What’s shaping Mackay 2025: LNP leadership, Magpies expansions, pumped hydro axed
2024 was packed with a historic state election, huge commitments to the region and big developments breaking ground or being approved. Find out what’s shaping Mackay in 2025 and beyond.
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2024 has been a big year for Mackay with a historic state election and new funding for projects in the region.
With much promised by the various levels of government and a number of projects already underway, find out what’s shaping the Mackay region for 2025.
LNP seizes Mackay seat
In a historic victory 100 years in the making, the LNP seized the seat of Mackay from Labor.
The change came as Labor lost seats across the regions in a blue wave that prevented state parliament hopeful Belinda Hassan from succeeding retired MP Julieanne Gilbert.
Claiming the seat for the blue team was political newcomer Nigel Dalton, whose background in the Queensland Police Service complemented the LNPs crime-focused campaign.
Mr Dalton said, besides youth crime, he intended to sort out “the health service”, cost of living and housing, and said he was “going to work very hard to make sure that’s done”.
Despite Labor’s promise of $269m, Mackay won’t be missing out on funding with the LNP committing $90m to a raft of projects, including a number of smaller commitments to sporting and community clubs including:
- $3.1m for Walkerston Tigers Club
- $500k for Northern Beaches Bowls Club to install shade sails on the bowling green.
- $75k for a kitchen at Proserpine Rugby League Club.
- $1.6m for Mackay netball to install shade on its courts.
- $800k for the Mackay Football Park to build a new car park.
- $250k for Dolphins Soccer Club for facility upgrades.
- $100k to the Airlie Beach Bowls Club to install solar.
- $75k to Whitsunday Brahmans RLFC towards their clubhouse upgrades.
- $50k to Eimeo Surf Lifesaving Club for master planning the club’s expansion.
- $250k to Mackay Musical Comedy Players Inc. to upgrade facilities to include a rehearsal space.
- $450k for North Mackay Saints AFL to upgrade lighting at Zeolla Park.
Great Barrier Reef Arena stage 2
An election commitment from both parties, the second stage of development for Harrup Park’s Great Barrier Reef arena is set to kick off with $23.5m in funding coming from the new LNP government.
The $23.5m commitment represents half of the funding required to get stage 2 off the ground, with Harrup Park chief executive Adrian Young seeking funding at the federal level as well as “providing our own funding”.
Stage 2 will deliver a community sports, education, and training facility adding capacity for netball, basketball, and all-abilities events — even opening up the possibility of Paralympic and Special Olympics events in Mackay.
Mr Young said it was a “legacy project” and hoped the park could have a role in training “pre-Olympics” and be a potential host venue.
“Stage two represents significant investment in the region, not only for grassroots community sport, but it also puts us in a very good position moving forward to attract funding from the federal government to continue with our aspirations to host elite matches,” Mr Young said.
Ground breaks at new development near Mackay Airport
In 2024 ground broke on the Milton Street Precinct at Mackay Airport which hopes to turn a vacant lot into a new shopping and business area right next to the airport.
The first stage involves the sub division of the plots and construction of roads and is expected to reach completion in 2025 at a cost of $10m, with tenancies opening up in 2026.
Mackay Airport head of operations Adrian Miles said they were already accepting expressions of interests from developers, and aimed to include short-term accommodation in the development.
“There’s a variety of FIFO workers, government employees and other businesses who need that sort of accommodation,” Mr Miles said.
Mr Miles said he expected the development to include not only retail businesses but also industrial and service businesses.
Development is expected to continue until 2028.
Magpies to double in size
A Mackay sporting club’s ambitious proposal to almost double their size got the green light in 2024, aiming to deliver new additions including a bigger kids area, new covered deck and all new bar.
Magpies Sporting Club will increase their floor area from 2386 sqm to 4615 sqm over three stages, with stage one adding a new cold room, bar, admin offices and other amenities.
Stage two will extend the sports bar, add a new deck, outdoor smoking area and landscaping and stage three will enlarge the kid’s room and extend the main entrance, cafe and lounge.
Construction of a new car park is scheduled to begin within the first months of 2025 with the first major redevelopment slated for mid 2025.
New Walkerston servo and fast food
Reshaping the face of one of Walkerston’s main streets and demolishing three houses will be a new service station and fast food development.
Melco Engineering owner Mark Clifford has been acquiring properties on 22-32 Dutton St since 2010, buying up homes and the existing Walkerston Fuel.
Mr Clifford has owned some of the properties for 14 years. He bought 22, 24, 26 and 28 Dutton St for $835,000 on February 9 2010, going on to purchase 30 Dutton St for $382,500 on March 17, and 32 Dutton St for $400,000 on April 11, 2017.
Earlier designs submitted to council in 2018 included units above the storefront, but those have since been removed from the plans.
The new service station will be accessible via Dane St, and the new fast food restaurant will be built on the lot where Walkerston Fuel is currently located.
Lotus Creek Wind farm
Construction will continue for the $1bn, 46-turbine wind farm at Lotus Creek in the Isaac region.
With development approved, the project is expected to be built from 2025 until 2027 when the farm is slated to be online and operational.
Each of the 46 wind turbines will be capable of producing 7MW of energy, and together can generate enough renewable power each year to supply about 189,000 homes.
Documents lodged prior to the wind farm’s approval state 350 staff will be employed on the project during the peak construction period, and the Isaac Regional Council approved three temporary concrete batching plants to meet the demands of the huge project.
River Revitalisation project
The River Revitalisation Project was launched in 2024 with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese making the trip north from Canberra.
The $10m project has so far seen the opening of Red Dog at Blue Water Quay, the addition of new pontoons to the river, as well as the demolition of 8 River St.
It also included the River Wharves, a public area between Paxtons and the Mackay Fish Market designed with power, water, undercover seating and other infrastructure for events and activities.
The revitalisation aims to introduce new amenities and infrastructure to the riverfront to attract developers and hopefully lead to new businesses, housing developments and community opportunities.
Council is looking to activate the area and continues to seek interest from commercial operators with ideas for river use from the pontoon.
Finch Hatton MTB
Stage one of the Finch Hatton Bike track was completed in 2024 and the Mackay council is gearing up to petition the new LNP state government and the Federal government for funding to get stage two underway.
The first stage opened on April 21, 2024 and included 14.5 kms of trails, a pump track and trail head site in the town.
Mackay mayor Greg Williamson said these trails would put Mackay on the map and have massive economic benefits for the region.
Stage two will see trails going up the range to Broken River and Eungella, as well as Mt Pinnacle.
More detailed designs for stage 2 are yet to be released and construction is currently expected to begin in mid 2026.
Pumped Hydro axed
One of the biggest changes for the Mackay region in 2024 was the cancellation of the controversial Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project.
True to their word, the LNP axed the project, which promised $16bn in benefit to the region, hundreds of jobs and renewable energy, almost immediately after their election.
Now the 57 property owners who sold their land to the state government are being offered the opportunity to buy their property back at a price not “more than what they sold it for”.
With residents potentially moving back into the region the area is once again open for new developments including eco-tourism projects such as the approved glamp grounds at 564 Gorge Rd.
The 11 lodge development, approved unanimously by the Mackay council, is slated for completion by 2026 with development given the green light and discounts from council.
Under new management: Peabody buys up mines
For Mackay’s miners a big change shaping their lives will be the transfer of management of Anglo American’s Bowen Basin mines to Peabody Energy.
Peabody Energy bought Anglo American’s steelmaking coal mines in November, 2024 for $5.7bn.
Peabody, who recently restarted operations at Centurion mine after a fire disabled the site in 2018, will integrate the new mining assets into their portfolio to “create long term value”.
Anglo-American’s Grosvenor mine was shut by a fierce fire in July, and US$450m of the sale price is contingent on its return.
Under the deal, Peabody would need to pay Anglo US$250m one month after it reopens, and US$200m on the second anniversary of the opening.
Isaac Regional Council Mayor Kelly Vea Vea said she expected Peabody to “step up to the plate” in regards to Anglo American’s social commitments including “historical arrangements like water and housing supply to more recent support of childcare and medical services”.
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