Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
Jye Olson, now in his second year as an electrical apprentice, is a prime example of Laser Electrical’s hands-on, community-focused approach to training. He initially joined the team for school-based work experience in Year 10 and returned in his own time, demonstrating strong initiative. By the end of Year 11, Jye had built a solid rapport with the team, earning an apprenticeship offer before completing Year 12—something the company supports for promising candidates. Laser Electrical typicall
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The Burdekin Readers & Writers Association has been officially rekindled following its Annual General Meeting on March 19. It marks a fresh era for the region’s literary community. A new committee was elected, with Kelly Lund appointed as President, Mark T. Rasmussen Vice President, Samantha Minuzzo Secretary, and Yvette Lando Treasurer. Speaking at the meeting, founding member Mickey McKellar, expressed her delight at seeing the association reinvigorated. “Since its inception, I have enjoyed
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A warm welcome from the Burdekin Machinery Preservationists Inc. (BMP). This club provides the community with active social involvement. With a membership of around sixty, many of whom are retired machinery enthusiasts, fifteen or sometimes twenty meet weekly to restore and maintain historical machinery and enjoy a good yarn. The museum and working displays are open and available to the public from 9am-3pm each Monday. During the tourist season (April to September) we are also open on Wednesda
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A busy weekend of bowls action saw players take to the green in both competitive and social formats, with strong performances across the board and a few surprises thrown in for good measure. On Friday 4th April, thirteen bowlers turned out in humid conditions, with the high level of play a testament to their skill and stamina. Bruce McCallum, Lloyd Shepherd, Sandra Darwen and Cindy Darwen were outplayed by the in-form combination of Gary Pearce, Ken Ferguson, Margaret Chapman and Margaret McLau
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Junior Golf Ayr capped off the school term with a competitive and spirited April Anzac Monthly Medal event, held on a steamy and humid morning that tested the mettle of our rising golf stars. In the 9-hole competition, Oscar Mahoney took out the Gross honours, while Kyle Wilkie claimed the coveted Monthly Medal. Heath Smart delivered the top Gross score in the 6-hole division, with Tyler Smith earning the Monthly Medal. The 3-hole comp saw Opie McKeough take out Gross, while Zade Keating walked
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Local Once again, there was no football in the Burdekin last weekend. The Panthers should have had a Ladies match in Townsville on Friday night against Warriors, but the wet weather postponed it. Except for possible re-arrangement of postponed matches, there are now no more games until the end of April. The Panthers have four home games over the weekend of 25 -26 April. Juniors As it is now the school holidays the Juniors fixtures will resume after Easter on the 3rd May. We hope the kids an
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Although your bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in your home, the space still deserves as much love as any other! Whether you’re a novice decorator looking for quick fixes or a DIY enthusiast ready to tackle a project, there are plenty of ways to refresh your space without breaking the bank. **Simple Updates for Instant Impact • Swap Out Accessories: One of the easiest ways to give your bathroom a fresh feel is by changing out the little details. Pop in a new candle, handwash dispenser
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Growing your own herbs at home is an easy and rewarding way to elevate your meals while also enhancing your living space. Whether you have a garden, a windowsill, or even a small balcony, there’s always room to grow fresh herbs. Top Tips: **Choose the Right Herbs for a tropical climate The warm, humid environment means herbs that thrive in heat and moisture will do best. Some great options for our region include basil, mint, oregano, lemongrass, and coriander. Herbs like rosemary and thyme, w
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Mental health is a crucial component to a healthy, happy and productive life. For better or for worse we can never escape our own minds and as most readers probably know, the little voice in our heads is constantly speaking to us and sometimes the voice does not say nice things. For this reason it is important to talk about the inner workings of our minds as the little voice is not always right. So it is essential to normalise conversations surrounding mental well- being, share personal experien
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This Friday Burdekin will be fortunate enough to welcome a truly remarkable individual — Sam Childers, also known as "The Machine Gun Preacher." His incredible journey from a troubled youth to a hero who has dedicated his life to rescuing children from war-torn regions is one of both heartache and hope, and now, for the first time, he is bringing his powerful story to our small regional town. Childers, an American former biker and gang member, transformed his life after a deeply spiritual exper
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With all games in the opening round of the senior R L T D transferred to the contingency date in July due to the weather and state of grounds last week, the season will officially get underway this weekend. Only four clubs are fielding the under 20 grade so that will leave four clubs contesting with Brothers, Western Lions, Centrals and Souths. With the exception of Souths who do not have a Ladies team, all clubs will be in the other three grades. This weekend on Saturday Souths will host Wes
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The Burdekin Touch Association recently shone a spotlight on its senior players, celebrating their longstanding commitment to the sport and the vital role they continue to play within the community. Each week, more than 25 men and women aged over 50 take to the field, proving that Touch football is not only a game of speed and skill, but also one that fosters lifelong fitness and friendships. “I started playing Touch in 1981 when I was transferred to Home Hill,” said Bruce Johnson, now 70 year
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Ladies Day Out The Home Hill ladies enjoyed their Saturday afternoon bowls. Home Hill Bowls Club is growing, and the club is seeing a fantastic growth and support from the ladies bowlers with everyone taking the advantage of the sun. Home Hill Open Easter Fours: The Home Hill Bowls & Sports Club will be sponsoring an attractive fours carnival over the Easter Saturday and Sunday, flyers have gone out already to all bowler club. We are hoping to make this an annual event. As we are all now in
Read moreThe Burdekin Touch association celebrated the contribution of senior players to Touch football in the Burdekin recently. With over 25 male and female players over the age of 50 taking the field each week, Touch is proving to be a great sport for fitness and social connection. “I started playing Touch in 1981 when I was transferred to Home Hill,” said Bruce Johnson, now 70 years of age. “It’s a contact sport but not a collision sport so there is maximum speed and skill with minimum injury. Eve
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While many people aspire to reach 100, Jean Neep from Home Hill has well and truly raised the bar, celebrating an incredible 107th birthday surrounded by love, laughter and fond memories. Born in an era of immense change, Jean has witnessed the world transform in extraordinary ways. She married in 1938, just before the outbreak of the Second World War, and embraced the challenges of family life with strength and grace. Together with her husband, she raised three children in Ayr; John, Marilyn a
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In a major win for North Queensland farmers recovering from last month’s floods, the federal and Queensland governments have overhauled disaster funding rules to allow growers to use recovery grants to replant and reseed waterlogged crops—unlocking critical support that was previously out of reach. **The significant changes to extraordinary assistance grants under Category C and D of the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) mean farmers can now: Replant lost o
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Opinion Piece Having clocked up over 150,000KM on the Bruce in my three years as the Federal Member for Dawson, I’m a passionate advocate for a better National Highway. I travel this highway every day, visiting and spending time with my constituents from Mackay to Townsville, and all the communities in between. I know the highway well, riding the potholes and the bumps. I know the risks travellers face, the delays they experience, and the frustrations they feel when the roads are cut. Not a da
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Opinion Piece A Dutton-Littleproud Coalition Government will reinstate the 80:20 federal funding model for nationally significant road projects in regional and remote Australia — ensuring more regional roads and highways get upgraded. Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox said regional roads including the Bruce Highway in the Dawson section had missed out on critical road funding because of the Albanese Government’s decision to slash funding for regional road projects by 30 per cent. “Whi
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A warm community spirit permeated the air of the Burdekin Theatre at the Community Morning Tea event, hosted by Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort over the weekend. The event extended a warm welcome to Queensland’s Governor Dr Jeanette Young and her husband and was attended by local leaders, healthcare professionals, and community members, producing an atmosphere thick with camaraderie, optimism and hope despite the recent challenges faced by the Burdekin and its people. Mayor Dalle Cort hospitably embra
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Member for Burdekin, Dale Last MP, believes victims of domestic and family violence will be offered more support sooner and Police will be able to respond sooner under Legislation to be introduced to parliament. The former Police Officer said calls for assistance due to domestic and family violence had more than tripled in the last decade and changes were needed to better protect victims and to hold perpetrators to account. “Sadly, we have seen an immense increase in both the number of calls f
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Burdekin Shire Council is calling on Federal election candidates to commit to funding the $4.4 million Ayr Industrial Estate – Second Access project. The proposed second access will improve safety, boost connectivity, and support the region's long-term growth, including residential and commercial development. With only one current access point to the estate, Mayor Pierina Dalle Cort emphasises the need for alternative routes, especially for emergency services and heavy vehicles. The project, wh
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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS GROUP (Free) Come along to the Burdekin Centre for Rural Health, 12A Chippendale Street, Ayr. Wednesdays, 9.30am to 11.30am Have a chat Meet new people Learn something new Have a cuppa Contact the BCA Support Centre to register today on 4783 3744. **MAKE IT HAPPEN LIFE SKILLS GROUP (Free) Now taking expressions of interest* Build independence – Maybe you’d like to learn to cook or manage everyday household duties. Develop social skills – meeting new people and d
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Long-time Ayr business owner Kristy Oar, alongside husband Callan, has embarked on an exciting new venture that is sure to bring a fresh approach to workwear and western fashion to the Burdekin. Earlier this year, Kristy and Callan, who collectively have run local businesses for more than 20 years, purchased and rebranded the well-known Sibby Savers store. Now called Wild East, the retail business specialises in western and workwear apparel, offering a unique blend of fashion and function
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Hi Everyone, By the time you read this, I will have had the opportunity to attend and present at the Burdekin Chamber of Commerce meeting, and I’d like to extend my thanks to Kari and the team for their kind invitation. We really enjoy attending both the Burdekin and Home Hill Chamber of Commerce meetings. They’re fantastic opportunities to connect and network with our local business community. I strongly encourage everyone in the area to join their local chamber. If you're unsure which one t
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With a wonderful long weekend holding space on our calendars this April, there’s truly no better way to spend the coming, long autumn days than enjoying the smorgasbord of free activities, locations and events on offer within our own backyards! Burdekin Library’s All Day Drop-In Ahead of the Easter long weekend mayhem, the Burdekin Library has designed an awesome program to keep your little bunnies busy and entertained these school holidays, from Monday the 7th of April right up until Friday th
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