Issue #

28

Caneland Purchase Finalised

December 22, 2022

Caneland Central has been acquired by Sentinel Property Group after almost a year on the market. The shopping centre had been owned and managed by Lendlease’s APPF Retail fund since 2001, with Sentinel bolstering its $1 billion plus commercial real estate portfolio in Northern Australia with the $280 million purchase.

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2023 Mayor’s Charity Ball Charities Revealed

December 22, 2022

After raising a record amount of more than $120,000 for local charities in 2022, the Mayor’s Charity Ball committee has announced the beneficiaries for the 2023 event. Mayor Greg Williamson said the aim of the event was to fund two charities for two years, to enable significant funds to be raised for each charity and to make a real difference in the community.

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Seagrass Restoration Project Spans Two Oceans

December 22, 2022

James Cook University scientists will lead seagrass restoration research spanning tropical Australia’s two oceans. Researchers from JCU’s Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER) will investigate restoration techniques for key tropical seagrass species, from Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef across to the north of Western Australia.

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A Long Wait For Bowen Roads

December 22, 2022

The long-awaited projects for road safety improvements in the Bowen area will forge ahead in early 2023, but it is looking likely they will take over a year to complete – a timeline the Federal Member for Dawson said is “not good enough”.

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Christmas Church Services

December 22, 2022

Anglican Church Whitsunday

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Fifty Flood-Affected Farmers Receive Hay From Rural Aid

December 22, 2022

A trusted rural charity has distributed more than 700 bales of hay to Central West New South Wales farmers, helping to make Christmas a little brighter for flood-affected producers. A hay drop was held at the Central West Livestock Exchange in Forbes on Friday, December 16.

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Editor's Note

December 22, 2022

Merry Christmas Everyone, from all of us to all of you!We really appreciate you picking up the paper every week and we hope we delivered another year of exciting local news stories – we aim to support as many events and cover as many community issues as possible so please reach out to us if there is anything you would like us to cover for you.

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Cookies Mean Thank You

December 22, 2022

A national outpouring of grief followed the mid-December murders of two young Queensland Police officers in Wieambilla, including in the Whitsundays where a group of Bowen kids took the opportunity to thank their local officers.

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Collinsville Lolly Drop Returns After A Decade

December 22, 2022

Sirens blaring, lights blazing and fire fighters with lollies in bared hands – the annual ‘lolly drop’ returned to Collinsville and Scottville last week after an 11-year hiatus and everyone in the community was thrilled to see it back.

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Lucky To Be Alive

December 22, 2022

A local family are thankful this week having escaped without harm following an incident where the vehicle they were travelling in suddenly span out of control when they tried to navigate a roundabout shortly after a downpour of rain.

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A Strong Common Voice

December 22, 2022

CANEGROWERS has a long and rich history of grower representation, going back almost 100 years, and with its origins here in Mackay. Did you know the first ever meeting of the Queensland Cane Growers Association was held here in Mackay on January 21, 1926?

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Division 2 Councillor Sworn In

December 22, 2022

Councillor Clay Bauman was officially sworn into his new role as Councillor for Division 2 on Tuesday morning with a special ceremony held in his honour at the Proserpine Council Offices.

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Bowen Home Wins Christmas Lights Comp

December 22, 2022

A Bowen family are celebrating this week following the announcement that they won the Whitsunday Regional Council’s ‘Our Whitsunday Way’ Christmas Lights Competition.

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Building Skills To Assist People Back To Work

December 22, 2022

The Queensland Government has committed more than $150,000 from its Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative to assist 60 people from Mackay. Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer said this was part of more than $31 million committed to assist 5,247 people across the state.

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Bridge Under Troubled Waters

December 22, 2022

Earlier this month the approaches to the brand new $4.5 million Ted Cunningham Bridge were washed away by flood waters and since then residents have been forced to use the old bridge which has “reached end of useful life” and is now restricted to a maximum of a ten-tonne load.

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Community Support Essential To Create Sustainable Success

December 22, 2022

Community Bank Sarina Bendigo Bank’s recent AGM included announcements that have set the bar for creating impact in our community.

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Out And About With Zonta

December 22, 2022

It’s a busy time of year for our local charities and in particular the local Zontarians who have contributed in multiple ways throughout our community over the past few months.

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Local Organisations Fund Support For Sick Children

December 22, 2022

Outside and inside the Children and Adolescent Unit (CAU) at Mackay Base Hospital has been transformed into a space for patients and their families to escape their challenges.

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Bicentennial Boardwalk To Receive Upgrade

December 22, 2022

Whitsunday Regional Council have announced the awarding of the contract for the first part of major upgrades to Airlie Beach’s Bicentennial Boardwalk, with the total project closing in on $3.5 million.

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Looking forward, looking back

December 22, 2022

The Festive Season is here, and it’s got a familiar rhythm. That frenzy of activity as we try to get work and family organized in the lead up, and then the beautiful relax as we kick back for a well-deserved break with family and friends.

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Are You Ready, Kids?

December 22, 2022

He spends most of his time in a pineapple under the sea, but Mackay families can catch him on New Year’s Eve at the Bluewater Quay.

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A SEASON OF GIVING

December 22, 2022

There is no doubt 2022 has been another tough year – we’re still battling with Covid, the cost of living is out of control, with skyrocketing fuel prices, rising interest rates and the basic necessities constantly going up.

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Council Splash The Cash On Sports And Athletes

December 22, 2022

A series of the Whitsundays’ sporting clubs and junior athletes have received some early Christmas presents courtesy of Whitsunday Regional Council.Council approved Sports and Recreation grants for five of the region’s sports groups in an end-of-year cash splash, with a total of $14,000 distributed amongst the clubs.

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Baby Markiel The Chosen One

December 22, 2022

Mater Private Hospital Mackay staged its annual nativity play last Wednesday, December 7 starring the children of Mater staff, with the most recently born baby cast as the infant Jesus.

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Free Community Christmas Lunch – You’re Invited!

December 22, 2022

If you are alone or struggling with your finances this festive season, you don’t need to survive by yourself – there are a community of kind people who have organised a free community Christmas and you’re invited.

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