Welcome to this week’s Mayor’s Update. Each week, we aim to keep you informed about the latest Council developments, events, and initiatives. Your engagement and feedback are always appreciated. Contact details are available at the end of this update if you would like to get in touch with myself or another divisional councillor.
Mount Perry Car and Art Festival – Celebrating 30 Years
On 12 October 2024, the Mount Perry 30th Anniversary Car and Art Festival brought the community together in a big way. The main street was filled with an impressive display of hot rods, vintage cars, and motorbikes, while the Grand Hotel hosted the always-popular wood chop competitions.
The festival also featured an art exhibition by the Mount Perry Arts Group, along with market stalls, food vendors, and live entertainment, making it a day full of excitement and community spirit.
Thank you to all who attended and contributed, helping to make this 30th-anniversary celebration truly memorable.
Community Briefing – Bon Accord Bridge
On 8 October 2024, a community briefing was held to discuss the independent road safety audit for the Bon Accord Bridge. The session aimed to provide an outline of the audit process and findings. Attendees were encouraged to raise questions and provide feedback to Council and the consultants who undertook the audit.
A copy of the audit can be accessed via Council’s website: https://northburnett.qld.gov.au/road-safety-audit-bon-accord-bridge/. Stakeholders are advised that the Road Safety Audit report has been prepared for interpretation by qualified and experienced personnel. Council recommends consulting with appropriate professionals for assistance in interpreting the report and findings.
Council has also committed to undertaking a further road safety audit once the Bridge has been reopened and is operating.
Festival of Small Halls – Monto
The Festival of Small Halls took place in Monto on Friday 11 October 2024 at the Monto Landcare Hall (formerly the Monto Scout Hall). The event featured an impressive lineup of local and international singer-songwriters, captivating the audience with their performances.
The event was met with strong community support, with the hall reaching full capacity as attendees enjoyed the music and sang along with the artists. Local community groups and vendors provided a BBQ, offering a variety of food to patrons throughout the evening.
This event was made possible with support from the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Council, aimed at promoting local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
Flood Resilience Community Engagement
The last two community sessions are coming up, so be sure to mark your calendars!
Upcoming Sessions:
- Saturday, 19 October 2024 – Eidsvold Community Hall, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Saturday, 19 October 2024 – Mount Perry Community Hall, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
These sessions are part of the North Burnett region’s efforts to raise awareness of flood risks and improve preparedness, with support from the Big Map Exercises by Red Earth Community Foundation and Disaster Relief Australia.
If you’re unable to attend, please visit Council’s website or contact us for more information on how to share your experiences. Learn more at northburnett.qld.gov.au/flood-resilience-projects
Stepping Black – Indigenous Youth Forum
Stepping Black Indigenous Corporation Australia is hosting two Indigenous Youth Forum events in our region to discuss important issues affecting young people:
- Mundubbera Bowls Club – Wednesday, 23 October 2024, from 9am to 1pm
- Gayndah RSL – Thursday, 24 October 2024, from 9am – 1pm
If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP to Stepping Black by 17 October 2024 via their website: https://steppingblack.com.au/contact-us/.
Managing Your Rates with Prepayments
Did you know you can break down your rates payments into smaller, more manageable prepayments? By making regular or one-off payments before the next rates notice, you can reduce the impact of the half-yearly payment cycle.
With BPAY, you can schedule payments via internet or phone banking at a time that suits you. Just check your rates notice for the BPAY details, noting that each notice has a unique reference number.Depending on the amounts prepaid, further payment may still be required before the due date of your rates notice. Prepayment may not be for everyone, but can be a helpful budgeting tool.For more information on BPAY, visit: https://www.bpay.com.au/bpay-for-you. For additional details on rates notices and other payment options like direct debit, please visit Council’s website at: https://northburnett.qld.gov.au/rates-and-property
Civil Works Schedule
Below is the maintenance schedule for week commencing 14 October 2024 – weather permitting.
Maintenance Grading:
- Zone 1: Goodys Road
- Zone 2: Foleys Gully Road
- Zone 3: Aberfeldie Road, Jones Road & Netz North Branch Road
- Zone 4: Harpurs Hill Road, Hidden Valley Road, School Lane & Slaughter Yard Road
- Zone 5: Yerilla Road
- Zone 6: Emergent Works: Assisting Zone 7
- Zone 7: Emergent Works: Linsketts Road, Crooked Creek Road & Back Woodmillar Road
- Zone 8: Emergent Works: Kerle’s Lane, O’Bil Bil Road, Sehls Road & Maurers Road
Emergent Flood Repairs – Due to volume of work & rapidness of work completed this list is not static & more work may be completed.
You can view the grading zones on our interactive mapping tool here: North Burnett Grading Zones, or via https://northburnett.qld.gov.au/future-road-works/. Simply zoom in to see the specific areas and road details.
Construction Crew:
- North: Gayndah-Monto Road – Pavement Repairs
- South: Burnett Highway-Shoulder Repairs (RMPC) & Gayndah-Mt Perry Road-Maintenance Grade (RMPC)
Councillor Contacts
As always, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me directly on 0458 696 272, or cr.les.hotz@northburnett.qld.gov.au or your Divisional Councillor, if you would like to address any concerns. Our contact details can be found on Council’s website: https://northburnett.qld.gov.au/meet-your-councillors.