Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Ayr and Home Hill police, along with Ayr CIB, has charged six people with a total of 32 drug offences following an operation targeting drug offences across the Burdekin last week. As part of the operation, police executed a search warrant at a Home Hill address on 20th September. A 36-year-old man was charged with trafficking in dangerous drugs (methylamphetamine), 23 counts of supplying dangerous drugs and one count of unlawful supply of a firearm. Police objected to the man's bail and he was remanded in custody. On 24th September, police executed a search warrant at an Ayr address. A 62-year-old man was charged with possessing dangerous drugs, supplying dangerous drugs, possessing utensils and possessing proceeds of crime after police located him with $15,000 in cash.
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A Coalition proposal would halve fuel excise when global oil prices rise above a set threshold, with the party estimating the measure could reduce fuel costs by 27 cents a litre. Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP said the proposed Fuel Price Shield would be triggered when the two-week average closing price of Brent crude rises above US$100 a barrel. The Coalition estimates the measure would save motorists around $15 on a typical tank of fuel. Mr Willcox said regional Australians could benefit from the proposal due to the distances often travelled between major centres. “Fuel is not optional in Dawson. We have hundreds of kilometres between major centres, limited public transport and families who need their cars to get to work, school, medical appointments, the shops and everything in between,” Mr Willcox said. “When fuel prices spike, regional Australians feel it first and feel it hardest. There is simply no easy alternative to driving when you live hundreds of kilometres from the next major centre.” He said higher fuel costs also affected agricultural producers and businesses reliant on transport. “Our farmers feel that pressure right through the supply chain. They need diesel to plant, harvest, irrigate, transport and get Australian produce to market. When the cost of fuel goes up, the cost of getting that food from the paddock to the supermarket goes up with it.” Coalition Leader of the Opposition Angus Taylor said the proposal was intended to provide temporary relief when international oil prices rose sharply. “Fuel is not a luxury. Australians need it to get to work, take the kids to school and keep their businesses running,” Mr Taylor said. “When global events send oil prices through the roof, Australians should know there is a clear automatic safeguard in place to provide temporary and targeted relief.” “The Fuel Price Shield would provide certainty. When a serious oil shock hits, the tax comes down automatically. When oil prices return to more normal levels, the ordinary rate is restored.” Leader of the Nationals and Queensland Senator Matt Canavan said higher fuel prices could also affect the wider economy. “Higher fuel prices also flow through the entire economy. They increase the cost of moving food, freight and supplies around our country.” “The Fuel Price Shield is designed to provide temporary relief when international oil markets experience an exceptional shock, while ensuring the ordinary arrangements return once that shock has passed.” Mr Willcox said the proposal would also help address costs associated with transporting goods. “This is about more than what people pay at the bowser. Fuel is an input into almost everything we buy in Dawson,” he said. “It moves our food, our freight, our building materials and our tourism products. When fuel spikes, those costs don't disappear. They are passed through the economy.” The Coalition has included the Fuel Price Shield and stronger fuel security as part of its broader economic policy platform. Supplied by the office of Federal Member of Dawson Andrew Willcox CAPTION: Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox MP says regional Australians feel fuel price spikes hardest, with long distances and limited public transport making affordable fuel essential for families, farmers and local businesses. Photo supplied
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Townsville Hospital and Health Service (THHS) has confirmed there are “no plans to reduce or withdraw” the BreastScreen Queensland mobile screening service in the Burdekin amid rumours it could be axed due to low usage. A THHS spokesperson said the Ayr service is “secure” and “one of the most active mobile screening locations in the north Queensland region,” with more than 650 Burdekin women attending appointments since August. The service will remain on Chippendale Street until mid-December. Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort welcomed the news, calling the service “valuable for our community.” “I make it a priority to have a screening every two years when the van visits the Burdekin,” she said. “The appointment takes only around 15 minutes, it is free, and it could save your life.” BreastScreen Queensland has screened more than one million Queensland women since 1991, detecting over 34,000 breast cancers. The spokesperson encouraged eligible women aged between 50 and 74 to book their screening every two years. Appointments can be made by visiting breastscreen.qld.gov.au or by calling 13 20 50. CAPTION: The service on Chippendale Street, Ayr screened more than 1,710 local women during its last visit in 2024. Photo: Jacob Casha
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Contributed by Home Hill Cricket Association Home Hill junior cricketer Mazlyn Smith has capped off a busy off-season, earning selection in the North Queensland Schoolgirls Under‑12 team after impressing at regional trials to make the squad of 12 players. The team was selected from around 30 girls from across North Queensland, from Cairns and Atherton down to Proserpine. Mazlyn travelled to the 10–12 Years Schoolgirls Cricket State Championships on the Sunshine Coast last week, where she took part in a demanding schedule of seven T20 matches. Despite the tough competition, NQ secured two wins, and Mazlyn made her mark with a standout bowling performance. She claimed six wickets across the carnival—four bowled, one lbw, and one caught—finishing as the third‑best bowler in her NQ side and 33rd overall out of 119 players. Her personal highlight came against the team that ultimately won the championship, when she snared two wickets in two balls, a moment she’ll remember for a long time. Mazlyn’s impact wasn’t limited to the ball. Her energy, athleticism and commitment in the field earned her special recognition from the NQ coaching staff, who presented her with the Best Fielder Award. Coaches praised her ability to cut off boundaries, her safe hands, strong throwing arm, and her constant positive talk that lifted teammates throughout the tournament. Off the field, Mazlyn made new friends from across Queensland, adding to the experience of her first ever cricket carnival—a milestone she embraced with enthusiasm and maturity. With a successful debut at state level now behind her, Mazlyn is already eager for the next opportunity. Her selection and performances signal a bright future for one of Home Hill’s rising cricket talents. CAPTIONS: 1—Home Hill junior cricketer Mazlyn Smith has capped off a busy off-season, earning selection in the North Queensland Schoolgirls Under‑12 team 2—Mazlyn travelled to the 10–12 Years Schoolgirls Cricket State Championships on the Sunshine Coast last week Photos: Kristy Smith
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Burdekin local Jorja Ahern was one of 33 young motorsport enthusiasts chosen to partake in Motorsport Australia’s ‘Girls on Track Pathways Program’ in Melbourne earlier this month. The single-day event on 3rd September gave participants—aged between 15 and 22—an inside look at Walkinshaw TWG Racing’s headquarters, lifting the roller door on the career opportunities available within the motorsport industry. With limited spots in the program and an explicit preference for Victorian-based applicants, Jorja said she was “surprised” yet “excited” when her acceptance email came through during class. “I was so excited and I was emailing my mum to tell her that I got in. She was as surprised as I was,” she said. “But overall I was very excited and grateful for the opportunity to participate in the program.” Jorja travelled with family down to the Victorian capital, where she and her program peers took part in interactive workshops led by Walkinshaw TWG Racing staff across departments including Corporate Hospitality and Events, Commercial (Partnerships and Media), Engineering, Driving, and Mechanics and Preparation. Jorja took particular interest in the engineering department, where she said she learnt about elements of the role that she “didn't know about before.” “It opened my eyes to the different opportunities and possibilities that are available in the industry and really helped me to nail down the type of engineering that I dream of doing when I am older,” she said. “I also got some insight into what each of the different engineers in the team do, so that also helped me to see where my interests lie and what career path would be best suited to me.” Jorja said meeting the women who had done it before her was perhaps the most meaningful aspect of the experience. She pointed to a particular Walkinshaw fabricator hailing from rural Queensland as the most inspiring. “She just proves that girls in small towns can chase their dreams and achieve them too,” Jorja said, also relishing the opportunity to interact with her program peers. “Being around likeminded girls who have the same dream of working in the industry was so cool and I made a lot of new friends from the program,” she said. “It was so good to talk to them as well because they have the same interests in Supercars and F1 so we all really connected and got on well.” Jorja’s Melbourne visit comes months after a once-in-a-lifetime Supercars paddock experience, serving as a scrutineer at the Townsville 500 in July. The long-time motorsport enthusiast hopes to eventually study mechanical engineering at university before pursuing an engineering role at “any motorsport team—whether Supercars or F1.” CAPTION: 1—Burdekin local Jorja Ahern was one of 33 young motorsport enthusiasts chosen to partake in Motorsport Australia’s ‘Girls on Track Pathways Program’ in Melbourne earlier this month. 2— “It opened my eyes to the different opportunities and possibilities that are available in the industry." Photos supplied: Tracey Ahern
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The Burdekin Catholic Parish is calling on the community to dig through their family albums and keepsakes as it prepares to celebrate a piece of Home Hill history—the 100th anniversary of St Colman’s Parish. All are invited to its celebrations on Sunday October 25th, which mark a century since the formal establishment of St Colman’s Parish and subsequent appointment of Father William O’Reagan as its first parish priest in January 1926. The history of St Colman’s Church itself goes back even further, with the original timber church dating to 1918. The building, which cost £1100 and was relocated from Ravenswood, was eventually replaced by its current church in 1968. In preparation for the celebrations, a small committee has begun researching the parish’s history and is seeking photographs, memorabilia, recollections and stories to help document its growth over the past 100 years. The committee is particularly hoping to find photographs of former Parish Administrators Father Abraham Cheripuram, who served from 2016 to 2018, and Father Sibichan Kaippanplackal, who served from 2019 to 2021. Photographs of baptisms or weddings involving either priest would be especially appreciated, while photographs from the parish’s early years between 1926 and the early 1950s are also being sought. The committee hopes the material gathered will help tell the story of St Colman’s and the generations of families who have been part of the parish over the past century. Anyone with photographs, memorabilia or memories to share is encouraged to contact the Burdekin Catholic Parish Office on 4783 2316. CAPTIONS: 1—The history of St Colman’s Church itself goes back even further, with the original timber church (pictured) dating to 1918. 2—The current church. Photos supplied
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Two people were taken to Townsville Hospital following a two-vehicle crash in Home Hill on Wednesday, 16th September. The crash occurred about 2.50pm at the intersection of the Bruce Highway and Kirknie Road, with one vehicle rolling onto its roof. Police said initial investigations indicated one of the drivers failed to give way, with inquiries into the cause of the crash ongoing. Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and Queensland Police Service responded to the incident. As of Monday, 21st September, Ayr Police were unable to provide further information about the injuries sustained by the drivers.
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