Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
There’s something special about a community that comes together — not just to celebrate, but to support one another through every stage of life. Our team is proud to be part of such a caring and connected community, where fun and compassion go hand in hand. This Halloween, our office is embracing the spirit of Halloween with our Best Dressed Halloween Competition! We can’t wait to see the creativity, laughter, and spooky costumes that make our community events so memorable each year. It’s all a
Read more
October is Random Acts of Kindness Month, and Maidavale State School is playing its part this year by making sure the Burdekin's givers become receivers of delicious treats baked right at the school. The initiative is part of the school's longstanding Community Connect program, which encourages students to bake goods—from biscuits to muffins and cupcakes—and deliver them as a ‘thank you’ to organisations and services across the Burdekin. "The point is to thank people for their service to our c
Read more
After more than 50 years of service, the Endeavour Foundation’s Ayr social enterprise has closed its doors for the final time. The disability employment provider, which has operated locally since 1972, announced in June that financial pressures under the NDIS made continuing the service unsustainable. Acting Executive General Manager of Work, Greg McCluand, said the decision was a difficult one. “We have continued to work with the community to meet our commitments, support our employees, and ex
Read more
The Burdekin Netball Association’s $3.5 million redevelopment is one step closer to reality with the recent appointment of a local project manager to oversee the project. Announced in September 2024, the revamp follows five years of planning by the association, aimed at modernising facilities for players across the region. The project will see the demolition of the existing four hard courts, replaced with eight brand-new courts—two of which will be undercover. Plans for the clubhouse include re
Read more
At The End Of Harvest Golf Classic One day, nine holes, and a four-person Ambrose all in support of one amazing organisation… you guessed it… the infamous End of Harvest Golf Classic will return to the community on Friday, the 12th of December! The time has come to nominate your teams for one of the most celebrated social sporting extravaganzas on the shire’s calendar with all funds raised going directly to CORES, supporting mental health and suicide prevention. Just 12 short months ago, 274 p
Read more
Mosquito activity in the Burdekin is high year-round, particularly during the warmer months. With heavy rainfall, tidal inundation, and excess irrigation, dormant mosquito eggs can hatch in large numbers, creating the potential for increased biting and disease risk in the community. Burdekin Shire Council is actively managing mosquito populations, targeting the species Aedes vigilax through an aerial treatment program. Council officers also conduct twice-weekly field surveys across coastal and
Read more
The Home Hill Third Grade side delivered a commanding all-round performance to claim victory over Brothers Resilient Projects, posting a strong 7/178 before bowling out the opposition for 126 at John McCulloch Oval. Simon Vickers set the tone early with a blistering 33 off 21 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes before being caught in the deep. The innings was steadied by Luke Mottin’s composed 59 from 76 balls, featuring five boundaries, while Travis Butler added a valuable 35. Lower-order r
Read more
Runs were hard to come by at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Cricket Complex last week. In the Blue Group, Jake Cullen top-scored with 9 not out, while Kyle Wilkie was next best with 5 not out. Three run outs didn’t help batters settle in for bigger totals, but Jake contributed with one of those run outs and bowled well, finishing with figures of 1 for 2. Other wicket-takers were Kip Nicholas (1 for 4), Henry Cohen (1 for 7), and Corbett Cross (1 for 8). The McDonald’s Sports Awards for this group went
Read more
The Ayr Golf Club ladies’ competition saw some thrilling performances on Selections Day 2025, with players showing off their skills on the greens. A special thank-you went out to Marissa and the team at Selections, long-term sponsors of the club’s Wednesday ladies’ competition. Their continued support is greatly appreciated by all members. On the day, it was Tuk Williams who stole the show, posting an impressive 40 points to decisively win the competition. Wendy Baker finished strong in second
Read more
It was a big week at Brandon Bowls Club, with thrilling finals and tight finishes across all divisions. Jason Farry and Glenn Woodford claimed the 2025 Pairs Finals title after a hard-fought victory over Kenny Ferguson and Gary Nosworthy, drawing cheers from the crowd for their sharp teamwork and calm under pressure. In Wednesday’s A Grade Ladies Final, Lyn Storrie triumphed over Margaret Chapman in a close, high-quality match that had spectators glued to the green. The Ladies’ Triples saw Van
Read more
Ayr Bowling Club has enjoyed another vibrant week on the greens, with a great mix of social and championship games bringing members together. With the championship season now coming to an end competition has been fierce but friendly, highlighting the impressive skill and sportsmanship of our bowlers. Social games have also been well-attended, creating a welcoming and lively atmosphere that continues to strengthen the club’s sense of community. Tuesday Ladies Social bowls was played, Winners on
Read more
Home Hill Bowls Club report Thursday 23rd October. Twenty-three players turned out for a windy afternoon. Rink 2 saw a singles match between Alex Bojack and Michael Young, which was eventually won by Alex. He will now play Wayne Newton in the final. Rink 2 was also the lucky rink drawn, so Alex and Michael are the daily winners, shown in the photo. On Rink 4, Judy Elton, Janet Arthur, and Steve Doig went down to Bob Young, Michael Young, Ron Smith, and Gary Nosworthy/Trevor Elton after not bein
Read more
Last Saturday, Burdekin Football Club celebrated another standout season at Populin Hall, honouring players, volunteers, and teams who went above and beyond. The night was a mix of camaraderie, recognition, and celebration, highlighting the dedication that fuels the club year after year. Standout moments included the presentation of the Ramon Oar Memorial Spirit Award to Wayne Kolb, the Presidents Medal to Garry and Kiera Durrant, and the Taylah Pearson Memorial Award to Sian Reardon. Young tal
Read more
It was Ayr who had the last laugh on Sunday, 19 October, after defeating cross-town rivals Home Hill in a three-sport series as part of the Home Hill Harvest Festival's esteemed Town of Origin series. The well-attended event drew hundreds of locals to Home Hill State High School grounds for the 11th instalment of the series, with Ayr's 2-1 victory across junior cricket, netball and rugby giving it a 6-5 historical lead and temporary bragging rights over its local counterpart. Beyond the on-cou
Read more
Once again, the region’s annual sunflower patch has coloured the region in vibrant shades of yellow and gold, painting smiles across the faces of everyone who passes Ayr’s Patricia Road! Delighted by 2024’s gleaming debut of the floral field, a local family have sewed the seeds once again, spreading the message of “Pick a Sunflower, Support a Cause!” to all who visit the patch located at 12 Patricia Road, Ayr. Anyone and everyone who wishes to pop down to the patch are encouraged to bring alon
Read more
Last weekend, I was brought crashing back to earth after a humbling experience at Amelia Pivotto’s trivia night on Friday. At first, it was all going so swimmingly—a perfect night under the stars, replete with vibrant chatter and laughter as the questions came thick and fast. Our team was doing… fine. Not topping the leaderboard, but not embarrassing ourselves either. Then a particular question came up. Something along the lines of, “what is the name of the Burdekin journalism legend—a local c
Read more.jpg)
A 25-year-old Ayr man has died following a trail bike crash at Osborne early Monday morning. Emergency services were called to Iona Road around 6am on October 20, after reports a rider had been found unresponsive. Police said the man sustained critical injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Forensic Crash Unit has launched an investigation into the incident, with officers appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has relevant dashcam or CCTV footage to come forwa
Read more
A Local Fire Ban has been declared across the Burdekin Shire by the Rural Fire Service Queensland, taking effect from midnight Saturday, 18 October, and continuing until 11:59pm Friday, 31 October. The ban comes in response to current weather conditions and heightened fire risk. During this period, lighting, maintaining, or using fires in the open is strictly prohibited. All existing permits to light fires are suspended, except in limited cases. Fires used for cooking on a properly constructed
Read more
With Remembrance Day around the corner, Member for Burdekin, Dale Last MP, is encouraging local groups to apply for grants that allow the community to better honour and acknowledge the service of veterans. The fact that the Burdekin election is home to a significant number of veterans meant the new funding program offered a potential boost for a community whose track record for honouring veterans was among the best in the state. “You only have to look at the number of people who attend events
Read more
A $550 million tourism development in Townsville is set to ripple benefits through the Burdekin, with local businesses tipped to gain from increased visitor traffic and regional growth once the project gets underway. Townsville City Council last week granted preliminary approval for the Townsville Waterpark, Beach Club, and Hotel project—a major step forward for what has been described as a game-changer for North Queensland’s tourism economy. The 15-hectare site sits at the intersection of Bru
Read more
The Burdekin is starting to rebuild after the devastating tropical low earlier this year, with restoration projects now underway at Plantation Park, Groper Creek Foreshore, and the Mt Inkerman Nature Trail. At Plantation Park, which houses the Burdekin Visitor Information Centre and the Nature-Based Playground, crews are repairing internal roads and carparks that were stripped and scoured by floodwaters. Once complete, families and visitors will have safe access to the park’s popular facilities
Read more
On Sunday, 19 October, the Burdekin community came together at the Burdekin Memorial Hall for Burdekin Fights Back, a Gala Afternoon Tea supporting the fight against cancer. The event was led by local resident Raelene Grantz, who survived breast cancer last year and has watched her twin sister Maree face the disease nearly 12 years earlier. “We've just got to keep fighting. I'm a firm believer in the research,” Raelene said. Guests were treated to entertainment by Ricky Romeo and guided throug
Read more.jpg)
Once again, Jeffrey Lunn and Leon McCormack’s infamous Halloween Party will spook and delight the community next Friday, the 31st of October for an evening of costumes and candy, complete with iconic scary season decorations, music and an unparallel atmosphere! The pair first came up with the idea to introduce a haunting Halloween Party after witnessing firsthand the extravagant displays put on in the United States whilst on holiday, and after some planning, Jeff and Leon debuted their very fir
Read more.jpg)
As we move into the warmer months, I want to remind our community how important it is to be mindful of our water use. Temporary Stage 1 Water Restrictions in Ayr will commence from the 7 November to 7 December while Council completes a critical stage of the South Ayr Filtration Plant upgrade. These works are essential to securing the long-term reliability of our water supply. We all have a part to play in conserving this precious resource. I encourage everyone to follow smart water practices, p
Read more.jpg)
The Burdekin never ceases to astound with the variety of activities happening throughout the shire. The Harvest Festival Student Ball was an outstanding success and the activities for the Harvest Festival continue in Home Hill. Mental Health Week wrapped up with a time to consider our own mental health in a week of presentations including the group at the Burdekin Men’s Shed with an open community invitation to “Cuppa Chat & Chew”. Seniors Month culminates with the Seniors Expo & Luncheon Thurs
Read more