Charity

This Christmas, Naracoorte father and leukemia survivor Remo Herron has one heartfelt wish: that people give a gift that truly matters — a gift that helps save lives and keeps families together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Family members and friends of some of the victims of the Koolewong fires have started gofundme appeals to help them get back on their feet ... Elyse, her boyfriend, her mother, her one-year-old son and their greyhound luckily escaped the flames but have lost their home and every belonging inside it.

Madison Eastmond. A record total of donations has been counted from last weekend's Toy and Tucker Run, with the annual drive ensuring a brighter Christmas for Riverland families ... Using the annual December ride to collect toys, non-perishable foods, and cash donations for the Riverland Christmas Appeal, the Ulysses Club Mallee Branch's 23rd Riverland Toy and Tucker Run raised $7937 last Sunday for locals in-need.

Remote, rural and regional communities across Australia will share $981,100 in grants through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program, empowering them to create vibrant and sustainable places to live, work and thrive. This funding will support 78 locally-led projects that foster resilience, social connection and greater capacity in regional communities.

Rural Aid has released its 2024/25 Impact Report, revealing a year where practical assistance, mental health and wellbeing and community-led recovery helped thousands of farming families withstand worsening pressures across rural Australia.

...There are now 18 volunteers contributing to the work of running the Op Shop, each person has unique skills and creative talents to contribute ... Overseas donations have been sent to Indonesia, supporting a child who has been able to attend school and receive helpful items, and to Ukraine and Niger with boxes of jumpers, beanies, scarves, bandages.

Hike to Heal Australia Inc., which organises the annual Hike to Heal Scavenger Hike at Mount Peel, has announced its attention to wind up its operations ... "This decision comes as a result of challenges in finding volunteers and committee members to continue managing the charity on a permanent basis," Mrs Barton said ... A highlight for Hike to Heal was being named as the recipient of the prestigious Jude Bugeja - Peer Experience Award at the Queensland Mental Health Achievement Awards in 2023.

The recently expanded Allora Regional Sports Museum has on show a rare display of footy memorabilia of Bronco and local hero Shane Webcke. This photo was taken on Shane's final NRL Premiership Game on 3rd September 2006 in round 26 against the NZ Warriors.

Yamba was abuzz over the weekend as thousands of people enjoyed the 32nd Borderline Street Rodders Yamba Rod Run and the record 511 entrants who came from as far as Tasmania and Cairns to be a part of the fun. Saturday morning saw the traditional Show and Shine at Ford Park where almost 500 cars wowed the huge crowds from 9am until midday.

Mitch McKinney isn't a professional runner ... by his own admission, he's not particularly a runner at all. Yet this 38-y/o ordinary Australian achieved something extraordinary; running 1,132 km from the red dust of Broken Hill to the sea breeze of Newcastle, completing a marathon every single day for 29 days straight.

Two Allora families have returned from a successful 11 day cycling adventure through France and the UK. Mark Mason and James Turner completed the 1200km ride from Lourdes France to Lords Cricket Ground in London to raise funds and awareness for type 1 diabetes research.

After 165 days at sea, British adventurers Jess Rowe (28) and Miriam Payne (26) arrived in Cairns last night, completing their extraordinary non-stop, unsupported 8,000-plus-mile (15,200 km) Pacific Ocean crossing from Lima, Peru to Cairns, Australia. Their 9-metre rowing boat, Velocity, crossed the finish line off Cairns Yacht Club at 6.42 pm (local time in Cairns, Australia)...

With less than 350 nautical miles to row, and the lure of hot pizza on their minds, British adventurers Jess Rowe (28) and Miriam Payne (25) are closing in on the finish line of their extraordinary 8,000-mile, non-stop and unsupported Pacific Ocean crossing.

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.

Ahead of its complete restoration, an event will be held on Saturday, 11 October to acknowledge the move of the Nobby Gaol to its new site in the centre of town ... Over the past six years, Rudd’s Pub owners Evan and Gayle Jones with the help of the community have been on a mission to move and restore the gaol.

David Cliff. Denmark Classic Boat Show on Sunday was a big community success with locals and visitors enjoying the boat displays and the on-water activities despite the showers. Denmark Rowers volunteers pulled off their third biennial Classic Boat Show with a laid-back atmosphere that offered something for boating enthusiasts and the community.

Madison Eastmond. A large group of Australian-outback explorers made their way to the Riverland last week, with more than 140 caravan enthusiasts spending their time enjoying the region and donating locally where it is needed most. The Bushtracker Owners Groups arrived at the Barmera Field Days site, last Friday, for their annual general meeting — the National Muster...

Michelle Daw. Thousands of people began pouring through the gates at the Yorke Peninsula Field Days site near Paskeville ... not only one of the region's largest events but also Australia's oldest field days, dating back to trials held near Bute in 1895. This year's event is expected to inject between $5 million and $8 million into the local economy ...

Maldon Heritage Network has found a new home for the horse trough that sat for many years in front of what is now the hardware shop ... trough is marked 'Donated by Annis & George Bills Australia' which means it has an interesting history. The Bills were successful in business in the late 1800s and ahead of their time as compassionate campaigners for animal rights.

Rural Aid is proud to announce the winners of its sixth annual Spirit of the Bush Photography Competition, a celebration of the resilience, beauty and community spirit that define rural Australia. This year’s competition saw a record breaking response, with 201 entrants submitting 429 photos...

The Limestone Coast is facing a worsening homelessness crisis, with Naracoorte among the towns where families, young people, and older residents are being pushed to the brink by rising housing costs and limited rental availability ... The [Naracoorte] News caught up with ac.care’s Homelessness and Community Services senior manager, Trish Spark, to discuss the issue...

They love being Australians – and they loved being at Donald’s Foletti Caravan Park for a five-day break, despite the early Spring weather. Pictured are members of the “Humpy Club”, whose caravans, “Aussie by Design”, are the product of “Humpback Caravans”, of Wallaroo, South Australia.