All pools require secure fencingThe popularity of temporary pools has

prompted the Burdekin Shire Council to remind residents of their legal requirement to ensure their pool was fenced.

Residents are required by law to fence off their pools – whether they were permanent or temporary.

Any pool that is capable of being filled with water to a depth of 300mm or more needs to be fenced with a locked gate.

Council officers have requested a number of Burdekin residents to empty their temporary pools in the past year.

Council has the capability of issuing notices and fining people up to $700 per day for each day there is no fence around the pool.

The State Government introduced new pool safety laws aimed at further reducing drowning and immersion injuries in swimming pools.

Additional laws come into effect from November 30, 2015, and affect new and

existing pools. However, if residents are selling or leasing property before that date they will have to comply earlier.

The Council team of certifiers are able to provide Pool Safety Inspections and produce Pool Safety Certificates. Contact Council on 4783 9800 for more information.

Water refill stations added to walkwayResidents using the Burdekin Be Active Walking/

Cycling Trail in Ayr now have access to a water refill station.

There are two water refilling stations - one in Anzac Park and the other in Queen Street near the Post Office. The stations include a drinking fountain, a point to fill bottles and the station at Anzac Park also includes a dog drinking bowl. They were installed by council after receiving a grant from Queensland Health Tropical Regional Services.

Exercise activity stations have also been positioned along the walkway to enable residents to diversify their exercise routine. These stations have been installed along the path in Wickham Street, Ayr, and at the park beside the Home Hill Community Kindergarten in Tenth Avenue.

These projects were put in motion by the Burdekin Be Active Advisory Committee which is

an advisory group to Council. The Committee was formed after extensive community consultation by the Burdekin Shire Council in 2004 and is made up of a cross section of community agencies including Queensland Health.

One of the main roles of Burdekin Be Active was identifying and maximising opportunities for physical activity and other wellbeing programs/projects in partnership with the Council and other stakeholders.

Burdekin Be Active also helps stakeholders by offering in-kind support, providing venues, assisting with promotion and other activities.

The Burdekin Shire Council and Burdekin Be Active work together to promote more active lifestyles, such as 10,000 Steps challenges, fun and fitness expos and healthy eating workshops.

Anyone interested in joining the committee should contact council.

Issue 10March 2013

Council in Focus

Shire collects $40 million in NDRRA funds for roads

The Burdekin Shire Council has received about $40 million in government funds for flood restoration works over the past three years.

Mayor Bill Lowis said this was a massive amount of money coming in to the shire.

“A lot of the work has been done already and residents can expect to see a fair bit more,” he said.

“Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements funds are paying for the restoration of these vital assets. We are fortunate that the ratepayers don’t have the burden of paying for all these works.”

Cr Lowis said Burdekin Shire roads and

other infrastructure were damaged during flooding and cyclones in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

“Almost all the roads damaged in 2010 during the flooding from Tropical Cyclones Olga and Neville have been repaired at a cost of $11.15 million with works completed by December last year,” he said.

“In 2011, Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi caused $19.3 million damage to the shires roads.

“By December last year Council had completed repairs to 60 per cent of those roads affected.

“Wallace Road is now completed and work

on Giddy Road and Groper Creek Road is under way. An order has been placed with the Department of Transport and Main Roads for the repairs to the Groper Creek boat ramp and jetty. “

Cr Lowis said works were expected to recommence on roads that were damaged in 2011 and 2012.

“Some of the roads included are Ivanhoe Road, Seaforth Road, Iona Road and Burstall Road,” he said.

These projects are funded by Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, a joint Federal (75 per cent) and State (25 per cent) Government initiative.

Works currently being carried out include:

ӹ Kerbing and channelling and bitumen widening in Thirteenth Avenue, Home Hill from Twelfth Street to Fourteenth A Street. Fourteenth A Street from Thirteenth Avenue to Kidby’s Gully. Fourteenth Avenue from Fourteenth A Street to end. Twelfth Street from Fourteenth Avenue to Thirteenth Avenue. Fifteenth Street from Fourteen A Street through to Fourteenth Avenue.

ӹ Ivory Road - resurfacing works.

ӹ Cox Street/ Gibson Street Roundabout.

ӹ Munro/Young Street Roundabout.

ӹ Adelaide Street - concrete footpath.

ӹ Grey Street - install gully pit at intersection with Barsby Street.

ӹ Installation of scour injection points in Cunningham Street, Cislowski and Mirrigan Roads.

ӹ Air scouring in Rossiters Hill area.

ӹ Construction of new water main in Breen Street, Ayr Industrial Estate.

ӹ Groper Creek Road.

What’s in the Works

BSA makes it easy to find local contractorsQueensland’s Building Services Authority

(BSA) has launched a Find a Local Contractor directory in an effort to encourage communities to support local builders and trade contractors.

Homeowners can now connect with a local contractor via BSA’s new ‘Find a Local Contractor’ directory. Homeowners can nominate the type of work they need done (e.g. building, painting,

concreting etc.) and then select the suburb they live in and a distance from their home. To date 5000 BSA licensees have signed up to the directory. The ‘Find a Local Contractor’ directory also includes a full licence history so homeowners can make an informed choice on who they might engage.

The directory can be readily accessed from the BSA website - www.bsa.qld.gov.au - and includes a quick link to the BSA Online Licence Search.

Comfort Stop gets a

faceliftWork has begun on the

$160,000 upgrade of the popular Home Hill Comfort Stop.

Council has already installed CCTV cameras in an effort to prevent vandalism and some trees have been removed.

The works will also include upgrading the wheelchair accessible toilets.

The showers will have hot water timers installed and the lighting around the facility will also be upgraded.

The faded signage at the facility will also be addressed.

It is hoped all of the work will be completed before the beginning of the tourist season.

Register now for 2013 ChemClear programPrimary producers in the Burdekin will be able to

get rid of their unwanted chemicals in June when ChemClear comes to town.

The national program is an excellent way for farmers and graziers to dispose of rural chemicals in a safe and responsible manner.

All primary producers have to do is register the chemicals for collection with ChemClear, then bring them to the Ayr Waste Transfer Station on the nominated day.

Producers need to lodge their registrations before mid April. Only registered out-of-date or unwanted products will be collected.

All successful registrations are acknowledged by email or post and

a reference number relating to each of Group 1 and 2 chemical registrations will be provided. Group 1 chemicals are currently-registered products from participating manufacturers and are accepted free of charge, while Group 2 involves chemicals that are unlabelled, unregistered or obsolete, and include a fee-per-litre for disposal.

More than 52 tonnes of unwanted and out-of-date agvet chemicals were collected in 2011. ChemClear is

working hand-in-hand with shire councils across Queensland. The last Queensland-wide collection was two years ago.

To register for the collection, call ChemClear on 1800 008 182 or log on to www.chemclear.com.au.

2013 Australia Day Award Recipients

Citizen of the Year Winner: Patricia Nuttall

Achievement Award: Lorna Hogenelst

Young Citizen of the YearWinner: Joshua Great and

Brianne RossatoAchievement Award: Brittany Falco

Community Event of the YearWinner: Sacred Heart Parish 2012

Centenary CelebrationsSenior Cultural Award

Winner: Monica LicciardelloJunior Cultural Award

Winner: Reece D’Alessandro Achievement Award: Shannyn

PattinsonSports Administrator Award

Winner: Karina JohnsonSenior Sports Person of the Year

Winner: Michelle ScottJunior Sports Person of the Year

Winner: Jarrod Langford Achievement Award: Jack Brock

and Kurt Perry

Burdekin residents awarded for their community spiritBurdekin resident Patricia Nuttall was

announced as the shire’s 2013 Citizen of the Year at the Australia Day celebrations.

Mrs Nuttall was one of 13 residents recognised for their community spirit.

Mayor Bill Lowis said Mrs Nuttall had been involved in basketball, the Antioch Youth Group and Burdekin Singers and Theatre Company for many decades.

“She has given tirelessly of her time, energy and creative talents over several decades to continually direct and produce shows for the Burdekin Singers and Theatre Company of an incredibly high standard,” he said.

“She is committed to the success of other people and empowers them through many different channels.

“She has dedicated her life to others and the

consideration of others’ achievements, this is what makes a truly great citizen.”

Two young residents shared the title of 2013 Young Citizen of the Year – Joshua Great and Brianne Rossato.

Cr Lowis said Joshua and Brianne had been nominated for their outstanding contribution to the Burdekin community through their involvement in school, sporting, cultural and a

variety of community activities.“The future of the Burdekin is in safe

hands when you see young people, such as Joshua and Brianne, giving so much to the community,” he said.

“We have a wealth of community minded people in our region and I congratulate them all for the time and dedication they put into their various organisations.”

Australia Day Award winners: (from left) senior sports Person of the Year Michelle scott, Joint Young Citizen of the Year Brianne Rossato, Junior Cultural Achievement Award winner shannyn Pattinson, Junior sports Person of the Year Achievement Award winner Kurt Perry, Keely Great representing her brother Joshua who was Joint Young Citizen of the Year, Junior sports Person of the Year Achievement Award winner Jack Brock, Young Citizen of the Year Achievement Award winner Brittany Falco, Mayor Bill Lowis, sports Administrator Award winner Karina Johnson, Junior sports Person of the Year Jarrod Langford, Citizen of the Year Achievement Award winner Lorna Hogenelst, Junior Cultural Award winner Reece

D’Allesandro, Citizen of the Year Patricia Nuttall, senior Cultural Award winner Monica Licciardello, Community event of the Year sacred Heart Parish Centenary Committee ellen Lund, Anne escriva and Charles Derlagen.

Permits needed to expand cane landCouncil has recently become aware of an

initiative from Sucrogen promoting a grower incentive scheme to encourage expansion of land under cane.

Council fully supports this initiative, but it is important to note that any new cane growing areas not previously used for “Intensive Agriculture” purposes will require a Development Application for a Material Change of Use to be lodged with the Burdekin Shire Council.

The application will need to be lodged by the land owner and address specific issues

including, but not limited to, the following: ӹ Intended access and haulout route; ӹ Details of any adverse environmental effects

including extent of vegetation clearing (if any); and

ӹ Demonstrate how existing rural amenity is to be maintained.

Council has contacted grower organisations in an effort to make sure their members are made aware of the compliance provisions contained within the Planning Scheme and that those provisions are followed.

What’s on at the LibrarysMs messaging service now available

The Burdekin Library is now offering sms messaging to your phone. Borrowers are able to opt in to receive a message to your phone advising that the book you reserved is available for collection. This is the first step in improving the way we communicate with our borrowers. In the coming months we will be offering you the opportunity to opt in to receive notification that your books are overdue and also to receive advice about upcoming events.

school holiday program a success

It was yet another successful school holiday program at the library over December and January. We had 445 children and adults attend the program, which included Christmas Crafts, a Hobbit Party, Hula Hooping, Obstacle Course, Back-to-School Crafts, Spy Academy and Bingo. Our most popular session was Christmas Crafts, with 55 people coming along to make candy cane mice, Christmas boxes and edible coconut mice! The school holidays in April will feature more fun activities and adventures in the library, and details will be on the website several weeks before school finishes.

Regular sessions have started again

Storytime, Baby Rhyme Time, Computer Classes and Tech Talks with John are all on again for 2013. Storytime is every Wednesday in Home Hill and Friday in Ayr, starting at 10.30am, and Baby Rhyme Time is 9.30am on Thursday in Ayr. Tech Talks with John is every fortnight on a Saturday, starting at 10.30am. Topics this year include online shopping, smart phones, e-books, Dropbox, and basic internet searching. You can also book in for Computer Classes during the week, and we can teach you about email, social networking, Microsoft Office and Internet Searching in one-on-one sessions.

Please call the library on 4783 9970 for more information on any of these programs.