Mackay’s Red Dog Riverfront vandalised in late night attack

Footage shows a group trashing a Qld waterfront venue, damaging furniture and throwing it into the river while a state MP points the finger at weak youth crime laws which have only recently been strengthened. VIDEO, LATEST.

Video has emerged of the moment a popular Mackay business was trashed in a late-night attack, leaving the owners “devastated”.

Just after midnight on April 2, 2025 a number of people, including some who appear in the video to be young, were seen at Red Dog Brewery’s riverfront venue.

They proceeded to pick up tables, chairs, pot plants and other pieces of furniture and throw them over the railing and onto the rocky banks of the Pioneer River.

In the video some can be seen riding bikes, and an older looking man bends the metal umbrellas until they snap

A number of people came to Red Dog's Riverfront venue and began trashing the place just after midnight on April 2, 2025.

Staff discovered the destruction hours later and images were later posted to the Red Dog Facebook page.

“All our low tables, stools, signs, pot plants are in the Pioneer River,” they said.

“To say we are devastated is a minimum … something needs to be done about these vandals in Mackay.”

Metal umbrellas were broken at the pole and cast over the railing. Photo: Red Dog.

Red Dog recently moved out of its other CBD location on River St and relocated its main brewing operation to the Northern Beaches while the Riverfront bar remained.

On April 3 Sandi Egan, one of Red Dog’s owners, posted an update to her Facebook page thanking staff for putting the venue back together.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson (left) hands over the keys to a council-owned building at Bluewater Quay to Red Dog Brewery co-owner Jason Egan, launching the Riverfront location. Picture: Contributed

“Without their continued dedication and hard work Red Dog wouldn’t be the venue it is today providing you with great food and service,” Ms Egan said.

She went on to share three videos of the “scum that trashed the deck for no reason other than they were on a trail of destruction”.

Ms Egan urged anyone with information to contact police and quote QP2500566109.

Red Dog stools on the rocky bank of the Pioneer River. Photo: Red Dog.

This comes after the state government released the Queensland Government Statistician’s Office Crime Report for 2023-2024, which said Mackay experienced a 7 per cent increase in total recorded offences from 2023-2024’s 22,260 offences when compared to 2022-2023’s 20,461 offences.

Police Minister Dan Purdie said Mackay’s increase in crime since 2014 was the result of Labor’s policies. Picture, John Gass

Police Minister Dan Purdie blamed the increase on Labor’s policies and said, “early police data suggests our stronger laws are beginning to deter youth crime”.

The attack on Red Dog was just one of 25 offences of property damage not including arson, robbery or unlawful entry in the Mackay CBD between March 4 and April 3, 2025, according to Queensland Police Service Online Crime Map.

The Crime Report Queensland the Mackay-Whitsunday district experienced 1,682 instances of property damage not including arson, robbery or unlawful entry, an increase from 1,353 in 2022-2023.

“These shocking numbers are exactly why we are expanding Adult Crime, Adult Time to start making Queensland safer, delivering exactly what we promised,” Mr Purdie said.