Ayr and Home Hill

Fishing in the Burdekin - well what can you say !!

Relax at the shady parks in Ayr

Sugar Cane in the Burdekin

The Silver Link - across the mighty Burdekin River

Business in the Burdekin

Freightwest Road Transport
Black Gold Farms - Wagyu Cattle Breeders

Situated on the north side of the mighty Burdekin River, 85 kilometres south of Townsville, this prosperous rural community is the main town in the Burdekin Shire.

With more than 300 glorious days of sunshine each year and winter temperatures rarely dropping below 11 degrees, this truly is the winterless north. Like many small North Queensland towns, Ayr is characterised by its laidback lifestyle, down-to-earth locals and friendly service.

The district’s climate, combined with its rich soils and abundant water supply, has made it one of the strongest agricultural regions in the country.

The Burdekin is the sugar capital of Australia, with about 80,000 hectares of land under sugar cane and an annual production of about 1.25 million tonnes of raw sugar. The district also contributes one-third of the nation’s mango harvest and is a major producer of melons and a host of other fruit and vegetables.

A rich network of creeks and mangrove-lined estuaries make the area a mecca for fishing and crabbing. The Burdekin is a known hotspot for the prized fighting fish, the barramundi, as well as estuary species such as mangrove jack and trevally.

Nearby Alva Beach offers miles of unspoilt, sandy coastline and is a popular spot for beach fishing, birdwatching and windsurfing.

The Burdekin’s magnificent wetlands offer excellent birdwatching opportunities. About 280 species have been recorded in the area

HOME HILL is situated on the southern side of the Burdekin Bridge, Home Hill was established in 1913 from land carved out of Inkerman Downs Station. It is just 12km south of Ayr and is linked to its larger neighbour by the famous Burdekin Bridge – the district’s best-known landmark.

With a landscape dominated by lush, green canefields and the Inkerman Sugar Mill, it’s easy to see that the local economy is driven by sugar cane.

Visit the new Silver Link Interpretive Centre, which opened in 2007 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Burdekin River Bridge. Located in the main street, the centre tells the history of the bridge through more than 120 large, framed photographs.

For panoramic views of the Burdekin’s towns, farmlands, wetlands, waterways and coastline, head to Inkerman Hill, 12km south of Home Hill.

Other attractions include the historic WWII radar station on Charlie’s Hill and Tom’s Toybox, a private collection of working farm machinery from yesteryear.

Business in the Burdekin

Freightwest Road Transport
Black Gold Farms - Wagyu Cattle Breeders