🥩 Beef market faces shift
Rocky teen’s NRL Dream | Vegemite Day at Eureka Village | QLD wins Game 2 | Meta's insane $100m staff signing bonus and more
G’day and welcome back to Rocky News, it’s June 19th.
Today's newsletter is 1,003 words, a 5-minute read.
In today's email:
One Big Thing: Vegemite magic begins at Eureka Village Rocky
Rocky teen overcomes: Hearing loss for NRL shot
Cattle market rises: But for how long?
Klein’s calls fuel Maroons: To Perth victory
Trending: First-year Constables begin 👮♀️👮
Around the web (Snippets) New recruits join Rocky, Meta’s insane $100m staff signing bonus, Rockhampton’s bakery named one of QLD’s best and more
Upcoming Events
Rockhampton Weather - Weekend Forecast
🐄 Fun Fact: Rocky’s iconic Big Bulls statues (one of Australia's famous "Big Things") aren’t just known for being big, they’re also known to locals for big testicle theft (of which they regularly have to be replaced), a classicly Aussie local tradition 🫢
Live Housing Price Index
Live National Meat and Livestock Index
1. One Big Thing: Vegemite magic begins at Eureka Village Rocky
What’s Happening: Eureka Villages Rockhampton held its first Vegemite Day, filled with hats, pets, songs, and Aussie classics like Cheesymite scrolls.
Why It Matters: The event’s success earned it a spot on Eureka’s national event calendar, with Rockhampton now seen as a leader in community engagement.
By the Numbers
The local centre is one of 54 Eureka Villages nationwide
1 new annual celebration has been locked in for years to come after the recent event’s success
55+ age group is catered for in affordable rental units at Eureka Villages
Local Impact: The day brought residents together in creative, colourful ways, boosting community pride and connection.
What the People Say: “Vegemite Day is now officially on our annual calendar due to the success of Eureka Rockhampton.” – Eureka Villages
What to Look For Next: To be celebrated annually across all Eureka Villages from here on, the event will forever be inspired by Rockhampton’s lively lead.
2. Rocky teen overcomes hearing loss for NRL shot
Rockhampton teen Michael Busby is chasing his NRL dream despite being born with hearing loss.
Signed to the Cowboys development squad and already a national schoolboys touch football captain, Michael credits early intervention, family support, and the Hear and Say centre for helping him thrive on and off the field.
Diagnosed at just three days old and fitted with a cochlear implant at nine months, Michael has never let his condition hold him back.
Now in Year 12, he’s aiming for both an NRL career and a university degree, proving that with support and determination, anything is possible.
Read more in the full article below👇
3. Cattle market rises, but for how long?
What’s Happening: Cattle prices are up 22% since January across Queensland. Rainfall and export demand are fuelling the rally, but Chinese tariff risks and Brazil’s entry into key beef markets raise questions about sustainability.
Why It Matters: Cattle is Central Queensland’s economic backbone. While current prices benefit producers, looming international competition and trade restrictions could threaten margins in the second half of 2025.
Local Impact: In Rockhampton, renewed buyer demand and rainfall are lifting confidence, but concerns remain about processor capacity and long-term market conditions.
Moo-ving Forward: Rain and restocker demand have given the cattle market a boost, but global trade shifts could steer prices in a different direction soon.
What the People Say: “Australia may be close to triggering a safeguard tariff in July or August.” – Bendigo Bank Agribusiness Insights
What to Look For Next: Keep an eye on beef export volumes, rainfall across cropping regions, and whether global markets rebalance or tighten further into the second half of 2025.
4. Klein’s calls fuel Maroons to Perth victory
By a King Cane Toad contributor
Rugby league referee Ashley Klein should be shortlisted for the King’s Birthday honours list after an incredible stellar performance in the second game of the 2025 State of Origin Series held in Perth.
Klein’s amazing first-half performance, during which he awarded an 8-0 penalty count to the Maroons, allowed Queensland to jump out to a 26-6 lead by halftime.
It also gave the Cameron Munster-led Maroons enough of a gap to have a bit of a nap in the second half and finish the game as 26-24 victors.
Klein’s inspirational performance understandably waned in the second half after becoming exhausted after such a dominant powerhouse first 40 minutes.
This gave the Cockroaches numerous opportunities to claw back the lead in what would have been the Blues’ greatest comeback ever.
Unfortunately, NSW simply forgot to pack a kicker in the kit bag. Two from five conversion attempts was simply not good enough.
The referee’s first-half performance was good enough to ensure Game 3 in Sydney will be an exciting climax to the series.
The consummate performance also ensured Blues fans were sucking on cans of Perth Very Bitter on Wednesday night and spewing in their Cornflakes the morning after.
Klein is already being compared to the late Queensland great Barry Gommersall, who refereed nine State of Origin games in the 1980s. When Gommersall, known as The Grasshopper, was asked how Queensland won seven of the nine Origin games he officiated, he reportedly replied, "Well, surely anyone's entitled to two bad games".
The outstanding performance also raises questions as to other ways Australia and the World could take advantage of Klein’s prodigious talents.
Forget the United Nations and the unbelievable red-headed comb-overed blowhard in Washington, we should send Klein off to solve the Middle East’s problems before he jaunts off to have a quiet chat to Vladamir Putin to encourage him to leave the weapons on the sidelines.
Judging from his Game 2 performance (we won’t mention Game 1), we have absolute faith the Mid East and Ukraine crises would be well over before Wednesday, July 9.
Bring on Origin 3.
4. Trending
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5. Around The Web (Snippets)
Twenty new correctional officers have graduated in: Rockhampton, ready to strengthen community safety at Capricornia Correctional Centre.
Mount Isa Mines Rodeo 2025: goes local with two new events celebrating Outback talent and community pride.
Meta is offering insane bonuses of: $100,000,000.00 to OpenAI employees in an unsuccessful bid to poach the ChatGPT maker's talent
Construction is progressing on the: $6.35M Birkbeck Drive roundabout, set to boost safety and access in Rockhampton’s northern growth corridor.
Midjourney one of the most popular AI image generation startups, announced on Wednesday the launch of its: Much-anticipated AI video generation model, V1.
Three Central Queensland writers: Have been commissioned by RMOA to create and perform works inspired by a significant artwork.
In classic French striking style, the: Louvre museum shut down this week due to staff strike action protesting mass tourism
Rockhampton’s Artizan Gluten Free Bakery: Has been named one of Queensland’s best regional bakeries by Delicious magazine.
In another Terminator movie-type AI event, OpenAI was just awarded: USD 200,000,000 ($308,600,000.00 AUD) to develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in warfighting
Scientists are using drones to unleash thousands of: Mosquitoes in Hawaii in a bid to save native birds.
🕰️ In Case You Missed It:
7. Upcoming Events
🚦 Traffic Light Party – ft. Jai Waterhouse: June 20, 2025 – 128 East Street, Rockhampton. A social party with a twist: wear green if you're single, yellow if “maybe,” and red if taken. Live sets by Jai Waterhouse, perfect for mingling or dancing the night away.
🚵 2025 Trek Rockhampton MTB Club 60 km XCM: June 22, 2025 – Venue TBA, Rockhampton Region. Challenge yourself in a 60 km cross‑country mountain bike race through scenic local terrain. Entries close on June 20.
☕ Friday Arvo Knock Offs (Grab Life By The Balls social): June 20, 2025 – Headricks Lane, Rockhampton City. A casual, bloke-friendly social catch-up—think coffee meet-ups, bacon‑and‑egg breakfast, or evening beers and banter.
🐎 The Kings of Country Rock Tour: June 20, 2025 – Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton. A lively evening of country-rock from this touring band, combining storytelling with high-energy performance.