Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of
Queensland, Australia.[2] It is located about 970
kilometres (603 mi) north of Brisbane, on the
Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar
capital of Australia because its region produces
more than a third of Australia's cane sugar.
Generally, the area is known as the Mackay–
Whitsunday Region.

Mackay is famous for its history as one of
Australia's largest cane farming regions.
However, in recent years, the mining industry
has become the mainstay of the local economy

Mackay is widely recognised as the gateway to
the Bowen Basin coal mining reserves of
Central Queensland. It is the single largest coal
reserve in Australia, with 34 operational coal
mines extracting more than 100 million tonnes
annually. While much of this is used in
Australia, Japan and China are the largest
export recipients.

Mackay was known as the "sugar capital" of
Australia, producing a sizeable portion of
Australia's domestic supplies and exports.
However, the industry experienced a decline in
the 2000s