Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Hi Everyone, Happy Easter! I don’t know about you, but I’m really looking forward to the long weekend and the chance to relax and catch up with friends. This past weekend was a special one for me. As some of you will know, I’ve been spending my spare time over the past few months helping care for a sea turtle named Betty. She came into the care of Eco Barge Clean Seas Inc. after suffering from float syndrome and a boat strike that left a serious wound on her shell. During her time in our care
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Who doesn’t love a Soda? This sweet 3-month-old pup was heartbreakingly found dumped at the Bowen tip, but you’d never guess it from his happy, playful nature. Soda is full of love and can’t wait to share it with his forever family. Soda is a Bull Arab X, medium to large in size, and great with both kids and other dogs. He’s a snuggly soul who adores naps and is doing wonderfully with his toilet training. While he’s mostly a gentle boy, Soda has a little watchdog spirit—he’ll let you know if s
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Despite the challenges of a particularly wet year, there is exciting news for members and visitors alike. The long-awaited cover installation is scheduled for next month, a major step forward for the club. The Airlie Beach Bowls Club are grateful for everyone's patience during this time and look forward to sharing further details soon. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the club. Saturday saw the Men's A Pairs tournament get underway, with six games played in the morning and
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Last week, the Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club presented Tora Delac and Coach Mark with a special national shirt and jacket and wished Tora all the best at the Australian Age Swimming Championships. Over the weekend, Tora completed some pre-race swim sessions to prepare for her races on Monday and Tuesday at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler. Tora will be competing against with the best swimmers in Australia in the 14 years 50m Breaststroke and 14 years 50m Freestyle. Good Luck, Tora! Mean
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There was plenty of great competition played this week, with some exciting results across all events. On Tuesday, Sue Shearing and Robyn Stitt defeated Ron and Maureen Hyde, while Neil Chittenden and Mark Drummond claimed a win over Stumpy Adams and Laurie Land. The elusive jackpot, which continues to grow, once again did not go off. Saturday saw a thrilling semi-final of the Ladies’ Triples, with end-for-end play providing a fantastic spectacle. Teresa Willshire, Denise Wallace and Penny Warr
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Proserpine Golf Club is proudly preparing to celebrate its Centenary over the first weekend in May. For event information and the opportunity to play in special competitions, visit the Airlie Events website. Festivities will begin on Friday, 2 May, and conclude on Sunday, 3 May, with a Gala Dinner on Saturday evening following an 18-hole competition open to players with an AGU handicap. While the weather has remained somewhat challenging, conditions are slowly improving. Results for the week ar
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This year’s Mayor’s Charity Ball will be taking place at the Proserpine Entertainment Centre on the 26th July 2025. We are proud to announce that the masquerade themed ball will be raising fund for three incredible charities – BMA CQ Rescue, the Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre, and the Bowen Community Centre. Tickets go on sale on Monday, 21 April 2025 – don’t miss your chance to be part of this important cause! For more information, head to Council’s website.
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All five Sea Eagles teams hit the road to Mackay over the weekend, taking to the field in wet and testing conditions for some matches. The Juniors lined up against the North Mackay Saints, while the Seniors faced off against the Mackay Magpies. The day kicked off with the Sea Eagles Under-13s, who battled hard but were outclassed by the Saints, going down 0-43. Next up, the Under-15s turned the tide, fighting back to snatch the lead and hold on in a thrilling finish to claim the win over the Sa
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There was a slight adjustment to the starting time for Wednesday’s social bowls to accommodate a change in the green’s drilling schedule. Players who were likely to be affected were contacted as soon as the decision was made. The club expresses apologies to the couple of people who unfortunately missed the update. In Wednesday’s social play, Henny Tattam, Arthur Griffith, and Bruce Uhe defeated Henny Tattam, Trevor Parsons, and Mike Harrison, 29–16. Alen Sanderson and Philip Brown played out a
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It’s been a windy few days but that certainly didn’t stop the ‘Sweeties and Squires’ fishing competition from being a great success. We loved seeing excited women and kids in store buying their bait and tackle and are thrilled to report that some great fish were caught! Dam We’ve had very mixed reports from the dam this week, with some people catching multiple fish and others catching jack squat after solid efforts. If you’re heading there this weekend, we suggest focusing on the basin in and a
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This year's Whitsunday Game Fish Club's "Sweeties and Squires" has been run and won, amid windy and showery conditions, but that did not deter 9 adult ladies, 17 Juniors and 10 small fry anglers from enjoying the great outdoors. Competitors managed to catch 75 fish of 18 different species, most of which were released in waters very close to Airlie Beach. The Club hosted the event with the help of Game Fishing Association of Australia, the Stella Property Group, Tackle World Cannonvale, Anaconda
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After weeks of heavy rain and soggy conditions, golfers were finally treated to some welcome sunshine, allowing a return to the course on the weekend. With cabin fever setting in for many, there was great enthusiasm as 29 players turned out to compete in a Stableford event. Although the back nine remained closed and the front nine was still a little boggy underfoot, players were simply happy to be back out on the fairways. Despite the challenging conditions, some very respectable scores were re
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As ANZAC Day approaches, preparations are well underway for a touching local tradition that has quietly grown into a cherished community event. Now in its tenth year, the annual flag ceremony at Proserpine Cemetery pays tribute to nearly 400 service men and women laid to rest there. Organised by Lyn Burke, the event sees flags placed beside the graves of veterans, including Boer War veterans, Gallipoli survivors, Rats of Tobruk, Prisoners of War, Commandos & many more men & women who served th
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The Whitsundays region recently welcomed the R U OK? Conversation Convoy, with events held in both Airlie Beach and Bowen, bringing locals together in a show of support, connection, and awareness for suicide prevention. On April 6th, the convoy made its stop at the Coral Sea Marina carpark in Airlie Beach, where the community gathered on the hill to enjoy an afternoon of conversation, learning, and reflection. With a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, attendees explored the caravan display, part
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Friday 18th April The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers 7:00pm–10:00pm The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: GEED UP 2:00pm-5:30pm Saturday 19th April The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: GEED UP 2:00pm–5:30pm The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: Andy Mammers 7:00pm–10:00pm Grand View Hotel: DJ Night 4:00pm–8:00pm Coral Sea Pavilion: DJ Sugarlips 2:00pm–6:00pm Sunday 20th April The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: GEED UP 2:00pm–5:30pm The Pub, Airlie Beach Hotel: Paul Fergus Morris 6:30pm–9:30pm Grand View Hotel: Darcy D
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April 19 Park Run, Meeting Area D, Coral Sea Marina, starting at 7:00am 20 Bowen Community Sunday Market, Hansen Park, from 8:00am 20 Easter Sunday 20 Dingo Beach Easter Markets, Dingo Beach Community Hall, 8:00am-12:00pm 22 World Earth Day 22 Tech Help, Cannonvale Library, 2:00pm-3:45pm 22 Chat n’ Chill, Youth Space Proserpine, 3:00pm-5:00pm 23 Mini Cheesecake Making, Youth Space Proserpine, 3:00pm-5:00pm 24 Paper Poppy Making, Youth Space Proserpine, 3:00pm-5:00pm
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Last week, a local mother experienced a heart-warming reminder of the power of kindness at Silly Solly’s. She had gone in for sparklers for a friend's cake, a simple errand that quickly turned into a moment of connection. While waiting at the counter, she noticed a woman drop a spray bottle. Without a second thought, the mother picked it up for her – just a small, polite gesture. As she was about to leave, the woman approached her with a gift. And while it caught her by surprise, the mother p
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Welcome to Week One of the school holidays – how’s everyone holding up? Still got snacks in the pantry? Still friends with your children? A moment of silence for the grandparents who thought retirement meant rest, only to be ambushed with an entire fortnight of babysitting duty. You are the true heroes of the holiday hustle. If you’re a Northern Beaches local, you’ll know school holidays are in full swing by one tell-tale sign: the roads are EMPTY. Suddenly that usual 55-minute crawl into town
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A long-held dream to give koalas a dedicated space to heal has officially become a reality, with the opening of the Fauna Rescue Whitsundays Koala and Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility near Mount Jukes. The facility, located on the property of Alison and Chris Pighills, has been purpose-built to support the recovery of injured and orphaned wildlife across Central Queensland, with koalas now set to benefit from a safe and natural rehabilitation space. The site will include a fully enclosed 40m x
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A 22-year-old Ooralea man has tragically died after crashing into a light pole on Archibald Street, Paget, last Monday, April 7. At around 12:40pm, the driver of a classic XY blue Ford Falcon lost control of the vehicle and struck a light pole. The driver, who was the sole occupant, was immediately transported to Mackay Base Hospital. Despite efforts to save him, the young man succumbed to his injuries. The Forensic Crash Unit is continuing its investigations into the cause of the crash. Authori
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A partnership between two local organisations has resulted in countless happy faces among the remote villages of Papua New Guinea. FMS Group, the major sponsor of Mackay skateboarding event Rumble on the Reef, travelled to PNG last week to hand-deliver skateboards, helmets and safety gear to Skate PNG – a small community group located in Taurama. The delivery was part of the community engagement program within FMS Group, focused on giving back to the people who reside in mining regions. It was
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Mackay Community Foundation (MCF) is accepting applications for its 2025 Grant Program, offering not-for-profit organisations the opportunity to access a share of up to $207,000 in funding for impactful community projects. But hurry, applications close next week on 15th April. MCF is seeking applications for one-off projects that aid, relieve, or support individuals in distress in Mackay and surrounding districts. While most grants are expected to range between $15,000 and $20,000, larger-scal
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MIDGE POINT residents are now enjoying a renewed and refreshed water supply following the completion of significant works to water infrastructure in the region. The most recent and final stage of improvements involved extensive cleaning of watermains suppling the Midge Point township, which required a planned water outage over several days. Mayor Greg Williamson said council truly appreciated the patience of the community during this most recent phase of the project. “While we tried to lessen
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The much-anticipated Webberley-Paradise streets intersection upgrade is now expected to be completed in about three weeks. This major project, being undertaken to improve traffic and pedestrian safety, has been delayed by the recent ongoing wet weather and contractor availability. However, it is now planned to be complete and Webberley Street re-opened to traffic in early May. Temporary traffic arrangements, including in Paradise Street, will also return to normal. Since construction resumed
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Mackay is set to indulge in a delightful new business venture that combines homemade cookies, locally roasted coffee, and a heartwarming story of friendship and collaboration. Laffo’s Cookies will officially open its doors at Caneland Central, outside Target, today (Friday 11 April), offering the community a perfect blend of sweet treats and exceptional coffee for both everyday enjoyment and unique gifting. The brainchild of lifelong friends Mark (Laffo) Laffin and Christeen McKeever, Laffo’s C
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