Contributor, Naracoorte Community News

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Great quality squash at Naracoorte Open

Roger Dickenson. The 2025 Naracoorte Open was held on July 19-20, with 34 players from all over SA and Victoria competing across five divisions. Spectators were treated to some great quality squash over the weekend, with 68 matches played, including several close finals.

SE claims Men’s Country Championship

SANFL. South East has claimed its fifth THINK! Road Safety South Australian Men’s Country Championship with a hard-fought 15-point win against Southern Districts in the grand finale at Memorial Oval in Port Pirie. Finishing undefeated across its three appearances, South East earned its first crown since 2022 as the championships’ leading goal kicker Fraser Bradley shone with six majors in the title-decider.

Community-led campaign marks one year

The Limestone Coast Sustainable Futures Association recently marked its one-year anniversary with a powerful show of community strength at its AGM, reaffirming its leadership in the fight to protect prime agricultural land and groundwater from rare earth mining in the region.

Our voices remain silenced

A petition that gained almost 20,000 signatures before being presented to state parliament over 12 months ago remains hamstrung by the state government and the parliamentary committee process, says chair of the Limestone Coast Radiation Treatment Working Party, Lachlan Haynes. The petition, which was addressed to the members of the House of Assembly triggered a Legislative Review Committee inquiry to which the working group made a written submission and presented in person. The bipartisan, joint parliamentary committee then referred the matter to the Health Committee where it sat stagnant ever since.

Mobile tower funding

Naracoorte Lucindale mayor Patrick Ross has set the record straight by explaining why the council chose not to allocate ratepayer funds to Telstra’s Limestone Coast Connectivity Project which had only two mobile base stations earmarked for the district ... it was not prepared to use limited public funds to subsidise infrastructure that Telstra—a major telecommunications provider—had a responsibility to deliver.

A WIN for people power, says MP

The sudden backflip on withdrawing Channel Seven programming from South-East free-to-air TV screens is a testament to the community’s determination, a local MP says ... “I am livid that communities across the Limestone Coast and the Riverland were used as pawns in a commercial negotiation and I have made my disappointment clear to the chief executive officers of both organisations,” said Liberal member for Barker, Tony Pasin.

Sparkling trophies on display

A collection of agricultural and sporting trophies from the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra is on display at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery. Sixteen silver objects have been loaned ... Many of them have South Australian connections either with the silversmith or the award.

Landmark excessive self-defence reforms passed

Landmark reforms to South Australia’s excessive self-defence laws that were developed in the wake of the tragic killing of Mount Gambier woman Synamin Bell have passed the state parliament. Ms Bell was killed in 2022 by her partner after he consumed hallucinogenic drugs that brought on a paranoid psychosis. Although he was initially charged with murder, under previous laws he was able to plead guilty to manslaughter through reliance on the partial defence of excessive self-defence.

Fight to save free to air footy

Officer of member for Barker, Tony Pasin. Member for Barker Tony Pasin is fighting to keep the broadcast of major sporting events free to air via WIN TV across the Limestone Coast and Riverland regions. Mr Pasin said regional Australia was already grappling with lack of access to many services enjoyed in metropolitan centres, with free to air sporting events now under threat.

City dog, country chaos

"George goes to the farm", the first children’s picture book from debut author Sinead Saint, is scheduled for release on 2 July 2025 ... a heartwarming, humorous look at the great divide between city life and the country — as told through the muddy paws of an enthusiastic groodle named George.