Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Not every business starts with a blueprint. For some, it begins as a calling… in more ways than one. Burdekin local Robert Hayward had been in the hydraulics industry since he was 18. A diligent worker who loved his job, he quickly built a reputation locally as one of the best in the business. But despite a mutual affinity with the industry that had formed over years, he stepped away in the early 1990s to help his father-in-law maintain a cane property in Clare. Until he received a call. Then another… and another. Rob quickly realised that, despite his brief hiatus, his reputation in hydraulics had not faded. With that, he was pulled back into the game, this time with nothing but a $2,000 ute, a toolbox, and work up to his neck. And the only way to keep himself from drowning in it was, ironically, to go in deeper. “As the Burdekin is, if you do a very good job, word travels quickly between the community. One farmer talked to another, he talked to another, he talked to another… “Until I sat down with my wife one day and said, ‘I think we can make a business out of this.’” His ute would eventually make way for a permanent space—a small sub-shed at Larry Hudson Engineering in the Ayr Industrial Estate that would serve as his headquarters for the following four years. He tackled the first year solo, before demand forced him to put an apprentice on in the second year, and a qualified tradesman in the third. By the end of the fourth, Rob’s work had outgrown its humble base, moving down the road into a new purpose-built shed that would become the home of Hayward Hydraulics. That shed would officially open in 1996, spurring a 30-year legacy sustained by three defining pillars. Growing with the industry “I had no idea how to use computers,” Rob said with a smirk. Admittedly, he hadn’t realised he signed himself up for a three-decade, three-fold evolution between an entire industry, his own business, and himself. What he did know was that he was ready to learn, and eager to grow. It started with the basics. For Rob, that meant wrapping his head around modern computers, attending TAFE courses on emerging welding techniques, and becoming a leader. “I went from being a very good tradesman to having to be an employer,” he said. “You have to be a people's person, you have to treat people the right way, treat your workers the right way. That part I never even thought of until we started getting into it.” Rob treated this evolution as a marathon rather than a sprint, dedicating the business's first decade cementing its reputation as a local leader. After striking up deals with major companies, including Queensland Rail and Wilmar Sugar in the mid-2000s, he decided to take the leap into the mining industry in the early 2010s as a safety net for the unpredictable sugar industry. With that growth, Hayward Hydraulics’ shed would undergo its third structural expansion to accommodate its continuously increasing popularity and modernised technology. He built a habit of gleaning ideas from various online hydraulic magazines, and then building on them to not only keep up with the industry, but to will it into the future himself. “I eventually built a reputation for thinking outside of the square. If somebody's been doing something for 20 years, I'll look at a better way of doing it,” he said. Albeit, he admits he and the business are still evolving today. “I've seen harvesters and planters go from chain and sprocket to hydraulic motors, to hydraulic motors being linked to satellite GPS,” he said. “The industry has changed in leaps and bounds, and you have to keep finding ways to move with it.” Doing it the right way Hayward Hydraulics’ evolution was founded on something Rob didn’t need to be taught. Care. And he makes sure his staff do, too. “I didn't come from a real wealthy family, so we were brought up to work; you work, you do the job right, you get paid,” he said. “So if I'm not happy with something, I'll ask my workers: ‘would you pay for that?’” When the mining industry began to boom in Queensland, Rob admits he had a difficult time retaining workers. To compete, he was forced into paying top-dollar for what he called “good quality workers,” causing financial tension. When asked if compromising staff quality for cost was ever an option, with the conviction of a true-blue purist, he said: “No.” “I've always maintained that a business is only as good as your employees. You can be the best boss in the world, but if you've got workers that people don't like, they don't come through the door,” he said. “My current staff are up there with the best that I've had. I just try to make sure they’re happy to come to work every day.” With quality and care as its engine, Hayward Hydraulics became known not just for technical know-how, but for doing things the right way. As its stature in the industry continued to grow, so did the scope of its customer base. Calls started coming in from as far north as Tully, all the way to Mackay and Western Queensland, all saying the same thing: “We heard you were the guy to talk to about this problem.” Family and community at its heart For the last 10 years especially, the business has made a point of supporting local organisations and sports clubs, most notably the Burdekin Roosters Rugby League Club. Rob described it as a duty to a community that has given so much to him and the company. “The community has been so important to it all. I’ve got some customers that have been with me from day one, and with some, I’m onto the third generation of the same family,” he said. “The’ve given a lot to me. They've helped me grow and supported me, so it's about time I supported them back.” Beneath it all, though, he points to his family as the driving force. “I remember those early days when we were setting up the new workshop, building benches and all that, my two brothers-in-law and my father came out and gave me a hand,” he said. “But my biggest support is my wife. Especially in the early days when I wasn't home, and she solely looked after the kids and everything. “It got to the stage where I was working seven days a week, 12 hour days, and my wife would bring the kids on a Saturday and Sunday, and we'd sit on the shop floor and have lunch. “She's been with me through the lows and the highs, and that I thank her for.” Now, thirty years later, it’s his family pulling him out of the industry. Driven by the desire to make up for lost time with his wife and kids, Rob has loosened his grip on business operations, working four days a week with plans to eventually let his brainchild find its own footing. As for right now, he’s not yet ready to call time on a chapter that was, perhaps, never meant to last this many pages. “I still love what I do,” he said. “The early days come with sacrifices, but when I look back now, it was all worth it. “I remember when it all first started, looking on the ATO website and coming across that statistic that most businesses fail within five years. “When I read it, I said to myself, 'well, I'm gonna make sure I’m not that statistic.’” And that, he did. CAPTION: Rob and his current team. Back L-R: Chase Pearce, Stephan Du Plessis Front L-R: Kade Pearce, Renee Viero, Robert Hayward, Tina Dennis, Bryan Parison Absent: Sam Tomasetig Photo credit: Jacob Casha
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The Burdekin has rallied behind a local family after a sudden medical diagnosis turned their life upside-down. Ryan and Holly Davenport dropped everything when their two-year-old son, Rowen, was diagnosed with a brain tumour last month, temporarily relocating to Brisbane for his ongoing treatment. In response, a GoFundMe fundraiser has since raised over $55,000 in support of the family. Created in late May by Shannon Malone, a close friend of the Davenports, the fundraiser has been shared all over Facebook and Instagram by local organisations, garnering comments of support on top of 271 individual donations. “Words can’t describe how much it means to us to have everyone’s support behind Rowen as he begins his journey,” Ryan said. “They have given us precious time to spend with Rowen without the everyday worries.” The money will help fund hospital stays, travel, time away from work, and ongoing treatment expenses as the Home Hill family navigates a medical journey that began in April. Already on edge after daughter, Ally, underwent brain surgery to have a cavernoma removed just before Easter, Ryan and Holly acted promptly when they noticed a twitch in Rowen’s eye. Following weeks of consultations with Townsville doctors and specialists—which included MRI scans and a Royal Flying Doctors flight—Rowen was eventually diagnosed with pilocytic astrocytoma, a slow-growing brain tumour. He has since been transferred to Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane for chemotherapy, with the couple leaving their two young daughters with their grandparents in the Burdekin to be by his side. In their absence, locals have offered meals, helped on the family’s sugar cane farm, assisted around their home and helped look after their daughters, along with the generous donations. Ryan said the funds raised would not just help relieve the financial burden of Rowen’s treatment, but allow the flexibility to fly their daughters down and spend some time as a family. “(The toughest part has been) the unknown, not having our family together … and watching Rowen go through these traumatic times and … not being able to do anything,” Ryan said. “It has been a very emotional journey so far, and it is hard to believe we are only at the start.” Anyone wanting to support the Davenports is urged to donate using the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-the-davos-and-little-rowen?attribution_id=sl:75c20475-06e5-4752-8e11-d1b7a07c7728&lang=en_AU&ts=1779705595&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp20_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link CAPTION: Funding will allow the family to fly their daughters down and spend more time together during Rowen’s treatment. Photo supplied
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The Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, has slammed the Albanese Government for an unacceptable ambush on regional communities, accusing the Commonwealth of abandoning disaster-prone areas to balance its own budget. The Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Kristy McBain, used a late Friday afternoon media release to quietly flag sweeping alterations to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). The proposed changes dismantle the long-standing, scalable framework, which historically provided an average of 64 per cent federal coverage and capped support at 75 per cent for catastrophic events. In its place, Canberra intends to implement a rigid 50-50 funding model. This policy shift arrives at the worst possible time for the state; it follows a volatile severe weather season that caused widespread damage across 71 of Queensland’s 77 local government areas. Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, is warning that the sudden funding shortfall threatens the future viability of essential infrastructure, local water treatment facilities, and emergency evacuation operations. Mr Willcox, drawing on his extensive experience as the former Mayor of the Whitsunday Regional Council, stated that the Federal Government is completely detached from the realities of regional recovery. "This decision is a direct hit to the heart of North Queensland," Mr Willcox said. "Canberra is treating natural disasters like a corporate budgeting exercise; however, out here, it is a matter of community survival. To penalise the very regions that drive the nation’s agricultural wealth and mining export revenues is a profound betrayal. "During my time steering the Whitsunday community through the wreckage of Severe Tropical Cyclone Debbie in 2017, I learned exactly what it takes to rebuild. We relied heavily on scalable federal assistance to restore our shattered rural road networks. Under a flat 50-50 split, local councils across Dawson would be forced to find millions of dollars in matching revenue; that is a financial burden our regional ratepayer base simply cannot sustain." Mr Willcox emphasised that major historical recovery operations would have been completely unviable under the newly proposed guidelines. "The total reconstruction of the Shute Harbour marine terminal and the $5 million federal package required to replace the decimated Proserpine Entertainment Centre occurred because the previous framework allowed for exceptional circumstances," Mr Willcox said. "Small regional councils do not possess the independent asset base to fund multi-million-dollar rebuilds alone. Furthermore, the historical system guaranteed that funding flowed directly into local economies, ensuring that regional earthmoving businesses and contractors were awarded the repair work. By lowering the funding floor, the Commonwealth is forcing cash-strapped councils to delay vital resilience works; this leaves our communities dangerously exposed before successive wet seasons. "It is a coward’s tactic for the Minister to leave this announcement until the day after the parliamentary sitting concluded, ensuring they avoided any real scrutiny or accountability in Question Time. “This is yet another calculated deception from a government that knows exactly how damaging these cuts are; this is absolutely not what the Australian people voted for, and I truly hope this betrayal is remembered at the next election. "This is yet another chapter in the ongoing federal neglect of regional Australia. The government is hiding behind the cover of an independent review to justify cutting essential frontline services. I call on the Emergency Management Minister to reverse this decision immediately; regional Queenslanders refuse to be treated as second-class citizens.” Supplied by the office of Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox CAPTION: FIGHTING FOR THE NORTH: Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP outside Parliament House in Canberra, condemning the Albanese Federal Government's plan to slash scalable disaster recovery funding for regional councils. Photo supplied
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"As the final week approaches for public submissions into the Sugar Code of Conduct, Member for Burdekin Dale Last has renewed his calls for growers to unite and make their voices heard. Mr Last said the public submissions for the sunsetting review of the Sugar Code of Conduct should be an opportunity for sugarcane growers from across the Burdekin to outline the benefits of the code for both farmers and the wider community. “Over recent weeks I have taken the liberty of providing a submission on behalf of the community, because ultimately the flow-on impact from changes in our sugar industry stretch beyond the paddock and the mills,” Mr Last said. “I recently met with several grower representatives which provided the opportunity to bring key stakeholders together, reaffirm my support as the Member for Burdekin and emphasise the need to work collaboratively as the review period unfolds.” Mr Last said while it was important stakeholders took the time to make their voices heard during the public submissions there was no better way to understand the impact of the Sugar Code of Conduct than to visit the area and speak directly to representatives. “A decade ago this district played a central role in bringing this code of conduct to fruition so I would expect our stakeholders receive a seat at the table they deserve,” Mr Last said. “If the Federal Labor Government was serious about consulting with the industry, the responsible Assistant Minister would be looking for every opportunity to listen to those who are most impacted by the Sugar Code.” Anyone wishing to have their say in the review can visit https://haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/sugar-code-review"
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Applications have opened for Australia Post’s 2024 Community Grants program, which funds community-led, local projects across Australia.
Eligible not-for-profit groups can apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support projects which have the primary purpose of improving mental health and wellbeing in local communities.
Last year’s program saw 72 projects awarded funding across the country, totalling over $500,000, with half of the successful applications awarded in rural and remote locations.
“The wide range of organisations and projects that received grants last year demonstrated the need to support projects that help people connect to improve mental health and wellbeing,” said Australia Post General Manager, Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Nicky Tracey.
“Each year there is a great diversity of mental health support projects across our Community Grants applications.
“From groups that keep elderly Australians connected, to supporting workers with mental health first aid training and even surf therapy, we encourage applications from all local communities.
“We know that when we connect, we feel better, which is why projects supported by Australia Post share a common thread and a commitment to improving mental health and wellbeing through the power of connection.
“Since 2013, more than 800 projects have been awarded a Community Grant from Australia Post, and we are proud to continue our support of these often-unsung heroes of our communities.”
Organisations interested in applying are encouraged to review the Community Grant guidelines and apply at https://auspost.com.au/about-us/supporting-communities/grants/community-grants-program.
Eligible community organisations are able to apply until 11.59pm on July 1, 2024.
Successful applicants will be notified in September 2024.
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Welcome to my second newspaper column.
I am very excited about the possibility of there being a Water Festival later in the year. Thank you to the dedicated locals who attended the meetings to help get the festival going. To the dedicated people who put their hands up to be on the committee, thank you. It is great to see so many people wanting the festival to go ahead so, stay turned for an update and fingers crossed we will see a Water Festival.
I attended the Burdekin Theatre on Friday night and saw the Dreams – The Fleetwood Mac & Stevie Nicks Tribute Show. What an amazing show. It was a full house, and it is great to see so many people in the community attend such a great show. Hats off to the Theatre staff and management for having the production in Ayr for the locals to attend. It was a great night out. There is a lot of great shows coming up so check out the selection on the event list on the Burdekin Theatre website.
Today is the day for the Biggest Morning Tea which is being organised by the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre. I will be attending the morning tea event which is being held at The Catholic Parish Hall Edward Street Ayr feel free to drop in for a cuppa it commences at 10am until 12pm It is a great morning to help raise funds to support those impacted by cancer. If you would like to donate to this worthy cause, please feel free to drop into the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre on 40 Chippendale Street Ayr. All donations greatly appreciated.
The Centre does great things for the community with only a hand full of staff and volunteers. Anytime you need hope or support of any kind please feel free to approach the friendly staff for help. They have a variety of services and information brochures available.
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Did you know Burdekin Shire Council offers community message boards to help promote local events and important information.
As part of the Burdekin Shire Council's commitment to supporting a broad range of community events, advertising on the Community Event Board can be utilised by community and not-for-profit groups conducting events in the Burdekin Shire.
Your organistion will need to complete the Community Event Sign Application Form found on Council’s website and return it to the Community Development team.
Applications for the use of display space on the Community Events Sign will be accepted on an ongoing basis.
There are two types of boards available:
Community Events Sign: Located in Plantation Park, Ayr, this sign is for community and non-profit events. Groups can apply to display their event details, with Burdekin Shire Council handling installation and storage.
Permanent Electronic Message Boards: Located in Home Hill and Giru, these boards display a range of messages, including emergency information, council notices, and community event promotions.
To post a message, you can submit an application to Council, ensuring your event or notice reaches a broad audience. This service is a great way to stay connected and informed about what's happening in your area. To view more information you can visit Council’s website and head to the ‘Community Message Boards’ page.
If you would like to get in touch with me, please feel free to phone me on 0447 150 582 or email mayor@burdekin.qld.gov.au.
Burdekin Community Association (BCA) has been announced by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) as one of 17 providers that will deliver the redesigned Mental Health Stepped Care service model in North Queensland from July 1, 2024.
As defined by the Department of Health and Aged Care, stepped care is an evidence-based, staged approach to delivering primary mental health care that supports individuals with care tailored to meet their needs.
Stepped care recognises there is a spectrum of needs, and therefore there needs to be a spectrum of services.
Following a review of the North Queensland Mental Health Stepped Care services in 2022, NQPHN partnered with service users, service providers, and GPs to undertake a community consultation and codesign process to update the current stepped care model and improve access, integration, and transitions of care.
The redesigned model includes service offerings, funded by NQPHN, that will ensure community members across the greater Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay regions, including rural areas, have more timely access to mental health care and coordinated support when they need it most.
NQPHN Chief Executive Officer Sean Rooney said the redesigned model would provide more cohesive, person-centred, culturally safe support from when a person first asks for help and throughout their time of accessing the range of services available.
“We recognise that mental health is one of the biggest health issues facing our community,” Mr Rooney said.
“These redesigned service offerings represent a significant change in NQPHN’s Mental Health Stepped Care model.
“We acknowledge that there is much to do to implement these important service changes and our teams are proactively working with current stepped care service providers to ensure a smooth transition of services.”
Mr Rooney said the existing stepped care model would remain in place until 30 June 2024.
“Providers can continue to make referrals until that time, and current and new service users will also be able to access services until then,” he said.
“Service users will continue to be supported during the transition to ensure they receive continuity of care.
“Further information about the new services will be provided in due course, however, it’s important for people to know that from 1 July, the Connect to Wellbeing intake and assessment service will transition to the existing Head to Health Phone Service.
“Referrals sent to Connect to Wellbeing after this date will be redirected to the Head to Health Phone Service during the transition.”
Following consultation and codesign, NQPHN undertook a two-stage tender process to identify service providers to deliver the redesigned model and service offerings.
Contact BCA on 07 4783 3744 for more information.
Mental Health Stepped Care service providers gather at the first meeting to discuss the redesigned model and service offerings. Photo supplied
Celebrating its 27th birthday in the Burdekin region, Optique Eyes stands as a business operating with a centralised focus on serving the community with “exceptional eye care and exquisite eyewear”.
Established in 1997 by Helene Holmes, the Queen Street optometrist has withstood the changing tides of business for almost three decades. Helene established Optique Eyes after moving to the Burdekin to purchase an existing practice to seize an entrepreneurial opportunity. In 2018, the business relocated, and has since transformed the space into the elevated business we see today sitting pretty at number 150 on the ever-bustling Queen Street.
Over the years, Helene and her staff have prided themselves immensely on their dedication to providing their patients with the highest levels of customer service to support them with their eyecare needs. Whilst doing so, Optique Eyes holds an extensive collection of ranges to ensure all their patients see well and are forever stylish, and in keeping that promise, the business is currently running a spectacular sunglass sale!
Extending far beyond optics, the business has held prominent roles in the community, from sponsoring sporting teams to sponsoring the Helene Holmes Optique Eyes Award for Excellence as awarded to a graduate student at the Burdekin Christian College.
The team are extremely experienced, and Helene herself has worked alongside eye specialists in Townsville to elevate her skillset to provide the best possible outcome for her patients’ visual needs. Helene and her experienced team invite you to visit their store, and look forward to seeing you soon.
Groundbreaking automation for a soil-scanning process developed at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Central Queensland Smart Cropping Centre could be vital to the future of successful broadacre cropping planning.
Electro-magnetic survey scanning has long been used to identify variability in soils, including assessment of salinity, water and clay content.
The process has usually involved a scanning sled being dragged behind an all-terrain vehicle.
However, in a possible world-first, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries team at the Smart Cropping Centre has developed an automated scanning process.
The innovation has the potential to save hundreds of hours on-farm, freeing farmers, staff and resources for other tasks.
The system they have developed brought together SwarmRobot Sunny and an ElectroMagnetic (EM) 38 Survey Unit and analysis service provided by Data Farming, two of Queensland’s stand-out AgTech and Innovation companies.
"The impact of this innovation for farmers to better manage drought conditions and overall farm agronomy is huge," Queensland Smart Cropping Centre senior innovation broker Alicia Dunbar said.
"We can see this becoming a standard add-on to autonomous robots such as SwarmBots that are continually building hyper-accurate soil and moisture maps in real time.
"These units offer a non-invasive, efficient and precise means of assessing and monitoring soil properties and we’re excited to work with industry to make this a widespread tool for producers.
"The technology supports our research and production systems including soil salinity assessment, soil texture and structure analysis, soil moisture content, mapping soil depth and guiding our soil sampling efforts.
"The Smart Cropping Centre in Emerald is producing real-world results, propelling our research capabilities to better manage the uncertainties of the future in broadacre cropping that will help our famers to be more productive and more profitable."
Griffith University’s Dr Yunying Fang has successfully progressed with a research proposal regarding the Soil CRC’s Round 24-1.
The Soil CRC (CRC for High Performance Soil) works to connect scientists with farmers to uncover practical solutions for Australia’s underperforming soil. The organization aims to enable farmers to increase their overall productivity and profitability levels through providing them with knowledge and tools to improve the performance of their soils.
The success of Dr Fang of Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute will have her leading a new project titled Glasshouse and field evaluation of organic-based nitrogen fertilizers for crop production and soil health, with over $800,000 in funding on a 2-and-a-half-year timeline.
“The outcomes of this project will be organic-based slow-release urea fertilisers, recommendations of usage and placement in farming systems, which will help co-deliver agronomic and economic benefits and ecological sustainability in farming systems," Dr Fang said.
Joining Dr Fang’s research team will be Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS), the Burdekin based organisation working with growers to address productivity, profitability and sustainability in sugar cane systems. Along with BPS, Charles Sturt University, Birchip Cropping Group (BCG), and Central West farming Systems will also hold roles in the project’s research and development.
Urea fertilisers work to improve the nutritional composition of sugarcane silage and trials have been undertaken in Brazil to compare the fermentative characteristics of the addition of protected or conventional urea to sugarcane silage to evaluate its nutritional value.
Dr Fang has been celebrated for the success of her research proposal and the overall benefits her project will offer to farmers to help them in meeting the nutritional needs of their sugar cane crop.
The Burdekin Football Club is set to host their annual Ladies Day on Saturday 17 August and 2024 will showcase the best fashionable florals yet.
Spring Fling; a theme of vibrancy, a theme of florals, and a theme of fun. Subtly drawing from the fashions of 2024’s Met Gala, the Burdekin Football Club will liven up Beach Road’s International Park from 3:30pm with Spring colours and fabulous florals.
The evening will provide a smorgasbord of raffles, lucky door prizes, and of course the infamous player jersey and profile auctions to add both excitement and a touch of competitiveness to the event. Each ticket entails a 6-hour drinks package running from 4pm to 10pm, as well as a complimentary cup on arrival. With the delicious catering of Creative Platters and Fusion Catering also on offer, you’re sure to be dancing the night away with the talents of Tammy Moxon staged later in the night.
Tickets to the event went on sale to the public on Friday 7 June, and can be purchased from the Burdekin Football Club.
On the evening of Saturday 8 June, Hotel Brandon hosted a celebratory 50-year school reunion for the Burdekin Catholic High School (BCH)’s graduating class of 1974!
A fabulous night was had by all with the cohort recalling the establishment of BCH in 1974 following the amalgamation of the Marist Brothers and St Francis Xavier Convent High School. Many of the attendees travelled far and wide to catch up with one another, with some travelling from Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, Yeppoon, Tin Can Bay, Macky, Townsville, and even New South Wales.
One of the attendees, Rita Quaglita, expressed her joy in reuniting with her old school friends to celebrate such a momentous memorial occasion.
“Catching up with beautiful people that we haven’t seen for 50 years was a golden opportunity for all to welcome back alumni in a nostalgic celebration of such a significant milestone,” expressed Rita.
The evening was led with Angie Wagner sounding the school bell and then joined by Robert Tomarchio to welcome the guests with a commencement speech. Terry Lund and Carmen Dalponte then initiated a remembrance call, and a minute silence for those who had passed.
Teleporting back half a decade, Rita Quaglita and Christine Viero called out the student roll call and toasted to the joyous and memorable occasion, however, the highlight of the evening was the surprise visit of former schoolteacher, Mrs Freshwater. Mrs Freshwater was welcomed by the class with tears and laughter as many reminisced on their time spent with her at BCH.
BCH 1974 school captain, Susan O’Shea held the honourable role of cutting the celebratory cake and the night encompassed various lucky door prizes with many fortunately walking away with a bottle of wine.
The cohort thanks Hotel Brandon, the chef, Kristi, Jess, and all staff for the delicious buffet and service for what was an extraordinary event they’ll remember forever.
On Friday 7 June, the Burdekin flocked to Alfie’s Bakery to get their hands on a precious round treat for National Doughnut Day!
Deon Crowdy hand-made over 500 delicious doughnuts to satisfy the cravings of hundreds of locals and visitors for one of the biggest events on their calendar.
“It was a huge day, we had lots of support from locals, people from Townsville and other out-of-towners, and we had lots of support from the schools and businesses coming to collect doughnuts to have for smoko, it was very busy,” explained Teresa Crowdy.
Deon was hard at work, crafting his creations from 1am on Friday morning ahead of the bakery’s 5am opening and filled the store with 250 classic and specialty doughnuts. Alfie’s Bakery fully sold out the treats by 8:30am, and Deon was back to whip up another batch just in time for another rush.
“Deon had to turn around and make another 250 doughnuts, and as he makes them by hand, each batch takes about an hour and a half to two hours to make,” explained Teresa.
The community indulged in handmade doughnuts of various flavours including liquorice, cookies and cream, honeycomb, bee sting, vanilla slice, caramel popcorn, Caramilk chocolate, churros, ice cream donuts, lamington, crème brûlée, rocky road and long johns, as well as Nutella and jam-filled doughnuts.
“We had great feedback, it was lovely, and the crème brûlée went fast, so did the honeycomb, Nutella filled, and liquorice, but we sold out of the rocky road doughnuts first!”
The Crowdy family thanks the community immensely for their support and can’t wait to continue serving up tasty treats!
Billy with his rocky road donut
Lily excited to dig into her donuts
The recently formed Burdekin Mabo Day Committee hosted celebrations to mark Mabo Day on Monday, June 3.
Mabo Day honours the achievements of Torres Strait Islander Eddie Koiki Mabo and his successful efforts to overturn the legal fiction of terra nullius, or ‘land belonging to no-one’.
The day was celebrated by the local Indigenous community with breakfast, a flag raising ceremony, speeches from First Nations elders and youth, traditional games and a ceremonial dinner and dances.
“We’re acknowledging the footprints that our elders have laid as foundations for us to continue fighting for equal opportunities and rights,” said Burdekin Mabo Day Committee and immediate relative of Mr Mabo, Alingai Omey.
“Grandad Koiki achieved remarkable results.
“What he did set precedence not just here in Australia, but internationally.”
Caption: The Burdekin Mabo Day Committee, special guests, elders and the Burdekin indigenous community gathered to commemorate Mabo Day earlier this week. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie
Eddie Koiki Mabo was born in 1936 on the Torres Strait Island of Mer (Murray).
He went on to become a staff member at Townsville’s James Cook University before establishing and becoming director of the Black Community School in Townsville.
It was through his association with JCU humanities and education staff that Mr Mabo became interested in Native Title and in who owned the land on which his people lived.
“He took the challenge to prove that terra nullius (land belonging to no-one) did not exist and fought the system and the Crown to get our culture and land recognised,” said Burdekin Mabo Day Committee member and immediate relative of Mr Mabo, Alingai Omey.
Mr Mabo's legal pursuit of these issues resulted in one of the most significant legal cases in Australian history, completely overturning the idea of terra nullius and challenging traditionally held beliefs about how Australia came into being.
The landmark decision of six Australian High Court judges on June 3, 1992 ruled: The Meriam people are entitled as against the whole world to possession, occupation, use and enjoyment of the lands of the Murray Islands [in Torres Strait].
This ruling is celebrated every year on June 3 as Mabo Day, with the Burdekin Mabo Committee forming within the last month to host events to honour and celebrate the Indigenous culture of the region.
“Our initial drive came after sadly hearing that a whole generation of Indigenous kids here in the Burdekin did not know key people who have achieved milestones over the years, they’ve never experienced key events and celebrations,” Ms Omey said.
“Here in the Burdekin and other smaller towns, there are gaps, and I’m hoping to achieve sustainable outcomes in the long run so we can teach children about history, how to move forward in a respectful manner, and include everyone in a more united journey of mutual respect.”
The Burdekin Mabo Committee marked the day, alongside Reconciliation Week (May 27 to June 3) and National Sorry Day (May 26), with a flag raising ceremony, traditional games and feasts, as well as the unveiling of ‘Remembering Mabo’, a collection of Mr Mabo’s personal items displayed at the Burdekin Library.
The Committee also expressed their support for a campaign to establish Mabo Day as a public holiday for all Australians to be celebrated on June 3.
In doing so, Ms Omey hopes to educate and inspire the wider community to carry on the message of culture and community.
“We can’t go back in history, but we can definitely build a greater future, and part of that greater future becomes a level of understanding, acknowledging, educating and fostering a mutual respect within the community,” she said.
“Without having events to commemorate these days, how will people know?
“Our overall aim is looking at engaging stakeholders and hopefully we have more events here, not just to bring people together, but to educate our youth.”
L-R Burdekin Shire Council Cultural Venues Manager Glenn Arboit, Burdekin Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort and Alingai Omey of the Burdekin Mabo Day Committee. Photo supplied
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I remember when I was first announced as Burdekin Life’s new and first journalist on the publication’s Facebook page, the post was met with countless comments anticipating my arrival in the beautiful Burdekin.
It was August 2023, I was at a friend’s wedding at the time, and I would read through the comments of support any time I found phone service, getting more and more excited by the opportunity and proudly showing my friends how welcoming my new community would be.
This was an early and extremely accurate insight into the people of the Burdekin.
Since moving here in September last year, everyone has made me feel nothing but welcome: from my neighbours in Home Hill, mayors and councillors past and present, and the volunteers and members of the committees whose meetings I’ve attended to the countless people I’ve interviewed for the newspaper and taken photos of out and about.
This has only increased after announcing my departure from the region, and your kind words and messages of support have honestly meant the world to me and made me feel like an extremely valued part of this community.
I’ve been told quite frequently that I fit into the community quite well, but it helps when the community in question is as welcoming as the Burdekin.
This is the last edition of Burdekin Life that will have my full input, and it’s an edition I’m quite proud of.
I have even been allowed a page on which to reflect and share some of my favourite memories while in the Burdekin, so flick to page 26 if you’re interested.
Enjoy the read and I’m sure I’ll see you all again soon.
Burdekin Netball Association (BNA) has secured the sponsorship of Bowen Pipeline Company (BPC) with a cheque being handed over on Thursday, May 30.
BPC is the company behind the proposed Bowen Pipeline Project to connect Bowen with the Burdekin River, and BPC Director Sean Brown said the majority of the project’s 41 investors come from the Burdekin and Bowen shires.
“This project is about leaving a legacy so that children and families can stay in these two regions,” Mr Brown said.
“We feel the Burdekin is a wonderful place for kids to grow up and supporting the local netball club is a really positive thing for us to do to benefit the community.”
BPC has also sponsored Bowen Netball Club and Aboriginal Saltwater Arts Community and plans to increase sponsorship in the future should the project gain the necessary ministerial approvals.
“Our goal is to increase our annual sponsorship, but everything is subject to us obtaining our ministerial endorsement hopefully in the next month or two,” Mr Brown said.
BNA Sponsorship Coordinator Glenys Brotto thanked Mr Brown and BPC for its sponsorship.
“BNA are very appreciative of BPC’s support of our association, and we wish them all the best in their project,” she said.
BNA member Chloe Steel, BNA Sponsorship Coordinator Glenys Brotto, BPC Director Sean Brown, Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort, Bowen Gumlu Growers Association President Carl Walker, BNA Selector Shalon Gibson and BNA member Maggie Chandler
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, June 4, Wilmar Sugar and Renewables advised more than 1,200 waged employees that anyone participating in industrial action from yesterday, Wednesday, June 5 will be locked out until further notice.
Workers have been told that if they are locked out, they will not be paid until the lockout is lifted.
A company spokesman said the decision to lock out was not taken lightly.
“We respect employee rights to union membership and their right to take lawful industrial action,” he said.
“However, the company also has the right under the Fair Work Act to respond to prolonged industrial action to protect its interests.”
The lockout will not affect workers who are not participating in industrial action, or who have been participating in action but wish to attend work and carry out their full duties without imposing any bans or participating in any industrial action from Wednesday.
Members of the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union and Electrical Trades Union have been imposing work bans and rolling stoppages at the company’s nine factories since mid-May in support of demands for an 18% pay rise, which was recently reduced from 22%.
The Wilmar spokesman said industrial action has delayed completion of essential maintenance and preparatory work at the factories ahead of the 2024 sugar season and has forced the company to push back start of production by more than a week.
“We have willingly engaged with bargaining agents for the employees and encouraged negotiation, even asking the Fair Work Commission to assist,” he said.
“We have made a number of offers to try to reach a fair and reasonable outcome that we can sustain over time.
“However, unions have chosen the industrial action path over negotiation.”
Unions notified intention to continue rolling stoppages and bans, including overtime bans, for at least another week forcing further delay and impact on growers, contractors and others in the community.
Wilmar has requested a ballot of employees covered by enterprise agreement to be held on June 10 and 11 to vote on the most recent offer of a 14.25% increase over three-and-a-half years, as well as a $1,500 sign-on bonus and a $20 a week allowance for electrical workers using their licence.
AWU Northern District Secretary Jim Wilson called the lockout a “disgraceful” attempt to prevent workers from standing up for themselves and their communities, saying these efforts will ultimately be unsuccessful.
“This is a multinational corporation trying to bully and intimidate North Queenslanders to stop us asking for our fair share,” Mr Wilson said.
“These are intimidation tactics of the highest order.”
“Workers won’t take this lying down, and growers won’t accept Wilmar further delaying the crush by locking skilled workers out of their workplaces.
“Workers will continue to take action, we will vote down the newest bad agreement and Wilmar will be back to square one.”
Wilmar Sugar and Renewables warned its workers that anyone participating in industrial action will be locked out until further notice. Photo supplied
Opinion piece
A lack of crisis accommodation units and more than 80 very high-level social housing applications has painted a stark picture of the Burdekin’s housing crisis, according to Member for Burdekin Dale Last.
After waiting longer than expected for the Minister to answer a question on notice regarding crisis accommodation in Ayr and Home Hill, new figures have also revealed 82 very high need applications were waiting an average of two years for social housing in the Burdekin.
“As we have seen firsthand in the Burdekin, a lack of private rentals coupled with only a fraction of those urgently seeking social housing actually being provided a home, has resulted in calls for crisis accommodation to soar and the responsibility for that falls squarely on this state government,” Mr Last said.
“In the space of 12 months to June 2022, just 12 allocations were made to social housing properties in the Burdekin equating to a mere fraction of those ‘very high need’ applicants actually being provided with social housing.
“In the meantime, those who miss out are left to seek an alternative roof over their head or even perhaps turn to the five crisis accommodation units in the Burdekin.”
Mr Last said with social housing numbers left to go backwards across the state under the Labor government and waitlists soaring, those most vulnerable in the Burdekin deserved action on crisis accommodation and not another broken promise.
“Recently we heard the Premier promise crisis accommodation for every homeless person in this state, yet clearly what we are actually seeing unfold is increased calls for accommodation and the homelessness services left with no other choice but to issue tents,” Mr Last said.
“The LNP have already called for more to be done by this state Labor government to unlock more land for housing and encourage investment in regions and that applies to regional towns like Ayr and Home Hill.”
“This district cannot afford for Labor to sit on its hands while applicants wait another two years for social housing and more and more people, left with no choice but to seek crisis accommodation, are offered tents because there is simply no where for them to go.”
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