THE MACKAY REGION Visitor Guide 2020 mackayregion.com VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES Mackay Region Visitor Information Centre CONTENTS Sarina Field of Dreams, Bruce Highway, Sarina P: 07 4837 1228 EXPERIENCES E: [email protected] Open: 9am – 5pm, 7 days (May to October) Wildlife Encounters ...........................................................................................4–5 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday (November to April) Nature Reserved ..................................................................................................6–7 9am – 3pm Saturday Hooked on Mackay ...........................................................................................8–9 9am – 1pm Sunday Family Fun ..............................................................................................................10–11 Melba House Visitor Information Centre Local Flavours & Culture ............................................................................12–13 Melba House, Eungella Road, Marian P: 07 4954 4299 LOCATIONS E: [email protected] Cape Hillsborough & Hibiscus Coast ...............................................14–15 Open: 9am – 3pm, 7 days Eungella & Pioneer Valley .........................................................................16–17 Mackay Visitor Information Centre Mackay City & Marina .................................................................................. 18–19 320 Nebo Road, Mackay (pre-Feb 2020) Northern Beaches .........................................................................................20–21 Bluewater Lagoon, Mackay (post-Feb 2020) Cape Palmerston, Sarina & Surrounds ........................................ 22–23 P: 07 4837 1228 E: [email protected] Isaac Inland .......................................................................................................24–25 Open: 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday Isaac Coast ................................................................................................................. 26 Broken River Visitor Information Centre IMPORTANT INFORMATION 534 Eungella Dam Road, Broken River P: 07 4958 4745 Events ...........................................................................................................................2–3 E: [email protected] Why Mackay? ........................................................................................................... 28 Open: 10am – 3pm, 7 days Where to Next? ........................................................................................................30 Clermont Historical Centre & Visitor Information Centre Planning Your Trip ...................................................................................................31 15855 Gregory Highway, Clermont Membership Directory .............................................................................39–40 P: 07 4983 3311 Map .....................................................................................................................................41 E: [email protected] Getting Here & Getting Around........................................ BACK COVER Open: 9am – 3pm, Wednesday to Saturday (March to Dec) EDITORIAL: Melissa Woods | COVER: Cape Hillsborough Sunrise Wallaby Experience – Sean Scott | THIS PAGE: Araluen Falls, Finch Hatton Gorge – Tourism Australia. WELCOME TO THE MACKAY REGION A slice of Nature Reserved… just for you Experience unique wildlife within lush rainforest, explore rugged inland roads, fish world-renowned freshwater dams, or find a quiet stretch of sand at one of 31 beaches just minutes from a vibrant city hub. The Mackay Region has hundreds of must-do experiences that will have you wanting to stay a little longer… CONNECT WITH US Share your holiday snaps on social media #meetmackayregion #thisisqueensland #seeaustralia facebook.com/mackaytourism instagram.com/visitmackay youtube.com/visitmackay @bethpaul @will_n_maryanne @cjrooster12 mackayregion.com 1 EVENTS CALENDAR 2020 New Drag the Farmers ACA National Campdraft Hillbilly Year’s Eve Out of Drought Finals at Nebo Goats JAN Celebrations APR ANZAC Day Ceremonies Whitsundays Clipper Race Carnival Mackay Turf Girl Race Day Australia Day Celebrations & Awards Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow 2020 Water Polo 35th Annual Great Barrier Reef Arena T20 Wintermoon QLD Country Bridal Fair Bash for Cash Festival FEB Championships MAY Lamberts Clermont Zach Mach Mackay Beach Agricultural Adventure Expo Seafood and Show Challenge Wine Festival Nebo Rodeo Mackay Mackay Anh Do – Mackay Airport Sports Hello World The Happiest Italian Street Twilight City Expo and Travel Expo Refugee Run Sign On Day Party St Lawrence International Women’s Day State Open Rugby League Wetlands Lunch and Expo Championships MAR JUN Weekend Mackay Marina Run AFLW – Gold Coast Suns vs Geelong Whitsunday STEM Challenge Mission Great Mackay Middlemount Golf and Country Club Pioneer Mackay Songs Whitehaven Music Charity Golf Day Valley Show Show Project Beach Run Festival 2 mackayregion.com For more information on events in The Mackay Region, please visit www.mackayregion.com/events G&S Lamberts Taylors Mackay Engineering Sarina Ute Beach Mackay PBR Solicitors Festival of Wine & Food Muster Oyster Invitational Mackay Cup Arts JUL Day OCT Festival DBCT Illuminate Mackay Scottish Mack Global Grooves Cultural Festival Bluewater PopCon Fling Audi Sarina Beach Airlie Beach Hamilton Middlemount Moranbah Coconut Sarina Show Music Island Race Fight Night Race Day Festival Festival AUG Week NOV Mechanos NQ’s Rock’n Country Clermont Middlemount BBQ & Beer Festival Gold and Races Coal Festival Motorcycle CQ Charity Beach Races 4U2 Concert Campdraft at Grasstree Nebo SEP Beach DEC Etnies Carols at Rumble on the Quay the Reef River 2 Reef Ride New Year’s Eve River Party Greenmount Heritage Fair *Please note, events are true and accurate at time of printing, however may be subject to change. mackayregion.com 3 WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS Rainforest abundant with birdlife and platypus, a beach full of wallabies and kangaroos and spectacular salt and freshwater fishing. You will be guaranteed to come face-to-face with diverse wildlife in their natural environment when you visit The Mackay Region. Did you know Platypus are monotremes, meaning they are egg laying mammals. The wallabies and kangaroos don’t mind their photo taken, but it’s important not to disturb them in their natural environment. 4 mackayregion.com WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS Top 6 Wildlife Encounters PLATYPUS IN THE WILD, WONDROUS WHALES BROKEN RIVER – EUNGELLA Each year between June and NATIONAL PARK November, The Mackay Region is Spot platypus in the wild at lucky enough to host the spectacular Broken River, a tranquil freshwater humpback whales as they migrate environment within Australia’s north along Australia’s eastern longest stretch of sub-tropical coastline. The purpose-built whale rainforest, Eungella National Park. watching platform at Lamberts Beach is the perfect spot to watch the whales Platypus viewing platforms alongside playing off the coast. Broken River are prime positions to see these shy creatures when they rise to the surface. TIP: Another popular spot to get a 180-degree view of the Coral Sea is from a pub on the top of the hill The best times to see a platypus TIP: in Eimeo. are dusk or early morning. Platypus have sensitive hearing and are easily disturbed. Sit quietly and watch the BRILLIANT BIRDLIFE water surface for ripples. Mackay is alive with vibrant birdlife thanks to the region’s unique WALLABIES AT SUNRISE, ecosystems. From the Kommo CAPE HILLSBOROUGH Toera Trail and Botanical Gardens in Mackay, to the migratory shorebirds NATIONAL PARK along Sandfly Creek Reserve and It’s the ultimate Aussie photo the endemic Eungella Honeyeater opportunity – a wallaby on the beach on display in the rainforests of with the sun rising in the background. Eungella National Park, The Mackay Cape Hillsborough National Park Region is a must visit destination for offers this amazing experience each bird lovers. morning for visitors and guests to the nearby tourist park, as the wallabies TIP: Head along to St Lawrence and kangaroos feed on the shoreline. Wetlands, home to over a 100 different bird species. The area TIP: This experience is perfect for celebrates its birdlife every year families who love nature. Those who with a special weekend in June. choose to stay overnight at the tourist park overlooking the beach can find a number of wallabies and kangaroos FANTASTIC FISHING relaxing throughout the day. The Mackay Region is Australia’s premier recreational fishing destination and known for 365 days DISCOVER DUGONGS, a year for fishing. Within 45 minutes CLAIRVIEW BEACH of Mackay, you can be fishing at a tropical reef, rainforest stream, blue The small coastal town of Clairview, water river, a sandy estuary or an to the south of The Mackay Region, inland dam. is home to these gentle sea creatures. The waters in the area are a protected sanctuary for this TIP: Catch that legendary metre- endangered marine mammal. You plus Barramundi by hiring a fishing Main Photo: Broken River at can spot dugong from the beach or charter or try your luck at one of the Eungella National Park is widely in a boat. inland dams. regarded as the best place in the world to spot wild platypus. From Far Left: A migrating TIP: Clairview is also famous for humpback whale; A Cape its fishing and crabbing. It’s the Hillsborough wallaby; Dugong only place you’ll catch a glimpse of feeding on seagrass