The Burketown Bloc Party held on Saturday, October 19, was a major success with over 300 people from the community coming out to celebrate the recent milestones in the community.
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The event kicked off at the Gregory Downs Hotel with local residents joining in the festivities with the Hon. Bob Katter who joined in the convoy from Gregory to Burketown. The convoy stopped off at the Doomadgee turn off for the councils celebration of the newly sealed Wills Developmental Road.
The community enjoyed the live music by Bob Marshall and his band playing essentially country music, they were then joined by John Turner who jammed with the band.
The Burketown Gift had many of the locals participating but Brett Hills took out the trophy effortlessly!
Amanda Yanner won the women’s category. Burketown Gift organiser Cheryl Portch said that she was amazed at the amount of nominations as the community was eager to get involved to take home the $300 prize money!
The Burketown students Hip Hop Performance stole the show with 10 kids coming out and performing the rap that they workshopped with DJ and producer Nick Grace. Trish Ringrose from Ringrose Transport recited a poem about the challenges of starting a freight company and the trials that Owen Ringrose overcame to get supplies into Burketown along the unsealed roads.
Bob Katter officially opened the pub and celebrated well into the night mingling and chatting with the locals. Burketown Publicans were very happy with the attendance and the pub is now officially open for business!
Many locals commented that it was the best event Burketown has ever seen and you could tell by the well behaved and smiling crowd!
Burke Shire Council’s Mayor Ernie Camp said “The Bloc Party was a great reinforcer to me as to why I think Burke Shire is a great place to live – the positive, laidback atmosphere, the genuine friendliness and sense of happiness amongst all the attendees and the strong community spirit. An enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the footraces, great music from local bands and DJ Nick. It was a fantastic night for young and old to enjoy and I would like to commend the community’s behaviour which made this a safe, family friendly event.”
The event manager, Nicole Ogilvie would like to thank all of the locals who rolled up their sleeves and helped to put on a memorable event “ If it was not for the sponsors and the volunteers this event would not have been possible, it is a tribute to the strong community spirit that exists in small tight knit communities.”
The small town of Burketown is still buzzing from the celebrations and are asking – ‘When can we do it again?’
