2025 Face Of Relay Irene McDonald, committee member Cr Danita Potter, South Burnett Relay For Life Patron Carl Rackemann, committee member (and South Burnett Relay For Life founder) John Bjelke-Petersen and South Burnett Relay for Life chair Rowena Dionysius took part in a cake-cutting ceremony to mark 20 years of the South Burnett event
October 13, 2025
The 20th South Burnett Relay For Life attracted a string of teams to Kingaroy’s T.J. O’Neill Oval on Saturday, all eager to raise funds for Cancer Council Queensland.
The actual Relay attracts nowhere near the number of walkers as some of the all-night pre-pandemic events, but the dollar amount raised is still enormous.
So far, the 2025 South Burnett Relay For Life fundraising campaign has raised almost $150,000 which includes the totals from the Dinner With The Champions ($38,921), the Ride 4 Relay and Cattle 4 A Cure ( $51,205), and numerous individual events as well as the actual Relay day.
2025 South Burnett Face Of Relay Irene McDonald led off the Survivors and Carers Walk, the traditional start of Saturday’s event, accompanied by members of the Burnett Celtic Pipes & Drums playing on the verandah of the Red Ants clubhouse.
Walkers from other teams then joined the parade, doing laps of the oval.
Rob Fitz-Herbert and members of the South Burnett Music Alliance donated their time, equipment and talent to keep the live music flowing all afternoon.
The entertainment was provided by Jared Walmsley, Jarrod Edwards, Amber Goldsmith, MISfITZ, The Bucket Boys, the Hard Yakka Showband, Ground Crew, RYZA and the Kingaroy State High School Band.
(Cricketers playing on the adjoining Lyle Vidler Oval commented how great it was to have music playing while they were batting!)
Also donating their time on the day were members of QCWA’s Kingaroy Twilight club, who prepared the Survivors Afternoon Tea, and the Wooroolin Lions who manned the canteen.
A highlight of the day was the emotional candlelight ceremony at dusk which recognised friends and relatives who have succumbed to cancer.
Missed out on Relay? Donations can also still be made online
[UPDATED]
2025 South Burnett Face Of Relay Irene McDonald, left, and members of the Proston Angels fundraising team led the Survivors’ Walk on Saturday … the Proston Angels have also been raising funds for 20 years (Photo: Ros Heit)Proston Angels team members… Noela Ardrey, Irene McDonald, Brenda Johanson and Jennifer AdamsQCWA Kingaroy Twilight members catered for the afternoon tea (Photo: Ros Heit)
Cr Danita Potter with her mum, former Kingaroy councillor Marie Shaw
The Bucket Boys were part of the entertainment line-up which helped to keep the walkers walking
South Burnett Relay For Life committee chair Rowena Dionysius, centre, with members of the Go Getta Girls fundraising teamMembers of the Burnett Celtic Pipes & Drums (pictured with fans!) played on the verandah as the Survivors and Carers Walk began (Photo: Supplied)Members of the “Ellerslie Ghosts” team … Jacque Wilson, Jordan Davia, Hunter Rackemann, Sam and Georgie Gold and Nicky Watkins2025 South Burnett Face Of Relay Irene McDonald and committee chair Rowena Dionysius cut the Relay’s 20th birthday cakeMembers of the Wooroolin Lions Club were volunteering in the canteenMargaret Stewart, from Kumbia, with South Burnett cancer nurse Sue Cox … Margaret is a member of the Birds Of A Feather team which has been raising funds for Cancer Council Queensland for an amazing 21 years (longer than Relay!)Ellie Eagleson, 13, from Windera, with her grandparents Pat and Alan Eagleson, from Mon-Dee Coffee 2 GoA new event this year was the Colour Run which combined chalk, water pistols and an obstacle course for participants to negotiateSome of the participants who braved the Colour Run on Saturday afternoon
