History & Culture
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Ayr Nature Display
The Ayr Nature Display is Australia's finest, preserved collection of butterflies, moths, beetles, crustaceans, seashells, reptiles, rocks, timber, aboriginal stone implements and fossils, especially ammonites, all under one roof. The Ayr Nature Display was conceived and arranged by Jess and Allan Ey. The display was opened to the public in 1966. The experience begins as you walk past feature walls decorated with North Queensland rocks at the front and the entrance of the display. 9,400 slabs cut with a lapidary saw were used. After traversing the entrance, you will walk into an exceptional display of thousands of specimens housed amazingly in a 4.9-metre by 28.4-metre room.
Learn MoreBrandon Heritage Precinct
If your interests include machinery or history, make sure you visit the Brandon Heritage Precinct. With plenty on display, the complex is the base of the Burdekin Machine Preservationists. This group of machinery enthusiasts are happy to welcome visitors to view their collection of machinery, tractors and other relevant items of interest. The Brandon Heritage Precinct contains a Workshop area, Steam Shed and Blacksmith Shop, the old Brandon Church and displays a collection of machinery that was used in the Burdekin District. The Burdekin Machine Preservationists have completed their restoration project of a 1910 Marshall C Class Tractor. This tractor, which is on display at the complex, is the only one of its class left in the world. Tours can be taken through the complex on Mondays between 9am and 4pm when the Burdekin Machine Preservationists are in attendance. Suggested entry is gold coin donation. They have a wealth of mechanical knowledge, so feel free to ask lots of questions.
Learn MoreBurdekin Diorama
The Burdekin Diorama is a shady location to stretch your legs and discover the Burdekin's rich heritage. Easy to find, it's an interesting stop with pleasant surrounds. The Burdekin delta sits atop an amazing resource - the aquifer, a ground source of fresh water replenished by the Burdekin River. The Burdekin Diorama explains this managed system through maps, photos, diagrams and charts. Excellent resources and hard working people are what it takes to make a region prosper and the Burdekin district knows the good fortune of both. The local sugar cane industry, with its original hand cane cutters, plays a major role in the area's history and prosperity. The Burdekin Diorama provides a glimpse into the journey of the Burdekin's sugar cane industry. Five stainless steel informational panels shine a further light on the people, events and work that impacted the region's history. The Burdekin Diorama is located near Home Hill's Inkerman Sugar Mill, on the southern side of the Burdekin River Bridge and is just over an hour’s drive south of Townsville.
Learn MoreBurdekin Library
The Burdekin Library is a welcoming space on the main street of Ayr. Make sure of a wide range of services available including eLearning, eBooks, computers, Smart devices, public Wi-Fi and internet. The Burdekin Library contains two magnificent artworks included in the original building. Visit Burdekin Shire Council's Library Artworks web page to read about the Mirka Mora mural and the stained glass window by Gary Burgess. Library membership is free to all Queensland residents with identification. International and interstate visitors are offered a visitor membership that requires proof of identity and current residency, as well as a AUD25 non-refundable fee. Visitors may borrow 2 items for 4 weeks. Keep up to date with library events via the Burdekin Library Facebook page. Come and explore the library today!
Learn MoreBurdekin River Bridge
The Burdekin River Bridge is the district's best-known landmark. Locally known as the Silver Link, it is a road and rail bridge that also has a pedestrian walkway. The bridge makes an excellent subject for architectural photos or a great location for holiday snaps. Taking ten years to complete, the bridge was opened in 1957. It replaced a low-level traffic bridge and a rail bridge. Remnants of the old rail bridge can be seen just downstream from the Burdekin River Bridge. Visitors wanting to experience walking across the Burdekin River Bridge will need to exit the highway on the Ayr side heading South, find a park near the stairs and walk up to the bridge access from there. Walking across to the other side during the crushing (sugar cane harvesting season) gives you a good view of the sugar cane bins in the holding yard of the Inkerman Sugar Mill. For more detailed information on the Burdekin River Bridge, see the Burdekin Diorama, or call into the Gateway Visitor Information Centre in Home Hill.
Learn MoreBurdekin Theatre
Located in the main street of Ayr - only one hour's drive south of Townsville - sits one of Australia's finest little proscenium arch Theatres. Every year, the Burdekin Theatre plays host to hundreds to live performances, conferences, meetings, festivals, exhibitions and local events. The Burdekin Theatre is undeniably the home of arts and entertainment in the Burdekin. Ensure you leave enough time before or after attending the live performance, conference or meeting as there is a number of art pieces to discover within the Theatre grounds.
Learn MoreCharlie's Hill
Constructed by the RAAF in 1943, the No 211 Radar Station on Charlie’s Hill was one of twenty radar installations along the North Queensland coastline. These operated to give an early warning of approaching enemy aircraft during World War II. When visiting this historic site, igloos of reinforced concrete which provided bomb-proof protection for the radar equipment can still be seen. The wooden towers which supported the transmitting and receiving aerials have been removed. However, foundations from various structures near the igloos may still be found. The buildings are listed in the Queensland Heritage Register because of the site’s historical and military significance. Charlie’s Hill is a six minute drive south of Home Hill. Travelling along the Bruce Highway, look for the signs on the left, just after Iyah Creek. Turn onto Charlie’s Hill Road and travel about 1.5 kilometres, until the hill is visible on the right. The access to the hill from the road is an unsealed track. The site is maintained by the Burdekin Shire Council.
Learn MoreGubulla Munda
A popular place in the Burdekin for visitors to take photos is located in Plantation Park, Ayr. The giant carpet snake is an impressive feature, and makes a fantastic backdrop. This 60 metre artwork depicts Gubulla Munda, the Aboriginal totem and the protective spirit for the Birri Gubba people. Gubulla Munda holds sacred cultural and spiritual significance to the Traditional Owners. There are also several plaques and a memorial stone. These mark the remains of Birri Gubba ancestors re-interred at this sacred site. The Gudjuda Reference Group commissioned the large sculpture Gubulla Munda Dreaming, which was constructed in 2004. It was painted by aboriginal artists. The monument was created to celebrate and promote indigenous culture.
Learn MoreHand Cane Cutters
You are welcome to stop in at the Home Hill Showgrounds to see these larger than life statues for yourself. Completed in May 2016, the two Hand Cane Cutter sculptures represent the multicultural history of the Australian sugarcane industry. Indigenous, South Sea Islander and European Australians made an invaluable contribution to the prosperity of our sugar cane growing regions, including the Burdekin, which today produces the most sugar of any region in Australia. With funding for the project obtained through the Federal Government’s Indigenous Language and Arts Program, the local Gudjuda Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation’s indigenous artists were mentored by Dr Farvardin Daliri OAM in designing, constructing and painting the sculptures. The sculptures are 3.5 metres high and 20 tonnes heavy, and are made from steel and cement. Today, apart from small quantities of treated cane cut by hand for planting, sugarcane is harvested by machine. At the Home Hill Showgrounds, the Australian Hand Cane Cutting Championships is now held each year, where this skill of a bygone era is brought back to life. These beautifully crafted statues face the paddock where the Championships take place.
Learn MoreHome Hill Branch Library
The Home Hill Branch Library is a welcoming space located in Home Hill. Make use of a wide range of services available including eLearning, eBooks, computers, Smart devices, public Wi-Fi and internet is available. Library membership is free to all Queensland residents with identification. International and interstate visitors are offered a visitor membership that requires proof of identity and current residency, as well as a AUD25 non-refundable fee. Visitors may borrow two items for four weeks. Keep up to date with library events via the Burdekin Library Facebook page. Come and explore the library today!
Learn MoreOld Brandon Church
The Old Brandon Church is the place to go if you love historic buildings. Formerly the Saint Patrick's Catholic Church, the building is listed on the Registers of both the National Estate and the National Trust of Queensland. This excellent example of a 'carpenter Gothic' church has stood on two sites in Brandon. After severe damage from cyclone Aivu in 1989, it was purchased by the Burdekin Shire Council, and in 1991 moved to its present site. It has been lovingly restored and is an excellent subject for structural photography. On Mondays, combine your visit to see this beautiful building with a visit to the Burdekin Machinery Preservationist's shed right next door. The Old Brandon Church is an hour's drive South of Townsville, and five minutes North of Ayr.
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