A unique radio station often draws the attention of travellers making their way through the Burdekin.

It’s the sweet sounds of Sweet FM, broadcasting from the prestigious old Home Hill courthouse, a building that, similarly, will catch the eye of passersby.

Established in 1999 by the Burdekin Development Council, a sub-committee of the Burdekin Shire Council, and spearheaded by then mayor Beth Honeycombe, Sweet FM has become a trusted radio source, providing region-specific information, advertising, and news to its listeners.

An application was lodged with the Australian Communications and Media Authority for a community radio license however it was declined before the group was issued with a narrowcast license in 1999.

Originally set up in a room at the council chambers, the station soon moving into the old Home Hill Courthouse at the start of 2000 after it was decommissioned in 1990.

Today, the radio station will share information about emergencies, funeral notices after 8:00am on weekdays, as well as a non-denominational religious show from 7:30am Sunday mornings.

Due to its narrowcast license, the array of music heard on Sweet FM is also seldom heard on other stations.

Now with 15-20 volunteers, Station Manager Charlie Scuderi said the station is always looking for new presenters.

“Everyone’s a volunteer, we rely on volunteers to do the live shifts,” he said.

“For some people, it’s brought them out of their shells, for some people, it gets them out of the house, it’s given them another interest, they’ve learnt skills with computers, and they’ve learnt a lot about music.

“Some like to share their knowledge in music, for some it’s just a pure interest in music – very few are here for the glory.”

One role Mr Scuderi is particularly looking to fill is that of salesperson, as Sweet FM is funded entirely through advertising.

The radio station is celebrating 25 years next year, with celebrations planned for September 29, 2024.

For more information on the station, volunteer positions and advertising, visit admin@sweetfm.com.au.

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Sweet FM Station Manager Charlie Scuderi. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie

Our region boasts a rich culture of sporting events and activities, catering to a diverse range of interests and ages. Whether it is football, swimming, netball, basketball, soccer, touch, tennis, or good run, the Burdekin really does have something for everyone.

Sports go beyond just a physical activity – they strengthen our community. They foster camaraderie, friendship, and a sense of belonging. In our local sporting clubs and events, you'll find a warm welcome and a chance to connect with your teammates, creating lasting memories and lifelong friendships.

In addition to our vibrant sporting community, the Burdekin region is a hub for sports tourism, drawing visitors through our exciting carnivals. Attractions such as the Burdekin Aquatic Centre make it an enticing prospect for families, providing a great incentive to bring the whole family along. Sporting events also support the local economy.

Our local sportspeople, from the budding talents to the seasoned champions, deserve recognition and support. The dedication they invest in honing their skills and representing our community on various platforms is inspiring and something the Burdekin should be proud of.

I encourage each and every one of you to get involved. Whether you're playing or cheering from the sidelines, your presence and enthusiasm make a difference.

I extend my gratitude to our local sports clubs, organisers, and volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to make sporting activities in the Burdekin a success. Your hard work and commitment are deeply appreciated.

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Did you know that in the last financial year, your Council convened a total of 23 Ordinary and Special Council Meetings?

Council meetings are open to the public, allowing individuals like you to observe how decisions are made and the reasoning behind them.

In this case, Burdekin Shire Council schedules these meetings on a regular basis, typically every second and fourth Tuesday of each month commencing at 9am at the Council Chambers. This regularity provides predictability councillors, staff and the public enabling them to attend if they wish.

If you're interested in understanding what's on the agenda or what decisions were made during these meetings, you can easily access the Council Agenda and Minutes which are made available on the Council's website, burdekin.qld.gov.au. The agenda outlines the topics and provides reports to be discussed, while the minutes record the decisions made at the meeting. You can find all the information by visiting Council’s website; burdekin.qld.gov.au/.

Members of the community are encouraged to stay informed and engaged with Council's activities by attending these meetings in person or utilising the online resources provided. This involvement allows for a more informed and participatory community.

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Nestled in Chippendale Street, Ayr is the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre, a space for kindness and community connection for all residents of the region.

The centre has been operational for almost 40 years, originally established by volunteers wanting a hub for activity and connection and ultimately funded through the Department of Communities.

“People generally don’t come into the Neighbourhood Centre unless they need something and it’s when they walk through the doors that they realise there’s a whole new world in here,” said Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre Co-ordinator Natalie Saroglia.

The centre focuses on providing a sense of community, social engagement, and access to services for community members.

“We sit in the community development sector where we work with people,” Ms Saroglia said.

“People are the bosses of their own lives, and we just walk alongside them wherever they want to go, whether it’s to access services or they’re lonely and just want to engage in some activities, we provide the links.”

Responding to the needs of the community, the centre provides programs including computer classes, crochet, mahjong, free community legal advice and more.

“A lot of our programming is done with volunteers, so we engage people in the community who have passions for things and are happy to share that,” Ms Saroglia said.

One of the many services found within the centre is Good Shepherd’s Financial Independence Hub, led by Financial Coach Helen Curmi, where she focuses on building financial independence after people have experienced family and domestic violence.

“Financial recovery is a strengths-based program, working with what people’s skills are, defining goals and developing those skills,” Ms Curmi said.

“It’s amazing to see how resilient people are and if you are there to give them that courage and they know you’re going to be walking the path with them, they know that they’re not alone.”

The Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre is seeking volunteers to take on a variety of positions to assist the organisation in moving forward and is holding their AGM on Wednesday, October 25.

Visit Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre on Facebook, call 07 4783 4243 or drop in to 40 Chippendale Street, Ayr for more information.

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Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre Admin Staff Sue and Marisa

Good Shepherd Financial Independence Hub Financial Coach Helen Curmi. Photos supplied

A fun-filled night of fancy dancing and fabulous costumes awaited all and sundry who came to the Clare State School Fancy Dress Ball recently.  

The theme for this year’s ball was ‘Under the Sea’ with students, staff and family members coming dressed as everything imaginable including sharks, mermaids, deep sea divers, jellyfish, turtles, flying fish and many, many more.

A backdrop depicting all of the staff and students dressed up in various aquatic attire made only part of the fabulous decorations that helped transform the undercover basketball court into an underwater wonderland.  

The students had been working all term with their teachers as well as Melissa Torrisi from Simply Dance to choreograph, practice, and perform a number of dances such as ‘The Queensland Barn Dance’, and ‘La Raspa’, which they danced with a member of their family, and their show dance to ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’.

Other crowd favourites included ‘The Macarena’, ‘The Chicken Dance’ and ‘The Nutbush’ allowing everyone to show their sensational dance moves.  

A number of games were also played throughout the night with ‘Knights, Mounts and Cavaliers’ and ‘Limbo’ proving to be very popular.

Midway through the night, the dances were paused to premiere the school’s new music video ‘Let the Cane Fires Burn’ and draw the ‘Biggest Fish on the Reef’ raffle.

“The Fancy Dress Ball is always a great night for the community, and it was made even more special this year with the premiere of the music video and Jaiden Booth’s raffle,” Clare State School Principal Troy Patti said.

“It was great to see the community get together for some fun, have a laugh and just genuinely have a great time.”

Contributed by Clare State School

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Students and staff of Clare State School dressed to impress at their recent Fancy Dress Ball. Photos supplied: Clare State School

The Millaroo State School Kindy has had a very busy Term 3.

In science, they explored sound: how it is created and how it can be changed, even creating some of their very own musical instruments.

Also in science, the class explored light, the source of light and how when light rays are disturbed, shadows are created.

The class learnt about letters and sounds in literacy, while in Maths, students focused on becoming familiar with identifying numerals.

At the start of the term, the Kindy children were learning about farming, designing and created their own farm in the dramatic play area.

Lately, students have been travelling on the train, the Millaroo Express, both to town, events and back to the Millaroo Croc Catching Train station, learning about safety protocols of staying behind the yellow line until the train comes to a complete stop and the door opens.

On September 5, the Kindy children got dressed up in their favourite book character and participated in a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party as part of our Book Week celebrations.

But the most exciting activity for the Kindy children was the planning of a picnic for the older children of the school.

They designed invitations, independently writing names on the envelopes and handing them out to everyone.

The Kindy children also organised the food, where they prepared and cooked some of it, and organising the party games.

The picnic was held on Thursday, September 14, a perfect way to finish off the term.

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It’s been a term of trains, farms, and morning teas at Millaroo Kindy. Photos supplied

The towns of the Burdekin Shire look towards Townsville for all our services. This was not always the case.  We have a new local newspaper, Burdekin Life, whose origins are from the Whitsundays.  Bowen started out as our centre back in 1861 and over the years it has continued to play a roll in our Burdekin lives.

Bowen, established in 1861, was the port of entry to North Queensland.  From Bowen, settlers and their supplies moved out into the country side.  The township of Wickham was established at the mouth of the Burdekin River for landing people and supplies along with Hamilton’s Crossing (Clare) on the Burdekin River.  The first paper that would have found its way to the Burdekin was the Port Denison’s Times whose owner and editor was Mr Raynor. Ayr, Brandon, and Clare were surveyed and established in 1882. One of the first businesses of Ayr was a store owned by Donald Miller whose headquarters were in Bowen. This building was on the corner of Queen and Young Streets today. His son Alex managed the business for a few years. Millers were in Ayr up till about 1901 when they sold out as the railway was opening up between Townsville and Ayr.  Many people settled on the new sugar-cane farms from Bowen.  

In the 1890’s another Bowenite, Mr William Henry Darwin came to work in Burdekin. He later became the owner of the Bowen Independent.  Some of his family and their descendants still live in the Burdekin today. The Cunningham Family of Strathmore in the Collinsville had a large land holding in the Ayr District from the late 1880’s until they shifted their headquarters to Strathmore in the early 1900’s. Ayr has a street named Cunningham Street near to the old Ayr Turf Racing track in South Ayr.

The Lands Department was based in Bowen until the 1890’s when it shifted to Townsville. Another interesting factor to our history and Bowen.  People born, married, and died in Home Hill were registered in Bowen up until the 1970’s. If you lived in Ayr, Townsville was the Register of Birth Deaths and Marriages.  A few years ago, we were in the Federal Electorate of Herbert based in Townsville. Today we live in the Federal Electorate of Dawson, based in Mackay. In the 1920’s some of our sugar was shipped through Bowen instead of Townsville.

Our history began from Bowen and we are still connected to Bowen.    Many Burdekinites have holiday homes in Bowen, Proserpine, and the Whitsundays.

If anyone would like to share some stories of your life and events of the Burdekin Shire in Burdekin Life, the Burdekin Life newspaper would like to hear from you.  

Contributed by Glenis Cislowski

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Grubb and Foote Shop in Queen Street, Ayr. Photo supplied

Cane farmers could dramatically reduce herbicide costs and Reef run-off thanks to an innovative new crop sprayer project led by James Cook University (JCU).

Designed in partnership with JCU researchers, agricultural technology company AutoWeed and Sugar Research Australia, the machine uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and spray weeds, such as nutgrass, in a cane paddock, delivering greater efficiency than conventional blanket spraying methods.

Lead project researcher Associate Professor Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi said the first phase of testing the machine over 30 hectares of paddocks with low to medium weed infestations in the Burdekin region had been extremely successful.

“Our method is 97 per cent as effective as blanket spraying in weed knock-down – while reducing herbicide usage by an average of 35 per cent across those 30 hectares,” he said.

“In the best cases where weed infestation has been lower, we have saved up to 65 per cent in herbicide usage.

“This is a win for the environment and a win for growers.”

A water quality assessment produced by Sugar Research Australia during testing also found that paddocks which used the AutoWeed AI sprayer reduced their chemical concentration in water run-off by an average of 46 per cent.

“That means better water quality and a healthier Reef,” Associate Prof Azghadi said.

“At the same time, because farmers can spray more efficiently through AutoWeed spot-spraying technology, they may see additional operational improvement and cost-saving, compared to blanket spraying.”

Associate Prof Azghadi said the machine had been fed thousands of paddock images with and without weeds in order to train the AI algorithm to properly identify them.

“In the field, the AI model will then see a similar image via its cameras and because it has learned what a weed looks like, it will activate the sprayer only when needed,” he said.

Phase two of prototype testing has already begun on another 45 hectares of paddocks in the Burdekin, in addition to the team collecting more weed images in the Mackay-Whitsunday and Wet Tropics regions.

The project involves JCU researchers Associate Prof Azghadi, Dr Bronson Philippa and Dr Alzayat Saleh, AutoWeed’s Dr Alex Olsen and Jake Wood, Sugar Research Australia’s Terry Granshaw and Emilie Fillols and DAF’s Caleb Connolly and Mark Poggio.

By James Cook University

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The AutoWeed AI sprayer, co-developed by JCU, in action on a farm in the Burdekin. Photo supplied

Growers will receive additional support against fall armyworm with a nationally coordinated program to reduce the pest’s population and its impact.

Led by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and delivered with co-investment from Hort Innovation, the $2.1 million initiative will arm vegetable growers with the tools and knowledge they need to wage war on the ravenous pest.

The program will generate shared knowledge about the pest and its management through regionally based area-wide management groups, on-farm activities and workshops.

Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries senior scientist Dr Heidi Parkes said the program brings research and industry experience in fall armyworm management from across Australia and the globe to multi-industry growing regions nationally.

“Workshops and learning activities with industry will be underpinned by world-class research to ensure impacted growers are getting the most up to date information available,” she said.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the initiative demonstrates the Queensland Government’s commitment to delivering a successful and integrated fall armyworm management strategy.

“Our growers are on the front line when it comes to managing fall armyworm, so it is important that we support them with science-based practical management tools,” he said.

“Getting the science right is vital, and it is just as important to get the right information about fall armyworm management into the hands of our farmers.

“This program will ensure they can easily access the latest industry information and resources to maximise their efforts against this pest.”

Hort Innovation chief executive officer Brett Fifield said that fall armyworm is here to stay.

“We are equipping the vegetable industry with what they need to reduce the pest’s impact while remaining productive and profitable,” Mr Fifield said.

“This program will accelerate our response towards the pest by rapidly bringing cutting edge science into vegetable growers management tool kits, advancing best practice management for vegetable growers and ensuring this new knowledge is communicated widely.”

To date, fall armyworm has caused significant crop losses in sweet corn, maize and sorghum. A number of other horticultural, grain and fodder crops have been impacted to a lesser degree.

Discussions are underway with grains and cotton industries to expand the program to broadacre crops grown in regions with vegetables to enhance area-wide management of this pest.

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Year 11 student Brooke Smith has two different school uniforms in her wardrobe – one for Ayr State High School and, the other, a set of hi-vis clothing and steel-cap boots for Wilmar Sugar and Renewables.

As part of an initiative to build a diverse and talented workforce, Brooke has become the company’s first school-based apprentice.

Since the start of the second semester, Brooke’s classroom every Thursday is the Pioneer Mill Centralised Workshop in the Burdekin region.

Training Superintendent Daniel Shipard said the inaugural school-based apprenticeship was another example of Wilmar’s commitment to youth training and development.

“We had a boilermaking apprenticeship still available from our 2023 recruitment drive and thought it would be good to use the position to trial a school-based apprenticeship,” he said.

“We approached Ayr State High School directly and targeted Year 11 students.”

“Candidates were put through a similar recruitment process to that undertaken by our full- time apprentices.”

Mr Shipard said Brooke’s part-time apprenticeship saw her attend Pioneer Mill one day a week and normal school for the rest of the week during school terms.

“When Brooke completes Year 12 next year, the intention is that she will roll straight into a full-time apprenticeship,” he said.

“Typically, a school-based apprenticeship equates to about six months of a full-time apprenticeship, so Brooke will have a good head start into her trade training by the time she finishes school.”

Brooke has long had aspirations of attaining a trade, with her original plan to become a fitter and turner like her dad, Chris, who is also based at Pioneer Mill.

“When the chance to do a school-based boilermaking apprenticeship came up, I thought it was a great opportunity to try something new and learn different skills,” she said.

“I’m excited to be part of the Wilmar team.”

Brooke’s Mum, Casey, also works for Wilmar, as a loco driver at Pioneer Mill.

Mr Shipard said Brooke’s apprenticeship would be monitored closely, with a view to

extending the program to Wilmar’s other milling regions in the future.

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables is one of Queensland’s largest apprenticeship providers. Its apprenticeship program is also one of the most successful in Australia, with an average completion rate of 98 per cent.

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Brooke Smith trades out her school uniform for Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ high-vis clothing and steel-cap boots once a week. Photos supplied: Wilmar

School-based apprentice Brooke Smith does some grinding under the supervision of Pioneer Mill Work Coordinator Alan Chatfield

A proud Chris and Casey Smith with daughter Brooke at Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Pioneer Mill in the Burdekin region

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RuralQuip began its life as a small steel fabrication business on Rossiter Street in the 1940’s. Following the purchase by Robert Oar in 1982, the business was moved to the industrial estate and renamed “RuralQuip” in 1989.

A small industrial supplies retail outlet was set up in a front room, with the remainder of the building dedicated to steel sales and fabrication.

Following significant growth in retail and steel sales, the fabrication portion of the business was leased out in 1998, allowing for focus to be on the growth of those parts of the business.

This focus resulted in sales figures now being 64 times that of original figures, with year-on-year growth continuing to this day.

Robert is proud to say that RuralQuip “has not had a bad year in the last 40 years.”

This can be attributed to Rural Quip offering a range of products that is not normally seen in a rural town, the aim being to reduce costs incurred to customers when having to source items from all over town and further afield.  

A truck delivery service, special orders and industrial gas outlet are also services provided to support customers both locally and surrounding areas.

The years spent building the business have come with many memorable moments.  

Robert recalls the construction of the Burdekin Dam as one such moment.

“We had a team of over 20 working onsite, demonstrating professionalism and quality of service and workmanship on par with much larger contractors.”

Jobs such as this have served to cement RuralQuip’s reputation in local business, agriculture and heavy industry as reliable and professional.

Check out their range at 3 Bird St, Ayr, with something for everyone.

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The team of RuralQuip. Photo Credit: Sam Gillespie

Simon Hood

Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing

By choosing Wilmar as your GEI marketer, you are choosing to work with a leading global sugar trader. This gives you direct exposure to insights to the world sugar trade backed by in- depth analysis of international supply and demand fundamentals that ultimately determine price outcomes.

For growers who use Call and Target pricing, access to this research and analysis is a comparative advantage when making pricing decisions for forward crops. This is backed up by an experienced and educated Grower Marketing team who can assist you with understanding the nuance of price determinants. A highlight of the marketing year is the presentation from our global sugar traders, Peter Bingham and Neil Foo, who always draw a large crowd to their events.

For growers who prefer to price their GEI exposure through the pooling mechanisms, Wilmar provides a couple of options. The most popular is the Production Risk Pool which allows growers to commit some, or all, of the GEI tonnes without the concern of washouts if they cannot deliver due to unforeseen circumstances.

For the past couple of years, the Production Risk Pool has returned excellent results, outperforming the comparable competitor pool by $40/t IPS. The 2023 season is shaping up the same way with the current forecast price being $913/t IPS. A Managed Pool is also offered that allows growers to participate in the pool that Wilmar uses to market the GEI exposure from their own farms’ production.

Another popular benefit that is widely used by growers who market with us is the Pre-Season Payment. This facility allows growers to receive a pre-payment of the 2024 crush proceeds from mid-January 2024. The standard advance is $5/t of nominated cane tonnes. So, from 10 January 2024, a 20,000 tonne grower can nominate to receive the payment by checking a box on GrowerWeb and 10 days later $100,000 is deposited in their bank account. Interest is currently advised at 5.25% but will be reviewed on December 1, 2023. The facility is repaid as your crush income is generated.

Remember you have a choice of marketers, or you can split your nomination. If you would like to learn more about our pricing and payment options please contact our Grower Marketing consultants, Meghan Wilson on 0437 669 118 or Fiona Villis on 0437 297 978.

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Growers who market with Wilmar can tap into a global network of sugar market intelligence. Pictured, from left, are Senior Sugar Trader Neil Foo Zhizhou, Manager Grower Marketing Simon Hood, General Manager Commercial Mark Greenwood, Risk Manager Bevan Patterson and Senior Sugar Trader Peter Bingham

Water is an important part of the Burdekin’s identity, so it’s important to ensure that the health of the waterways is well maintained for generations of fish and fishers to come.

OzFish is a not-for-profit community organisation made up of members of the recreational fishing community collaborating with other organisations and fishers to improve fish habitat.

The organisation’s North Queensland Chapter incorporates waterways in Townsville, the Burdekin and Ingham and has a variety of ongoing projects with the help of local volunteers.

“We predominantly operate in the freshwater and the estuaries, so I’m usually working in the wetlands, the creeks, sometimes in the mangroves,” said OzFish Senior Project Manager North Queensland Dr Geoff Collins.

Dr Collins leads two projects in the Burdekin region, firstly by working with Lower Burdekin Water to monitor their fishways.

A fishway is a construction often made of concrete and rocks to simulate a stream allowing fish to migrate up a system.

“The fishways are important for opening up more habitat upstream so the fish can access more habitat which will basically help to increase their overall capacity in the system and increase the species’ richness in the systems,” said Dr Collins.

“The oldest one in the Burdekin is just north of Brandon straight opposite the mill, that was the first one ever built, but there’s quite a few others now.”

The second major project in the Burdekin involves Dr Collins developing a method to sample fish in the waterways just by collecting water samples.

“We do that by collecting five samples at a waterway, sending them to the lab, they’ll extract the DNA in that sample and amplify it,” he said.

“If you’ve done a good enough representative sample, you can basically get a good picture of what’s in a waterway just by taking a water sample.”

BCF is a major partner with OzFish and BCF Ayr Manager Laurinda George is heavily involved as one of five local volunteers.

“It gives our team that confidence to talk about what is happening in our local waterways and how we can work towards improving the waterways and understand the quality,” Ms George said.

Ms George said the North Queensland chapter is always looking for more volunteers.

“It’s not like we have a lot to be done but more hands would be great,” she said.

To find out more about volunteering or donating to OzFish, visit ozfish.org.au or visit BCF Ayr.

“Every dollar that people donate through BCF, BCF actually matches, and that money goes to supporting OzFish locally,” Ms George said.

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Local volunteers assist in monitoring local waterways. Photo supplied

Servicing a range of heavy vehicles, from large trucks to school buses and garbage trucks, the experienced team at Pyott’s Mechanical can fix and maintain almost any vehicle, keeping you on the road and moving forward.

Priding themselves on the extensive knowledge of their team, Pyott’s can find almost any spare part for your vehicle and can manufacture a range of hoses that will get your hydraulic system back working efficiently again.

A local family business, Pyott’s is owned and operated by Ashley Pyott and his wife Danielle.

Ashley began working at the site as an apprentice when he was just 15 years old and, over the last 13 years, has worked his way up, renting the business at first and, for the past seven years, owning it.

Located on the outskirts of town on a convenient two-acre plot that offers a wide turning circle for larger vehicles, Pyott’s is dedicated to providing an efficient, easily accessible service for all its customers.

“We offer a full service and parts,” said Ashley.

“And we also aim for the quickest turnaround possible which keeps our customers happy.”

The mechanic of choice for both government, local council and large commercial operators, Pyott’s maintains all the local school buses, garbage trucks and Ergon Energy vehicles.

Under Ashley and Danielle’s guidance the business has expanded significantly over the years.

In the beginning they had just two mechanics and now they also have three apprentices, two tradesman, two office staff and two spare parts interpreters.

“We’ve got really experienced staff here,” said Ashley.

“Our tradesmen have been in the business a long time and my dad is also here working as a spare parts interpreter – it’s great to have their wealth of knowledge on the team.”

Pyott’s sell both oil and fuel to a range of vehicles from big to small and invite the community to call in and say hi – from your auto-electrical needs to hydraulic hoses – they’ve got you covered and will always get you back on the road again as soon as possible.

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There are approximately 3,000km between Port Douglas and Adelaide and Giru residents Brad and Kerry Garner plan to complete the trip in seven days.

Not only that, but they’re also doing it in a ‘shitbox’, as part of the Shitbox Rally, raising money for the National Health and Medical Research Council.

“It (the car) can’t be over the value of $1,500, which is why it’s a shitbox,” laughed Brad.

Brad and Kerry, who have called their team ‘Gunn Ado’s’, had already raised over $20,000 at the time of writing, contributing to the Spring 2023 total of over $2 million.

It was around this time last year that Brad and Kerry Garner first came across the Shitbox Rally.

“We passed a heap of cars this time last year coming home from a country race meeting and Googled it, found out about it, found out what they support and thought we’d have a go,” said Kerry.

“We thought it sounded like a bit of fun.”

The Shitbox Rally is a tri-annual event challenging participants to traverse the country in a vehicle worth no more than $1,500 all to raise funds to support cancer research.

“When we saw that it raises money for cancer, that was a big thing for us because we’ve had a lot of people affected, everybody knows someone, and someone’s always being affected,” said Brad.

Brad and Kerry are one of 250 teams taking on the challenge in Spring, leaving Port Douglas on Saturday, October 14.

Brad said they were lucky to get the Shitbox that they did, an old Ford ute.

“The very good people at Griggs Haulage Contractors had this old bomb sitting in the backyard not being used and the minute they heard we were in it the said, ‘Have the car,’” he said.

“We had to get it roadworthy, and we’ve been tweaking it a bit, it’s got new tyres and rims.”

“The air conditioner doesn’t work and we’re going from Port Douglas to Adelaide, inland through Birdsville,” laughed Kerry.

The pair are eager for the challenge, however, and looking forward to making lifelong friends in the process.

“When I have a look at all the other rallies, it just looks like so much fun,” said Brad.

“Even when you break down and everyone helps you, you make friends for life.

“There’s nights where we don’t even have showers, we’re sleeping in a swag every night and we’re used to a caravan so you’re putting yourself outside your comfort zone which is something to look forward to.”

The week also involves an ‘Honour Day’ where participants can honour a friend or family member and Brad and Kerry will be taking pig ropes for Gary Corradi, a friend of theirs who passed away approximately 10 years ago.

“It was such a big thing in this town,” said Kerry.

“He was sick for a long time; his kids grew up with our kids.”

The Giru and Burdekin community spirit has shone through, and Brad and Kerry have thanked everyone for their support while fundraising including Griggs Haulage Contractors, Giru International Hotel, EDMS Australia, the Giru Store, CivilPlus Constructions and Wilmar Sugar.

The avid travellers are looking forward to a trip of a lifetime as well as the challenge that follows: the drive back from Adelaide to Giru.

To learn more and to donate, visit spring2023.shitboxrally.com.au/gunn-ados.

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Brad and Kerry thanked local businesses for their support. Photo credit: Sam Gillespie