Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Mackay and District National Servicemen’s Association has donated a massive $17,000 to seven local charities. The National Servicemen Association of Australia (NSAA) Mackay and District Branch was formed in Mackay in 1996, with 40 former National Servicemen in membership, who were a part of the 1951-1959 National Service Scheme and the 1964-1972 National Service Act. On Tuesday this week, the NSAA Mackay and District donated $17,000 for local charities, with CQ Helicopter Rescue receiving $5,0
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Centenarian and Order of Australia Medal recipient, Allan Quartermaine, has encouraged the community to get behind the 81st annual Legacy Week, happening from August 27 to September 2. As 2023 commemorates a century of Legacy Australia, the former Legacy Mackay President remains a beacon of unwavering support for Legacy Week, an enduring national initiative established in 1942. The week-long event galvanizes vital funds to underpin Legacy’s mission: caring for the families of Australia’s dedic
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From much-needed community facilities and retail projects to beautiful family homes and seaside abodes, the Master Builders Mackay & Whitsunday 2023 Housing & Construction Awards showed off craftsmanship and stylish detail in construction. The best of the best in the building and construction industry were celebrated at the Awards held at the Mackay Convention Centre on Saturday, 12 August. Fergus Builders dominated the Construction Awards, scooping a third of the awards on offer by taking out
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With Slew Of Awards Building the dreams of clients is what has kept Fergus Builders going from strength to strength over their illustrious 40-year history. Taking pride in designing and delivering high-quality new homes as well as commercial and industrial premises for Mackay and surrounding districts, Fergus Builders’ dedication was recognised at the recent Master Builders Housing & Construction Awards, receiving a massive five awards for the Mackay & Whitsunday regions. Each accolade clearly h
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Mackay Regional Council's free native plant program gives ratepayers the opportunity to add a native touch to their gardens with the ability to receive up to four free plants of their choice per year. For those in a rural locality, it’s a good opportunity to get top value locally native plants for your creeklines and windbreak areas. Simply come along to the Mackay Natural Environment Centre at 6 Swayne Street, North Mackay and bring your rate notice and a bag/box to take your plants home. Open
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2023 is already a year dotted with highlights for the Porters Group, as the local family-owned hardware business celebrates 140 years, and Michelle Thompson has just added to the rich tapestry of family history. A member of the Porter family, Michelle is the Commercial Estimator in the Glass and Aluminium Division, and recently received the Women in Building Award at the Master Builders Mackay & Whitsunday Housing & Construction Awards. “It’s a really nice honour to be recognised,” Michelle said
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Dixon Homes is very proud to receive the 2023 Master Builders Mackay & Whitsunday Housing & Construction Award for Best Individual Home from $500,000 up to $750,000. This award and our many other awards in previous years (including Best Display Home, Best Renovation, and other individual home category awards) is testimony to Dixon Homes’ ability to be versatile, on trend and accommodating. Our team worked tirelessly with our client to design and create this truly beautiful custom designed home,
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Oncology nurse and clinical trials coordinator Carli Shaw has cared for hundreds of people in our community during their cancer journeys. She understands the physical toll the disease takes on not only patients but their families. What she didn’t understand and wanted to know more about was the impact of what is commonly called ‘brain fog’ or ‘chemo brain’ so she has spent the past four years researching this hidden affliction. “I’d see all the patients with ‘chemo fog’ and be hearing things li
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Pioneer Valley’s longest-established educational institution Eton State School celebrated its 140th anniversary in style last weekend, demonstrating that while it may be small in size, it’s big in heart and heritage. A large gathering of 250 including former pupils from bygone eras and their families flocked to the historic landmark to mark the school’s important milestone. Visitors basked in the brilliant winter’s sunshine as they took a trip down memory lane – enjoying a school tour, time ca
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This sounds like a cliché, but I reckon Father’s Day is every day. I love having kids and being a dad. Sure, at times they give me the “you know whats”, I wish they would stay away from screens more, and actually listen better … or at all. Being a dad gives you the excuse of being able to make funny noises and blame it on pets and other people. You can pull a jumper over your head and tell the kids they can’t see you – other dumb stuff like that, just to make your little people laugh. Moving
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Revitalising Waterways Through Community Action The Sarina community has banded together to support revitalisation and regeneration of two beloved beaches, as part of protection for the Great Barrier Reef plan. Off the back of 10 community-led prompts detailed by the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac Reef Community Action Plan (CAP), the Sarina Landcare Catchment Management Association (SLCMA) has held a coastal rehabilitation project, calling for volunteers and locals to help out. Working to revitalise
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Those readers under a certain age will not have heard of a movie called Cool Hand Luke. Some of you might not have heard of its lead actor, Paul Newman, which is a shame because the film and the actor are worth seeing. For those not in the know, Paul Newman was a superstar and fine actor who looked a bit like me except he had more hair, piercing blue eyes, a chiselled chin, a slim athletic build, a smile that women would swoon over and a natural charm and charisma that meant women wanted him, an
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OPINION PIECE Did you know that Pine islet Lighthouse, located at the Mackay Marina, was the last kerosene illuminated lighthouse in Australia? The lighthouse was previously situated on Pine Islet in the Percy Group of islands, south-east of Mackay. The tower structure and keepers’ quarters were prefabricated in Brisbane before being shipped to the island in October 1884. Iron cladding for the lighthouse was brought from Britain. The lighthouse apparatus is a second-order Chance Brothers lanter
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Each week, there are miners, part time teachers, engineers, mums, speech pathologists, Church Leaders, GP’s, and part time chaplains who all volunteer their time to deliver Christian Religious Instruction to our local state schools – a 30-minute lesson where children can explore faith and values. Then we have our biggest group of volunteers, our amazing retirees (with a lot of past teachers and teacher aides) who bring a lifetime's worth of experiences and seasoned lessons of faith through the
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Friday 25 August Friday SUN.sets Every Friday Evening From 6pm Knock off drinks, lakeside dinner, good friends, and LIVE MUSIC. Wake House Australia Choirboys Friday, 6:00pm Don't miss this unmissable show as Choirboys perform all your favourites, all their hits, all night long. Celebrating over 4 decades together, Choirboys’ back catalogue has a swag of enduring rock anthems including Never Gonna Die, Big Bad Noise, Fireworks, Gasoline, Midnight Sun, Rendezvous, Boys Will be Boys, Struggleto
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Film & Arts Mackay present their next film night for the month of September, a viewing of the 2022 political thriller ‘Cairo Conspiracy’. The gripping and critically acclaimed new thriller from Swedish filmmaker Tarik Saleh (The Nile Hilton Incident, The Contractor) follows Adam, a young man who is offered the ultimate privilege: to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo. Shortly after his arrival in the city, the university’s highest-ranking religious leader, the Grand Imam, suddenly dies a
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Calen QCWA invites you to their Springtime Festival, a celebration of horticulture, friendship and sunshine. The Springtime Festival will incorporate a free horticultural competition across many classes, best colourful spring outfit competition, guest speakers, afternoon tea, a lucky door prize and more. Entry is $10, which includes afternoon tea, and children are free. There will also be a cent sale and snap raffles throughout the afternoon. For more information, call Diane on 0421 923 820 or
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Artspace Mackay welcomed three new exhibitions last weekend with two local creatives showing alongside a nationally acclaimed video installation artist. Artspace Mackay’s new suite of exhibitions are Zanny Begg: These Stories Will be Different, Kara Day: Ladylike and Stephen Homewood: Turbulence. Zanny Begg is a video installation artist who works across drawing, film, social and spatial practice to explore questions of feminism, migration and ecological and intergenerational responsibility. Art
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Following Near Misses With Children Following numerous incidents at a nearby car park, Eimeo Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) has shared their concern for children’s safety in an open letter to Mackay Regional Council. The letter, penned by Eimeo SLSC President Cynthia Hegarty, suggests a risk management plan for the car park, located between the clubhouse and Eimeo beach, requesting a boom gate to be installed at the entrance. Eimeo SLSC President Cynthia Hegarty said that the car park is often us
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Local Band To Debut At The Brewery If you disregard how often some of the members indulged in a cold pale ale at Red Dog Brewery, it’s a beautiful coincidence that Insane Cane Train’s first ever gig will take place at the same location the band was conceptualised. Lead singer and guitarist Dom Pinzone is a seasoned performer at the Chain Street brewery, his sets often involving everything from Ball Park Music to Neutral Milk Hotel. With a drum kit packed up in the corner of his apartment and a s
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The Marian Ladies Bowls Club hosted the Marian Master 4’s last week, culminating in an exciting grand final. Held on Monday August 14, with the finals on Wednesday August 16, the Masters were a testament to the ladies strength and determination. With 16 teams, and only the top four qualifying for the semi-finals on Wednesday morning, and the grand finals on Wednesday afternoon, the competition was heated. The winners for the Masters was Robyn Deveraux's team of Gail Meng, Val Pilcher, Deali
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MACKAY COUNCIL ENCOURAGES NOMINATIONS TO SPORTING HALL OF FAME By Sinead Porter When you hear the term ‘dedicated to sport’, who in your life instantly springs to mind? You can now recommend your top pick from the local community to Mackay Regional Council’s Sporting Hall of Fame. This institution has been developed to recognise the region’s residents who have made outstanding achievements in their sport. No matter your age or skill level, if you have made an impactful contribution to your sp
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Schools from Mackay, Cairns, Townsville and Capricornia descended upon Harrup Park last week as it hosted the AFLQ Schools Cup North Queensland Championships. North Queensland’s up and coming Australian rules football players from Junior, Primary and Secondary male and female divisions battled it out from August 15-16, with the six triumphant schools to compete at State Finals in Maroochydore in October. It was the first time Mackay hosted the tournament which brought over 1,000 visitors to the
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The Mackay Surf Life Saving Club is excited to welcome returning and new Nippers for the upcoming Nippers season, with a Sign On Day this Sunday, August 27. Come along to the club headquarters on Mackay’s Harbour Beach from 10am to 12pm this Sunday and learn the lifesaving sport of Nippers. With a series of ‘come and try’ days scheduled for September, this is a great chance to meet the crew and get all the information you need. Complete with surf education, fitness, and beach skills, these ‘com
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Cape Hillsborough will be a sea of sails when Mackay’s Central Queensland Blokart Club (CQBC) holds its annual regatta from September 8 to 10. Returning to the sandy flats for the 15th year, the CQBC Annual Cape Hillsborough Regatta has become the second biggest blokarting event in Australia, welcoming competitors from Victoria, southeast Queensland, Capricornia, Whitsundays and north Queensland. With strong links to sailing, blokarting is a rapidly growing sport that involves maneuvering a win
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