Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
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.
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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. CAPTION: Taylor Chapman was awarded the Heather Desbois medal for the Burdekin's Best and Fairest. Photo supplied
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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 CAPTION: around 50 Home Hill Bowls Club members and visitors gathered to farewell resident caretaker Warren Bunn, known as “Yougi”. Supplied
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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
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Local
The Burdekin Panthers Presentation Night was held last Saturday at Populin’s Hall, and a good crowd turned up to celebrate a good year for the Burdekin Football Club. Major Awards were Men’s Player of the Year – Ryan Scodellaro and the Women’s Player of the Year was Sian Reardon. The President’s Medal this year went to Wayne Kolb and Josh Valle and Maddison Taylor took out the Taylah Pearson Memorial Trophy.
The Senior Club Person of the ear went to Sian Reardon and Casey Calligaro and Oscar Licciardello were the Junior Club Persons of the Year.
Angelo Licciardello was made a Life Member, deservedly, after a good thirty plus years associated with the Club from playing as a fifteen-year-old to coaching and everything in between.
The Escriva Cup is due to be played on Friday evening, 1st November and is a fundraiser held by The SLoBs (Soccer Legends of the Burdekin) to help out ex-players with health problems. Last year fourteen Men’s teams and two Ladies teams took part. Hopefully, we will have more teams involved this year.
Night Soccer
Delta Cleaners Night Soccer’s Week 6 produced 67 goals from the twenty two games. Top scorers for the Men were UDS and Rapos Utd with five goals and in the Women’s competition DILLIGAF led the way with four goals. Sin Bins were earned by Gareth Ferguson from Plumb Dingers and Ryley Siandri from Jaime’s Boys.
Juniors
Junior Social Soccer kicked off Tuesday afternoon with 40 teams taking part this year! It was a very successful afternoon, with a lot of returning players and teams from last year and also a lot of new kids and new teams formed.
It was good to see the kids having fun with their friends! Thank you to the managers of each team, and especially those who took on teams that were formed in just the few days. Also, a big thank you to the youths who have put their hands up to referee again. You make the afternoons run smoothly and it is hoped that you will gain further experience and confidence from this.
Sian Reardon was celebrated as the Club Person of the Year.
Casey Calligaro and Oscar Licciardello were congratulated as the Junior Club Persons of the Year.
Maddison Taylor was the recipient of the Taylah Pearson Memorial Trophy.
Celebrated as the Women’s Player of the Year was Sian Reardon.
The Men’s Player of the Year was Ryan Scodellaro.
Wayne Kolb and Joshua Valle were presented with the Presidents Medal.
Saturday 19th of October 1.00pm to 5.00pm ( Patrol Group D ) Ben Lawry, Kellie Lawry, Zac dale, Parker Bonato, Richard Dale, Bella Lawry, William Holt, Sharli Archibald, Danica Archibald, Lisa Vivian, Kristy Wasmuth, Briella Wassmuth.
Sunday 20th of October 9.00am to 5.00pm ( All Day Patrol Group E ) John Moloney, Anne Moloney, Tony Felesina, Bella Moloney, Jane Jones, Gavin Jones, Sophia Moloney, Alissia Gibson, Billy Gibson, Danni Coughlin.
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Over the weekend, the Ayr Surf Club headed north to Forrest Beach, near Ingham, to undertake the second carnival of the North Barrier Branch competition season.
Despite a smaller than usual cohort of competitors, there were some absolutely brilliant individual and team efforts throughout the two days of competition, and it was fantastic to see some of the club's newer members pushing themselves to take on the challenging Ironperson event.
Club Junior Activities Co-ordinator Kellie Lawry reported that she was extremely proud of all members and enjoyed watching such good sportsmanship and comradery displayed by all competitors over the weekend.
Seeing the nippers forming friendships and engaging positively with members from the other clubs, is so great to see, and where members make friendships for life.
She reported that it was a big two days with some challenging conditions, and it was very rewarding to see members tackling the tricky conditions with skill and determination and never giving up.
Next up on the competition carnival is the North Australian Championships to be held in Mackay in a couple of weeks, which will see competitors converge from the majority of the northern half of the State and will be a real test for our local competitors.
Contributed with thanks to Kellie Lawry.
Quinn Pontifex in Under 8 Female wade race
Alyssa Irvine catching a wave in U12 Female Ironperson
Alexandra Moloney, Taylor Chapman & Charlotte Dale following U11 Female Board Race
Ross Rickards & Chris Wicks in Masters Male Flags
U13 Board Relay Team - Emilee Wassmuth, Cole Pontifex, Charlotte Lawry
Zachary Dale in All Age Relay
Photos supplied
The 2024 Country Swimming Championships took place in Darwin from 27 to 30 September, with the Burdekin Swimming Club proudly represented by Millie Lyne, accompanied by her dedicated coaches, Kim and Mick McConnachie. The event brought together 51 clubs from across regional Australia, with 334 swimmers competing for medals and striving for personal bests.
Millie’s hard work over the winter months paid off, as she achieved three personal best times and earned a place on the podium in three events. She placed second in both the 100m Breaststroke and 50m Butterfly for 14-year-old girls. However, her standout moment was winning the 50m Breaststroke with a personal best time of 34.72 seconds, the fastest female time across all age groups at the event.
Millie expressed her gratitude to the Burdekin Swimming Club for their support and to her coaches for their commitment and effort, including traveling to Darwin for the competition.
The Burdekin Swimming Club is now back in action at the Ayr pool, with Club nights held every Wednesday. For more information, visit their Facebook page and enjoy a fun family night out.
Contributed with thanks to Kate Lyne.
Millie Lyne racing to the finish at the 2024 Country Swimming Championships.
Hard work pays off! Millie celebrating her well earned place on the podium.
Millie diving into one of her many races at last month's Championships.
Millie alongside her dedicated coaches, Kim and Mick McConnachie.
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The 2024/25 Senior Cricket season at Home Hill Cricket kicked off in style on Saturday 12 October with four teams taking the field. It was a family affair, with fathers and sons playing together for the Rookies, Alliance Pharmacy, and Crowned Mongrels.
On Barry Richards Field, the Rookies faced off against Crowned Mongrels in a tightly contested match. Despite a standout performance by Dan Olditch, who scored 45 runs from 48 balls, the Rookies fell just short as Crowned Mongrels clinched victory in the final over. The Mongrels finished 6/137, narrowly edging out the Rookies' 6/131.
Meanwhile, on Field 2, Alliance Pharmacy posted a competitive 5/130, thanks to opener Lee Watts, who retired not out after scoring 50 runs from 58 balls. Peto's Marine put up a strong reply, led by Andy Ballin’s unbeaten 50 from 36 balls, and secured the win with a total of 6/151.
Next Saturday, 19 October, the Round 1 winners, Peto's Marine and Crowned Mongrels, will battle it out on Barry Richards Field from 1p.m., while Alliance Pharmacy takes on the Rookies on Field 2.
To register and join a team, visit www.PlayHQ.com and search for "Home Hill."
Contributed with thanks to Home Hill Cricket Association Secretary, Tiffany.
Crowned Mongrels were father and son duo Aiden and Joe Marano.
Three generations playing for the Rookies; Leo, Chris and Dan Olditch.
Alliance Pharmacy Family, JD, Alf and Travis Wilkins.
Father and son teams kicked off the Home Hill Cricket Association’s senior season last weekend.
This week saw the return of junior cricketers to the fields as the Home Hill Cricket Association launched the 2024/25 season. Players of all ages took to the pitch, from the smallest rookies to the more experienced juniors.
Junior cricket sessions are open to children aged 5 and up. The "Rookies" (5-7-year-olds) meet on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30p.m. at East Ayr State School, while the "Challengers" (8-10-year-olds) and Juniors (Under 11s and older) play on Friday afternoons at the Home Hill Cricket fields from 4:00p.m. Boys and girls of all experience levels are welcome to join the fun, even if they are new to the sport.
To register and join a team, visit www.PlayHQ.com and search for "Home Hill."
Contributed with thanks to Home Hill Cricket Association Secretary, Tiffany.
An awesome turn out, plenty of junior cricketers took the field last week.
Juniors are invited to come along and join the cricketing fun by registering at www.PlayHQ.com.
The Home Hill Cricket Association hosted a week of action, cane fires, and talented young cricketers!
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Junior golf at the Ayr Golf Club made an exciting return this term, kicking off with the September Monthly Medal event. It was fantastic to see a great number of new kids take the course with the Club sharing a warm welcome to all their new members!
In the 3-hole competition, Opie McKeough claimed the Monthly Medal, while newcomer Tyler Smith had an outstanding performance, securing the Gross Winner title, Least Putts, and Longest Putt with a remarkable gross score of 18.
For the 6-hole event, Sam Heatly emerged as the Monthly Medal winner with a -1 Nett score and also took out Least Putts. Evelyn Mahoney was named Gross Winner, while Celine Bain earned Nearest to Pin honors. Congratulations to Celine for her impressive move up to 6 holes this week!
Kyle Wilkie claimed victory in the 9-hole Monthly Medal, while Amaya Mahoney won Gross. Amaya also took Nearest to Pin and tied with Gabby Cahill for Least Putts.
A reminder that the Karrie Webb Junior Championships are set for the 26 and 27 October. If you’d like to nominate your child, please email juniorcaptain@ayrgc.com.au before nominations close on the 21 October.
Contributed with thanks to Kristina Patane Land.
The victorious winners of September Monthly Medal with presenters Rheanna Bain and Amaya Mahoney.
This Sunday, 20 October will host a showdown like never before with the Home Hill Harvest Festival’s Town of Origin event!
Compeitive and dedicated teams from Ayr and Home Hill have been busily gearing up for the much-loved event which will run from 1pm to 6pm at Home Hill High School.
An annual clash, the event celebrates the friendly rivalry between the two towns, with exciting matchups in cricket, netball, and rugby. But there’s more to this event than just the competition - it’s a true community celebration.
Alongside the action-packed sports, there’s a fantastic lineup of family-friendly activities to ensure everyone has a great afternoon, with the Home Hill Community Kindergarten set to run a tuckshop serving delicious food and refreshments throughout the day.
For the little ones, a petting zoo will be available, and there will be a special kids' event during the rugby half-time. Car enthusiasts won’t want to miss the Burdekin Cruisers Car Club, which will be showcasing a stunning array of vehicles.
Whether you’re cheering for your team or enjoying the many activities, the 2024 Town of Origin is set to be a memorable day of fun and local pride. Come along this Sunday for a fantastic celebration of sport, family, and community, proudly brought to you by the Home Hill Harvest Festival Committee!
Never a dull moment, this Sunday will host an action packed Town of Origin event as part of the Home Hill Harvest Festival. Photo supplied
The final Home Hill Golf Club Ladies’ Sip ‘n Putt event will be held this Saturday 12 October from 3:30pm. After several months of successful sessions, Megan Barbagallo warmly invites newcomers and players of all skill levels to come along for a swing this Saturday afternoon.
Each session runs under the talented guidance of PGA Professional, Tara Jenkins, and covers different skills and golfing techniques to prepare the attendees for a hit on the green. All equipment for the FREE afternoon is supplied by the Home Hill Golf Club, and each session concludes with plenty of chats and a drink at the Club. Introduced by Megan in July earlier this year, the sessions were created to encourage women to give golf a try in an encouraging and judgement free environment.
Come along this Saturday for an enjoyable afternoon of socialisation and sport!
What: Ladies FREE Sip ‘n Putt.
When: Saturday 12 October from 3:30pm to 4:30pm.
Where: Home Hill Golf Club.
More Information: Contacting Megan Barbagallo.
September’s group of ladies were taught driving drills and enjoyed plenty of laughs throughout the session.
After a brief hiatus, the Ayr Bowling Club is back with a report full of exciting bowling action. The past week has seen some fantastic games, starting with Wednesday Mixed Social Bowls on 2 October, which featured three games of triples and one game of pairs. Laughter filled the air as players showcased their skills. The day's winners were G. Nixon and M. Power, who triumphed over S. Darwen and A. Bull.
Wednesday evening brought cool and windy conditions, but it didn’t stop two pairs games and one triples game from being played. The winners of the triples were Les Anderson, Rob Jorgensen, and Michael Parravacini. In the pairs, Tricia Achille and Sam Caltabiano secured a victory in one game, while Margaret McLaughlin and Gary Pearce won the other.
Thursday saw the Ladies Competition in full swing with the Parkside Triples event. In a thrilling final, Ruth Moore, Joy Comollatti, and Pam Power emerged victorious over Isabel Cislowski, Beryl Cornford, and Dot Cutting. In another match, Donna Soper, Merle Nixon, and Mary Poli defeated Katharina Stuckler, Robyn McAllister, and Irene Wilson. It was a fantastic display of competitive bowling.
Saturday Social Bowls saw three games of triples and one game of pairs. Joe Papale, Sandra Darwen, and Pam Power defeated Lorraine Wolffe, Barry Hewson, and John MacDonald to claim the win.
On Sunday 6 October, the Club Championships continued with some thrilling matches. In the Mixed Singles, Lew Stidston defeated Sam Caltabiano. In the Mixed Triples, Margaret Chapman, Henry Hazle, and Gary Pearce overcame Donna Soper, Barry Shepherd, and Ron Soper. The Mixed Fours saw Ruth Moore, John Hall, Sandra Darwen, and Michael Parravacini triumph over Lorraine Wolffe, John Pirrone, Betty Shultz, and Anthony Bull. Further championship games are scheduled for 13th October, with details posted on the club board.
For those interested in lawn bowls, the Ayr Bowling Club is the perfect place to enjoy the sport in a friendly, social environment. Located at 101 Young Street, Ayr, Queensland, the club welcomes players of all skill levels. Social bowls are played on Wednesdays (afternoon or evening) and Saturday afternoons. The club has plenty of sets of bowls available for newcomers to try.
To learn more, visit the club’s Facebook page or call (07) 4783 1336. Whether you're a seasoned bowler or a beginner, the Ayr Bowling Club is the place to be!
Contributed with thanks to Anthony Bull.
Come along and have a bowl at the Ayr Bowling Club’s Wednesday Social Bowls!
On Saturday 12 October from 1pm to 5pm will be Patrol Group F consisting of; Furnell, Jen Morgan, John Furnell, Jo Morgan, Lauren Chapman, Isla Chapman, Ryley Satori, Jake Satori, Kat Satori, Dave Satori.
On Sunday 13 October from 9am to 1pm, the Super Sab Group consisting of Joshua Furnell, Barry Cross, and Brooke Cross will be on patrol. Taking over from 1pm to 5pm on Sunday will be Patrol Group G consisting of Carl List, Jimmy Hayllor, James Kennedy, Shane Morgan, Ross Blakey, Ross Rickards, and Jed Giddy.
The Club wishes their members all the best for the upcoming Forrest Beach Carnival.
Contributed with thanks to Hockey Vernon.
On the evening of Friday 20 September history was made at the Burdekin Rugby League Presentation night held at Populins Hall where the Club inducted its first ever Lady Life Member, Jenna Parravicini.
The Burdekin Rugby League was first formed in that name in 1963 and although there have been several males honoured with Life Membership, Jenna will be the first female. Jenna has been associated as Secretary and Treasurer for a period of just over 12 years. During that period, she has become heavily involved in the running of the club which has become more difficult in the past few years with changes in general to Rugby League in the Townsville District. For just on eight of those years Jenna also found time to devote to the organisation and conducting of the highly popular Ladies Day which has become a great fund raiser for the Roosters.
Jenna became involved with the club as she like Rugby League and the other people with the organisation. She says it takes up a lot of time as the administration emails just keep coming but she has enjoyed what she has done.
Contributed with thanks to Brian Carnes.
On Wednesday 25 September, the Ayr Golf Club hosted a partner event, generously sponsored by Burdekin Tyre Service, featuring 12 pairs competing in a split six format. The windy conditions added a layer of challenge, but they also kept the heat at bay, ensuring an enjoyable day for all. The final two pairings played neck and neck throughout the entire 18 holes, adding excitement to the day.
The top five teams were awarded prizes, with Kerry and Heather finishing 5th, Elesa and Kim in 4th, Rhonda O and Ann in 3rd, Betty and Mavis taking 2nd place, and the winners of the day being Sandra and Donna R.
The Club shared a warm thank you to Jason, Pam, and the entire crew at Burdekin Tyre Service for their fantastic support of the Ayr Ladies Golfing group.
On Wednesday 2 October, the Ayr Golf Club ladies played in Selections Day, sponsored by Marissa and her team at Selections, in a Stableford competition. A very windy afternoon made scoring difficult, but two golfers stood out. Vicki, back in form after a short break, and newcomer Heather, who is quickly lowering her handicap, battled it out. Heather edged out Vicki on a countback to take the win. Congratulations to both, and the Club shared a big thank you to Selections for their continued support.
The Ayr Ladies Golf Club recently welcomed clubs from across North Queensland for their annual Open Event, proudly sponsored by Don West Toyota and Groves and Clark Solicitors, with the Open Champion prize sponsored by Brenton and Janet Trezise. This year’s event saw 70 enthusiastic ladies compete in their respective grades, making it a weekend to remember.
The day was filled with camaraderie, great food donated by the Ayr lady members, and plenty of impressive golf. Presentations were slightly delayed due to a thrilling playoff in the C Grade division, which ended after three extra holes, crowning a well-deserved winner.
A special thank you goes to the generous sponsors who continue to support this event, making it a highlight of the year. The Ayr Ladies Club members also deserve recognition for their tireless work in cooking and catering for the day, ensuring there was plenty of delicious food for all.
The weather was kind, the course was in excellent condition, and despite a few hiccups, the event ran smoothly. Congratulations to all the winners and participants, and the Club looks forward to seeing everyone again in 2025.
Contributed with thanks to the Ayr Golf Club.
12 pairs put it on the green at the Ayr Golf Club for Burdekin Tyre Service Day.
Vicki Adcock and Heather Desbois were victorious with a score of 37 at Selections Day.
The Ayr Golf Club held another highly successful Open Event over the weekend, welcoming 70 golfers to the green.
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The Burdekin Bocce Club, a small but dedicated group of 26 members, is embracing Seniors Month this October by hosting an open afternoon on Sunday, 20 October. The event will include afternoon tea, and guests are encouraged to either watch or join in a friendly game of bocce. With many of the club's members aging and finding the physical demands of the sport challenging, some have transitioned to playing Italian card games while others continue to enjoy bocce.
Last Sunday 6 October, the club held a special lunch for members, featuring the traditional Italian dessert, Tiramisu, served by Bertilla Piazzetta and Rita Vener. The lunch was made even more memorable with the presence of three special guests: Fr Manoj, Fr Troung, and Sr Carmel Pattinson from the Catholic Church.
The club is also celebrating the long-awaited repair of its roof, which was damaged during the February cyclone. The repairs were made possible thanks to a $5,000 government grant from the Disaster Recovery fund.
The Burdekin Bocce Club invites the public to come along to the open afternoon, enjoy some delicious afternoon tea, and experience the joy of bocce firsthand. It's a wonderful opportunity for the community to connect and share in this beloved Italian tradition.
Contributed with thanks to Regina Lequerica.
Regina and Tony putting their bocce skills to the test!
Bertilla Piazzetta and Rita Vener treated members to a delicious lunch last weekend.
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On Friday, 4 October, the A & B Pairs competition saw an exciting match at the Brandon Bowls Club. Ross McLaughlin and Rob Jorgensen faced off against Lloyd Shepherd and Gary "Mr. Bowls" Pearce on a beautiful evening. Rob and Ross took an early lead with some strategic kitty movement from Rob, which kept the opposition on their toes. However, once the Shepherd-Pearce duo found their rhythm, they began to position their bowls perfectly, ultimately taking control of the game and securing the win. They now advance to the Grand Final.
In the social games, two matches were played. In the pairs, Ben Mills and "Rampaging" Ray Paneccasio took on Margaret McLaughlan and Allan Gairoch, with Ben and Ray emerging victorious. In the triples, Norm Storrie, Jayson Farry, and Jamie Woods played against newcomers Luke Storrie, Peter Lejarraga, and Joe Yipnazar, who proved too strong in the end and claimed the win.
On Sunday, 6 October, 24 bowlers took to the green in near-perfect conditions. The highlight of the day was the Rinks Championship, played on the showcase rink. It was a thrilling battle between Mick McCloskey, Joe Yipnazar, Peter Henderson, and Richie Mau, who took on Damion Morello, Rob Jorgensen, Danny O’Shea, and the great Tony Bayliss.
Other social games of pairs and triples were also played. Ben Mills and Kev Collins defeated Helen Collins and Len Feeney, while Ross McLaughlin, Henry Hazel, and Leo Kenny triumphed over Gary Nosworthy, Glenn Woodford, and Allan Gairoch. In another match, Ken Ferguson, Neville Dickinson, and Peter Jorgensen claimed victory over Con Sexton, Doug Kiehne, and Jamie Woods.
A reminder to all members that the Trophy Bowls Night, sponsored by Nutrients AG Solutions, will take place on Friday, 18 October. This is a highly anticipated event, so please ensure you get your names in as soon as possible.
Contributed with thanks to Lloyd Shepherd.
Tony Bayliss, Danny O’Shea, Damion Morello, and Rob Jorgensen enjoyed plenty of thrilling games at the Brandon Bowls Club last week.
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