June 9, 2026
Five busloads of South Burnett residents attended Day 1 of the recent FarmFest at Kingsthorpe, thanks to a field trip organised by the South Burnett Regional Council.
FarmFest is one of the largest agricultural events in Queensland with more than 750 exhibitors.
The free buses and free admission to the field day were offered in partnership with the State Government’s TRACC (Tackling Regional Adversity Through Connected Communities) program.
The buses stopped along the way at Oakey for the travellers to enjoy morning tea and hear an address from former NRL star Shane Webcke about health issues and farm safety.
The TRACC program’s community grants aim to enable communities affected by adversity – including natural disasters or drought – to build community resilience.
[Photos: Ros Heit & Kathy Duff]
Anika Wells would be proud! How were they chosen I wonder. I heard nothing of it.
To be fair, the poster was shared on Council’s social media pages, on many of the councillors’ own pages and was probably on the SBRC’s own website, too. It was also promoted through the Burnett Catchment Care Association, and possibly other local ag groups. They filled five buses, so some people must have seen it!
What a dreadful waste of money. Sending people to a hear an ex-football player give a talk and to attend an agricultural field day. Anyone who could possibly benefit from this has the resources to attend themselves. Just another day off and photo op for our local Cr’s.
One Australian farmer kills himself every 10 days. Farmers are isolated and are being knocked by drought, diesel and fertiliser issues, problems most townies don’t understand. A bus trip to allow a couple of hundred people to get a day off, feel valued, socialise and hear an uplifting message is surely worth a few dollars from Queensland Health? Agriculture is the basis of the South Burnett.
Hopefully, our Cr’s could see first-hand by heading to a region that supports business, development, and new industries, how it’s done. Tmba and Western Downs councils are pro-business. These councils achieve two-week approval turnaround. A strong business community brings skills, jobs, shops, housing and a sense of pride. We could do so much better in Sth Burnett.