Police are urging motorists to take care on the roads now that school is back after a devastating Easter school holiday period for fatal road crashes The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has welcomed 42 new police officers following their graduation from the QPS Academy in Brisbane bring valued experience from their diverse backgrounds… The Queensland Police Service (QPS) acknowledges the appointment and promotion of 24 commissioned officers and 10 senior executives into leadership positions today The appointments are testament to the QPS’s investment in… The Queensland Police Service (QPS) along with partner agencies are taking a zero-tolerance approach to boaties neglecting safety and breaking the rules after numerous water enthusiasts have been found speeding… The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) with an ‘Accelerate Action’ event emphasising the importance of taking swift and decisive action to achieve gender equality… Detectives from the Rural and Stock Crime Squad are appealing for information in relation to the theft of 21 sheep from a property on Gatton Clifton Road The Queensland Police Service’s (QPS) Blue Lures program has successfully expanded into southeast Queensland with the intervention program launching its fifth chapter in Broadbeach today The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has welcomed 53 new officers with policing backgrounds following their graduation from the QPS Academy in Brisbane Each officer brings valuable frontline policing experience from Australian… UPDATE: Police have located a man who was earlier reported missing from Manunda The below the post has been updated accordingly EARLIER: Police are appealing for urgent public assistance to… A woman has been charged with manslaughter following the death of a baby in Darra last year emergency services were called to an Ashridge Road residence… Police have charged a 55-year-old man with murder and fraud after the death of a woman in Joyner on November 27 Police are appealing for urgent public assistance to locate a 12-year-old girl reported missing from Woodridge this overnight was last seen near Smith Road around 7:30pm… Update: 65-year-old man reported missing from Battery Hill on May 4 has been located safe and well The media and public are thanked for their assistance Identifiers have been removed from… A woman has died overnight from injuries sustained in a traffic crash in Rothwell on April 30 emergency services were called to a Wattle Road address Police have charged two teenage boys with property offences after they were arrested in Woodridge on Saturday night police were conducting patrols in Cinderella Drive Police are investigating after a Honda Accord Euro appears to have lost control and crashed on Nerang Broadbeach Road at Nerang yesterday afternoon Police were called at 5.30pm after a… Local Sites Subscribe to Queensland Police News Answers submitted on this optional form will be used only to send you the newsletter you request. We will not give this information to third parties without your consent, unless required by law.More information about privacy Recruiting Look To The Stars Acknowledgement of Country Bundaberg North Dog Park is currently closed for repair and maintenance The park will reopen after the completion essential maintenance works Bundaberg Regional Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause and thank the community for its understanding during this closure  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License There was an assortment of works and projects underway in the month of February grading and the completion of shoulder works Below is a summary of the key activities completed by Bundaberg Regional Council all aimed at enhancing the safety and maintenance of your local roads and surrounds Burnett Heads• Black Street to Bell Street Bundaberg South• Reid Crescent/Tara Street Innes Park• Removal of debris in drains at Dunkirk Street Burrum Street• Removal of vegetation at Woodbury Drive South Kolan• Commenced spraying Moore Park Drains off Lindemans Road• Clearing vegetation overhang in table drain • Continuation of patching local council roads and asphalt work with other council services Bundaberg Central• Traffic island infills at Ibis Way • Baldwin Swamp Road Renewal 98% complete• Anzac Park Redevelopment Earthworks Stage 1 80% complete• Road Rehabilitation Program 2024-2025 100% complete Kullogum:• Agnesvale Road• Broome Road• Hutchins Road• Sawmill Road• Todds Road• Wyatts Road Apple Tree Creek• All gravel roads in the ATC area patching took place in the following areas: • Bullyard• Bungadoo• Gin Gin• Horse Camp• Maroondan• McIlwraith• Morganville• Takilberan• Tirroan• Wallaville• Watalgan Sarnadskys RoadDalysford – Dalysford Road Thiels RoadDoughboy – Doughboy RoadGood Night – Camp Paddock Road Rickards RoadMaroondan – Settlers CourtMcIlwraith – McIlwraith RoadMoolboolaman – Broadmedows Road Top Waterloo RoadYandaran – Petersens Road the road works over north are only patch work and have not improved the road to any great extent The old bridge needs work as starting to get dangerous when you hit a rut in the bitumen Is the shoulder work still to be completed and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" <#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('login_submit_comment') #> <#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('commenting_as',ThriveComments.current_user.display_name || ( ThriveComments.social_user && ThriveComments.social_user.name ) ) #> <#= ThriveComments.util.render_label('guest_comment') #> principals and more will descend on to the grounds of Bundaberg North State High School this weekend for its 50th anniversary celebrations Principal Robyn Kent said it would be a time to celebrate while looking back on milestones and achievements of decades gone by Bundaberg North State High School opened its gates to 150 students in 1974 “A high school for North Bundaberg was first gazetted by the State Government in 1964 but it was not until 1974 that Bundaberg North State High School was ready for opening,” Ms Kent said.  brought challenges to the opening with students and staff negotiating mud puddles lying between the buildings “This did not deter the opening of the school with 150 Year 8 pioneer students nine teaching staff and ancillary staff ready to begin the year at the new Bundaberg North State High School Ms Kent said past students and staff would this weekend gather to commemorate the history of each decade From 10 am students enrolled in the 1970s are encouraged to assemble in the school hall to view displays from the era and have new group photos taken followed every half hour by the next decade through to finishing with students enrolled in the 2020s from 2.30 pm official proceedings will take place with a welcoming of past principals and the viewing of a time capsule Ms Kent said almost every serving principal would be attending the day “Mr Tom Dobson was the founding principal and we are delighted that he will be attending the 50th anniversary along with every other past principal “We would like to invite all past students and staff to connect and come along to enjoy an open day on 1 June from 10 am to 3 pm performing arts building and in the library showing the changes that have occurred to our school as we have moved through the decades “We are excited to share the history with past students and staff and thank them all for coming and sharing memories and having the opportunity to meet old friends and colleagues.” Ms Kent said more information about the event was available on the school website here. “We look forward to celebrating achievements sharing successes and reminiscing about the good times,” she said who can recall all those mini besser blocks used for fund raising was it robert reid that had his hands in that The search for a Morayfield man who disappeared near Lions Park North in Bundaberg Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Any Questions? Please call 1800 070 535. Monday to Friday 7:30am – 6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:00am – 11:30am (AEST) Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE! A coal coking mine at Bundaberg North is still a possibility with mineral exploration company Fox Resources confirming they are […] Get an all ACCESS PASS to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription Get an all access pass to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription © 2025 Bundaberg Media Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE As the future of a potential coal coking mine in Bundaberg North remains up in the air Bundaberg North State High School students battled it out during CQUniversity’s hotly contested School Business Challenge recently winning the rights to compete in the grand final.The local team will join other first place winners including St Augustine’s Team 1 and Team 2 (joint winners) plus North Rockhampton State High School and Emmaus College Team 2 (joint winners) to virtually contest the grand final over the next few weeks They now face a challenging case study based on a café business and are to provide a presentation in video format by Wednesday 12 June The School Business Challenge attracted record numbers this year with 162 students from 40 teams across 23 secondary schools A panel of local businesses will adjudicate the upcoming grand final First round competitions were staged simultaneously in Cairns Quiz master Gerard Ilott said the competition tested a range of subject matter from the fields of accounting and allowed students to see how what they learn at school feeds into the real world “This year’s grand final winners will get ‘bragging rights’ prize money and generous scholarships to study at CQUniversity,” he said Throughout June a number of significant road and drainage works across the Bundaberg Region neared completion including a number of Black Spot Program improvements The Birthamba Road stage 2 Black Spot curve improvement project reached 95% completion with the line marking rejuvenation taking place while civil works for the Johanna Boulevard/Commercial Street Black Spot Program have been completed Work on two other local Black Spot Programs also continued in June including Commercial/Production Streets and the Targo/Burnett Streets project at reaching 70% completion The Black Spot Program is an Australian Government funded initiative that provides funding for low-cost high-benefit improvements on the road network to address actual or potential crashes that lead to high severity outcomes (fatalities and hospitalisations) Bundaberg Regional Council nominated four projects, based on crash data for the most recent five-year period, for inclusion in the 2023/2024 Black Spot Program Other major work taking place in June included the sub-grade treatment at Croft Street Bargara with the project 30% complete and the Cockatoo Court Woodgate drainage improvement work fully completed in June June roads and drainage summary across the Bundaberg RegionA range of other minor and maintenance works were also completed Sweeper truck – Programmed work maps Line marking – general line marking maintenance Installation of new reinforced concrete pipes Road grading – Gin Gin and surrounds It’s great to get relevant information about roadworks All fine to have an extensive list…but would be VERY useful to also have a map This would be a dead easy task for your GIS team and could be easily repeated/updated regularly (quarterly half yearly?) by using a map template or online Perhaps use different colours ‘Planned’ and ‘Completed’ – this would show that the Council is on the ball by planning work and getting work done ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ After spending a chunk of her working life as a teacher Bundaberg woman Carrie Grima has decided to delve into a whole new passion by opening up her first café called KC’s Fresh Carrie said her café aimed to provide customers with a casual atmosphere to enjoy a coffee while supporting a number of local growers and businesses from across the region fresh food including locally roasted coffee beans and locally hand-blended “We are using as much local product as we can source which we also incorporate into our menu items therefore reducing food mileage and supporting local businesses “The food is made on site which includes gluten free vegetarian and dairy free options and less nasty preservative and additives.” Carrie and her husband Kev source a lot of produce from their own farming business “My husband is a primary producer and we are driven by that significantly as we have kept the same business name as we have used for our farming business since 2006,” she said “We want to be able to use the ample amount of fresh produce we have available right here on our doorstep.” Carrie said her menu included items such as pumpkin and ginger scones as well as Ettie and Dorrie tea who provide a range of loose-leaf tea Working with local company Baked Love allows KC’s Fresh to offer a number of gluten-free and dairy-free options for customers A range of retail products and gift lines are also available including jams The café has an option for online ordering Located at Northway Plaza in Bundaberg North the café is open six days a week from 7am to 3pm weekdays offering a menu with a heavy focus on fresh More information about KC’s Fresh is available on Facebook Other stories: Bundaberg food bowl on show in national conference Bundaberg police have seen a spike in vehicles being unlawfully entered with valuable property items stolen which could have been […] Entrepreneur Katrina Zunker has expanded her business into the Bundaberg Region as she officially opened Katrina’s Bar earlier this week Following the success of her first venue in 1770, Katrina is bringing her signature cocktails to the new enterprise located at 3 Queen Street Katrina’s Bar offers a full food and drinks menu as well as a function room available for hire and live music kicking off this Saturday Katrina said she decided to take the plunge and open a second bar after seeing the space available on her drive into town “I live over in North Bundaberg so I’ve been driving past and looking at it and started thinking it could work there,” Katrina said “I started the business in 1770 in April 2021 which is an indoor-outdoor kind of bar on the water at the marina Katrina said her cocktail mixing is all self-taught and she liked to tweak each one to make it special “In 1770 I renamed them after places in the area and for Bundy I was thinking of doing different cities around the world for something a little different,” Katrina said I had a vision and then did all my licencing and just did it all.” Katrina said she designed the venue to offer guests plenty of space to relax with ambient lighting and smaller nooks for those wanting a more secluded spot for a drink and chat that’s what everyone that’s walked in has said,” Katrina said “I’ve had a lot of good feedback on Facebook and people are excited so I think it should be good.” Other news: Cliff Fleming wins Hinkler Innovation Award Play Duration: 6 minutes 52 seconds6m Brought to you by A Bundy school is reaching out to the community, delivering random pots of kindness across the region. Students from Bundaberg North State Primary School have joined the Plantdrop Australia initiative. Year Six teacher Di Philp says she's excited to see both the children and community be empowered by their acts of kindness. "I was very pleased with the response from the kids. It made them feel good inside", she said. The Desert Roses were sprouted from seeds donated by Mrs Philps mother, an avid gardener. Bundaberg North State school students are working to be actively kind in the community by growing Desert Roses to place at random locations for people to discover. (ABC Wide Bay: Sarah Tump) Published: 25 Apr 2025Fri 25 Apr 2025 at 8:00pm Published: 18 Apr 2025Fri 18 Apr 2025 at 8:00pm Published: 11 Apr 2025Fri 11 Apr 2025 at 8:00pm Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Bundaberg North State School students have been given the opportunity to taste a range of fruit and vegetables in the classroom as well as grow their own as part of the Pick of the Crop initiative In partnership with Health and Wellbeing Queensland and the Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers, Bundaberg North State School received $5000 in funding to go towards increasing opportunities for children to consume and learn about vegetables and fruit Bundaberg North State School Teacher Dianne Philips said that the chance to educate students on fruit and vegetables was a fantastic opportunity “We went through the application program and we were lucky enough to get a $5000 grant,” Ms Philips said “Part of that grant is naturally building garden beds and growing fruit and vegetables and then having tasting days as well as visiting growers throughout the region “We have been out to the ginger farm to look at the process out there and then we went to one of the transport companies to see how the food is distributed around the country.” The students were recently given the opportunity to try fresh produce donated by growers from the Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers group including cucumber Dianne said students would get the chance to eat the produce grown in the school grounds that they had planted themselves including the digging of gold for sweet potatoes “Each year we plant sweet potatoes for the following years grade 6’s to come through and dig them up and plant some more,” Ms Philips said “This is a way that we get the students interested and encourage them to get involved.” Bundaberg North State School Captain Kaden Reck said that it is great being involved in Pick of the Crop and growing fresh produce especially because I was raised on a farm,” he said “We grow sweet potatoes and we are growing some peas right now that we will be able to get out of the garden.” The Bundaberg North Pick of the Crop program is looking to go further “Bunnings donated a worm farm and compost tumbler which is to help us use leftover food scraps from the children to start composting,” Ms Philips said “This ties into the school curriculum as at the beginning of the year we do a microorganisms unit and we look at all the microorganisms within the compost and how they are broken down.” Moving forward the school is looking to implement a close loop system in which no organic waste leaves the school grounds “The idea is that we are developing a closed loop system so any of the trimmings from the trees or the garden or the food scraps from the children all stay here on the land and we are not just throwing away,” Ms Philips said “The idea is to eventually have bins out in the playgrounds and we will also be doing carbon so a lot of paper from the office we will be using that as you need the carbon to make the compost system work.” A new GP in Schools pilot program has opened to give Bundaberg North State High School students the opportunity to put their health first The local school has been selected to participate in the program as part of the Queensland Government’s Student Wellbeing Package The initiative is designed to make it easier for young people in Queensland schools to access the healthcare they need The clinic provides students with access to a GP each Tuesday A majority of services are featured including management of physical health All visits to the GP are provided at no cost to students or their families Principal Robyn Kent said Bundaberg North State High School welcomed its inclusion in the GPs in Schools Pilot “Having the convenience of a regular GP on the school site may assist regional Queensland students who are faced with the additional challenge of travelling long distances to access health services,” Ms Kent said “The guaranteed access to a free GP consultation exclusively for students will be a great support to the school community and complement Bundaberg North State High School’s student wellbeing program.” Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith said the program was all about making sure young people could obtain the healthcare they needed ”We know it’s very difficult at the moment to access a GP across Bundaberg,” he said ”For young people to know they can come to a safe learning space that is school and also be a safe health space ”We know young people often don’t want to talk about their health with mum and dad or carers “Your teenage years can be quite a challenging time.” Education Minister Grace Grace said the new clinic was a real boost for students “This clinic is one of 50 being established in schools around the state as part of our GPs in Schools Pilot,” she said “Removing the difficulty and often expense of getting to see a GP will be a great support for young Queenslanders in what have been challenging times the Student Wellbeing Package will ensure every student in every state primary and secondary school right across the state has access to a wellbeing professional at school.” For more information visit: https://education.qld.gov.au/students/student-health-safety-wellbeing/student-wellbeing-package It was a busy Saturday for Hinkler Lions members who spent the morning cultivating Gavin Street Community Garden in preparation for this season’s crop Hinkler Lions Treasurer Ross Ridge said it was one of the first working bees since COVID-19 restrictions came in earlier in the year Ross said it was a great turn-out of both Lions members and volunteers from local gardening groups and he encouraged more participation in the garden from the local community “It’s a general clean-up of the garden to get ready for winter planting,” Ross said “We are changing the irrigation system to put in a drip system that will benefit the garden.” Initially the garden was run in partnership between Creative Regions and Hinkler Lions with the Railway Hotel supplying the land and water Ross said the last time the working bee was held at the Community Garden was in February Gavin Street Community Garden was opened in August 2016 to give not only the Bundaberg North community but everyone in the region a chance to take part in growing and sharing fruit and vegetables “Hinkler Lions is now the caretaker of the Gavin Street Community Garden,” Ross said “Anyone can come in to harvest or weed the garden.” As a Coral Cove resident Ross said he enjoyed the weekly trip over to Bundaberg North to visit the open space He said the Lions and Bunnings were the major suppliers of fertiliser and from time to time they had joint plantings with North Bundaberg State School and one of the local preschools “Our future goals would be to have more community involvement with the running of the garden,” Ross said “To have some information days and expand the garden area so there is more production and more opportunity for people to bring their own plants cauliflower and of course tomatoes and herbs.” Anyone that would like to be involved can find out more information at Gavin Street Community Garden Facebook page The Bundaberg East Levee project is a step closer to being delivered with project commencement approvals in place and engineering consultants being sought to finalise the levee’s design The $174.7 million project jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments is aimed at providing better protection for parts of Bundaberg East The project will not only help safeguard homes businesses and the local economy from the devastation of major flooding but will also support more than 100 jobs and local business opportunities during its construction A 1.7 km concrete levee parallel to the southern bank of the Burnett River will mitigate damage from a Burnett River flood without increasing flooding in other areas of Bundaberg Murray Watt said he was pleased the major project was moving forward with a clear object to protect homes and businesses “We know disruptions caused by natural hazards can have devastating economic effects and takes a toll on people lives and wellbeing which is why we are making a real difference through this project,” he said “I commend the Queensland Government’s progress on this levee we look forward to collaborating even further to increase Bundy’s flood resilience.” Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Jack Dempsey said it was extremely important to Council that any levee or other works not have a negative impact on other parts of the city “I’m pleased to say that scientific analysis and modelling so far has shown that the proposed levee can do its job while not making things worse in other areas of the city,” Mayor Dempsey said “I’m confident that as further analysis and refinement of the design takes place that we will end up with the best possible result all round “Construction of the Bundaberg East levee is one of the four projects listed under the Bundaberg Action Plan and it is gratifying to see progress being made.” the project’s reference design – originally developed with community consultation in 2018 – will be further refined by an engineering consultant in conjunction with the Bundaberg community and project stakeholders Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith said the levee would serve not only residents we should stop flooding and that is exactly why this project is so important to Bundaberg,” he said “I have already spoken with a range of locals wishing to share their community contributions and this will form a key part of the consultation and procurement phase.” Minister for Public Works Mick de Brenni said the project was vital for ensuring Bundaberg was as safe from flooding as possible “It’s important that the people of Bundaberg have a voice in the project delivery process which is why we invite community members to visit the project website and register for updates and invitations to 2024 community events,” Minister de Brenni said “We expect construction to begin by early 2025 and the final design will determine how long construction takes.” The reference design includes a concrete levee in two main sections flood doors and pump stations across Saltwater Creek and an unnamed creek known locally as ‘Distillery Creek’ The levee was the most beneficial of four options identified under the 10-year Bundaberg Action Plan as able to help reduce the risk of flood devastation such as the all-time record flooding caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald in 2013 and the significant rainfall and flooding early last year The Bundaberg Action Plan recognises and responds to changing needs and flood risk conditions following its launch in 2017 The plan is based on options from a Flood Mitigation Options Assessment Report developed by an independent consultant based on community feedback and technical studies After further community consultation in 2018 four options were chosen by the community and experts to future flood-proof affected residents and businesses The action plan’s projects remain subject to ongoing consideration Bundaberg community members are invited to visit the Bundaberg East Levee project website and subscribe to the email list to receive project updates and invitations to community events When will our individual councillors take a stand and do a survey of their constituents within their divisions They will get a shock when they see just how many people do not want the levee England saw a failure of one pump during a severe storm the people we visited took us into this area i think they also had reliable nuclear power A levee wall WILL increase the chance of major flood events as already seen in Lismore occurring to the entirety of Bundaberg East and Surrounding suburbs Please learn from Lismore/Northern Rivers about the damages caused/lives lost from a levee wall that caused a waterfall effect But we refuse to learn from the mistakes of others Spent all OUR money building it then spent EVEN MORE OF OUR money “resizing” it to make it safe the river .Much better spend of taxpayers money who tinkered with this and altered the whole system the mismanagement of the river started around 1882 according to an archived maritime chart read some old votes and proceedings to see what was done the last major catastrophe was pumping sand onto a wet land for the value of one pepper corn Queensland has the ‘lion’s share’ of top spots for investors in Australia And it is the regions that have come out on top according to the Hotspotting National Top 10 Positive Cashflow Hotspots report Hotspotting director Terry Ryder said regional areas were increasingly becoming locations of choice for educated investors looking for cash flow and capital growth “Cash flow has become increasingly important over the past two years given the much higher mortgage repayments in play,” Mr Ryder said “But strong rental yields should never be the solitary reason to invest in any location or dwelling it is imperative that investors seek out areas that also offer capital growth prospects often due to their booming local economies across a diverse range of industries.” Eight locations for houses made the top 10 list – Glen Eden Bundaberg North and Berserker in Queensland Geraldton and Withers in Western Australia Only two unit suburbs made the national top 10 – Bowen Hills in Brisbane and Yorkeys Knob in the Northern Beaches of Cairns Aerial view of Half Moon Bay Marina and Yorkeys Knob Boating Club Hotspotting general manager Tim Graham said regional Queensland’s strong showing in the top 10 was testament to its affordability and the variety of significant major infrastructure projects under way had previously been overly-reliant on the resources sector which had a positive or negative impact on its property market,” he said its economy has a range of smaller projects that are spread more evenly across a range of sectors which creates a more stable residential property market “Rockhampton also has not been resting on its laurels and has billions of dollars of major infrastructure projects under way its CBD has undergone a revitalisation project as well.” Dream vs reality: Qld property listing offers home ‘inspo’ in Rockhampton is listed for offers over $330,000 The analysis looked at several key criteria to source suburbs for investors finding the top 10 locations with yields above six per cent as well as capital growth potential It also looked for suburbs and locations with strong and diverse economies which has a median house price of $405,000 and a yield of 6.5 per cent was benefiting from a variety of billion-dollar plus projects in the region “The two most significant projects are the $1.2 billion new hospital as well as the $2 billion South Beach Heads residential development in Elliott Heads,” he said as well as health and medical infrastructure projects under way that are all underpinning the region’s performance now and into the future.” Mr Ryder said with strong population growth forecast Bundaberg was increasingly on the radar of savvy investors which has a median house price of $290,000 and a rental yield of 8 per cent was also garnering attention from southern migrants and investors Low vacancy rates and solid price growth over the past few years had increased investor activity in the region Bowen Hills in Brisbane offered a median unit price of $425,000 and a rental yield of 6.2 per cent Bowen Hills is listed for offers over $630,000 Mr Graham said that the gentrification of the former industrial suburbs and an influx of young people meant the city suburb was affordable and attractive to both first home buyers and investors Yorkeys Knob also made the national top 10 investor hit-list A 3-bedroom unit at 6/11 Rutherford Street It has a median unit value of $325,0000 and a rental yield of 6.4 per cent with about 50 per cent of residents in the coastal suburb being renters “There are also more units and townhouses than houses in the suburb which ensures that investors are purchasing dwellings that are the most in demand by the people who want to live there,” Mr Graham said The Hotspotting report comes after Suburbtrends released its Rental Pain Index for February which revealed that Queensland had the second highest pain score of 82.63 It found that 77.14 per cent of the 490 Queensland suburbs sampled were in “extreme rental pain” However 13 of the top 25 most stressed suburbs in Australia were located in Queensland with pains scores of 100 as a result of rent increases Of the top 25 most stressed renter suburbs in Queensland Master Builders CEO Paul Bidwell said the challenge was not only increasing the number of houses and apartments getting the green light but also ensuring that they can actually be built “These latest ABS figures show the demand is growing making it critical the building and construction industry is supported to operate in the most effective way possible and by knocking down the blocks to building,” he said third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Bundaberg Regional Council will be undertaking drainage upgrades in Bundaberg North to reduce the impact of localised flooding after heavy rainfall The work will start in mid-June at Gavegan with a detention basin also planned for the area Roads and drainage portfolio spokesman Cr Bill Trevor said the project “Council had received feedback from residents in the Bundaberg North area regarding localised flooding of properties and ponding of water in backyards for extended periods of time after heavy rainfall,” he said “The issues were triggered as a high priority for investigation through Council’s prioritisation framework and a drainage study was undertaken to understand and model the existing drainage issue “This project will allow for appropriate drainage measures to reduce the extent and severity of flooding following large rainfall events.” Divisional representative Cr Tracey McPhee said the works were identified and budgeted for by the previous council “The drainage issues are currently impacting more than 25 properties and I’m thrilled that council are running so close to the original schedule,” she said “I’ve spoken with several residents in the area and I know everyone will be very pleased that work is almost under way “Council has worked hard to put plans in place and I would like to thank our fantastic team for prioritising this project and providing improvements for the Bundaberg North community.” The ongoing project is scheduled for completion in 18 weeks That’s fantastic news for North Bundaberg I know what it’s like to have to drive through pooled water etc…I live at Moore Park Beach and it would be a dream come true to have flood mitigation for the only road in & out of MPB when it rains heavily even for an hour or have flash floods that cannot be driven through I think some local flooding in suburbia could be reduced by more regular removal of sand and debris build-up in the stormwater drains particularly the one behind the TAFE College used to get clogged from people dumping palm fronds into it The East Bundaberg Flood Levee will protect hundreds of homes businesses and the CBD and cut insurance premiums for impacted residents Announced this month the State and Federal Governments will fund the $174.7 million 1.7 km concrete levee which will run parallel to the southern bank of the Burnett River The Bundaberg East Levee project will not only help safeguard homes businesses and the local economy from the devastation of major flooding it will also create local jobs and business opportunities during its construction The project’s concept design – developed with community consultation in 2018 – will mitigate future flood damage within the Bundaberg East Bundaberg South and Bundaberg CBD precincts Bundaberg Region Mayor Jack Dempsey welcomed the announcement which he said would bring peace of mind to many residents “The East Bundaberg flood levee was identified as Council’s number one disaster mitigation priority and we thank the State and Federal Governments for this major funding commitment which is something we have been advocating for,” Mayor Dempsey said major industries and the CBD without increasing flood impacts in other areas “It is a great boost for our community and the many residents who remember all too well the devastation which occurred in the 2010-11 and 2013 flood events “The benefits of this project will be felt right throughout the region.” While Mayor Dempsey said the Bundaberg East Flood Levee would be without doubt the most significant flood mitigation investment in the region to date a number of other projects had been delivered since 2013 Those included the early warning network upgrades a flood levee off Cummins Street next to the technology park and flood evacuation routes in Givelda and on Bartholdt Drive and Mt Perry and Fairymead Roads “While the East Bundaberg Flood Levee was certainly priority number one it is by no means the only priority project for our region,” Mayor Dempsey said “To see this major project moving forward is a great achievement for our region by the State and Federal Governments but Council will be continuing to advocate for the delivery of the remaining identified flood mitigation infrastructure for our region including the Bundaberg North flood evacuation route.” The construction of the levee could drive insurance premiums down for impacted locals with Suncorp Group CEO Steve Johnston welcoming the funding for the Bundaberg East Flood Levee which he said would green light one of Queensland’s most critical flood resilience projects “We’ve been calling on governments to build the Bundaberg Flood Levee project for a long time and it’s great to see the funding for the project is now on the table and work can start to make it a reality,” Mr Johnston said businesses and livelihoods in Bundaberg south of the Burnett River it will also put downward pressure on insurance premiums “The levee could save affected locals on average more than $1000 a year on their home insurance premium “I thank all three levels of government for working together to get the Bundaberg Flood Levee project built for the people of Bundaberg.” Mayor Dempsey said the delivery of the Bundaberg East Flood Levee was a win for the local members of Council’s original Community Reference Group (CRG) The CRG was a key driver in ensuring that identifying flood mitigation priorities for the region was a process which involved much community input “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the local residents who formed the CRG which worked closely with Council immediately following the 2013 flood event to identify flood mitigation priorities for our region some of whom were personally impacted by the flood events spent countless hours working alongside Council to take a list of about 200 recommendations down to the identified priority projects “This report was then provided to the State Government as the lead agency for the delivery of flood mitigation infrastructure.” Read more about CRG member’s levee advocacy here We seem to have disappeared from the concerns of anyone who thinks they are so good at flood mitigation 10 years & more & North us ignored and always takes the path of least resistance so where will all this water be deflected to Dempsey can say it is a win for the members of the CRG when 6 of the 12 original members signed a petition to stop the wall It appears that there was never a consensus of 70% as required as per the T&C of the CRG I have felt from day one that this has been a political excercise and has very little to do with protecting the wider Bundaberg community in times of flooding Twenty students from Hakuo High School in Japan will spend the next week learning about Australian culture through a buddy program with Bundaberg North State High School The school is the first in Queensland to welcome back international students since the Covid pandemic began two years ago with Bundaberg North State High School Principal Robyn Kent welcoming the opportunity “We have welcomed back our first tour group since the start of the pandemic and we are actually the first school in Queensland to welcome back international students,” Robyn said “We are hoping that we are going to be able to give the students an experience about the beautiful Bundaberg city and some of the Australian culture “We are looking at opportunities to have the students take part in some English lessons while they are here but also experience places like Bundaberg Brewed Drinks and Snakes Downunder and also the everyday life of a student at an Australian high school.” Robyn said the opportunity is beneficial for both the visiting students and the local students providing an opportunity to share cultures and meet new people with the Japanese students coming to us they are hoping to improve their English and understanding of Australian culture they will pick up a bit of the Japanese language for themselves and of course our students who are studying Japanese are going to also have those students coming into their classroom and helping to share their culture “It is a win-win for both sides and we are really looking forward to the experience.” The group from Hakuo High School consists of 11 boys and nine girls aged between 14-17 years along with three teachers and a tour guide who are accompanying them Mayor Jack Dempsey said it was very exciting for the region to be welcoming the students to Bundaberg North State School with the close links that currently exist between Bundaberg and Japan “There are close links between Bundaberg and Japan through our language education classes cultural exchanges and a sister city relationship with Settsu,” Mayor Dempsey said “These enduring ties bring us closer together improve understanding and create lifelong connections “It is great to welcome the students of Hakuo to the region and we hope they enjoy their time here.” Hakuo High School teacher Kazuhiro Aoki said he hoped the opportunity provided his students the chance to improve their English skills while gaining an understanding of Australian culture “This is a two week studying abroad program where the student study English and science and we hope this provide students the opportunity to improve their English skills while also gaining knowledge of the nature in Australia “I hope the students are positive and able to learn something new while working towards being better English speakers “The students will spend time at Bundaberg North State High School while also visiting the university and experience science experiments “I am really looking forward to enjoying being out in nature as this is something we don’t have in Japan.” During their stay the students will be visiting CQU for three days of a STEM program as well as going to Snakes Down Under for the koala experience The remainder of their time will be at Bundaberg North State High School with two hour English lessons and integrated activities with the students Other stories: Kidsplus+ Bundaberg celebrates 30 year reunion It will be a celebration of schooling over the decades when Bundaberg North State High School celebrates its 50-year milestone […] Specialty desserts have been created and added to the menus of 14 local businesses to delight the tastebuds of our community during the 10-day Taste Bundaberg Festival Culture and Events portfolio spokesperson Cr John Learmonth said the Taste Bundaberg Festival was a highlight on the local annual event calendar with the Dessert Trail providing further tantalising opportunities to enjoy local food delights “Dessert lovers can enjoy a variety of flavours and delicacies sweet pizzas to designer sorbet cocktails,” he said “Dessert Trail treats are exclusive during the ten days of the festival and created with at least 75% local produce “Local businesses are given the opportunity to participate in the Taste Bundaberg Festival on a smaller scale by being involved in the Dessert Trail “The Dessert Trail is a sweet treat treasure map which includes the locations of businesses for the community to discover and enjoy their delicious “The Taste Bundaberg Festival helps boost tourism to our region and puts us on the map as the food bowl of Queensland.” View the Dessert Trail map here. the 2023 Taste Bundaberg Festival will feature a culinary-filled schedule from 4 to 13 August Find out more by following the Facebook page here  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Patients at the Friendly Society Private Hospital now have brighter days after students from Bundaberg North State High and Bundaberg Christian College created two vivid murals using local inspired imagery The 2.4m x 3.6m murals have been painted on plain brick walls outside the patients’ windows cane fields and even Bert Hinkler’s plane and house Bundaberg North State High School Year 12 students Bailey Field and Charlotte Dew were two of a large group of students who started working on the project last year They said the experience inspired them to put their creative caps on for future projects Charlotte has studied art throughout high school She used acrylic paint and said her role was to work on the turtle which was inspired by the turtles that frequent Mon Repos Bundaberg North State High School art teacher Orinda Martin said the art was part of the Certificate II course the students are undertaking “The students have to participate in order to complete their unit of competency and get accreditation and get a certificate,” she said “We are grateful the students were involved in this artwork at the Friendlies “These are community-based projects and we usually target someone in the community who needs community-based art and we go from there.” The Friendly’s senior manager of business development Stuart Bonnett said in response to patients’ requests for something to look at the hospital put a call out to local high schools to design and paint a student mural that was reflective of the Bundaberg Region “Each successful school received $1000 to put towards the painting of the mural as well as the opportunity for students to experience project management of an artistic piece from concept to design and completion,” Mr Bonnett said Mr Bonnett said the murals had delighted patients and had a positive impact on staff and we have been getting rave reviews of the students’ work even staff are enjoying the murals,” he said Mr Bonnett said the hospital still had a number of blank walls and he hoped to have more school students take part in future to help beautify them