Traveller Tips
Health and Fitness
Mackay has one public and two private hospitals. General practitioners are open 5 - 7 days a week. Mackay also has some excellent fitness centres and an extensive range of sports are played in the Region.
Retail Trading Hours
Trading Hours are Monday, Tuesday. Wednesday and Friday from 8.30am - 5.30pm, and Thursday from 8.30am - 9.00pm. Saturday from 8.30am - 3.00pm and Sunday from 9.00am - 3.00pm. Mackay City Heart is open on Friday nights until 7.00pm. Most larger stores, especially department stores often stay open a little later. Don't forget about the large range of Markets available throughout the region.
Internet Services
There are a number of Internet services available to the public, please ask your local information centre for up to date locations and rates. You can also use the Internet service at our Nebo Road Information Centre for a small fee.
Places of Worship
Mackay offers various churches and religious organisations, including the following: Anglican Church, Apostolic Church of Qld, Assemblies of God, Baptist Union of Qld, Catholic Church, Christadelphians Worldwide, Christian Outreach Centre, Churches of Christ, Church of Nazarene, Lutheran Church, Mackay Christian Family, Presbyterian Church of Qld, the Salvation Army, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventist Church, United Pentecostal Church, Uniting Church in Australia and Wesleyan Methodist Church. For service times and addresses, the staff at the Mackay Information Centre will be able to assist.
Bushwalking
Ensure you take plenty of water with you, as dehydration is possible. It is a good idea to take some salt, insect repellent or a cigarette lighter with you, as these items can be used to safeguard you against leeches. Don't panic, they are quite harmless!
Cyclones
The best thing for you to do is ask at any Information Centre or listen to the radio for cyclone advice. An estimate of cyclone severity is now included in all tropical cyclone advice's. Categories of cyclone severity range from 1 for weak cyclones to 5 for severe cyclones. Winds can vary from less them 125km to more than 280km.
Sunscreen and Care in the Sun
Keep in mind the present danger of skin damage from the sun. Remember to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen (15-30+ coverage), slap on a hat and wrap on some sunglasses, especially between the hours of 10.00am to 3.00pm every day. Getting sunburnt is not only painful - but it can also lead to cancer. Please ensure you take care of yourself whilst enjoying your beautiful climate.
Swimming and Beach Safety
Safe swimming is available all year round, whether it is at a fresh water swimming hole or at one of over 30 beautiful beaches in the Mackay Region. Like all North Queensland beaches, those in the Mackay Region can attract marine stingers and box jellyfish from October to May. To avoid danger, it is recommended that you swim in patrolled beaches and/or swimming enclosures. Enclosures can be found at Bucasia Beach, Seaforth Beach and Halliday Bay. Many of the beaches around Mackay are also lifesaver patrolled. Please take care on our beaches and be a responsible swimmer.
Medical Services
There are a number of medical services available to the public, please ask at your local information centre for up to date locations.
Dump Points
Caravanners and other travellers making their way along the state's eastern seaboard will find 3 waste points in and around the area of Mackay. One is situated outside the Nebo Road Visitor Information Centre, the other two in Sarina and Mirani. These waste points provide a safe and convenient way for travellers, especially those in self-contained recreational vehicles, to dispose of black water waste. The Gough Plastics Dump Ezy is specifically designed and manufactured to be attractive and user friendly with simple-to-follow instructions.