Top 10 things to do around the region

Published: 22 Jan 2020

There is plenty to do around the region this week… Celebrate Australia Day at one of 11 council supported events across the region, from lamington and pie eating competitions to water slides and sailing, drop into Artspace Mackay for the last days of their summer holiday art program and book a seat for a half-day workshop to get your 2020 business digital marketing right.

1) Artist Talk: Barbara Dover and Robyn Glade-Wright

Thursday, January 23, 6pm – 7.30pm
Artspace Mackay

Join Cairns artists Barbara Dover and Robyn Glade-Wright as they discuss their touring exhibition, Disquiet: Ecological Anxieties and Transformations. Featuring large-scale sculptures made from discarded plastics and other ocean debris, the show highlights urgent ecological threats to the marine environment. The artists will discuss their long-term engagement with environmental concerns in their art practices, raising awareness of the destructive impact of this ‘age of plastic’ we are living in. This is a free event - ages 13+ are encouraged to attend! More details visit http://bit.ly/3a70VI2

2) A Roomful of Popcorn: Angry Bird Movie 2

Friday, January 24, 2pm – 4pm
Gordon White Library

Red, Chuck, Bomb and the rest of their feathered friends are surprised when a green pig suggests that they put aside their differences and unite to fight a common threat. Aggressive birds from an island covered in ice are planning to use an elaborate weapon to destroy the fowl and swine way of life. After picking their best and brightest, the birds and pigs come up with a scheme to infiltrate the island, deactivate the device and return to their respective paradises intact. Book your place at http://bit.ly/2tU6NUq

3) Summer Reading Club – “A Roomful of Stories”

Until Friday, January 24, 2020
The Summer Reading Club is on again! Participation in the Summer Reading Club is free and is a great way to keep the kids busy and reading over the school holidays. There are online competitions to participate in, reading logs to complete and submit into prize draws, a 40-day reading challenge plus competitions and activities at your library. Register online at www.summerreadingclub.org.au/theclub/registration or ask for assistance at any one of our library branches.

4) Australia Day community events (Mackay)

Aussie Family BBQ at Quota Park (hosted by: Mackay & District Australian South Sea Islander Association Inc)
Sunday, January 26, 11am – 3pm
Quota Park - Southern end of Binnington Esplanade, Mackay

Come along and celebrate our diversity and culture at a community BBQ by the beach. Activities on the day will include a free BBQ and plenty of beach game activities for the kids and family. A special bus service is available for the elderly. For more information, call Starrett on 0488 113 181.

Aussie Family Fun Day (hosted by North Mackay Saints AFL)
Sunday, January 26, 10am – 3pm
Zeolla Park AFL Grounds

This event is guaranteed to make you shout "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!". Activities will include a jumping castle/water slide, AFL grudge match (juniors versus parents), volley ball (round robin), cricket match and free BBQ lunch. For more information, call Peter on 0487 046 124.

Aussie Day Beach Party (hosted by Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club)
Sunday, January 26, 9.30am - 4pm
Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club, Harbour Beach, Mackay Harbour

Dive into Australia Day and bring the kids to this Aussie themed event with water slide, beach volley ball, tug-of-war, thong throwing competition and more! For more information, call Lexi on 0455 686 196.

Australia Day Open Fun Day (hosted by Mackay Tennis Association)
Sunday, January 26, noon – 6pm
Mackay Tennis Association, 125 Kippen Street

Mackay Tennis Association are serving up an Aussie Day with style. Event activities will include tennis mini games, thong throwing competitions, giant snakes and ladders and connect four, giant egg and spoon, giant jenga, giant quoits, tug of war, lamington eating competition, free tennis court hire, photo booth to capture the moment with friends, mini prizes for competitions, giant beach ball tennis, balloon animals and sausage sizzle.
For more information, call 0422 676 276.

Australia Day Scouts Open Day (hosted by Banksia Scout Group)
Sunday, January 26, 10am - 1pm
Banksia Scout Den, Jaycee Park, Cnr of Fernleigh Av and Bedford Rd, Andergrove

Parents bring a chair and enjoy the shade of the trees while the kids have some fun this Australia Day. Activities will include rope bridge, low ropes course, 'land based' canoe races, damper cooking and much more! Sausage sizzle and drinks available for gold coin donation.
For more information, call Peter 0419 732 783 or visit www.facebook.com/BanksiaScoutGroup.

Habana Aussie Party (hosted by Habana and Districts Progress Association)
Sunday, January 26, 3pm – 7pm
Habana Community Precinct, 1091 Mackay-Habana Rd

Community picnic (BYO) and traditional Australia Day activities including sand castle building on our "borrowed" beach, backyard cricket, inflatable water play, lamington eating, tug-o-war and thong throwing. Cold drinks and meat pies will be available for sale. Find out about local groups you can join at the event including craft, rural fire and Tai Chi.
For more information, visit Habana Progress Association's Facebook page or call Danielle on 0438 787 791.

Pancakes and Play in the Park (hosted by Shed Happens Mackay and Neighbourhood Watch Northern Beaches)
Sunday, January 26, 10.30am – 2.30pm
On the grass area near the Mackay Sugar Bowl, Phillip Street, North Mackay

Shed Happens Mackay, a local men's support group, will be running heaps of games and group sharing activities during the event and of course free pancakes! The games will be family oriented and involve team building exercises including three-legged race, sack race and egg and spoon race. For more information, call Frank on 0434 908 968.

Sail Away on Australia Day (hosted by Mackay Sailing Club)
Sunday, January 26, 10am – 3.30pm
"Sailor's corner", Kinchant Dam Road, Kinchant Dam

Get sailing this Australia Day with a fun filled adventure at Kinchant Dam. The event is being held for the first time on Australia Day and will include a free sausage sizzle, fun races, heaps of prizes and a commodore's sail past. We encourage anyone who already has a sailing dinghy to dust it off and join in the fun. All members of the general public are welcome to participate. For more information, call Commodore Geoff on 0432 033 188 or email mackaysailingcommodore@gmail.com.

5) Seaforth Australia Day Celebration (hosted by: Hibiscus Coast Progress and Sports Association and Seaforth Bowls Club)

Sunday, January 26, noon till late
Seaforth Bowls Club

Activities will include barefoot bowls, free sausage sizzle, thong throwing competition and prizes for best dressed. There will also be live music by Jay-C from 7pm. For more information, call 0429 897 045.

6) Australia Day at Sarina Beach

Sunday, January 26, 2pm – 6pm
Sarina Beach, Sarina Esplanade

In its seventh year, this event will be bigger than ever with a BBQ, water slide and heaps of fun competitions like pie eating, thong throwing, fastest man on the sand and wheelbarrow races. Cash prizes are up for grabs! BYO picnic blanket and chair. Note - this event is free to attend but some activities and food may require a gold coin donation.
For more information, call 4956 6476, visit www.sarinasurfclub.com.au

7) Summer Holiday Art: Artspace Mackay

Until Saturday, January 25
10am – 5pm Tuesday to Friday
10am – 3pm Saturday and Sunday
Artspace Workshop Room

North Queensland Bulk Ports and Artspace Mackay present the Summer Holiday Art for all ages program. It is a free drop-in art activity for families and people of all ages to experiment, create, and have fun using shiny aluminium embossing shim. A simple manual embossing tool and a variety of colourful craft materials to make your own mobile, wall decoration or small metallic masterpiece to take home. Come along and drop-in anytime, stay for a few hours or a few minutes. (Children under 13 years old must be supervised by an adult). For more information call 4961 9722 or visit www.artspacemackay.com.au

8) A Sense of Place by Margaret Worthington

Until Sunday, January 26  
Lagoons Gallery – Botanic Gardens Café

Tree kangaroos have always fascinated Margaret. During her visit to far north Queensland, she stayed with a tree kangaroo carer. Margaret also spent time exploring the Crater Lakes National Park, watching birds and studying plants. Margaret wanted to capture how special tree kangaroos and other inhabitants are in the ecosystem of the Tablelands Wet Rainforest. This exhibition consists of Dobby the Young Tree Kangaroo book and the watercolour paintings used in the book. There are also a series of contemporary aluminium sculptures fabricated by Margaret Worthington and Clive Rouse. Find out more at http://bit.ly/2DIPnff

9) Small Business Digital Marketing Planning for 2020

Tuesday, January 28, 8am – 12.30pm
Jubilee Community Centre

Join Clinton Begg for a half-day workshop to get your 2020 business digital marketing right. This workshop will identify ways of improving your digital capability and become more competitive in today's digital marketplace. Attendees will be required to complete a digital marketing check-list prior to the workshop. Attendees will be required to have a laptop. http://bit.ly/2TzVCv8

10) Greater Whitsunday Farmers’ Market

Wednesday, January 29, 7am – 11am
Bluewater Quay  

The farmers’ market is ready to kick-off 2020 with their first market. Join the fresh local produce revolution and support our farmers by buying seasonal local produce straight from the farmer. Want to know who will be selling at the markets each, head to their Facebook page every Tuesday, all the details of markets stall and produce will be listed. For more details visit http://bit.ly/369yDth

Reminders:

Dad’s Reading Group

Saturday, February 1, 10.30am – 11.30am
Dudley Denny City Library

The Neighbourhood Hub invites you to attend the Dad's Reading Group. Access to free events is only one of the benefits of library membership. If you are not already a library member, please join at http://bit.ly/2Ye9StH