Tourism

From 23 September the community in Byron Shire is the first in NSW to have a legally enforceable means to regulate holiday letting beyond the State caps. After a decade of campaigning Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) in Byron Shire is capped at 60 days for un-hosted holiday lets in most of the Shire.

Surfing became the obsession of a legion of bored and restless teenagers in 1960s Australia, kids looking for adventure and freedom from the stultifying norms and expectations of their straight 1950s upbringing ... The arrival of the exciting new phenomenon and its far-reaching impact are recorded in a thrilling documentary film showing at the Byron Bay Film Festival in October.

Maldon Museum and Historic Archives is hosting a Victorian Goldfields World Heritage bid (VGWHB) information display as part of the World Heritage Bid Roadshow ... You may be aware of the bid for the Victorian Goldfields to become World Heritage listed.

AFL officials were pleased to see a large increase in the crowd for this year’s Riverina League grand final at the Narrandera Sportsground on Sunday. What was described as the biggest Riverina League grand final crowd post COVID turned out to watch Collingullie-Wagga upset the previously undefeated Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong.

The earlier than usual start to the series of Upper Murray Farmers Markets was well received with many locals and visitors getting out and about on Saturday morning. There was plenty of variety on offer with 17 stalls operating and the live entertainment provided by talented musician Riff added to the carnival atmosphere.

Increased attendance and exhibitor numbers, along with ideal weather, all combined for a successful 2024 Riverland Field Days last weekend. With more than 12,000 people attending across the two days and 256 exhibitors filling the event’s grounds, Riverland Field Days executive manager Emma Gwiazda said that weekend revealed "fantastic results overall".

Wallaroo welcomed sand drags for the first time on the weekend after Copper Coast Motorsports sand drags track opening earlier this month ... attracted more than 1500 spectators and 70 entrants over the two days, with event organisers saying the meeting was a major economic boost for Yorke Peninsula.

Andrew Bayles’s early aerial photograph speaks for itself. Every available parking space had been taken up well before football’s senior grand final ... On Saturday, Donald delivered a “double whammy” with a record-breaking grand final day alongside the Borung Highway, as well as a widely broadcast race meeting on the Donald racecourse, little more than a stone’s throw away from the football, netball and hockey.

It’s Doug Partington’s pride and joy but he’s willing to share. The Allora Sports Museum offered Doug the opportunity to display his Wikner Ford Special, the oldest Australian racing car, at the Museum.

The 75th anniversary staging of the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers kicks off tomorrow, 13 September and will continue for a few action-packed weeks until 7 October. This four-week celebration showcases Spring gardens in full bloom, exciting foodie experiences that’ll make your palate blossom, kids’ entertainment that will plant smiles all around and music that will have your spirits flowering with joy.

Menang elder Aunty Vernice Gillies and Menang man Larry Blight will lead guided walking tours along the Kwoorabup riverbanks at the Kwoorabup River Festival [on Saturday 21 September] ... This cultural and environmental experience aims to help everyone better appreciate the Kwoorabup River and the Wilson/Nullaki inlet as they paddle, row and swim through the events of the day.

The outstanding success of the 2024 Man From Snowy Bush Festival has been a testament to the dedication of board members and volunteers over a challenging period, chairman Cameron Jackson highlighted at the recent annual general meeting. "The past two years once again were not without their challenges and of course change can often be the hardest thing to manage," he said.

A report into the economic benefit of Bluesfest to the Northern Rivers region and the state has revealed the music festival, which is in jeopardy of not continuing beyond 2025, contributed $148 million to the region and $235 million to the NSW economy this year. Lawrence Consulting were contracted to prepare a report into the economic impact of Bluesfest which reveals significant economic contributions at a crucial time as the festival prepares for it’s final 2025 event…

Phillip Island is revving up for an action-packed month of October, packed with marquee events across Bass Coast, including the  Rip Curl GromSearch Phillip Island, the  Tour of Gippsland, the  Australian SUP Titles, and the headlining MotoGPâ„¢ ... The  MotoGPâ„¢ Qatar Airways Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix 2024  will once again bring tens of thousands of fans to the island for three exhilarating days of racing, live music, and family-friendly entertainment.

Lismore City Council is excited to announce that hundreds of cycling enthusiasts will converge on Lismore next month for the first-ever Lismore Cycling Festival. The bumper two-day event, held in partnership with the Byron Bay Cycle Club ... promises a mix of competitive racing, participation rides and ‘Come-and-try’ sessions for children and adults.

Joanna Tucker. After years of hard work, the Moonta Mines Cornish mining sites have been added to Australia’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, along with mine sites at Burra. This listing was announced on September 6 and is a significant step towards achieving World Heritage protection for the two historic areas.

Many of Australia’s oldest, running cars and motorbikes will visit South Australia in September, when the town of Naracoorte plays host to the sixth, annual Pre-1905 Pioneer’s Run ... "From Friday 13th to Sunday 15th September, 30 cars and motorcycles from all over Australia, the oldest an 1899 Peugeot, will be defying the years and visiting the Naracoorte Caves, Penola and Frances," says Rally Organiser, Julian McNeil from the Veteran Car Club of SA.

Exploring the Southern Downs through the free official Southern Downs & Granite Belt Visitor App is easier than ever with new upgrades that make it a breeze to experience everything there is to see, do and discover in our region. The new version of the app #SeeSouthernDowns can be used 100 per cent offline, putting essential information about the region’s towns...

They’re not old time-travellers, they’re old-timers, travelling! The largest vintage car tour in Victoria, and possibly Australia, travelled through Muckleford and Maldon last week as part of the 2024 Golden Oldies Tour. It was a marvellous sight to see all these Roaring Twenties transporters...

A history of Camellia Shows, Camellia Festivals and the Narrandera District Garden Club (last updated 1996) has been provided to the Narrandera Argus. Narrandera’s reputation for the production of top quality camellia blooms has been growing over a period of 23 years ... It began in 1973 when the ladies of the St John’s P.W.A. changed from their traditional Annual Fete to an afternoon of "Flowers and Fashion"...

Sebastian Calderon. Houseboats traveling along a section of the Murray River are facing challenges, due to low water levels, forcing operators to limit mobility through the Riverland. Changes in the river’s water flow following environmental conditions have recently seen a group of boats unable to travel between towns like Renmark and Berri.