The first turtle nest of the season has hatched on Magnetic Island, with 45 baby Flatback sea turtles scrambling to the ocean earlier in January.

Magnetic Island Network for Turtles confirmed the first flatback sea turtle nest hatched on the beach of Nelly Bay and was a good outcome, with the nest found in a cooler shaded spot.

The Network reported an almost 100% hatchling success rate with volunteers using artificial light to lead the hatchlings safely to the water.

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Relive the action from Verve Dance Festival which brought competitors from across the Burdekin, north, central and west Queensland to the Burdekin Theatre for five days of dancing and excellent community spirit.

For full results, visit Verve Dance Festival on Facebook.

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Photo credit: KR Photos & Videos - Keeara & Reece

Photos supplied: Verve Dance Festival

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Jarvisfield State School

Welcomes Prep Students

Photos supplied: Jarvisfield State School

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First Day Back At St Francis Catholic School

Caption: Photos supplied: St Francis Catholic School

Thursday, January 11 saw 18 players arrive ready for an afternoon of bowls.

Game 1: Tony, Des and Trevor 20 drew with Judy,  Bob and Clinton 20.

Game 2: Paul, Dino and Henry 19 were too strong for Jim, Joe and Mick 9.

Game 3: Margaret, Lloyd and Hugh 20 defeated Conner, John and Gary 12.

16 players turned up to play barefoot bowls on Wednesday night, January 17.  

Winning the night was Meryl and Sam.

Thursday afternoon bowls on January 18 had 19 players turn up to do battle on Rummeny Green.

The winners of the day was the team of Mick McClosky, Jocelyn DeFranciscus and Dino Poli.

Barefoot bowls is on again on Wednesday evening, come along for a feed and a game of bowls in the cool of the evening 6pm for a start at 6:30.

Thursday afternoon bowls names in by 1pm for a start at 1:30.

Afternoon tea approximately 3pm finish at 4:30.  

Bingo on Thursday mornings.  

See you all there.

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Contributed by Stephen Doig

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Paul, Dino and Henry

Meryl and Sam

Mick, Jocelyn and Dino

Photo credit: Trevor Elton

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Wednesday 17/1/24

1st Prize to Jim Murray, Tony Battaglia and Ray Wall defeated Mick Murison, Arthur Gauvin and Ron Soper.

2nd Prize to George Nixon and Chris Berkery defeated Margaret Chapman and Col Essex.

Saturday 20/1/24 (Bob Murison Memorial Day) was a special day put on by the Murison Family and was very well supported with a full green of bowlers.

1st prize to Bob Pickard/Mick Olsen (shared game), Peter Lejarraga and Lew Stidston defeated Katharina Stuckler, Barry Hewson and Ron Soper.

2nd prize to Mick Murison, Joe Grabbi and Wayne Coonan defeated Ashley Smith, Tony Battaglia and Ray Wall/Happy Horan (shared game).

3rd prize to Margaret Linton, Alan Jones and Arthur Gauvin defeated Paul Vass, Alex Bojack and Ross McLaughlin.

Contributed by Michael Parravicini

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Home Hill Tennis is set to host its Annual Open Day set to coincide with the success of this year’s Australian Open this coming Monday January 29. This year there was much for Burdekinites to cheer about with local tennis star Adam Walton making his Australian Open debut. Playing in singles, doubles and mixed Adam played well and gained a lot of valuable experience. His family were there to cheer him on and couldn’t have been prouder. Many locals followed his matches on Nine Now.

At the Open session there will be free tennis and pickleball for all ages and stages from 6 pm onwards.  Pickleball is a racquet sport played on a smaller court with a light whiffle ball. “It is very easy to play with an underarm serve,” said pickleball organizer Kate Casswell. “Possibly the hardest thing is keeping track of the score.” Pickleball is regularly played on Tuesday nights at 7 pm.  Interested players should contact Kate Casswell on 0447384441. The first night you play is always free. Pickleball begins on January 30.

Besides the tennis and pickleball there will also be a free sausage sizzle and merchandise giveaways. Tennis members will have the opportunity to sign on and pay membership fees which are a bargain at only $60 per adult. Players wishing to join the Monday night competition should message Sheryn on 0417617622 or email homehilltennis@gmail.com. Players paying fees for the whole year in advance will receive a bonus discount and a free drink on the night. This is a great opportunity for all tennis players to get back on the court in preparation for the Annual Sugar Bowl event in May which is always a highlight on the northern calendar.

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The Burdekin cheered on Adam Walton this tennis season

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Over the last weekend of school holidays, 33 nippers from the North Barrier Branch descended on the Ayr Surf Club to take part in the annual Camp Alva. This camp is designed for Under 12 and 13 members to work on leadership and team building skills and experience different aspects of the Lifesaving movement that they can progress into over the coming years.

Back cover caption: The Camp Alva Crew. Photo supplied

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Camp Alva 2024

The participants and assistants at Camp Alva 2024, Ayr Surf Lifesaving Club’s annual camp, undertook an Around Alva Adventure race, completing tasks at stations to gain clues, various team building activities, tie-dying, surf sports and other activities.

Everyone had a great time and the current Under 12s are looking forward to returning next year, while the Under 13s will be progressing onto the Branch award camp in September to gain their Surf Rescue Certificate.

The youth members of clubs around the branch are still in training for State Titles held on the Gold Coast in March.

Contributed by Kellie Lawry

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Team building activities

Pillow fighting fun - Emma Jones and Charlotte Lawry

Photos supplied

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With hundreds of people expected to gather in Home Hill’s Memorial Park to commemorate Anzac Day in April, members of the RSL Home Hill Sub Branch have shared their concerns that a colony of flying foxes roosting at the park may cause a safety risk to attendees.

Sub Branch President Richard Kelly and Secretary Allan Petersen recently approached Burdekin Shire Council with their concerns, and while Council confirmed plans to relocate the flying foxes over the next couple of months, Mr Petersen fears it will be too late.

“There is a responsibility that we have, an obligation that we have to meet to provide a safe venue,” Mr Petersen said.

“I’d like to see it earlier and give the park a chance to get cleaned up while we’re getting a bit of rain.

“It’s going to take a little while to clean the park up to be suitable to let people in under those trees.”

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RSL Sub Branch President Richard Kelly and Secretary Allan Petersen are concerned flying foxes will derail Anzac Day plans in Memorial Park. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

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Council Makes Moves To Disperse Flying Foxes

For the last few months, a colony of flying foxes has resided in Home Hill, most notably in Kidby Gully and Memorial Park, with Burdekin Shire Council confirming that dispersal activities have commenced.

Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Lyn McLaughlin said the dispersal activities, part of Council’s approved permit from the Department of Environment, use non-lethal methods such as light and sound devices, gas guns and ammunition shots.

“I want to reassure residents, that Council must adhere to the permit conditions which sees no flying fox be harmed in dispersal activities,” Ms McLaughlin said.

“The methods used by Council officers are humane and effective, and comply with the permit conditions and animal welfare standards.”

Council will not conduct any dispersal activities in the areas where baby flying foxes are present, which causes concern for the RSL Home Hill Sub Branch, who fear the Memorial Park colony will make the venue unsafe come Anzac Day on April 25.

While catching diseases directly from flying foxes is extremely unlikely, and there are no confirmed cases of anyone getting sick from touching flying-fox faeces, urine or blood, the animals are known to carry life-threatening viruses Hendra virus and Australian Bat Lyssavirus.

Sub Branch President Allan Kelly is also concerned about the associated noise and worries that flying foxes will deter attendees.

“They’ve tried elsewhere, and it’s taken them months and months to get rid of them (flying foxes),” he said.

“We’ve got a big ceremony here on Anzac Day and we can’t expect kids and grown ups to come here with this around them.

“We’re going to lose patronage, so they’ve got to do something and do it quick.”

“I’ll give the Council their due, they have reacted very quickly in giving us a response,” added Sub Branch Secretary Allan Petersen.

“They know there’s responsibilities you’ve got to meet with a venue for stuff like this.

“Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance and it’s a very important part of Australia’s behaviour.

“If these things do cause a major issue, we can’t have it here, it’s as simple as that, unless we have people sitting out in the sun.”

Council’s dispersals will be undertaken every Tuesday and Friday from approx. 4:30am to 7:00am until February 2.

Intense dispersal will commence in the first week of February, every day for one week.

After that, subsequent dispersals will be as necessary, depending on the flying fox population.

Burdekin Shire Council apologises for any inconvenience caused throughout the dispersal activities and appreciates the cooperation and understanding of the community during the dispersal activities.

For more information, please contact the Council on 4783 9800.

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Burdekin Shire Council has commenced flying fox dispersal activities in Kidby Gully, Arch Dunn Park and known roost sites in Home Hill. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

Hi readers,

You might have noticed our North Queensland Summer Holiday Series in the last few editions of Burdekin Life.

These have been a pleasure to research and write as I’m still relatively new to North Queensland and am always looking for new adventures and new places to explore.

A large motivation behind my decision to move from Brisbane to Mackay almost two years ago was to explore a part of the country I’d seldom had the opportunity to explore before.

Places like Cape Hillsborough, Eungella, Finch Hatton and the innumerable “secret” swimming and camping spots littered throughout the region opened my eyes to the beauty of North Queensland and are places I largely wouldn’t have considered visiting had I not lived nearby.

The same can be said for living in the Burdekin, giving me access to places like Alva and Wunjunga beaches, Groper Creek, Magnetic Island and Alligator Creek – again, places not necessarily on the top of my list two years ago.

I look forward to capitalising further on the unique location of the Burdekin by heading further north to discover Paluma Range National Park, the Atherton Tablelands and the countless gorges and waterfalls that I’ve heard so many good things about.

I’m also eager to follow the river inland to see what Ravenswood and Charters Towers has to offer.

So, while I’ve built a pretty decent list of locations from researching these stories, please let me know if you have any other recommendations for places I should visit or experiences I should experience in North Queensland.

If you’re looking for somewhere new to explore this weekend, flick to page 14 to discover our North Queensland Summer Holiday Series for this edition; beautiful Magnetic Island.

At their last meeting of 2023, members of Home Hill Rotary Club were pleased invite Kaylene Rinella of St Vincent de Paul to join them.

Home Hill Rotary Club took the opportunity to present Kaylene with a cheque for $1,500 to support the work of St Vincent de Paul.

At the meeting, Kaylene gave a brief update on the work of St Vincent de Paul and how this donation would be used.

“Thanks to Rotary again this year for assisting Vinnies to provide emergency food relief, not only at Christmas but throughout the year,” Kaylene said.

A post sharing news of the donation on social media was met with comments of congratulations and appreciation.

“Great work Rotary and Kaylene!! Thank you to both organisations for all your hard work in our community,” said on commentor.

“Well done Home Hill Rotary donating to this cause,” said another.

“Well done, Kayleen. You do so much for the community,” said another.

St Vincent de Paul works to combat social injustice by advocating for people who are marginalised or disadvantaged, or at risk of experiencing disadvantages.

Workers and volunteers work to prevent poverty and homelessness, and work to support those experiencing disadvantage to regain sustainable independence by providing them with a hand up, not just a hand out.

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Home Hill Rotary Club presented Kaylene Rinella of St Vincent de Paul with a cheque for $1,500. Photo supplied

Burdekin Shire Council wishes to inform the public that scheduled maintenance works on the Home Hill water tower trunk main are planned to commence tonight, Thursday January 18 from 9:00pm and are expected to be complete by Friday January 19 at 2:00am.

While customers in Home Hill and surrounding areas may notice a temporary drop in water pressure during the works, Council does not expect there to be any interruption to supply.

Council apologises for any inconvenience caused by the works and thanks the community for their patience and cooperation.

For more information or enquiries, please contact Council’s Customer Service Centre on (07) 4783 9800 from Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.

An episode of ABC’s ‘Back Roads’ filmed in the Burdekin last year will go to air on Tuesday, January 30, showcasing what the region has to offer to the entire country.

Back Roads is an Australian observational documentary series that takes the road less travelled and visits some of the small towns and communities that make Australia special.

Host Heather Ewart travels to these towns to discover remarkable stories and inspiring people, with her and her crew visiting the Burdekin in May 2023 for the Sweet Days, Hot Nights Festival.

As well as capturing the festival, cane cutting and cane fires, Heather interviewed many locals to hear their stories, including Gloria Vass and her family and Desley Musumeci who was interviewed as the spokesperson of her cooking group, Pandemonium.

“They rang up and said they wanted to come here to see what we were going to cook,” Desley said.

“We made them homemade ricotta, pasta and ravioli.”

Desley’s husband Alf was also interviewed about his family’s origins in the region.

“When they were here filming Alfie, they had Heather sitting across the table from us and they were filming us, and then they had to come behind us and film her asking the same questions,” Desley explained.

“She said, ‘I’ll ask the same questions, but don’t answer,’ well I had to put my hand over Alfie’s mouth because he kept going to answer!

“They were lovely people, the whole four of them.”

The episode will air on ABC on Tuesday, January 30 at 8:00pm and will be available to stream on ABC iview.

“I’m certainly going to tape it,” Desley said.

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Back Roads host Heather Ewart visited the Burdekin last year to film an episode of the documentary series. Photo supplied: ABC

Neither a new Premier nor a new year have diverted Member for Burdekin Dale Last’s attention away from much-needed medical facilities and services in the Burdekin.

Thousands of signatures and a campaign that ran for several months saw the state’s Health Minister recognise the importance of the equipment which would mean as many as 15 patients a week would no longer need to transferred to Townsville for CT scans outside business hours.

“The response from the Minister was positive but if the Minister thinks we will now sit and wait then she is sadly mistaken,” Mr Last said.  

“This is not the first time we have seen this issue raise its head.  

“We were told that a Business Case was being prepared as the next step and our community deserves an update.

“I said in October that I would keep working on this issue until the machine is in place and patients are receiving their scans in Ayr.  

“I also said I will work cooperatively with the Minister as long as we saw continual progress and I will honour both of those commitments for as long as it takes.”

With forecasts of significant rain in coming days, Mr Last said the wet season brought with it yet another reason for the project to be given the green light.

“While we have seen improvements in some areas of the road network that are closed by flooding it’s almost impossible to flood proof the Bruce Highway,” he said.  

“When the highway is shut the only option to access CT scans for many patients is via a helicopter transfer.

“In addition to ensuring 24-7 access to scans all year round, the installation of a CT Scanner at the Ayr Hospital would mean that, in times of emergency, we are more self-sufficient.  

“It also reduces demand on the rescue helicopter to allow it to focus more on the emergency response.

“Every time I talk to people about this project another reason it needs to happen is identified.  

“I am confident that the business case will support the project and, if it does, the decision to get the project started comes down to political will.

“My preference is that the business case is completed and that funding for the building and equipment is included in the budget in June.  

“Our community deserves access to medical services and facilities that ensure the best outcome and it really shouldn’t take an election to ensure that those services and facilities are on offer.”

Luke O’Brien, formerly of Ayr, has been identified as the victim of a tragic incident that occurred at BHP Mitsubishi Alliance's (BMA) Saraji mine on Monday, January 15.

Mr O’Brien and another worker were working in the fuel-bay area of the open-cut mine around midday when an interaction between two vehicles left the 27-year-old with significant crush injuries.   

He was taken to Dysart Hospital but later died from his injuries. 

Mr O’Brien’s mother, Yvette, shared her heartbreak on social media.

“A piece of my heart has been shattered,” she wrote.

“My baby boy is gone.”

Queensland's regulator for the resources sector, Resources Safety and Health Investigation (RSHQ), has launched an investigation into the incident.

RSHQ CEO Rob Djukic said the death will impact the entire Queensland mining community. 

"We'd like to offer our sincere condolences to the family of the victim, his friends and his co-workers," said Mr Djukic. 

"As soon as we were notified of the incident, we launched an investigation sending multiple investigators and inspectors from our Serious Incident Investigation Unit and Coal Inspectorate to the site.

"We're also working closely with BMA to find out what went wrong and prevent this from happening again."

The Mining and Energy Union released a statement saying the whole mining community is shocked and saddened at news of a fatality.

“We are devastated that a coal miner is not returning home at the end of their shift,” the statement read.

“Our hearts go out to friends and family.

“We offer our deepest thanks to first responders and support to workmates who may be traumatised.”

The union said safety inspectors were also on site to conduct a thorough investigation.  

“We will ensure no stone is left unturned in understanding what has occurred and preventing future fatalities and injuries.”

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Former Ayr man Luke O’Brien was killed in an incident at Saraji mine. Photo supplied: Yvette L O'Brien

PCYC Burdekin’s Get Set For Work Program will assist a new cohort of vulnerable job seekers in 2024 thanks to a renewed funding commitment from the Queensland Government.

The Get Set For Work Program is funded through Skilling Queenslanders for Work, assisting unemployed and underemployed Queenslanders to gain skills, qualifications and experience to either enter or remain in the workforce.

PCYC Burdekin Get Set For Work Program Coordinator Rowan Scott said the funding will allow the Program to build on previous years in assisting the region’s youth.

“It fills that gap for those 15- to 19-year-olds who are disengaged from school and aren’t in work,” he said.

“The three things we chase for an outcome are either getting a job, going back to school or further training.”

The 10-week program provides training for young people in small groups of up to 10 participants, giving them the opportunity to improve their skills and increase their chances of employment.

The program offers practical outcomes and accreditation, assisting participants in attaining skills and qualifications to assist them in the workforce.

Other skills focussed on in the program include team building, work experience, resume and cover letter writing and interview practise.

“We modify it to suit our participants,” Mr Scott said.

“We’re looking at building on what we have got and spending a bit of time looking at what else we can value add to the program in assisting them to get that first job.”

Minister for Training and Skills Development Lance McCallum announced a statewide investment of $51.7 million in targeted and tailored training and employment pathways.

“Queensland businesses need skilled employees across the board, and we are committed to delivering the training needed in areas of demand,” Mr McCallum said.

“The organisations receiving fundings understand their communities and their workforce needs and can make vital connections between job seekers and employers.

“Skilling Queenslanders for Work is helping people overcome the barriers to participation, to acquire new and in-demand skills.”

Enrolments are now open for 2024, with the program due to commence on January 29.

Participants must be 15–19 years of age and able to commit to a 10-week program 5 days a week.

To find out more, contact Mr Scott on 0448 686 648 or email Rowan Scott rowan.scott@pcyc.org.au.

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PCYC Burdekin Get Set For Work Program Coordinator Rowan Scott (left) looks forward to welcoming a new cohort of participants to the program in 2024