Saturday 1st Of March:(1 to 5pm) – Patrol Group A: Chris Wicks, Damien Rickets, Emma rickets, Jane Wicks. Sunday 2nd Of March: (9am to 1pm) – Patrol Group G: Carl List, Jimmy Hayllor, James kennedy, Shane Morgan, Ross Blakey, Ross Rickards, Jedd Giddy. (1 to 5pm) – Patrol Group F: Lisa Furnell, Jenny Morgan, John Furnell, Jo Morgan, Lauren Chapman, Isla Chapman, Ryler Sartory, Jake Sartory, Kat Sartory, Dave Sartory.
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Jane Baltzars and Erin BrennanEusebio Aguirre (President Burdekin Chamber of Commerce), with Kari Ravizza (Treasurer) Burdekin Chamber of CommerceDeputy Mayor, Max Musumeci, Councillor Amanda Hall, Peter HallLisa Shepherd, Kate Casswell, Lyn McLaughlin, Norm BethellBelinda Mohr, Gwen Marshall all smiles.Anthony & Carolyn SturialeBryn Hicks, Jim AshworthMegan Hippler, Tracy Liotis
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The popularity of Wednesday Night Bowls continues to soar, attracting players of all ages and skill levels to the greens. The vibrant atmosphere, coupled with the irresistible aroma of the barbecue, keeps both participants and spectators engaged throughout the evening. With lively music playing in the background, the event has become a highlight of the week, offering fun and enjoyment for everyone. Lawn bowls may appear simple, but mastering the game requires skill and precision. One rising sta
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What began as a simple question at the Neighbourhood Centre about a month ago, has blossomed into a wonderful opportunity for community members to socialise and keep their minds active. Sylvia Van Rossum, who is new to the Burdekin area, reached out to the Neighbourhood Centre looking for a local Bridge group to join. As an enthusiastic Bridge player, Sylvia likens Bridge players to golfers, saying, “When you move to a new place, you call around to see if there’s a game you can join.” Although
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Burdekin Catholic High School (BCHS) has long been a beacon of educational excellence in our community, and the recent 2024 Awards Night held on Thursday evening, was a testament to the outstanding learning and teaching that take place within its classrooms. This prestigious evening celebrated the dedication, hard work, and achievements of both students and staff, showcasing the school's commitment to fostering academic success and personal growth. The Awards Night recognised students who hav
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It’s often the unsung heroes – the State Emergency Service (SES) – who are first to respond. First to rescue. First to clean up. First to help. First to support the community any way they can. During the Burdekin's recent floods, they completed 140 jobs, a similar number to Cyclone Kirrily last year. While they receive plenty of praise, pats on the back, or free food and accommodation, what they need most is more volunteers. In a sign of the times, volunteering nationally is down 10% everywhere
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Member for Burdekin Dale Last has hailed a boost in planning scheme funding coupled with the axing of stamp duty for first home buyers as a win in the region’s battle to address the housing supply. As of May 1, eligible first home buyers looking to build a new home as well as those looking to purchase an existing home will save thousands of dollars with the abolishment of stamp duty after the bill was passed during the first sitting of parliament for this year. Mr Last said the move to keep mo
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Monday 24 February Home Hill – Ayr Lions Club Youth of the Year Quest Monday 6:30pm The Home Hill – Ayr Lions Club Annual Youth of the Year Quest will be held on Monday the 24th of February to stage the public speaking talents of students in Year 12! Call John on 0447 561 790 for more information. Crown Hotel, Home Hill Friday 28 February BNC Burdekin Parkinson's Support Group Friday 9:30am The Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre will host a support group for those experiencing Parkinson’s in their
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At just 17, Nicole Cervoni is making a remarkable impact on her community. Growing up in the small rural town of Millaroo, she has been actively involved from a young age, organising raffles and cent sales before joining the Youth Council, where she has served for the past year. “I've only been at the Council for a year, but every time Tammy asked for volunteers, I said, ‘Yep, I'll do it,’ and I really enjoyed it,” Nicole shared. “It's an incredible experience for any young person.” Her dedi
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Craig Martin, a musician from Liverpool, England, is performing his ‘Morning Melodies’ show at the Burdekin Theatre on March 5. The show features classic British pop and rock songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, including hits from The Beatles, The Kinks, and Tom Jones, and features over 20 hit songs. “I always loved music, and I had an older brother who was five years older than me. He had a huge influence on me and when you're a teenage, you always look up to them and take notes of what your old
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In a joint press conference held at the still flooded Plantation Park, and standing next to the Bruce Highway, Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox, led calls for urgent road upgrades after North Queensland was again cut off from the rest of the state and country.
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With the recent floods cutting access on the Bruce Highway between Home Hill and Ayr, many people were left marooned, finding themselves stranded on either side of the river. Doctors, nurses, patients, teachers, students, workers, didn’t matter – everyone was stuck!
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It’s over! The rains that persisted for nearly two weeks straight finally ended and the flooding has begun to subside in the Burdekin. And it’s about… fricken time! [I wanted to put something else but my editor won’t allow it] though I’m sure you all echo my sentiments regardless.
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With the recent floods cutting off Home Hill from Ayr, which left locals, travellers and northerners alike stranded, new resident and Home Hill transplant, Jennifer Rasmussen, resolved to do her bit to help those that got caught out and found themselves stuck.
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Andy Pethybridge, the Queensland Police Services Emergency Management Coordinator, found himself in the Burdekin to help take care of the situation, explaining why the recent floods here in Ayr, is a high priority. “This region is a priority due to its high population and isolation, with 16 out of 21 emergency management coordinators rotated through this area. It was considered higher risk with the high population being isolated for long periods of time, and also having a high risk with the Pla
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As the clean-up and recovery efforts continue following devastating flooding in North Queensland, Member for Burdekin Dale Last calls on the community to nominate a local legend who has gone the extra mile to help their community during recent challenging times. Recent weeks have seen community members across the district go above and beyond to ensure essential services were able to continue and vulnerable community members have the assistance needed to access medical supplies or a warm meal.
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The Burdekin region has been left reeling from the devastating impact of recent flooding, with countless residents grappling to rebuild their lives amidst the widespread destruction. In the face of such adversity, however, a powerful sense of community spirit has emerged, providing a much-needed beacon of hope and resilience during this challenging time. Among the many inspiring acts of generosity, the Country Ayr Motel has truly distinguished itself. Over the course of three days, the motel sta
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What can I say about our wonderful community? Despite some negativity late last year into early this year, the people of the Burdekin Shire have proven once again, that they are caring, generous and resilient. During the recent flood event, the support for and kindness shown to our neighbors and visitors was simply astounding. This is part of the reason I love our people and community so much. “When the going gets tough, the Burdekin gets going.” We, as a Shire, were extremely privileged i
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I stand to be corrected, but I don’t believe we have ever seen as many visitors to our region as we have over the past week. We have welcomed visits from Premier of Queensland, the Hon. David Crisafulli MP; Queensland State Disaster Recovery Coordinator Andrew Cripps, Leader of the National Party and Federal Member for Maranoa, the Hon. David Littleproud MP; Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox MP; Senator for Queensland and Shadow Minister for Resources, Senator Susan McDonald; and Governo
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As a result of the flooding in the region recently, several patients at the nearby Ayr Health Hospital Service had to be transported by rail, while some nurses were flown in from helicopter to assist, after getting cut off from the rising waters. Patients who required renal care were moved by rail via the rail-cart set up by the local council in conjunction with Queensland Rail, just so they could receive their daily dialysis treatment. A decision was also made by Ayr & Home Hill Health Service
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Progress! QCAR is moving at its usual rapid pace on the QCAR integration with the Australian Cane Farmers Association (ACFA) front. As we have been saying, this is bringing two pro-active organisations who are, and will continue to, deliver a powerful and passionate voice for representation and advocacy for all sugarcane farmers and their industry. The super drivers behind the integration, the QCAR Board, had a vision to provide even more benefits and services across their ever-growing repres
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Simon Hood Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing It has been a challenging time across our growing communities, with every region affected to various degrees by the recent rain event. The Herbert region obviously bore the brunt of it with extensive flood damage, lengthy power outages, communication issues and prolonged supply issues. In the Burdekin, we had floodwater through Invicta Mill at Giru twice in the space of one week, and the whole region was impacted by localised flooding, highway closur
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Kick back under the stars at the Burdekin Theatre on Friday, 28 March for a night of live music, great vibes, and good company! Burdekin Theatre are kicking off their new regular outdoor concert series, FORECOURT FRIDAYS LIVE, with a special guest performer Adam Harvey on his "Let the Song Take You Home" Tour! With a stellar support act, delicious food & drinks, and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s the perfect way to spend your Friday night. Join country music legend Adam Harvey for an unforgettable
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The 2024 cane crushing season finally wrapped up in mid-January 2025 after a long 32 weeks, leaving around 280,000 tonnes of cane unharvested in the district. CANEGROWERS Burdekin Ltd (CBL) has voiced disappointment over the extended season, especially given the shared goal between millers and growers of finishing by the third week of November to minimise productivity risks. The delay was caused by a mix of factors, including wet weather, mill performance issues, and drawn-out enterprise bargain
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During the recent flooding here, stories come out of resilience, perseverance, and community spirit where people come to the aid of others. One such story is Dr. Tata and his Home Hill Surgery doctors who went over and above, to ensure the Burdekin had access to doctors so their medical needs were met. After the roads were cut off, many patients were left stranded unable to attend their appointments, but so too were the doctors themselves. Rather than be forced to closed the surgery and have pa
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