Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
A field of 21 eager young golfers braved a chilly morning on Sunday, June 7, to contest the highly anticipated Ayr Juniors Closed Championships for 2026. Despite the cool start, the local talent turned up the heat on the pristine Ayr golf course, delivering exceptional performances across all divisions. Taking out the major honors for the year, Harvey Mauro was crowned the 2026 3-Hole Champion, while Nash Christie secured the 6-Hole Championship title. In the 9-hole division, Oscar Mahoney proved too strong for the competition, claiming the 2026 9-Hole Championship. In the sub-categories, the 3-hole division saw Royce Cohen take home the Nett winner title, with Micah Kemp sinking the longest putt and Zach Marchesini recording the least putts. The 6-hole division was dominated by Nash Fuller, who claimed both the Nett winner title and the least putts accolade. Tyler Smith also found form, winning the nearest the pin prize. In the 9-hole field, Dayne Weston was named the Nett winner. Weston shared the least putts honor with 9-hole champion Oscar Mahoney, who also picked up the nearest the pin award. Organizers deemed the day a massive success, extending their congratulations to all competitors for their sportsmanship and fun-first attitude. The event was proudly supported by local businesses, with the club extending its sincere thanks to Oar and Horan Dentists, alongside Sushi Rocks, for their generous sponsorship of the championship day.
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Kate Casswell’s Home Hill team, with a bit of help from Michelle Jones of Townsville and Joyce Morris from Bowen, played out some tough rounds to come up with the Tier One Intermediate win. Photo credit: Jacob Casha The 2026 Cane Country Cup pickleball team event did not disappoint. The event named after Heather Hewit’s edition of Home Hill’s Back Roads started the day with the courts covered in black snow. How appropriate! 28 teams participated in 4 different divisions with Home Hill connections in every section. Teams travelled from Cape Gloucester to Tully with some staying overnight and enjoying some social play and a meal afterwards. Contributed with thanks to Kate Casswell Black Snow and Big Smashes at 2026 Cane Country Cup In the Advanced Competitive section, Hannah Casswell’s team was pipped at the post by Darren Hutchenson’s team from Townsville picking up second place. In Tier one Intermediate Kate Casswell’s Home Hill team with a bit of help from Michelle Jones of Townsville and Joyce Morris from Bowen played some tough and close rounds to come up with the win. In the Social section, Merv Mohr and Tracey Groom’s teams picked up first and second place respectively. It was refreshing to see and hear the enthusiasm for the sport, with lots of laughs coming from the competitors. Home Hill members put on a fantastic spread of food which will no doubt be remembered long after all the bad shots are forgotten. Thanks go to all the sponsors, donors and especially the volunteers who helped make this event happen. Organiser Kate Casswell said that Pickleball was the real winner with everyone agreeing that it was a great day. Results Advanced Competitive 1st 297 points Pickle me dink Darren Hutchenson Townsville 2nd 253 points Pickle d’Lulu Hannah Casswell Townsville 3rd 231 points Leyton’s Larrikans Townsville Tier 1 Intermediate 1st 235 points In a pickle Kate Casswell Home Hill 2nd 208 points Let’s Get Pickled Rob Dunn Bowen 3rd Tie 207 points Michael Northwood Dink and Dive Home Hill and Faramade Fours dinks and a point Townsville Tier 2 Intermediate 1st 239 points Trish Harley Holey Dinkballs Townsville 2nd 228 points Fantastic Forehand Trish Harley Townsville 3rd 223 points Extra Pickles Susan Kalemba Townsville Social 1st 292 points Green and Pickled Merv Mohr Home Hill 2nd 283 points Sandy Slammers Tracey Groom Home Hill 3rd 275 points Social Dinkers Lori Morris Bowen Fair Play Trophy Social Dinkers Bowen Gloucester Gherkins Cape Gloucester Contributed with thanks to Kate Casswell
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Seniors Not a good weekend for the Burdekin Panthers. The Club had all five senior teams in action winning just two matches. The Premiers and Reserves were at home to League Leaders Brothers with the Premiers losing 0-2 and the Reserves losing 1-2. The Division 1 and Division 2 teams were at away to Wulguru with the Division 1 losing 0-6 however, the Division 2 won 5-0. The Colts away to Saints Eagles South also won 5-0. This week just four teams are in action. On Friday, the Division 1 and Division 2 teams are away to Estates at 8.30.and 6.30. On Saturday the Premiers and Reserves are at home to Riverway JCU at 7.00 and 5.00 with the Mooney Cup kicking off at 4.00. The Colts have the Bye this week. Premiers – Ayr Anzac Club After their previous meeting with Brothers, there was a strong desire within the team to make amends and produce a better performance. The Panthers started the game brightly, controlling possession and dictating much of the play. Despite their dominance, it was Brothers who struck first, scoring against the run of play to take a 1–0 lead. While the Panthers continued to move the ball well and spend long periods in possession, they were unable to convert their control into clear-cut opportunities. The second half followed a similar pattern. The Panthers continued to dominate possession and created a handful of promising chances but couldn’t find the finishing touch. Brothers then doubled their lead from a set piece, making it 2–0 and giving themselves a significant advantage. To the Panthers credit, they continued to press, work hard, and try to force their way back into the contest. However, despite their efforts and control of the ball for large portions of the game, they were unable to find a breakthrough, with the match finishing 2–0 in Brothers’ favour. Reserves – Burdekin Tyre Service Against Brothers it was a case of what should have been for this match. Burdekin was dominant in possession and position for most of the match but could not manage the win. Brothers had three shots on goal for the match and scored twice. Burdekin had sixteen shots and only found the net once. The fact that the Panthers outplayed the top of the table team is pleasing, but they let themselves down by not finishing off our chances and scoring goals. Division 1 – Austral Masonry Two goals down at half time to Wulguru, the Panthers were arguably still in with a chance. However, a third goal shortly after the restart put the Panthers out of the game and Wulguru scored three goals in fifteen minutes towards the end of the half and at the final whistle the Panthers had lost 0-6. Division 2 - RG Customs The Funkies won 5-0 against bottom placed Wulguru in a game Burdekin dominated from start to finish. Jared Giardina and Simon Scuderi scored early goals before Burdekin’s weekly struggles in front of goal continued. After the break Chris Achille netted a double, before Riley Granshaw finished off the rout with a goal of the year contender. Granshaw looks primed for a big season ahead. The Funkies move up into 4th position at the halfway mark of the season. Colts – Astute Against Saints Eagles Souths the Colts started slowly and ,went into half time just 1-0 up with a late goal from Cooper Kross. After half time the Colts woke up and took control of the game, with goals coming from Jhett Jones, Brayden Card and another two goals from Cooper Kross. The game finished with a 5-0 win, and they have a bye this weekend. Masters The Masters were down on numbers but in good conditions featured a re-play of the recent Australia v Mexico friendly. Mexico won again, 4-3 after being 0-3 down! Best players on the night were Gary Roser and Nataniel Ek. The Magic Moment was Riley Granshaw’s header straight at the Red goalkeeper from one meter, saved. The Masters play every Monday night. All players are welcome, male, and female, useful and hopeless, halt and lame. Be there, International Park for 6.30 Kick Off. Juniors Junior soccer was greeted by a chilly start on Saturday morning, but that didn’t stop the action on the field. Burdekin FC hosted home games across all age groups, with teams from Townsville travelling down to take part in a fantastic day of football for our U8–U12 players. Despite the cool conditions, players showed great enthusiasm, teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day. It was wonderful to see so many families supporting from the sidelines and helping create a great atmosphere. We look forward to another exciting week of training and games ahead. The Under15’s were at home to MA Olympic. It was a scoreless match during the first half but the second half saw the Panthers take the lead with a goal by one of their newest players, Levi Cremona with an assist from Cecil Badza Gwarada. Cecil also scored later in the half. MAO got one goal past Connor Griggs, but he had been fantastic throughout the match saving many. The Under 15s won the match 2-1 taking them now to outright leaders on the ladder. National The Matildas had two friendlies against Mexico lined up. In the first on 6th June in Newcastle, they lost 0-1 and they play the second 9th June in Sydney. International In the World Cup department, the Socceroos played another friendly match, against Switzerland, drawing 1-1 in a final warm up game before the World Cup begins. Australia’s first Group D match is against Turkey in Vancouver on the 14th of June. They then play the USA in Seattle on 20th June and Paraguay in San Francisco on 26th June. Quote the of the Week is from film star Raquel Welch after a visit to a Chelsea match. “What they say about footballers being ignorant is rubbish. I spoke to a couple yesterday and they were quite intelligent.”
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The NQ Touch Association will host a North Queensland Touch Football Carnival in Townsville on September 12–13, marking the return of the event after a seven-year break. Divisions will include Men’s and Women’s Open, Mixed Open, Men’s Over 30 and Over 45, Women’s Over 27 and Over 40, and Mixed Over 30. Players wishing to nominate should place their names on the registration sheets located on the Touch canteen noticeboard. Teams will be formed and coaches appointed once sufficient numbers are confirmed. Coutts Commercial Tavern Round 13 results Seniors – Men[Text Wrapping Break] Alliance Pharmacy 11 (C Power 3, S Power 3, J Power 2, J Olsen 2) def Baywatch 5 (T Marshall 2, E Henaway 2).[Text Wrapping Break] Nrgize 2 def His Haas 0.[Text Wrapping Break] Way To Go 8 (B Palmer 5, L Williams 2) def Wires Down 2.[Text Wrapping Break] Burdekin PCYC 8 (G Dau 3) def Touch N Go 3.[Text Wrapping Break] Slush Puppies 8 (D LeBlowitz 4, A Shield 2) def Royal Touch 5 (A Miller 2).[Text Wrapping Break] Renegades 7 (R Petersen 4) def Petrol Heads 2.[Text Wrapping Break] Creampuffs 6 (O Cavanagh 2, L Lampton 2) def Ball Grabbers 3 (B DiBella 2).[Text Wrapping Break] Feelers 6 (D Butler 3) def Blue Murder 4 (R Smith 3). Women[Text Wrapping Break] Lasers 8 (B Lennox 3) def Silly Soft Serves 1.[Text Wrapping Break] First in Physio 10 (S Monday 5, L Trindle 3, M Nauqe 2) def Chick Flicks 4 (A Brown 2).[Text Wrapping Break] Eathorne’s Princesses 3 def Salty Sirens 0. Under 14s[Text Wrapping Break] Rockies 5 (L Leavitt 2) def Broncos 1.[Text Wrapping Break] Baywatch 9 (Julie 3) def Red Dogs 2 2.[Text Wrapping Break] Red Dogs 1 4 (A Sgroi 2) drew Silly Soft Serves 4 (T Chapman 2).[Text Wrapping Break] Chicken Burgers 10 def Cowboys 1. Contributed by Peter Knapton
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Home Hill Community Sports Club President Trevor Elton (right) and wife Judy (middle) being honoured with a Certificate of Service to Volunteering, presented by North Queensland volunteer group representative John Clark (left). Photo supplied
On Thursday May 30, 2026, club members and visiting players gathered to witness Home Hill Community Sports Club President Trevor Elton and wife Judy being honoured with a Certificate of Service to Volunteering, presented by John Clark, representative from the North Queensland volunteer group.
Over the past five years, both Trevor and Judy have tirelessly dedicated their time and service to building and developing the club into what is now a successful and prosperous community hub that offers a diversity of activities for the community to enjoy.
In return for this recognition, both Trevor and Judy fully acknowledge the support, work, and role that fellow men and women members contribute to all aspects of running a successful community club. Members extend their congratulations to Trevor and Judy for a job well done.
Wednesday night bowls and Hot Shot darts continue to be popular. On the green, three games of triples were played, including club juniors Lincoln McDowell, Karen Linton, and Connor Linton. It is great to see these youngsters continuing to enjoy the game. For families in the community, it would be great to see more juniors come and join them, with the opportunity also there for mum and dad to enjoy a game as well.
This week the green has been busy with Club Championship games played on Sunday, Saturday, Wednesday night, and Thursday. The first competition game on Sunday saw Michael Young and Bob Young take a win over Gary Nosworthy and Austin Davenport. Reports indicate the game was close throughout, with the last end proving decisive.
Saturday saw Hugh Montgomery and Des Chapman compete against Sandra Darwin and Joslyn Defranciscis, with Sandra and Joslyn taking the win. The ladies were too strong on the day.
Thursday club bowls saw the Triples final between Glenn Berriman, Les Hoey, and Paul against Trevor Elton, Mick McCluskey, and Judy Elton, with Berriman’s team taking the win. It was another close encounter, decided by just one point on the final end. Congratulations to all winners.
General club play saw two games of pairs and three games of triples. On Rink Two, Hugh Montgomery and Bob Pickard played Geoff Taylor and Maureen Marsden in what turned out to be a lucky win for the Montgomery team, having held a healthy lead for most of the game before eventually winning by one point.
On Rink Four, Gordon Braid, Michael Young, and Margaret Chapman came home against Joe Linton, Joslyn Defranciscis, and Betty Young. On Rink Five, John Hobson, Jo Roser, and Miriam Black were successful against Gary Nosworthy, Gary Schuler, and Bob Young. Hobson’s driving talent proved the turning point.
On Rink Six, Bruce McCallum, Des Chapman, and Rob Piva had a strong win over Alex Bojac, Dino Poli, and Dave Harbison. On Rink Seven, Phil Marsden and Rodney Black had a close win within two points over Keith Roser and Janet Arthur.
Congratulations to all winning teams, and to the losing teams, there is always next week.
To our visitors Rodney Black, Miriam Black, and Harbison, we extend a warm welcome and trust you have enjoyed your Home Hill experience.
Supplied by Bob Pickard
Four points was the difference in the Burdekin Roosters’ chance of a clean sweep over the Herbert River Crushers in Ingham last Saturday.
The under 19s opened the day strongly, finishing with a dominant second half to record a 44–16 win. The reserves, however, led 22–4 at halftime before falling away in a dramatic 32–28 loss. A Grade closed the day with a composed 26–18 victory, leading from start to finish.
Coach Steve Lansley praised the A Grade side for continuing their strong away form, claiming a third straight win built on disciplined attack and solid defence. The Roosters raced to an early lead, built a 16-point buffer, and held firm under second-half pressure as the Crushers mounted a comeback.
Standouts included Cooper Fletcher (front row), Jake O’Brien (centre) and Nemia Nawave (second row), who led through work rate and impact. Terry Connors crossed twice, with further tries to Tamu Rupena, Adam Cameron and O’Brien. Jye Olsen added two goals.
Attention now turns to Old Boys Day this weekend, where the Roosters host Brothers in a major clash. A Grade face second-placed Brothers at 6pm after earlier under 19 and reserve grade matches.
Reserve grade produced a game of two halves. The Roosters led 22–4 at the break after strong attacking football, but conceded early in the second half as momentum swung to the Crushers.
Herbert River eventually took the lead late, before hooker Ron Geia scored to put the Roosters back in front, with Dylan Doak converting. However, the Crushers struck in the final minute to snatch a 32–28 win.
Coach Peter Horan was disappointed, saying the side “forgot about defence” after halftime. Best players included Ron Geia, Harvey Horan, Kane Dyne, Kurtis Cox and Calem Saxby. Cox scored two tries, Doak two, with one each to Geia and Llama Ghee. Doak kicked two goals.
The under 19s overcame a slow, physical first half to trail 16–10 at the break before completely dominating the second half, running in 34 unanswered points to win 44–16.
Coach Alf Cantarella urged his side to use width and speed, with centre Kirk Viero exploiting space to score three tries. Hooker Jack Power controlled the ruck and also crossed, while Chad Fraser guided the attack and kicked five goals.
Other try scorers included Tyreece Trindle (2), Riley Smith, Jack Power and Brody Scrivener, with K.J. Zaro also adding a goal-kicking contribution.
Recently, the Davenport family—Ryan and Holly and their three children—received devastating news regarding the health of their two-year-old son, Rowen.
Ryan has been a Rooster for some 25 years, rising to A Grade captain, while his parents John and Jean have held positions at the club for several seasons, with John a life member. Holly’s family, Rick and Leanne Gudge, have also been part of the Roosters community for many years.
This Saturday, at the conclusion of the A Grade game, a giant auction will be held featuring a number of jerseys, including every Queensland NRL team jersey and Maroons jerseys, all signed, as well as others such as South Sydney and Parramatta.
The club hopes to raise a significant amount of money to support the Davenport family, as expenses are expected to be substantial.
Contributed by Brian Carnes
Last year’s Home Hill representatives pose in front of the freshly unveiled Home Hill Tennis Association amenities block. Photo credit: Jacob Casha
The Sugar Bowl’s little sister, the Cane Country Cup pickleball team event, will get underway this Sunday 7 June from 8am to approximately 3.30pm.
A strong field of 29 teams will battle it out in Home Hill, making for one of the biggest editions of the event to date.
The competition will be split into four divisions from Advanced through to Social as a result of an increase in numbers.
Teams will compete across Men’s doubles, Ladies doubles and two Mixed doubles matches, taking on every team within their division.
Competitors are travelling from as far as Cardwell to Cape Gloucester and everywhere in between. The Advanced division features players who have medalled at Queensland Pickleball tournaments this year, promising high-quality match-ups.
Spectators should keep an eye out for Townsville’s Darren Hutchinson and his team “Pickle Me Dink”, while last year’s winners “Pickle d’Lulu”, led by Hannah Casswell, return to defend their title. Local interest will also be strong, with Home Hill’s Laurel Blucher, a multiple Home Hill Tennis Open winner in the 1980s, featuring in Leyton’s Larrikans.
Home Hill is represented by six mixed teams, with a strong focus on camaraderie and enjoyment.
Prizes will be awarded for best team spirit, recognising sportsmanship, teamwork and camaraderie on and off the court. Creative team names such as the Crafty Cassowaries, Cardwell Crocs, Gloucester Gherkins and Pickled Mangoes will add to the atmosphere.
Visitors are welcome to attend and support the Home Hill Tennis event and discover the sport of pickleball.
Contributed with thanks to HHTA Secretary Kate Casswell
A great break by Tyce Cursio and off-load to K J Zaro led to the smart five-eighth scoring the first of seven tries by the Burdekin Roosters as they overwhelmed the Herbert River Crushers at Bendigo Bank Park last Friday night 36 to 18 in Under 19s.
The match was played as a catch-up to the round two match when the game was shifted to last Friday.
The local boys, under the coaching of Alf Cantarella, turned it on especially in the first half in front of a big crowd to move into second place on the ladder behind Brothers but ahead of Centrals and Herbert River.
Led by their forwards with Kenny Southwell, Mason Kiehne, Leylan Lampton and Jack Power standing out, the team was just too fast for the opposition River boys.
Jack Power was just too quick and slippery for Ingham, cutting through for two great tries.
Another who did not cross for a try but set up a couple with his elusiveness was lock Tyce Cursio, who caused the Ingham defence plenty of trouble.
While the forwards paved the way, the backs made good use of the room, with half Chad Fraser one of the best on ground.
Chad was well supported by K J Zaro, Kirk Viero, Riley Smith and Tyreece Trindle, with young fullback Logan Guglielmania chiming in.
Coach Alf Cantarella said his team started the game well, putting points on the board.
Alf said they did fall away a bit in the second half after leading 22–0 at the break, actually losing the second session 18 to 14.
Herbert River received a few extra penalties in the second half and, with the extra ball, made good use of it.
The local boys though did not panic and actually scored the last try.
Alf said they used the game as a platform for other games coming up, with Herbert River winning their share against other recent clubs.
Jack Power was awarded players’ player for his standout effort, but he would have been just ahead of Tyce Cursio and Joey Southwell.
The coach also praised the effort of his fullback Logan, who was safe and dangerous in attack.
BURDEKIN: tries by Jack Power (2), K J Zaro, Kirk Viero, Logan Guglielmania, Chad Fraser, Tyreece Trindle … Chad Fraser 4 goals.
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No other games were played in the R L T D last weekend due to the round being classed as a contingency round.
Club football will return this weekend with the Roosters in Ingham on Saturday afternoon playing Herbert River in three grades: Under 19 at 3, reserves at 4.30 and A grade at 6.
There should be a good crowd in Ingham as it is their Ladies Day, the same as it was at Western Lions and then Charters Towers.
In other matches Charters Towers will host Centrals in the western city, Norths will be visited by Western Lions and Souths will play Brothers, with those teams sitting one and two in A grade.
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The Roosters will have their first home game after several weeks on the road when they play Brothers in three grades on Saturday June 13 at Bendigo Bank Park.
That day is also a Super Saturday with some 20-odd junior league games being played.
It is also Old Boys Day, with several Old Boys on ground for the games after a function at the Ayr Anzac Club.
The club has also arranged for a huge jersey auction, with proceeds going to the Davenport Appeal.
Contributed with thanks to Brian Carnes
Home Hill’s finest tennis export, Adam Walton, has continued his professional tennis ascent after beating sixth-seed Daniil Medvedev to claim his first career Grand Slam win over a top-10 opponent. Photo source: ATP Tour
Home Hill tennis star Adam Walton has produced the biggest win of his career, defeating sixth seed Daniil Medvedev in a gripping five-set first-round clash at the French Open, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.
The Australian wildcard, ranked outside the world’s top 90, started strongly, taking the opening set 6-2 as Medvedev struggled to settle on the clay.
The Russian responded emphatically with a 6-1 second set, before Walton again wrestled back momentum with a dominant third set of his own.
Medvedev levelled once more at two sets all, but Walton held firm in the decider, breaking at a crucial stage before serving out the match 6-4 to secure his first career Grand Slam win over a top-10 opponent.
Home Hill’s finest tennis export, Adam Walton, has continued his professional tennis ascent after beating sixth-seed Daniil Medvedev to claim his first career Grand Slam win over a top-10 opponent.
Both players traded heavy blows across the French Open first round contest. Walton finished with 34 winners to Medvedev’s 54, but crucially kept enough control of the key moments to convert pressure into breaks when it mattered most.
The pair had met twice previously, with the head-to-head level at one win apiece.
Walton said his victory over Medvedev in Cincinnati last year gave him confidence heading into the fixture.
“Anyone can beat anyone on a given day,” he said.
“I had the belief that I could definitely go out there and beat him… and to get a first top-10 win at a slam is pretty epic.”
He cited the heat as a potential advantage, given his upbringing in North Queensland’s dry tropical climate.
“I grew up in the heat… I’d say I last better than the field in the heat,” he said.
“I’m not the most talented player out there, so to be able to last in hot conditions is an important factor.”
When asked about how he thought his victory would be received in Home Hill, Walton responded:
“I haven’t been back there in a while, but I have so many connections with the local club there and I think it’s a pretty cool story to have been brought up in Home Hill, then move to Brisbane, then America and now playing pro—it’s pretty special.”
Home Hill Tennis Association Secretary Kate Casswell called Walton’s victory a proud moment for the Burdekin community and beyond.
“The Home Hill Tennis Club, the whole district and all of the northern tennis community are incredibly proud of Adam’s achievement,” she said.
“The win shows us that anyone with the determination and effort, no matter where you come from, can achieve great things.”
She said that his exploits on the main stage brought increased traffic to the club’s Facebook page, with a post on his win garnering over 70,000 views. She called it a testament to the huge amount of support out there for him.
Walton has since bowed out of the French Open after suffering a 3-1 sets defeat to American Zachary Svajda. He now has his sights set on the Challenger Tyler tournament in the USA, where he’ll face Wu Tung-Lin in the first round.
The Burdekin Clay Target Club is opening its doors to beginners this Saturday, May 30, for an action-packed Novice Day designed specifically for first-timers.
Starting at 9:00 AM, the community event offers a safe, welcoming introduction to the sport of clay target shooting, with absolutely no firearm licence required to participate.
Attendees can assemble a team of five for some friendly competition, or show up solo to be placed into a group on the day.
Every participant will get the chance to shoot 35 targets across the event, and trophies will be awarded to the top seven teams. The club provides all necessary supervision and guidance, making it an ideal opportunity for local residents curious about the sport to safely test their aim.
Existing firearm licence holders are requested to bring their licences along. The event will take place at the Burdekin Clay Target Club Grounds, located at 1528 Ayr Dalbeg Road, Mount Kelly. Gates open at 9:00 AM, and all community members looking for a unique weekend activity are encouraged to attend.
Taylor Chapman was awarded the Heather Desbois medal for the Burdekin's Best and Fairest. Photo supplied
The U12 school girls recently represented the Burdekin at the NQ Touch Football trials carnival in Airlie Beach.
Playing five games over two days the girls competed against Whitsunday, Herbert River, Charters Towers and Townsville with a mixed bag of a win, a draw and some very narrow losses.
Drawing on their experience from the Junior State Cup, the girls' skills were on show with strong sliding defence, excellent rucking and some creative line attack.
Following the round games two Burdekin players, Taylor Chapman and Bethana Rattler were named in the possibles and probables resulting in Taylor's selection in the NQ U12 team.
Taylor was also awarded the Heather Desbois medal for the Burdekin's Best and Fairest.
"All 12 girls should feel proud of the way they represented the Burdekin. They are a team on the rise, showing huge improvements," said team Manager Petrina Wellington.
around 50 Home Hill Bowls Club members and visitors gathered to farewell resident caretaker Warren Bunn, known as “Yougi”. Supplied
On Saturday 16 May 2026, around 50 Home Hill Bowls Club members and visitors gathered to farewell resident caretaker Warren Bunn, known as “Yougi”.
Yougi has been caretaker for approximately 30 months, commencing 15 November 2023. At that time, he had played only one game of bowls in the Burdekin, but living alongside the green quickly saw him develop into a capable player. By 2024, he was selected to represent the club in NQ Pennants.
Now approaching 83, Yougi is relocating to Brisbane to be closer to family and will live with his youngest daughter. The club extends its best wishes and hopes he finds a new bowling club to join.
On the day, five rinks of triples were played. The overall winners on margins were Alex Bojack, Jo Roser and Bob Young.
Wednesday night featured a mix of social lawn bowls and the Home Hill Hot Shots darts club. The evening remains popular for its relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Hot Shots advise that Darts of Origin begins 27 May 2026, followed by the first of three Origin raffles at Friday night 8 Ball. All community members are welcome. Bowls names in by 5.30pm for a 6.00pm start (Ph 0468 313 115). Darts start 6.00pm (Ph Scott 0480 208 335).
Thursday afternoon club bowls hosted four games of triples and two pairs matches, marking the start of the club pairs championships. Visiting bowlers were welcomed from Jarvis Bay (NSW), Bathurst, and Elliott Heads.
Pairs results: Rink 2 saw Bruce McCallum and Janet Arthur defeated by Scott Taylor and Paul Vass in a close match. Rink 4 went to Mick McClusker and Alex Bojack over Phil Marsden and Bob Pickard. Rink 3 saw Trevor Elton’s team defeat Geoff Taylor’s side by a solid margin. Rink 5 went to Joe Linton, Des Chapman and Warren Bunn. Rink 6 was won by Gary Nosworthy’s team. Rink 7 saw Hugh Montgomery’s team defeat Keith Roser and John Hobson’s side.
The club congratulates all winners and participants.
Raffle results: John Hobson won the breakfast tray, and Maureen Marsden won the bottle of wine.
Weekly activities: Monday 9am Gentle Exercise, Tuesday 9am Trimmers, Wednesday 9am Craft Group, Thursday 9am Bingo (Eyes Down 9.30am).
Contributed with thanks to Bob Pickard
The Burdekin Roosters were on the road again last weekend, travelling to Charters Towers on Saturday with A Grade and Reserve Grade, and then to Bushland Beach on Sunday for the Under 19s.
In their wisdom, the BLTD has created a separate draw for Under 19s, meaning clubs are being split up, as was the case with the Roosters last weekend.
Charters Towers are always hard to beat on their home ground, and it was no exception, with the Roosters getting up in the dying stages to beat the Miners.
A Grade coach Steve Lansley was a happy man after the match, saying his players showed plenty of character in coming from behind to beat the Miners in front of a huge crowd during Ladies Day.
Lansley said the Burdekin Roosters produced another gritty come-from-behind performance to defeat the Towers Miners 28–20, overcoming a frustrating night of errors and missed opportunities. Dropped balls at crucial stages repeatedly handed the Miners valuable field position and piled pressure on the Roosters’ defence, making the task tougher than it needed to be.
Despite the setbacks, the Roosters refused to panic and worked their way back through tough carries and relentless middle-third effort. The forwards laid the platform in the second half, dominating the physical battle and swinging momentum back in Burdekin’s favour.
Best for the Roosters were Jye Olsen, Nemia Nawave and Lachlan Shepherd, all playing key roles in the hard-fought win. Jye was awarded Players’ Player.
For the Roosters, Malik Ogameni, Terry Connors, Nash Beck, Lach Bachbach and Nemia Nawave scored tries, with Jye Olsen kicking four goals.
In other A Grade results, Brothers beat Centrals 28–12, Souths beat Norths 42–18, and Western Lions upset Herbert River 30–18.
Lack of numbers did not help the Roosters Reserve Grade, going down 20–12 to a full-strength Miners side. Coach Peter Horan said he travelled with only three on the bench, compared to the home side’s six, and “that makes a difference”. He estimated around 12 players were unavailable through injury.
Harvey Horan was again a standout, with Jahi Starr, Luca Lago and Bokeem Moore Reid also strong performers. Ron Geia and Dylan Doak also contributed well. For the Roosters, Jahi Starr and Ron Geia scored tries, with Dylan Doak kicking two goals.
In other Reserve Grade matches, Centrals beat Brothers 18–10, Souths defeated Norths 38–12, and Western Lions beat Herbert River 19–16.
On Sunday, the Under 19s had a tough match against Norths at Bushy Beach, going down 18–14 in a topsy-turvy contest. Roosters coach Alf Cantarella said it was a difficult game, with only two on the bench and no bench left after injuries.
The Roosters dug in but were overrun in the final 30 seconds. Jacob Drain captained the side well, with Chad Fraser named Man of the Match. “We were really down on players and didn’t get the two points,” Cantarella said.
The Roosters also spent time down to 12 men after a send-off, with Norths scoring twice during that period. Jack Power, Callum Taiters and Romeo scored tries, with Chad Fraser adding a goal.
In other Under 19 results, Brothers beat Centrals 24–4 and Herbert River defeated Western Lions 58–0.
In the women’s competition, Western Lions defeated Charters Towers 62–0, Centrals beat Brothers 20–8, and Souths defeated Norths 56–4.
This week, the RLTD has a rest round for all teams except Burdekin and Herbert River Under 19, who meet at Bendigo Park in Ayr on Friday night from 6.30pm in a delayed fixture. Fixtures resume Saturday 6 June in Ingham across three grades.
Contributed with thanks to Brian Carnes
U16 Volunteers KJ Zaro, Caleb Noah & John Zaro. Photo supplied
The Burdekin Junior Rugby League Club proudly celebrated National Volunteer Week during Saturday’s home games, taking the opportunity to recognise the incredible people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the club running each season.
With 12 Roosters teams taking the field across a huge day of rugby league, the club acknowledged that game days simply wouldn’t happen without the dedication of its volunteers.
From preparing the grounds and setting up fields to running the canteen, working the gate, cleaning facilities, team managing and helping with weekly organisation, dozens of volunteers give up countless hours to support local junior sport.
BJRL President Jarrod Smith said National Volunteer Week was an important reminder of how much community sport relies on volunteers.
“Our volunteers are the backbone of this club” he said.
“There’s so much work that goes into every training session and game day and it’s all made possible by people willing to step up and help for the kids.”
The club thanked all parents, grandparents, family members and supporters who continue to contribute throughout the season.
“Without volunteers, clubs like ours simply doesn’t exist. Every job, big or small, helps create opportunities for our kids to play the game they love.”
Contributed with thanks to BJRL
Seniors
A much better weekend for the Burdekin Panthers. The Club had only three senior games but won all of them. The Premiers and Reserves were at home to Rebels with the Premiers winning 4-1 and the Reserves winning 4-0. The Colts at home to MA Olympic won 4-1. The Division 1 and Division 2 teams both had Byes.
This week all five teams are in action. On Friday, the Division 1 and Division 2 teams are at home to Saints Eagles Souths at 8.30 and 6.30 and the Colts are away to Brothers at 6.30. On Sunday the Premiers and Reserves are away to Estates at 5.00 and 3.00.
Premiers – Ayr Anzac Club
The Premiers were up against a Rebels team they had beaten 9-2 away, in the first game of the season. The match was fairly even for the first twenty minutes or so when Matthew Kolb scored to out the Panthers ahead. Jay Leckenby made it 2-0 at the half hour mark and the Panthers went in at half time leading 2-0. Rebels, who were playing well for a bottom of the table team, and it wasn’t until the sixty fifth minute that Leckenby scored again to make the game safe. Ten minutes later Leckenby made it a hat trick, his second in two games, and at 4-0 the Panthers were home and dry. However, Rebels scored with four minutes to go and the result was a 4-1 win to the Burdekin.
Reserves – Burdekin Tyre Service
For this week the Reserves had quite a few changes with some players unavailable and others returning. A strong lineup with an expectation of a win against bottom of the table Rebels. Burdekin started the game well and dominated the first half with good possession and the use of short, sharp and accurate passing to create a lot of chances for goals. Jaidyn Lambie-Fabbro opened the scoring after 14 minutes with a quality long range strike. Five minutes later Kyle Taylor beat several defenders on a long run into the penalty area to finish well. That two-goal lead could have been more with several other chances being missed. The second half was a little slow to start but did get back to the level of control again providing many chances. Jhett Jones finished off a good move midway through the half and then in the last 5 minutes a calm and collected Zack Durrant scored his first goal of the season after good work from Max Kelly to win the ball and play it into the path of Zack giving him an open goal. Coach Tarryn Smith was very happy with the style of play and getting a solid win to stay in the top four contention for the start of the second round.
Division 1 – Austral Masonry and Division 2 - RG Customs both had byes
Colts – Astute
The Colts took on MA Olympic at home. Burdekin started strongly, moving the ball well. However, Olympic took the lead from a penalty early in the first half. The boys worked hard and created a few chances but could not find the back of the net and the first half finished with Olympic leading 1-0. The second half kicked off with the Colts hungry to get back into this game, and a well-timed pass broke the line for Jhett Jones finding the back of the net to equalise. Soon afterwards, Jones found himself in behind the defence again and scored in the bottom corner taking the score to 2-1. The Colts were not done yet and started to find their groove as Nyasha Gwarada dribbled his way through the defence to score and put the Colts ahead 3-1. Finally, to finish off the game Ryley Siandri rounded the keeper to score and take the score to 4-1. Overall, a dominant display from the Colts, whose next match is at High Vista Park next Friday to take on Brothers.
Masters
The Masters had a good turnout in perfect conditions and in a re-play of the FA Cup Final Chelsea and Manchester City drew 4-4. Best players on the night were Daniel Ziliotto and George Karagkiosis. The Masters play every Monday night. All players are welcome, male, and female, useful and hopeless, halt and lame. Be there, International Park for 6.30 Kick Off.
Juniors
Burdekin FC U13 FQPL Panthers played an outstanding game and come away with a convincing 3-0 win against Estates FC. All players dug deep to achieve a convincing win. The Under 13s have a make-up match this week against Warriors at Paradise Park on Thursday night. The Under 12/13s Div1 drew 2-2 with Rebels and the Under 15s defeated Rebels 1-0
The Under15’s began the afternoon of fixtures of Burdekin v Rebels at International Park. The young Panthers had only played them six days prior and won convincingly. Unfortunately, the Panthers were down their captain due to a fractured wrist. Rebels had players back who were out the previous game. It was a hard-fought contest by both teams but in the 60min, Emmanuel Mio scored to put the Panthers ahead 1-0. The Panthers then held on to win.
National
The A League Men’s season concluded on Saturday in New Zealand! Auckland defeated Sydney FC 1-0 in the Grand Final with a goal from Cameron Howieson in the second half.
International
The various European Finals are now underway and in the Europa League Final, Aston Villa beat Freiburg 3-0. The Conference League Final between Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano is on Thursday and the Big One, the Champions League Final, Arsenal v PSG is on Sunday.
In the World Cup department, the Socceroos travel to the USA to play Mexico on Sunday in a friendly. Then on 6th June they have another ‘friendly’ against Switzerland, in San Diego, in a final warm up game before the World Cup begins. Australia’s first Group D match is against Turkey in Vancouver on the 14th of June. They then play the USA in Seattle on 20th June and Paraguay in San Francisco on 26th June.
In Europe, the various leagues are now finished for the season. In England, Arsenal are champions seven points ahead of Manchester City with ManU third. West Ham, Burnley and Wolves are all relegated to the Championship and will be replaced by Coventry, Ipswichand Hull, who won the play off against Middlesboro.
In Germany Bayern are champions sixteen points clear of Dortmund with Leipzig in third place. Wolfsburg, Heidenheim and St Pauli have all been relegated. And in Spain, Barcelona are champions, eight points ahead of Real Madrid with Villarreal third. Mallorca, Girona and Oviedo have all been relegated.
In Italy’s Serie A, Inter are champions, eleven points clear of Napoli with Roma in third spot. Serie B will be welcoming Cremonese, Verona and Pisa next season. Oh yes, Juventus finished in sixth place. Finally in France, PSG are champions with Lens second six points behind and Lille finish third.
Quote the of the Week is from ex-Sheffield Utd manager Neil Warnock about Gary Neville “So Gary’s going to be writing a book. That’s good news for insomniacs everywhere.”
Members of the Lower Burdekin Scout Group have spent a Saturday morning connecting with residents at the Ozcare facility in Home Hill. Photo supplied
Members of the Lower Burdekin Scout Group have spent a Saturday morning connecting with residents at the Ozcare facility in Home Hill, sharing conversation, memories and a cuppa.
Chris and Edith from the group visited the facility, speaking with residents for around an hour and giving them an insight into the modern scouting program. Discussion centred on the Scouts’ active outdoor focus, particularly camping and community involvement, which sparked plenty of interest among residents.
Many also reflected on their own experiences with scouting and guiding in earlier years, drawing comparisons between past programs and the activities undertaken by today’s Lower Burdekin Scouts.
The visit forms part of the group’s ongoing commitment to community engagement across the region.
Looking ahead, the Scouts are preparing for one of their biggest annual fundraising efforts at the Ayr Show next month, where they will once again take on management of the show carpark.
The Lower Burdekin Scout Group meets every Thursday from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at 57–59 Twelfth Avenue, Home Hill (behind the swimming pool). New members and volunteers are welcome to drop in or contact Rikki on 0419 104 035. A four-week free trial is available for those wanting to try scouting.
The Ayr junior golfers proudly represented the club at the GNQ Junior Open held at Mystic Sands. Photo suppled
Five Ayr juniors had a very successful and fun-filled golfing weekend at Mystic Sands.
Evelyn Mahoney was the 9-hole girls champion, taking the gross win on day one with a score of 59, and remaining consistent with another 59 on day two to claim the gross win again. Competing against much older players, it was a very strong performance from Evelyn.
Fletcher Sgroi played two days of 6 holes, recording impressive scores on both days. He also thoroughly enjoyed the social aspect of playing away and making new friends.
Kyle Wilkie and Oscar Mahoney played 18 holes, with Kyle having a great first day, shooting close to a personal best with 108, followed by a similar score on day two. Playing alongside two older teenagers was a great experience all round for Kyle. Oscar also played consistently, shooting 97 and 98.
Amaya Mahoney was the girls 18-hole gross runner-up, scoring 90 on day one and improving to 86 on day two.
Well done to our Ayr juniors for representing the club so proudly.
Contributed with thanks to Laura Mahoney.
Jay Leckenby scored a hat trick in the first twenty-five minutes of the Premier’s clash with Saints Eagles Souths. Photo supplied
The Premiers clash against Saints Eagles Souths had everything. Goals galore, yellow cards, red cards, a mini riot, and twelve minutes of added time.
The Panthers started well with Jay Leckenby scoring a hat trick in the first twenty-five minutes. Antoine added a fourth from the penalty spot and the Panthers went in at half time leading 4-0.
Matthew Kolb made it 5-0 midway through the second half and then, a few minutes later, it all went pear shaped. A spate of yellow and the red cards saw the Panthers reduced to eight men as Saints scored three times, whilst having two men sent off.
The mini riot meant twelve minutes of time added on and the Panthers were relieved to hear the final whistle.
Seniors
A better weekend for the Burdekin Panthers. The Club had five senior games, winning two drawing one and losing two. The Premiers and Reserves were at home to Saints Eagles Souths with the Premiers winning 5-3 and the Reserves also winning 5-3. The Division 1 team lost 0-3 to Brothers and the Division 2, lost 0-4 to Brothers. The Colts drew 1-1 away to Warriors. This week only three teams are in action. On Friday, the Colts are at home to MA Olympic at 6.30 and on Saturday the Premiers and Reserves are at home to Rebels at 7.30 and 5.00.
Reserves – Burdekin Tyre Service
In a recurring theme the Reserves team took the field with another changed side due to absence, injury, and suspensions. This week saw a young midfield shored up by an experienced backline and the Panthers got off to a good start with a goal to Jack Gimson after 11 minutes. Whilst Burdekin had begun playing well, they slumped for about 15 minutes losing possession and making poor choices for passing. Saints were invited back into the game and scored an equaliser. That galvanised the Panthers and they dominated the rest of the half scoring four goals in 20 minutes. Jhett Jones, Cooper Kross, Oscar Licciardello and even Leighton Gallagher provided the finishes. The second half should have been more of the same, but it was a poor showing littered with mistakes. Burdekin conceded two goals within ten minutes but steadied to hang on for a 5 - 3 win. A win is a win!
Division 1 – Austral Masonry
The Division 1 boys, away to Brothers, were down on numbers with fortunately a few Funkies thankfully helping out. The Panthers dug deep with some incredible goalkeeping from Seaton Ivory to keep them in the game. It was not until the 70th minute that Brothers managed to break the deadlock. A few chances to either side after that, and the final score ended up as a 3-0 loss for the Burdekin side.
Division 2 – RG Customs
The Funkies had their toughest game of the season so far against Brothers on Friday night. Burdekin were ready for a fight and started the game well, but Brothers got goals at regular intervals to win 4-0, a scoreline that doesn’t truly reflect the Funkies’ performance. Burdekin’s effort and fight was there for 90 minutes. The team created several chances early on, but could not convert. Brothers finished off a good move to open the scoring in the first half before a penalty just before halftime really stopped the momentum the Funkies were building. Two more goals in the second half resulted in the 4-0 scoreline. Nicholas Cathcart was very dangerous for the Funkies, flying past his defender numerous times and creating chances. Jake Lacey and Jarrod Dal Santo also had very strong games. Bryce Davies made a couple of very good saves whilst filling in as goalkeeper.
Colts – Astute
The first away game for the Colts this year, on a cool windy night in Kelso. The Burdekin team started strongly, dominating possession and creating chances in a cagey first half, and somehow clearing the ball off the line to keep the score level. Coming out after half time Warriors started strongly and went up 1-0, but that only made the Colts lift. After going a goal down, they dominated the rest of the game, with a nice finish from Cooper Kross bringing the score back to 1-1. The Colts pushed hard, hitting the woodwork and forcing the Warriors goalkeeper into some good saves; however, they could not get that winning goal, ending the game 1-1 against the reigning premiers.
Masters
The Masters had a good turnout in perfect conditions and in a pre-play of the coming up friendly against Mexico, Australia lost 6-7 after a 2-2 tie at half time. Best players on the night were Bryce Davis and Jack Moustoukas. The night’s Magic Moment was Riley Granshaw, failing to beat the Red goalkeeper from one metre. The Masters play every Monday night. All players are welcome, male, and female, useful and hopeless, halt and lame. Be there, International Park for 6.30 Kick Off.
Juniors
The Junior soccer season continued over the weekend with the U8–U12 teams travelling to Townsville for another exciting round of games on Saturday. Players showed great enthusiasm, teamwork, and sportsmanship across the day, continuing to build their skills and confidence each week.
After a two-week break, the U15's played Round 3 against MAO. The first half was dominated by the Panthers with a goal in the 11min by Lincoln Innes. Unfortunately, MAO fought back in the second half to win 2-1. The team played good football despite the loss.
The Round 1 match against Rebels, which had been postponed, was played on Sunday at International Park. Emmaneul Mio dominated on the field with three goals in the first half. The second half saw him put two more in the back of the net. With a great assist from Annan Power, Emmaneul got his 6th goal. Cecil Badza Gwarada also found the net giving the Panthers a 7-1 win. These young Panthers are all fired up now for the season.
Back at home, our U5–U7 players enjoyed local games, with plenty of smiles, energy and fun on display. It’s fantastic to see our youngest players developing their love for the game while supporting one another on the field.
National
The A League Men’s season has reached the final stages. In the semi-finals, second leg, Auckland beat Adelaide 3-1 in Adelaide and advance to the Final where they will play Sydney FC who drew 1-1 at Newcastle. The Final will be played in Auckland on Saturday 23rd May. In the A League Women’s Final, Melbourne City defeated Wellington Phoenix 3-1.
International
Various European Finals start this week with the Europa League Final, Freiburg v Aston Villa on 21 May, followed by the Conference League Final, Crystal Palace v Rayo Vallecano on 28 May. The Big One, Champions league Final, Arsenal v PSG is on31 May.
Coutts Commercial Tavern Day was played at the Ayr Golf Club on Wednesday, 13 May, with a lively field of 22 ladies taking to the course.
Players enjoyed improving weather conditions and a social twist to the format, with partners and markers randomly drawn to mix up pairings and add an extra layer of challenge to the day’s play.
Competition was tight across the leaderboard, with several pairings finishing on strong scores. In fourth place with 44 points were Cecily Lena and Shirley Jones, while Sharon Bozzetto and Heather Desbois also finished on 44 points to claim third.
Second place went to Janet Trezise and Rhonda Martin with an impressive 45 points, narrowly edging the field in a close contest.
The standout performance of the day came from Ann Phelan and Kathy Cortabitarte, who combined superbly to finish as overall winners with a dominant 47 points.
Ayr Golf Club officials congratulated all players for their efforts and extended a big thank you to Coutts Commercial Tavern for its continued support of the ladies’ competition and local golf community.
With injured players expected to return in coming weeks, numbers are tipped to climb beyond 25 on course as the season continues.
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