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Corker Events For A True Blue Australia Day

Council has approved funding for some ripper community events ready for 2023 Australia Day celebrations.

Funding ranging from $400 to $1000 will support 13 true-blue Australia Day celebrations by local not-for-profit groups. Deputy Mayor Karen May said the wide range of events for 2023 was great to see. “From barefoot bowls and live music at Seaforth to dinghy sailing and a sausage sizzle at Kinchant Dam, there really is something for the whole family,” Cr May said.

“The Australia Day events are spread around the Mackay region from Sarina to the Mackay City Centre, north to St Helens Beach and west to Kinchant Dam,” she said.

“Held at various times throughout the day and at 13 locations across the region, the events are an opportunity to celebrate what makes our region great.” Steve Campbell, Mackay Junior Motocross Secretary, said the club was really excited to receive a grant. “It’s the first time our club had applied for an Australia Day event grant and the committee was very excited when we found out we were successful,” Mr Campbell said. “We would like to invite the community to come down to the riverside motocross track, located on Hume Street in the CBD, for our motocross come and try event,” he said.

“The free event will run from 8:30am to 1pm on Australia Day and will include a jumping castle, slip and slide and sausage sizzle.

“Thanks to the generosity of Bullet Bikes Superstore there will also be some demo motorbikes available for beginner riders to come and try.” To be eligible for funding, all events had to be held on the Australia Day public holiday (Thursday, January 26), be free for all to attend and be within the Mackay Regional Council area.

Emily Lovell (left) and Tyson Lovell (right) at the St Helens Beach 2022 Australia Day celebration

A LIST OF COUNCIL SUPPORTED AUSTRALIA DAY 2023 EVENTS CAN BE FOUND BELOW, WITH MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE COUNCIL WEBSITE AT MACKAY.QLD.GOV.AU/AUSDAYEVENTS:

1. Armstrong Beach Progress Association – Australia Day Celebrations 2023, 2pm to 8pm, Llewellyn Hall, Armstrong Beach Road, Armstrong Beach 2. Eimeo Surf Lifesaving Club – A day at the beach, 11am to 2pm, Eimeo Surf

Lifesaving Club, Eimeo Beach 3. Finch Hatton Progress Association – Finch Hatton Australia Day Celebrations, 10am to 3pm, Finch Hatton Showgrounds, Finch Hatton 4. Habana and Districts Progress Association – Australia Day the Habana Way, 3pm to 7pm, Habana Community Precinct, 1091 Mackay-Habana Road, Habana 5. Mackay Bowling Club – Go Oz with Lawn Bowls, 9am – 4pm, Mackay Bowling

Club, Nebo Road, Mackay 6. Mackay Contract Bridge Club – Contract Bridge Aussie Day come and try, 10am – 3pm, Mackay Contract Bridge Club House, 414 Shakespeare St, West Mackay 7. Mackay Junior Motocross – Australia Day come and try, 8:30am to 1pm,

Riverside Motocross Track, 2 Hume St, Mackay CBD 8. Mackay Sailing Club – Sail Away on Australia Day, 11am to 3pm, Sailor’s Corner,

Kinchant Dam

9. Mackay Surf Life Saving Club – Australia Day Beach Party, 10am to 4pm, Mackay

Surf Lifesaving Club, Mackay Harbour 10. Sarina Surf Lifesaving Club – Sarina Beach Australia Day, 1pm to 5pm, Sarina

Beach Esplanade 11. Seaforth Bowls Club – Aussie Day at Seaforth, 1:30pm till late, Seaforth Bowls

Club, Walsh Avenue, Seaforth 12. St Helens Beach Progress and Environment Association Inc – Aussie Day

Celebration, 9am to 4pm, Repulse Esplanade, St Helens Beach 13. The Scout Association of Australia Qld Branch (Banksia Scout Group) –

Australia Day Open Day, 10am to 1pm, Jaycee Park, Bedford Road, Andergrove

* Please note that two of the above events were carried over from 2022 due to COVID-19.

Local Talent Choreographs EVITA In Malaysia

From dancing in her living room to choreographing recent performances of EVITA in Malaysia, Central Queensland Conservatorium alumni Emma Goding is enjoying a varied career of entertainment.

Emma has been developing as a performer since the time she started dancing in the living room and has been able to pursue her love of performing professionally, most recently through the upcoming Western Australia Tour of Dale Pengelly’s Lounge Suite and the always entertaining children's parties, having been Cinderella and Emma Wiggle. Having studied RAD ballet, contemporary, jazz, modern, neo-classical and tap, Emma has a wide range of dance experience that spans from performing, teaching and dance captaining. Though starting out as a dancer, Emma has progressed to become a successful actress and singer by growing up in musical theatre through her studies at the Central Queensland Conservatorium in Mackay. There, Emma had the opportunity to perform the lead role of Ella in Bells are Ringing, perform in Sweet Charity (2018), for which she was dance captain for, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018), and The Mik-a-d-o (2017/18), both in Australia and Malaysia at Bentley Music Academy, Choices (2018), Catch me if you can (2017), and many more as well as being involved in the theatre community in Mackay. During December, the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music and Bentley Music Academy collaborated in one of the all-time great musicals, EVITA by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Directed by Jason Langley and conducted by Kevin Field, this semi-staged concert performance was the third such event between BMA and CQU and featured emerging talent from Malaysia and Australia, side-by-side with the Orkestra Radio Televisyen Malaysia and dancers from Sri Wilayah Ballet Centre. Emma performed two important duties for this production, as the Choreographer (Main Company) and Dance Captain (CQCM).

Emma Goding

Theatre, Music and Digital Media students were hard at work preparing for a season of performances of Evita, the Musical in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Season Kick-Off Around Corner For Cutters

The Mackay Cutters will kick-off their 2023 Hostplus Cup season in only two months, with the first game lined up against the Wynnum Manly Seagulls on March 11.

The Cutters managed to secure three out of four home games in the opening four rounds of the competition, with rounds two, three and four being played at BB Print Stadium. The Cutters women in the all-new BMD Premiership will follow the same format as the men for the first six rounds, with round seven to be confirmed.

The Hastings Deering Colts U21 competition will start more than a month later, with round one a home game for the young Cutters side on April 22 against the Devils. However, the Harvey Norman U19 side will start their campaign first, with three away games, commencing on February 25 against the Pride.

The QCCS Mackay Cutters are optimistic for a stellar season, with exciting signings already announced last year. Scotland Rugby League World Cup representative Kyle Schneider has re-signed with the QCCS Mackay Cutters. Schneider made three appearances for Scotland, finishing the World Cup with an 80-minute game against Fiji. Kim Williams, Head of Football was contacted by Nathan Graham, Scotland’s Head Coach a couple of months before the World Cup. “Any time we can help a player to play for his country, play for his heritage, that’s something, as a club, we need to be really proud of and keep supporting in the future,” Kim said.

Two more major re-signings for the season are Hiale Roycroft and Luke Webley, who will again turn out for the Cutters in 2023 after agreeing to terms last year. Both players were priority signings for new Head Coach Michael Comerford after impressive performances throughout season 2022.

Coach Comerford said Hiale’s value to the squad goes well beyond his on-field contributions as he is a genuine leader within the club and a mentor to many of our young forwards.

“His commitment to self-improvement is an inspiration to our playing group and he is also a tireless worker within the community.” Coach Comerford also said that Luke had a breakout season in 2022 where he cemented a spot in the 2nd row for the HostPlus Cup side, despite still being eligible for the Under 21s.

“He is a local Junior who has progressed rapidly through our pathways system to stamp himself as a genuine 1st Grade player in the HostPlus Cup. “Luke’s signature for 2023 was a high priority for the Cutters as we believe he is a player who can progress to the next level with another season of Cup under his belt.”