Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
The Burdekin Community Association Inc (BCA) celebrated the end of another busy year with the Client and Volunteer Christmas Luncheon at the Anzac Memorial Club on Monday, December 4. “It was a wonderful event, full of joy, laughter, good people, food and entertainment,” BCA CEO Debra Cochran said.171 people attended the Luncheon including special guests Member for Burdekin Dale Last MP, Burdekin Shire Council Deputy Mayor Sue Perry, and Councillor John Furnell. “Councillor Furnell did a brilli
Read more
With a cooling breeze blowing, two games of triples and one game of pairs were played and the winners on the night were Katharina Stuckler, Sam Caltabiano, Evelyn Wiltshere, David Burt, Rob Jorgensen and Bill Walker.
Read more
Saturday’s Home Hill Cricket Association fixture saw Guardian Pharmacy take on Crowned Mongrels for the last game of the year. Guardian Pharmacy won the toss and elected to bat, sending in opener Mark Coventry who set the pace scoring 65 runs not out from 32 balls, backed up ably by JD Wilkins scoring 52 runs not out from 41 balls. Other noteworthy contributions came from Damien Ricketts scoring 15 from 22, Salvatore Cardillo scoring 13 from 13 and Leo Olditch scoring 11 from 11. Crowned Mongr
Read more
Renee Cordingley, Tilley Payn and Lynda Sawbridge accept their prize after taking out the She SAILS Open Regatta in Newcastle. Photo suppliedRenee Cordingley, Tilley Payn and Lynda Sawbridge accept their prize after taking out the She SAILS Open Regatta in Newcastle. Photo suppliedRenee Cordingley, Tilley Payn and Lynda Sawbridge accept their prize after taking out the She SAILS Open Regatta in Newcastle. Photo supplied
Read more
Burdekin native Adam Walton will make his grand slam main-draw debut as one of six Australian tennis players to be awarded the coveted main-draw singles wildcards for the 2024 Australian Open.The 24-year-old, now based in Brisbane, started playing tennis in Home Hill aged 5 alongside his older brother, Jack, where weekends were filled with sport and travel.“We played a lot of different sports in the Burdekin,” Adam said.
Read more
The Delta Cleaners Night Soccer Grand Finals were held at International Park last Friday. A very big crowd turned up to watch the fifteen games in this, the 45th Season of Night Soccer. In the Big Games, Mottin Earthmovers and Nutrien Ladies prevailed again but there were some upsets in the other games.
Read more
Five long-term teachers at Ayr State High School will soon teach their last class before retiring at the end of the school year.Teresa Gemellaro, Judy McCallister, Kerry Flynn, Mary Piras-Flynn and Emily Shannon have all decided to end their careers at Ayr State High School after teaching generations of Burdekin students.“It’s not often as a community we get to celebrate career long achievements of a number of people at the same time,” said Ayr SHS Principal Craig Whittred.
Read more
Craig Hosie’s 32-year policing journey has led him across north Queensland, from stints in the Gulf of Carpentaria to the regional metropolitan centres of Townsville and Cairns. He transferred to the Burdekin, where he was born and raised, in 2004 and, nearly two decades later, he’s made the decision to leave his hometown to embrace fresh challenges and new adventures in Mackay.
Read more
While I’m disappointed to be missing the Christmas Carols and all the other exciting events happening in the Burdekin this weekend, I’m excited to be travelling to Brisbane to see probably my favourite band ever. I first discovered The War On Drugs in 2014; I still remember helping Dad in the shed one weekend where I would often hijack his ancient wireless to listen to triple j, the choice radio station at the time. A song called ‘Red Eyes’ came on; with a driving beat, floating synths and an e
Read more
A group of local Burdekin women ‘packed a little joy’ when they made a donation to Hope In A Suitcase Australia last week. The Ayr Branch of the Catholic Women's League collected items throughout the month of October before donating the items to Hope In A Suitcase, a non-profit organisation providing suitcases for children going into foster care or out-of-home care throughout north Queensland. “It was wonderful to meet some of the ladies from the Ayr branch of the Catholic Women's League when th
Read more
A new AVGAS fuel facility has been installed at the Ayr Aerodrome and is now available for 24/7 use. Burdekin Shire Council Mayor Lyn McLaughlin said that the Council was committed to supporting the airport facility and ensuring its commercial viability. “We are delighted to have secured this new fuel installation for users of the Ayr Aerodrome, which will benefit the local aviation community and fly-in visitors,” Ms McLaughlin said. Council was notified in August this year that the former suppl
Read more
A proud Juru man, Rick Dallachy represents his people throughout north Queensland through advocacy, land and sea management and community support. In his role as CEO of Juru Enterprises Ltd, Rick leads the commercial arm of the Juru people, often collaborating with the Native Title board based in Townsville. “Juru is our native people,” Rick said. “We’re a part of the Birri Gubba nation which runs from Townsville halfway out to Charters Towers down to nearly Mackay, taking in all that area.” Ret
Read more
Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox is calling on the Federal Government to step in when it comes to the youth crime endemic in North Queensland, calling the inaction from both federal and state governments disgraceful. Addressing Parliament last week, Mr Willcox made a heartfelt plea to the Labor government to protect the victims of crime, protect our children, and restore their personal safety. “The fact that people in my electorate are thinking twice about taking their kids to the pa
Read more
Two Home Hill State High School students have returned to the region with a clearer vision of what their futures hold after attending the University of Queensland’s (UQ) Young ChangeMakers program.Maliq Ogomeni and Jacob Machin, who both completed year 11 this year, attended the four-day program in Brisbane last week, providing them with an immersive university experience highlighting different study areas and life as a UQ student.
Read more
Local fire fighters are battling poor conditions at the Ayr Fire Station according to member for Burdekin Dale Last MP, who is imploring the Minister for Fire and Emergency Services to say ‘when’ not ‘if’ a new fire station will be built.PFAS chemicals have been uncovered at the Ayr Fire Station and these have been found to be leaching into the ground.
Read more
Back in July 1904, Harry E P MacDonald was editor of the Delta Advocate for a very short time. Upon leaving the district he had the following words to say of living conditions in Ayr. This was printed in various newspapers- Queensland, New South Wales and the Sun from Kalgoorlie Western Australia.
Read more
At 8.15pm on Friday 17 November, Ayr Police were called to a disturbance at a licenced premises in Queen Street, Ayr. As a result, a 63yr old Burdekin man was charged with one count each of common assault, failure to leave licenced premises, disorderly on a licenced premises and commit a public nuisance on a licenced premises. He was released on conditional Police bail to appear in Ayr Magistrates Court on 12 December. He was also issued a Police Banning Notice relating to licenced premises i
Read more
On Friday evening, December 1, Flexi Queensland hosted an event at the Burdekin Aquatic Centre to celebrate International Day of People with Disability, Disability Action Week, and Christmas.International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) is a United Nations observed day held on December 3 each year. In Australia, IDPwD is a joint effort between government, schools, organisations, community groups, businesses, and individuals. The annual Disability Action Week for Queensland commenced on Sat
Read more
Hi everyone to a very special time of year. The Christmas spirit at this time of year is one of excitement on the young children’s faces and expressions of wonderment. It’s a shame we can’t ‘bottle it’ and spread it throughout the year. I’ve had the privilege of attending ‘Ayr Community Kindergarten’, ‘Big Birds Nest Child Care Centre’ and the Library’s ‘First Five’s Messy Play’ Christmas function last week and it certainly gladdens the heart to witness the enthusiasm of the children with an ear
Read more
Did you know that the Burdekin Shire Council continues to work to support the Burdekin as a vibrant visitor destination, offering a mixture of sporting, cultural, natural and leisure based experiences? Located on the Bruce Highway, the Burdekin is fortunate to have many visitors including those travelling in caravans passing through our towns daily. Council has implemented a number of priorities and actions in the 5-year Burdekin Tourism Strategy, which was adopted in 2018. One of the key prio
Read more
Following a successful 2023 Burdekin Show that exceeded expectations, the Ayr Pastoral, Agricultural and Industrial Association held its Annual General Meeting on Monday, December 4. Burdekin Shire Council Deputy Mayor Sue Perry declared all committee positions vacant before electing a new committee, with most members being re-elected into their respective positions. Chris Lyne was elected as President for a fourth term while Vice President Brendan Kolb, Treasurer Serafina Towler and Secretary P
Read more
“The Love of Colours” owner and sole Artist, Amanda Lando has been a business operating in the Burdekin Region for over six years. Amanda has been Commissioned to do numerous local business murals, including The Burdekin Bridge Motel in Home Hill, Tropical City Motor Inn, The Burdekin School and Burdekin Backpackers in Ayr, Jarvisfield State School and Claredale Pastures Café.In addition, many private residences have booked her talents.
Read more
Giving back and re-investing in the community sits at the very heart of the Bendigo Bank ethos, and this is evidenced locally by the incredible donations Community Bank Home Hill and Ayr has made to local community groups over the years.
Read more
For over six decades, Burdekin Funerals has been an integral part of our community's support system, guiding families through one of life's most challenging periods. Owned by Neville and Lori Boyle for the past decade, the business continues to provide a beacon of empathy, understanding, and innovation to the Burdekin region. With a team of four dedicated local staff members alongside Neville and Lori, Burdekin Funerals embodies a commitment to personalised service and community support. Over th
Read more
Birthed from a profound need for personalised care and empowerment, Burdekin Support Coordination helps people to achieve their goals. Tara Harding, the owner-operator, radiates dedication to her community, striving to bridge the gap in support services since the business's inception approximately six months ago. Tara’s journey began when she bought acreage in the Burdekin and moved to the block in April, discovering a lack of support in the region for those on the NDIS. “I decided to offer my e
Read more