Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Are you ready to tackle tax time? From that morning iced coffee to grabbing the tools you need, it's important to know which of these expenses are claimable. Lucky for you, Porters Mitre 10 has your back with the ultimate guide to help you determine which expenses are eligible for claiming. Let's start with protective clothing. As a tradie, personal protective equipment (PPE) is your trusty sidekick, and the best part is, it's tax deductible! Whether it's steel-cap boots, safety glasses, glov
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May Help Construction Industry Weather A Perfect Storm Rising material prices, labour shortages, interest rate hikes and rainy weather have created a perfect storm for the construction industry in the past 12 months, sending many builders to the wall. Of all these factors, weather is the one that most people would cite as being beyond human control. However, a new study from Australia and the UK suggests this may not be the case. Engineers from Aston University, Birmingham, and the University
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Laffos Bar and Pizzeria is helping to ignite a compassionate movement that combines gastronomic delight with social impact. Throughout the month of June, Laffos will pledge a generous $5 from every large pizza sold to the Grapevine Group, bolstering their unwavering commitment to local suicide training and awareness initiatives. The Pizza for a Purpose campaign will launch with a tantalizing pop-up restaurant extravaganza on Saturday, June 3, aiming to galvanize the community and raise awareness
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Mackay recently celebrated National Volunteer Week (NVW), which is Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering. I recently had the pleasure of celebrating with some of our volunteers during NVW and I have to say, what a sense of joy and kindredship was enjoyed by all (myself included). It was lovely to sit in the company of these wonderful individuals all contributing to their community in such a positive manner, and actually having fun! The joy of getting my hands in the dirt and pla
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Women have made great strides in the workplace in recent decades, but they still face a number of challenges. Here are the top 5 challenges women can face. By understanding these challenges, employers can better support their employees to succeed. 1. Unequal pay. Women in Australia still earn less than men for doing the same work. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, women earn 81 cents for every dollar that men earn. This gap is even bigger for our indigenous women. For example, Ab
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A local condiment connoisseur has taken out four awards at the recent Mr Chilli Awards 2023. This is the fifth year Michelle Camilleri has secured several places in the competition, open to the chilli community of Australia and New Zealand, saying “in the chilli business, this is huge.” “When you are doing something you love, you don’t need recognition, but I must say I was super excited to receive the email to say I had won again,” Michelle added. Michelle started her business, One Hungry Mumma
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With Shirlz Russell of Build Your F’empire ‘Empowerment’ is the number one word that arises when I discuss my 10 Point Checklist for Personal Financial Wellbeing. I call it a ‘Wellbeing’ checklist because it’s about feeling happy, content and empowered about your finances. This is basically the way me and my family operate in our lives; a tried and tested guide to managing finances responsibly and realistically. It’s a simplified method aiming to eliminate any fear or stress you may feel about
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Dolly Louw is about to do something she says no one has ever done before. The visionary principal of Mackay Fame Talent School has purchased the rights to iconic Disney musical The Lion King, representing a rare and fantastic opportunity for the children of Mackay. It’s the first time a full-scale Disney Junior production has been staged in Mackay and will be entirely cast, acted and performed by young Mackay talent. “It’s a very holistic artistic experience for the children that culminates in
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Prepare for an uproarious evening of laughter as the comic dynamo, Jimeoin, graces the stage of the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre on June 24, 2023. With his brand-new stand-up show titled 'The Craic!', Jimeoin promises to unleash his razor-sharp wit and hilarious observations on the quirks of suburban life in his signature devil-may-care style. Renowned for his award-winning performances and universally appealing humour, Jimeoin has captivated audiences worldwide, from the UK and Euro
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Friday 2 June HeART (beats) - Access is Love exhibition Friday, 5:30pm to 7:30pm HeART(beats)- Access is Love Exhibition aims to help build a world where accessibility is understood as an act of love, instead of a burden or an after-thought. Crossroad Arts Inc invited all community members to respond to the theme Access is Love by creating an original artwork using any medium and in any style. Opening Night is Friday June 2 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm as part of Mackay City and Waterfront’s ‘City Hear
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‘Song Contest - The Almost Eurovision Experience' Experience the glitz, the glamour, and the hilarious madness of CQUniversity's Bachelor of Theatre students as they unleash their uproarious new musical parody, Song Contest - the almost Eurovision experience. Get ready for a night of unforgettable performances that will transport you to Eurovision's dazzling world. The students will present five performances at Mackay’s Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music (CQCM) from Friday, 16 June. Wit
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By Sam Gillespie Much like the Bee Gees, Luke, Sarah and Ryan Dunn are three siblings following their music dreams. Unlike the Bee Gees, the Mackay “family band” are impressing local crowds with their fresh take on indie punk music, fusing all their favourite genres to create a unique sound. Their band, Red Veridian, takes its name from the colours Luke, Sarah and Ryan associate with this sound, with red and viridian sitting almost opposite each other on the colour wheel. “What the name has actu
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Everyone is invited to hear the Rev. Dr Solmon Zwana, National Chaplain to Zimbabwean Methodists in Australia and Oceania, speak at meetings at St Paul’s Uniting Church on 2-4 June and on Sunday 4 June when he will preach at a combined service at 9.15am at St Paul’s Uniting Church and at 2.15pm at Calen Uniting Church. Dr Zwana will also speak at St Paul’s on Friday 2 June at 7pm. ‘The Uniting Church is your church,’ says Solmon to Methodist Zimbabweans looking for the Methodist Church in Austr
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By Sam Gillespie A local artist is getting ready to launch her Pioneer Valley studio and is inviting the Mackay community to get involved. Charlene Attard has been practising art since taking art lessons with legendary Mackay artist Rosemary Payne at age 12 and has been teaching art throughout Queensland for over 20 years. In trying to balance teaching and practising art, Ms Attard has established a studio, gallery and workshop space on her property in Netherdale called ‘The Brae’. “I’ve never
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Mackay rugby league stars Xavier Kerrisk, Jaxon Purdue, Kai Simon and Matthew Watts are well versed on the traditions of Queensland Origin football. The talented quartet were part of an elite 37-man squad that spent two days training at the Maroons’ recent Under 18 Emerging Origin camp at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre in Brisbane where participants were given a taste of life as an Origin player. The Emerging Origin program aims to help develop highly skilled rugby league players f
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Mackay Table Tennis Association Tuesday night fixtures May 23, 2023: Division 1: Lexus (Graham Brake, Steven Whiting, Allan Edwards) d Mercedes (Geoff Denman, Graham Drury, Mark Sleeman) 7-4. Steven d Geoff -4, -11, 8, 14, 5. Ferrari (Lee Brake, Andrew McHugh, Robbie Richards) d Jaguar (Barry Patterson, Anne Sheridan, Tim Sheehan) 8-3. Lee d Anne 7, 11, -6, -7, 10. BMW (Emma Widdup, Ian McKay, Ivan Perkins) d Audi (Duncan Treloar, Neil Brown, Janice Kent) 8-3. Ivan d Duncan -5, -9, 9, 5, 8. Divi
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Elite Mackay Road Runners have battled for nearly thirty years to get their name on coveted The Grove 10km Handicap Trophy and today was no different when Oliver Rule took a resounding win in the historical event. Oliver’s form of late has been nothing short of classy as he bolted from his handicap start to take on and hold off the rest of the field in the technically tricky course which included a seriously challenging ascent and descent of Apsley Way, Andergrove. President Tim Magoffin and Vi
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By Chris Karas Rugby league young guns Xavier Kerrisk and Jaxon Purdue have enhanced their sporting reputations with selection in the Queensland Secondary Schools Under 18s representative team. The dynamic St Patrick’s College Mackay duo were named in a powerful Maroons schoolboys’ squad after stand out performances for the Capricornia region at last week’s State Secondary Schools Carnival in Townsville. Both played key roles to help Capricornia reach the Championship final against South Co
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Steer Meteors Into NBL 1 North Top Four Mackay Meteors have rediscovered their championship groove in the NBL 1 North basketball competition. Joel Khalu’s marauding charges gathered momentum when they registered their seventh victory in eleven matches after trouncing the Cairns Marlins 107-76 last Saturday night at Mackay Basketball Stadium. The win avenged a seven-point loss on the road to the Marlins earlier this month and keeps the Meteors entrenched in the top four. Spearheaded by champ
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In his first season as Mackay Mavericks coach, Brad Somerville exceeded expectations by leading the local gridiron club to the Reef Bowl, coming agonisingly close to their first ever title. “All we wanted to do was play great football and improve throughout the year so the fact that we were able to get there was amazing for the boys,” he said. “They really put in 110% to get us there.” With the 2023 preseason approaching, Mr Somerville is excited by the growth the sport has seen, exemplified by
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Pipped By Tigers In Hostplus Cup Thriller Mackay Cutters Rugby League Club paid homage to their champions of yesteryear but couldn’t share the spoils after another heartbreaking Hostplus Cup loss at BB Print Stadium last weekend. Brisbane Tigers pipped the courageous Cutters 30-28 in a QRL top division thriller to move into second spot but can consider themselves lucky after surviving a monumental challenge from the home side. A last gasp try by winger Jaylan To’o gave the Cutters an opportun
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After Sunshine Coast resident Scott Smith had a work accident in 2005 resulting in the amputation of his right leg, discovering the Queensland Amputee Golf Association (QAGA) changed his life. “I used to play socially with mates and then I found QAGA and joined up and it’s been great,” he said. “It’s a very big thing for your personal wellbeing, the social aspect of it as well, getting out and meeting new people, amputees in the same situation as you are and hearing their stories. “It just inspi
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Mackay Bowls Club News Men's Pennants fixtures have finished with for 2023 and Mackay Club have finished first in Division 6, Second in Division 2 and fifth in Division 4. After not getting away to a good start in the first couple of rounds, the club got it together and won all of their next seven games playing some great bowls and claiming maximum points to secure the flag. Thanks to all the players who made themselves available and showing good sportsmanship and competitiveness throughout the
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In a race that left no wheel unturned, the Mackay Cycling Club paid homage to the Corry Family last weekend, with the adrenaline-pumping Corry Shield race. This highly anticipated annual event showcased the club's deep appreciation for the unwavering support of John, Len, Evan, Ryan, and other members of the Corry clan, who have been key spokes in the cycli
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There have been several reports of the infamous ‘Bitumen Bandits’ operating in the region, with local businesses and homeowners warned that the seemingly friendly tradies are in fact scam-artists.
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