Community participation & events

Since the proposal for the Bluewater Trail was first put forward in 2003, the concept has been embraced by the business community, local residents and city centre traders.

As sections of the trail are completed, usage continues to increase. More than 300 participants attended a recent 10,000 STEPS activity on a Sunday morning. The event was a joint Mackay Regional Council-Queensland Health promotion conducted along the Pioneer Promenade riverfront section of the trail from the Bluewater Lagoon to City Centre.

Council has also staged the annual River to Reef Festival in the vicinity of the River Street Boat Ramp and at the entrance to the Sandfly Creek Environmental Walk. This annual event attracts crowds of about 6,000 and more recently has been relocated to the nearby Bluewater Quay – another key recreational node along the trail.

Council's next event at the Bluewater Trail is the Father's Day Fun Run, which will take place on September 4, 2011. The five kilometre event will start from the Play Garden at the Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens and follows the Bluewater Trail to the scenic Bluewater Lagoon.

The Sandfly Creek Environmental Walk is also becoming increasingly popular with residents, particularly in the early morning.

For more information about the Bluewater Trail: