Pioneer is number one
The Murray Pioneer was named South Australia’s Best Country Newspaper for 2024 at last week’s Country Press SA Awards. The [Murray] Pioneer enjoyed an outstanding night at the awards ceremony, which was held at the Hilton Hotel, in Adelaide, highlighted by the best newspaper crown, which it had last won in 2019.
Riverlanders work to restore local turtle populations
Madison Eastmond ... being carried out in the Hills and Fleurieu, Limestone Coast and Northern, and Yorke as a multi-region intuitive, the TURTLE Project is a collaborative effort of landscape boards, First Nations, citizen scientists, NGOs, councils and landholders to gather information to guide the protection of freshwater turtles across South Australia.
Our Vietnam vets link arms with American ‘brothers’
In an unprecedented gesture of support and mateship for their American ‘brothers-in-arms’, the Riverland Vietnam Veterans will join with the United States in commemorating US National Vietnam Veterans Day, on Saturday 29 March, at 11am ... The Riverland event, already dubbed the ‘Brothers-in-Arms Commemoration’, brings together all veterans and their families, united in recognising the service and sacrifice of our servicemen and servicewomen, while welcoming all interested members of the public to attend.
‘Desperation’ over doctor shortage
Christine Webster. The Australia-wide problem of being unable to attract enough doctors to rural areas is impacting heavily on the Waikerie Medical Centre and local community ... Dr Wanguhu said young doctors often preferred to take up posts at medical centres in Barmera, Berri and Renmark where they were not required to work in an emergency hospital.
Mis-Bee-Haviour?
Hugh Schuitemaker. A well-known Loxton man is the second Riverland beekeeper to recently claim his bees died due to poisoning by PIRSA. Loxton-based apiarist Ian Cass claims 12 of his beehives were killed due to adverse impacts from PIRSA’s spraying program, aimed at eradicating fruit fly from the Riverland.
Pasin not convinced by banking agreement
Hugh Schuitemaker. Further support measures are needed to ensure further closures to Riverland bank branches are avoided, according to the region’s Federal MP. The Federal Government last week announced an agreement with banks to “ensure banking services remain available in the regions”.
A dream ’10 years in the making’
Hugh Schuitemaker. The decade-long dream of a well-known Waikerie Football Club figure has been realised with the completion of a major new community facility ... “They say it takes a village to bring up a child. It has taken much more to get this facility funded and built”: WFC Build Committee chair Brendan Sidhu.

