South Burnett Regional Council and emergency services will run an emergency exercise at Kingaroy Aerodrome on Friday 23 October. The drill will test the council's Aerodrome Emergency Plan and how local responders work together. Scenarios include aircraft firefighting and evacuation, rescuing injured and trapped passengers, triage and patient transport, and crash scene management. The council says the exercise aims to keep the community, airport staff and passengers safe. Residents who see emergency activity at the aerodrome on the day are asked to stay calm, as it is part of the planned exercise.
A unit in Kingaroy was badly damaged by fire on Saturday afternoon. Emergency services were called to a unit complex in Arthur Street at 2:05pm, finding smoke pouring from a window. The fire is believed to have started in a bedroom and was contained by 2:15pm. Four fire crews, police, paramedics and an Ergon Energy crew attended. No one was home at the time and no one was injured.
Saints began the 2026-27 South Burnett cricket season with a decisive win over Kingaroy Services. Batting first, Services were all out for 138 in 31.5 overs. Nathan Trace scored 78 for Saints, who reached the target in the 19th over at 2/141. Nicholas Krauksts took 4/29 and Jack Mines took 3/28. Other round one results and this week's fixtures across South Burnett, Gympie and Dalby competitions were also listed.
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Regional Queenslanders face widely varying fuel prices, according to RACQ's latest quarterly report. Beaudesert had the cheapest regular unleaded over the September quarter, at 193.5 cents per litre, while Longreach was the most expensive at 229.2 cents. Tully had the lowest diesel prices, and Longreach again the highest. RACQ spokesperson Tristan Vorias said refinery margins for unleaded jumped from 1.2 cents last year to 29 cents in the September quarter, while service station margins on petrol fell.
Police have charged four teenage boys over the alleged theft of a vehicle from Bjelke-Peterson Dam and an armed robbery in Murgon. Police allege the group stole a 2018 Hyundai Tucson overnight on Monday. Early Tuesday, one occupant allegedly threatened staff with a hammer at a Macalister Street service station while another filled the vehicle with fuel, and the group drove off without paying. The vehicle was found burnt out in Cherbourg later that morning, and the four boys were taken into custody shortly after. Three of the boys were due to appear in Kingaroy Children's Court on Wednesday.
The second Wondai Garden Expo, held at the Wondai Showgrounds last month, was a success for organisers. Stalls were spread across the grounds, the cattle ring and two pavilions. Brisbane horticulturalist Claire Bickle spoke at the event. The Wondai & District Garden Club staged a display and a mini horticultural competition. Val Crawford of Kingaroy won the Champion Specimen ribbon, while Delwyn Schultz took the Best Exhibit In Pots and Champion Orchid.
The South Burnett Relay For Life marked its 21st birthday with an overnight event at Kingaroy's T.J. O'Neill Oval. Walkers stayed active through games, live music and fundraising challenges, including dressing up as South Burnett Mayor Kathy Duff. Cancer Council Queensland CEO Matt Gardiner said the event was worth attending even without funds raised, as it brings the community together to discuss cancer. Organisers said the event has raised more than $2 million over 21 years and expect this year's total to pass $2.5 million.
Dr Charlotte Lovejoy has been named General Practitioner in Training of the Year by the Royal Australian College of GPs. The college recognised her commitment to rural and regional healthcare, her leadership and her advocacy. Dr Lovejoy completed the past two years of her Rural Generalist training in Kingaroy, where she worked at Kingaroy Hospital and the Bunya Pines Medical Centre. She shared her experiences as a rural registrar at the college's GP25 conference. She has started work this month at James Street Medical in Brisbane.
AgForce South-East Queensland will hold its annual biosecurity forum on October 30 at Bethany, just outside Kingaroy. The all-day event brings together producers, researchers, contractors and government agencies. Topics include invasive weeds, wild dogs, feral pigs, deer, cattle ticks and buffalo flies. Speakers include national wild dog management coordinator Greg Mifsud and feral pig coordinator John Scriven. Tickets are free for AgForce members and can be booked online.
A man in his 30s has suffered neck and back injuries after a single-vehicle crash in Nanango on Friday evening. Emergency services were called just before 7:00pm to Cairns Street after reports that a vehicle had struck a pole. The driver was taken by ambulance to Kingaroy Hospital in a stable condition. Early on Saturday, a separate crash was reported at about 4:45am at the intersection of Haly Street and Mt Wooroolin Road in Kingaroy. A vehicle was found in a ditch beside the road, with no occupants at the scene.
Representatives from the Australian Defence Force, the Kingaroy-Memerambi RSL Sub-Branch and South Burnett Regional Council met in Kingaroy to discuss a possible Freedom Of Entry celebration in late 2027. The original plan was for the Carbarlah signals unit to exercise its right of entry to Kingaroy, marking ten years since the 2017 grant. Mayor Kathy Duff wants other South Burnett towns involved. The revised proposal is a celebration at Kingaroy's Memorial Park, with buses bringing former personnel from across the region.
South Burnett Regional Council has partnered with Golden West Apprenticeships and TAFE Queensland's Kingaroy campus to offer Work Skills Traineeships to local job seekers. Eleven trainees will work for 26 weeks, from mid-October to mid-March, on council projects. Tasks include building Christmas display boxes, restoring park benches, installing parking bollards and welding pig traps. Trainees will study a Certificate I in Construction. The project is funded by the State Government's Skilling Queenslanders for Work program.
South Burnett CTC has officially opened a $3.96 million redevelopment in Somerset Street, Kingaroy. The project was funded partly by a $1.98 million Federal Government grant, which CTC matched dollar-for-dollar. Staff moved into the new offices on September 7, 2026. The expansion includes four single-storey buildings, connected walkways, landscaping and a sealed 34-space car park. CTC chief executive Jason Erbacher said the company now employs nearly 300 people and that further stages could follow on the site.
The South Burnett Cricket Association’s 2026-27 competition begins on Saturday with three games. The Saints will play Kingaroy Services at Taabinga State School, while Murgon Diggers face Wooroolin Warriors at Murgon Showground. Meanwhile, the Wooroolin Warriors’ A Grade team competes in the Gympie Cricket Association’s competition, and the Tingoora Vikings play in the Dalby Cricket Association competition. A grading day for junior cricketers in the South Burnett will be held on October 17 at Murgon Showground.
A former RAAF pilot accused of murdering his wife allegedly staged her death to look like an accident. Robert John Crawford is on trial for the alleged murder of his wife, Frances Crawford, at their Queensland home in July 2024. The court heard he allegedly strangled her or caused blunt force trauma to her head, then manipulated the scene to appear as if she fell while moving a ride-on mower. The prosecution claims Crawford wanted to avoid financial losses in a divorce settlement and retain possession of their home.
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Prosecutors have told a Brisbane Supreme Court jury that former RAAF pilot Robert John Crawford murdered his wife, Frances Crawford, in July 2024. Crown prosecutor Chris Cook alleges Mr Crawford staged her body to appear as if she had fallen from a ride-on lawnmower. Mr Crawford has pleaded not guilty and has always denied the charge. The Crown alleges a breakdown in the marriage, including affairs, and that Mr Crawford was motivated by his home and financial interests. The trial is expected to run for several weeks.
Retired dentist Peter Lynch has designed a $4 plastic basket that lets pickers pack mulberries directly into punnets. His Sunshine Coast hinterland farm, Kureelpa Mulberry Company, says the change has cut fruit damage by 80 per cent and reduced labour costs. The farm's four-week harvest depends on daily pickers, and the couple is concerned that cuts to working holiday visa numbers could make hiring difficult. Two French working holiday makers on the farm said a second year in Australia is uncertain.
Nebo residents face a planned water supply outage from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Thursday, 29 October 2026, while the council carries out repairs at the Emergency Services Building. About 11 properties on St Lawrence and Kemmis Streets will be affected. Once supply returns, some households may notice discoloured water. Residents in that situation are advised to flush their taps and avoid using washing machines until the water runs clear. Flushing water can be reused on gardens or lawns.
Mining companies in Queensland's North West Minerals Province are struggling to find workers as drilling ramps up and new jobs open. AIC Mines chairman Aaron Colleran said hiring has been difficult everywhere, including at its Eloise copper mine near Cloncurry. The Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association estimates the industry will need 24,000 new workers across the country by 2027. Queensland Resources Council figures point to competing skill needs and fewer young people entering trades and mining careers. Industry leaders say apprenticeships must grow to ease the shortage.
Entries for the 2026 Spring in the Mary Photo Competition close this weekend, on October 31. The Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee is inviting photographers of all ages and skill levels to share spring images from across the region. Six award categories share $2,500 in prizes, including a Junior category for entrants aged 16 and under. Entrants may submit up to three original photographs taken within the Mary River catchment, using a camera or smartphone. Images, a short caption and an entry form are to be emailed to the committee.
Tom Offermann agents sold two of three properties offered at auction on the weekend, despite heavy rain across South East Queensland. Erica Newton sold a Noosaville penthouse to a local buyer. The week before, she sold a Sunrise Beach house, the legacy of Kenneth and Wendy Heinze, for $3.6m, with proceeds going to four charities. The Real Estate Institute of Queensland says 48 of 50 tracked regions were in the tight rental range of 0 to 2.5 percent in the September quarter.
Brisbane and the Gold Coast are on track for their wettest October in six years. Brisbane has recorded about 170 millimetres this month, roughly double its October average of 87 millimetres. Flash floods hit Caboolture and Morayfield, where more than 400 millimetres fell over the past week. The Sunshine Coast is likely to break its October record, with 369 millimetres already recorded at its airport. The Bureau of Meteorology says Brisbane is not expecting heavy falls, apart from possible showers.
Little blue penguins at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast are exploring a new Halloween habitat with pumpkins, tombstones and other surprises. The aquarium says the enrichment encourages the penguins' natural curiosity. On Saturday, October 31, the aquarium will host a Halloween Beach Clean-Up at Mooloolaba Beach from 9am to noon. Children are encouraged to collect rubbish instead of lollies, and free face painting will be offered. Marine animals can mistake rubbish for food or become tangled in it.
Detectives are treating a fire that extensively damaged a shop in Flagstone as suspicious. Employees of a nearby business saw flames coming from the premises on Wild Mint Drive shortly after 10pm on Monday night and called emergency services. No one was inside, and no injuries were reported. The cause has not yet been determined, but the fire is believed to have been deliberately lit. Police are asking anyone in the area near Wild Mint Drive and Homestead Drive around that time to come forward.
