Councillor Column - Councillor Amanda Hall 7 August

Councillor Amanda Hall

For locals and newcomers to the Burdekin, have you ever really thought about the history that has made us what we are today?  The Visit Burdekin website has a list of heritage experiences people can partake in, some of which are the Home Hill War Memorial in Memorial Park Home Hill, the Burdekin Machinery Preservationists in Brandon, the Burdekin Diorama in Home Hill, Charlie’s Hill WWII Site just outside of Home Hill, the Ayr War Memorial at the Ayr Cemetery and the many heritage listed buildings throughout the Shire.  A walk across the Burdekin Bridge is not for the faint of heart but well worth the effort.  Just be sure to look out for the St. John’s Cross spiders that pepper the bridge.  They are truly spectacular, I just wouldn’t want to walk through one.  My dream is that the Burdekin will one day have its own museum dedicated to the history of the Shire and the industries that make it thrive.  I firmly believe we need to preserve history in order to respect it and grow from it.Charlie Scuderi has made it his mission to capture and collate historical photos.  He has a selection of these on rotation on a television in the old Home Hill Court House which is now home to the Burdekin’s own local radio station, Sweet FM.  I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you calling in for a cuppa if you call ahead on 07 47828394.  Check out the Sweet FM website where you will find a few historical photos including one of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his plane “Southern Cross” in Ayr in 1931.  Charlie hosts the Mayor, Councillors and theatre staff each Wednesday between 2pm and 3pm.  Make sure you tune in to 97.1 Sweet FM for your regular council update and more importantly, some friendly banter where you will get to see the human side of the people who represent you.Sweet FM will be holding its next markets on Saturday August 16 from 8am -1pm.  The markets are going from strength to strength since their inception and the range of stalls continues to increase with each market.  Why not check it out?With the closure of the local Endeavour Foundation business, I’d like to call on local businesses to consider supporting the clients of Flexi by offering paid employment in some small way.  We need to look after those in our community when Government fails.  You can contact Flexi on 07 47835866.Until next time, stay safe, be kind and God Bless.