Entertainment and Community
Reflecting On A Year Of Change, Progress And Community Pride
With his trademark calm confidence and community-first approach, Mayor Greg Williamson has guided Mackay through a year defined by progress, renewal, and an ever-deepening sense of regional pride.“What a year it’s been,” he said.
Read the full storyMayor’s Message – Building the Future, Together
As 2025 draws to a close, I am incredibly proud of the momentum we have built across the Whitsundays. It’s momentum not just about growth, but about shaping a stronger, smarter and more sustainable region for future generations.
Read the full storyBuilding a Place to Call Home
There is a steady shift happening across Isaac at the moment. It is not loud, but it’s real. You can feel it in community halls, in classrooms, on building sites, in cattle yards, and in the way people are talking about the future here. We are a region backing itself.
Read the full storyFrom Loss to Legacy
There is a weight that only cancer carries; a quiet, unrelenting pressure that bends families, stretches hearts, and tests courage in ways most of us cannot imagine. It arrives in whispered diagnoses, in sleepless nights, in moments when the world feels impossibly small.
Read the full storyFamily, Fertiliser And Fifty Years
The Liddle family recently marked a major milestone in their remarkable journey in agriculture, travelling from north Queensland to Sydney for the launch of a book honouring winners of the Australian Small Business Awards.
Read the full storyPioneer Community Kindergarten
For over 50 years, Pioneer Community Kindergarten has served the local community. While much has changed in early education, the kindergarten has stayed true to its roots.Director Kym Sweeny explained that the kindy has “always been community based, family friendly, very much there for the children,” and that’s something they’ve “really prided” themselves on.
Read the full storyThrough The Eyes Of An Artist
Local and Australian landscapes are coming alive under the brush of Bradley Short and artists across the nation in the En Plein Air exhibition at Artspace Mackay’s Main Gallery, on display now until December 14.
Read the full storyGuiding Young People To Discover Their Potential JOHNATHAN THURSTON ACADEMY
By Daniel Heggie When North Queensland NRL legend Johnathan Thurston (JT) hung up his boots in 2018, many wondered what his next venture would be. But JT had been working on something for years — the Johnathan Thurston Academy. The Academy was born in the lead-up to the NRL’s first Indigenous vs NRL All Stars Match. During preparations, JT realised he didn’t know much about his family history, which inspired him to learn. After a weekend visit to Mitchell, Gunggari Country, he began to thin
Read the full story“Watch This Space” Gilmour Space Technologies
Sitting on the rooftop of a house their grandfather crafted by hand, CEOs of Gilmour Space Technologies, James and Adam Gilmour, traced constellations across Queensland's sky. "Our grandfather… he was heavy in photography and astrology. I remember him taking me up to the top of the house to show me the constellations, which I still recall. And I'll pass it down now to my daughter," James recalls. That childhood fascination, sparked by stargazing with their grandad, a love of science fiction
Read the full storyThe Enchanted Garden Where Glamour And Giving Take Root
Close your eyes and picture it: fairy lights flickering like fireflies through the forest canopy, music drifting on the night air, champagne glasses catching the glow of lanterns as laughter carries across the hillside. This October, that vision comes to life when Life Publishing Group presents The Enchanted Garden — the very first of what is set to become the Whitsundays’ most coveted annual event. On Saturday 25 October 2025, the gates of Elementa will open to reveal an evening of magic and
Read the full storyGreater Whitsunday Innovation: Mackay's Tech and Innovation Community Hub
What began in 2016 as Split Spaces—a single coworking room created to give local entrepreneurs a place to connect—has grown into Greater Whitsunday Innovation (GWI), a thriving not-for-profit hub supporting small business and community across the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday region. Based at CQUniversity Mackay, GWI offers flexible desks, professional boardrooms, and modern training rooms, alongside specialist facilities such as a dedicated podcast and media studio. These spaces give entrepreneurs,
Read the full storyAirlie Beach Festival Of Music: Line-Up Announced!
The countdown is on as the Airlie Beach Festival of Music unveils its daily main stage lineups, building excitement for one of the region’s most anticipated events. “We’ve always been about creating a full-sensory experience, and now it’s time for a taste of what each day will bring,” said a spokesperson. Organisers have also announced new 2-day ticket options to suit every type of festival-goer. Whether you're in for the full weekend (plus pre- and post-party) or just a highlight or two, your
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