When a crazy idea becomes a reality and a ‘38 Dodge ambulance returns to town
Never has a ‘38 Dodge had such applause on its arrival. When Mark and Sue Butler pulled into town with the 1938 Dodge Kyogle ambulance on the back of their tilt tray truck, everyone wanted to see it ... The Kyogle ambulance has been returned for three months to be part of the Kyogle Memorial Hospital centenary celebrations on November 15.
Beehive Chimney: inside info
A small number of local stakeholders were invited by Parks Victoria to climb the scaffolding around Maldon’s Beehive Chimney and inspect the remedial works project on Monday 27 October. It was terrifying and informative, but some members of the community took the opportunity to express discontentment about how the process has been communicated.
Alan McCulloch
Brendan Atkins. "On a knoll commanding a wide view of peaceful mountain, reef and sea, there stands a monolith, erected to the memory of Allan McCulloch, naturalist, an outstanding figure in the history of the island", says cinematographer Frank Hurley in Jewel of the Pacific, his 1932 travelogue about Lord Howe Island.
Hodgson Vale property sells for pretty penny
The property ‘Floristan’, totalling 490 acres (198 hectares) at Hodgson Vale, recently sold at auction for $6.6 million. Situated on the corner of Luck Road and the New England Highway, the historic property includes a homestead built circa 1900, as well as a manager’s residence.
Australian War Widows feted by Riverland Vietnam Veterans on their National Day of Recognition
"Surviving Vietnam War Veterans deeply admire the war widows in our communities for their courage and resilience, for the ways they supported and cared for their veteran husbands during the living years, and how they dealt with the unimaginable grief and loss of their loved veteran partner": David Langdon.
Bridal extravaganza and high tea
On Saturday, 11th October, history came alive in the Allora Community Hall. With the support of Qld Government and COTA, the Allora & District Historical Society (ADHS) hosted a Bridal Extravaganza and High Tea showcasing over a century of Allora bridal fashions.
Wyreema State School marks 130 years
Wyreema State School, threatened with closure just a few years ago, has gone on to become a growing facility in a growing area and last Saturday the community came together to celebrate the school's 130th birthday.
Veteran cars delight in Barham
Riverside Park Barham was bustling as the Veteran Car Club of Australia took over the park ... with the stunning Barham Bridge built in 1904 making an appropriate backdrop ... The day was a feast for the eyes!
Famous butter factory site up for auction
Built in 1928, the former Norco Butter factory in Kyogle is up for auction on-site on Saturday, November 8. It wasn’t just butter that was churned at the factory, as can be seen in the above article from Trove, there was a bacon department too ... Who will buy this and what could they do with it?
“The Cook’s Day”
An excerpt from Michael Holding's book, "A Pointless Story" about a young shearer's cook in Cooma in the 1960's ... "3:55 a.m., No alarm clock. Just Stew’s voice booming through the hut like a gospel preacher announcing Judgement Day. “On your feet, Charlton!” There’s a special kind of pain that comes from rolling out of a warm swag into sub-zero air, dragging on yesterday’s stiff clothes, and stumbling into a kitchen where the fire is nothing but a few sulky coals."
Review – Black, White + Colour
You may not know Mervyn Bishop’s name, but you certainly know his work. He took the ultra-famous photo of Vincent Lingiari and Gough Whitlam at Wattie Creek, NT, in that defining moment when the Prime Minister of Australia poured earth into the right hand of the representative of the Gurindji people ... The biography starts with a road trip to Mervyn’s birthplace of Brewarrina ... It is absolutely charming and we get to know and - to an extent - understand Mervyn’s life and achievements.
Big boys do enjoy big toys
On their recent visit to Allora, Queensland State Politicians - Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie and Member for Southern Downs James Lister MP were impressed with Allora’s Sports Museum. As a treat they were allowed to take a seat in Doug Partington’s Wikner Ford Special.
PS Melbourne steams upstream
Setting off at dawn October 3, the Paddle Steamer Melbourne chuffed away from Mildura's wharf; her wooden hull slicing through the Murray River's sluggish flow. It had been over a century since her birth in Koondrook, and now, under the stewardship of owner Adam Auditori, she is steaming for Echuca.
Wheatsheaf turns over new leaf
Local couple Isaac Anderson and fiancé Matilda Moore have taken over the reins at East Greenmount's Wheatsheaf Hotel and have bold new plans for the historic establishment. Isaac and Matilda officially took over the pub and the adjoining café The Wheatsheaf Store on Sunday, 28 September and it has been closed ahead of a grand re-opening taking place this Saturday, 18 October from 11am until late.
Riverland Vietnam Veterans salute War Widows on their special day
War Widows Day on 19 October is now an official National Day of Commemoration first initiated in 2024 by the Commonwealth Department of Defence in collaboration with the Australian War Widows Inc. and Families of Veterans Guild. This is a special day of tribute dedicated to acknowledging and honouring the service and sacrifices of Australian war widows.
Indigenous Culture and Intellectual Property
Back in the August 19th edition, we talked about Intellectual Property rights (IP) in relation to quandongs and ensuring that if anyone wants to start a business using quandongs, any benefits are shared with the Indigenous people of the area from which the quandongs come from. This week Create NSW has announced they are sending out a roadshow to tour the state to talk about Indigenous Culture and Intellectual Property (ICIP). This information is focused on the Arts however, the facts are the same.
A purple reign in an Australian spring
As October arrives, so too does the first flush of mauve from Australia’s beloved jacaranda trees. I trace the jacaranda’s journey from the dry slopes of the Andes to its spectacular springtime display in towns like Grafton, where more than 1,700 trees transform the streets into rivers of purple. With the bloom set to reach its dazzling peak in just a fortnight, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate this fleeting spring spectacle.
Sweet stopovers put Birchip on the map
Sharp's country baking excellence and their recent win in Australia's Best Vanilla Slice competition is proving a winning recipe for Birchip's tourism economy, with recent visitors arriving by rail, road and even by air to sample the town's famous treat.
Beehive Chimney: a case study
Historian and President of Maldon Museum and Archives Association Derek Reid delivered a paper at the Australasian Mining History Association conference in Broken Hill on Wednesday 3 September. His presentation, called 'The Beehive Mine Chimney: Maldon's Mining Memorial' was reportedly well received by attendees and delegates, who expressed concern about heritage and maintenance in relation to the chimney.
Heavy horses set world record at Barellan Good Old Days Festival
A team of 62 heavy horses was harnessed to pull an antique wagon in a record-breaking event at the Barellan Good Old Days Festival at the weekend. It outnumbered the previous Australian record of 50, set in Queensland in the 1980s and a 50-horse hitch in Canada in 1995.
It has been a long road back… but Yamba icon is on track to reopen
When the ferocious winds and torrential rain of former tropical cyclone Alfred hit town in March 2025, a Yamba icon was left battered and sodden. Now, through community generosity, and the determination to continue the family’s legacy, the Yamba Cinema will reopen before Christmas.
The Swan River mahogany paves an empire
Deep in the forests of Western Australia, jarrah has left a remarkable legacy. In the late 1800s, this mighty hardwood—then called Swan River mahogany—revolutionised city life. The noise on London's streets changed from the familiar harsh clang of hooves on cobblestones to the softer clippity-clop of horses trotting over wooden blocks. Those blocks were made from jarrah, and soon that timber paved an empire.
