Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
CANEGROWERS congratulates the Liberal National Party (LNP) and Premier David Crisafulli on their State Election victory. Premier Crisafulli, who grew up in a cane farming family in Ingham, understands the challenges and opportunities facing Queensland’s sugarcane industry, and will have growers’ best interests at heart, CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan said. “Congratulations to David and the LNP team. We’re excited to work closely with the new Premier to advance the sugarcane sector, an indus
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Cane crushed This week Season to date Invicta 144,445 2,226,449 Pioneer 80,135 1,042,503 Kalamia 68,968 1,196,209 Inkerman 74,931 1,327,863 Burdekin 368,479 5,793,024 CCS Invicta 14.54 14.33 Pioneer 14.47 14.31 Kalamia 13.75 13.90 Inkerman 14.33 14.08 Burdekin 14.33 14.18 Weekly variety performance for region Variety % CCS Variety % CCS Q240 56% 14.59 Q183 8% 14.69 KQ228 13% 13.75 Q208 7% 14.53 Q232 9% 13.50 WSRA17 5% 13.30 Comments: The Burdekin mills processed just over 368,000 tonnes of cane
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Ending hunger around the world was the focus of World Food Day last month, as 2.8 billion people still can’t afford a healthy diet and 733 million face hunger globally. Australia is one of 150 countries embracing this year’s World Food Day theme, “Right to foods for a better life and better future”. Deputy Secretary of Trade and Regulation Tina Hutchison said Australia plays a significant role in combatting hunger. “Australia contributes to the World Food Day objectives through our engagement
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Two James Cook University engineering students have won $10,000 scholarships with Wilmar Sugar and Renewables. Bridgette Layman and Brent Barnett were awarded the Undergraduate Engineering Scholarship at the company’s Townsville headquarters this week. As well as receiving $10,000 in direct financial support, Bridgette and Brent will do paid work placements with the company. Both students are in the third year of their studies at JCU’s Townsville campus, and are on track to complete their degr
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Year level duxes: 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟳 𝗗𝘂𝘅 – Asha Licciardello 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟴 𝗗𝘂𝘅 – Lincoln Innes 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟵 𝗗𝘂𝘅 – Ryley Sartori 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟭𝟬 𝗗𝘂𝘅 – Ashlee Colls 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟭𝟭 𝗗𝘂𝘅 – Sophie Robertson 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝘂𝘅 – Noah Arboit LtoR - Yr 7 - Senior Dux (as listed above) Senior Dux - Noah Arboit Special Award recipients: 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 – Amaya Boland (Junior), Maddy Geitz (Senior) 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 – Bella Lawry (Junior), Noah Arboit (Senior)
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The Ayr Surf Life Saving Club is gearing up to celebrate its 100-year anniversary, a significant milestone since its establishment on 26th October 1926. The club is already in the planning stages for a big birthday celebration, with formal preparations set to begin in January. A special committee will be formed to oversee the organisation of the celebration, with regular updates planned to keep the club informed on the progress. Hockey Vernon urges anyone with memorabilia to contact him, or the
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The Burdekin Woodcrafts Association members are excited to unveil their new storage container, made possible through a generous grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal. This project included a concrete mounting slab and robust interior storage racks, addressing the growing need for storage as the Association often receives timber donations from the public but has had to decline many offers due to limited space. Situated next to their workshop at 30 Little Drysdale Street, the co
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Since 1999, John Gooding has been a staple on Sweet FM, hosting a unique show that blends humour, oddities, and local flavour. Originally joining with a friend to cover night soccer, John’s show quickly evolved into something special, sharing mad and strange stories from around the world every week. Unlike typical radio shows, John's program doesn’t feature music. Instead, he and his co-host focus on strange news stories. One of the most memorable tales he recalls involved an unfortunate inciden
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Talented Dancers will ignite the stage at the Burdekin Theatre this November with two brand new performances scheduled for the coming weeks to suit audiences of all ages! On Sunday 10 November, the youngest members of your family will be treated to an awesome Ready Set Magic Preschool Concert at the Burdekin Theatre from 10am! “Last year we held our first ever Ready Set Concert, and it was an absolute hit,” shared Rhythm Edge Dance Studios. “We are excited to be doing it all again this year!
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The Choral Society’s ‘The Vault’ is rolling out the red carpet to celebrate its fifth anniversary, a milestone for Home Hill’s local arts and entertainment scene. This special event will bring together highlights from the past five years, showcasing the unforgettable performances and community spirit that have made The Vault an iconic part of the Burdekin. For regular patrons and newcomers alike, it’s an opportunity to revisit the magic that has captivated audiences and contributed to local cult
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In an inspiring effort to bridge the digital divide, Burdekin Community Association (BCA) held its 2024 Be Connected Get Online Week Event from October 14 to 18. This initiative offered an opportunity for seniors across the community to explore the digital world with personalised guidance and support, aimed at enhancing their tech confidence. For many older Australians, technology can be daunting. Smartphones, computers, and the internet often seem too complex or intimidating to use. This digita
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Friday 25 October Burdekin School Rock the 70s Dance Party Fundraiser Friday from 7pm Prepare to rock and roll through the greatest hits of the 70s at the Burdekin School’s Rock the 70s Dance Party Fundraiser on Friday 25 October! Set to be held at the Queens Hotel, doors will open from 7pm with the show kicking off at 8pm sharp! Each ticket includes a complimentary beverage on arrival and can be purchased from both the Burdekin Theatre and the Queens Hotel. Queens Hotel Saturday 26 October Hom
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The Home Hill Harvest Festival’s annual King and Queen of the Hill event returned on Saturday, October 26, drawing determined participants for a thrilling early morning climb up Inkerman Hill. Starting at 6.30am, runners raced up to the summit lookout, then descended the steep goat track, where the 2024 Harvest Festival Queens were on hand to record finish times. This year’s event featured four age categories, each with impressive performances. In the Under 12s, Quinn Jones led the girls at 28:
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A small but thriving fishing club in the Burdekin is celebrating its 50th year in 2024. The Burdekin District Sportfishing club owes its longevity to a very strong family and social thread which runs alongside the competitive fishing aspect. Monthly competitions culminate in a weigh-in and BBQ at a member’s residence which brings the whole group together in an informal and personal setting. The competitive element is always present but members do share “secret” spots and are keen to encourage
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Local The Escriva Cup is due to be played this Friday evening, 1st November and is a fundraiser held by The SLoBs (Soccer Legends of the Burdekin) to help out ex-players with health problems. Last year fourteen Men’s teams and two Ladies teams took part. Hopefully, we will have more teams involved this year. Night Soccer Delta Cleaners Night Soccer’s Week 8 was played in good conditions and with only one forfeit. The 21games produced 65 goals and just the one Sin Bin. Congratulations to DL
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On Saturday 19 October, Lower Burdekin Hockey hosted their annual Hacker’s Cup at the Burdekin Junior Rugby League Fields, the former base of Burdekin Hockey. The carnival was first held in 1998 with a view to introducing novice players, or ‘hackers’ to the game of hockey. With no carnivals held in 2018 or 2020, this year was the 25th time the carnival has been run. The competitors included our current indoor players, annual Hacker’s competitors, returning hockey players and a range of ‘hacke
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The Ayr Golf Club was the place to be over the weekend with the Karrie Webb Junior Masters hosting the talents plenty of young golfers across the green. The weather was exceptional and enjoyed by all 79 players over the two-day event as generously sponsored by Raine and Horne and Mizuno Golf. The Club saw young golfers from the Burdekin, Cairns, Townsville, Charters Towers, Bowen, Proserpine, Yeppoon, Gladstone, Harvey Bay, Bribie Island and Mt Warren showcase their skills on the Ayr Golf Club’
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Saturday 2nd Of September 1.00pm to 5.00pm ( Patrol Group A) Chris Wicks, Damien Rickets, Emma Rickets, Jane Rickets. Sunday 3rd Of September 9.00am to 5.00pm ( All day Patrol Group F) Lisa Furnell, Jen Morgan, John Furnell, Jo Morgan, Lauren Chapman, Isla Chapman, Ryley Satori, Jake Satori, Kat Satori, Dave Satori. Contributed with thanks to Hockey Vernon.
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The Ayr Surf Club travelled to Mackay over the weekend for the 2024 North Australian Championships. North Aussies is a 3-day carnival with clubs from as north as Port Douglas to as far south as Mooloolaba uniting for one of Queensland's most iconic volunteer movements, Surf Life Saving. The Friday consisted of the Pool Rescue competition, where 12 Ayr competitors battled it out in the pool at the Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Complex, demonstrating rescue techniques and skills against some very
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A lot of visitors have popped in for a game of bowls, discovering the force that is Home Hill Bowls Club. Bowlers from other regions have stopped by, like Rod Haderfield and his dog Blackjack. Steve and Annie from Giru have enjoyed playing bowls at Home Hill along with Phil Marsden who has now become a regular. People like Mick Olsen, our fellow adjudicator is the backbone of any club for all they do asking for nothing in return. The pairs competition had another great turnout on Saturday, att
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The week at Ayr Bowling Club began with Ladies’ Social bowls on Monday 21 October, where Pam Power faced Irene Wilson in the consistency singles. It was a competitive game, with Power emerging victorious in a closely contested match. Tuesday’s Ladies’ Social bowls drew a good turnout of 16 players, forming three games of triples and one game of pairs. The winners included Merle Nixon, Katharina Stuckler, and Deslie Olsen, who defeated Rayleen Harvey, Ron Soper, and Linda Guimelli. Ruth Moore, S
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Fourteen bowlers gathered for an enjoyable Friday evening of social bowls and friendly banter at the Brandon Bowls Club. The evening featured one game of triples, where Joy Woods, Lyn Storrie, and "Rampaging" Ray Paneccasio triumphed over Margaret McLaughlan, Lyn Storrie, and Joe Yipnazar. Storrie humorously struggled to remember who her skip was, as the team was short one player. Two pairs matches followed. In the first, Norm Storrie teamed up with "Mr. Bowls" Gary Pearce to defeat David Bycro
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The past week has been a busy one for the Home Hill Cricket Association. On Tuesday afternoon, the Rookies program took place at East Ayr State School, where coaches Guy and Thomas led children in a fun-filled session focused on the fundamental skills of cricket. During Friday afternoon’s Challengers games, Corey Pensini and Nicholas Marrinan stood out as top scorers, followed closely by strong performances from Noah Tanner and Henry Cohen. Levi Trail earned the "McDonald's Sports Award" this we
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Becoming a full-time firefighter is no small feat, and Lindsay Wilson and Carter Dal Ponte are now two of Ayr's newest recruits. Selected from a pool of 5,000 to 7,000 applicants, both were offered positions at their local station after a rigorous selection process. As locals, they chose Ayr as their preferred deployment location, joining the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) in a demanding yet rewarding role. Continued on page 12. 1. NEW RECRUITS: Lindsay Wilson holding an axe and C
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It’s an exciting time in the Burdekin as our community is bustling with activity, especially with the Home Hill Harvest Festival in full swing! From Ephemera on display to the much-anticipated Town of Origin clash, there’s no shortage of events bringing us together to celebrate the heart of our region. One of the highlights of the festival is the King and Queen of the Hill competition, where local camaraderie truly shines. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to cheer on those vying for the crow
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