Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
It’s over! The rains that persisted for nearly two weeks straight finally ended and the flooding has begun to subside in the Burdekin. And it’s about… fricken time! [I wanted to put something else but my editor won’t allow it] though I’m sure you all echo my sentiments regardless.
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With the recent floods cutting off Home Hill from Ayr, which left locals, travellers and northerners alike stranded, new resident and Home Hill transplant, Jennifer Rasmussen, resolved to do her bit to help those that got caught out and found themselves stuck.
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Andy Pethybridge, the Queensland Police Services Emergency Management Coordinator, found himself in the Burdekin to help take care of the situation, explaining why the recent floods here in Ayr, is a high priority. “This region is a priority due to its high population and isolation, with 16 out of 21 emergency management coordinators rotated through this area. It was considered higher risk with the high population being isolated for long periods of time, and also having a high risk with the Pla
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As the clean-up and recovery efforts continue following devastating flooding in North Queensland, Member for Burdekin Dale Last calls on the community to nominate a local legend who has gone the extra mile to help their community during recent challenging times. Recent weeks have seen community members across the district go above and beyond to ensure essential services were able to continue and vulnerable community members have the assistance needed to access medical supplies or a warm meal.
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The Burdekin region has been left reeling from the devastating impact of recent flooding, with countless residents grappling to rebuild their lives amidst the widespread destruction. In the face of such adversity, however, a powerful sense of community spirit has emerged, providing a much-needed beacon of hope and resilience during this challenging time. Among the many inspiring acts of generosity, the Country Ayr Motel has truly distinguished itself. Over the course of three days, the motel sta
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What can I say about our wonderful community? Despite some negativity late last year into early this year, the people of the Burdekin Shire have proven once again, that they are caring, generous and resilient. During the recent flood event, the support for and kindness shown to our neighbors and visitors was simply astounding. This is part of the reason I love our people and community so much. “When the going gets tough, the Burdekin gets going.” We, as a Shire, were extremely privileged i
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I stand to be corrected, but I don’t believe we have ever seen as many visitors to our region as we have over the past week. We have welcomed visits from Premier of Queensland, the Hon. David Crisafulli MP; Queensland State Disaster Recovery Coordinator Andrew Cripps, Leader of the National Party and Federal Member for Maranoa, the Hon. David Littleproud MP; Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox MP; Senator for Queensland and Shadow Minister for Resources, Senator Susan McDonald; and Governo
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As a result of the flooding in the region recently, several patients at the nearby Ayr Health Hospital Service had to be transported by rail, while some nurses were flown in from helicopter to assist, after getting cut off from the rising waters. Patients who required renal care were moved by rail via the rail-cart set up by the local council in conjunction with Queensland Rail, just so they could receive their daily dialysis treatment. A decision was also made by Ayr & Home Hill Health Service
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Progress! QCAR is moving at its usual rapid pace on the QCAR integration with the Australian Cane Farmers Association (ACFA) front. As we have been saying, this is bringing two pro-active organisations who are, and will continue to, deliver a powerful and passionate voice for representation and advocacy for all sugarcane farmers and their industry. The super drivers behind the integration, the QCAR Board, had a vision to provide even more benefits and services across their ever-growing repres
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Simon Hood Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing It has been a challenging time across our growing communities, with every region affected to various degrees by the recent rain event. The Herbert region obviously bore the brunt of it with extensive flood damage, lengthy power outages, communication issues and prolonged supply issues. In the Burdekin, we had floodwater through Invicta Mill at Giru twice in the space of one week, and the whole region was impacted by localised flooding, highway closur
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Kick back under the stars at the Burdekin Theatre on Friday, 28 March for a night of live music, great vibes, and good company! Burdekin Theatre are kicking off their new regular outdoor concert series, FORECOURT FRIDAYS LIVE, with a special guest performer Adam Harvey on his "Let the Song Take You Home" Tour! With a stellar support act, delicious food & drinks, and a relaxed atmosphere, it’s the perfect way to spend your Friday night. Join country music legend Adam Harvey for an unforgettable
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The 2024 cane crushing season finally wrapped up in mid-January 2025 after a long 32 weeks, leaving around 280,000 tonnes of cane unharvested in the district. CANEGROWERS Burdekin Ltd (CBL) has voiced disappointment over the extended season, especially given the shared goal between millers and growers of finishing by the third week of November to minimise productivity risks. The delay was caused by a mix of factors, including wet weather, mill performance issues, and drawn-out enterprise bargain
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During the recent flooding here, stories come out of resilience, perseverance, and community spirit where people come to the aid of others. One such story is Dr. Tata and his Home Hill Surgery doctors who went over and above, to ensure the Burdekin had access to doctors so their medical needs were met. After the roads were cut off, many patients were left stranded unable to attend their appointments, but so too were the doctors themselves. Rather than be forced to closed the surgery and have pa
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Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland, recently dropped into council chambers on Saturday, to give her thanks and gratitude to some of the workers and volunteers during the recent Burdekin floods. The Governor and her husband, Professor Graeme Nimmo, congratulated a congregation of SES workers, fireys, volunteers, councillors, and the Mayor, on their great contribution in assisting and ensuring the community remained as safe as possible. Burdekin Shire
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The Burdekin is set to host North Queensland’s best talent showcase, with acclaimed actor and singer Hugh Sheridan, confirmed as the special guest for Fast Track 2025, thanks to the generous support of Major Sponsor, Burdekin Motors. Hugh Sheridan, widely recognised for his outstanding career in both acting and music, will bring a whole new level of talent to the event. As the first-ever actor/singer to be part of Fast Track, Hugh will provide invaluable insights and inspiration to contestants
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An empowering morning of socialisation and sophistication will grace the Masonic Heritage Centre on Sunday the 9th of March, with the Zonta Club Burdekin Inc. International Women’s Day Brunch. Annually, women within the Burdekin Shire look forward to attending Zonta’s International Women’s Day event and as the date for the 2025 event has been held since December of last year, feelings of anticipation and excitement have been shared across the community. In 2024, the Club’s International Women’
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Opportunities for students to extend and challenge themselves in the STEM areas are varied and vast at Ayr State High School. Ayr High’s strong tradition in STEM has been achieved over many decades of staff dedication and desire to give students access to opportunities that city schools take for granted. This year, so far, Sophie Robertson (Yr 12) has just returned from the prestigious 2-week National Youth Science Forum at the Australian National University in Canberra, where she had the opp
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Last week, in a heartwarming gesture of appreciation, the Year 12 students at Burdekin Christian College surprised teachers with a delightful Valentine's Day tribute that brought smiles to everyone’s faces. As teachers worked diligently to finalise class deliveries from the St Valentine's Day stall, they were treated to a beautiful serenade by Jo Mau, filling the air with warmth and melody. Alongside the serenade, the Year 12 students presented flowers to each teacher, adding a personal touch th
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Phew! You have to love a North Qld summer. If it isn’t the aggressive precipitation, it is the persistent heat waves. On behalf of all the team, we hope that community members are keeping safe and looking after each other. A huge thank you to our LDMG members and our emergency services, who have been out and about keeping us as safe as possible in the circumstances. The recent weather has seen repercussions for a lot of individuals and families in the Burdekin region. The Burdekin Neighbourhoo
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The team and I at BCA have been busy helping the community and council with the initial disaster management response and community recovery, due to the recent Monsoonal Trough. Please see information below regarding the Community Recovery Hubs currently open. Community Recovery Hub Burdekin Activated locations: Entire LGA If you are suffering hardship or require emotional support as a result of the North and Far North Tropical Low event, help is available. You may be eligible for financial
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Craig: “I came across about five days ago for a medical appointment from Ayr and bought the motor home, as I use it to recover in after treatment. But of course, I got trapped. I've just been patiently sitting here since waiting to get back across the river. There's so many people that have been caught out. There's a couple parked further up in a caravan that have just driven up from the Sunshine Coast. They've got a house in Ingham that they've lost to the floods up there and they can't get thr
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Monday 24 February Home Hill – Ayr Lions Club Youth of the Year Quest Monday 6:30pm The Home Hill – Ayr Lions Club Annual Youth of the Year Quest will be held on Monday the 24th of February to stage the public speaking talents of students in Year 12! Call John on 0447 561 790 for more information. Crown Hotel, Home Hill Friday 28 February BNC Burdekin Parkinsons Support Group Friday 9:30am The Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre will host a support group for those experiencing Parkinsons in their li
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This week, Ayr Bowling Club members were fortunate to return to the green on Wednesday for bowls games after the recent wet weather, which had kept players off the green. Despite the weather, the club’s spirit remains strong. In game news, nominations for the Men’s Club Championships have now closed for the Fours, A Grade Singles, and B Grade Singles events. The draw is posted on the board in the clubhouse. Nominations for the Country Pennants and Purple Pennants are also displayed on the clubho
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Saturday 22nd Of February: 1 to 5pm ( Patrol Group B ) Terry Lund, Tramayne Horan, Dylan Carew, Heather Scott, Anita Giddy, Jan Hatherell, Gabriel Hatherell, Toby Wilson, Danny Wilson. Sunday 23rd Of February: 9am to 5pm ( All Day Patrol Group E ) John Moloney, Anne Moloney, Tony Felesina, Isa Bella Moloney, Jane Jones, Gavin Jones, Sopia Moloney, Alissia Gibson, Billy Gibson, Shaize Christie, Emma Jones.
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Despite heavy rain and flooding earlier in the week, the local community rallied together on Friday evening for the much-awaited Trophy Bowls Night, sponsored by Peter Marine Home Hill. With a late-afternoon storm followed by stifling heat and humidity, 46 players gathered for an exciting night of competition. Special thanks to Raymond Peterson for his generous support and to the dedicated ladies in the kitchen who once again delivered exceptional catering. The BBQ team kept spirits high with si
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