Burdekin Life - Weekly Local News

Community Heroes Save Teens From Irukandji Stings

Two Burdekin teenagers, stung by Irukandji jellyfish earlier this month, were reunited with the Marine Rescue Queensland Burdekin (MRQ Burdekin) team whose quick actions helped save them.

Dam Spills Trigger Flood Warning Across the Burdekin

A Watch and Act warning remains in place after SunWater confirmed Burdekin Falls Dam began spilling significant volumes of water into the Burdekin River on Sunday, 22 February, as catchment levels surged following widespread rainfall across the region. As of Monday morning, 23 February, the dam was sitting at 148.42 per cent capacity and continuing to spill, with authorities warning increased river flows may contribute to localised flooding in the days ahead. According to the Burdekin Shire Council’s Disaster and Emergency Information Dashboard, the Burdekin River at the Burdekin Bridge reached 6.05 metres and was rising slowly. Forecasts indicated the river may reach around 7.50 metres on Monday, exceeding the minor flood level of 7 metres, with further rises possible depending on rainfall. The Burdekin Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) has advised residents of Rita Island to prepare for possible isolation, urging households to ensure they have essential supplies — including food, drinking water, medications and pet food — to last more than five days. Over the past week, Burdekin Falls Dam has experienced a rapid and dramatic rise. Since Sunday, 15 February, storage levels jumped from 107.29 per cent to 145.55 per cent in just seven days. SunWater recorded the largest single increase overnight, with capacity climbing 12.19 per cent between Saturday, 21 February and Sunday, 22 February, just hours before the dam began spilling. Several surrounding dams have also been affected, with Eungella Dam and Julius Dam spilling, while Kinchant Dam commenced planned releases last week before returning to normal operations on Sunday. Floodwaters have already impacted multiple roads across the Burdekin region. As confirmed on Monday morning, affected roads include: Ayr Ravenswood Road / Deighton Street / McMullen Road (TMR closure) Woodstock Giru Road (TMR closure) Five Ways Road, Airville Kilrie Road and Rita Island Road, Jarvisfield Clevale Road and Kelly Road, Brandon Kirknie Road to Home Hill–Kirknie Road, Osborne Ayr Dalbeg Road, Airville Chippendale Street and Adelaide Street, Ayr Coppo Road and Groper Creek Road to Mount Alma Road, Inkerman Sexton Road, Barratta Waterview Road, Airville and Mount Kelly Jerona Road, Jerona Allen Road, Barratta Davidson Road, Clare Barratta Road, Upper Haughton Unplanned power outages were also reported on Monday morning, with supply lost to three customers in Giru and nearly 100 customers in Home Hill due to damaged and fallen power lines. Residents are advised to monitor updates via Ergon Energy’s Outage Finder; www.ergon.com.au/network/outages/outage-finder. Authorities are urging the community to remain alert, monitor conditions closely and stay informed through official channels. Updates are available via SunWater’s dam level tracker; bit.ly/BurdekinFallsStorageLevels, ABC North Queensland 630 AM, and the Burdekin Shire Council Disaster and Emergency Information Dashboard; disaster.burdekin.qld.gov.au.

A Beloved Vessel Returns Home Distraction’s Journey Back to the Burdekin

A wave of nostalgia has swept through the community with the return of the iconic vessel Distraction to the Burdekin Shire, rekindling memories of an ambitious backyard build that became part of local maritime history. The mighty catamaran was originally constructed over nearly four years, with work beginning in 1994 and culminating in a celebratory launch in December of 1997. The project was led by local boatbuilder Chris Cannavan, alongside his sons Lee and Murray Cannavan, with frequent help from friends. The vessel’s name, Distraction, was chosen with a smile. The build proved to be a constant diversion from farm work, something Chris often joked about. True to its grassroots beginnings, the design process involved no formal plans. As Chris famously said, “It was a very successful boat build for a toe-in-the-dirt idea,” referring to his habit of sketching concepts in dirt or dust to bring them to life. The story of Distraction is closely tied to an innovative piece of equipment built a year earlier. In 1993, Chris constructed a custom six-metre press in his shed, using concrete, railway tracks and earth-moving rams, after discovering there were no such facilities north of Brisbane. That press went on to shape several Cannavan-built vessels, including some of the largest ever produced locally. Among them was Ocean Karma, a 13.8 metre catamaran completed by Lee Cannavan in 2011. Still owned and operated by Lee, the vessel gained international attention after featuring as a water taxi in the 2022 film Ticket to Paradise, starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Other notable builds include Popeye, a 14 metre catamaran named after Chris’s father, Arthur. Remarkably, Chris continues work on the vessel at 80 years old. At 15 metres, however, Distraction remains the largest of the Cannavan-built boats. In December 2004, Distraction was sold to a resident of Bowen, where it was lovingly maintained as a pride-and-joy vessel for many years. On 1 February, 2026, the story came full circle when Distraction was purchased back by Lee and Jane Cannavan, returning the vessel to the family and the region where it was born. The homecoming carries deep sentimental value, not only for the Cannavans but also for residents of the Burdekin who remember the boat and the extraordinary effort behind its construction. With a range of modifications and improvements planned, the family hopes to see Distraction back on the water within the next two years; a fitting next chapter for a vessel that has always been more than just a boat. Photos curtesy of Jess Cannavan. CAPTIONS: The day Distraction left the Cannavan shed with Chris hoping she floats! Excitement filled the air when Chris launched Distraction in December of 1997 Distraction touched the water for the first time on 13 December 1997 The build took around four years to complete Back in the family! Lee and Jane Cannavan celebrated the purchase of Distraction in Bowen Distraction was launched in Groper Creek to a lively audience of spectators After just over two decades, Distraction is now officially back home

Community Comes Together to Bring Rusty Home

A heartwarming show of community spirit was on full display in the Burdekin Shire earlier this month, as hundreds of locals banded together to reunite a much-loved dog with his family after more than a week on the run. Ayr resident Machelle Slatcher raised the alarm on social media on 5 February after her border collie–kelpie cross, Rusty, went missing from Lisa Drive. “MISSING in Ayr 4807. Border collie x kelpie went missing yesterday from Lisa Drive. Rusty is extremely friendly,” she wrote, sparking an outpouring of support. What followed was an extraordinary community effort. Hundreds of people shared posts, phoned in sightings and kept watch along roadsides, paddocks and riverbanks, many for a dog they had never met, but were determined to help bring home. As updates rolled in, Rusty was spotted across several locations, with Machelle regularly posting updates to keep the search going. “He loves a ball, so he’ll become your best friend immediately,” she wrote. Despite days passing and sightings becoming less frequent, the community didn’t give up. Then, in the early hours of 13 February, the message everyone had been hoping for arrived. “STOP LOOKING!!! Rusty is home safe,” Machelle posted. “I want to thank everyone and I mean everyone, literally half of the Burdekin has been out looking for him. I can’t thank you all enough, people I don’t even know have been contacting me and have been out and about. I can’t successfully put into works how grateful I am. I am so blessed to be living in such a caring community - thank you from the bottom of my heart!” After eight days and an incredible community-wide effort, Rusty is now safely home, and his family are determined to keep it that way! “He’s currently soaking up the aircon in the house, and I’m glad he’s stopped making that movie,” Machelle joked. “GPS tracker is on its way- he’s not going on an eight-day journey ever again!” CAPTION: Rusty is now home safe and sound. Photo credit: Machelle Slatcher