIN Nominations At just 24 years old, Mackay’s Tristan Turnbull is redefining chemical safety and compliance in the resource industry, and the country is taking notice. His innovative leadership has earned him not one but two nominations in the 2025 Resource Industry Network (RIN) Awards: Expansion into New Markets and Standing Out from the Crowd. Tristan spearheads ALT Industries, with his father and business partner John Turnbull, a specialist provider of hazardous goods manag
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