The Ayr Surf Life Saving Club hosted the annual North Barrier Branch Surf Rescue Championships on Saturday 6th December with a small but strong turn out. At Surf Rescue Champs competitors test their true lifesaving knowledge in Champion Lifesaver event, performing patient assessment and CPR, completing a theory paper and physical skills including a tube race, surf and board race and sprint. Members also competed in the First Aid Competition where they work in a pair to assess and treat a simulat
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The Burdekin Theatre foyer became permanently enshrined in the memories of 10 Burdekin residents on Tuesday, 9 December, as the place where they were officially celebrated as naturalised citizens of Australia. At 10:20am, Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort, alongside councillors and families, came together to celebrate the new Australian citizens, each from various backgrounds such as Europe, Africa, and Asia. New citizen Liezel Klopper, along with her two children, Andre Henri an
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Residents visiting Alva Beach and Coutts Park over the weekend were met with frustration after public conveniences at both sites were deliberately vandalised. The damage, coming just weeks before the holiday season, has left local families and visitors without access to key facilities. Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort said the incidents were “a senseless act of stupidity and deeply disrespectful to our community.” She noted the personal and financial impact on locals. “Council invests significant resou
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Sunday 14 December BBQ Breakfast Sunday 8am The community is invited to attend the Burdekin Aero Club Inc. Monthly BBQ Breakfast at the Ayr Aerodrome from 8am to 11am. Meet the pilots, inspect the aircrafts, and enjoy a morning of socialisation for $10 per person. Call 0429 144 921 for more information. Ayr Aerodrome, Brandon Sunday 14 December Movie Night Sunday 6pm Join the community for a screening of The Grinch at Giru Pool. Gold coin donation. Snacks and drinks available for purchase. Giru
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Monday 1st December marked a milestone event for the Burdekin district, as primary school swimmers from across the region gathered to compete in the 60th Annual Webber Shield Swimming Carnival. One of the longest-running inter-school sporting traditions in the district, the carnival showcased outstanding talent, sportsmanship and school pride. Nine schools took to the pool this year: St Francis, East Ayr State School, Home Hill State School, Giru State School, Brandon State School, St Colman’s,
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Orientation Days Give Future Hawks a Flying Start December 5, 2025 Ayr State High School recently welcomed 75 Year 6 students from across the Burdekin for two days of Orientation. The students, soon-to-be Year 7s, spent the days getting familiar with their new school, meeting teachers, and discovering who their classmates will be in 2026. Supported by senior student “buddies,” the future Hawks explored classrooms, learned about school routines, and participated in activities designed to build c
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Northern Queensland Legacy have once again hosted a series of heartwarming Christmas Lunches across several shires to bring the community together and ensure veterans’ families are supported this festive season. Annually, the Christmas Lunches provide a chance for widows and children of veterans to reconnect and celebrate the festive season with others who understand their unique circumstances. The Northern Queensland Legacy's Burdekin Christmas Party was held on Friday, the 5th of December at
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After the loss of someone they loved dearly, five friends decided to come together to make a difference in the lives of those struggling with mental health illnesses by raising valuable funds and awareness throughout the month of October and beyond. Chloe Rehbein, Caitlin Danziger, Lilly Scutt, Kaitlyn Warren, and Thomas Rehbein’s world were rocked when someone very close to each of them tragically passed away earlier this year. After such a success raising funds for Breast Cancer Research in
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The Burdekin is set to benefit from an increase in frontline police numbers, with the Crisafulli Government welcoming 118 new constables into the Queensland Police Service (QPS). The fresh recruits — part of a major statewide push to restore safety and strengthen regional policing — will soon be deployed across Queensland, including right here in Ayr. The new officers form part of a broader investment in rebuilding the police frontline, bringing the total number of new constables sworn in under
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The Bruce Highway – the lifeline that connects Ayr, Home Hill and the broader Burdekin region to the rest of Queensland – has been the focus of major safety planning over the past 12 months, with the Bruce Highway Advisory Council (BHAC) wrapping up its final meeting of the year. Re-established by the Government, the Council brings together representatives from industry, government and regional communities to guide investment in Queensland’s most critical road corridor. Since reconvening, the g
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The Burdekin is set to benefit from a major environmental investment, with the Government committing more than $10 million to tackle weeds, feral animals and wildfire threats across North Queensland. As part of the $117.8 million Natural Resource Management Expansion Program, NQ Dry Tropics will lead three local projects aimed at restoring land condition, protecting wetlands, and safeguarding vulnerable coastal ecosystems — with much of the work centred in the Lower Burdekin. The program inclu
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As rural communities wrapped up another year of planting, harvesting and hard work on the land, World Soil Day on 5 December offered an important reminder of the quiet powerhouse beneath our feet — the soil that sustains farms, families and entire regions. Often taken for granted, soil underpins Australia’s agricultural output, contributing around $90 billion to the national economy each year. It’s also one of the most complex living ecosystems on Earth, home to more than a quarter of the plane
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Ben & Kelsey to host their final End of Harvest Golf Classic, celebrating years of community & charity support
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Three Blokes Running’s (TBR) Campbell Johnston, Brayden Rawlins and Austin Dewar have once again closed out another stellar November spent fundraising for the Movember Foundation for the second consecutive year. Across the past month, the trio set themselves the mission of flipping a deck of cards and completing several mystery challenges like swimming laps in the pool and pushing themselves to the limits in the gym all in the interest of raising funds and awareness for men’s mental health. Ca
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Australia is home to more than 700,000 native plant species, many of which can also be enjoyed as food. Known as bush foods, these plants have long been used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for nutrition, medicine, and cultural practices. Here are five edible natives that are both tasty and great for your garden. Macadamia Nuts (Macadamia spp.) Native to the rainforests of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, macadamia nuts are loved for their sweet, buttery flavour
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As the Burdekin Shire begins to gear up for another disaster season, residents may once again face the familiar sight of fallen trees, broken branches, and damaged green spaces. Living on the coast, local residents understand cyclones are an annual challenge, with recent storms such as Jasper, Kirrily, and Tiffany serving as reminders, while major events like Cyclone Yasi have taught important lessons about how our landscapes cope. One key question emerges: are some trees better equipped to sur
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As Queensland faces another hot summer and storm season, health authorities are warning residents to avoid handling bats found on the ground. Distressed or dead bats may be encountered more frequently during extreme heat or severe weather, and Queensland Health reminds the community that contact can be dangerous. Bats can carry Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), a virus closely related to rabies. While human infection is rare, it is almost always fatal once symptoms develop. Very hot temperatur
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Sunday was a day of mixed results for Home Hill in the Townsville Cricket competition. Home Hill’s Third Grade side secured a decisive 38-run victory over Brothers, posting 9/128 from their 30 overs. Dan Olditch delivered a captain’s knock of 29 from 39 balls to anchor the innings. Along with steady contributions from Luke Mottin (14 runs) and Mick Richards (12*), a defendable total was set. It was Home Hill’s bowlers however who delivered a collective masterclass, dismantling Brothers for jus
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The Burdekin Roosters will enter the coming season with a completely new-look executive following the club’s AGM held last Sunday at the Queens Hotel. Twenty-one members attended the meeting, which confirmed that this year’s executive—Mick Brombal, Paul Horan, Zac Campbell and Courtney Weaver—did not seek re-election. Alex Lennox, who organised the successful Club of Origin last weekend, will replace Brombal as President, with John Nash appointed Vice President and Mel Lammon taking on the rol
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Saturday PM (1-5pm) Group E - John Moloney PC, Anne Moloney PC, Tramayne Horan PC, Sophia Moloney and Tony Felisina Sunday AM (9am-1pm) Group B - Terry Lund PC, Kristy Wassmuth PC, Anita Giddy, Heather Scott, Briella Wassmuth and Emilee Wassmuth Sunday PM (1-5pm) Group D - Ben Lawry PC, Kellie Lawry PC, Bella Lawry, Charlotte Lawry and Lisa Vivian
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The Lower Burdekin will see a significant boost in environmental protection efforts, with the Crisafulli Government announcing a suite of locally delivered projects worth more than $10 million to combat invasive weeds, feral animals and wildfire risks across the region. The investment forms part of the government’s $117.8 million Natural Resource Management Expansion Program, billed as a statewide effort to restore land health and support on-country stewardship. The funding will flow directly t
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Member for Burdekin Dale Last has lambasted a federal announcement which sees farmers left as collateral damage in the latest Labor-Greens deal. Mr Last said last week’s overreach by the Federal Government will see farmers, already meeting world-leading environmental regulations, strangled with more red tape. “Once again our farmers are being painted as environmental vandals by Labor, except this time it’s on a federal level,” Mr Last said. “The passing of the Commonwealth Environment Protect
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On Friday, 5 December, Burdekin Community Association Inc. celebrated International Volunteer Day with our volunteers. We enjoyed a Volunteer Brunch at the BCA Support Centre. The refreshments were great, and we had Lucky Door prizes and games. BCA is very grateful to all of our exceptional volunteers and thanks them for everything they do for our organisation and the community. This year, under the inspiring theme “Every Contribution Matters”, International Volunteer Day 2025 takes on histori
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Ayr art lovers are in for a treat as Tracey Jane returns to the region with her much-anticipated exhibition, It’s a Circular Thing. The show will be on display on 16th and 17th December, from 10 am to 4 pm, opposite the old movie theatre on Queen Street. Originally scheduled for Charters Towers in June at the World Theatre, the exhibition was unfortunately cancelled when a storm damaged the venue’s roof. Now, Tracey Jane brings her work closer to home, offering locals a chance to experience her
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