Sleep apnoea is a condition many have heard of, but few truly understand. Its symptoms are vague—snoring, fatigue, restless nights—and often brushed off as nothing serious, but if left untreated, consequences can be far more damaging than mere daytime grogginess. The good news? It’s treatable. And, for residents of Ayr and surrounding communities, access to testing and treatment just got a lot easier. Ayr Amcal Chemist is stepping in where larger healthcare services often fall short. For 12 yea
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From a childhood fascination to building a thriving photography business, Melanie Napier has always seen the world through a lens. “I can remember using mum and dad’s little camera, trying to take pictures of birds and other wildlife,” she said. That early spark eventually grew into Melanie Napier Memories & Photography, which this month celebrates three years since she officially began her dream of working as a photographer. By day, Napier works as an ICT administrator for the Burdekin Shire
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Community Bank Home Hill & Ayr is proud to support the upcoming Club of Origin day on Saturday, 29 November, standing alongside the Burdekin Roosters and the wider community in their efforts to keep rugby league strong in the region. The Club of Origin is more than just a sporting event. Its purpose is to revive and sustain local rugby league by encouraging new and returning players, volunteers, and supporters to get involved. This year, the Roosters have faced challenges on and off the field,
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A group of Burdekin Christian College students recently took part in the ATSIMS Program (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander in Marine Science) at James Cook University. The initiative is aimed at inspiring the next generation of Indigenous leaders in marine science by blending traditional cultural knowledge with modern scientific research. During the program, students had the opportunity to explore the Great Barrier Reef, investigate marine ecosystems, and gain valuable hands-on experience a
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Tec-NQ House Year 10 boarder Brad is already getting his hands on the tools. He has secured assistant boiler maker work with a local business near home, not far from Clermont. “This is my first year at Tec-NQ House,” said Brad. “I’m in Year 10, and so far I’m liking it.” The move to boarding has been made easier by new friendships. “I have made a few mates, so that’s good,” he commented. Term breaks will be busy. When he is not on the job learning the basics of boiler making, Brad will be back
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The Sweet FM Saturday markets have been a revelation for Home Hill and the wider Burdekin community since they began earlier this year. “I’ve been genuinely surprised as to how well they’ve been received,” says Charlie Scuderi, 97.1 Sweet FM’s Station Manager. “It only came about during our 25th Birthday Celebrations back in April, in what we thought would be a one-off,” he says. “But all the stallholders who attended that day were incredi-bly happy with the turnout, and so they requested more
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The sound of celebration carried further in Ayr over the weekend, with Burdekin Shire Council’s upgraded Queen Street speaker system put to the test during the Burdekin Water Festival. Originally installed to broadcast Sweet FM programs through the CBD, the stand-alone speakers have long been a feature of Queen Street, helping keep the community informed while supporting local businesses. The recent upgrade introduced a public address function, giving the system new flexibility to deliver anno
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The Burdekin Netball Association held its fundraising evening “Wigs and Wine” on Friday, 29th August, drawing strong community support for a cause that blended entertainment, awareness, and local pride. 160 guests embraced the theme by arriving with wigs already on, filling the venue with colour and character. A glass of champagne on arrival and a hearty dinner set the stage for the evening, which combined light-hearted fun with a meaningful purpose. The main focus of the event was the Ponytai
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Last Saturday, a talented group of Burdekin riders travelled south to Proserpine to compete at the Whitsunday Motorcycle Club Day, joining a field of around 70 competitors. Across five races for most classes, riders collected points toward their overall placings — and Burdekin competitors made their presence felt. One of the standout performers of the meet was Ky Mitchell, who completely dominated both the 125cc and 250cc (13–16 years) classes. Mitchell’s speed, consistency, and control saw him
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For the first time in more than a decade, Home Hill Cricket Association senior teams are returning to compete in the Cricket North Queensland (Townsville) competition. On Sunday 7 September, Home Hill took to the field against Brothers Kenny’s Automotive for the first round of the Second Grade - CNQ comp at John McCulloch Oval, Kirwan. Brothers won the toss and elected to bat first. The Brothers opening partnership amassed 44 runs before Greg Flanagan made the breakthrough with the ball to tak
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Last weekend featured just two Finals games. Thursday night, Division 2 Funkies beat Brothers 4-0, while on Saturday the Ladies lost 1-3 to Brothers. For the Preliminary Finals: the Ladies must beat Rebels Friday 6.30pm, and the Funkies must beat Saints Eagles Souths Thursday 6.30pm to reach their Grand Finals. Division 2 Men The C.A. Contracting Funkies faced Brothers in the elimination final. Brothers started strong, but Burdekin scored first through Chris Achille, before Brothers equalised.
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“We made too many mistakes,” said Burdekin River ladies coach Anita Hagarty after her team went down 24-14 to Western Lions at Brothers on Sunday in the R.L.T.D. Ladies preliminary final in Townsville. Last week, the team beat Brothers by letting the ball do the work, and the strategy delivered a solid win. This week, they tried the same approach. Toni Daisy crossed for a strong opening try, and with Rebecca Pace’s conversion, Burdekin led 6-0. However, the experienced and bigger Lions soon pr
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Thirty players were on hand for a fantastic spring afternoon. Today’s winners were Margaret Chapman, Lloyd Shepherd, and Des Chapman. Unfortunately, Lloyd had to leave at the end of the game, so only Margaret and Des appear in our winners’ photo. The field consisted of four games of triples and a game of pairs. On Rink 3, Judy Elton, Sandra Darwin, and Hugh Montgomery proved too good for Paul Vass, Neville Webb, and Phil Marsden. Rink 4 saw Betty Webb, Bruce McCallum, and Wayne Newton account f
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The Ayr Bowling Club has enjoyed a fantastic week, with members coming together for a series of competitive and social matches. The energy on the greens has been great, as the club continues to foster a strong sense of enthusiasm towards the great game of lawn bowls. With the momentum showing no signs of slowing, members are eagerly anticipating another month of great matches and good times ahead. Wednesday’s Men’s Bowls saw great participation, with two games of pairs and a triples game. The s
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Lyn’s President’s Day saw 42 bowlers hit the greens in a day full of competition, laughs, and community spirit. Players and spectators alike kept the atmosphere lively, and thanks to the effort of members, helpers, and sponsors Danny and Marissa O’Shea Painting, the event ran smoothly from start to finish. On the leaderboard, the top prize went to Kaye Garner, Darelle Pearce, and Rhonda Tawse. Runners-up were Irene Adams, Elaine Young, and Colleen Olsen, while third place went to Wilma Berryman
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At 2025 QMN Manufacturing Burdekin Water Festival Long Lunch The 2025 QMN Manufacturing Burdekin Water Festival Long Lunch dazzled guests with a taste of European summer, but the true highlight was the celebration of this year’s exceptional Senior Ambassadors. Eliza Worlein, Georgia Tomasetig, Julia Cahill, Mia Galbraith, Molly Julyan, and Nicole Cervoni were honoured for their dedication, growth, and friendship throughout the season. In a heartwarming moment, Eliza Worlein was named Runner Up,
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The Burdekin’s own trio of inspirational advocates for men’s mental health, Austin Dewar, Brayden Rawlins and Campbell Johnston, recently travelled down south to Melbourne to attend the infamous 2025 Mo Awards on the evening of Thursday, the 28th of August. Known across the nation as Three Blokes Running, the boys have made several headlines and news bulletins over the past year or so due to their unwavering dedication towards breaking down the stigmas surrounding men’s mental health, pushing t
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Let’s talk about last Saturday’s Water Festival Long Lunch for a sec, because… wow! What an event! I was blown away by the sheer scale of it. Being my first Long Lunch, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of it, but I was genuinely impressed—huge credit to everyone involved for pulling off such a magnificent evening. You can find a full wrap-up of the event by my colleague Chelsea on pages 18-19. As always, it was wonderful to meet more of you there. I really enjoyed getting to know some of you
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We need homes for every Australian. We need a housing policy that creates environments where everyone can find their own way into the housing market, and stay there. We need an actual housing policy that is more than writing a few cheques or throwing around big numbers with dollar signs. Getting a housing policy right means getting supply right, and for that supply to be in balance with demand. We need housing policy with follow through that helps, not hinders developers and builders to deliver,
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With extremely low rental vacancy rates causing increased cost for tenants, and a lack of supply, Member for Burdekin, Dale Last MP, is confident that a recently announced funding package would provide a range of benefits for the Burdekin. Funded under the state government’s Residential Activation Fund, the $500,000 grant will allow the Burdekin Shire Council to move forward in implementing their Local Housing Action Plan to increase housing supply across the shire. “The Burdekin is not immune
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Between Alligator Creek and Ayr Three offenders were arrested on 28 August after Polair tracked a stolen Toyota RAV4 travelling at speeds of up to 180 km/h between Alligator Creek and Ayr, dangerously approaching oncoming traffic along the Bruce Highway. The vehicle was abandoned in Methodist Lane, Ayr, prompting a brief foot pursuit. Local officers, assisted by the Townsville Tactical Crime Squad and Polair, successfully located and arrested all three occupants. The driver, an 18-year-old mal
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Wednesday, 27 August marked National Meals on Wheels Day, a day for communities across Australia to recognise the dedication, care, and connection the organisation provides. The Lower Burdekin Meals on Wheels has been serving the community for over 50 years. To honour their steady commitment to the region, an intimate morning tea was held at their headquarters on MacMillan Street, with a cake and some coffee to celebrate the occasion. Guests were given a tour of the kitchen, witnessing firstha
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A Decade of Riding the Wave in the Burdekin It’s been ten years since Kylie and Clint McNee chose to chase possibility over certainty. A hairdresser and a spray contractor at the time, the Burdekin couple took a leap into the unknown when they opened Swerve Surf & Ski—a surf, streetwear and lifestyle store aiming to bring a fresh perspective to local fashion and water sports gear. But without experience or connections in the retail industry, they were fighting an uphill battle before the doors
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Burdekin Shire Council is supporting the establishment of a Country Universities Centre (CUC) in the Burdekin through its involvement in the newly formed CUC Burdekin Management Committee. The CUC model provides regional students with access to high-quality learning facilities, technology, and academic support while studying tertiary or vocational education remotely. With more than a dozen centres already operating across Australia, the CUC network is helping bridge the gap between metropolita
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Burdekin Shire Council officers were recently invited to join members of the Annan, Endeavour and Normanby Producer Group from Cape York at the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Research Station in Ayr for a valuable knowledge-sharing session on feral animal control. The session featured a presentation by Council’s Manager Environmental and Health Services, Paul Day, who outlined practical strategies and approaches to managing feral animals, along with additional insights from Northern Tra
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