News Headlines for Mackay & the Whitsundays, 8th November 2017

Two people were lucky to walk away after their truck collided with a train near Carmila yesterday afternoon. Paramedics assessed the two people at the scene.

The state election ballot paper was drawn yesterday afternoon with two new independent candidates entering the ring. Martin McCann for the seat of Mackay and Dan Van Blarcom for the Whitsundays. Pre-polling starts on Monday.

Sea animals and plastic bags are on the agenda as a new Mackay based campaign is launched to reduce our waste that's ending up in the sea. The WILD YOUTH MOB ambassadors are hoping to grab resident's attention when a barge brings the plastic bags they've found off the coast onto Mackay's mainland. The group's Educator and Mentor  KALINDI BRENNAN says a lot of our marine life are in danger from debris.

Mackay regional council is holding a special meeting today to consider tenders for the new Mackay Regional Sports Precinct. According to the council's plans-the $20M project is due to start site works this month with stage 1 finished in February 2019.

An Airlie Beach woman has been shortlisted in the 2017 Resilient Australia Awards for a photo she took post cyclone Debbie. Photographer Summer Mulvey says she's shocked it's come down to her and one other image.

LOCAL SPORT

Cricket Far North has won its fourth championship. They went into the final match at the weekend against CQ. Captain Michael Salerno told nine news they were looking to take the title back since the season kicked off. Mr Salerno will play in the NQ representative team who meet South Queensland on November 24.

WEATHER

MACKAY: Partly cloudy. High (70%) chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm from the late morning. Light winds becoming easterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning then tending southeasterly 25 to 30 km/h in the early afternoon.

WHITSUNDAYS: Partly cloudy. Medium (60%) chance of showers, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. The chance of thunderstorms. Light winds becoming easterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning.

ON THE WATERS:  East to northeasterly about 10 knots tending southeasterly10 to 15 knots early in the morning. Southeasterly winds increasing to 15 to 25 knots from the south in the morning. Winds reaching up to 30 knots offshore south of Mackay in the evening. Seas Around 1 metre, increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres during the afternoon. Swell Below 0.5 metres.