Reform of global agricultural subsidies and tariffs at the World Trade Organization would support better environmental and food security outcomes, according to the latest ABARES Insights paper.

Executive Director of ABARES, Dr Jared Greenville, said taxpayers and consumers bear the brunt of hundreds of billions of dollars spent every year on agricultural support policies that inadvertently create adverse environmental impacts.

“Some forms of agricultural support distort production decisions in a way that encourages excess production and the use of inputs above and beyond what the market demands,” Dr Jared Greenville said.

“This excess can lead to environmental harm in the form of more emissions and more chemical use.”

The most environmentally harmful agricultural support policies, such as tariffs, price floors and payments linked to agricultural inputs and production, cost taxpayers and consumers around the world US$472 billion a year, between 2019 to 2023. This figure climbs to US$671 billion a year when export restrictions and other market price-deflating policies are included.

Europe and Asia provided the most environmentally harmful support as a share of farm income between 2019 and 2023. Australia and New Zealand recorded some of the lowest levels.

The report, Addressing Environmental Harm: Reforming Agricultural Support, details how removing and redirecting environmentally harmful support has the capacity to improve environmental outcomes.

Dr Greenville said the report details that “what is good for efficient global agricultural production is also good for the environment”.

“It is possible to minimise the environmental impacts of agriculture without compromising food security,” he said.

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Executive Director of ABARES, Dr Jared Greenville. Photo credit: Lisa McKelvie

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CANEGROWERS has welcomed Queensland Treasurer David Janetzki’s comments supporting the development of a domestic biofuels industry, during his speech to the Queensland Energy Club in Brisbane today.

“The sugarcane sector is ready to see a biofuels industry take off in Queensland, with cane as a key feedstock,” CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan said.

"It's great to see the Treasurer not just showing support, but taking on an important leadership role in driving the development of this emerging industry."

However, Mr Galligan, who sits on the State Government’s recently formed expert panel on biofuels, said that it’s time to move from talk to action.

“The airline industry is on board, the bioenergy sector is keen, and the emerging SAF industry is pushing forward with pilot projects – like the one recently launched by biofuels company Licella at the Isis Central Sugar Mill in Childers.

“The government clearly wants this too, so let’s make it happen.”

Mr Galligan noted that developing a biofuels industry in Queensland, with sugarcane as a central feedstock, is a key focus of the industry’s 2030 strategic roadmap – Sugar Plus: Fuelling the Future of Food, Energy and Fabrication.

“Queensland’s sugarcane industry already produces ethanol and green electricity, so we are well positioned to supply a sustainable aviation fuel industry that could help power the future of Australian air travel,” Mr Galligan said.

“But to give the industry the confidence to make the switch to biofuels production, a national feedstock strategy, supported by offtake agreements, is essential.”

As members of Bioenergy Australia, CANEGROWERS and the Australian Sugar Manufacturers have been advocating for the development of a national biofuels feedstock strategy for over a year.

“Our global competitors are way ahead on biofuels. We can’t afford to fall further behind. We need decisive action and meaningful government investment now,” Mr Galligan said.

“The development of a biofuels industry in Queensland won’t just help Australia meet its emissions targets – it will also boost energy security, boost the economy, and stimulate regional agricultural and industrial growth.

“We appreciate the Treasurer’s support, but what we really need now is a strong commitment from both State and Federal governments. That starts with a national feedstock strategy,” Mr Galligan said.

At a glance
Treasurer's backing: David Janetzki throws support behind Queensland’s emerging biofuels industry.

Sugarcane front and centre: CANEGROWERS says cane is ready to fuel the sector as a key feedstock.

Call for action: Industry urges government to move from talk to tangible investment and strategy.

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CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan

A sweet takeoff: Queensland’s sugarcane industry is ready to fuel the future of aviation through a homegrown biofuels industry. Photo supplied

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Burdekin Catholic High School has excitedly announced that enrolments are now open for Year 7, 2026. Families looking for a high-quality secondary education in a supportive, values-based environment are encouraged to consider what BCHS has to offer.

With a proud tradition of academic success, vocational achievement, and holistic development of young people, Burdekin Catholic High School continues to set the standard for secondary education in the Burdekin region. Whether students are aiming for university, TAFE, apprenticeships or the workforce, BCHS provides strong pathways to help every learner reach their goals.

BCHS Principal, Lorraine Wolffe welcomes new students with open arms, highlighting the plethora of opportunities the school provides for both academic and personal development.

“At Burdekin Catholic High School, we educate the whole person,” shared Lorraine.

“We are proud of our strong results, but we’re even more proud of the kind, capable young people who leave our school ready to make a difference in the world.”

Academic and Vocational Success
At BCHS, students are supported to achieve their personal best, with proven outcomes in both academic and vocational areas. The school offers a wide range of ATAR and VET subjects, ensuring every student has a meaningful and purposeful pathway. Teachers work closely with students to develop strong study habits, a growth mindset, and a love of learning that lasts well beyond school.

Excellence in Sport and the Arts
Burdekin Catholic High School is home to an outstanding Sports Program, giving students the chance to develop their skills across a wide variety of sports, from team games to individual competition. With strong representation at local and state levels, BCHS encourages participation, teamwork, and healthy living.

The Arts are also a vibrant part of school life, with dedicated programs in Music, Visual Arts and Drama. Students have the opportunity to explore their creativity, perform, exhibit and celebrate their talents in a supportive and dynamic environment.

A Marist Heart
As a Marist school, BCHS is grounded in the values of presence, simplicity, family spirit, love of work, and following in the way of Mary. These values guide everything the school does – from relationships to leadership, and from learning to service. Students are nurtured to grow in character, compassion and confidence, becoming young people who are not only successful, but grounded and generous in spirit.

Join the BCHS Family
Enrolments for Year 7, 2026 are now open. Families are encouraged to contact the school early, as places fill quickly, and interviews commence in Term 3. To learn more about Burdekin Catholic High School or to read more about their Taster Days or Twilight Open Evening, visit www.bchs.qld.edu.au.

Come and discover what makes BCHS a great place to learn, grow, and belong.

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Ayr State Primary School finished up Term 1 with plenty of treats, and loads of fun, and preparations are already underway, and the excitement is well and truly building ahead of Term 2!

The Easter Bunny made a quick trip over to visit Ayr State Primary School’s staff and students, treating plenty of lucky children and teachers to an adorably decorated bunny biscuit to enjoy at lunch time. The school extended a warm thank you to their awesome Tuckshop, P&C Committee and Miss Jazzy for making fun little surprises like this one possible.

Earlier this month, Ayr State Primary School’s Year 5 students were given the awesome opportunity to taste test high school at their very first Transition Day to Ayr State High School. Each of the students participated in an Art Class, designed and played battle ships in Digital Technology, and played lots of fun games in HPE.

“They had an amazing day exploring and learning about how Secondary school works, and interacting with other small schools,” shared Ayr State Primary School staff.

“They all went home tired and happy.”

Ayr State Primary School’s April school calendar will see students of all ages lace up and get active on the 24th with the Annual Fun Run event! Kicking off from 11:35am, students aged from 5 through to 12 years of age will run different courses of varying difficulty whilst their peers, parents and carers cheer them along from the sidelines!

With plenty of action going on in and outside of the school gates, Ayr State Primary School certainly is a hive of activity, engagement and enrichment.

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Adorable bunny biscuits were enjoyed by all to close out Term 1 at Ayr State Primary School (Photo Source: Ayr State Primary School)
Ayr State Primary School's Year 5 students participated in plenty of fun high school activities at Transition Day (Photo Source: Ayr State Primary School)
A class of HPE at ASHS was a Transition Day highlight for many! (Photo Source: Ayr State Primary School)

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It is the number one issue I hear from people in the Burdekin and across Dawson which is why we need a government that will grow our economy and deliver real cost of living relief for Australians.

Our Labor government is focused on bringing down inflation, increasing wages, and delivering this relief.

Labor has provided tax cuts, energy bill relief, cheaper medicines, student debt relief and more, to help Australians with the cost of living.

But we know we have more to do. So here is what we will deliver:

● More free GP appointments. Labor will make the single largest investment in Medicare ever. This will deliver an additional 18 million bulk billed GP visits every year so Australians can see a bulk billing GP.

● A tax cut for all 14 million Australian taxpayers, on top of our tax relief that is already rolling out.

● By delivering the biggest ever reduction in the cost of PBS prescriptions and freezing the cost of PBS medicines, Labor is making hundreds of medicines cheaper. The most you will pay for a PBS medicine is just $25 a script.

● An additional $150 in Energy Bill Relief for every Australian household and around one million small businesses.

We are also focused on strengthening Medicare and upgrading our key roads.

Labor is boosting hospital funding by $1.7 billion – delivering more money for public hospitals in every state and territory.

We are delivering more doctors and nurses in regions like ours where we need it most.

Labor will grow the health workforce to deliver more doctors and nurses than ever before, including the largest GP training program in Australian history, and hundreds of scholarships for nurses and midwives to extend their skills and qualifications.

I also know how important it is that we get funding for our Bruce Highway.

It is an essential road in our region and it is unacceptable that it’s been neglected for over nine years when the Coalition was in government.

Labor has announced $7.2 billion to upgrade and fix the Bruce Highway, with the priority areas including Bowen to Townsville and Ingham to Innisfail.

This historic funding is the single largest investment ever into the Bruce Highway and it’s fantastic news for our region.

Through all this, we are making sure our careful economic management helps Australians with the cost of living today, at the same time as we set our country up for the future.

Inflation is now less than half of what it was when Labor was elected and interest rates are coming down.

Unemployment is low and debt is down.

Our plan will ensure we are delivering a better future for all Australians, focussed on creating a strong economy and delivering cost of living relief.

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The written word took centre stage at the Burdekin Library last week as the Burdekin Creative Writers and Burdekin Night Writers once again brought local storytelling to life.

The community was treated to an afternoon of spoken word and literary celebration, as members of both groups shared original works spanning poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. From nostalgic reflections on the past to sharp insights into the present, the readings offered a rich tapestry of family stories, local myths, historic tales, heartfelt tributes, and even a love letter to North Queensland.

The event captured the power of storytelling to transport audiences beyond the everyday, and then gently return them home to the heart of the Burdekin.

Attendees were reminded that the Burdekin Creative Writers Anthology, a collection of stories featured at the event, is available to read at the Ayr branch of the Burdekin Library or can be ordered through Burdekin Printers.

Both writers' groups extended their sincere thanks to the Burdekin Library for once again hosting the showcase, and to the many guests who attended and supported local creatives. A special thanks was also given to George Venables, the driving force behind the anthology, whose passion and persistence made the publication possible.

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Just last week, a local couple kindly expressed their gratitude towards many members of the Burdekin community for their support in a time of need. Diane Arroita shared a handwritten letter with Ayr’s Family Practice’s Dr Bosko Susic and Leann Essery, thanking them both for their help after her husband, Warren, unfortunately suffered a stroke.

“Dr Bosko Susic and Leann go beyond their job with all their kindness and help,” Diane wrote.

In her letter, Diane shared how grateful she was to both Dr Bosko Susic and Leann for calling paramedics to help her husband, adding how thankful she was to the first responders for their quick actions. Diane then went on to thank John Alford and the staff at Delta Physio Clinic for supporting Warren throughout his recovery, noting their kindness did not go unnoticed.

“We would also like to thank all the people who visited Warren and all the phone calls and a special thank you to Maria and Paul Frasson who visited Warren and did his laundry for us and thank you also to the people who have helped me over the past five months,” added Diane.

Diane’s letter was a glowing expression of gratitude towards a long list of locals who went above and beyond to do their job and more to make a terrible situation a little less stressful, highlighting the outstanding individuals who are part of the Burdekin Shire.

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A colourful crew of young entrepreneurs brought smiles to the faces of almost 300 locals last week when Mark Vass shared their little business venture online.

Xanthe and Eden Godfrey, and Maya, Myles, Olivia and Harley Vass established a humble lemonade stand serving freshly squeezed beverages at just $2 a cup to plenty of happy customers on the corner of Menkens and Bapty Road.

As the day went on and foot traffic began to build, a turf war ignited, Harley switched sides, and an avocado stall was set up by Ryder, River, Harley and Ruben Vass for a spot of cousin competitiveness across the road! The lemonade stall dried up by 2pm, however the boys kept customers happy and sold plenty of avocados into the afternoon.

The community were beyond delighted to support the work and efforts of both group’s enterprises, with many commending the parents on teaching the kids values such as hard work and simple business operations at such a young age.

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Xanthe Godfrey, Maya Vass, Eden Godfrey, and Myles, Olivia and Harley Vass manning the lemonade stall (Photo Supplied)
Ryder, River, Harley and Ruben Vass opened up an avocado stall later on in the day (Photo Supplied)

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2024 staged the celebrated and triumphant return of the beloved Burdekin Water Festival and following on from such an overwhelmingly positive response from the local and wider community, the Committee cannot wait to host another fantastic event!

Almost a year ago to date, seven junior ambassadors and seven senior ambassadors representing various community groups, schools and businesses with outstanding enthusiasm, leadership and pride touched the hearts of the entire community from the Festival Launch until the Winners and Runners Up were crowned.

Over 40 entries paraded through Queen Street to a crowd of over 7,000 people, and the Burdekin Water Festival’s social media pages attracted over 15,000 public engagements, which was an achievement in itself considering the work the Committee put in behind the scenes to resurrect the treasured celebration from the ground up.

Ahead of this year’s festival, the Committee has hit the ground running, and following last week’s theme announcement, the excitement has continued to build!

“The Community put forward theme ideas on the Festival Facebook page and we also looked back at themes from past festivals to make sure we didn’t replicate,” shared Burdekin Water Festival Secretary, Kari Ravizza.

“The theme “Bon Voyage – Roam the Globe” is a fun, travel-inspired theme that invites people to embrace global exploration, whether through costumes, performances, decorations or cultural displays and we hope to encourage imagination, discovery and appreciation for the diversity of the world!”

With planning well underway, the Committee warmly welcomed a few friendly faces back to the round table this year, with 2024 Senior Ambassadors Charlotte Horsfall, Sasha Previtera and Demi O’Shea putting their hands up to help ensure the festival continues to succeed.

“Our committee are deep into the planning of the events as well as the Ambassador Program as our aim is to build on the success of last year and include more ways for the community to come together to celebrate our unique identity in the Burdekin,” added Kari.

Similarly to 2024’s extravaganza, 2025 will stage a plethora of nostalgic fan favourite events including the Community Lauch and Festival Fashion Parade, Long Lunch and Senior Ambassador Crowning, Window Display Competition, Tug Of War Competition, and Grand Parade and Mardi Gras.

“This year we will also be including the Garden Competition of years gone by so keen green thumbs can get a head start now on preparing their gardens to be looking their best by September,” Kari highlighted.

“Our Ambassadors will also be holding their own public events so watch this space!”

The Burdekin Water Festival’s Community Launch will take place on the 28th of June and the Committee promises there will be plenty of opportunities for locals to get involved right up until the Grand Parade and Mardi Gras on the 6th of September.

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The Burdekin Water Festival's 2025 theme is "Bon Voyage – Roam the Globe"! (Photo Credit: Sharon Bozzetto)

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Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox has announced a ground-breaking Regional Australia Future Fund, to deliver a guaranteed annual funding stream in perpetuity for regional, rural and remote Australia.

Mr Willcox said the Fund is in recognition of the contribution regional Australians make in growing our national economy and the unique challenges faced now and into the future.

A Coalition Government will preserve a portion of commodity windfall receipts towards the establishment of Regional Australia Future Fund to grow this Fund to $20 billion.

“This is about putting regional people in Dawson first and leaving a legacy for future generations,” Mr Willcox said.

“Once established the Fund will invest a fair share of the profits created through the hard work of regional Australians back into Dawson. It means we don’t have to fight for funding shortfalls to provide infrastructure in regional areas.

“The Fund will deliver secure and sustainable long-term funding to tackle challenges that hold back regional communities and invest in building the long-term economic foundations of regional Australia to address future challenges.”

The Fund will be legislated in perpetuity, to establish a fiscally responsible way to invest in the future generations of regional Australians.

“It will have clear investment principles and will sit under the Future Fund structure and grow through their proven investment strategy.

“The Fund will be transparent and benchmarked with a legislated State of the Regions review by an independent committee, which will inform each four-year investment plan.”

Following extensive consultations with local communities, the Coalition have identified initial key priorities of the Regional Australia Future Fund, which include:

• Fixing local road and transport networks to save country lives and drive economic productivity.

• Growing the regional health workforce so families can access health and aged care – local and affordable.

• Developing regional industries to drive economic growth and create secure jobs.

• Delivering flexible childcare solutions for families in regional, rural and remote areas.

• Growing tourism industry opportunities for regional communities and economies.

• Supporting regional businesses to market and export their product to new and expanded markets.

• Improving regional mobile and internet services for country communities.

• Building and upgrading economic and community infrastructure, facilities and services.

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The funding stream will supplement – not replace – normal government funding across these critical areas where regional Australia faces unique challenges.

“This is an historic moment for the one third of Australians who live outside the big capital cities – a perpetual fund to future-proof regional Australia against short-termism and governments who leave regions behind.

“This will give confidence to regional communities, by investing in their economic future over coming decades, not just each electoral cycle.

“Geography should not be a determinant of success. Families and businesses in Dawson contribute significantly to our national story and economy. This Fund will ensure Dawson can take advantage of opportunities and overcome the challenges that the coming decades bring.”

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox announces a $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund, committing to a guaranteed long-term investment in regional, rural and remote communities. Photo supplied

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Heartwarming, long term love stories are certainly not in short supply when it comes to the Burdekin Shire, and recently one epic tale in particular caught the attention of local support worker, Vanessa Parison.

Harry and Jennifer will soon celebrate 60 wonderful years of marriage and after hearing of the pair’s amazing life journey together, Vanessa was brought to tears as she shared in Harry and Jennifer’s lifetime of happiness and heartache.

The pair’s story began in Newcastle, NSW, when they met one another at a Church Fellowship Group in 1962. A few short years later, when Harry was 22 and Jennifer was 19, the two celebrated their wedding on the 29th of May 1965.

The years to follow provided plenty of professional development opportunities for Harry including a position with the Australian Antarctic Division where he spent 15 months as a carpenter sailing on the Nella Dan Ship to Macquarie Island. The only way the pair could communicate with one another was through coded telegram, however, shortly after, Jennifer found out she was pregnant, and their daughter, Alison was born on the 18th of June 1968.

With hopes of travelling Australia, Harry accepted a position with the Northern Territory Police Force in May of 1971, and on the 3rd of July, 1973, the pair happily welcomed their son Neil into the world. Together, Harry, Jennifer, Alison and Neil lived in many townships over the coming years where Harry served as a policeman including Pine Creek, Maranboy, Papunya, Darwin and Timber Creek.

The constant change of scenery left the family of four feeling both excited for what’s to come, yet isolated in the areas of education and professional development, leaving both Alison and Neil to attend Boarding School elsewhere.

Harry served many long years as a policeman and accumulated a lifetime of wonderful and sad memories before he was appointed the Officer in Charge of the Northern Territory Housing Commission in Tennant Creek after needing to resign from the force due to injury.

In 1988, Harry’s health got the better of him and he was forced to retire which led Harry and Jennifer to embark on a trip around Australia in 1992, however, eight short days into the pair’s travels, Harry was admitted to the Adelaide Hospital. Once he was cleared, Harry and Jennifer set off again only to have Harry needing to be rushed to Bendigo Hospital after his bowel had burst. After a week of fighting for his life in intensive care, Jennifer was determined to have him recover and shared hard words with Harry that night to turn his health around, and the very next day, there was an improvement.

To this day, Jennifer believes her love for Harry helped save his life, and that was the only medicine he needed.

After many more years of travel, the pair settled in Townsville with Neil and his children, however almost four years later, Neil tragically passed away with brain and lung cancer.
It wasn’t until 2019 when the pair made the decision to call Ayr home, and despite a few more health hiccups, both Harry and Jennifer enjoy their life in the Burdekin immensely.

In January of 2024, Harry unfortunately had a stroke which caused him to lose the sight of his right eye, and in February, the pair made the decision to switch support service providers which is when they met Vanessa.

Both Harry and Jennifer agree that they have been blessed to have such a wonderful life together and could easily share stories of their youth until their next anniversary and beyond.

Congratulations on 60 beautiful years of marriage Harry and Jennifer.

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It was a fantastic day of bowls and camaraderie as QRI hosted Home Hill for their recent inter-club match. Club President Trevor Elton praised the strong turnout, with both clubs filling a full eight rinks — a brilliant show of support and spirit from all involved.

The match itself was a close tussle, with Home Hill securing five rink wins in a competitive yet friendly atmosphere.

Adding a special touch to the day, QRI life member Vic Clough — who has proudly represented the club for over 30 years — spoke about the true heart of QRI. "It's not about the competition," Vic said, "it's about the friendships." He also shared how QRI enjoys travelling throughout North Queensland, supporting the clubs they visit, and that members often have opportunities to play at state and interstate carnivals.

A big shoutout must go to the hardworking team behind the scenes who put on a sensational afternoon tea — refreshing players and visitors alike with a spread that was as warm and welcoming as the bowls.

In other club news, Home Hill's Fours Final was played recently with fantastic attendance and lively support from the community. Congratulations to the winning team — Michael, Norm, Alex, and Margaret — on a well-deserved victory!

Contributed with thanks to Michael Parravicini

Registrations are now open for one of the Burdekin’s most iconic events and with excitement and anticipation building, the countdown is well and truly on! The infamous Australian Hand Cane Cutting Championships will impress and entertain the community on the 31st of May as part of the region’s Sweet Days, Hot Nights Festival which continues to attract waves of visitors from across the state and beyond.

The legendary, slashing showdown celebrates the Burdekin’s rich cane farming heritage whilst showcasing the grit, determination and skills of some of the Shire’s toughest competitors. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran with years of swinging under your belt or a curious first-timer ready to take on the challenge, the Championships are calling!

Held in Home Hill at a historic cane paddock-turned-battlefield, this is more than just a competition, it’s a celebration of the Burdekin community’s, culture, and good old-fashioned hard work.

Multiple competition categories are now accepting registrations such as the Under 35 Years Competition, 35 – 55 Years Competition, Over 55 Years Competition, Ladies Cup, Ladies Novice, Corporate Challenge (3x teams of 4), Cut, Top and Load Relay (4x teams of 4) and the Australian Hand Cand Cutting Championships Final.

With plenty of action set to stun spectators, the day will easily become a memorable Sweet Days, Hot Nights highlight. Gates will be open from 10:30am and plenty of entertainment, food stalls, and loads of fun for the whole family will also be on offer well into the afternoon.

To register, visit www.sweetdayshotnights.com.au, follow the links to the Hand Cane Cutting Championships and don't miss your chance to be a part of something uniquely Burdekin!

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Sibby Saitta started his clothing business in Queen Street, Ayr 72 years ago in 1952. It commenced trade as a basic tailoring shop of which there were several in town at that time. Sibby tailored made-to-measure men’s suits, trousers and other basic apparel, all made from scratch.

As time passed, ready made clothing and fashions became more readily available, so the shop evolved into a retail outlet selling men’s fashions of the day. Work clothing soon became available from factories in Brisbane and Sydney. Women’s wear was introduced as well and at that point the stock was so vast it had outgrown the Queen Street premises. Put simply, the shop was too small to accommodate all this stock.

Almost 50 years ago, it was decided to purchase a shop in Graham Street to house the growing work clothing business. All the work clothing stock was transferred to this shop and the business was named Sibby’s Savers.

Corporate wear and western wear were added to the stock profile eventually.

The Sibby’s Savers Graham Street building was extended around 1990 to house Sibby’s suit hire business.

Although the suit hire business was closed many years ago, the Sibby’s Savers business continued to operate.

"The end of an era has arrived with the sale of the Sibby’s Savers business to Kristy and Callan Oar. We wish them all the best with their new enterprise. Kristy has drive and enthusiasm, and she has a beautiful personality to boot, so the business is definitely in good hands. The store has been renamed to Wild East Western and Workwear."

Rosemary and Mark Rickards would like to thank their many valued customers for their patronage over the last 72 years and encourage them to continue supporting the new owners as the business will continue to operate with the same friendly and helpful service.

The pair would also like to thank their employees for their efforts during 72 years of business. They explained how there are too many to name, however their efforts are truly appreciated.

Rosemary and Mark with new owner Kristy Oar. Photo credit: Ruth Puddefoot

Rosemary and Mark Rickards standing outside Sibby's Savers

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Ingrained in the history of the Burdekin region as one of the largest construction projects to date, the Burdekin Falls Dam holds the prestigious title of existing as the largest dam in Queensland.

Situated approximately 100 kilometres south of Charters Towers, the Burdekin Falls Dam was completed in 1987 at a cost totalling $125 million to adequately contain the Burdekin River, a catchment area covering about 7% of the state.

The structure can hold a capacity of 1,860,000 mega litres, and historically, the dam has reached a mammoth capacity of 221.15% which was recorded on the 20th of February in 1991, with the dam’s lowest point of 29.83% recoded in early November of 1987 after its official completion.

More recently, the dam has been splashed across headlines following the reconfirmation of the Burdekin Falls Dam Raising Project where the dam’s capacity will increase by an additional two meters with works to begin in 2027.

As outlined in the 2024-2025 Queensland Budget, $540 million in funding has been allocated for the project and as of the 24th of March, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process marked another milestone whereby the Coordinator-General stated a new project declaration lapse date of the 7th of April, 2027.

The Burdekin Dam Raising Project has been a contentious topic of discussion for quite some time now, and the structure itself continues to stir a world of conversation within the Burdekin community and beyond.

A post published in January of 2021 on a community social media page asked locals to recall the wild conspiracy theories they once believed (or may still believe) to be true about the infamous structure. Stories dating back to the dam’s construction of disappearing workers came to the forefront of many local’s minds as well as the tales of a witch calling the dam home alongside a monstrous crocodile.

With both a rich history and a wave of plans for future development, the Burdekin Falls Dam will undoubtably continue to stand as the most impressive and largest water storage asset in Queensland for years to come.

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The Burdekin Falls Dam is the largest water storage facility in Queensland (Photo Source: Sunwater)$125 million was allocated to the dam's initial 1987 construction (Photo Source: William John Rolls)
The Burdekin Falls Dam near completion in 1987 (Photo Source: Fred Morris)

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