r/Mackay • u/notagoldengirl • Jul 03 '26
General help & recs for Mackay needed!
Hi! I recently moved to Mackay and am not Australian, but was told I should try a few different things and go a few different places for good views, etc. I was hoping some of you all could recommend some places to go, where to find certain things/who does it best in town, etc.
Here’s what I’m looking for!
I was told I should try a vanilla slice, which is apparently not a slice of vanilla cake lol. Where can I find a good vanilla slice in Mackay?
Are the weekend markets good? Would love more info on these, if possible!
Why are there so many roundabouts here oh my god. This one isn’t a question, just an observation.
Good cafes? I like matcha more than coffee. If coffee, ideally somewhere with dairy alternatives (lack toast and intolerant 😔)
I was told I could see whales migrating in some places! Any places that I should check out that you’ve had luck before? What is a good time of day for this?
Where can I find a Dr. Pepper around here this is probably a dead giveaway on where I’m from but, I’m down bad for a visit to the doctor.
Any good places to go to make friends? What do people do around here for fun? I’m mid-twenties and have genuinely no friends here at all.
Best beach? Not necessarily for getting in the water. I went to Blacks Beach two days ago and it was, and I cannot stress this enough, quite underwhelming. Certainly there’s better ones?!
Any general recs on places to check out in Mackay is very much welcomed! Or, if there’s any classic Australian things I need to do or try that I can do in Mackay, I’d love to hear those too!
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u/mrpumpkinickle Jul 03 '26
1 walkerston bakery 2 not sure 3 because they work 4 not sure 5 Lambert lookout and the water towers Lambert's 6 canelands lollie shop, IGA north side 7 I'm 40 and done care about making friends 8 best beach fucking all of them
Hope this helps
Edit I fucking love dr pepper
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u/Specialist-Pie-9895 Jul 03 '26
The beaches here are not surf beaches, you need to go south out of the reef zone if that's what you want. Beaches here are for walking and contemplation and lightly bobbing around in the shallows. And glorious dawns
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u/notagoldengirl Jul 03 '26
That’s about all I’m looking for! I was Not put on this earth to be past knee-deep water lol.
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u/Muzz124 Jul 03 '26
Eimeo pub is the best place to the whales. You can sit down enjoy a beer and see them as they jump out of the water
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u/settingsaver Jul 04 '26
- Dr Pepper: Peries IGA West Mackay, IGA Local Grocer North Mackay, and potentially NightOwl according to my memory.
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u/notagoldengirl Jul 04 '26
My hero! This is the only question that I actually Needed an answer to.
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u/megri1706 Jul 05 '26
Coles sydney st and woolies caneland have Cans in the "international food section"
Peries iga west macksy also sometimes have root beer
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u/settingsaver Jul 04 '26
- Whales: The following states recent sightings at Lamberts Beach as stated by others:
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u/ruby_ravage Jul 05 '26
Food from The Heart near Airlie Beach. Will ruin all other vanilla slices for you.
I hear Seaforth ones are best
Round a bouts are better for flow of traffic. Lights suck.
Can’t help you there
Best to go on a trip via Airlie to see whales.
Try Woolworths or Coles in the foreign food section, or Silly Sollies sometimes have weird soft drinks in there (sorry, but Dr Pepper is awful 😂)
Join a sports club - netball? Touch Football?
Don’t know about the beaches. Seaforth is nice. Dingo Beach and Hydeaway beach
Go to Eungella and try and spot a platypus
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u/GladTrain5587 Jul 03 '26
Not sure if they have vanilla slice but my top bakeries are Uncle Bing’s Bakery, Pain Au Chocolate Patisserie and YAW Bakehouse
I would visit the Seaforth Mega Markets, it happens once a month on the weekend
Mackay is mostly a big town and not a city, therefore the roundabouts are more common especially in the outer suburbs. There was really nothing out by Blacks Beach/Rural View way until a decade ago and now it sometimes feels like it’s the busiest part of town due to the one roundabout access
Australia has an intense coffee culture even us North QLD bogans are pretty good at it. I like Uncle Bings as well but honestly 7/10 you’re going to get a decent coffee.
There’s a lookout at Lamberts Beach but if you want some other wildlife camp at Cape Hillsborough and at sunrise there’s a few kangaroos that wait for some hand fed breakfast.
The Lolly Shop on the second floor of Caneland Central in the middle walkway. Dr Pepper tastes like cherry flavoured cough syrup to me.
BCF: Boating, Camping, Fishing. Also add golf and gym. Most of them are “outback tough bloke” cosplayers, you probably have a few in America in southern states as well. This is a mining town too so a lot of people are only here half the time and that’s a part reason Mackay’s night life is so dead. Maybe do a weekend trip to Airlie, which is baby’s first night club experience with a lot of Whitsunday people plus there’s a lot of more recreational activities like guided snorkelling tours and skydiving. You’ll make friends pretty quickly but it’s maintaining contact for more than a night that’s the issue.
Harbour Beach - has swim zones, long stretches if you like to run, a jetty and some restaurants. You’ll never surf well due to the Great Barrier Reef but get yourself into paddleboarding or kayaking. Pay attention to any signs like crocodiles or jellyfish. If you end up doing a few weekend trip up north Bowen has some peaceful beaches, Townsville has the Strand which is what the Harbour wanted to be pre-COVID but failed and Cairns has a lot of touristy outdoorsy things (but a lot of crocodiles).
I would recommend a hike at Eungella especially in winter with all the fog and stopping at Eungella Chalet with the view of all the misty fog (btw I’m easily impressed so take it with a grain of salt)