Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
The Norm Perry Memorial Duck Race brought bright yellow fun to Plantation Park on Sunday, May 19. Family-friendly activities, including colouring contests and novelty races, started the morning with plenty of other activities keeping attendees entertained before the big race. Speaking on Sunday, Organiser and Rotary Club of Ayr volunteer John McVeigh said that 200 ducks were sold for the race and 31 decorated ducks were entered, although it’s too early to tell how much money was raised for Bur
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Hi readers It looks like I missed an epic weekend in the Burdekin! A big thank you to my colleague Chelsea who was in town last weekend and captured all of the social photos from the Burdekin Growers Race Day and the Norm Perry Memorial Duck Race – flick to pages 20-23 for all the action. I returned to Mackay for only the second time since leaving last September on the weekend and had a wonderful time catching up with family and friends and celebrating the engagement of my cousin and her fiance.
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One of the biggest days on the Burdekin’s calendar, the Burdekin Growers Race Day, has come and gone and while frocks were worn and horses were raced, one of the bigger attractions of the day came when attendees got to leave with a free box of Burdekin grown produce. Local fruitmonger and “mango man” Henry Petersen said 42 bins of produce were cleaned out by 8:00pm the night of the races. “This was a gimmick I first created 26 years ago,” Henry said. “Today, it's the race day’s biggest attracti
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On 11 May 2024 at 8:40am a stolen Isuzu MU-X travelled from Townsville to Home Hill on the Bruce Highway. The vehicle was reported to be travelling at extremely high speeds on the highway. The vehicle was tracked by POLAIR helicopter to Home Hill. The driver of the vehicle crashed into a power pole on Fifth Avenue before decamping on foot into yards. Police located the driver on Eighth Street where he was arrested. A 21-year-old male from Cairns was charged with several property offences and was
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Four Burdekin veterans were presented with Certificates of Appreciation for their service and contribution to Australia’s defence efforts by Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox. Mr Willcox made the presentations at a RSL Home Hill Sub Branch meeting on Monday, May 20 and said the Certificates of Appreciation are available under the Australian Government’s Saluting Their Service Commemorative Program. “They’re a way of expressing the nation’s gratitude to those who served overseas in Australia’s Def
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The formal opening of the new Burdekin Electorate Office on Queen Street pays homage to the community it serves, according to Member for Burdekin Dale Last. While it was relocated in February, the Burdekin Electorate Office was formally opened last Friday, May 17 with Clerk of the Queensland Parliament Mr Neil Laurie joining Mr Last and community members to unveil the plaque. “To have Mr Laurie join us for the opening on his very first visit to the Burdekin in his role as Clerk of the Parliam
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Utilising his skills from his civilian workplace in the Australian Defence Force Reserve and, indeed, vice versa, Nick O’Connor is a passionate reservist who was recently recognised for his contribution to the Air Force Reserve. As a civilian, Mr O’Connor can be found at the Burdekin Shire Council chambers filling the role of Director, Corporate & Community Services. He also works part time with the Air Force Reserve as a Public Affairs Officer and was recently awarded the Prince of Wales Award
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On Wednesday May 15, the Burdekin Community Association (BCA) called for the community to gather together and remember all of those who are no longer with us due to domestic and family violence. Joined by Burdekin Shire Council officials, Zonta Club Burdekin members, local Police Service and NQ Domestic Violence Resource Service, we paused for a minute’s silence to respectfully remember the lives of women and children lost to gendered based violence. Following on from the candle lighting cere
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After moving into their newly refurbished premises on Queen Street, Ayr earlier this year, Intersport Ayr hosted the Burdekin Chamber’s May Chamber Connect event on Tuesday, May 21. Brett Eathorne of Intersport Ayr shared a brief history of the business which reaches back to February 1974 when Brett’s father, Neville, first opened the doors of Eathorne’s Sports Village. “It was a tiny little shop, it was just himself and a funny note, his first day he made $24, he sold one tennis racquet,” Brett
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On Saturday 25 May, the 2024 Climb 4 CORES fundraising event will have Inkerman crawling with passionate locals walking the track to raise funds and awareness for mental health. CORES aims to spread mental health awareness and provides Queenslanders with valuable tools, resources, and information to help those struggling with their mental health, and potentially save someone’s life. The work that CORES carries out is completely free and their only source of funding to continue is drawn from co
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Member for Burdekin Dale Last was the special guest as Home Hill Chamber of Commerce held their May Social and Networking Event on Wednesday, May 15 at the Home Hill Community Sports Club. With Mr Last running for re-election as the LNP candidate in the October state election, he said it was great opportunity to be able to catch up with the Home Hill community and hear about the latest activities of the Home Hill Chamber of Commerce. “As we see right across the electorate, the diversity of each
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Rehoming fee: $195 DOB: 10.08.2023 Sex: Male Breed: DSH Kid friendly: Yes Dog Friendly: Yes Other cats: Yes Indoors/Outdoors: Indoors This beautiful boy still cannot believe no one wants him. He is a bit shy and can get a bit scared sometimes but his carer says he is a wonderful cat and has lots of love and cuddles to give to his new family. He is extremely well trained and is used to his litter box too. If you think you could welcome Jumanji into your home, care for him and love him
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Lower Burdekin Scout Group took part in a Scouting tradition practised all around the world when they went on a hike on the Saturday before Mother's Day. The event is known as Jamboree of the Trail, where some of the Lower Burdekin Scout Group members joined approximately 200 Scouts of various ages and adults in Townsville on Saturday May 11 to hike from the Jezzine Barracks. The older Scouts walked to the top of Castle Hill and back while the younger Scouts walked down along the Strand toward
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Last Friday, the Burdekin Move IT Program came to an end, bringing up a lot of emotions for everyone involved. This program was made possible with the support of North Queensland PHN, Burdekin Shire Council, MoveIT NQ, and NQ Sports Foundation. We want to express our sincere thanks to the Burdekin Shire Council for giving us the chance to make a positive impact on our community. It's been incredible to witness the changes in everyone over the past 16 weeks. The connections and friendships that
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May heralds the beginning of Small Business Month, a time to honour and celebrate the backbone of our local economies. The festivities kicked off at the Burdekin Industry Breakfast, signalling a month filled with recognition and support for small businesses. Central to this celebration is an exciting competition that is currently underway, ‘Snap for Small Business’. As you’re shopping around town, snap a photo in one of your favourite small businesses and upload it to socials, tag @supportlocal
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Did you know that our kerbside recycling doesn't end up at Kirknie Landfill? Instead, the recycling truck takes our co-mingled recycling to the Townsville Material Recovery Facility (MRF), where it undergoes processing. This facility isn't just about sorting recyclables; it's also equipped with an education facility! The Townsville MRF encourages locals to take charge and responsibility for their recycling practices. You can even book tours through Townsville City Council to learn more about th
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Saturday 25 May Burdekin Netball Junior Cup Carnival Saturday and Sunday, from 7am to 5pm The Annual Burdekin Netball Junior Cup Carnival will once again be held for teams from all over North Queensland to come and compete whilst having fun with their friends. With an expected 400 competitors to prepare to take the courts, the Burdekin Netball Association welcomes all residents and visitors to their annual carnival held at the Home Hill Netball Courts. Burdekin Netball Association Pre Crush O
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Giru State School, a cornerstone of the small but vibrant community of Giru, is marking a century of educational excellence with a grand celebration. The milestone event, featuring a gala dinner and a lively fete, is set to honour the school’s rich history and its enduring legacy in the region. Giru derives its name from a railway station named on 31 March 1916, based on "goru," a sugarcane variety from New Guinea grown locally. The Invicta Sugar Mill, originally located on the Richmond River
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The Tropical North Queensland Drought Resilience, Adoption and Innovation Hub (TNQ Drought Hub) has secured funding to extend its efforts in North Queensland for several more years following last week’s announcement of the Federal Government’s record commitment of over $500 million to the Future Drought Fund. Led by James Cook University, the TNQ Drought Hub is one of eight national hubs tasked with implementing and supporting practices for drought preparedness. The Hub has been collaborating
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445 construction and operational jobs are set to be created as a result of the State Government greenlighting a major phosphate mine in Northwest Queensland. Located 130km northwest of Mount Isa, the North West Phosphate’s Paradise South complex has been granted $300 million in mining leases. The Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart believes the initiative will stand as a vote of confidence from the government and reputable mining companies. “Paradise South will create 445 g
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Opinion piece The crossbench will block the Australian Government’s “disastrous” and “ill-thought-out” fresh food tax in the Senate with Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, saying common sense has prevailed. It comes after The Nationals spent the past year campaigning with farmers and industry against the tax, called a biosecurity protection levy, which would have hurt both families and farmers in Dawson amid a cost-of-living crisis. “This is a win for families, a win for farmers and
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Simon Hood Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing The ICE#11 sugar contract continues to be weighed down by the growing 24/25 forecast global trade surplus. The early start to the Brazilian harvest, and clear weather, has resulted in record breaking production numbers being posted in the UNICA half monthly production reports for April. Seasonal cane tonnages are up and so is the ratio of sugar to ethanol production, particularly for this early in the season. This is forcing analysts to revise their sug
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As the leaves turn and the weather cools, there's no better time to invest in top-quality water storage solutions. This autumn, Tanks Direct is excited to offer unbeatable deals on their premier water tanks: the 23,280L water tank for just $2,999 (including GST) and the 26,000L tank for $3,300 (including GST). For added convenience, an optional pump is available for only $250. Tanks Direct is owned by National Poly Industries who has been a trusted name in the industry since 2011. They have buil
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Caption 1: Aiden Contzonis, Corey Marchionie, Ben Perna, Mark Barbagallo, Jole Hanson and Cody Betteridge Caption 2: Charli Campbell, Alanee Marsh, Gypsy O'Hearn, Maddie Royal, Chayse Barra, Hunter Blomfield and Bailey Pery Caption 3: Christina Paul, Nikki Bowes, and Kellie Stephenson Caption 4: Craig Mcgill, Bailey Stibbs, and Brayden Rowlins Caption 5: Dylan Raitelli, Ryan Kaminski, Hayde Munro, Dustin Priddle, and Harvey Horan Caption 6: Eliza McMullen and Lily Harris Caption 7: Isabella Dowl
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Ayr’s first electric lighting scheme took place at Pioneer and Kalamia Sugar Mills in the sugar rooms in 1894 and 1895. David Edwards, who owned the Delta Hotel in 1910, built the Delta Theatre virtually next door. He installed a DC Generator at the rear of the Theatre to run an electrical lighting system. This was so successful that David Edwards applied to the Ayr Shire Council to supply electric power for commercial use and town lighting in 1914. It took from 1914 to October 1915 before DC po
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