Clean sweep at the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association Awards
Last fortnight, I highlighted Kurumbul’s Sapphire Feedlot’s outstanding role in delivering the World’s Best Steak 2026. Since then, the Goondiwindi Region has delivered another remarkable result on the national stage, this time at BeefEx 2026 on the Gold Coast. In what can only be described as an extraordinary achievement, three local feedlots either operating or managed locally were named Australian Feedlot of the Year winners across all award categories:
Waggaba Feedlot taking out the under 3,000 head category – located at Dunmore, managed by the local Woods family;
Cadelga Feedlot winning the 3,000 to 8,000 head category – located near Inglewood, managed by the local Johnstone family; and
Sapphire Feedlot claiming top honours in the over 15,000 head category – located at Kurumbul, managed by the local Shearer-Smith family.
To have every category winner come from the one region is an exceptional result and speaks to the expertise, investment and commitment that local producers continue to bring to one of our region’s most important industries. Their success not only reflects excellence within their own businesses, but also highlights the significant contribution the beef sector makes to our regional economy and our regions role in producing world-class food.
Talwood Race Day Returns in Style
Racing returned to Talwood, with this year’s Talwood Race Day proving a tremendous success. True to the spirit of a country race meeting, the day brought together locals and visitors alike for a great community event. Congratulations must go to the dedicated committee and volunteers whose hard work behind the scenes made the day possible. Events like these are an important part of our regional identity and showcase the strong community spirit that exists across our region.
Tiered Seating Investigation for the Cultural Centre
Following the recent St Mary’s school musical, Council has received overwhelmingly positive feedback on the temporary tiered seating hired for the performances at the Goondiwindi Waggamba Community Cultural Centre. The seating significantly enhanced the audience experience, and Council is now investigating options to potentially introduce tiered seating on a more permanent basis. As with any project, there are practical considerations to work through, including maintaining the venue’s flexibility for dinners, conferences and community functions that require full floor access, as well as identifying suitable storage solutions when the seating is not in use. We will continue to explore the options and keep the community updated as investigations progress.
LGAQ Visit Highlights Value of Local Government Advocacy
This week, we welcomed a delegation to the Goondiwindi Region led by Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Matt Burnett, who serves as President of both the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). He was joined by representatives from LGAQ and ALGA.
The LGAQ plays an important role in supporting councils across Queensland, advocating for strong and effective local government and ensuring councils have a voice on issues affecting their communities. In an environment of rising costs, increasing compliance requirements and growing community expectations, it is more important than ever that councils are appropriately resourced and supported to continue delivering the essential services and infrastructure our communities rely on. We appreciate the opportunity to discuss both the challenges and opportunities facing regional Queensland.
Supporting the Flying Doctors Through Community Partnership
I recently had the pleasure of attending the Lowe’s Petroleum Flying Doctors Charity evening, a wonderful event that highlighted both the vital work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the generosity of our local community. The Royal Flying Doctor Service continues to provide essential healthcare and emergency support to regional and remote Australians, and events such as this play an important role in ensuring those services remain available when they are needed most. Congratulations to Lowe’s Petroleum, the organisers, sponsors and volunteers whose efforts delivered another successful evening in support of this important service.
St Mary’s Annual Tree Planting Day
It was a pleasure to attend the recent St Mary’s School Tree Planting Day and see our young people working alongside Council’s Parks and Garden team. The enthusiasm shown by around 50 students was a fantastic reminder that the next generation is already taking an active role in caring for our environment and community. A sincere thank you to the event sponsors, Northwest Rural Supplies and Tait Auto Group, who generously supplied the gardening gloves and BBQ, helping make the day such a success.