Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
A new chapter of aviation love took flight on Valentine’s Day, as the new Aussie airline, Bonza, made its debut direct flight from the Sunshine Coast to Mackay.
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Australia was left in shock when two young police officers, Constable Rachel McCrow and Constable Matthew Arnold, lost their lives in the line of duty on a property at Wieambilla, west of Brisbane, on December 12.
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The surf and sand of the Sunshine Coast was brought closer to Mackay earlier this week, with Bonza’s inaugural flight taking off between the lands of pineapple and sugar. It’s part of Bonza’s promise to open up more regional pathways via air services, with a Mackay to Cairns route opening for ticket sales in March.
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Andrew Willcox, Member for Dawson is calling on the Federal Government to immediately reverse its decision to impose a de facto regional processing penalty on skilled workers in priority sectors hoping to take up one of thousands of jobs that need to be filled in regional communities.
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Early Bird registrations are now open for the 2023 BMA Mackay Marina Run to be held in June. Now in its 15th year, the annual run is widely regarded as Queensland’s most scenic running event with a flat, fast course set against stunning sub-tropical scenery. Event Director Tim Magoffin advised the run was fast becoming a signature event on the national running event calendar.
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The Mackay community was shocked by the murder of 23-year-old Shandee Blackburn in 2013, with Shandee’s life and legacy celebrated on the ten-year anniversary of her death on Saturday. While the assailant is yet to be brought to justice, the incident has united the Mackay community and shone a light on certain failings of the Queensland justice system.
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Passengers were left in shock after the Spirit of Queensland train, travelling from Brisbane to Cairns, was involved in a collision with a road vehicle north of Mackay earlier this week. The incident occurred at 8:40am on the morning of Tuesday, February 14 at the Pratts Road level crossing at Calen, just off the Bruce Highway.
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A local volunteer has recently been recognised at the state level for his commitment to the PCYC Braking the Cycle (BTC) program as the program celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Alan Williamson was flown to Brisbane last December and recognised for eight years of service to the program at a presentation at Parliament House.
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Kim Baker has donated 33 human beings’ worth of blood in the past three decades across three states -- accounting for roughly a person worth a year. The Mackay registered nurse completed her 300th donation in mid-January at the Mackay Donor Centre after 30 years of what she said had developed into something of a lifesaving “habit”.
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After previously living in a three-bedroom house, Mackay social housing tenant Stephen recently had to move to a two-bedroom unit after coming out of hospital. “I couldn’t get up the stairs at my house so the occupational therapist with Mackay Housing Service Centre found me a ground floor unit in a newly-built complex,” he said.
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Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) welcomed a strong intake of graduate nurses, as 84 newly qualified nurses have been recruited to the 2023 Mackay HHS Nursing and Midwifery Graduate Program.
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“I am moving into a rental property after moving out of my own home I owned due to a change of circumstances. I really want to make it feel like home but there are so many limitations as a tenant. Can you help me create my new happy place?”
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Edible flowers are not only beautiful but also delicious, adding a unique flavour to dishes and providing a colourful and ornamental touch to any garden. Growing edible flowers can be a rewarding and simple task, even for the novice gardener. Here are a few tips for growing your own edible flowers.
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Knowing the right tool for the right job is a skill that all tradies learn early in their careers. Knowing the difference between each tools important features and functions will make a major difference in your productivity and completing a project on time.
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An Ipswich-based historian is searching for any information, photos, letters, cards or memorabilia relating to his great grandparents. Terence King reached out to Mackay Life in his journey to research Jens Lauritzen and Anna Cathrine Meng who migrated to Australia from Prussia in 1882.
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Walkerston’s next generation of leaders were recognised on Monday, February 6 as Walkerston State School held its Student Leaders Induction Ceremony. The ceremony celebrated and acknowledged the school’s 2023 student leadership group, with student leaders pledging their commitment to their roles and presented with their badges.
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Gold nanorod probes combined with an optical microscope can now be used to detect signs of a highly contagious and lethal virus that poses a major threat to the swine industry worldwide.
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The Queensland sugar industry has been rocked by what can only be described as a bold and arrogant move by Sugar Terminals Limited (STL) to announce that it would terminate its Operator Agreement with Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL).
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Mackay Isaac Tourism (MIT) has launched a new destination events marketing campaign to align with the region’s exciting and diverse events calendar. ‘MAKE IT Mackay Isaac’, which will run from February 8 to July 31, 2023, is designed to entice the youth market, families, couples and empty nesters to visit our backyard, enjoy our events and stay a little longer to explore the region's natural wonders.
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If you believe the narrative of the climate change lobby, we are all doomed unless massive changes are made to how we live, work and operate our economy. There’s a list of things we have to eradicate, most of them enjoyable and central to how our economy operates, if we are to survive.
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20 years ago, I had a job (a good job), but I pretty much did the same stuff every day. I joined the State Emergency Service (SES) because I wanted something more, to be part of “something that did something” different. I had no idea at the time that the SES would become such a profound part of my life.
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Sophie Novosel dreams of the bright lights of a career in musical theatre, and the St Patrick’s College graduate is on the right track. Sophie was struck by the performing bug at the age of eight and has since starred in an impressive number of productions as well as receiving awards for performing in school and at eisteddfods.
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It’s halfway through February, and I reckon I’m the fittest I’ve ever been in my life, all thanks to my mates. This month 4MK are all over Feb-Fit as usual. It’s a month of moving, eating right and becoming a better you than the month before. That involves eating better food, moving more with some extra activities, like what I do with Steve at City Fitness.
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A record donation of $48,000 to those who rescue us in our greatest time of need was made possible thanks to the nimble hands and big hearts of ESA Alpha Rho. The club which is like the lady’s version of Lions volunteered before Christmas to gift wrap presents for a gold coin donation.
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Council's landmark Pioneer Valley Mountain Bike trails project is clicking up a gear. Last week’s ordinary meeting of council approved a development application for stage one of the mountain bike park. The material change of use application was lodged by council via Veris Pty Ltd. It includes 13km of trails and a purpose-built trailhead, with direct road frontage to Anzac Parade.
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