Tasman Turtle Picnic Day Shire Success Scores of locals and travellers flocked to TYTO Wetlands as Tasman Turtle returned with craft, food, activities, and family fun. With a rock climbing wall, circus acts, laser tag, pony rides, and a petting zoo, there was something for everyone. Music filled the air, even getting Tasman dancing, and the park buzzed from start to finish. Faces were covered with ice cream and fairy floss, but most importantly big smiles. Deputy Mayor Mary Brown happily remark
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Two respected members of the Hinchinbrook region have been named in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours, receiving national recognition for their dedication to the community and their service over many years. Patrick Brown, Officer in Charge at the Ingham Ambulance Station, has been awarded the Ambulance Service Medal, one of the highest honours available to an Australian paramedic. With 46 years of experience, most of it in rural and regional Queensland, Mr Brown has long been regarded as a stea
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By Victoria Velton In the quiet coastal town of Taylor’s Beach, Jayden McNeill is solving more than just colorful puzzles; he’s solved his way to global recognition. A Rubik’s Cube champion with international acclaim, McNeill’s story is one of perseverance, precision, and passion. It all started when a seven-year-old Jayden received a Rubik’s Cube for Christmas. Like many, he shelved it after failing to solve it. But years later, inspired by classmates in high school, he revisited the cube and
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A Tool For Real-World Readiness When most people hear “LARPing” (Live Action Role-Playing), images of medieval knights and fantasy creatures might spring to mind. But for a growing community in Townsville, LARPing has evolved far beyond weekend cosplay, it’s becoming a valuable tool for real-world training and personal growth. The newly launched Townsville chapter of Swordcraft, Australia’s largest medieval battle and role-playing game, brings enthusiasts together every fortnight. What began as
Read the full storyBy Victoria Velton
In the quiet coastal town of Taylor’s Beach, Jayden McNeill is solving more than just colorful puzzles; he’s solved his way to global recognition. A Rubik’s Cube champion with international acclaim, McNeill’s story is one of perseverance, precision, and passion.
It all started when a seven-year-old Jayden received a Rubik’s Cube for Christmas. Like many, he shelved it after failing to solve it. But years later, inspired by classmates in high school, he revisited the cube and taught himself the solution using YouTube tutorials. What began as curiosity quickly became a calling.
Fast-forward to today, McNeill’s competitive best sits at an astounding 4.9 seconds. He once came heartbreakingly close to breaking the four-second barrier in 2018, but a last-turn fumble cost him a world record. Yet, he didn’t let that moment define him. In 2023, he made a triumphant return to form by setting a world record in “fewest moves” solving, an intellectual and strategic variation of cubing where competitors aim to solve the cube in as few moves as possible over a one-hour analysis.
At 27, McNeill has shifted from sheer speed to the more thoughtful challenges of the cubing world, now chasing a sub-20 move average, near the current world record. His achievements span nearly every official discipline, from blindfolded solves to one-handed and even feet-solving.
Yet, McNeill is just as passionate about the people behind the puzzles. “The cubing community is one of the most wholesome groups you’ll find,” he says. It’s a space of mentorship, shared interest, and international friendship, far from the cutthroat competitiveness seen in many sports.
His advice for beginners? Go to a competition. “Even if you’re just starting out, competitions are where you’ll really learn and feel part of the community.” And forget the myth that cubers are maths geniuses. “I just like the colours,” he jokes, emphasising that cubing is more about pattern recognition and physical dexterity than complex arithmetic.
Jayden McNeill may now call Hinchinbrook home, but his sights remain global, with a world championship just weeks away, and dreams to even hold a competition in the region. From a Christmas toy to world records, his story proves that sometimes, solving the puzzle unlocks more than just a cube.
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