Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
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The voices of 1000 rural women are being sought for a groundbreaking new documentary on Australia’s rural, regional and remote women. Rural Daughters, the feature-length documentary by award-winning CheekyMac Productions, will follow the personal journeys of some of Australia’s most inspiring rural women in their efforts to overcome barriers, effect change and live a successful, purpose-driven life in the regions. In addition to their stories, a nationwide 1000 Rural Women Survey has been deve
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Australian Farm Institute (AFI) has been awarded a $638,000 grant to support international collaboration on sustainable agriculture. The grant will support advocacy towards sustainable agriculture trade standards and guidelines development that recognise Australian conditions are consistent with the Australian Government’s commitment to address climate change and support sustainable production. Focusing on evidence-based sustainable agricultural practices; systems and standards will enhance su
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The Burdekin Community Association Inc. (BCA) delivers a wide range of services for younger people with a disability, or condition that impacts their ability to live safely and independently, and their carers. A few of the great programs offered by our Home Care Service are briefly outlined below. Queensland Community Support Scheme (QCSS) QCSS provides support to people under 65 or under 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who, with a small amount of help, can maintain or re
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August 8th is Dying to Know Day. It is an annual recognition day for the public health campaign of the same name. The focus for 2024 is on personalising final arrangements and building community. Their mission is to help all Australians feel supported and inspired by their wishes for their final arrangements and help to dismantle the misconception that end-of-life planning must be a solitary endeavour. We are all impacted by death in our lives – it might be for the people we love, or it m
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Happy Thursday. How is August here already? Let’s talk road safety. It’s concerning to see that a lot of our traffic issues are arising from people being in too much of a hurry, not slowing down at intersections and all too familiar device addiction. We are all so busy these days and the volume of traffic is higher than ever. However, taking time to do the little things and remembering the simple stuff won’t take you as long as you think and it’s certainly quicker than stopping to exchange in
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As we approach the upcoming State elections, our focus within the Council remains committed to advocating for the needs of our community and securing essential funding to drive our priorities forward. The upcoming months present a unique opportunity for us to engage with state candidates, ensuring that our local issues are highlighted and addressed. Our advocacy efforts are centred around key Council and community priorities that are critical for the growth and well-being of our community. These
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Thursday 8 August Zonta Club Burdekin Inc – Movie Night Thursday from 6pm The Zonta Club Burdekin Inc invites you to Movie night, “It Ends With Us.” Enjoy good company, a cup of hot soup, bread, dessert, wine and fruit punch prior to the movie. The funds raised at the event will go towards DV projects. More details covering the event and ticket sales are available on Zonta’s Facebook page. Stardust Cinema, Ayr. Saturday 10 August Campbell’s Jewellery Senior Burdekin Water Festival Ambassad
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On Saturday 10 August, Burdekin Water Festival Ambassadors for Bur-Del, Zimyra Monday and Olivia Ferguson, will host Bur-Del’s Annual NAIDOC Fishing Competition and Family Fun Day. The community is warmly invited to attend the Annual NAIDOC Fishing Competition and Family Fun Day at Alva Beach this Saturday, 10 August, from 10am to 5pm where there are $3,000 worth of prizes to be won! Commencing from 12am on Saturday 10 August, those interested in entering are encouraged to collect a registratio
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In an exciting announcement, comedic Australian treasure, Kevin Bloody Wilson, will grace the Burdekin Theatre stage on Wednesday 18 September as part of his international tour. Few international comedians tackle political correctness with the precision and fearlessness of Australia's Kevin Bloody Wilson. While many of his peers tiptoe around sensitive topics, Kev smashes through PC barriers with the subtlety of a charging buffalo. His signature DILLIGAF (Do I Look Like I Give A ****?) attit
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Burdekin Catholic High School (BCHS) Student, Casey Calligaro has prestigiously been presented with the 2024 Deus Caritas Est Award as presented by Townsville Catholic Education. On Wednesday 10 July, BCHS proudly shared the news of their 2024 recipient, congratulating Casey on his celebrated achievement. “Congratulations to Casey on this remarkable achievement,” shared BCHS. The award recognises outstanding service guided by faith and draws inspiration from the encyclical "Deus Caritas Est
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In support of the Burdekin Academy’s Junior Water Festival Ambassadors, Cole and Stella, the Academy are excited to announce their fundraising event, "The Amazing Race!" The event will kick off at 1pm at the Ayr Hotel on Saturday 24 August, with teams set to tackle their first challenge and receive their first clue. This clue will send them on an adventure around the Burdekin area, where they will hunt for clues and complete various challenges! Participants can expect a variety of tasks, incl
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September brings the much-anticipated return of the Whitsundays Writers Festival. The festival offers an exciting opportunity for writers, poets, and book cover designers across Australia. The three-day event will feature a dynamic blend of genres, ranging from crime and memoir to romance and screenwriting, complemented by interactive workshops, panel discussions, and engaging author talks. In a daring and exciting move, the festival launched the Whitsundays Literary Heart Awards earlier this ye
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On Wednesday 24 July, the Burdekin Early Childhood Network presented the highly anticipated Ready, Set, Go expo at Ayr State School. The colourful event stands as a celebrated under 5s expo to showcase the amazing services, organisations, and businesses available in the Burdekin region for families with young children. A vibrantly successful day, 18 stalls were set up across Ayr State School’s oval including childcare centres, primary schools, playgroups, support services, a dance school, and
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The Lower Burdekin Scout Group recently joined fellow Scouts from Townsville and Charters Towers for an exciting weekend camp at Bluewater. The event brought together approximately 190 Scouts aged 5 to 25 years, along with 30 leaders and 30 adult helpers. The camp's theme, "A Night at the Museum," inspired a variety of themed challenges such as History of Flight, The Art of Archery, The Rise of Civilisation, and The Wonders of Egypt. Activities over the weekend included: - Archery - Fire ligh
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Burdekin Catholic High School Year 10 Student, William Jones had the exciting opportunity to attend a week of work experience with Urbis Brisbane. A multi-disciplinary practice specialising in the areas of planning, design, heritage, policy, valuations, transactions, economics and research, Will travelled to Brisbane to immerse himself in all the company had to offer. Over the course of the week, Will learnt numerous design programs and visited several different sites, including the Queen’s
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The Lower Burdekin Landcare Association Inc. celebrated another highly successful National Tree Day and National Schools Tree Day for 2024 last weekend. National Tree Day was established in 1996 and has since grown into Australia’s largest community tree planting and nature care event, bringing locals together to get their hands dirty and give back to the community. Inviting the younger members of the community to turn their thumbs green, the last Friday of July each year is dedicated to School
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The Handicap Pennant competition in North Queensland was a showcase of skill and sportsmanship, with golfers from across the region coming together to compete over the last weekend of July. The women's events were particularly thrilling, with Mackay #1 clinching the Division 1 title after a tense countback from Proserpine #1, while Sarina dominated in Division 2. The Ayr #1 team's narrow victory in their match was a testament to the close competition, and the excitement was palpable as Mackay
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On Saturday 10 August, the Burdekin Rugby Union Canetoads will host their eagerly awaited annual Old Boys Day at Casalegno Fields. This event, a cornerstone of the club's calendar, brings together former players, coaches, and volunteers who eagerly anticipate the opportunity to reconnect, reminisce, and celebrate the camaraderie of the past. Old Boys Day is a time for celebrating anniversaries of past premiership wins, with many former members traveling from across the country to return to the
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The Burdekin Roosters A Grade team showcased their true potential with a commanding 62-22 win over Centrals at the Sports Reserve in Townsville on the afternoon of Saturday 3 August. The Roosters surged ahead early, leading 16-0 before the Tigers clawed back to make it 26-12 at halftime. In the second half, Burdekin dominated, scoring 36 points to 10, with six of the Tigers' points coming in the final minute. The Roosters exhibited excellent speed and support play, with multiple tries scored t
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The Home Hill Golf Club’s Ladies’ Sip ‘n Putt sessions were the brainchild of Club Secretary Megan Barbagallo. After securing funding from the Queensland Government’s “Active Women and Girls Program,” the club aimed to increase female participation in golf, and developed a ladies’ only series of events which began on Saturday 20 July. The Sip ‘n Putt concept encourages women to try the sport for the first time by highlighting the fun, social, and exercise aspects, plus the bonus of a free bevera
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On Sunday 28 July, numerous teams of talented, young Burdekin Football Club athletes traveled to Townsville to put it on the field at the Wulguru Carnival yielding fantastic results across the highly enjoyable day! The results are as follows: JDS Under 8 Finished 3rd Pool games - two wins, one loss Won 3rd v 4th playoff 8-0 defeating Wulguru JDS Under 9 Finished 5th Pool games - two wins, one draw, one loss Won 5th v 6th playoff JDS Crusaders Under 10 Finished 3rd Pool games - three wins, on
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Local Last weekend was a much better weekend for the Burdekin Panthers as they won three and drew one out of the four games played. The Division One Funkies drew 3-3 away to Estates Navy on Friday night in Townsville. The other three teams were all at home to Saints Eagles Souths on Saturday. The Premiers won 4-0, the Under 23s won 1-0 and the Ladies won 2-1. This week the Panthers have five games with the Division 1 Funkies playing twice. On Tuesday night they are at home to Brothers and the
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The highly anticipated Delta Cleaners Night Soccer is set to kick off on Tuesday, 3 September, at International Park. This Six-a-Side competition is open to both Men's and Women's teams, with all players required to be over the age of fifteen. Nomination forms are available at Delta Cleaners, InterSport, and Sportfirst, and must be returned by Friday, 23 August. Celebrating its 46th season, Night Soccer began in Home Hill in 1979 with the goal of helping the Burdekin Football Club, then known a
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The Burdekin Roosters' A grade and ladies’ teams are on a bye this week, but the Reserve team is gearing up for an important match in Bowen on Friday night. The Reserve grade competition is heating up, with Souths clinching the minor premiership. The race for second, third, and fourth place is wide open. Currently, Souths lead with 28 points, followed by Bowen and Centrals with 22 points each, and Burdekin close behind with 21 points. This Friday night's clash between Bowen and Burdekin is piv
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The Ayr Surf Lifesaving Club proudly acknowledged the outstanding performance of its 10 members who competed at the Secondary School Surf League in Townsville. These young athletes demonstrated exceptional skill and determination throughout the competition, showcasing the club's dedication to excellence. Special congratulations go to Milla and Parker, who were named age champions for the day. The Ayr Surf Lifesaving Club looks forward to more such accomplishments in the future and continues t
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