History & heritage

Australia's success on the international sporting arena has earned the country a reputation as one of the top equestrian nations in the world. The Equestrian Australia Hall of Fame was started in 2010 and honours EA's greatest achievers, but maybe it’s time the panel took a new look and added a number of greats who are missing from the list.

Rex Mansfield, a roving painter is in town working on some much needed repainting of the town’s old business fronts and iconic installations. He has started in Ray Hunter Park where he is putting the finishing touches to the “Barkindji Fish”, the original creation of the late Karen Riley. The Barrow & Co steam engine has been finished.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s tour of Australia in 1954 was long anticipated. They had been due to visit in 1952, but their plans were cut short by the death of King George VI. Following Elizabeth’s coronation, they finally arrived in Sydney aboard the liner Gothic on Wednesday, 3 February 1954. The couple would tour every State, visiting each capital city and many regional towns.

Ali Bohn. The world was informed of the news last Thursday that Her Majesty the Queen had passed away at the impressive age of 96; not a bad innings for anyone, least of all for someone who is often considered as having the most important position in the world ... So, what are your thoughts on the Queen’s passing and our new king?

Emma Pritchard. Members of the Clarence River Historical Society were saddened to hear of the passing of Britain’s longest serving monarch, Queen Elizabeth II last week. President Steve Tranter said Her Majesty was a friend of Australia who was widely loved, respected and admired by many people.

Australia woke to the news that Queen Elizabeth had died in the early hours of the morning. Memories and tributes to the Queen filled posts on social media ... On February 10, 1954, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visited Lismore before flying out to the Evans Head aerodrome in the afternoon.

Matt Nicholls, Sarah Martin, Samuel Davis. Just 450 people lived in Cooktown when Queen Elizabeth II sailed in on April 22, 1970. It was actually quicker for Her Majesty to travel by sea than road back then, such was the state of the road. Accompanied by His Royal Highness, the late Prince Philip, and their daughter Princess Anne, there was a buzz in the air when the Brittania appeared in the Endeavour River.

Samuel Davis. The legacy of one of Cape York’s most controversial figures is being revisited following a major land handback to traditional owners. Premier Annastacia Palaszcuk returned more than 362,000 hectares to the Gudang/Yadhaykenu, Atambaya and Angkamuthi (Seven Rivers) peoples at Injinoo last week. As part of the agreement, Jardine River National Park has been renamed Apudthama National Park.

The bakery, established in 1854, is one of the oldest brick buildings in town, with a rare wood-fired scotch oven. The concerns of some, recently posted on the Maldon Noticeboard Facebook site that the bakery was to be repurposed as a cafe, have now been allayed by new owner Rebecca Barnett. ... Rebecca will be restoring the original wood-fired scotch oven with the help of locals with extensive experience in working with scotch ovens.

Dunolly will come alive next month as the Gold Rush Festival makes its exciting return on the 22nd and 23rd of October. Events will get underway at the Dunolly Music Festival at the Dunolly Golf Club from 4pm to 10pm where Bebop-alula, Grim Fawkner, Chenai Boucher, Devils Brew and The Groove Dudes, will take to the stage.

Yanco Agricultural High School celebrated its centenary and family day at the college grounds last weekend ... Our speciality in developing students with a focus on agriculture, with students having the opportunity to work as an integral part of the school's sheep, cattle and show stock teams, as well as our equine program, is what makes us most proud": Principal Marni Milne.

A book by two authors, one of them an Allora local, delves into the war years of the brave men of the 2/26 Battalion. Read through the personal interviews, family stories and archive research of the military history and personal history of the men compiled by two dedicated women, daughters of two of the soldiers - Norm Newport and Bill Anderson - who were mates in the 2/26 Battalion.

Rick Powell has made the drive from Belyando Crossing to Camooweal for the last 20 years and he says he'll keep coming until he's no longer able to. "I just love it," he said from the Camooweal Drovers Festival on Friday afternoon ... While droving has disappeared from the Australian bush lifestyle, Rick said the festival must live on.

Emma Pritchard. Thousands of visitors attended the Grafton Vintage Motor Vehicle Club’s Motorfest 22 at Jabour Park, South Grafton, on August 28 ... Motorfest 22 Committee Chairman David Andrews said more than 300 vintage vehicles were proudly displayed for the public, with participants avidly embracing the opportunity to view the classic collection up close...

We know the Melbourne Cup is visiting Allora on Wednesday 14th September but what we didn’t know is the Melbourne Cup will be here for the whole day - not just an hour or so. This is wonderful news as everyone will get a chance to see and maybe have a photo taken with the Cup ... Touring with the Cup will be well-known Champion Jockey John Letts who rode two winners in the Melbourne Cup.

One hundred and fifty years ago, our communications with the rest of the world underwent a startling change that allowed Australia to communicate with the rest of the world in mere hours instead of the months it had taken previously, when the Overland Telegraph commenced operations. Around 130 people including dignitaries, historians, descendants of workers, and community members have gathered at Frew Ponds to honour the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line that crossed the continent from Adelaide to Darwin.

Country Women’s Association members from all over NSW and parts of Victoria joined members from surrounding groups for the Barellan CWA centenary celebrations last week. One very active 90 year old member and her husband travelled from the Gold Coast in Queensland to attend ... A beautifully decorated birthday cake was cut by life members Reta Spencer and Val Hawker and served later as sweets.

25 years ago, August 1997. For the second year in succession Allora won gold in the Tidy Towns Environmental Awards in Category D (population 801-1500). Allora Action Association president Peter Briggs said the whole community contributed towards the winning of the award and that the Warwick Shire Council workers played their part by maintaining the parks and gardens.

South Australia is getting closer to finalising its bid for World Heritage status for the iconic Flinders Ranges National Park, with the lead authors of the nomination touring key sites in the region ... More than 600 million years old, the Flinders Ranges is one of Australia’s magnificent landscapes.: Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Susan Close

We Australians pride ourselves on our native animals. Koalas, kangaroos, wombats, deadly snakes, platypuses (platypi?), drop bears, emus … just some of the animals that have spent millions of years evolving separately from the rest of the world’s fauna on this island nation of ours. But most of us probably don’t think too much about them during our day-to-day lives. Alistair Paton’s “Of Marsupials and Men” puts a spotlight on men (and the occasional woman) who made Australia’s wildlife the centre of their lives.

Before we get too far into this battle, let me take this opportunity to advise you to banish all images of trees and lush undergrowth when you think of Polygon Wood. This may have been true in early 1914. But remember this is part of the Third Battle of Ypres.