History & heritage

It was certainly not an average Mother's Day in Maldon, with fluttering gold hearts, music on and off the train, a brass band and even a bespoke song. That's because it was the Maldon Notable Day Out on Sunday 10 May, held in honour of the National Trust's 1966 declaration of Maldon as Australia's first Notable Town.

Students in grade 6 at Greenmount State School will be interviewing past students, and writing their biographies as part of the school's 125th Anniversary celebrations this year and members of one family, the Stenzels, have been attending Greenmount State School since the 1940s.

More than 500,000 Australian children were placed into institutional or out-of-home care during the last century, with many experiencing neglect, abuse and a loss of identity that continues to shape their lives today. Often referred to as Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers, this cohort includes Stolen Generations, former child migrants, and former Wards of the State, including more than 400,000 non-Indigenous children.

A Grafton man thought to be the last surviving link to an undercover British nuclear operation has passed away. Samuel Darke was a teenager when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and was subsequently given orders to participate in a top-secret mission known as Operation Totem where a pair of British atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted in the South Australian outback in October 1953.

The sudden structural emergency that necessitated the closure of Maldon Museum has left the tenant organisation concerned about the building’s contents. The Maldon Museum and Archives Association says it was not given any notice that the building would be closed ... calling for a meeting with Council to discuss protecting the museum collection.

On May 24, 1876, fourteen men sat down together at the Royal Hotel in Hay and formed a football club. The Riverine Grazier reported it the following week with quiet confidence; the new club had been duly formed, it noted, with "hearty prospects of play this present season."

A vintage caravan packed with interactive exhibits, real historical objects and immersive storytelling is setting off from Murwillumbah ... bound for some of the most remote classrooms in NSW. Connected: Signal to the Stars, created by Tweed Regional Museum...

The community was out in force on Saturday to recognise the brave men and women who served and continue to serve Australia in defence of our freedom.

A respectful silence fell across the Grafton Showground on the weekend as the Grafton Show Society commemorated Anzac Day with a small ceremony in the main arena ... a moving tribute to the Northern Rivers Lancers 15th Light Horse Regiment and the unique bonds shared between soldiers and their horses...

Brian Fitzgerald. This year was the 20th anniversary of the ANZAC Day Service at the Nuggetty Peace Cairn in Nuggetty School Road ... The Peace Cairn was erected on the site of the old Nuggetty School by the Moss family to celebrate the end of World War I and their son’s safe return from the Western Front.

The remarkable growth in numbers attending the Westbrook ANZAC Dawn Service continued to grow in 2026.

Thousands of residents and visitors flocked to dawn and morning services all over the region on Anzac Day, April 25 ... "Anzac Day reminds us that individuals sticking together, bound by mateship and a common cause, can move mountains."

The lives of twenty-five World War I soldiers were honoured at Mount Wycheproof on ANZAC Day with the re-dedication of its "forgotten" Avenue of Honour. As a result, Wycheproof's Anzac Day services were very well attended, from the dawn service through to the special event on the side of the mount...

After many years of dedicated community support and tireless advocacy by local volunteers, the Australian Army Cadets has officially established a permanent presence in Corryong ... "In a remarkable show of community confidence, the newly formed detachment was entrusted with a significant ceremonial responsibility - emceeing for the official opening of the new memorial on the Corryong Avenue of Honour on Anzac Day," said Captain ACC, Dale Manley.

On a wet and cold day - 29th August 1918 - a large gathering of members of the community attended the official opening of the Corryong and District Avenue of Honour ... On Anzac Day 2026, community members again gathered at the Avenue of Honour to officially open a new memorial.

Lest we forget. Uniting Church pastor Brenton Smith and RSL Moonta sub-branch president Don Skarstrom finalise the order of service as first light breaks on ANZAC Day, ahead of the Moonta dawn service.

Madison Eastmond. Renmark volunteers of the Olivewood Historic Homestead and Museum are preparing to file a formal complaint to the Australian Charities Not-for-profit Commission in the hopes of holding the National Trust of SA (NTSA) "accountable" for what they claim is financial mismanagement.

As dawn broke across Lachlan Street, the evocative notes of bagpipes rang out, marking the start of ANZAC Day commemorations in Hay ... "ANZAC Day is a day of commemoration and deep reflection, when the true human cost of preserving our freedoms and way of life are brought into sharp focus": Major Ben Jarratt.

A large crowd gathered at Nhill's dawn service on Saturday morning, with people of all ages paying tribute to those who served in the nation's defence forces. Nhill RSL president John Dunbar said it was the largest crowd he had seen at the dawn service.

The Matthew Flinders and Louis de Freycinet statues are undergoing restoration, helping preserve these well-known local landmarks for the Whyalla community to enjoy for many years to come. The work is being carried out by local business Signarama...

Queensland Dinosaur Week 2026 (4-10 May) will shine a spotlight on Hughenden and the Flinders Shire, celebrating the region’s extraordinary dinosaur heritage and its proud place in Australia’s palaeontological history. As the home of Queensland’s fossil emblem, the Muttaburrasaurus, Hughenden holds a special connection to one of Australia’s most iconic dinosaurs.

A great ANZAC show today! We caught up with Tracy Jones from the Dowerin Footy Club for a full debrief after Buddy Franklin pulled on the boots for the Tigers! Plus your rural news (fuel and fertiliser update) with Fiona L Fox from ARR.News...