Coffs Coast Advocate

The Mackay personalities who made headlines in 2020

Check out the 15+ newsmakers whose stories shaped an incredible year of news in the region.

george christensen mp for dawson harrup park country club jules thompson lance payne mackay mp julieanne gilbert mackay personalities matt cielens mayor greg williamson neil john paul schembri sarah parrott sarina sugar shed stephen andrew tash wheeler tas webber vicki blackburn whitsunday mp amanda camm whitsunday mp jason costigan year in review 2020

22nd Dec. 2020 5:12 AM

Some of the Mackay region personalities who made the headlines in 2020 including from top left: Dawson MP George Christensen, Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson, Mirani MP Stephen Andrew, Sarina Surf Lifesaving Club president Neil John, Canegrowers Queensland chairman Paul Schembri and Mackay mum Vicki Blackburn.

Kiwi wanderlust to turn our backyard into the next Fiji

Travellers from across the Tasman will soon be touching down in the Whitsundays and Mackay

coronavirus mackay coronavirus whitsundays mackay mackay business mackay tourism new zealandtas webber nz travel bubble tash wheeler tas webber tourism whitsundays travel bubble whitsunday business whitsundays

17th Dec. 2020 6:12 AM

WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS There are 74 jewel-like island wonders within the Whitsundays, right in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. If you’re struggling to decide which one to visit, head to

Southerners head north for Mackay Christmas travel boom

Mackay families will be reunited with their Sydney-based loved ones for the first time in months

annastacia palaszczuk mackay mackay christmas 2020 mackay tourism mackay travel state border closures sydney tash wheeler tas webber tourism whitsunday

24th Nov. 2020 2:11 PM

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced Queensland’s borders would reopen to all of New South Wales from December 1, with a Victorian border opening expected for the same day. Picture: Peter Wallis

New board has sights set on ambitious recovery numbers

Tourism Whitsundays appoints a new chair to lead the region into a post-COVID world.

coronaviruswhitsundays cruise whitsundays new board new chair tash wheeler tourism whitsundays whitsunday tourism

29th Oct. 2020 5:10 PM

The new Tourism Whitsundays board (back from left) Judy Porter, Toni Ward, Trevor Rees, Andrew Telford, Craig Turner, Brett Kapernick, Jenn Honnery, Shaun Cawood (front) Mayor Andrew Willcox, Tourism Whitsundays CEO Tash Wheeler, Julie Telford and Matt Boileau. Picture: Laura Thomas

How to fly to Brissy for less than a grocery shop

A new campaign will allow Whitsunday residents to bag a bargain to Brisbane.

alliance airlines brisbane airport cheap flights flight deals mayor andrew willcox tash wheeler tourism whitsundays whitsunday coast airport

06th July 2020 11:07 AM

Alliance Airlines have launched a new campaign where Whitsunday residents can fly to Brisbane for $156. From left: Cr Jan Clifford, council's CEO Rodney Ferguson, Alliance national sales manager Alex Ananian-Cooper, the airport's chief operating officer aviation and tourism Craig Turner, Mayor Andrew Willcox, Cr Michelle Wright and Cr Al Grundy.

Locals drop more than $130K to support tourism

North Queenslanders are spending their pennies on holiday deals across Mackay and the Whitsundays as pandemic recovery...

coronavirus mackay coronaviruswhitsundays mackay tourism mates' rates tash wheeler tourism whitsundays

06th July 2020 8:07 AM

Mackay Tourism and Tourism Whitsundays launched the Mates' Rates campaign last month to encourage locals to holiday within the region this winter. Photo: Mackay Tourism

Five of Mackay’s best whale watching spots

Make sure to give a wave to the region’s largest tourists as whales start moving along our coast

campwin beach cape hillsborough hay point lamberts beach mackay mackay tourism mackay whales slade point tash wheeler tas webber tourism whitsundays whale season whitsunday whitsunday whales

06th June 2020 5:06 AM

Mackay Tourism chief executive officer Tas Webber said the Mackay region had a wealth of places to spot whales on their annual migration past Mackay.

PREMIER: ‘Get booking and come and see the beautiful region’

The return of flights has been welcomed by the region’s leaders who say it will provide a much-needed boost.

alliance airlines annastacia palaszczuk flights recommence mayor andrew willcox tash wheeler whitsunday coast airport

03rd June 2020 4:06 PM

Mayor Andrew Willcox and premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Health officer to consider NQ travel bubble proposal

Premier has not pricked the tourism industry’s push for further restriction eases from Mackay to Cairns

annastacia palaszczuk cairns chief health officer coronavirus mackay coronavirus restrictions qld coronavirus whitsundays kate jones mackay mackay tourism north queensland north queensland tourism rockhampton tash wheeler tas webber tourism whitsundays townsville

24th May 2020 6:05 PM

Plans to ease travel restrictions in North Queensland could be sent to Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young

Whitsunday leaders outline steps to economic recovery

Four of the region’s leaders have indicated how they plan to help the Whitsundays recover from the impacts of Covid-19.

coronaviruswhitsundays economic recovery george christensen mp for dawson jason costigan mp mayor andrew willcox tash wheeler tourism whitsundays

19th May 2020 5:05 AM

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