Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Sarina Sugar Shed has officially produced one of the best rums in the country. The signature Sugar Shed Rum was awarded silver in the two-to-four-year rum category at the inaugural Australian Rum Awards last Friday, November 4, in Brisbane. An esteemed panel of rum and spirit experts rated the Sugar Shed Rum highly, with a score of 86 points, ranking it among the finest rums in Australia.
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While Sebastian Padget might be focussing on his year 12 exams, his role as the Youth Member for Whitsunday has other things on his mind, including the Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project proposed by the Queensland Government in September.
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Tom Barry has a remarkable story and the RSL Mackay Sub Branch thinks it should be heard by all. The RSL Mackay Sub Branch has thrown its support behind Tom, a local author and fellow veteran, by assisting in the distribution of his book throughout the community. Tom celebrated his 100th birthday in August with the launch of his memoir ‘A Prodigious Leap’. “The book, in one word, is about me,” Tom said.
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A multi-million infrastructure project to provide better access to Mackay’s north has now been completed. The $144.55 million Mackay Northern Access Upgrade project was delivered to improve safety, reduce congestion and boost traffic flow at critical locations on the Bruce Highway and major intersections north of Mackay.
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Two men have been charged with 16 offences, following the alleged theft of 7,500 litres of fuel at Moranbah. On November 7, a Moranbah mine site reported thousands of litres of diesel fuel had been stolen. Investigations led detectives to attend a Moranbah paddock, where it is alleged police located two men pumping fuel from a vehicle into a shed.
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A Mackay-born Civil Engineer recently returned to North Queensland to revisit some of his handiwork. Dan Higgins was born in Mackay in 1932. Now living in Brisbane, Dan returned to his birth town in October to visit the Holy Cross Church at Eton which he designed in 1962.
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Half a century of servicing the community was celebrated by JT & PA Croyden Pty Ltd with a gala dinner for 150 attendees in Sarina recently. Owners John and Patricia Croyden established the “Croydens” business in 1972 with the purchase of their first truck from a local business formerly Crokers Truck Centre, to service the Sarina community with landscaping and quarry supplies.
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In my previous life working as a journalist, the days that had an impact and resonated most were those when there had been a tragedy when emotions were raw and real. I covered Melbourne’s Queen Street massacre, when a deranged Frank Vitkovic entered the post office and shot and killed nine people.
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Trudy Crowley had a vision. That vision was “no woman walking the journey of ovarian cancer would walk alone”. Hence, the Trudy Crowley Foundation was established in 2016 to support and alleviate the suffering of those both directly and indirectly impacted by ovarian cancer. By connecting people with the right information, support services and resources available during this difficult time, the Foundation ensures that no woman, child, partner, parent or friend feels alone.
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You know what? In exactly six weeks’ time, we will all be logging out of our computers, pushing the chair under the desk, and leaving work because Xmas will be just about here. Yes, in six weeks’ time it will be Friday the 23rd of December and that means Christmas parties and all the fun starts.
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Returning to the MECC for 2022, LOOSE ENDS will be an eclectic evening of art, music and performances by local artists and performers. The performance is set to be a quirky night of entertainment, giveaways, fundraising, socialising and more as Crossroad Arts aim to heighten awareness for the International Day of People with Disability.
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Estate Planning for Older People Friday, 9:30am to 11:00am Free seminar for your financial future delivered by Services Australia. Gordon White Library
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Immerse yourself in one of the most unique productions touring the world. Celtic Illusion, the Irish dance and Grand Illusion sensation that has taken Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada and the USA by storm and will tour nationwide in 2023.
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Harrup Park is heating up the barbecues. After a huge turnout in 2021, the De Goey Contractors Mackay BBQ and Beer Festival is back again in 2022 this Saturday November 12 from 12pm. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy a day out in the sun with friends listening to live music, eating some great food and drinking your choice from more than 50 Australian and international beers on offer.
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St Patrick’s College Mackay has rubber stamped its exciting new partnership with the North Queensland Cowboys. Both parties recently signed a memorandum of understanding to promote clear pathways for aspiring rugby league players in the region to play in the NRL competition.
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Rookie bull rider and Koumala local, Qynn Andersen is headed to Canada next week to compete at the PBR Canada national finals.
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Mackay parkrun held their 300th event last Saturday, October 29, welcoming an impressive 317 participants to the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens to celebrate. The occasion also marked volunteer Colin Hardy’s 100th outing, with volunteers and participants surprising Colin by dressing up in his iconic Hawaiian shirt.
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A Mackay year 6 student recently competed at the All Schools Queensland Track and Field Championships, showing that he’s more than capable on the state stage. Sonny Morse of Carlisle Adventist College is now the state Under 11 Boys 800m Champion and 1500m Champion.
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Linda Single nee Mackenzie, local Olympic-gold-medallist, attended Pioneer’s Club Night on Thursday, October 6. Linda supports the club with an annual visit. Over 50 swimmers were in attendance to meet Linda who discussed her journey to Olympic gold
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Bowlers from all over the state flocked to Goosies over the weekend to take part in the CMR Goosies 10,000. The tournament is a Bowls Australia Tier 4 event, drawing 128 bowlers from as far as Townsville and Brisbane to battle it out for valuable competition points and a share in $10,000 prize money.
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Joel Khalu will continue to lead the McDonald’s Mackay Meteors from the sideline, Mackay Basketball announcing today the 41-year-old will be back at the club on a one-year deal in 2023, his sixth season as Head Coach and eighth overall with the red and black.
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Despite international borders opening earlier this year, Queensland recorded its highest ever intrastate visitor rate, noting a 21.5 per cent increase totalling $12.4 billion.Queenslanders supporting Queenslanders was championed at this year’s Queensland Tourism Awards at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre last Friday night.
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More than thirty runners enjoyed the warm and windy running conditions for the third race in the 2022/2023 Shawn’s Summer Social Series last weekend. Race Director and Club Captain, Jim Ford was in his usual fine multiskilling form setting a flat, fast course for runners as well as pushing his grandchildren in the double pram, even though they bolted once they saw their dad at the finish line.
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Mackay’s Wildcat Adventures has been named Queensland’s best new tourism business at last Friday’s 2022 Queensland Tourism Awards.Launched in December 2021 at the height of the Omicron wave, Wildcat Mackay has achieved incredible success in its first year of operation.
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Queensland squash champion Kayce Hoani-Vincent and emerging rugby league forward Reuben Saron are the Mercy College Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year recipients for 2022.
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