10 Mackay Australia Day events to add to your calendar for the 26th

Whether you love Australia Day or think that the date needs changing, there’s one thing all Aussies love, an excuse to have a party. Check out these 10 events in the Mackay Whitsundays on January 26.

The Airlie Beach and Seabreeze hotel are DEFINITELY the places to be on January 26.

Thanks to the weather caused by Ex-Cyclone Kirrily, many Australia Day events have had to be postponed or cancelled, but for some, nothing could get in the way of this day. While Australia Day — and January 26 specifically — have been a subject of controversy, with calls to change the date, Australians still love coming together for a party and a barbie.

If you’re unsure of what’s still on, be sure to check out this list of 10 Australia Day Events across Mackay, Isaac and the Whitsundays.

Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club Beach Party - POSTPONED

What says ‘Australia’ better than a beach party?

The Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club will be hosting a beach party for the whole family to enjoy at Harbour Beach.

Starting at 10:30 and finishing at 2:30pm, the Surf Lifesaving club will be putting on live music, beach volleyball, beach cricket, tug of war and even a thong throwing competition.

Food and drinks will be available to purchase from the club’s beach cafe.

The Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club is considering rescheduling the party for St Patrick’s Day.

If you have any questions you can reach out to the club via their email [e-mail].

Australia Day Banksia Scouts Open Day - POSTPONED

Banksia Scout Group is giving parents the chance to take a break this Australia Day with their Scouts open day.

Organisers urge parents to “bring a chair and enjoy the shade of the trees while the kids have some fun”.

Starting from 10am and continuing until 2pm at 53 Fernleigh Ave, Andergrove, children can have fun with rope courses, damper cooking and even archery.

There’s no entry fee, the only requirement is that children wear closed in shoes, while parents are told to either bring a picnic or buy a sausage from one of the volunteers.

The event was postponed due the ground being “waterlogged” by the rains of Ex-Cyclone Kirrily.

Resources for the open day will be combined with their Queensland Day event in June to create a party “Bigger than Ben Hur”.

If you have any questions you can reach out to the Banksia Scout Group via their email [e-mail].

The Mackay Bowling Club on Nebo road is hosting an Australia Day Lawn Bowls competition.

Go Oz with Lawn Bowls at the Mackay Bowling Club - POSTPONED

The Mackay Bowling Club is holding a free lawn bowls competition to celebrate Australia Day with the people of central Mackay.

Starting at noon at the Mackay Bowling Club on Nebo Rd, attendees will start with lunch before moving onto a three bowls triples tournament where they’ll be able to win cash prizes.

There will also be a brief recess later in the afternoon where bowlers can enjoy free lamingtons with tea and coffee, does it get any more Aussie than that?

To RSVP for this event please phone Mackay Bowling Club on 4957 3571 or reach out via their email [e-mail].

Sarina Bowls Club Social Aussie Day Event - STILL ON

The Mackay Bowling Club aren’t the only ones getting into the spirit with some friendly competition, Sarina Bowls Club will also be hosting a social Australia Day celebration.

Starting at 1pm and running until 3:30pm, the Sarina Bowls Club wants to put on a more relaxed afternoon for attendees, hosting a social bowls event with prizes for the winners and for the best dressed.

Partygoers can also enjoy the classic Australian foods of damper, lamingtons and snags that they will put on, as well as avail themselves of the tea and coffee station.

For more information, email [e-mail].

Eungella Grassroots BBQ - POSTPONED

The Eungella Community Development Association wants to bring the community back to what Australia is all about by putting on a ‘fair dinkum’ family day.

Hosted at the Eungella Community Hall, the day will involve backyard cricket, water fights, face painting and thong throwing for the kids, as well as an American style BBQ.

The parents haven’t been forgotten however, with a twilight markets later in the day and live music.

The Eungella Grass roots BBQ has been rescheduled for March 2.

For more information, email [e-mail].

The Seabreeze Hotel will be hosting a Australia Day family beach party, as well as a live music concert on January 26.

The Seabreeze Hotel Family Beach Party - STILL ON

For those in Mackay, the Seabreeze is the place to be on the 26th.

Despite stresses over Cyclone Kirrily, The Seabreeze Hotel is still forging ahead with their celebrations, albeit without the jumping castle they’d planned to set up.

The Seabreeze Hotel, located in Slade’s Point near Lamberts Lookout, will be putting on a family beach day from 12pm until 8pm.

The party will start with festivities celebrating the classic Australian pastime of ‘beach’, such as beach cricket and footy.

Live music will be provided by the band Significant Other and kids will be able to get glitter tattoos and glide down inflatable slides all day.

To top it all off, the Seabreeze Hotel will be putting on a special Australia Day menu featuring: crumbed lamb cutlets with a side of sweet potato wedges, onion rings and sour cream with bacon or a smoked wagyu brisket roll.

Coterie’s ‘Lush Leopard’ tour in Mackay - STILL ON

A little rain couldn’t stop the ‘Lush Leopard’ tour.

If you’re not looking to go to the Seabreeze Hotels family event, they’ve got something special planned for partygoers later in the evening.

Starting at 8pm, the Seabreeze Hotel will be welcoming the Perth-based rock stars Coterie, who are touring regional Australia on their ‘Lush Leopard’ tour.

Proclaimed the “New Artist of the Year” at the 2023 Rolling Stone Awards, the band has over 30 million streams and a platinum record.

Guitarist Conrad Fisher said the band “...wanted to keep this tour feeling local so we’ve stayed away from major cities this time around and stuck to the beaches and lakes”.

If you want to party hard on Australia Day, you can’t go wrong with this concert.

You can buy tickets for the event here.

Bowen Foreshore Australia Day celebrations - CANCELLED

The Bowen Foreshore Australia Day celebrations have been cancelled.

The festival along the foreshore will not be going ahead due to concerns over Ex-Cyclone Kirrily.

However, the Australia Day Awards will be rescheduled for Saturday February 3 at 10am and the Citizenship Ceremony will take place on February 13 at 10:30am.

The Airlie Beach hotel will be holding the ultimate AUSTRALIA DAY PARTY.

Airlie Beach Hotel Ultimate Australia Day party - STILL ON

If you’re in the Whitsundays, this is the party to go to.

Proudly proclaiming ‘The ultimate Australia Day party is here!” the Airlie Beach Hotel is hosting a massively musical party starting from noon and going until 6pm.

The live music will kick off with Tara Graham and the Captain Thunderbolt band, and continue with other female Aussie Rock classics like Baby Animals and Rogue Traders.

Starting from 3pm is the main event, as Australian classics The Angels, Midnight Oil and The Divinyls will hit the stage performing their greatest hits.

The best thing about this party is that admission is entirely free.

If you’re in Airlie or close by, do not miss out on this excellent Australia Day Celebration.

The Moranbah Australia Day Triathlon - STILL ON

If you’re out in Isaac, each town is doing it’s own event’s so check those out here if you’re wondering what is on.

There is one big event that stands out in the region for those who are more athletically inclined and that is the Moranbah Triathlon.

If, on a hot, January, public holiday, you can think of nothing better than running, swimming and cycling, then Moranbah has got you covered.

Starting at the Greg Cruickshank Aquatic centre and running a loop through town before returning for the swimming leg, the event has been organised by the Isaac Regional Council, who have also offered cash prices.

For those who complete the long course 1st place will be awarded with $500, 2nd place with $300 and 3rd place with $150.

There are also prizes for those who win each leg of the race, team competitors, and for entrants below the age of 16, as well as a special category for children below the age of 12.

If you’d like more information on the competition and it’s course you can consult the regional councils website here.

Citizenship ceremonies - POSTPONED

While Australia Day will be a day of celebration for many, for some it will be a momentous day in their lives.

At the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre and as part of the celebrations at the Bowen Foreshore, citizenship ceremonies will be held, finalising the long process to become a New Australian.