Australia Day Awards nominations now open 

There has never been a better time to recognise someone who goes above and beyond for our community.  

And what better recognition is there than being nominated for a 2023 Mackay Regional Council Australia Day Award? Nominations are now open and recognising a local hero takes just a few minutes of your time. There are eight award categories, including: Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Arts and Culture, Environmental Achievement, Lori Burgess Community Volunteer, Community Group, Senior Sports and Young Sports Award.  

To nominate someone for an Australia Day Award, visit council’s website or return a hardcopy version of the form to one of council’s Client Service Centres. Nominations close January 5, 2023. 

Councils call on residents to recycle right!  

Local councils are working together to fight against waste and are pleading: “Let’s get it right!” 

The “Let’s get it Right” campaign is being launched in line with Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week, which aims to encourage people to take responsibility for their recycling to minimise waste and manage material resources correctly. 

National Recycling Week runs from Monday, November 7, until Sunday, November 13. The theme this year is “Waste isn’t Waste until it’s Wasted”. 

Mackay, Whitsunday and Isaac regional councils have joined together to create a united voice on recycling right.

New rules for mobility devices in Queensland   

From November 1, 2022, new rules and increased penalties came into effect that apply to people riding personal mobility devices, such as e-scooters, in Queensland.

Learn more about how you can safely and politely share our 288km of footpaths and shared paths by watching the short video below. 

Fair dinkum funding available for Aussie themed events  

Council's Australia Day event grants are now open and local community groups are encouraged to apply. 

Mayor Greg Williamson said council was excited to offer the Australia Day event grant funding once again for 2023, especially considering the COVID-19 event blues of 2022. To be eligible for funding, events need to be held on Australia Day 2023 (Thursday, January 26), be free for all to attend and held within the Mackay Regional Council area. Applications will close midnight Sunday, November 20. 

Gorge Road upgrades starting soon 

Council is about to start work completing the third and final stage of the Gorge Road reconstruction project in Finch Hatton.

This project will involve transforming 185-metres of dirt road along Gorge Road, near Boulder Road, into a concrete road surface to reduce the need for maintenance and continual grading in the future. Works are expected to be completed in December 2022, weather permitting. Traffic control will be in place to assist traffic through the work site, with up to 20-minute delays heading to Finch Hatton Gorge expected.