Mackay, the making of a mini Newcastle.

Col Meng, what are you doing old boy??
Roads are so boring, we all know !! But you used to sell tyres? Surely the conditions of our roads make you squirm just a little?

Just returned from a month down south,due to the floods. after driving from Byron Bay to Mackay, through flood devastated areas. The Bruce highway was fine with major potholes filled, have seen it worse many times in the past. Obviously in the areas hardest hit, the majority of people were overwhelmed by the carnage, however, there was no major evidence of it left on the major highway. In our opinion,the media, however, played up the destruction in certain areas, for extra drama, and extra funding.
Sadly, that will mean that Mackay will not see any new money in the short period, because we are simply not that important.


People in the Tropical North do it tough all year round, and in fact, we do it so tough that the majority of politicians simply forget about the funding we need to recover and rebuild from the weather torments this part of the country has to offer, on a yearly basis, and not as a "once in a 100, or once in 200 year' event.

We are not in any way taking anything away from the flood disaster and the people who were affected, but it does appear clear that north of the all important "south west' and Brisbane, we are a forgotten lot.

Driving along highways built for sports cars, with not a pothole in sight, on new motorways which link smaller communities then Sarina and Haypoint, in a maze of new road systems which have replaced the perfectly good old roads ( which are often better then the miserable excuses of roads we hobble over in and around Mackay) almost makes one shed a tear.

WHY DON'T WE GET FUNDING FOR OUR ROADS??? Whose fault is it?? Council, for not pushing enough, Julia, Anna and the Labour party for not knowing we exist?

Driving into Mackay, it appears that we were part of the major flood devastation!Hopefully the odd tourist who still has their neck in place after negotiating our inner streets, will leave with that thought in mind, because it would be an embarrassment for them to think that this is normal
life for our citizens.

And while we are on the subject of embarrassment, has anyone driven into the city gates in full daylight lately, after a lengthy holiday? It's hard to believe that this city once was hardly regarded in the tidy towns contests . It is a shambles, a disgrace and a mess. And those comments come from locals who have lived here for over 30 years, so don't tell us to move, because this is OUR city. The traffic islands are overgrown with half a metre high weeds, mostly dead,footpaths look unkempt, the first impression is that of a small Newcastle in the making.
Absolutely disgusting.


There is no excuse, no "bad weather" lamenting, no " we have no money in the council coffers', or " we have no staff" empty comments, which makes this acceptable. It is council's responsibility to maintain, and present their city at its best.
We urge Council members, to get off your ass, and lose your gut, stop doing lunches and stop holding "meetings". Get a plan together to fix this mess up. We have had enough. This is NOT a dirty dejected mining town! Or rather, it is, but it should not be!

People who live in supposed upmarket areas, and who pay triple the rates that others do, don't have it any better either. Have a look at Admiral drive in Dolphin heads,or the entry to the Marina precinct. An absolute disgrace.

Is there a shortage in the council workers camp? Has the skill level of the council lawn mowing fraternity dropped beyond point zero, or is just sheer apathy? Even when the work is allocated, it seldom is performed to a standard. Where are the supervisors who will check on whoever has just performed their allocated area , to see if the footpaths have been mowed, that the weeds have been removed that the dead spindly grass alongside the road edges has been whipper snipped? Boring, boring, yeah we know, but bloody hell, it makes a difference.

When we pulled one of the council workers up, to get some answers we were told that the workers had no say. Council allocates areas for them to attend to,on a 3 month rotation system, spanning from here to Calen, shared between 2 or 3 operators, with limited equipment? We enquired why the council was not mowing the banks on the side of the road, and apparently,one of the two pieces of mower equipment in captivity, was broken and the council was waiting for parts to come from Brisbane!

You have got to be joking! This is not Dysart, this is a city with over 100000 people!

We were jokingly told that the reason that Andergove usually looks so pristine is that is is the closest neighbourhood to the equipment yard!!

Perhaps we should all go on a drive by and check out the conditions of the roads, and the state of the footpaths and embankments in the areas where the council members live? You may see us driving in the estate behind the Mater hospital tomorrow, with a post hole digger and a farm plough, just to make Col's street a little bit more "Mackay'.

Sadly this "first impression" of Mackay is a lasting one, and unless these issues are addressed , our label will fast become 'the hellhole of the earth", instead of " the tropical paradise" it once was when we had a
decent council. A council with a clear vison for the future, one with a knowledge of the importance of visual appeal, one with a knowledge of the importance of first impression, of creating beauty along side a nurturing and growing economy.We may have the mining dollar, but we sure have lost the visual appeal Col!