Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
A primary-school aged entrepreneur has taken to his front yard to sell cups of lemonade to his local community, while raising money for various charities. Local Bucasia resident, Cooper, sells his own batch of homemade lemonade to local residents, alongside his little sister, Lexi. Over the weekend, Cooper was out selling from 10:30am until 1:30pm, a hard day’s work for a young man. In past events, Cooper has raised money for both his own pocket money, as well as the Kmart Wishing Tree Appea
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Change is the heartbeat of life, and as we embrace it, we often find remarkable stories waiting to be uncovered. This week, I have the pleasure of introducing you to a fresh face in our editorial team, Sinead Porter, whose journey from the red dust of the desert plains in Western Australia to the coal dust of our vibrant Mackay region brings a unique perspective and a treasure trove of stories. Sinead has experienced an interesting tapestry of heritage. She was born in Ireland and moved to the
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The process of repurposing involves using a product to serve another purpose. For example, soft plastic bags can be repurposed into sleeping mats. Mary Worby is one such woman in Mackay that started making sleeping mats from plastic bags three years ago. Her journey began four years ago after seeing on Facebook school children in America making sleeping mats for the homeless out of bread bags. Mary googled a pattern and started using the grey plastic shopping bags. When recycled plastic bag
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A Mackay man’s after-work visit to the local bowls club has become an unforgettable moment after picking up a $54,000 win in a recent Keno draw. The Queensland resident held a Keno Classic 6 Spot winning entry in draw 659, drawn Saturday 30 September 2023, and took home $54,000. “I feel great!” he exclaimed when an official from Keno called to confirm the life-enhancing win. “What an amazing way to finish off a long workday. “I just knocked off, went to the bowls club for a feed, and the
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The rare New Guinea Tongue Orchid, taking host in the Ken Burgess Orchid House, is getting ready to flower, with botanic lovers waiting patiently. This Orchid is the Orchid’s House’s most infamous plant, and is a member of the Bulbophyllum fletcherianum, but is better known as ‘Stinky’, due to the eye-watering stench that accompanies its flower. The flowers of the orchid resemble rotting flesh both in look and smell, but serve the important role of attracting flies, who believe they are laying
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A 73-year-old Kuttabul man has died following a tragic road accident in Mia Mia Forest, on Sunday October 2. Police reported that at about 6am, the man was travelling north on Pinnacle Station Road, towing a caravan, when he stopped his vehicle to clear an obstruction on the road, at Captain’s Crossing. His vehicle has then rolled forward, hitting the man, and causing his death. Police said he was alone at the time and was later discovered by a passer-by at about 7.30am.
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Mackay Hospital Foundation Giving Day 2023 “We shouldn’t be disadvantaged because of where we live so let’s make our hospitals the best they can be, providing the absolute best possible care for our family and friends.” Mark your calendars for a heartwarming occasion on Thursday, October 12th, as the Mackay Hospital Foundation gears up for its third annual Giving Day. This cherished event stands tall as one of the organisation's grandest fundraising endeavours, with the dedicated team at t
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A new pet owner said she feels like she’s ”struck gold” after adopting a senior dog from council’s Animal Management Centre. Megan Gray said the kelpie-cross, August, was the perfect fit for her home. “I feel like I’ve struck gold — he is such a well-behaved, intelligent, beautiful boy!” Ms Gray said. “A big thank you to the wonderful team at council’s Animal Management Centre for making the adoption possible,” she said. “Now he is in a safe loving home.” Leslie Sleeman also adopted a senior Jac
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This year marks National Police Remembrance Day’s 35-year anniversary since its commencement in 1989, pausing to honour 150 officers whose lives have been lost in the line of duty. National Police Remembrance Day (NPRD), observed every year on September 29, is a sombre reminder of the bravery and commitment of our police officers, who protect and serve the people of Queensland. In the past 12 months, two Queensland Police Service officers, constables Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, tragically
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A proactive plan to ensure our coastal communities are as prepared as possible for the impacts of climate change and coastal hazards is one step closer. The Mackay Coast – Our Future, Coastal Hazard Adaptation Study improves council’s understanding of coastal hazards. It also provides a plan to manage the impact on our communities, environment, cultural values and built assets. The draft study was endorsed for public consultation at last week’s ordinary meeting of council. Mayor Greg Williamson
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Rain and strong winds put a dampener on Daly Bay Illuminate in July. However, rather than abandon the iconic event, the Mackay Festivals team worked hard to secure the various drawcard installations for a new date in October. This amazing family-friendly event is back, with the first night illuminating Queens Park last night. The park has come alive with giant interactive dogs, exotic UV florals, neon sea creatures and so much more until Sunday, October 8. Better still, entry to this all-ages, i
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Do you have enough supplies to last you three days in the case of a disaster? Mackay Regional Council has joined forces with Woolworths to make it easier for Mackay region residents to organise their disaster supply kit. Across the region’s eight Woolworths stores, each supermarket will have two dedicated aisle ends at the back of the store stocked with key items for household disaster kits. Mackay Deputy Mayor Karen May said council had provided banners with tear-off shopping lists outside o
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With Queensland's bushfire season, the upcoming summer rains, and the looming cyclone season, farmers across the state are gearing up for a season of unpredictable challenges. It's a crucial time for primary producers to ensure the safety of their families, workers, and livestock. The recent warmer winter weather has raised concerns about an increased bushfire risk, highlighting the need for preparedness. To assist Queenslanders in facing these imminent natural challenges, disaster guides have
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• Applications are open now for the 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award until 25 October 2023. • The Rural Women’s Award supports Australian women to use and develop their skills to benefit their industries and communities. • The AgriFutures Australia Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant is open to provide professional development support to rural women to bring their idea, cause or vision to life. Applications are now open for the 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, a platform designed to empowe
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The ABS released the Lending to Households and Businesses data for August 2023 earlier this week, which provides statistics on housing finance commitments. It also released its monthly building approvals data for the same month for detached houses and multi-units covering all states and territories. “Housing and finance data continues to be weighed down by the interest rate increases that the RBA commenced more than a year earlier,” added Mr Devitt. “In the three months to August 2023 lendin
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Your Insurer's Role As our vehicles become increasingly technologically advanced, it's crucial to grasp the significance of code clearing and calibrations in the context of automotive repairs and insurance claims. Understanding how these processes factor into pre, mid, and post-repair stages can make all the difference. Manufacturers issue specific position statements that dictate how these procedures should be carried out. Some manufacturers emphasize their importance by using words like "MUS
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The Greater Whitsunday region is forging a new path with the launch of the Decarbonisation Accelerated project. The Decarbonisation Accelerated project is taking a regional economic approach to encourage businesses and industries to start their decarbonisation journey. Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) chief executive officer Ms Kylie Porter said the Decarbonisation Accelerated project is one of the first of its kind in Australia, where a whole-of-region approach to decarbonisation is being tak
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“Safety on site in the construction industry is a core aspect of the day-to-day work builders and tradies manage in building the homes we all live in and enjoy.” The construction industry has made significant strides over the last two decades in managing safety on site and workplace safety incidents are continuing to trend downwards, according to Simon Croft, HIA Chief Executive Industry & Policy. October is National Safe Work Month, and Mr Croft says that whilst safety should always be fro
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With storm season upon us, Ergon Energy Network’s vegetation management crews have been out in droves, trimming branches away from powerlines to reduce the risk of outages and they are urging the community not to plant tall tree species near the electricity network. Trees and branches contacting the power network can be one of the most common causes of outages during severe weather, according to Vegetation Management Officer Tim De Vries. “Severe weather often brings with it high winds that
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For Glencore Indigenous Employment Pathway Program Following a successful 2023, the new intake for the Glencore Indigenous Employment Pathway Program will commence once again in early 2024. The program is structured to provide participants with the experience and job-readiness skills for a successful career in the mining industry. All Indigenous Australians who live in or have connection to the areas where Glencore operate are welcome to apply. These include the mines in the Bowen Basin and
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Mackay Regional Council is taking steps to make the popular Mackay Seniors expo more accessible to regional seniors. This year, council will be running free buses from Sarina and Mirani to the event at the Mackay Showgrounds. The Mackay Seniors Expo is held in the Showgrounds’ big shed on Tuesday, October 10, from 9am to noon. The expo is free to attend and will feature about 70 exhibitors covering everything from retirement homes, healthcare and funeral homes to services, products, recreat
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Hey there, budget-savvy ladies! Big news on the money front – the Reserve Bank of Australia has hit the pause button on interest rate hikes again this month. What does that mean for us, the superheroes managing the family budget? Let's break it down. Think of interest rates like the heartbeat of the economy. They affect everything from home loans to how much we spend on groceries. The RBA decided to keep things steady, knowing the world economy is a bit shaky. So, how can we make the most of th
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OPINION PIECE If you couldn’t believe how fast this year was going already, here’s some crazy news for you. We’re almost halfway through Spring! That means the weather is warming up and it’s almost ‘suns out buns out’ time. And there’s nothing better than a couple of cold ones with good company at the pool or the beach with the perfect sunny soundtrack. Something about me is I love to find some hot new music for us to add to our summer playlists and I wanted to dedicate today’s column to my t
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Ahead of the RSPCA’s major annual fundraising appeal, ‘Give To Get Them Home’, this Thursday, 5th October, the organisation is calling on Mackay locals to dig deep and help find the ‘purr-fect’ home for neglected, homeless and abused animals. A new report from RSPCA Queensland states that there has been a 26 percent decrease in applications to adopt a pet in 2022/23. This has happened through the rising cost of living, with more people surrendering their animals. With 42,000 animals requirin
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How awesome is it that we all have it and we need to use it in our everyday lives? Take a moment to think about the world, and all the amazing things that are in it, all come from people using their imaginations. For example, Richard Branson by his own admission was dyslexic with a failure to understand schoolwork. An enlightened Branson said he had one thing, and we all have it our imagination and to dream big and make your imagination be your main thin
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