Friday 11th April Brandon Bowls Club was the epicentre of bowls thanks to North Queensland Green Solutions Ayr for sponsoring trophy bowls night. The Bowls club saw 64 bowlers on the green with everyone in attendance enjoying themselves regardless of the level of bowls. Second place went to the boys from Mio farming. Bradman trophy went to Aiden Kratzman , Braydon Dibella , Logan Towner , Clinton White , Charlie Conway sponsor, Rachel sponsor Saturday 12th April Championship Pairs
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The Ayr Bowling Club has been a hive of activity once again, with a dynamic week of championship matches, social bowls, and special events drawing large numbers to the greens. With the championship season in full swing, the club has come alive with spirited but good-natured competition, showcasing the impressive talents and sportsmanship of its bowlers. Social games have also remained a major highlight, contributing to the club’s warm and energetic atmosphere. Monday saw the resumption o
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Heartwarming, long term love stories are certainly not in short supply when it comes to the Burdekin Shire, and recently one epic tale in particular caught the attention of local support worker, Vanessa Parison. Harry and Jennifer will soon celebrate 60 wonderful years of marriage and after hearing of the pair’s amazing life journey together, Vanessa was brought to tears as she shared in Harry and Jennifer’s lifetime of happiness and heartache. The pair’s story began in Newcastle, NSW, when th
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Four young riders from the Burdekin. will compete at the Australian Dirt Track Titles this weekend in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales. Representing the Ayr Motorcycle Club, they have earned their spot after strong performances in local and regional events. The Australian Dirt Track Titles attract top junior competitors from across the country, with all riders chasing the honour of becoming a national champion.
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It was a fantastic day of bowls and camaraderie as QRI hosted Home Hill for their recent inter-club match. Club President Trevor Elton praised the strong turnout, with both clubs filling a full eight rinks — a brilliant show of support and spirit from all involved. The match itself was a close tussle, with Home Hill securing five rink wins in a competitive yet friendly atmosphere. Adding a special touch to the day, QRI life member Vic Clough — who has proudly represented the club for ove
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The opening round of the Rugby League Townsville and District (RLTD) season was played last weekend after being postponed due to wet weather. Those games will now be played in July. In A-grade, Western Lions started strong, defeating last year’s grand final opponents 52–0. Herbert River also impressed, beating Centrals 18–10 on Sunday. At Jack Manski Oval, Brothers overpowered the Burdekin Roosters 40–10, although the match was closer than the score suggests. Norths and Charters Towers h
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Registrations are now open for one of the Burdekin’s most iconic events and with excitement and anticipation building, the countdown is well and truly on! The infamous Australian Hand Cane Cutting Championships will impress and entertain the community on the 31st of May as part of the region’s Sweet Days, Hot Nights Festival which continues to attract waves of visitors from across the state and beyond. The legendary, slashing showdown celebrates the Burdekin’s rich cane farming heritage whilst
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Sibby Saitta started his clothing business in Queen Street, Ayr 72 years ago in 1952. It commenced trade as a basic tailoring shop of which there were several in town at that time. Sibby tailored made-to-measure men’s suits, trousers and other basic apparel, all made from scratch. As time passed, ready made clothing and fashions became more readily available, so the shop evolved into a retail outlet selling men’s fashions of the day. Work clothing soon became available from factories in B
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Ingrained in the history of the Burdekin region as one of the largest construction projects to date, the Burdekin Falls Dam holds the prestigious title of existing as the largest dam in Queensland. Situated approximately 100 kilometres south of Charters Towers, the Burdekin Falls Dam was completed in 1987 at a cost totalling $125 million to adequately contain the Burdekin River, a catchment area covering about 7% of the state. The structure can hold a capacity of 1,860,000 mega litres, and his
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2025 marks a wonderful milestone in Clare State School’s history, and over the weekend, almost 500 members of the Burdekin community gathered together to celebrate the school’s 75th anniversary. Despite the unfortunate weather conditions, Clare State School Principal, Troy Patti was beyond pleased with the weekend’s events, noting Saturday evening’s Twilight Feast & Timeless Talks was an occasion to remember. “The weekend was very successful, especially considering the rainfall that we had exp
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You know what they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and just last week Morag Burbidge found that timeless saying to be true. A dear friend of Morag’s had an unfortunate fall which left her both unconscious and with terrible injuries earlier last week, and thanks to the quick thinking of a couple of vigilant locals, Morag’s friend had the help she needed within minutes. “A young lady waved down a young man and asked for him to sit with my friend while she ran across the road to the hospita
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Ivica Murry has mastered the art of intertwining the whimsical world of magic and wonder into her everyday life, and now she hopes to help other members of the community do the same. Recently, Ivica created an online community titled “The Folk Magick Collective” where she plans to share her wealth of knowledge on the niche practice with the wider Burdekin and beyond. “Folk Magick is a practical, tradition-based system of magic passed down through generations within communities, often focusing
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Saturday 12th 0f April 1.00pm to 5,00pm ( Patrol Group B ) Terry Lund, Tramayne Horan, Dylan Carew, Heather Scott, Anita Giddy, Jan Hatherell, Gabriel Hatherell, Toby Wilson, Danny Wilson.’ Sunday 13th 0f April 9.ooam to 1oopm ( Patrol Group E) John Moloney, Anne Moloney, Tony Felesina, Isabella Moloney, Jane Jones, Gavin Jones, Sophia Moloney, Alissia Gibson, Billy Gibson, Shaize Christie, Emma Jones. Sunday 13th 0f April 1.00pm to 5.00pm ( Patrol Group G ) Carl List, Jimmy Hayllor, Jam
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Ayr Bowling Club has enjoyed another vibrant week on the greens, with a fantastic mix of social and championship games bringing members together. With the championship season now in full swing, competition has been fierce but friendly, highlighting the impressive skill and sportsmanship of the club's bowlers. Social games have also been well-attended, creating a welcoming and lively atmosphere that continues to strengthen the club’s sense of community. Club President Anthony Bull praised the po
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Sunday 13 April BBQ Breakfast Sunday 8am The community is invited to attend the Burdekin Aero Club Inc. Monthly BBQ Breakfast at the Ayr Aerodrome from 8am to 11am. Meet the pilots, inspect the aircrafts, and enjoy a morning of socialisation for $10 per person. Call 0429 144 921 for more information. Ayr Aerodrome, Brandon Wednesday 16 April Social and Networking Event Wednesday 5:30pm The community is invited to attend the Home Hill Chamber of Commerce Social and Networki
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Tracey Jane was born and raised in Melbourne, attending grammar school in Brighton before studying a foundation year in Art and Design at Brighton Technical School in 1976. She began a Graphic Design degree at Caulfield Institute of Technology in 1977. That same year, she travelled to England by ship and worked in London as an artist and receptionist for a printing company. Her passion has always been drawing, and she has now been a practising artist for over 40 years. After returning to Austr
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The Cecchin Motors story is by Mattero’s son, Vic who now lives at Phagan’s Bay New South Wales. Cecchin Motors all began in the late 1920’s when Matteo Cecchin, along with his mates- George Populin, Antonio (Tony) Lando, and the father of Willie Dal Santo came to Ayr from the village of Porcia near the city of Pordenone in the region of Friuli-Venezia Italy to cut sugar-cane. In the off season (slack season) from cutting sugar-cane, Matteo used to journey to Port Kembla, New South Wales where h
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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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