Ayr and Home Hill Honour the Fallen Ayr and Home Hill communities gathered in solemn reflection on Tuesday, 11 November, as Remembrance Day services honoured all who had served and sacrificed for both the region and Australia. In Ayr, locals assembled at ANZAC Park for the 10.30am ceremony hosted by the Ayr RSL Sub Branch. Fair weather set the backdrop as Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort and Councillors joined veterans, families and school representatives in marking the anniversa
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Over the weekend, we celebrated the Harvest Festival Ball and Grand Parade, what a fantastic turnout! My heartfelt congratulations go to all the participants, especially those who were crowned during the festivities. Your enthusiasm and community spirit truly made the event memorable. On Tuesday 25 November, Burdekin Shire Council will hold a Candlelight Vigil to mark the launch of the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The vigil will take place at the Bu
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I had the pleasure of attending the Seniors Luncheon at the Burdekin Memorial Hall last week. It was a fantastic event, thoughtfully organised each year by the Burdekin Shire Council Community Development Team – Tammy Quagliata, Melissah Lammon and Sara Smith. After enjoying a delicious lunch provided by Howie’s Catering, we played Bingo and were thoroughly entertained by Ricky Romeo, who had everyone toe tapping and singing along throughout the arvo. Another great event is the Garage Sale Trai
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Ayr CIB has maintained active enforcement in the Burdekin region over the past two weeks, with multiple charges, court appearances, and diversion notices issued. On 26 October, a 44-year-old Home Hill man was charged with four counts of possessing child exploitation material. He is scheduled to appear in Ayr Magistrates Court on 15 December. Drug-related offences have also been a focus. On 2 November, a 49-year-old Ayr man received a drug diversion after being found in possession of methamphet
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The Burdekin Craft Spectacular Markets will be held on Saturday, 29 November, at the Burdekin Memorial Hall, Ninth Avenue, Home Hill, from 9 am to 2 pm. The event is hosted by the Burdekin Uniting Church and showcases the creativity and talent of local residents. Visitors can explore a wide range of craft stalls, watch free demonstrations, enjoy a Children’s Treasure Hunt with prizes, and sample food in the dining room, including the popular High Tea Trolley. A cake stall and book stall will al
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Simon Hood Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing Thank you to all growers who nominated Wilmar Grower Marketing as their GEI marketer for the 2026 season. I would like to extend a warm welcome to the growing number of new growers who have chosen Wilmar for the first time. We don’t take any nomination, new or existing, for granted and remain committed to delivering strong returns, flexible products and personalised service to maintain your trust in this vital part of your business. This year has
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Watson’s Green was filled with families and pets on Wednesday, 5 November, as the annual Home Hill Harvest Festival Pet Show and Bolt for Bucks returned. The event featured a wide variety of animals, from kittens and birds to puppies and more unusual pets, all competing for awards. The Harvest Festival Queens judged each entry carefully, and winners received ribbons, vouchers, and treats thanks to sponsor My Pet’s Rural. First-place winners included Ellie Oakes with Millie (Best Dressed), Holly
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It was a Harvest Festival Gala Ball to remember last Friday, 7 November, as hundreds of Burdekinites wined, dined, and witnessed the crowning of Aaliyah Gibson and Eden Betteridge as the Harvest Festival Queen and the Personality Queen respectively. Representing the Burdekin Netball Association, Gibson was quick to thank the committee and her peers for the experience and support. "We wouldn't be here without the hard work and dedication of the Harvest Festival and Rotary committees," she said.
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Sunday 16 November Plantation Park Markets Sunday 8am Join the VVAA for an enjoyable morning overflowing with wonderful market stalls from handmade creations to delicious treats! To become a stallholder yourself contact 4783 6627. Plantation Park Sunday 16 November Rhythm Edge Dance Studios: Ready Set Party Time 10am The Rhythm Edge Ready Set students take the stage for their annual Burdekin Theatre performance, showcasing energy, colour, and plenty of adorable moments. Tickets $28–$36. Burdeki
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Night Soccer The seventh week of competition and not a high scoring night. There were four forfeits, but then, it was Melbourne Cup night. The sixteen games produced sixty one goals and there was just the one Sin Bin. Top scorers were Ladies team Scoregasms with eight goals, Mottin Earthmoving and Always Fits both rattled in five goals and JFV’s Jonty Davis was sin-binned! In Men’s Competitive Group, UDS top the table with seventeen points one point ahead of Clare Cutters and, despite losing,
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Home Hill’s young cricketers delivered another strong showing at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Cricket Complex, with solid performances across both the Blue and Gold groups. In the Blue Group, tight bowling set the tone early. Fielders supported well, with run-outs to Mazlyn Smith and Royce Cohen. Batting proved difficult, with Kyle Wilkie the only player to register runs before being bowled by Cohen shortly after hitting a four. Mitchell Patti, Henry Cohen, and Jake Cullen all retired not out. Cul
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The 2025 Burdekin Small Schools Swimming Carnival brought ten schools to the Ayr Pool on Saturday for a full program of racing and junior water activities. Airville, Brandon, Clare, Giru, Gumlu, Jarvisfield, Kalamia, Maidavale, Millaroo and Osborne State Schools fielded students aged 9 to 13 in 50-metre and 25-metre freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke events, along with the 50-metre butterfly. Younger students, aged eight and under, spent the day rotating through sponge relays and water-park
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The Ayr Golf Club capped off its junior season with an energetic end-of-year breakup and presentation afternoon, drawing families, new faces and plenty of young golfers to the course. Juniors mixed across the three, six and nine-hole groups, giving players the chance to partner with friends they don’t usually compete alongside. The day marked the final junior meeting of the year, drawing a close to another successful year for junior golf at the club. The club praised all juniors for a strong se
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Hello Burdekin! You may have noticed something a little different about this week’s paper – Burdekin Life has a fresh new look! After five years of the same masthead across the Life newspapers, we felt it was time to embrace a more modern design that reflects the natural beauty of our region. The new green–blue gradient draws inspiration from our lush hinterland and the Great Barrier Reef, which connects all four Life Publishing newspapers. It’s a bright new chapter for us, and we hope you lov
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The Lower Burdekin Scout Group is joining forces with Bluey’s Thrift Shop in Home Hill to host a free Christmas BBQ meal for anyone who is homeless, lonely or has nowhere to go this festive season. The event will be held on Christmas Eve, December 24, from 5pm to 8pm at the Lower Burdekin Scout Den, 57–59 Twelfth Avenue, Home Hill. The idea grew from discussions between the Scouts and Margaret Thorne from Bluey’s Thrift Shop, who have supported each other through community initiatives over the
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The Burdekin is poised for major residential growth, with over 350 new homes set to be delivered following funding from Round 1 of the Queensland Government’s Residential Activation Fund (RAF). The funding will support planning, design, and infrastructure upgrades to unlock the development potential of strategically identified areas in Ayr, removing constraints that have previously slowed housing delivery. Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort said the funding represented a “game-changer” for the region.
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You’ve heard of them, you’ve seen them, and you may have even used them! Burdekin Gift Cards are one of the many awesome initiatives introduced by the Burdekin Chamber to encourage locals to shop local within the shire, and last month was another commendable one in terms of Burdekin Gift Card purchases across the board! $2390,00 worth of Burdekin Gift Cards were purchased in September, with an additional $3319.78 spent within local stores using the cards. The Burdekin Chamber was established t
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A local fire ban has been declared for residents across the Northern Region, including the Burdekin Shire, with authorities warning of heightened bushfire risk. The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) has implemented the ban from 4:01pm Friday, October 31, through to 11:59pm Tuesday, November 13, due to conditions “perfect for bushfires to ignite and spread quickly.” During the ban, all open fires are prohibited, and existing Permits to Light Fire have been suspended. However, cane burning is exe
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Changes to information provided by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) have caused a storm throughout Queensland but, according to Member for Burdekin, Dale Last MP, concerns raised by residents of the Burdekin centre on flooding rather than rain. Coupled with a malfunctioning river level gauge during the severe weather event earlier this year, Mr Last said people’s concerns were justified and had been echoed in the state government’s call for the Bureau to ‘do the right thing’. “We all like to ha
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By Jacob Casha It was during her youth that Home Hill-born Marj Manak was told she might not live to see adulthood, after being diagnosed with a serious liver condition as a baby. Fast forward to 2025, and the now 56-year-old mother of two has become the first patient to undergo a successful kidney transplant through the North Queensland Kidney Transplant Service (NQKTS); a milestone for both herself and the region. The transplant follows decades of health challenges for Marj, including
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Yesterday at the National Press Club, The National Party of Australia drew a line in the sand, declaring it will no longer support Labor’s reckless Net Zero target by 2050, calling it unaffordable, unachievable, and unsustainable for Australia’s economic and industrial future. The Party says Labor’s ideological approach is driving up power prices, costing jobs, and punishing the regions that keep Australia running. Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability, Andrew Wi
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Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre Honours Long-Serving Employee It was 30 years ago that Kim Williams first stepped into the role of administrative assistant at the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre (BNC), seeking a job with limited hours after the birth of her first child. What she didn’t know was that three decades later, she and her colleagues would be celebrating her 30th year of service. “I never really expected [working here for so long]. It just kind of happened!” she said with a grin. Her mile
Read moreMayor Pierina Dalle Cort It certainly is warming up, so I encourage everyone to stay hydrated. This applies to our furry friends, especially when we’re out on our morning walks - remember to bring water for your pets and look out for signs of heat stress. Our Queensland sun can be unforgiving, so a bit of preparation goes a long way. Nearly 200 people attended our Seniors Luncheon, which continues to grow each year thanks to the generous support of Regis Care. There’s nothing better than being
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Councillor Callan Oar Let’s talk about something that affects all of us - what we flush and pour down our drains. Every year, Burdekin Shire Council spends a whopping half a million dollars clearing blocked pipes, and honestly, it’s money we’d all rather see spent on better things. Those blockages? They’re usually caused by households – wipes, nappies, fats, and other stuff that doesn’t belong in our wastewater system. The good news is, there’s a simple fix. If it’s not Pee, Poo, or Paper, don’
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Community Bank Home Hill & Ayr was proud to take part in the Burdekin Shire Council’s Seniors Month Expo & Luncheon, held on Wednesday, 16 October at the Burdekin Memorial Hall. The event once again brought together local seniors, community organisations, and service providers to celebrate Queensland Seniors Month and showcase the many supports available in the region. With attendance growing each year, the move to the Burdekin Memorial Hall proved the perfect choice to accommodate the wide ran
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