With countless cars making the drive out to see the infamous Christmas lights at Paul Cavallaro’s house, this lively and extravagant display has become a Hinchinbrook family tradition during the merry season, dating back 21 years. Paul and his mother Mary began creating a lights display for Paul’s nephew and discovered that they enjoyed it so much they continued expanding their collection and, as the years went by, their reputation grew. Continued on page 3 Paul Cavallaro and his mother Mar
Read the full storyWith unpredictable weather attempting to dampen the festive spirit of the region, the Hinchinbrook Chamber of Commerce and Markets at the Mosaic organisers assured the second 2024 Late Night Shopping event would go ahead, rain, hail or shine! On Thursday 19th December, a wonderful turnout filled Mercer Lane and surrounding precincts, with stalls retailing handmade delights, delicious treats, beautiful plants, fantastic florals, and more for all to enjoy. Shoppers flooded the streets, supporting
Read the full storyIngham will soon be treated to another wonderful celebration of Italian culture with the return of the Australian Italian Festival scheduled for Saturday 7 June, and Sunday 8 June 2025! An annual celebration of all things food and culture, the Australian Italian Festival continues to make headlines across the state, with the atmosphere beautifully complimented by Ingham’s gorgeous TYTO wetlands and parklands. Since its establishment in 1995, the festival has grown exponentially with the suppor
Read the full storyOn Monday 9 December the Hinchinbrook Emergency Service Cadets had their graduation, acknowledging the hard work they have dedicated to the service. 18 Cadets received their end of year graduation certificates marking the completion of the 2024 Program, while one Senior Cadet who is now over 18, graduated the whole program, having been a cadet for the past four years. On the night all Cadets graduated the year and some received special awards. Keldon Fletcher was awarded the Don Prichard mem
Read the full storyDear Sponsors, Community Members, and the Maraka Committee,
On behalf of the Maraka Committee, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication to the success of the 2024 Maraka Festival.
A special thank you to our esteemed judges: Emma Oliveri from Ergon Energy, Chris McHugh from Mission Beach Ex-Serviceman, and Ellie Knight from 3 RAR. Your commitment to traveling to Ingham and dedicating your time for the Maraka Queen and Princess quests is immensely appreciated.
Congratulations to our Maraka Queen, Montana Bain, and to our runner-up, Johanna Buckle, along with Rachel Hallam, who was awarded Miss Personality. A heartfelt congratulations also to Hazel Cary, crowned Maraka Princess 2024, and Millie Bartolini, our runner-up.
We also want to acknowledge all our wonderful contestants: Briella McLaughlin, Sophie Henderson, Mariah Foster, Yasi Briody, Mikayla Marmara, Jessie Bell, Millie Bartolini, Aurora Blewitt, Tilly Pappin, Maliah Bailey, and Hazel Cary.
Your participation enriches our community spirit.
We are deeply grateful to our Diamond Sponsors: Hinchinbrook Shire Council, Windlab Pty Ltd, Wilmar Sugar, and Triple M. Your generous support has been crucial to our festival's success.
Our Platinum Sponsors, NQIB, Royal Hotel, Townsville Lime & Gypsum, and Carey Group, as well as our Gold and Silver Sponsors also deserve our sincere thanks for their ongoing commitment.
I would like to acknowledge the hard work of our service clubs—Rotary Club of Hinchinbrook Inc, Lions Club of Ingham, Lions Club of Lower Herbert, and Apex Australia—as well as our dedicated Maraka Committee volunteers. Your countless hours of effort do not go unnoticed and are essential in making the festival a reality.
To the Hinchinbrook Community, thank you for your incredible support. Together, we celebrate the spirit of Maraka!
We would also appreciate your feed back please see the attached Q Code.
Contributed with thanks to President Patrick Lynch