Community voices concern
A group of Naracoorte residents gathered at the Town Square last Friday to express their disappointment at the Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s decision not to waive burial fees for children under the age of 10. The community demonstration reflected growing frustration over the council's stance, which many believe lacked compassion for grieving families.
Ag group provides helping hand
It was the drought about a decade ago that the penny finally dropped for farmers in East and Central Gippsland. The tough times had brought people together and looking forward, the question on many farmers’ mind was ‘How to boost farm production in the good times better to cope with the tough times?’ ... in 2018-19 the Gippsland Agricultural Group was formed ...
Fre$h approach to shopping
It only opened in Grafton Shoppingworld less than a fortnight ago, but Australian owned and operated food warehouse Fresh & Save is already proving to be extremely popular with Clarence Valley shoppers.
Mayoral matters
Hindmarsh Shire Mayor Ron Ismay. I would like to commence by commending the thousands of regional people who took part in the protest over the recently legislated Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund (ESVF) levy on the steps of Parliament House in Spring Street last week ... This levy is an absolute disgrace!
Library remains one of Hay’s greatest and best-used assets
Hay Library continues to grow in popularity, with an increase of 24 per cent in borrowers in March compared to the previous month and a slight decrease in April due to the two long weekends. In a comprehensive report to Council, the Library Team Leader noted 11 new members, a registration renewal and a busy month with community activities.
Death in custody: Care could not be provided in home town
Kumanjayi White, who died in custody in Alice Springs this week, had his own house in Yuendumu but in recent times his family and the community had found it impossible to make satisfactory arrangements for his care. Ned Jampjinpa Hargraves, a respected elder who in a statement on Thursday called White “my jaja” (grandson), said this in an exclusive interview with the Alice Springs News.
Small bus makes big difference for remote NSW community
Every second Thursday at 7am, Rob Dyson fires up his bus in the opal mining town of White Cliffs and embarks on what has become a lifeline for the remote far west NSW community ... "I'm like the farm dog, you start up the ute and I jump on. He starts the bus and I'm on it. There are so many advantages," said local artist Cree Marshall, who has been using the service since it began three and a half years ago.
Coercive control now illegal
Allora recently hosted a session at the Allora P-10 State School with an aim to create more awareness and empower members of the community about the early warning signs of coercive control.
Stock theft: Be alert
A Newstead farmer is fuming, and members of his community are rallying, after his neighbour witnessed his sheep being stolen. Tony Butler had attended a protest with emergency services volunteers in Melbourne on Tuesday 20 May when he says the incident occurred.
Regional view: State budget
The Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes MP handed down the State Budget on Tuesday 20 May and it is now available for public scrutiny — it is presented more like an illustrated, online brochure than a spreadsheet. It came after the government sent a flurry of announcement emails to the media (evidently scheduled one-per-minute over the Tuesday lunchtime period).
Charlton Club ticks off 125 years
In 1900 Australia was still a number of individual colonies, the Boer War was still taking place, and in China the Boxer Rebellion was drawing nations across the world into that conflict. In Charlton ten members of the community from different walks of life met in a small room behind a shop, and with the taking of minutes, banking and a constitution the Charlton Club was born on May 21st...
Red Hatters visit Wycheproof and Nullawil
Wycheproof and Nullawil were the destinations for the Charlton Red Hatters Group as members trekked up the Calder Highway for their May outing ... The Red Hatters aim to support all the local communities...
Australia’s cotton capital struggles to buy underwear
Narrabri launches a cheeky new campaign calling for major retailers to close the regional retail gap ... Watch the saucy short video and read the ARR.News interview with Narrabri Shire Mayor, Darrell Tiemens and Narrabri Shire General Manager, Eloise Chaplain.
Protecting Toowoomba’s garden region legacy
In the lead up to Toowoomba Regional Council's planning scheme draft being released, The Darling Downs Environment Council (DDEC) has launched a new community campaign, Protect Trees Toowoomba.
Inlet caretaker wins shire citizen of the year award
Shaun Ossinger was announced the Community Citizen of the Year on Saturday night at a Shire of Denmark Volunteer Appreciation Sundowner. Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee chief executive Shaun won the award for his commitment to sustainability and community wellbeing, through championing initiatives aimed at protecting and restoring the natural environment.
Rural patients are treated unfairly
Inequitable treatment of rural patients in Victorian hospitals was a hot topic at the recent Victorian Rural Health Conference (VRHC) in Wodonga. Doctors from across Victoria put the pivotal issue of conversion of rural Emergency Departments (EDs) to Urgent Care Facilities front and centre at the conference.
Birdsong Yamba celebrates outstanding success with over 5,000 attendees
The streets of Yamba came alive on Saturday 24 May with the vibrant celebration of Birdsong Yamba, a free family-friendly street festival that drew an estimated crowd of over 5,000 people throughout the day.
Community Justice Centres to close
A frequently used dispute resolution and mediation process will no longer be available to Clarence Valley residents when the NSW closes Community Justice Centres across the state on June 30. An item about the closure of Community Justice Centres (CJC) was tabled at the May 15 ordinary Council meeting by Clarence Valley Council General Manager, Laura Black.
Leap forward for Nhill Renewable Energy Facility
Construction of a new solar farm and battery at Nhill is now complete and has successfully connected to the electricity grid – supplying cheap renewable energy to power operations at Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water (GWMWater).
Making a place of peace and welcome: ‘Kalthi Kiirrakiirra Garden’
Lindy King is helping to maintain a wonderful community garden on the piece of land next to her home. Her sister Tammy suggested that a garden would turn that land into a nice peaceful place ... 'The peaceful spirits of our Ancestors and all our people who've passed away wander along the river and around the garden, and their spirits are making it a peaceful place.'
Community given a voice on proposed wind farm: Bleijie
Following a thorough assessment led by the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, the proposed Moonlight Range Wind Farm 40 kilometres north west of Rockhampton, will not proceed. The project included plans for up to 88 wind turbines, a battery energy storage system, and related infrastructure covering 1,269 hectares in total, including 434 hectares of vegetation that would need to be cleared.
Cargill Cares: Birchip Leisure Centre benefits
The Birchip Community Leisure Centre (BCLC) is celebrating a significant boost thanks to the generous support of Cargill Cares, which has donated $25,000 to help fund the installation of a new and much-needed coolroom. The coolroom will be a game-changer for the centre, improving food storage and service capacity for the many community events...
