26/09/2026
A few weeks ago, on Monday, August 31, 2026, from 5pm onwards the Mackay Historical Society had the honour and privilege of taking leaders, parents and guides of the Andergrove and Northern Beaches Girl Guides on a local history walk around the Mackay Central Business District.
The leaders, parents and guides learnt about the history of the 1918 Cyclone, Beirne and Waltons Department Stores fires (2 separate fires, 2 department stores, same location), Cenotaph (World War I), Forgan Bridge, Holy Trinity Church, Leichhardt Tree, old Mackay Customs House, old Mackay Court House, old Mackay Police Station, Parish Hall and the Sugar Cubes monument.
Along with notes being read, historical photographs of the sites were also shown by the Historical Society members during the walk.
All that attended enjoyed the history walk, with heaps of questions being asked.
The picture below – published with permission, was taken by the Girl Guides, at the conclusion of the walk at the Parish Hall on the corner of Gordon and Wood Streets.
The history walk had been requested by the Andergrove and Northern Beaches Girl Guides.
The local history walk, was created by members of the Mackay Historical Society as a simplified but informative local history walk suitable for school children featuring several local historical landmarks.
The walk, is separate from the Mackay Regional Council’s online heritage trail.
Picture: Andergrove and Northern Beaches Girl Guides
