Discover Mackay Treasure Trail
Ahoy, matey! Grab your scallywag ship mates (aka kids or friends) and your best pirate roar, and hit the Discover Mackay Treasure Trail to plunder your share of treasure!
The council treasure trail will set sail from Saturday, September 23, and close on Sunday, October 8.
There will be 10 mystery locations to discover and thousands of dollars in prizes up for grabs! The first three teams to complete the whole trail will win a major prize and the first 50 teams to finish will receive an automatic prize – a Discover Mackay picnic blanket!
> Locations and tasks to complete
Ten hidden locations are waiting to be discovered across the Mackay region in every direction - north, south, east and west.
Each mystery destination has a treasure trail corflute or poster on display with a QR code listed.
> How to complete the trail
- Use the clues on this web page to find each mystery location.
- Scan the QR code at each location with a smart phone and complete the entry form that pops up, including any questions or challenges.
- Email communications@mackay.qld.gov.au to let us know when you are finished!
*Note: some locations will require a photo or video to be taken and uploaded to the council website.
> Prizes
MAJOR PRIZES
- First place – $1200 Harvey Norman camera package including a Canon EOS R100 with single lens kit and two Pixbee PixPlay kids digital cameras
- Second place - $500 Visa gift card
- Third place - $350 Sarina Sugar Shed hamper and gift voucher
RANDOM DRAW PRIZE
- $300 Sarina Sugar Shed hamper and gift voucher
INSTANT PRIZES
There are six instant prizes to be won by finding a council branded treasure trail rock at some of the locations! Be sure to keep an eye out for a small, smooth rock the size of your palm with the council logo listed. If you find a mystery rock, follow the instructions listed on the back to claim your prize, a $50 gift card! Please note the mystery rocks will be located in easy to find places on the ground (not at height) and will not be buried under the ground. They will not be located in any bushes or undergrowth.
* Update - a number of the mystery rocks have already been found. Check with each Treasure Trail location when you arrive and they can advise if the mystery rock has already been found. NOTE - there is only one prize for the first person to find each mystery rock.
> Don’t forget your pirate hook!
Remember to dress up for the occasion - the best dressed team will win a $200 gift voucher! Pirate, adventurer, explorer, even Ken and Barbie, anything will do!
> FAQ
If you get stuck on the trail and can’t go any further, remember to use your scurvy sea dog teammates, Google it or message a friend (aka the Trail Master!) for a hint. Email communications@mackay.qld.gov.au.
Terms and conditions for the competition can be found here.
Please note you can complete the trail in any order, but location 10 is only available October 5-8 from 6pm - 9pm.
Follow the clues below for each location:
Location 1
Listen up ye scurvy sea dogs! To begin your epic treasure trail quest, find the below location and take a selfie with your ship’s shabby crew, or just yourself if you’re a lone buccaneer! Solve the puzzle below to find the location, or you’ll be forced to walk the plank! | |
Location 2
![]() | The trail has just begun me hearties and now you’re heading for barrels of fun. The next treasure spot is the sweetest watering hole in Sarina. Find it and complete the second leg of your hunt for treasure. Please note this location is only accessible from 9am - 4pm, seven days. * Note - The mystery rock at this location has already been found. |
Location 3
![]() | Don’t hang ya jib just yet me matey, there’s treasure to plunder! Solve the riddle and find yer next treasure trove. Please note this location is only accessible Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am - 5pm, Thursday 10am - 7pm, Saturday 9am - 2pm and Sunday 10am - 2pm. * Note - the mystery rock at this location has already been found. |
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Location 4
![]() | Ye scallywags need to use yer eyes to solve this riddle and find where the treasure lies. You’ll find it out in the wild west, in the valley of the dame, where an opera singer once lived. Please note this location is only accessible 9am - 3pm, seven days. *This location has a mystery rock! |
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Location 5
![]() | X marks the spot where the treasures be hidin', near the plants and trees, ye should be stridin'. Solve the puzzle and find the clue ye pirate dogs. But if ya don’t know where to go, just ask me mate Morse… *This location has a mystery rock! |
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Location 6
![]() | With the wind in yer hair and the sun on yer skin, go north (and go Forth) and find the Sea? The next clue be waitin' somewhere new. There ye'll find it where the water splashes. |
Location 7
![]() | "Ye be sailin' well, on this hunt so brave. Catch the flow of this next culture wave and find the next clue in the heart of the sugar city. Please note this location is only accessible Tuesday to Friday 10am - 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am - 3pm and not accessible on Mondays. * Note - the mystery rock at this location has already been found. |
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Location 8
![]() | Arrrrrk! Even me one legged parrot know’s where this hidden treasure lies. Run, walk, jump, or swim, ye can do it all at this lively haven. Please note this location is only accessible Monday to Friday 5:30am - 7pm, Saturday 6am - 6pm and Sunday 8am - 6pm. |
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Location 9
![]() | Avast ye, matey! Don't ye be slow, set sails following shipmate Bourke to the ocean’s edge, where stairs reach to the heavens, but remember to run when I say, “go”. Hidden like a rough jewel among sand, trees and beach, discover the treasure location... |
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Location 10
![]() | Ye be a clever bunch, no denyin', the final clue's location is here in this text and I ain't lyin'. But all work and no play, is not good for any fine sailor, so rest yer shaky sea legs and look for a wonderland event of light at night. If ye get shipwrecked with this tricky clue, the secret spot rhymes with “mate”. And need I say, don’t be late! It’s only open four nights from 6pm - 9pm, Thursday, October 5 to Sunday, October 8. PS you can find me at a local but royal park! *This location has a mystery rock! |
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