Art Deco elegance and exotic beasts
The town of Mackay is an oasis of historic, Art Deco elegance on the Queensland coast, surrounded by extraordinary golden beaches, deserted tropical islands, and stunning inland landscapes filled with some of Australia’s most bizarre and exotic wildlife.
Surrounding Mackay are some truly unmissable natural sights, with extraordinary beaches like Blacks Beach, and the chance to see wallabies, kangaroos and even platypus in Finch Hatton Gorge and Eungella National Park.
The city itself is a bit of an architectural oddity for Queensland, as despite being founded 1862, most of its buildings were destroyed in a cyclone in 1918, and rebuilt in the 20s and 30s. This gives it a distinctive Art Deco charm, unique to the region. The city centre has been beautifully preserved, and there is a huge emphasis on public art, which just adds to the sophisticated, cultural feel of the place.
Mackay punches well above its weight when it comes to food, drink and culinary excitement, with a vibrant dining precinct and an equally classy nightlife. Fusion 128 adds French and Asian influences to Modern Australian cuisine, The Church provides an elegant and contemporary dining experience in a beautiful setting, and Foodspace adds an artistic approach to the restaurant options. Once the sun sets, Paddock and Brew brings an American flavour to the Australian craft beer scene, while Dirty Martini’s serves up intriguing cocktails in a lavish setting.