News Headlines for Mackay & the Whitsundays, 18th September 2017

Lamberts Beach in Slade Point is back open and back to normal after a shark was spotted on Saturday. The sighting by a lifeguard, just off shore, closing the beach on the first day of the school holidays. While Surf Life Saving Queensland say the shark of an unknown species or size wasn't seen on Sunday.

While a 64 year old man has been rushed to hospital after a rifle exploded in his face, south of St Lawrence. Ambo's receiving the call to attend the scene at around a quarter past 6 on Friday night. They say he has a fractured eye socket and has been transferred to Brisbane.

Work will kick off on the Pioneer River Flood Levee repairs on Nelson Street next month. Crews will be re-establishing an armour rock levee which has been damaged over time. Councillor Karen May says the concrete meeting with saltwater and the elements has caused the damage.

It's full steam ahead at Wilmar's Proserpine Mill with it having crushed about 55 percent of the districts crop. Around 885 thousand tonnes of cane has been processed through it.

Eungella National Park in The Mackay Region is set to come alive with the Eungella Bird Week and Bushwalking Festival. The inaugural event on from next Monday to the first of October. President of Birdlife Mackay Daryl Barnes says there'll be presentations, workshops and plenty of walks

LOCAL SPORT

The Magpies football boys are in a good position to take out the grand final after getting on top of the Wanderers in the first semi weekend of the 2017 football season. They got on top of the 6 nil at the weekend.

The Walkerston Cricket boys are in for a good season, defeating Pioneer Valley with a massive 3 for 3 hundred and 33 runs in the limited overs game at the weekend.

WEATHER

MACKAY: Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 25 to 35 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the late evening.

WHITSUNDAYS: The chance of fog in the early morning. Mostly sunny day. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h turning easterly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning then tending east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening. 

ON THE WATERS: East to southeasterly 15 to 20 knots. Winds tending east to northeasterly inshore south of Mackay during the afternoon. Seas Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 1.5 metres offshore. Swell Below 0.5 metres.

SUNRISE: 5:56 AM & SUNSET: 5:58 PM