Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
An All-Ages Community Event To mark the beginning of celebrations for 2025 National Skills Week, on Saturday, August 23, North Queensland Senior School and training organisation, Tec-NQ, will throw open its doors for an all-ages Open Day with a difference. With 69 trades currently identified as experiencing a national skills shortage, there is no better time to try out a trade. Tec-NQ Chief Executive Officer Ross Jorgensen said this year’s Open Day will be an all-ages celebration of everything
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The Burdekin Community Association Inc. (BCA) Home Care Service delivers a wide range of services for seniors and their carers. Home Care Packages Program (HCP) The HCP Program provides support to older people with complex care needs to live independently in their own home. We can offer services to eligible seniors on a Level 1, 2, 3 or 4 package. Services include in-home support services, transport, home maintenance/repairs/modifications, access to allied health services and other care related
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Local residents will have the chance to get involved with Special Olympics when a ‘Come N Try’ day is held in Ayr on Saturday, 30 August, from 10am to midday. The event is open to anyone in the Burdekin who would like to participate or learn more about the organisation, which has been transforming lives since 1968. Special Olympics is a global movement dedicated to athletes with intellectual disabilities, supported by hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches around the world. It provid
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Councillor Detenon beat me to the official announcement of the pump track in his column a few issues ago, but I wanted to share an update on what’s happening next and how you can get involved. Council has awarded the contract to Common Ground Trails, and they’ve now started the design phase. The exciting part? They’ll soon be reaching out to the community to help shape how the track looks and functions. If you ride, have kids who do, or just have some good ideas, this is your chance to have a sa
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Council has received questions following the removal of trees in the Australia Post Park area beside the Burdekin Theatre Forecourt. Here’s what you need to know: • A line-of-sight assessment conducted by Queensland Police Service identified that mature trees were blocking essential signal paths between the Ayr Police Station radio tower and the Ayr Water Tower. • This obstruction posed a risk to public safety and emergency response capability in our district. • The land is owned by Australia Po
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In early 2023, Honeycombes Sales and Service Ayr commenced a new chapter in its long history with the addition of Honeycombes PowerSports. Located in the heart of the Burdekin, this dedicated division brings motorbikes, ATVs and power equipment offerings, and expert parts and servicing together under one roof, building on Honeycombes’ reputation for reliability that dates to 1913. Honeycombes PowerSports partners with trusted names like Honda, Suzuki, and STIHL, offering a broad range of equipm
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The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is reminding the public to think before calling Triple Zero (000) for non-urgent matters, as demand for emergency assistance continues to climb. In the first six months of 2025, QPS emergency call takers handled 488,096 inbound calls — an 8.53 per cent increase on the same period last year. Of these, more than 93 per cent (453,764) were Triple Zero emergencies, reflecting a growing demand for immediate police assistance across the state. Acting Superintenden
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The closing date for applications to the Building Resilient Tourism Infrastructure North Queensland Fund has been extended to 1 September 2025. The four million dollar fund offers grants between thirty thousand and two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, excluding GST, to help tourism businesses in disaster-affected areas strengthen infrastructure and prepare for future natural events. All projects must be completed by 31 March 2027. Eligible initiatives include flood prevention works, constru
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A major step has been taken to tackle rising groundwater and salinity issues in the Lower Burdekin, with Sunwater completing significant upgrades to a nearby irrigation channel. The project, part of a $25 million regional initiative, aims to reduce groundwater levels that threaten local farms and the surrounding environment. The latest phase of the project involved upgrading and lining a section of the open channel on Cadio Road, Upper Haughton, identified as a likely contributor to rising gro
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Burdekin mills processed just over 283,000 tonnes of cane in Week Nine of the season, bringing the total crushed to just under 2.8 million tonnes. This represents around 35 per cent of the estimated crop. The week began with delayed and slow starts following last week’s wet weather event, which hampered throughput across all sites. Another rain system on Thursday night halted production at every factory on Friday. Invicta received the least rain and returned to operations quickly, while Pioneer
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Born and raised in the Burdekin, Meagan Morris from MortgageWorks brings over 20 years of experience in banking and lending. She understands what makes North Queensland tick and how that affects local lending. With clients across Australia, her focus remains on helping the north navigate complex finance needs with clarity and care. “Finance isn’t one-size-fits-all,” Meagan said. “My job is to help clients fine tune their financial strategy in a way that suits them. “I work closely with accoun
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If you’re looking to create a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that thrives in Burdekin’s warm subtropical climate, native plants are a fantastic choice. Well-adapted to local conditions, these species require less water, less care, and provide a vital habitat for native birds and pollinators — all while adding natural colour and texture to your outdoor space. One standout is the Burdekin Plum (Pleiogynium timorense), a hardy tree producing edible fruit. It thrives in full sun to partial shade
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YOU ARE SO WORTH IT Hi everyone, how’s it going? Ever heard of the acronym HALT? It stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. We all go through stress at different times in our lives, just as there are times when the good stuff comes along. How we react to life is greatly influenced by how we are going both physically & emotionally. How we feel influences what we do. Our decisions both good & bad are exactly that—OURS. We need to take ownership for all our decisions, learning from our bad ones
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Hearts were pumping, muscles were straining and voices were cheering as students from all of the Burdekin District’s small schools converged on Clare State School for the Combined Burdekin Small Schools’ Athletics Carnival. Rainfall during the week meant that the track was a little soggy but spirits and effort reigned supreme as the students competed in shot put, long jump, sprints, high jump and the 800 metres. The younger student also had a fierce ball games competition with Corner Spry, Capta
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Families considering a high-quality Catholic education options for their children are encouraged to act fast, as limited positions remain for Year 7 enrolments in 2026 at Burdekin Catholic High School. Enrolment interviews will commence in Week 2 of this term, and with demand growing, families are urged to book early to avoid disappointment. Burdekin Catholic High School offers a supportive and dynamic environment for students starting their high school journey. As part of the school's transit
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Although pet shows and discos have been keeping all 12 of the 2025 Burdekin Water Festival (BWF) Senior and Junior Ambassadors busy over the past couple of months, the overwhelming excitement surrounding the highly anticipated QMN Manufacturing Burdekin Water Festival Long Lunch is undeniably contagious. Preparations are well underway; ticket sales have officially opened up to the public and the Burdekin Water Festival Committee is more than ready for the community to bask in the magic of the E
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It’s easy to think you know what a music festival is. A vast, dusty field, hours of queuing, and the logistical puzzle of seeing your favourite bands. But in a picturesque corner of the Whitsundays, the Airlie Beach Festival of Music has completely rewritten the script, transforming the concept from a penned-in weekend to a laid-back, three-day music holiday. This isn't just an event; it's an invitation to experience world-class live music in a place that's as much a star of the show as the arti
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An enthusiastic literary crowd gathered at the Burdekin Library on Wednesday, 6 August 2025, as local writer Denise Neville and former Burdekin Readers & Writers president Mickey McKellar led an intimate conversation on the theme “You’re Never Too Old.” McKellar, an aspiring author herself, guided the discussion as Neville shared her journey from cane fields to the page, offering insights into creativity, resilience, and the life of a late-blooming writer. For Burdekin-born Denise Neville, the
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Friday 15 August Giulia’s Movie Night Evening Burdekin Christian College’s Junior Ambassador, Giulia Sarri, will host her second fundraising event supporting Bowen and Collinsville Pet Rescue at the school’s Melbourne Street grounds in Ayr. Burdekin Christian College grounds Saturday 16 August Charlotte’s Colour Run A vibrant day full of colour, good vibes, and fun tones will light up the Burdekin Netball Association’s Home Hill grounds in celebration of Junior Ambassador Charlotte Sgroi’s Colo
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Meet Zorro! Zorro is a young feline with a heart full of promise and the opportunity for a bright future. Rescued from the pound, Zorro may initially seem a bit shy, but give him just thirty minutes, and you'll find yourself enchanted by his gentle nature and sweet demeanor. Once he trusts you, he transforms into a dedicated purr machine, letting you know you've won his heart with his melodic symphony of affection. Though Zorro's beginnings were challenging, his time in foster care has worked w
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Twenty-four players turned out on another perfect Burdekin winter afternoon, with plenty of exciting action across multiple games. In the club singles played earlier, Norm Bethell claimed victory over Yogi Bunn on rink 3. One of the closest games of the day took place on rink 3, where Bob Young, Elaine Young, and Steve Doig edged out Judy Elton, Yogi Bunn, and Mick McClosky on countback after scores and ends were tied—a thrilling finish for all involved. Rink 4 saw Bob Pickard, Ron Smythe, and
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This week at the Ayr Bowling Club was filled with friendship and healthy competition. Tuesday 8th August saw Ladies Social Bowls with 6 Ladies giving us 1 triples game. Ladies’ competition on Thursday 10th crooked kitty was played in a great match Heather Jorgensen defeated Beryl Cornford. In consistency singles Katharina Stuckler defeated Karen Shepherd. On Wednesday, we saw a great afternoon’s social bowling competition. There were three games of Triples and one game of pairs. Winners were P
Read moreTwenty-four players turned out on another perfect Burdekin winter afternoon, with plenty of exciting action across multiple games. In the club singles played earlier, Norm Bethell claimed victory over Yogi Bunn on rink 3. One of the closest games of the day took place on rink 3, where Bob Young, Elaine Young, and Steve Doig edged out Judy Elton, Yogi Bunn, and Mick McClosky on countback after scores and ends were tied—a thrilling finish for all involved. Rink 4 saw Bob Pickard, Ron Smythe, and
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A good weekend for the Panthers, winning three and losing two of the five matches played. On Saturday, at home to Estates the Premiers won 3-1 but the Reserves lost 0-1. On Friday, in Townsville the Ladies beat Saints Eagles Souths 8-0, the Division 1 Men lost 1-3 to Olympic but the Division 2 Men beat Warriors 3-1. This week the Premiers and Reserves are at away to Brothers, the Premiers at 7.30 and the Reserves at 5.30. On Wednesday night the Ladies, are at home to Wulguru at 7.00 and on Frid
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Last Saturday, the Burdekin Roosters pulled off a stunning turnaround, avenging their 40-point thrashing by Charters Towers with a spirited 28–24 win. Down 18–4 at halftime, they showed remarkable fortitude to storm home, even with tough utility Kali Nauque spending 10 minutes in the bin. Standout performances from Nevia Nawave, Isaia Vuda, and Kelevi Ralulu proved decisive. Nawave’s powerful running and tackle-breaking set the attacking platform, while Vuda and Ralulu’s explosive carries repea
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