Thursday 4 December Community Christmas Cuppa Thursday 10:00am Residents are invited for morning tea, a cuppa and a community chat—an easy way to encourage conversation and connection. Tea, coffee and morning tea provided. Please RSVP to the Centre for catering. Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre – 40 Chippendale Street Saturday 6 December Simply Merry – Annual Dance Recital Saturday 1:30pm Students of Simply Dance return to the Burdekin Theatre with their annual end-of-year performance, Simply Merr
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In a nail-biting Third Grade clash at JCU Cricket Oval, Home Hill fell agonisingly short of victory, losing to Saints PPS by just 2 runs in a match that went down to the wire. Despite a spirited bowling effort and flashes of brilliance with the bat, Home Hill were edged out 9/151 to Saints’ 7/153. The top order struggled to settle in scorching conditions, with early dismissals stalling momentum. Andrew Wallwork anchored Home Hill’s innings with an unbeaten 51 off 40 balls, striking six boundari
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Saturday PM 6/12 (1-5pm) Group H - Dave Satori PC, Katherine Satori PC, Riley Satori, Jake Satori, Cole Pontifex Sunday AM 7/12 (9am-1pm) Group G - Carl List PC, James Kennedy PC, Shane Morgan, Ross Rickards, Ross Blakey Sunday PM 7/12 (1-5pm) - Group F - Lisa Furnell PC, Jen Morgan PC, John furnell, Josh Furnell, Jo Morgan, Jan Hatherell, Gabriel Hatherell
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Burdekin Roosters 2025 Best and Fairest A Grade lock Hayde Munro capped off his season by being named the best player in the Grand Final of the Club of Origin, played last Saturday at Bendigo Bank Park in Ayr. Munro scored two tries for his Colts side as the Red Horses beat Brothers in the final 20-6. Coached by Ignatius Park coach Will Jack and Roosters A Grade captain Joel Mason, the Colts played entertaining football, with the backs finishing off the hard work of their forwards. In the forw
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Local Training for Men and Colts for the 2026 season starts on this Thursday night at 6.15. Small sided games for the next three weeks. Be There! Night Soccer The tenth week of competition and another low scoring night. There were four forfeits (Schoolies?) and the sixteen games produced just fifty one goals. And there were three Sin Bins. Top scorers were Mottin Earthmoving and Ladies team Goal Diggers with five goals and UDS and DL Lager each with four. There were three drawn games and jus
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Another warm spring afternoon, even starting at 2.30 pm, saw 28 players in attendance. Rink 3: The final of the club triples was played, with the team of Des Chapman, Joe Linton, and Alex Bojack winning on the last two ends for victory over Margaret Linton, Joclyn DeFranciscus, and Jeff Taylor (all six finalists pictured). Congratulations to Des, Joe, and Alex! Rink 4: Bob Pickard, Sandra Darwin, and Hugh Montgomery defeated Janet Arthur, Bruce McCallum, and Steve Doig. Rink 5: Margaret Chapm
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The Ayr Bowling Club has celebrated an exceptional week on the greens, with members coming together for a mix of spirited club Championship games and engaging social matches. The vibrant atmosphere and camaraderie continue to strengthen, showcasing the club's dedication to fostering connections through the sport of lawn bowls. It is very heartening to see that despite the increase in warmer conditions our members keep coming down for a roll up under our shaded cover. Wednesday men’s social bowl
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The fields at the Nutrien Ag. Solutions Cricket Complex are looking nice and green after the recent showers. Blue Group: Only two bowlers took wickets in their game. Tait Parker claimed 2 for 9, while Mitchell Patti took 1 for 3 and also ran out a batter. Jake Cullen also contributed with a run out while fielding. The top scorer this week was Royce Cohen, followed by Jake Cullen and Corbett Cross, who continues to improve each week. Stirling Williams and Henry Cohen earned the "McDonald Sports
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After 13 Years of Growing, Learning, and Memories The school bell rang out one last time for Burdekin Christian College’s graduating Class of 2025, closing the book on over a decade of classes, camaraderie and countless hours of homework. The College celebrated them in style this month with a graduation ceremony at Populin's Hall and a traditional farewell on the school grounds. Both events saw smiles, tears and heartfelt farewells as the BCC community came together to send the graduates confid
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One of the beautiful things about the Burdekin is that a global tourism hotspot sits just a two-hour drive south. I spent the back end of last week soaking up the sun and admiring the breathtaking coastal scenery of the Whitsundays, though that wasn’t the main reason for the trip. Members of the Life Publishing Group, the company behind Burdekin Life and other North Queensland papers and magazines, came together in Airlie Beach for a day of training before attending the Whitsundays Business Awa
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The Burdekin Woodcrafts Association has been bringing the joy of woodworking to the community for more than 30 years, and thanks to a recent RACQ Foundation Resilience Grant, the club is now in a stronger position to continue its good work. The Brisbane-based RACQ Foundation, which has distributed over $15 million since 2011 to more than 500 Queensland community groups affected by natural disasters and drought, provided the Association with a combined $20,500 grant after water damage from recen
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Positive steps have been made towards improving the safety of a notorious intersection in the Burdekin, however Member for Burdekin Dale Last has emphasised that everyone has a role to play when it comes to safety on our roads. After extensive community consultation Mr Last said proactive measures and tackling the matter from all angles would provide the missing pieces needed to pave a pathway towards a solution for concerns faced at the Giddy Road- Bruce Highway intersection. “An increase in
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Opinion Piece From Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox Most Australians will eventually be touched by the reality of old age. Many of us will one day, if not already, require assistance in our later years. Older Australians have done their fair share and deserve the dignity of reasonable, affordable aged care, should they require it. Older Australians have paid their taxes, fought in wars, raised generations, built and run businesses, farmed our lands and pushed this country forward. They’
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The festive season in Burdekin is set to sparkle once again, with the 2025 Burdekin Christmas Carols returning on Sunday, 14 December 2025, at Wickham Street, Ayr, beside the PCYC. Families and friends are invited to gather for an evening filled with music, holiday cheer, and community spirit. The evening will feature a visit from Santa Claus, a fireworks spectacular, free face painting for the kids, and a variety of food stalls to keep everyone fuelled while enjoying the entertainment. This y
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The Bowen Pipeline Company (BPC) has recently received confirmation from the Queensland Government that its formal approval process can proceed, following the lodgement of its Ministerial Planning Application in 2024. Director Sean Brown confirmed the project has strong backing from the Deputy Premier, and construction could begin early next year if water allocations are secured in the next few months. For the Burdekin, the pipeline represents a major local economic driver. During construction,
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Burdekin Shire Council is celebrating a remarkable achievement this week, with local trainee Nicole Cervoni being named TAFE Queensland Business Trainee of the Year. The prestigious award recognises outstanding dedication, professional growth and excellence within the vocational training sector, and Nicole’s success places her among the very best trainees in the state. Each year, Burdekin Shire Council offers a variety of traineeships across multiple departments, giving local residents the oppo
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Burdekin Chamber's annual Christmas Street Party Returns The Burdekin is decking its halls—and its streets—on December 18, as Ayr’s iconic Queen Street doubles as the North Pole for the Burdekin Chamber’s annual Christmas Street Party. For the afternoon and into the evening, traffic will make way for market stalls, food trucks, and live entertainment, with performers to be announced closer to the date. Santa is also expected to make a special appearance, spreading some early Christmas cheer. "
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The Burdekin Bridge Group celebrated a major milestone this week, hosting their first-ever bridge competition at the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre against members of the Townsville Bridge Club. Although the group has only been running for 10 months, nerves quickly gave way to excitement as players faced off in a friendly but competitive environment. The atmosphere was supportive and encouraging, with participants enjoying the experience and the chance to connect with others. Bridge, a strategi
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Burdekin residents and cycling enthusiasts are being invited to ride for a cause with the launch of the 2026 Ravenswood to Burdekin Gran Fondo, a community-focused event aimed at raising awareness for men’s mental health. The announcement coincided with International Men’s Day, highlighting the importance of supporting men in regional and rural communities. The Gran Fondo, often called the “big ride,” will see more than 200 riders and volunteers come together on Saturday, 18 April 2026, to prom
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It’s that time of year when our students are closing one chapter and opening another. As they finish their high school journey, proud parents look on with heartfelt pride and maybe a tear or two as their children receive awards and celebrate achievements. Where has the time gone? Congratulations to all our students, no matter which road you choose next. Your future is bright, and we are proud of you! Recently, the 2025 North Queensland Tourism and Events Awards were held in Townsville. While t
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As the end of the year approaches and the rush of the holiday season begins, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on the incredible contribution made by one group of people who truly make the Burdekin a wonderful place to live: our local volunteers. Whether it’s the dedicated parents running the canteen at junior sport, the tireless individuals working to promote our shire, the emergency service volunteers preparing for the upcoming season, or the committee members who organise our belove
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Researchers at James Cook University (JCU) have discovered that mountain-top plants in Far North Queensland’s Wet Tropics may hold the key to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A new study published in Microbiological Research has found that natural compounds from Uromyrtus metrosideros, a plant native to the region, not only help the plant cope with rising temperatures and environmental stress but may also help repair and restore human gut bacteria. “Rising temperatures and
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Dogs, wildlife and aggressive people are among the leading causes of incidents involving Ergon crews and contractors across Queensland. After 289 reported incidents state-wide in the last 12 months, Ergon’s metering contracts manager Sarah Bradford is appealing to customers to do their bit to keep workers safe. “One of the biggest hazards we are facing in the field has nothing to do with electricity at all – it’s actually our customers. “The type of abuse and threatening behaviour being repor
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Small Schools Students Tackle Natural Disasters Students from Clare, Millaroo, Airville and Maidavale state schools are putting their English skills on full display, literally. From November 30 to December 11, the Burdekin Library will showcase a range of projects created by Prep to Year 6 students, each exploring the subject of natural disasters. The display, part of the Small Schools' English cirriculum, focused on teaching students how to create information reports. Younger students in Prep
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The Home Hill Chamber meeting last Wednesday played host to a fiery debate, as Bowen Pipeline Company director Sean Brown briefed members on the all-but-finalised plans to run the Bowen Renewable Energy Pipeline through sections of the Burdekin, outlining proposed routes, landholder impacts and the project’s looming construction timeline. The project centres on moving surplus water from the Burdekin River to the Bowen district, channelling it through a new pipeline network designed to support a
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