Oarsome sight as Grafton hosts CHS Championships
Emma Pritchard. Local rowers made a splash on the Clarence River last week when the Grafton Rowing Club hosted the 2022 Combined High Schools (CHS) Rowing Championships. Blessed with a mixture of sunshine and light showers during the two-day event, 162 athletes took to the waters of the Clarence River.
Cost of Shannon Creek gabion dam repairs triple
Geoff Helisma. The cost of vital repairs to the rock gabion dam at the foot of the Shannon Creek Dam spillway has blown out from the awarded $1.145 million (ex GST) contract to a “foreshadowed variation” budget of “between $3.16 million and $4.13 million”.
Breakfast meeting offers plenty of food for thought
Emma Pritchard. The Grafton Chamber of Commerce hosted its first breakfast meeting of the year at the Clocktower Hotel last week ... In assuming his new role with the Chamber, Mr Jablonski, a passionate advocate for local youths, spoke to the crowd about encouraging mentorships for young people and getting them actively involved in entrepreneurships and business.
Domestic violence is no laughing matter
Geoff Helisma. ‘Not out’ septuagenarian Bob Walker came to comedy relatively late. “It saved my life. I was deeply depressed when I took it up – it’s changed how I think about myself and my outlook on life.” ... the Tucabia man is back with a stellar line-up of comedians at the Maclean Bowling Club – and all of the money from ticket sales will be used to potentially save lives.
Max sniffs out koala habitat
Geoff Helisma. Volunteer environmental organisation, Clarence Valley Environment Centre (CEC – established 1989), has released the results of a survey it commissioned, “to undertake koala scat detection [using a specifically trained] dog … in the Shannondale area, [in order] to assess koala presence/absence after the droughts, fires and floods”.
Brooke McClymont honoured by festival role
Emma Pritchard. Country music sensation and proud Graftonian Brooke McClymont loves coming back to her hometown. After being announced as the 2022 Grafton Jacaranda Festival’s Guest of Honour, the singer-songwriter now has an extra special reason to return to the Clarence Valley later this year. And she can’t bloody wait.
Qualifying too easy for prolific country contenders
Emma Pritchard. Classy gallopers Far Too Easy and Zoukina have qualified for the $500000 Newhaven Park Country Championships Final to be held at Royal Randwick during the 2022 Autumn Racing Carnival after finishing first and second respectively in the $150000 Newhaven Park Country Championships NRRA Qualifier over 1410m at Grafton on February 12.
