(Photo: Ekka.com.au)
July 17, 2019
South Burnett residents can mark down August 10 as the date for the 2020 Show Holiday following a unanimous vote at the July Council meeting on Wednesday.
The same Show Holiday date is also usually enjoyed by residents in Cherbourg, Goomeri and the Parish of Goomeribong, Yarraman, Upper Yarraman and Cooyar following decisions by their individual councils.
Mayor Keith Campbell admitted he missed the days when former councillor Barry Green always wanted to have Melbourne Cup Day declared a South Burnett public holiday.
The Mayor said Cr Green argued the region should move its annual Ekka holiday to the first Tuesday in November to capitalise on enthusiasm for Australia’s best-known racing event but he was always outvoted.
This year’s Ekka Show Holiday in the South Burnett will be marked on Monday, August 12.
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Tourist numbers are continuing to decline at Lake Boondooma and Bjelke-Petersen Dam, despite recent upgrades to both facilities.
At Wednesday’s monthly meeting, Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff reported total year-to-date accommodation bookings at Lake Boondooma had declined from 14,514 last year to 13,316 this year – a dip of about 9 per cent.
The picture was a bit better at Yallakool Tourist Park on Bjelke-Petersen Dam where bookings declined from 9724 last year to 9530 over the same period this year, down by about 2 per cent.
Cr Duff paid tribute to Lake Boondooma Tourist Park’s former caretakers, Bert and Yvonne Lumley, who recently resigned.
“Council would like to thank Bert and Yvonne for their dedicated service in this role for the last three years,” Cr Duff said.
“We wish them all the best in retirement as they travel around Australia.”
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South Burnett Regional Council will put an empty residential site it owns at 12 William Street in Hivesville out to tender.
The decision was made at Wednesday’s meeting after Council received an approach from a neighbouring property owner to buy the block.
Council will also put a large parcel of industrial land it owns in Kemp Street, Wondai, out to tender on a conditional contract that specifies the land be used for industrial purposes.
The block is located inside Wondai’s industrial estate and is currently unoccupied.
Both decisions were passed unanimously.
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Mayor Keith Campbell and Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff will both be attending the Local Government Association of Queensland’s Annual Conference in Cairns this year as delegates.
The conference – at the Cairns Convention Centre – will run from October 14-16.
It brings all Queensland councils together to discuss issues of importance to local communities and gives them the opportunity to debate and vote on new policies.
The conference is also attended by State and Federal government representatives, external stakeholders, and the media.
This year, Mayor Campbell will be presented with a 20-year local government service medal at the conference, and Cr Duff will receive a 15-year medal.
Meanwhile, councillors Roz Frohloff, Danita Potter, Gavin Jones, Ros Heit and Terry Fleischfresser will be attending the LGAQ’s Bush Councils Convention at Roma on August 6-8.
This convention will focus on problems unique to rural and remote councils.
