Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Drop In Lounge A Success Chances Op Shop recently announced changes that will see a greater focus on Australian Street Aid Project’s homelessness support services. The op shop’s floor space has been minimised, allowing space for a drop in lounge for those in need. “We realised that there really is nowhere for these people to go through the day, and they needed access to amenities and charging facilities and somewhere safe to be,” said Australian Street Aid Project Founder Kayleigh Brewster. “It’
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For Homelessness Week A monthly barbecue this morning, Friday, August 11, has brought Homelessness Week to a close for 2023. The annual event is an effort by Community Accommodation & Support Agency (CASA) to draw attention to the issue of homelessness in Mackay while providing information and resources to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. “It’s about everyone who is homeless, and that can be rough sleepers, people who are couch surfing, people who live in overcrowded conditions, pe
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Kalyan Youth Service has been providing services to the youth of the region for 38 years, celebrating their birthday at the end of July 2023. Established in 1985, Kalyan Youth Service offers crisis accommodation, transitional housing, case management and support to those aged 16 to 25 and is the only youth shelter between Rockhampton and Townsville. The not-for-profit organisation has crisis accommodation for six young people as well as medium-term accommodation units, providing young people wit
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The Mackay Disability Expo was held at the Mackay Showgrounds last weekend and featured a range of both local and out-of-town specialist exhibitors, providing a one-stop-shop for everyone with an interest in disability services. Crossroad Arts entertained attendees by hosting their ROAR program at the expo, which was about “exploring untapped imaginings through movement, sound and theatre making”. Groove Movers also put on a beautiful display of movement and dance for people of all abilities and
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Chrissy Cahill – A1 Sleep Mackay Sleep is a vital function that allows the brain and the body to recover and recharge, so when you’re not getting a good night’s rest, many facets of your day-to-day life can be affected. If you have daytime sleepiness, snore, raised blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, have had a stroke or heart attack, or urinate throughout the night, a sleep test can be the key to unlocking a full night of rest; ask your Doctor for a Sleep Referral form to A1 Sleep Mackay.
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Stepping into the Art of Acupuncture clinic, clients start a journey of healing and growth at the stable and steady hands of renowned acupuncturist Dr Bob Wong. The initial consult allows Dr Wong to complete a thorough health history and diagnostic exam, so that he may know what areas of the body are a concern and come up with a treatment plan. The pulse is believed to be closely connected to the meridians and organ system of the body, allowing Dr Wong to have a glimpse into the internal situat
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Daly Bay Illuminate glows anew with a rescheduled date, following a weather-induced postponement during the last week of July. The dedicated Mackay Festival of Arts team worked tirelessly to bring back the mesmerising displays to Queens Park from October 5 to 8. Mayor Greg Williamson said the MECC and Festivals teams had done a tremendous job bringing the event back together. “Daly Bay Illuminate features sprawling works by community artists and three big third-party displays that all needed to
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Friday 11 August CASA Monthly BBQ Friday, 10:00am to 12:00pm Come down for a snag and a yarn. CASA - Community Accommodation & Support Agency Inc. Cinema Under the Stars Friday, 5:30pm Revisit the tradition of outdoor cinemas on the lawn at the Mackay Hospital Foundation’s 'Cinema Under the Stars'! This is the perfect event to gather your family and friends and roll out your picnic blanket. This Cinema Under the Stars will feature Oscar Nominated movie 'Mary Poppins Returns'! This will be a ma
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Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 9th, as the Sarina Beach Coconut Festival returns for its 5th edition. This free and family-friendly event promises a day filled with excitement, entertainment, and a celebration of all things coconut. The festival's main focus is on the serene coastline, adorned with an abundance of coconut trees, attracting visitors from all around the region. This year's event is bigger and better than ever, featuring international kite flyers, captivating entertain
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To celebrate the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, Sydney based theatre company Bell Shakespeare, will be visiting Mackay with a fresh retelling of the romantic comedy which captured the attention of audiences in 1623. Those familiar with Shakespeare’s works recognise Twelfth Night as the playwright’s most musical play. It tells the story of Viola, who finds herself washed up in a strange new land and, determined to survive, disguises herself as a man to secure a po
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Recently we were talking on the breakfast show about friends, best friends …your best mate. Well, I don’t have one. And it doesn’t bother me. It must be part of my introvertedness (if that’s even a word). I don’t know if it’s because I’ve moved around a bit and never really stayed in close contact with some people from previous towns, or something in my psychological make up. I guess it has to be the latter mainly, because living alone never bothered me, going to concerts or sport alone doesn’t
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Holy Spirit College’s Class of 2023 were shining like the stars of yesteryear at their Formal on Saturday August 5. With the theme ‘Golden Years of Hollywood’, the red-carpet looks were simply sensational at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre. The Formal represents a time for Year 12 students to celebrate their final year of high school.
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Anyone who wants reassurance about Mackay real estate need only look at the state of play in our local business community. There are several crucial things you need to be across if you want to run a successful business in Mackay, or anywhere else for that matter. Identifying a service or product that is in demand is an important start. Got the skills to provide that service or product? Yep. Well that’s a big tick. A site to base your operations? Done! Another tick. Now it’s just a matter of hav
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Opinion Piece On July 26, council adopted the Mackay Region Recreational Vehicle Strategy, and I am unapologetic in how exciting this was for me personally. In 2016, I and other councillors started advocating for this strategy based on feedback from people in our community who travel throughout Australia in their own RVs. We received clear messages that people who own RVs want different camping options in the locations they travel to, and that we, as a region, needed to ensure that travellers
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After his sold-out international ‘Cheers To That Tour’, Tik Tok star Luke Kidgell is heading to Mackay with his brand new show, Happy Hour. Luke has amassed over 3 million fans online for his viral stand-up videos, often showcasing outrageous and quick-witted crowd interactions. Luke is also known for co-hosting the Luke and Meg and the B.L.T. Podcast and for his multiple comedy specials which feature on YouTube and Amazon Prime. He started his YouTube channel in 2013. He has gone viral with h
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Performing Arts continues to prosper for the talented dance students at St Patrick’s College Mackay. The College excelled at the recent Dance Xchange competition for Primary and Secondary schools on the Gold Coast – bringing home a variety of regional awards to qualify for this year’s State Finals to be staged on October 14-15 in Brisbane. A squad of thirty six St Patrick’s College dancers travelled to Somerset College in Mudgereeaba for the prestigious Exchange event and demonstrated their sk
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Congratulations to Helen Truscott and Erin Clemett who made it to the semi-final of the Champion of Champion Pairs in Proserpine, with both ladies playing very good bowls. This week Karli Burns, Carol Savage, Karina Dunn and Denise Mezzen will represent the Mackay Bowls Club in Champion of Champion Fours at Marian. In Calen, Karina Dunn and Janice Nielsen will compete in the postponed Champion of Champion Senior and B Grade Singles. Mackay Bowls Club’s very own Albert Wicks, Alf Padgen and Mona
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By Amanda Wright Mackay's BMX racing scene is buzzing with excitement as two exceptional brothers from the Mackay and District BMX Club, Dylan Secher and Beau Secher, prepare to represent Team Australia at the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. The world-class event is set to host over 8,000 talented riders from more than 120 countries, competing over eleven intense days of thrilling action. The UCI BMX Racing World Championships, known for showcasing the best amateur rider
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Sarina Crocodiles have a rich rugby league history in the Mackay region with some of Queensland’s modern-day legends donning the club’s famous colours in their junior days. Maroons and Kangaroos legends Martin Bella, Wendell Sailor, Dale Shearer and Daly Cherry-Evans are famous products of the Crocodiles along with enforcer Kevin Campion and went on to carve out illustrious top-grade careers in the NSW and National Rugby League. North Queensland Cowboys strong man Rueben Cotter – who helped Aus
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Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday night fixtures August 1, 2023 Division 1: Joola (Andrew McHugh, Geoff Denman, Janice Kent) d Donic (Ivan Perkins, Anne Sheridan, Ian McKay) 9-2. Janice d Ian -7, 6, 8, 9. Radak (Mick Ruhl, Lee Brake, Graham Brake) d Andro (George Camilleri, Robbie Richards, Barry Patterson) 8-3. Lee d Barry 10, 9, -7, -6, 8. Tibhar (Vince Boeske, Steven Whiting, Tim Shehan) d Butterfly (Neil Brown, Allan Edwards, Graeme Walker) 8-3. Neil d Vince 9, 9, -7, -10, 10. Division 2: Xi
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Mackay Cutters dynamo Jasmine Peters is relishing her new role in the NRLW premiership. The strong running Peters has left her mark in the early rounds of the competition with the North Queensland Cowboys with pundits describing her as “a sharp attacking weapon”. Her powerful bursts from fullback inspired the Cutters to a semi-final appearance in the Queensland Rugby League’s BMD Premiership earlier this season and the try scoring merchant has made every post a winner since linking with the Co
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The North Mackay Ladies Bowls Club has been keeping the bowls rolling with some exciting social matches. On July 17th, the winning team consisted of Lesley Baumgarten, Wendy McGee, and Lidia McCarthy, with Pam Louis and Bev McDonald as the runners-up. Moving to July 24th, Bev McDonald, Pam Louis, and Jean Schmidtke clinched victory, while Sue Roscoe, Lesley Baumgarten, and Lidia McCarthy took the second spot. In the latest action on August 2nd, the winning pair was Ann Smith and Sue Hazledine, w
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Eight teams battled in the final of the Whitsunday Zone GNOT Gold Points event on Saturday at the Mackay Contract Bridge Club. Team Conroy came out on top winning the event. Monday 31 July 2023 – 6 Table One Winner Green Pts 1st Janelle Conroy / Terrence Sheedy 2nd Frances Brown / Vicki Howard 3rd Monica Darley / Joy Robinson 4th Margaret Jennings / Marilin Robins 5th Helen Van Den Broek / Jan Harris Tuesday 1 August 2023 Evening - 4 Table Mitchell Green Pts N/S E/W 1st Janelle Conroy / Eric
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Ian Schifilitti was renowned for his dedication and work ethic as a professional rugby league journeyman. The industrious forward – who represented Italy at the Rugby League World Cup – was highly regarded during his playing career in the Townsville region and English Super League for his tenacity, courage, ball play and copybook defence. Those admirable traits have rubbed off on his St Patrick’s College Mackay team that has just secured the minor premiership in the Aaron Payne Cup. The all-
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A Mackay junior made his National Rugby League debut on the weekend, scoring the opening try for the Parramatta Eels in their round 23 win against the St George Illawarra Dragons. Taking the field on the wing, Arthur Miller-Stephen scored in the left-hand corner just nine minutes into his first NRL game as the Eels went on to win 26-20 at CommBank Stadium, Sydney. The 19-year-old, who played for Brothers Bulldogs Junior Rugby League and Mackay Cutters and attended Mackay State High School, has r
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