January 28, 2026
South Burnett councillors have slammed drivers who they believe may be deliberately knocking down guideposts on the sides of local roads.
Wednesday’s general meeting was told it costs Council $67 to replace just one post.
Council workers were also sometimes put at risk to replace guideposts, only for the posts to be knocked down again the next day.
“Some residents seem to take it as a challenge to knock down guideposts,” Cr Jane Erkens said.
Mayor Kathy Duff agreed, saying some people “seem to think it is a sport”.
Cr Erkens urged residents to take down the number plates of any vehicles they saw running down guideposts.
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South Burnett Regional Council has engaged consultants to conduct a road safety audit of Bicks Road after a fatal traffic crash at Silverleaf in 2024.
Wednesday’s Council meeting was told $5423 had been allocated for the audit after a query raised by Cr Heath Sander while discussing Council’s monthly financial report.
A 37-year-old Cinnibar man died and a 48-year-old woman was badly injured in the head-on crash on Bicks Road on October 24, 2024.
- Related article: Man Killed In Crash
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Former ALP candidate Linda Little – the SBRC’s Division 2 councillor representing Blackbutt – has been selected to lead the South Burnett Regional Council’s delegation to the National General Assembly of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).
Cr Little will have rotated into the position of Deputy Mayor by the time the Assembly is held in June.
Mayor Duff said the SBRC would repeat what happened last year and ask the Deputy Mayor to present Council’s motions at the conference.
“You only get one person to vote … and as you are going to be the Deputy and because of your political persuasion that might be a good, politically smart move,” Mayor Duff joked.
Cr Little unsuccessfully challenged the LNP’s David Littleproud for the seat of Maranoa at the 2019 Federal Election but resigned from the Labor Party before running for Council.
Current ALGA president, Gladstone mayor Matt Burnett, ran unsuccessfully for the ALP for the seat of Flynn at the 2022 Federal Election.
Cr Little will be accompanied to the General Assembly by Cr Deb Dennien.
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South Burnett Regional Council plans to present seven motions at the conference, calling on the ALGA National General Assembly to:
1. Cover all expenses and running costs for the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) weather equipment located at regional airports and aerodromes.
2. Instruct BOM to conduct an immediate update on progress with the multi-million-dollar Australian Government program to improve the State’s flood warning network and include the bridge flood cameras networks.
3. Restore Financial Assistance Grants to 1 per cent equivalent of the Commonwealth Taxation revenue.
4. Consider a consistent national approach and legislation that ensures decommissioning of renewable energy sites is funded by the energy proponent and that greater setbacks are put in place to protect the health and amenity of residential properties adjacent to the renewable energy site.
5. Co-ordinate a national response to the housing crisis with a particular focus on removing restrictive legislation.
6. Conduct a formal investigation into the sustained and significant increase in insurance costs and the factors contributing to those increases. The purpose of this request is to determine whether current pricing practices align with full regulatory and actuarial standards and whether consumers are being treated fairly.
7. Address issues and conduct an inquiry into related Banking Acts and potential discrimination against regional and remote communities.
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South Burnett councillors have voted 6-1 to submit a funding application under the Multicultural Connect Grants Program to construct a stage – and possibly a related toilet and change room for performers – in Kingaroy’s Memorial Park.
SBRC would be applying for a total project value of $1 million, with funding on a 50/50 basis.
If the funding application were to be successful, Council’s $500,000 contribution would be allocated from reserves for the Kingaroy Memorial Swimming Pool Precinct.
The meeting was told the final location of the stage would be subject to consultation with local residents as well as musicians and other performers.
Cr Heath Sander voted against the motion.
[Disclosure: South Burnett Online founder, the late Dafyd Martindale, lobbied for the construction of a Memorial Park stage for many years and was referenced during this debate]
