Have you ever had a hankering to learn to fly, join the RAAF or fly an airliner?

The Whitsunday Aero Club Inc (WAC Inc) may soon be able to assist.  The club has been in contact with a flying school, Wrighton Aviation from Mackay that has expressed interest in establishing a satellite flying school, based in the Whitsundays, using the facilities of the WAC Inc club house. A representative from Wrighton Aviation, which is based in Mackay, will be visiting the Whitsundays on Sunday, 19 November, to inspect the facilities, and to ascertain the amount of interest locally. If there is sufficient interest, Wrighton Aviation will begin the process of applying to relevant authorities for permission to conduct flight training.

Anyone interested in finding out more details about the training being offered, is invited to meet the Wrighton Aviation /flying instructor and WAC Inc members on Sunday morning, 19 November 2023, at the WAC Inc building, Lascelles Avenue (look for the building with the green roof).

A free sausage sizzle will be provided between 11.30am and 1.30pm. to anyone booking and taking a Trial Instructional Flight or an Instruction period.

Trial Instructional Flights (TIFs) allow you the opportunity to fly the aircraft with the instructor.

For further information and BOOKINGS contact:

Wrighton Aviation  www.wrightonaviation.au 4864 8550 or 0459588810

Alan Midgley (WAC Inc):  0428 746 716

WHAT: Flight Training

WHERE: Whitsunday Aero Club

WHEN: Sunday, 19 November – 11.30am – 1.30pm

Since introducing Friday social paddling in April, Club Outrigger Whitsunday has welcomed 52 people to our sport. While some have been visiting Airlie Beach, the majority of these new paddlers have been local and continue to attend these fun, no pressure sessions.

Using these Friday social sessions as a base for a major recruitment drive, another nine locals joined in after reading the clubs’ Facebook post-this “Come and Try” was fully booked after just six days.  

The clubs’ members were on hand demonstrating their paddling skills and keen to show just how much they love the sport. Followed by a BBQ and beers, the clubs’ President, Rob O’Connor, and Vice President, Glen Bray gave paddlers the lowdown on outrigging in North Qld and what’s on the clubs’ calendar in the 2024 season.

If you would like to give outrigger paddling a go, just contact the club on its Facebook page or Michelle Lynes 0421 159 852

Contributed with thanks to Michelle Lynes, Head Coach

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The Come and Try session was fully booked

On Saturday, 15 Cannons were selected for the SNQ Achievers’ Development squad activity which was held in Mackay. Congratulations to the Cannons who participated in the coaching clinic: Isaac and Isabella Pisaniello, Jack and Thomas Ganter, Alex and Zach Trefz, Ehsan and Anisa Helou, Andie Reynolds, Addie Sanders, Don Algie, Koa and Ruby Harland, Jax Clayworth and Declan Dichiera.  

Swimmers participated in Breaststroke, Butterfly and Athletic Development sessions lead by Queensland Coach Barry Prime. A big thank you to coaches, Ken Crittenden, Mark Erickson, and Rylee Erickson for assisting with the coaching on Saturday.  

One Cannon, Nelson Malady travelled to Richmond on the weekend to participate at the Richmond Transition Meet. Nelson had a very successful weekend winning 4 individual events, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly and 100m IM. Nelson thoroughly enjoyed the Freestyle and Mystery IM stroke Skins events. Well done, Nelson!  

This week at Club Night, Matilda Nicholes and River Shields were presented with Upgrade Certificates. Congratulations to Eric Mulliss and Liam Filewood for winning the Chocolate Awards for the best PBs.

The Cannons would like to commend all the swimmers who participated at Club Night on Wednesday night. A big thank you to all the wonderful parents who help with officiating at Club Night. The Cannons are looking forward to competing in the GBR Carnival in Mackay next weekend.  

Contributed with thanks to Raylene Rasmussen.

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River Shields received an Upgrade Award

Matilda Nicholes with her Upgrade Award. Photos supplied

By Chris Karas

Mackay Meteorettes coach Jamiey Douvendans has a sharp eye for basketball talent.

The respected hoops mentor has just returned from the Champion Basketball School of Queensland Junior Secondary tournament on the Gold Coast where he marvelled at the skills sets on show.

In his role as Coaching Co-ordinator of the St Patrick’s College Mackay basketball program, the experienced Douvendans guided the school to a Boys Division Three Grand Final appearance and a top five finish in the Girls Division One championship.

These meritorious achievements come hot on the heels of St Patrick’s gold-medal winning performances at the Champion Basketball School of Queensland Opens event at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre during September.

A chuffed Douvendans described the Mackay college’s efforts at the State’s premier basketball schools tournaments as “truly remarkable” and believes the nucleus of both squads are on the Meteors and Meteorettes radar.    

“I’ve been coaching St Patrick’s basketball teams for the past decade and this year’s campaign has proved to be our most successful to date,” reflected Jamiey.

“We came away with two gold medals plus a silver and achieved our highest-ever ranking in Division One with our Junior Girls claiming fifth spot,” he quipped.

“Overall at both tournaments we won 25 of our 28 games and were unlucky not to secure a third gold medal after the Junior Boys were beaten in the Grand Final by Ryan Catholic College” the Meteorettes boss added.

St Patrick’s held their own in the tough Division One Junior Girls category with encouraging Pool A victories over Southport State High (70-50), Hillcrest Christian College and Mountain Creek State High (63-53) before blitzing Varsity College (72-27) and rolling Kings Christian College (59-48) in the finals to clinch a top five ranking for the first time.

The Mackay girls were outclassed by powerful Brisbane State High (64-37) and John Paul College (56-41) - their only losses at the tournament.

Douvendans praised the efforts of outstanding combination guard Maggie Thorburn, centre Lily Mapp and promising guards Eden Catip and Skye Vaughan – who are all aged 14 – along with rising 15 year old wing Ally Simpson.

St Patrick’s dominated the Division 3 Junior Boys division – only to stumble at the final hurdle with a heart-breaking 37-29 Grand Final loss to Townsville’s Ryan Catholic College.

The Mackay young guns demonstrated their on-court skills with emphatic victories over Mueller College (77-18), Chisholm Christian College (56-28), St Mary’s College Toowoomba (58-27), Coolum State High (56-24) and Grace Lutheran College Rothwell (61-27) before toppling All Saints Anglican School (35-22) in a semi-final.

Leading the way were talented centre Archie Howell and power forward Isaac Carter,15, along with 14-year-old North Queensland State representative point guard Cooper Curry and combination guard Usai Bickey.

“The boys were disappointed after turning in a below par performance in the final which was their only loss at the championships,” said Douvendans.

“After superb displays leading into the Grand Final they took their eye off the ball in the gold medal clash and strayed away from the game plan,” he surmised.

“But they can all be proud of their efforts in collecting a silver medal which is a tremendous feat in itself” the master coach concluded.

Douvendans was ably supported by a St Patrick’s College basketball panel that featured Jo Ciantar, Rachel McKenzie, Lauren Jones, Scott McSherry and Patrick Hoare.

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St Patrick’s College finished runners up in this year’s Division 3 Junior Secondary Boys category at the Champion Basketball School of Queensland tournament on the Gold Coast

St Patrick’s College Junior Secondary Girls team achieved a top five Division One ranking for the first time at this year’s Champion Basketball School of Queensland tournament at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre

Twin centuries by talented Walkerston juniors Tyler Peters and Cooper Newbury proved the highlight of fourth round limited overs action in the Mackay Junior Cricket Association competition.

Padding up in the Under 15B division, the promising colts turned on a batting masterclass to help the Walkerston Under 14s team amass an imposing tally of 1-252 in the 25 overs per side fixture at McLennan Park.

In an entertaining run fest the flamboyant Peters blasted 103 runs off only 56 deliveries including 21 boundaries while Newbery cracked seventeen fours in a dashing knock of 100 before both batsmen retired.

Walkerston restricted the Magpies Under 14 Blacks to 6-141.

The Magpies were best served by skipper Jacob Whitby, who smashed 50 runs off 41 balls with eight boundaries, Aarnav Reelh (38) and Xander Ness (20).

Will Keen was the pick of the Walkerston bowlers with 2-33.

Proserpine Cricket Club defeated the Magpies White team in an Under 15A clash at Proserpine Sports Ground.

Jordan Lawn top scored for the home side with 31 runs off 37 balls with support from Donovan Pettiford (21) in a total of 151.

The Magpies could only muster 8-100 in reply with young gun Ishan Rana cracking a stylish 50 off 56 balls.

Lawn (2-5) and Oliver Seamer (2-6) bowled accurately for Proserpine while Cooper Boyce (3-10 off five overs), Rana (2-11 off four overs) and Soham Rana (2-18 off three overs) spearheaded the Magpies attack.

An exciting day for the Dolphins of Pioneer Swimming Club came on 4th November, with a local swim meet in the beautiful Isaac region, hosted by Moranbah Highlanders Swimming Club.

Twenty-six Dolphins made the day trip out to Moranbah, where swimmers enjoyed a day in the sun seeking more personal bests.

A highlight of the meet were the Reg and Cecilia Abbott and Naomi McGilvray events – a 200m Freestyle event for 9 years and under, and 10 years and over respectively.

In the 9 years and under event, Ralph Traeger and Makenna Malagueno each won their events and Bethany Miles placed 3rd.

In the 10 years and over, Yasmin Seedwell placed 2nd and Stevie Brand placed 3rd. Many Pioneers were also named Age Champions or Runners-Up Age Champions.

The Junior Dolphins did fantastic at this meet, with Maxim Demin, Rex Traeger, Alfie Kibby and Alice Demin swimming strong in each of their 25m strokes. Maxim stepped up to swim the 200m freestyle event – a fantastic achievement for a 7 year old.

The grounds and pool at Moranbah were a treat for the swimmers and the day did not disappoint.

Contributed by Pioneer Swimming Club

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Anna Miles and Joleigh Strydom enjoying the presentation

Junior Dolphins, Rex, Maxim and Alfie

Traeger family

Makenna Malagueno

Team photo

Photos supplied

The phrase ‘unfinished business’ gets thrown around a great deal in sports, but when Isaac White refers to it, it couldn’t ring truer.

The 25-year-old had arguably one of the best individual state league campaigns in the history of Mackay Basketball in 2023, but a late-season quadricep injury forced the McDonald’s Meteors Most Valuable Player to spectate from the sidelines, as his teammates went down to the South West Metro Pirates 94-72, in an NBL1 North elimination quarter-final.

“Watching that quarter-final from the bench and having things end like that was really tough,” White said.

“The whole season we spoke about putting ourselves in a position to win a championship and worked collectively towards that, and to not be out on the floor to help the guys when it mattered most, it was difficult.”

White becomes the first McDonald’s Mackay Meteors NBL1 North signing for next year and if his 2023 credentials are anything to go by, fans at the Crater will be in for many more highlights throughout 2024.

The dynamic guard averaged a nation-leading 32.6 points per game last season on his way to NBL1 North First Team honours, along with posting team best numbers in rebounds (7.3 per game) and assists (6.5 per game).

It was White’s competitiveness that made the 188cm guard a favourite among the Mackay faithful at McDonald’s Mackay Stadium and McDonald’s Meteors Head Coach Joel Khalu said White’s approach to the game is what made him a priority signing for the club in 2024.

“He wants to win everything. Every game, every scrimmage, every drill in practice and those standards of excellence certainly set the tone for our entire group,” Khalu said.

“Whitey’s dedication to his basketball craft is unmatched. There’s no days off. He’s always working to not only make himself better, but also make those around him better and that’s what you want in your marquee players.

“Also, it’s not just about what Isaac does on the court that makes him so valuable. He invested heavily into our community engagement programs last season, becoming a tremendous role-model for our junior players.”

White was also pumped about his return to the sugar city.

“The environment in Mackay at an NBL1 level is second-to-none and it’s a place I know I’ll continue to get better in the NBL off-season.

“The people drive the culture there and that’s really important for me when finding places to play.

“JK’s style of play also suits my game and I think that was well reflected last season. I felt like I made some big strides as a player which in turn helped prepare me for the current NBL season.”

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Isaac White is returning to the McDonald’s Mackay Meteors for the 2024 NBL1 North season. Photo credit: Kieron Place

Mackay witnessed an exhilarating showcase of cycling prowess at the recent Mackay Cycling Club Track Open, held on 28th October. Cyclists from across the region put their skills to the test, battling strong winds to deliver an unforgettable day of competitive racing.

Local Mackay riders made their mark across all grades, emerging victorious in events spanning A-grade men to junior categories. The standout moment of the carnival was the gripping showdown in the Wright Family Shield senior handicap race. Wade Mitchell, a local rider, clinched victory by a hair's breadth, narrowly edging out fellow Mackay cyclist Kiah Dumigan. The race reached its climax with just over a lap to go, and as the riders hurtled towards the finish line, they unleashed their full acceleration. Mitchell, leading the pack, managed to maintain his position, though Kiah Dumigan was hot on his heels. In a nail-biting finish, Wade secured the win by mere centimetres, with Tim Grover taking third place and Victoria Smith claiming fourth. Smith showcased exceptional form throughout the carnival, dominating the women's events with an impressive string of victories.

In the Wright Family Shield junior handicap, George Tucker from Rockhampton was too good for the competition, winning by a considerable distance over Max Teague in second, Scott Bennett third and Oaklan Marwood in fourth.

The Wright Family Shield was introduced to honour junior and senior handicap race winners. The shield pays tribute to Hamish and Amanda Wright, members of the local track cycling scene over the past decade. Hamish Wright, a renowned figure in cycling, represented the club at four masters world championship events, securing medals in 2018 and 2022. He has won multiple Australian masters titles and is a consistent presence at state and national cycling events. In the Mackay carnival, Wright displayed his skills, earning a third place in the invitation keirin, with speedsters David Hutton and Josh Rainer from Cairns securing the top two spots. Wright also secured victory in the A-grade men's points race.

The father-son duo of Luke and Matthew Shatkowski also left their mark on the carnival, with Matthew achieving success in various events within the U15 category. Luke, competing in A-grade men, delivered a third-place finish in the scratch race and secured second place in the elimination event.

The success of the event would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship from CMR Recycling, Crane Logistics, Smart State Rentals, ATOM, and Valenhold.

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Determination was across Wade Mitchell’s face as he launched his attack in the senior men’s handicap with one lap to go

Hamish Wright presenting the Wright Family Shield to junior handicap winner, George Tucker

Invitational keirin podium; David Hutton (first), Josh Rayner (second), Hamish Wright (third)

The carnival saw a strong display of racing across all grades. Photo credit: Amanda Wright

Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday night fixtures October 31, 2023:

Division 1:

Echo (Mark Sleeman, Steven Whiting, Graham Brake) d Charlie (Anne Sheridan, Robbie Richards, Graeme Walker) 6-5. Steven d Anne -9, 6, 6, -10, 6.

Foxtrot (Tony Bowman, Tim Sheehan, Geoff Denman) d Bravo (Graham Drury, Vince Boeske, Ivan Perkins) 8-3. Tony d Graham -11, 9, -7, 8, 8.

Delta (Ian McKay, Barry Patterson, Lee Brake) d Alpha (Mick Ruhl, Janice Kent, Andrea Nicholson) 6-5. Janice d Lee 5, -11, -12, 9, 11.

Division 2:

Lima (Donna Abbott, Geoff Cowan, Mark Stam, YiLin Jiang) d Mike (Steve Mathieson, Matthew West, Kade Wright, Val Austin) 9-5. Donna d Steve 12, -9, -8, 8, 6.

India (Michael Ibbotson, Misha Palod, Rymer Tabulo, Amanda Wright) d Hotel (Leo Gilbert, Simon Hogan, Steve Crocker, Anaya Reelh) 9-5. Rymer d Leo 9, 9, -8, -9, 8.

Golf (George Camilleri, David Symons, Jye Callender, Saisha Palod) d Juliet (Trent Day, Peter Goodson, Noreen Fredericksen, Nehmat Dhaliwal) 11-3. George d Trent 7, 6, -9, -3, 8.

Mackay Table Tennis Tuesday morning fixtures October 31, 2023:

Division 1:

Bream (Doug Dungavell, Michael Ibbotson, Charles Hamlett) d Perch (Charlie Payne, Peter Goodson, Judi Hicks) 9-3. Michael d Peter 9, 9, -7, -9, 8.

Barra (Steve Mathieson, Donna Abbott, Helen Ware) d Tuna (Tony Bowman, John McGee, Val Austin) 8-4. Steve d John -7, -8, 5, 7, 10.

Cod (George Camilleri, Coral Morgan, Kevin Abbott) d Trout (Branko Vucurovic, Noreen Fredericksen, Kim Challender) 8-4. George d Branko 6, -6, -6, 10, 10.

Division 2:

Lobster (Marie Taylor, Fred Saliba, Allison Day) d Squid (Rhonda Griffiths, Sharon Muller, Myles Dutton) 10-2. Sharon d Fred -6, 2, 8, 8.

Crab (John Hamelink, Madge Saunders, Bill Hey) d Prawn (Robyn Bushell, Pam Keune, Cheryl Aprato) 8-4. John d Robyn -9, 8, 6, -6, 9.

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George Camilleri in action in Tuesday morning table tennis fixtures. Photo: Charlie Payne

Mackay-Whitsunday Development team have secured the North Queensland Alliance Under 25 Zone Cricket Championship following a victory double last weekend at Harrup Park.

The Cyclones edged out Central Queensland on percentages to claim the trophy after posting impressive wins over Far North and North Queensland sides in limited overs fixtures at Roy Trevaskis Oval.

Both Mackay-Whitsunday and Central Queensland finished the series with three victories each.

Under the guidance of coach David Smith and leadership of Norths’ trump Chris Day, the Cyclones produced stand out performances with bat and ball in recent weeks to show their supremacy.

To cap off a successful 2023 campaign, three Cyclones players – all-rounder Wes Dyer and pace duo Floris Duvenhage and Harrison Holmes – were named in the North Queensland Alliance Under 25 Merit Team.

Dyer starred in the Cyclones’ 90 run triumph over Far North last Saturday when he peeled off a classy 68 in Mackay-Whitsunday’s total of 234.

The Magpies ace faced 93 deliveries and blasted three sixes and six boundaries during his fine knock before grabbing the figures of 5-41 with his wily off spin bowling to help skittle Far North for 144.

Other Cyclones players to shine were skipper Chris Day, who cracked a superb 78 off 67 balls with two sixes and twelve boundaries, Todd Dixon (29), Liam Zurvas (21) and Duvenhage (3-25).

Mackay-Whitsunday wrapped up the series with an emphatic 53 run victory over North Queensland last Sunday with solid contributions from Etienne Pretorius (59), Day (28), Kai Higham (25), Dixon (4-19 off six overs), Holmes (3-19 off eight overs) and Tom Vandenberg (2-19).

Mackay-Whitsunday’s championship-winning squad featured Chris Day (captain), Liam Zurvas, Wes Dyer, Etienne Pretorius, Marcus Lamperd, Kai Higham, Bailey Camilleri, Todd Dixon, Cameron Tomerini, Nic Beardmore, Floris Duvenhage, Harrison Holmes and Lochi Whitehead.

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Mackay-Whitsunday’s Development cricket team that won the North Queensland Alliance Under 25 Zone Championship at Harrup Park last weekend

Talented Mackay-Whitsunday Development trio Wes Dyer (Magpies), Floris Duvenhage (Brothers) and Harrison Holmes (Souths) were named in this year’s North Queensland Alliance Under 25 Zone Cricket Merit Team

The Gold Coast Suns touched down to a welcoming party at Mackay Airport on the 2nd of November to battle it out against the Essendon Bombers in Round 10 of the AFLW, with the Friday night showdown played at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.

Four players from the Gold Coast Suns are local to our region, including star ruck, Lauren Bella.

Lauren commented on the opportunity, “I look at it really fondly, so grateful for the opportunity to be able to play in front of my family and friends.

“I think it’s also really important to bring football to rural towns. We’ve always had a good crowd come out to support us.”

Head Coach Cameron Joyce stated, “We’re trying to keep our preparation very much the same as previous weeks, if we focus too much on the outcome and what may happen, we’ll lose focus on how we play the game.”

“Every time we play I think we get a bit of a competitive advantage on the opposition.

“In terms of the region, being able to rub shoulders with the community, kids coming down to watch the girls train will only help [with] girls’ participation playing AFL in the region.”

The Suns recorded a 14-point victory in Mackay on Friday night at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, with the final score 6.3 (39) to 2.7 (25).

1,700 ecstatic local spectators filled the stands. With Brisbane’s Gabba stadium set to be demolished and replaced, Mackay has the opportunity to welcome more national and international sporting events than ever before, furthering a boost to tourism in our region.

Chief Executive Officer of Mackay Isaac Tourism, Al Grundy welcomed the Gold Coast Suns, commenting on their arrival, “Any huge event such as the AFLW and the Gold Coast Suns arriving in our region is something that we really look forward to.

“From a tourism and development perspective, huge names coming to the region showcase what Mackay can do, showcases that we are absolutely on point when it comes to events. Most importantly, it puts our ‘Mackay-Isaac’ brand out there across Australia.”

With the tourism industry on a growth target towards the 2032 Olympic Games, our region is set to accomplish $860 million in 2023 for overnight visitors expenditure.

Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson was also happy to welcome the Gold Coast Suns, stating, “This is the third consecutive season the Gold Coast Suns have been here to kick off a match in Mackay, and we’re really pleased to see them back.

“Mackay Regional Council has invested in this pathway program for our young people, the relationship the AFLW has with our region right now is second-to-none.”

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Bess Keaney, Al Grundy, Tara Bohanna, Claudia Whitfort, Lauren Bella, Greg Williamson and Jacqui Dupuy in front of the welcoming archway at Mackay Airport

Photo credit: Sinead Porter

The Gold Coast Suns celebrated a 39-25 victory over Essendon at the Great Barrier Reef Arena last week. Photo credit: Gold Coast Suns

Catherine McAuley College was a great starting point for the second Mackay Shawn’s Summer Social Series 5k and 10k events, seeing perfect running conditions and a keen crowd of families, newbies and regular runners take up the challenge.

A great effort by the Evetts and Knezevic families, pushing their children in double prams for what was an awesomely tough training session.

Paul Mackenzie continued his sizzling form, as did Alana Knezevic, Luke Leven, Rodney Elworthy, Riley Matsen, Grant Holmstrom, Darrin Pullen, Lily Leven, Hayden Connor, Max Scotton, Daniel Scotton, Lauren Connor, Andrew Wallace and newcomer sprint queen, Julia Monckton.

This Sunday, the Shawn’s Summer Social Series event commences at 5:15pm from Mackay Netball Courts on Casey Street, heading towards the Ocean International and Illawong Beach.

Contributed by Janelle Tilse

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Max Scotton, Dan Scotton and Darrin Pullen before the 5km event

Front runners (L-R) Paul Mackenzie, Grant Holmstrom and Riley Matsen, ready for a sprint start in the 10km event

Natasha Joynson, Kim Saron and Jo Hughes always enjoy a chat before and after a run

Photos supplied

Weekly Results (ending 5th November)

30th October – 4 Table Howell Green Points

1st – David Ting and Eric Goodchild

2nd – Geoff Cowan and Sandy Patterson

3rd – Edward Kliese and Diane Stokes

31st October 2023 – 4 Table Howell Green Points

1st – Eric Goodchild and Noel Bugeia

2nd – Debra Goodchild and Ian Cruickshank

3rd – Marilin Robins and Faye Wright

31st October – Australia-Wide Restricted Pairs 8 Table Mitchell Green Points

North/South

1st - Carmel Brown and Mary Rose Ramsden

2nd - Joy Block and Diane Stokes

3rd - Susan Wright and Helen van den Broek

East/West

1st - Ian Cruickshank and Mary Cruickshank

2nd - Louise Renton and Griffin Bancroft

3rd - Geoff Cowan and Sandy Patterson

1st November 2023 – 9 Table Mitchell Green Points

North/South

1st - Frances Brown and Alan Brown

2nd - Ros Scott and Jan Harris

3rd - Janelle Conroy and Noel Bugeia

East/West

1st - Monica Darley and Sandy Patterson

2nd - Joy Robinson and Robert Carless

3rd - Diane Holewa and Max Holewa

2nd November – 4 Table Howell Green Points

1st  - Tex Sheedy and Janelle Conroy

2nd - Susan Ross and Jan Harris

3rd – Frances Brown and Ann Whitmore

3rd November 2023 – 9 Table Mitchell Green Points

North/South

1st – Diane Cox and Christine Nice

2nd – Helen van den Broek and Don Poole

3rd – Tex Sheedy and Noel Bugeia

East/West

1st – Julie O’Neill and Ann Whitmore

2nd – Janelle Conroy and Pamela Finger

3rd – Diane Stokes and Marie McGuire

4th November – 10 Table Mitchell Green Points

North/South

1st - Max Holewa and Diane Holewa

2nd – Susan Wright and Lorna Shuttlewood

3rd - Joy Brunette and Helen van den Broek

East/West

1st – Janet Hansen and Diane Morgan

2nd - Ken Seaniger and Joy Robinson

3rd - Tex Sheedy and Diane Cox

Contributed by Robert Carless

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Francie Brown, winner of the President's Shield with her partners Janelle Conroy, Alan Brown and Anne Lutz

Photo supplied

The Mackay Cutters have secured a high-quality signing for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, with former NRL and Super League player Kenny Edwards.

Edwards is a skilful back-rower who has played 70 games for the Parramatta Eels, before heading to the UK Super League where he played a further 116 games for Catalans Dragons, Huddersfield Giants and the Castleford Tigers.

His signature to the Cutters, along with Tongan international centre Mahe Fonua and playmaker Riley Dean is set to make a strong impact on the club for the upcoming seasons.

Edwards brings an abundance of experience to the team, with a connection stemming back to his time with the Huddersfield Giants, where current head of football, Kim Williams was the Academy coach.

Williams mentioned how necessary it is to get a senior leader into the playing group, which he believes is a role that Edwards is determined to fill.

The 34-year-old has been searching for an opportunity to move back to Australia, and with a keen eye on developing the next generation, Edwards is ready to make an impact on the field himself.

His experience and leadership will be highly valued amongst the Cutters and the team looks forward to welcoming him into the 2024 NRL season.

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A first look at Kenny Edwards donning the colours for Mackay Cutters

Photo credit: Mackay Cutters

The boys of Bowen Ballerz have been busy prepping themselves for the trip of a lifetime.

Taking the time to perfect their skills, tighten their friendships and hone their sportsmanship, the boys of the Under 12s Bowen State School Basketball Team will be heading to Melbourne in January 2024, to be a part of the Eltham Dandenong Junior Basketball Tournament.

The inception of the team started earlier this year, with Leigh Dunn, Bowen State School teacher and now basketball coach realising that students wanted to play basketball, but the school didn’t have a team.

“We just wanted to give them the opportunity to trial and do something special from the start,” Leigh explained.

“I have a friend in Melbourne who suggested we go to Melbourne and play in the Eltham Dandenong Junior Basketball Tournament. It’s one of the biggest tournaments in Australia and it’s a great opportunity for the kids.”

For most of the boys on the team, basketball is their summer sport, playing rugby league in the cooler months.

For Declan Gaffney, a bit of a natural born player, he is “very excited” to participate in the tournament.

“I started playing and just got better and better,” he said.

Levi Nicol is “10 out of 10 excited” for the tournament, but he’s more excited to go surfing in Melbourne.

Bayley Bates just wanted to get involved and is looking forward to playing against other youth teams from across Australia.

“We will travel as a team to Melbourne. This will be the first time some of the boys have been on a plane so it’s very exciting,” Leigh explained.

The boys will also have two days outside of the tournament to experience Melbourne, visit key sites and watch an NBL game. Leigh has established a modest Go Fund Me page, to aid in the financial cost of this trip.

Scan the QR Code to donate to the boys’ trip.