Tourism

When the 27th Historic Leyburn Sprints hits the streets this weekend, it will be thanks to the efforts of local residents to keep their historic little town on the map. On that map, the town comprises around 350 residents, one post office, two churches, a school, pub, police station, general store and a handful of houses. Except during the Sprints this weekend - August 19 and 20 - when up to 15,000 historic and classic motorsport fans ...

The REA Wagga Wagga Horse Trials held their biggest event to date in Narrandera last weekend. The competition boasted 268 starters on the day from all over Australia including Albany (WA), Mornington Peninsula (Vic), the Central Coast, Sydney and locals from throughout the region.

Port Pirie Regional Council is thrilled to announce a captivating commemorative project that will breathe life into the military history of the region. South Australian artist Sam Brooks, renowned for his extensive portfolio of public art, has partnered with his assistant Mark Harding to create a stunning mural on the side of the last remaining WW2 Belmont Hangar at Port Pirie Aerodrome.

A new lease of life has been injected into an historic local town with visitors raving about the beautification of Ulmarra after a $3.4 million makeover by Clarence Valley Council. The Ulmarra CBD revitalisation includes new footpaths, drainage, road sealing replacement on Coldstream Street, new landscaping and trees planted, new street furniture, a new pedestrian crossing, and a raised intersection at Coldstream Street and River Street.

Teams from 21 countries and 59 pilots will compete in the FAI F3A World Champions at the Warwick Aerodrome. The best in the world, with some right here in Queensland, will show their skills in this precision aerobatic sport performing a set of manoeuvres in front of the judges and the spectators.

New Yorke Peninsula arts festival GROUNDED kicked off in emphatic style with an official opening and awards night at the Brentwood Community Hall on Friday, August 11. People packed into the hall to begin nine days of open exhibitions, workshops, performances and interactive activities across the peninsula.

Some Wanneroo councillors want the city to revoke a decision made earlier this month to approve a glamping tent proposal for the old Quinns Rocks caravan park site ... The six councillors said they wanted to revoke the earlier decision as it did not accord with the clear wishes of the community who did not support the development proposal of Eco Tourism or any other entity ...

Whyalla City Council has released a new book showcasing its historic art collection to the public in its entirety for the first time. ‘City of Whyalla Art Collection ... the history of Whyalla’s Art Collection starting from the 19th Century to the more recent pieces created in the 2020s.

Regional Arts Australia (RAA) and Culture Counts have released new research findings on cultural tourism … The RAA Cultural Tourism Accelerator Program 2021-2022 Research Project indicates that arts and cultural activity in regional and remote Australia creates significant economic impact and community connection.

The Goldfields Gothic Festival of Dark Ideas – in only its second incarnation - has already taken its place alongside the Easter Fair, the Folk Festival, Maldon in Winter and others as a not-to-be-missed event on the calendar. The weather is always a factor, and this year it began on a gloomy Friday, cleared on Saturday and ended in glorious sunshine on Sunday.

…of the 2023 Logie for the best lifestyle series is - Channel Nine’s Travel Guides! Which meant that Maldon locals Janetta Stones and Kevin Moloney not only strolled the red carpet at the recent Logie Awards ceremony in Sydney recently. They also joined their fellow travellers onstage to accept the award. Well done, seasoned travellers!

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has challenged the NSW Premier Chris Minns to show that he governs for the entire State and to do what is needed to improve Narrandera’s water supply. Ms Cooke said … he should do so in what he has already tagged as the "insta-worthy township of Narrandera".

After more than two and a half years since it was first applied for, Wyreema’s Bracknell Lodge can now become home to a horse equestrian arena after Toowoomba Regional Council gave its approval last week. Councillors had the final say at a special meeting held last Wednesday and gave their unanimous support for the development application.

There were shocked and angry reactions from the public gallery when the City of Wanneroo approved a glamping tent proposal for the old Quinns Rocks caravan park site last Tuesday evening ... When the Mayor Linda Aitken called for councillors to record their vote the result was tied 7-7 so Mrs Aitken used her casting vote to get the controversial proposal over the line.

Casino Truck Show became the biggest truck show in the Southern Hemisphere on Saturday, August 5, when about 600 trucks rolled into town. The Tiny Lollback Rig of the Show went to Luke Wilson, Bulmer’s Transport. Luke’s T908 rig has travelled 1.9 million kilometres.

Optus has improved their coverage and increased network capacity in Brooms Head in Northern New South Wales, by switching on a new tower in the region to help residents, businesses, and tourists stay connected and give them a choice of network provider ... ARR.News asked a few further questions of Optus about the Brooms Head tower.

Nadia. Last term 17 students and six staff participated in a major excursion to Uluru and the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in the Far North of South Australia ... The group was lucky to experience some rarely seen events; waterfalls on Uluru and it shrouded in cloud and mist.

Purple Starfish Kaniva re-launched its website this week ... The new website features makers, volunteers and customers. It builds on the Visit Victoria campaign of supporting local artisans and makers with the ‘Meet the Maker’ stories of the creators behind the products.

The Mallee’s signature agricultural event, the Mallee Machinery Field Days, is set to return to Speed on Wednesday, August 2, and Thursday, August 3.   This year marks the 43rd annual event, which aims to showcase the latest technology and advances within the agricultural industry.

Thoughts are turning to the return of Spring in Wingecarribee with Tulip Time Tickets now on sale. Entry to the daytime event is free for residents who need only book tickets to see Tulips After Dark.

Viv Markham. Maldon Bakery owner Rebecca Barnett is pretty chuffed that her business has been selected as the National Bakery Industry of Australia’s bakery of the month for July. Her business has only been open for nine months, but under her guidance, it has been going from strength to strength.

Campaspe Shire Mayor Cr Rob Amos said the Council’s first Economic Development and Tourism Summit held on Friday, 21 July 2023 was an outstanding success. More than 150 business, industry and community leaders attended the summit which was a key plank of the council’s engagement process to develop a new five-year Economic Development and Tourism Strategy for the shire.