Tourism

Showcasing the best of the Barkly’s creative talents and providing memorable and exciting experiences for all ages, the Barkly Regional Arts (BRA) 33rd Desert Harmony Festival is set to be as fun and engaging as ever ... BRA will light up for an evening of poetry, music, circus and dance featuring acts by Kasey Chambers, Olive Knight and many more artists.

A bold move by jockey Quayde Krogh paid dividends when Kiptanui stunned favourite Ready To Humble in Sunday’s $40,000 Narrandera Cup over a mile. Trained by Mathew Dale, Kiptanui ($12) started from barrier 10 and was forced to sweep around the field early to take up the running, after Nick Olive’s Ready to Humble ($1.75) had bounded out of the gates and struck the early lead.

Chris Oldfield. A desire by parents to get children out of the house, away from screens and in touch with nature is turning the Naracoorte district into a school holiday destination ... “The idea of being able to get out, get the children out of the house and do all the things that we have in the local area that has a nature base, feet on the ground experience, is exceedingly popular.”: Naracoorte Holiday Park Edwards Group regional manager Alison Baker

The DAFF statement regarding the interception of items containing fragments of Foot and Mouth Disease brings home the urgent need to ramp up the resourcing of Australia's biosecurity systems and implement 100% screening of passengers returning from high-risk areas ... Fiona Simson responded to a question from ARR.News about border closures.

After a two year wait the Laura Geitz Statuette was finally unveiled on Saturday with the help of Tracy Dobie who was Mayor in 2020. A gust of wind arrived just as the unveiling was about to happen, hence the fun photo. The super coach and local Allora hero Wayne Bennett sat by in his comfortable arm chair.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has written to Victorian Minister Lily D ‘Ambrosio, Minister for Environment and Climate Action calling for an immediate suspension of the rules that allow camping on riverside farmland due to the biosecurity risks posed by both Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). VFF President Emma Germano said both LSD and FMD pose a very real risk to the agriculture industry and the Victorian Government must take swift action to prevent disaster.

Five new state junior surfing champions have been crowned in Geraldton over the weekend, as the final event of the 2022 Woolworths State Junior Surfing Titles presented by SunSmart, wrapped up yesterday in clean and contestable wavs at Back Beach.

The town came alive during this year's Maldon in Winter Festival. Over the course of 17 days, locals and tourists delighted in art, music, poetry, plays and performances ... EDGE Galleries opening of 'Shroud' by sculptor, photographer, filmmaker and installation artist, Gary Deirmendjian was well-attended. Visitors were treated to a thought-provoking performance by gallery owner Simon Dow as part of the exhibition.

Patricia Gill. The Denmark Environment Centre is lobbying to block the building of a network of nine mountain bike trails in 68ha of Mt Hallowell’s lower south eastern slopes ... Speaking on behalf of DEC, Murdoch University sustainability lecturer Nicole Hodgson says the high physical impact of building mountain bike trails is not compatible with sustaining the conservation and cultural values of a precious Class A Reserve.

Kendall Jennings. Barham-built PS Emmylou has been awarded the Tripadvisor ‘2022 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award’ ... “Our PS Emmylou overnight cruises have been very popular with domestic visitors over the past 12 months, with many visitors having never considered an Australian river cruise before": Director of Murray River Paddlesteamers, Craig Burgess.

A trail of Stories in Light in Regional South Australia Port Pirie City Park Projection will illuminate with a special feature each night throughout August, as one of the five featured Stories in Light sites on the CONSTELLATION Trail around regional South Australia. The connected trail uses larger than life moving images to explore future themes of science in collaboration with talented artists, animators and innovators across all five regions simultaneously.

You can be a part of this history making event at the Allora Sports Museum from 11.30am. Laura Geitz and Wayne Bennett will officially open the park that has been dedicated to them.

Samuel Davis. A grandmother's tale has linked past-to-present and revived a traditional weaving practice lost decades ago in western Cape York ... Inspired by their find, Luanna and Daphne are now sharing the practice with other artists in the region as well. The duo’s weavings have culminated with works Woven in Time and They Journey being exhibited at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair last week.

A team of researchers have come across a female cassowary in a remote section of northern Cape York, making it only the second confirmed sighting of its species in the area in four years. The encounter happened on the first day of a six-day survey that was being conducted by Ipima Ikaya Country Traditional Owners and consultant Wren McLean, facilitated by Cape York NRM.

"The return of direct international passenger flights is a very exciting milestone for Tasmania in a much needed boost for our tourism operators recovering from the impacts of Covid 19": Michael Ferguson.

The Tennant Turf Club will receive $1 million over the next 10 years as part of the NT Government’s new funding agreement with Thoroughbred Racing NT (TRNT) ... Tennant Turf Club President Mike Nash welcomed the announcement with open arms.

Nancy Whittaker. As the Maldon in Winter 2022 Festival becomes ever colder, another intriguing exhibition will open at the EDGE Galleries on Saturday, 9 July, from 5pm -7pm. The exhibition entitled Shroud is more than fascinating in itself. However, the opening will be further enhanced by performance artist and EDGE Galleries Director Simon Dow presenting a provocation, which is called ‘the conditioning’.

Biosecurity officers are boarding planes on arrival and playing a new biosecurity message on all inbound flights from Indonesia, reinforcing Australia’s strict biosecurity measures and providing FMD-specific advice to travellers. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said the Albanese Government is very serious about keeping this devastating disease out of Australia.

Come down to the Maldon Progress Hall this Saturday, 9 July, to enjoy and explore the first expo by Migrant Women in Business, with handmade food and products made by migrant and refugee women ... Migrant Women in Business (MWiB) is a Maldon business that supports a nationwide network of connection and collaboration amongst 80 plus women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

NSW Farmers President James Jackson has slammed government officials for being wishy-washy on biosecurity controls such as foot baths ... “The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry says they can’t have antiseptic foot baths at airports because a child might fall in them,” Mr Jackson said.

In November 2019 Worksafe conducted an audit of Carmans Tunnel which ultimately resulted in the closure of the mine that had been once been a tourist destination ... Recently a small group of Maldon residents, interested in rehabilitating the tunnel, met with DELWP Program Manager Land and Built Environment Gavin Parkes and Program Officer Damian Sharrock, who confirmed that DELWP had commissioned the independent report.