Our local writers who’ll feature at festival
Only a few weeks until the Kyogle Writers Festival kicks off ... Authors attending include Melissa Lucashenko, Stuart Rees, Daniel Browning, Ellen van Neerven, Nardi Simpson, Scott Bevan, Laura Elvery, Jessie Cole, Lisa Walker, Kristina Olsson and many more ... Local authors at the festival: Jarrah Dundler, Paul Shields, Linda Woodrow, Odette Nettleton, Gwendolyn Gray, Hayley Katzen, Andrew Johnston and Thor Phillips.
Gallantry medal honours soldier too young for brutal death
A Casino man lied about his age to enlist in the army in World War II. He was 17 but said he was 21. Private Raymond Leslie Geraghty was captured by the Imperial Japanese military and held in Singapore’s Changi Prison on February 15, 1942. With five other men, he stole a boat and attempted to escape.
Horseman is a show regular
Ken Vary knows a lot about Tabulam and about horses ... Ken is a regular at the Bonalbo Show where he sat watching the horse competitions. In his younger years, Ken mustered and went to rodeos. At 77, he may ride less but he can spot a quality horse with no trouble at all. In 1976 he won Campdraft Horse of the Year at the North Coast National with his horse Gift.
Your calls will decide location of modern ambulance station
For 90 years paramedics have operated from the pale brick building on Centre St in Casino. Richmond Valley mayor Robert Mustow said he’d been to the station “a few times as a young boy to get stitched up.” All that is about to change after an announcement on Friday about a modern ambulance station to replace it ... Paramedic Hayley Hemmings said they had outgrown the station: “The new station will have a lot more infrastructure, new equipment and training spaces”.
Primed for the biggest ag show in the region
Norco Primex director Bruce Wright is ready for the event to roll next month. With all necessary covid measures in place, he is confident this will be the best Primex yet ... Norco Primex calls itself “Australia’s sustainable farm and primary industries exhibition” and says it offers a complete paddock to plate experience where farmers & foodies meet.
Market by the sea
Every Friday afternoon stalls selling honey, fruit, vegetables and cinnamon doughnuts are set up close to the beach in the surf club car park. This is Evans Head and the market here is like no other.
NRLX sells $10m in a record week
In an inspiring turnaround since the devastating drought and bushfires, the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange has celebrated its biggest ever week with a combined revenue from three days of sales exceeding $10 million ... NRLX operations manager Brad Willis said the sale results proved the strength of the region’s market. “Many buyers commented it was the strongest sale they had ever seen, including several who came from as far afield as the Victorian border,” Mr Willis said. “Demand for high quality cattle remains exceptionally strong, and it’s fair to say the selection of cattle on sale last week was some of the best quality stock in the country." Mr Willis said people had said the Casino market was so strong and the prices were unbelievable. “Many of the local producers who sell their stock through the NRLX were hand feeding their herds at the peak of the drought in mid-2019. Then many were hit by the fires,” he said.
Laments at loss of stores
Target Country store in Casino has closed. John Hamilton photographed workers taking down the sign at the Coles Plaza last Wednesday. Next month Price Busters will move into the shop vacated by Target. Not everyone is happy about the lack of a clothing store in Casino, especially one that sells affordable children’s clothing.
