Issue #

Students Reflect On The Time Of Their Lives

Artspace Mackay has enlisted the assistance of Crossroad Arts to help celebrate its 20th birthday in a big and bright way. Crossroad Arts, along with local artists Donna Maree Robinson and Kate Brunner, facilitated a series of workshops teaching participants the skill of stop motion animation.

“To Be Close To The Ocean”

If there is a throughline for each of Coral Sea Marina’s longest-serving staff, it is their devotion to the ocean; their affinity for the big blue.Jacqui Henderson is no different: her career in the Marine Industry began in 1991 in her home country of New Zealand, where she operated a power boat and trailer yacht business. And ever since, it’s been one long love affair with the sea.

Valuable Week Of Work Experience For Local Students

Year 10 students from St Patrick’s College Mackay recently spent a productive week exploring their career goals and interests through Work Experience. With the guidance of the College’s Careers & VET Head of Department Cherie Hess and Teacher Assistant Vikki McGrath, some 249 students secured placements in an array of occupations with the diversity of the locations demonstrating the variety of students’ career interests.

A Sailor’s Life For Me

Picture it: plate glass water around mountainous islands, like impressionistic green dollops of paint on plates of golden sand, surrounded by blue swirls. When anyone ventures on the seas, the tranquillity of it calls imagination to stretch its legs, and no one knows that better than Gemma Mee.

All Aboard!

Hidden amongst the trees at Ooralea’s Muller Park, miniature trains weave along miniature tracks, welcoming passengers young and old to ride. Simon Hamelink grew up near the park where the Mackay Society of Model Engineers have been operating for between 30 and 40 years. “It was only around the corner from where I lived with mum and dad,” Mr Hamelink said.

Tinker, Sailor, Solder, Ply

Paradise – what’s not to love? Trent Ridout-Allen knows that best. For 10 years, he’s been in dreamland, taking on the role of Coral Sea Marina’s Operations and Asset Manager, maintaining and looking after one of the world’s best marinas – living in “the place where anyone would choose to take their holiday” too. How could you say no?

Auto Career Expo This Week

Young people who are interested in pursuing a career in the automotive industry are invited to come along to the MTA Queensland Auto Career Evening which is due to be held at McCarthy Panel Works on Wednesday evening.

New Whitsunday Moorings To Protect Reef

The Queensland State Government will install new environmentally friendly public moorings across the Whitsundays to protect The Great Barrier Reef.Thirty public moorings will be installed by Townsville-based company Pacific Marine Group to reduce harmful anchoring in the Great Barrier Reef and improve access to the World Heritage Listed site.

This time next week, it will be Good Friday, and you know what that means right?

One month until I’ll be in Brisbane for Magic Round. One month until Dad comes up to say hello to the grandkids. It will be three months until I head down south with my daughter to see Lizzo, and 5 months until I have to run a silly amount of k’s for the Sydney Marathon. This year is turning into one of the best and busiest on record. I’m excited for it to all happen.

Property Point

The rental crisis is real in Australia and in Queensland and Mackay is no exception to the rest of the country. Anyone who is renting or looking for a rental property will be aware of the challenges and costs involved. It is a perfect storm for renters because landlords are facing increased costs because of interest rate rises … their mortgage payments have gone up and they are looking to increase rents to help cover the extra expense.

“Birders” Enjoy a Nature Walk

The first in a series of guided nature walks took place last week on the Glen Isla Wetlands and participants were excited to see a range of wildlife living peacefully within the serenity of our natural environment.

Why I Joined The Pioneer Catchment & Landcare Group

In 2020, I expressed an interest in being the council representative on (PCL) Pioneer Catchment & Landcare Group Inc Management Committee. I have to say that being part of this committee is so rewarding and I have learnt so much, but still have much more to learn. The committee is made up of some very passionate people who bring skills, knowledge and experience to the committee and that is what makes it successful. Add to this the amazing PCL staff who come to work each day with a positive mind

Cruisin’ Whitsunday Show and Shine

Avid motorists are gearing up for the seventh annual Cruisin’ Whitsunday Show and Shine which is due to be held at the Coral Sea Marina Community Gardens at the end of May.This year will be a whole weekend spectacular with events scheduled to entertain and delight visitors from across the state.

Training Available In A Call Out For Haulout

The Mackay region is steamrolling towards the 2023 crush and now is the time to get on board with CANEGROWERS Mackay’s Haulout Driver training courses. There is a high demand for haulout drivers at farms across the region during harvest season, and CANEGROWERS Mackay goes out hard to attract labour from the local workforce, but also from outside the region, with travelling rural workers and “working holidayers like backpackers and grey nomads.

GEORGE AUGUSTUS WAITE A Man among Men

A Wheely Good Morning For Riding Your Bike

In an action-packed week for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, hundreds of students, parents and siblings jumped on their treadly and rode to school for National Ride to School Day. Meeting and departing from Pioneer Swim Centre, students rode their elaborately decorated bikes through the Gooseponds to the school where they were met with breakfast provided by Mackay Regional Council.

Pharmacy Changes Hands After 90 Years In The Family

After 60 years in the industry, a local pharmacy icon is moving onto her next chapter after selling her Mount Pleasant based business. Lynette Dupuy started working in a pharmacy at the age of 15, following in her father’s footsteps, and will finish her tenure this weekend.

Speechie Talks Free Support Program

Parents will soon have the opportunity to engage with a Speech Pathologist at a series of free educational sessions due to be held in a relaxed and social setting at our local libraries.

Harmony Day In Mackay

Schools, businesses and organisations across the region came together last week to celebrate Harmony Day. Grade 6 students at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School celebrated Harmony Day by hosting a play, scavenger hunt, chalk art and eat street markets, celebrating the 46 different cultures represented in the school.

Get ‘Geed Up’ For Easter

‘The Boys’ are back in town for an enormous Easter Weekend of three back-to-back-to-back shows at The Airlie Beach Hotel in what they promise is “a performance like no other.”

UNIFY In Mackay

Some of Australian music’s heaviest hitters are heading to Mackay after Unify Gathering announced their touring festival UNIFY Off The Record 2023. The rock, metal and punk festival, usually held in South Gippsland, Victoria, announced it will be taking a break in 2023, touring a mini festival around Australia instead visiting Mackay, Wollongong, Adelaide, Hobart and Frankston.

Cheese, Wine, And Art Auction

Art lovers and passionate community members are invited to a special cheese and wine evening due to be held at the 3 Little Birds Espresso Bar in Airlie Beach tonight.

An Easter Message

This Easter you are invited to attend church to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God. At Easter, Christians are called to put aside the cares of work, family, and holidays to worship the triumphant risen Lord. ‘Up from the grave he arose’, is the first line of the 1874 gospel song by Baptist pastor and church musician, Robert Lowry, ‘with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.

The MECC Will Bring The Funny To Mackay

One of the country’s largest Comedy Festivals is sending its best and brightest on the road to arrive in Mackay on April 27. The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow will return to the Mackay Entertainment & Convention Centre (MECC) with familiar favourites from this year’s Festival line-up, alongside the most talked-about breakthrough stars of the moment.

Empire of Light

Sam Mendes’s ‘Empire of Light’ is beguiling, undoubtedly, eventually finding a flow after its early portions, which can often feel overwrought or anxious. Directing and penning the film, Mendes has a deal to contend with. Though, with his credentials, audiences can back him. He has an immense and startling array of talent at his disposal – the invariably praised cinematographer Roger Deakins; the presently-deified (and justifiably so) Olivia Coleman. Yet, despite everything, the film begins in a