Rodney Stevens, Clarence Valley Independent

The Clarence Valley timber industry is still uncertain how many jobs could be lost due to the suspension of logging in the proposed Great Koala National Park as the NSW Government assesses the impact on the endangered marsupials and timber industry jobs ... “They still haven’t actually said what the areas are that they are going to not harvest in and where the actual koala hubs are, so it’s really hard to work out what the ramifications are going to be”: Donna Layton, Marshall Notaras Hardwoods GM and VP of Timber NSW.

One of the oldest and most iconic watering holes in the Lower Clarence, Maclean’s majestic Argyle Hotel has been listed for sale following extensive renovations. Listed with Gold Coast based Republik Property Partners, the Argyle Hotel encapsulates history, charm and investment potential, with expressions of interest being taken for the freehold site at 205 River Street, Maclean.

The proposed redevelopment of the historic Grafton Brewery is in doubt after council posed over 100 conditions on the business including restrictive operating hours ... But Mr Firth said the development may never be realised due to the onerous and duplicitous requirements that make the development potentially unworkable.

Future Wallabies stars were on show at Yamba over the weekend as the Ngayundi Sports Complex hosted hundreds of children from across the state for the under 12 and 13, 2023 NSW Country Rugby Union Championships ... The Far North Coast under 13 side, coached by the Lower Clarence’s Dane Mitchell, impressed in every one of its four games, scoring more than 100 points while keeping their opposition score to zero.

Clarence Valley residents will benefit from an increased level of health and aged care in the Northern Rivers with the news a new private hospital will be built in the region. The Catholic Diocese of Lismore has announced a new private hospital will be built at Lismore and the existing St Vincents private hospital will be transformed into an aged care facility.

The globally unique extraordinary biodiversity of the Clarence Valley has been on show for 30 of the world’s top botanists who have sampled the region’s spectacular flora from the headwaters of the Clarence River to Yuraygir National Park. The botanists have descended on the region to attend the International Association for Vegetation Science 65th Annual Symposium...

The man credited with inventing the modern hang glider, John Dickenson, was honoured by Clarence Valley Council Mayor Ian Tiley at the August council meeting after he passed away aged 89. In the early 1960s Mr Dickenson and a group of water-skiing enthusiasts were working on a ‘kite’ as a stunt to promote the Grafton Water Ski Club’s Jacaranda Festival carnival.

A growing health crisis in the Clarence Valley which has locals waiting up to a month to see a doctor has seen the Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan call on the Albanese Government to “End the Rural Doctor Crisis now” … infrastructure and services in the Clarence Valley are insufficient to cope with the population growth, and the wait to get an appointment to see a doctor is increasing.

The revival of the Nymboida River, which was devastated by fires then floods over the past three years is well underway and the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod are already benefitting from work by the Clarence chapter of Oz Fish … 5km of exotic weeds being removed from the riparian zone and 1000 local native plants established in their place. 

The accolades keep on coming for Maclean High School’s champion Cattle Show Team who took home a swag of awards at the 2023 Ekka at Brisbane Showgrounds this month … “We had 17 students and 15 cattle we took to the Ekka”: Maclean High School Cattle Show Team head teacher Chris Kirkland.