Mackenzie Colahan
Mermaid Beach, QLD
Mackenzie Colahan is a reporter at ABC Gold Coast. He previously worked as a television reporter on the Gold Coast after starting his career in central Queensland. You can follow Mackenzie on Twitter.
Latest by Mackenzie Colahan
Man charged with murder faces court after woman's body found in Tweed Heads home
Police charge a 25-year-old man who was taken to hospital under police guard for treatment after the body of a woman, believed aged in her 60s, was found at an address in Tweed Heads on Wednesday.
The scale of the storm disaster in Queensland's south-east is massive and continues to grow. Here's what we know so far
It is expected to cost more than $2 billion to recover from back-to-back natural disasters that hit Queensland in recent weeks, with the south-east accounting for three quarters of the total damage bill.
All Jack heard was a cracking sound before a tree split his home in half in Queensland's 'tornado' storm
The "tornado" that hit on Christmas Day was the biggest disaster the region has ever faced, according to Scenic Rim mayor Greg Christensen.
More storms, heatwaves inbound for south-east Queensland after region cops destructive tornado
More intense storms are forecast to hit south-east Queensland on the weekend, just days after the region endured several deadly weather systems, including a "mini cyclone".
Anthony Albanese joins new Queensland premier for weather briefing as airport, highways slowly reopen — as it happened
Parts of Far North Queensland are beginning to assess just how much damage has been caused by widespread flooding. Look back on Tuesday's updates.
Residents begin to assess damage from ex-Cyclone Jasper as heavy rain and flood threat persist — as it happened
Several people have been evacuated and the extent of the damage is beginning to emerge in Far North Queensland as ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper continues to cause widespread heavy rain and flooding.
Tropical Cyclone Jasper expected to weaken overnight, but damaging winds and heavy rainfall remain — as it happened
The cyclone is expected to take several hours to fully cross the coast due to its size, with authorities warning of potentially life-threatening flash flooding. Look back on Wednesday's updates.
Far North Queensland 'like a movie scene' ahead of Cyclone Jasper's arrival
Ominous dark clouds have moved across Cairns and rain has begun to fall in Far North Queensland ahead of the storm, expected to make landfall as a category two cyclone.
Damaging winds for parts of north Queensland expected today as Cyclone Jasper approaches
Tropical Cyclone Jasper has been re-upgraded to a category two system, with the "worst impacts" to be felt from tomorrow.
Para-athlete living in a hospital after being forced from NDIS-funded home
The 29-year-old para-athlete is homeless after vacating her specialist disability accommodation property, with doctors unwilling to discharge her from hospital while she has nowhere to go.
Hundreds of residents forced from Gold Coast high-rise after flooding cuts power indefinitely
Residents have been told to leave after a water leak cut electricity to all 219 apartments in a 35-floor Broadbeach tower. They have been told the issue won't be fixed before Christmas.
Wave pools are popping up everywhere so why is there still only one open to the public in Australia?
Wave pools are popping up everywhere — even in the Middle East — but there is still just one in surfing-mad Australia. Designers and developers say it's not for lack of trying.
'I want to remember it': Schoolies subdued on first night of annual celebrations
Schoolies on the Gold Coast — once synonymous with drunken debauchery — takes a wholesome turn, with fewer school leavers writing themselves off, even on the historically wild first night of celebrations.
Tiffany and Andrew applied for dozens of rentals, offering to pay 70 per cent of their income. It's still not enough
Renters in every Australian capital city are in a worse position than they were before the pandemic, the latest Rental Affordability Index report shows
Spike in seniors seeking public housing, homelessness services after being priced out of rental market
Retirees and aged pensioners have to choose between leaving cities they have lived in for decades or becoming homeless amid a worsening rental crisis.
Gold Coast teen wants to play Fortnite professionally and he's just been crowned an Olympic champion
The stratospheric rise of esports is forcing parents and teachers to encourage the use of video games in the home and classroom as more professional gamers turn their hobby into a career.
Unlicensed builder who used alias, false ABN to defraud clients of more than $600k jailed
Mark Anthony Webster was bankrupt and unlicensed when he gambled away more than $600,000 he took from small businesses for shop fit-outs and renovations that were never completed.
Amy to be forced out of NDIS-funded home during housing crisis because she doesn't want to share
An NDIS policy designed to protect vulnerable Australians from being overcharged has had the unintended consequence of forcing people who live alone out of their homes in the middle of a housing crisis.
The curious case of the Jewel and the Gold Coast's near-empty $1.5b towers
The Jewel's eye-catching towers are the sparkling gem in the Surfers Paradise skyline, but three years after they were built, hundreds of luxury apartments remain empty and most are not up for sale.
Surfing is one of the only extreme sports where helmets are rarely worn — but that's starting to change
Ted Badgery never wore a helmet in the ocean until recently. Now, he rarely surfs without one.
Why you should start asking 'hard questions' if you're buying property off the plan
Despite high demand for apartment developments in Australia, up to 30 per cent in the capital cities do not have a builder locked in, according to industry research, and it is even worse in regional areas like the Gold Coast.
Are Australians ready to give up their cars? Urban planners warn home buyers might not have a choice
Apartment owners could share cars as parking-free housing is introduced to curb major cities' traffic congestion.
Gold Coast councillor charged with stepfather's murder accepts voluntary suspension
Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, accused of killing his stepfather Robert Lumsden last month, will be suspended from his role in local government on full pay until the next election in March 2024.
How old is too old to safely drive? The states can't agree but UQ researchers may be close to the answer
Deciding what age is too old to drive is an emotionally charged issue for many families, but it's hoped a new online test will revolutionise the process.
'She's a natural': Meet the surfing snake turning heads in the waves at Snapper Rocks
Shiva the surfing python has become an overnight sensation after footage of her gliding through Rainbow Bay went viral. Watch the video.