September 21, 2016
Another 20 per cent of the South Burnett Rail Trail has been sealed.
Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff told Wednesday’s Council meeting that a section from Jones’ Corner to the Wooroolin bridge, and another section from Wondai to Transmitter Road, had recently been sealed before rain halted work.
In all, nine kilometres has been added to the total.
The middle section around Tingoora will also be sealed once dry weather returns.
The 42km trail between Kingaroy and Murgon is expected to be fully sealed by early next year, weather permitting.
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Visitors at Boondooma Dam and Bjelke-Petersen Dam generated more than $75,000 for the SBRC in August, Cr Duff told the meeting.
Boondooma Dam had 948 guests stay an average of 1.9 days, which produced more than $34,000.
Yallakool did even better with 787 guests, who stayed an average 2 days and generated over $41,000.
In the next six weeks, several fishing-related events like the Hamish Classic, Bassnation Teams Grand Finals and Basstastic seem set to keep occupancy rates high.
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South Burnett residents will soon be able to get free trees.
Cr Duff said the SBRC had received a biodiversity grant in 2011 to be spent over six years, and a free tree program had been planned as part of the deliverables for the grant’s final year.
The free tree program is due to start in a few weeks.
The trees will be local natives.
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Almost 1000 cattle were sold through the Coolabunia Saleyards in August, Cr Duff said.
The yards had run three Fat and Store sales, and two Specialty Sales where only a small number of cattle were passed in.
Prices and quality had both remained strong, Cr Duff said.
Prices had gone as high as $4 per kilogram for some cattle, and there seemed to be more buyers about on sale days.
Profits from the sales are being ploughed back into maintenance of the facility.
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Contractors have completed treatments for Mother Of Millions at Proston, Hivesville, Blackbutt, Maidenwell and Dangore, and treatment of infestations on main roads has now started.
Meanwhile, pest management staff have completed Mother of Millions inspections on properties at Coolabunia, Booie, Wattlecamp, Dangore Mountain, Maidenwell, Proston and Kinleymore.
They are now inspecting for Giant Rats Tail Grass at Brooklands, Nanango, Moondooner, Merlewood, Runnymede and Bullcamp, while landholders at Boondooma, Malar, Nanango and Kunioon are treating Tree Pear and Lantana with Council-supplied tree spears and quick spray trailers.
Eight rabbits have been trapped and injected with Calici virus at Redgate, Hodgeleigh, Murgon and Nanango; and a total of 38 landholders participated in the latest 1080 baiting program to combat wild dogs and feral pigs.
Council staff have also attended to reports of wandering sheep at Benarkin, goats at Kingaroy, a camel at Coolabunia and cattle at Booie, Cushnie, Byee, Wheatlands, Wondai and Hodgeleigh over the past month.
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Outdoor staff have been working on parks, gardens and cemeteries in Murgon, Wondai, Proston, Nanango and Blackbutt, Cr Duff said.
They have been removing old flowers and preparing the gardens to receive fresh plantings for the warmer months.
Surveying work has started on a new lawn section will be added to Murgon Cemetery, while plinths have been installed in the existing lawn section; and Proston Cemetery’s new columbarium wall is almost complete.
To the south, Autumn Park, Reg McCallum Park and Tipperary Flat have also been receiving attention, and old bins and seats in Main Street, Proston are getting renewed.
In Kingaroy, a contractor was employed last month to clean up 47.5ha of land on the south eastern side of Kingaroy Airport that had become overgrown with wattle.
