Murrumbidgee Council leads new chapter at Darlington Point Riverside Caravan Park
Murrumbidgee Council has taken over the reins of one of the area's most-loved holiday spots - the Darlington Point Riverside Caravan Park, a popular destination nestled on the picturesque banks of the Murrumbidgee River.
Wind farm to boost output
Patricia Gill. Denmark Community Windfarm has plans to double the size of the facility with approval received for four turbines on Wilson Head. The current turbines would be replaced by more powerful ones and two more turbines would be erected on the Wilson Head site.
Fast, fierce competition in dragon boats regatta
Mo Cowdell. The Mandurah Vikings claimed first and second place at the Wings on the Water Dragonboat Regatta ... The race was fiercely competitive, with only 15-seconds between the first and last teams.
Hospital beds are needed now
Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley has called on the Victorian Health Minister to fully fund the short stay hospital beds at Albury Base during a constituency question in the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday. "The Labor government announced funding for the beds in last week’s state budget but what they didn’t say was that they will only fund nine of the sixteen beds," Mr Tilley alleged.
Park pioneer returns for launch
A former Cudgewa man responsible for the early development of the Bluff Falls tourist area had the honour of re-opening the facility on Sunday after restoration work following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires. Bill Carkeek (90) travelled from Numurkah for the event and spoke of his memories of those early works.
Rural patients are treated unfairly
Inequitable treatment of rural patients in Victorian hospitals was a hot topic at the recent Victorian Rural Health Conference (VRHC) in Wodonga. Doctors from across Victoria put the pivotal issue of conversion of rural Emergency Departments (EDs) to Urgent Care Facilities front and centre at the conference.
Rocket man
Born in Cohuna and with family dotted throughout the district, Freddy McLoughlan is now a student at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and the newest member of the RMIT High Velocity Rocketry club that will be making their way to Texas, in the United States, to compete on an international level with teams from all over the globe.
VNI West loses social license
Despite our vast natural resources, Australia now has some of the highest electricity prices in the world and the road to “renewables” seems bumpier than ever. The Gannawarra Shire Council meeting last week, saw a motion to oppose the VNI West electricity transmission project planned to pass through the municipality, approved. (April fools image)
Regional Australia still waiting on bank reforms outlined in senate report
One of the most important Federal Government inquiries into welfare issues specific to regional Australia in decades handed down its final report a year ago this week ... the recommendations are still languishing in a no-man’s-land of neither being accepted or rejected.
Birdsong Yamba celebrates outstanding success with over 5,000 attendees
The streets of Yamba came alive on Saturday 24 May with the vibrant celebration of Birdsong Yamba, a free family-friendly street festival that drew an estimated crowd of over 5,000 people throughout the day.
Risks in record China wine exports?
Hugh Schuitemaker. The Riverland's State MP says returning to an "over-reliance" on exports to China is creating further risks for the local wine industry. Recent ABS trade data revealed South Australia exported $855 million of wine to China in the year to March 2025 – a 200-fold increase on the previous year.
Leap forward for Nhill Renewable Energy Facility
Construction of a new solar farm and battery at Nhill is now complete and has successfully connected to the electricity grid – supplying cheap renewable energy to power operations at Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water (GWMWater).
The grit factor: Why regional leaders must role model determination and resilience
In regional Australia, it's not titles or talent that inspire — it's the quiet grit of leaders who show up and carry their communities forward.
Community given a voice on proposed wind farm: Bleijie
Following a thorough assessment led by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, the proposed Moonlight Range Wind Farm 40 kilometres north west of Rockhampton, will not proceed. The project included plans for up to 88 wind turbines, a battery energy storage system, and related infrastructure covering 1,269 hectares in total, including 434 hectares of vegetation that would need to be cleared.
Support available at Euroa Cattle Sale: Cleeland
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, will be at the Euroa Cattle Sale next Wednesday alongside mental health professionals to offer free and confidential support to any farmers doing it tough. Ms Cleeland said anybody is welcome to attend, regardless of whether they are participating in the sale or not – even if they just wanted to stop by for a cup of tea and a chat with friendly faces.
Cargill Cares: Birchip Leisure Centre benefits
The Birchip Community Leisure Centre (BCLC) is celebrating a significant boost thanks to the generous support of Cargill Cares, which has donated $25,000 to help fund the installation of a new and much-needed coolroom. The coolroom will be a game-changer for the centre, improving food storage and service capacity for the many community events...
European market recognises Queensland is open for business: Janetzki
Queensland's central financing authority, Queensland Treasury Corporation has issued a new EUR 1.25 billion (~AUD 2.15 billion) benchmark bond, receiving significant demand with orders more than seven times the issuance amount ... Treasurer David Janetzki said with global uncertainty at an all-time high, the Crisafulli Government had re-established Queensland as a low-risk investment option.
Homes on hold
Joanna Tucker. At least 1000 proposed homes across Yorke Peninsula are being delayed due to a lack of infrastructure within the SA Water network, according to Copper Coast Council. Chief executive Dylan Strong said the issue is not unique to the Copper Coast, but delays in SA Water’s trunk upgrades are affecting local developments.
A decade of dogged determination: Nominations open for the 2025 Cobber Challenge
Cobber is calling on Australia’s toughest, stock-chasing, hard-running working dogs to battle it out for the title of the hardest working dog, with nominations now open for the 2025 Cobber Challenge, back for its milestone tenth edition.
Fishing club gobsmacked by sudden closure of Bells Bay campground by WaterNSW
WaterNSW is closing Bell’s Bay campground and cottages at Toonumbar Dam in late June ... Kyogle Fishing Club has been using the campground for more than 50 years.
Police look behind violent crimes
Local police intelligence personnel track known regional grievances, according to a spokesman, replying to questions from the Alice Springs News whether initiatives are in place to prevent criminal payback after alleged events such as last Thursday’s in Gregory Terrace ... “As part of preparedness and prevention, Alice Springs police [act] to ensure possible flare ups are managed, for example [by considering] court appearances or community source information."
Public meeting on Pottinger Wind Farm scheduled for Hay and Deniliquin
The community will be able to have its say at a public meeting on the Pottinger Wind Farm, a State significant development application (SSD-59235464) by Someva Renewables and AGL Energy to develop a 1,300 megawatt (MW) wind farm comprising 247 wind turbines, a 500 MW battery energy storage system and associated infrastructure.
