Puppies in purple for Jacaranda Festival
This year, for the first time, Assistance Dogs Australia pups will be featuring in the Grafton Jacaranda Festival Parade on Saturday 1 November, resplendent in purple crowns and accompanied by the ADA team, their community carers and Serco staff.
Answers wanted on Jane’s death
A Riverland man is searching for answers after his wife died on the Renmark airport tarmac, while waiting hours for a critical air ambulance last month. After suffering a heart attack on the evening of September 20, on the family's Renmark fruit block, 76-year-old Jane Logos was taken to the Berri-based Riverland General Hospital and waited until nearly 4am for an attempt to transfer her to Flinders Medical Centre (FMC), before tragically passing on the tarmac.
Kyneton the Rational(E) choice for skincare powerhouse: Symes
The Allan Labor Government is supporting an Australian luxury skincare brand working to in-house 100 per cent of its manufacturing by the end of the year, after relocating to Kyneton ... RATIONALE, a Victorian-owned skincare product manufacturer, invested $7.8 million to relocate its headquarters from Melbourne to Kyneton in 2022...
Radiotherapy group tours new cancer care centre
A new Cancer Care Centre under construction at Mount Gambier Hospital has been inspected by the region’s radiotherapy working group ... Although still many weeks from completion, and it lacked radiotherapy, Naracoorte's Lachlan Haynes was pleased that improved cancer care would soon be available for South Easterners.
Algae doesn’t swim between the flags: Tarzia, Basham
Businesses and families financially impacted by the harmful algal bloom have been left wanting by the State Government’s most recent announcement on how it plans to keep our beaches open during summer ... “While our lifesavers do an outstanding job keeping our beaches safe, algae doesn’t swim between the flags,” Mr Tarzia said.
Grow Local, Eat Local serves up a winner!
On Saturday, the health promotion team at West Wimmera Health Service hosted the fourth Grow Local, Eat Local cooking competition. Three home cooks from across the Wimmera—Warracknabeal, Horsham and Natimuk—each prepared a plant-based dish for the crowd, with television cook Tim Bone judging the entries and choosing the winner.
$250,000 health plan endorsed
The South East is set for its most ambitious health overhaul in a generation, with the Limestone Coast Local Health Network endorsing a 10-year, $250 million clinical services plan designed to transform care across the region. The 65-page Draft Clinical Services Plan 2025 2035 charts a course for hospitals and community health across eight locations ...
LifeFlight airlifts boy after ATV crash
The Roma-based LifeFlight Surat Gas Aeromedical Service (SGAS) aeromedical crew yesterday airlifted a boy after an ATV crash in the Western Downs region. The LifeFlight helicopter was tasked by Retrieval Services Queensland at 3.40pm to a private property and landed near the scene.
Turning a cup of tea into a life changing conversation: BCNA
Every day in Australia, 58 people are diagnosed with breast cancer ... conversations about breast cancer are often avoided, leaving many women to face their fears in silence. A new national campaign from tea brand Tetley in support of Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) aims to change that, by transforming something as simple as a chat over a cup of tea into what could be a life changing conversation.
Haydays’ plight goes to Federal Health Minister
"I will be writing personally to the Federal Health Minister." That was the promise made by Member for Farrer and leader of the Liberal Party, Sussan Ley when she visited Haydays last week. Ms Ley toured the aged care facility with chair Lisa Bowen and staff members Martyn Quinn and Julie Weymouth, to see for herself the upgrades needed for Haydays to retain its accreditation.
Dialysis in draft: State plan flags mid-term service priority for Naracoorte
The long-awaited prospect of renal dialysis services at Naracoorte Hospital has been formally recognised in the state government’s Draft Clinical Services Plan for the Limestone Coast ... Mr McBride emphasised that renal dialysis for Naracoorte had been a long-standing request from constituents who faced the burden of travelling to Mount Gambier or Adelaide for treatment.
Local MP slams health report’s ‘weasel words”
Michelle Daw. After months of anticipation, the long-awaited Yorke Peninsula health services inquiry report has been released. Its 16 recommendations include upgrading services at Wallaroo Hospital and developing emergency departments at Yorketown and Maitland Hospitals ... Narungga MP Fraser Ellis said he was disappointed by the "underwhelming" language used in the report.
A new medical specialty – Rural Generalists formally recognised: RACGP
Rural Generalists (RG) will now be formally recognised as a specialist medical field within general practice in the Australian healthcare system following an announcement by the Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler MP ... “This is a positive step forward in making the rural generalism career pathway more visible and ensuring that RGs are always appropriately remunerated for the vital work they do in rural and remote communities across Australia,” RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said.
Paramedic Peter clocks off
Grafton based intensive care paramedic Peter Maxwell clocked off from his last shift on Sunday after a rewarding 44-year long career with NSW Ambulance which also saw him meet his wife. But Mr Maxwell said he never had a burning ambition to join NSW Ambulance, his career came about by circumstance.
Live4life Macedon Ranges passes important milestone — over 10,000 young people and adults in the community have now been trained in evidence-based mental health...
Innovative youth mental health and suicide prevention program, Live4Life, was first conceived and developed in the Macedon Ranges in 2010 — a groundbreaking response to a reported increase in anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide amongst young people in the rural communities of the shire.
Hello blossom
The scent of blooms and blossoms — coupled with longer, warmer, sunnier days — signals the start of spring and for many, a change in mood ... And while Health Direct, an Australian government-funded source of health advice, reckons that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is rare in this country, there might also be a sense that wintry depression is starting to drift away.
Health pact reduces barriers
Albury Wodonga Health (AWH) is partnering with Gateway Health to deliver and expand Community Paramedic at Clinic (CP@clinic), an innovative program already improving health outcomes for people in regional and rural communities. Aimed at reducing health barriers for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, CP@clinic offers free drop-in community clinics…
Riverlanders make an impact
Madison Eastmond. Two Riverlanders have presented a first-of-its-kind survey to SA Parliament, with research findings revealing the challenges that many face while living with Tourette's. Contingent member, and Riverland Youth Theatre artistic director Sam Wannan, and RYT youth intern Rowen Hurrell, joined the Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia to share the Tourette's Impact Report ...
Athlete movement signals key to avoid injury setback: QUT
QUT researchers have created a powerful new tool that could predict when an athlete is at risk of suffering another injury when returning to play from a previous injury. It uses data from wearable sensors capturing how the athlete moves in training or gameplay … The system was developed by Associate Professor Paul Wu, Distinguished Professor Kerrie Mengersen (pictured above) and Yu Yi Yu from the QUT…
Unbridled joy as Ms Imogen Porter celebrates national recognition
From draught horses to thoroughbreds, donkeys, and miniature ponies, there are very few breeds which Clarence Valley equine veterinary nurse Imogen Porter has not attended to. And while she initially cared for cats and dogs, comparatively smaller patients, during the early stages of her profession, her love of horses and passion for working outdoors lead her to pursue a career within the equine industry.
Council recognises Covid concerns
The Covid concerns raised by people at recent community meetings discussing the impact of vaccinations have been recognised by Council now they have to advocate for answers.
Rural Australians miss out on $8.35 billion in healthcare every year – and it’s getting worse: NRHA
Rural Australians are missing out on $1,090.47 in healthcare funding per person every year, compared to city residents – a funding gap the National Rural Health Alliance warns is costing lives. "The Forgotten Health Spend: A Report on the Expenditure Deficit in Rural Australia" tells a story of how we starve our rural Australians of healthcare access," said Susi Tegen, NRHA Chief Executive.

