Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
When Raymond Peterson stepped in to take over a closing marine shop in 2010, it wasn’t just a business decision—it was a personal mission. A Burdekin local with saltwater in his blood and a toolbox in hand, Raymond had been working on boats since finishing school in 1996. So when the opportunity came to carry on the region’s boating tradition, he jumped in. “I’ve always loved boats. It’s what I grew up with—dad was a mad fisherman,” he said. “It was about keeping boating alive in Home Hill.”
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Thrills on the Green: Canefire Fours Brings Regional Rivals Together ** The Ayr Bowling Club came alive over the weekend as it played host to the highly anticipated Canefire Fours—a two-day carnival that drew 56 passionate lawn bowlers from across the North Queensland region. Teams journeyed from as far afield as Collinsville, Bowen, Wangaratta, and Townsville, and were proudly joined by local contenders from Ayr, Brandon, and Home Hill, creating a vibrant blend of regional talent. The format s
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Simon Hood, Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing As factories across our regions ramp up operations for the production season, the global sugar price remains under pressure. Recent figures from Brazil, the world's largest sugar producer, show a strong fortnight of crushing activity in the second half of May, according to UNICA. Brazil is now just 12% behind its 2024 crushing pace. Its sugar mix reached nearly 52% for the period, bringing the season-to-date balance to an even 50/50 split between suga
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Wednesday 2 July Burdekin Writing Groups – Anthology Showcase 10:30am Join the Burdekin Writing Groups at Home Hill Library for readings from their latest anthology and a celebration of local writing. Home Hill Library Sunday 6 July Plantation Park Markets Sunday 8am Join Ayr State Primary School for a picture-perfect morning showcasing the talents and hobbies of both local and travelling stallholders with everything from home baked treats to handmade creations on offer! To become a stallholder
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In celebration of International Women in Engineering Day on June 23, the Burdekin is proudly represented by one of its own—Tiffany Olditch, a senior engineer who now oversees some of the most critical water infrastructure projects in regional Queensland. As Program Delivery Manager North for Sunwater, Tiffany is based at the Clare office but spends much of her time working across Queensland—coordinating major dam maintenance at Burdekin Falls, Peter Faust, Julius and Tinaroo, and managing teams
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A plethora of inspiring speakers took to the stage at Burdekin Regional Council's Industry Breakfast, held at the Burdekin Theatre last week. More than 70 people attended the event, enjoying a hot breakfast on a cool morning and gaining valuable insights from the day’s guest speakers. First to the stage was Sky Renewables Founder and CEO Simon Yim, whose industry knowledge and passion for renewables kept the entire audience engaged. He shared how his company, in partnership with Burdekin Rene
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As I sit here, writing this, I simultaneously wonder, "as if I've already been here for two months!" Am I a local yet? No? What if I start wearing an Akubra hat? To be honest, I've been contemplating getting one—to round off the whole 'country journalist' bit. Also just to save me from having to do my hair in the morning. I digress. It's been another huge week here in the BDK, marked by another personal 'milestone', if you like: my first ever careers day—however, this time on the other side
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Some of the brightest bowling talent in the Burdekin will congregate at Home Hill Bowling Club this weekend for the fast-approaching Club Championships. The Championships will see 27 players across two draws battle it out for ultimate local bragging rights at the esteemed event, which will take place over the next few months to determine the outright champion. Among contestants is long-time Home Hill Bowls member Norm Bethell, who says the event this time around is set to feature one of the mo
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Representing CORES Queensland Mia Galbraith felt incredibly honoured when she was asked to represent CORES Queensland as a 2025 Burdekin Water Festival Senior Ambassador, sharing she’s beyond excited to both present herself to the community and help others anyway that she can. “To me, this is personally a great honour, and I will hold onto this honour the whole way through my journey,” Mia said. A 2024 Burdekin Catholic High School graduate, Mia enjoys spending her time outdoors, and thorough
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A brilliant and vibrant Burdekin Burlesque Workshop illuminated the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre on Sunday the 15th of June as nine talented ladies had a ball, busting a move and having a groove throughout the wonderful session. Foxie Eleoyze shared a post online towards the end of last month, putting feelers out to see if the community would be interested in burlesque workshops focusing on facilitating self-expression through dance and movement. To her surprise, Foxie’s query was well receive
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Representing Home Hill - Ayr Lions Club A farmer's daughter herself, Nicole Cervoni’s appreciation for the Burdekin Water Festival runs deep, and she feels grateful to serve as a Senior Ambassador in this year’s event in representation of the Home Hill – Ayr Lions Club and in celebration of the region’s abundant water supply. “To be, being part of the Burdekin Water Festival allows me to not only be part of a great event which gives so much joy and excitement to our local community, but it also
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With the anticipation and excitement ramping up ahead of the 2025 Burdekin Water Festival Grand Parade and Mardi Gras, the celebrations will officially commence the evening of Friday the 4th of July with the magical Maria Populin Burdekin Water Festival Community Launch! Set to illuminate the second floor of Queen Street’s infamous Populin’s Hall from 6pm onwards, the Community Launch will stage the event’s wonderful Fashion Parade showcase, spotlighting fashions from Glen Dell Fashion Boutique
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By Owen Menkens, CANEGROWERS Chairman Cairns has taken on a sweet international flavour this week, with grower reps, policymakers and sugar industry experts from across the globe touching down for a major international conference. It’s the first time in almost two decades that Australia has hosted the World Association of Beet and Cane Growers (WABCG), so it’s more than just a feather in the cap – it’s a rare chance to put Queensland cane on the world stage. Over three days, we’re getting stuc
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After 2024's Bitter Harvest As cane fires blaze across the Burdekin and steaming stacks signal renewed activity from Far North Queensland to northern New South Wales, the start of the 2025 sugarcane harvest is now well underway. This eagerly anticipated start brings a sense of relief across the agricultural landscape, yet it arrives with the sharp memory of a challenging and disappointing 2024 season. Christian Lago, QCAR Chairman and a dedicated Burdekin cane farmer, captures the industry's r
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Don Walker By Jacob Casha For most people, featuring on the big screen at the rugby is about as much of the spotlight as they’ll ever get. And there’s nothing wrong with that—true notability is rare, reserved only for the exceptional. The anomalies. The people simply made for the spotlight. And in this fresh segment, “Burdekin to Big Time”, we look at some of those people made for it—made in the Burdekin. Our first local legend of the series? Well—whether you’ve heard of his name or not, chan
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A Proud History in Intertown Competition Over the years, the club has forged a strong record in intertown bowls competitions, consistently making its mark across North Queensland. While the prestigious Dunn Cup—the blue-ribbon event of regional bowls—has remained just out of reach, and the Blue Pennants have narrowly eluded us, there’s still been no shortage of silverware. The club tasted Red Pennants success in 1971 after finishing as runners-up back in 1956. But it’s the Pioneer Cup, contest
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On the evening of Saturday the 24th of May, the Jarvisfield State School Hall became a hive of groove and activity as the Rita Island Progress Association (RIPA) held a classic Old Time Dance extravaganza. Complete with the musical talents of the band Kiradon and skilled highland dance performances by the FC Caledonia, the night was a splendid success overflowing with great food, great drinks, and great (dance) moves! “It was a fantastic night full of good food, drinks, dancing and laughter fo
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The littlest learners of the Burdekin Shire came together for an enriching morning of fun, bubbles and laughter at Maidavale State School’s (MSS) 2025 Under 8’s Day on Thursday, the 29th of May. Approximately 60 children and their families transformed the school grounds into a vibrant hub overflowing with excited mini scientists ready to unleash “scientific thinking through play” – the 2025 theme of the annual event. Volcanos were created and potions were concocted whilst giant bubbles flew th
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At Burdekin Catholic High School, we believe every student has the potential to shape a meaningful and successful future. Through our Creating Futures Careers Program, students from Years 7–12 are encouraged to be aspirational, proactive, and purposeful in exploring their career goals. This program supports the development of lifelong learning habits and helps students make informed decisions about their personal and professional pathways. Our approach to career education is holistic and embedd
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Volunteer Program Now that winter is here and the days are colder, a wonderful and generous BCA Volunteer, Margaret Muilwyk, kindly donated beanies to our Volunteer Service Manager, Rita Quagliata. Margaret has knitted many of these amazing beanies for seniors and her timing is perfect. They will be greatly appreciated by recipients this winter. Volunteering and donating to Burdekin Community Association Inc are two great ways to support the BCA and our community. Some people cannot commit th
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Ayr’s Endeavour Foundation Business Solutions site will close its doors on 30 September 2025 after more than five decades of operation, leaving a team of highly skilled workers with disability facing unemployment. The organisation, which has served the Ayr and Home Hill communities since 1972, has faced ongoing financial challenges under the NDIS and is now calling on local businesses to help identify employment opportunities for its workforce. “By calling on our community, our aim is to help
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The Burdekin Clay Target Club ran very successful shoots on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th June. The weather was beautiful all weekend. Thank you to our sponsors JBS Foods Australia, Burdekin Tyres, Burdekin Engineering & Andrew Bergin. Thank you to Lui Populin for donating the meat tray for the raffle. Our next shoot will on Sunday 13 July. Saturday Shoot saw 43 Shooter Attend 100 Target Double Barrel Handicap-Sponsored by JBS Foods Australia Event 1- OPEN 1st Joe Caruso 25/25 2nd Colin Ferguson,
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This year, popular local singing group The Kindred Spirits are celebrating 18 years of harmony and vocal artistry—in the meantime raising a remarkable $61,500 for the Queensland Cancer Council. Formed in 2007 by local music teacher Ruth Stockdale, the group began as a small choir of 12 women with a shared goal: to raise money for cancer-related causes through music. Their first concerts supported Breast Cancer and Movember, and since then, they’ve become a beloved fixture in the local arts sce
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From cane farm to Harvey Norman sales arm—and everything in between—Katelyn Sibson has done it all. Katelyn first joined the Harvey Norman Ayr team in 2016, learning the ropes across several departments before stepping away to focus on raising her three children. Since returning in 2021, she’s brought back not just experience, but a deeper sense of balance—juggling life as a mum with her part-time role in the computers and tech section. Looking back, Katelyn admits she was nervous about enteri
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The Burdekin Under 14 Touch Football season wrapped up in style last Wednesday with the staging of its Grand Finals, showcasing the skill of local junior players. “The competitive nature of these Juniors was on display as they battled for championship honours,” said Burdekin Touch Technical Director, Bruce Johnson. “Games throughout the season were played in good spirit with plenty of skill displayed. It was great to see how much each player improved throughout the season.” In a one-sided A G
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