Community

During the week leading up to Mother's Day on 11 May 2025, the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) celebrates National Mothering Week (5-11 May). This year ABA is highlighting how mothers have cherished the support they found by joining ABA local groups and the role ABA has played for mothers along their parenting journeys...

Thousands of fingerlings stocked to boost local fishing. On Tuesday, 29 April, Nhill Lake received a boost to its aquatic life with the release of 5,000 golden perch fingerlings. The restocking initiative … aims to encourage more people to take up fishing across the state.

Cr Ron Ismay. It is great to finally see rain across the region in the last few days, maybe not quite enough in some areas, but at least it's started, resulting in an amazing transformation in attitude in the farmers I deal with regularly. "Whimpey" Reichelt celebrated a milestone birthday recently, 90 years young. We have been friends for a long time ...

Recognising his advocacy to make the arts more accessible to young people, especially those living with a disability, local artist, and Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) artistic director, Sam Wannan has been nominated as a finalist in the 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for South Australia. Mr Wannan received a nomination for the Carclew Creative Achievement Award earlier this month, for his work with neurodivergent artists and organisations in regional areas ...

Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, has today welcomed the release of the latest artist impressions for the $263.8 million redevelopment of Grafton Base Hospital and is encouraging the community to attend upcoming pop-up information sessions to learn more about this important project.

Communities across the region, concerned about ongoing serious incidents of crime will soon have their voice heard as the Time for Change e-petition hits the NSW Parliament. Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said 22,015 people across New South Wales had signed the petition, sending a strong message to the Labor Government.

The Finocchiaro CLP Government is continuing to focus on keeping Territorians safe by allocating a record $495 million directly to Corrections in the 2025-26 Budget. There will also be additional funding held in contingency to be drawn down to address corrections demand pressures as needed.

The Minns Labor Government will today introduce legislation to the NSW Parliament significantly reforming the state’s victims registers to ensure victim-survivors of serious crimes receive a mandatory notification about their right to sign up as a registered victim-survivor, to receive critical information about an offender.

The Crisafulli Government is continuing its efforts to restore safety to Queensland, with more than 20 deployments of the State Flying Squad into crime hotspots in the first three months of the year. A quarterly snapshot of police efforts to turn the tide on youth crime reveals Police made more than 4,235 arrests of youth in the first three months of the year, laying 18,028 charges.

Member for Mallee, Dr Anne Webster MP, says that while the national federal election results are extremely disappointing, Mallee voters have re-elected The Nationals in a strong rejection of Labor's appalling treatment of the electorate ... "Not only has there been a swing towards The Nationals in Mallee this election, it looks likely that we have won Mallee on first preferences and now hold Mallee with one of the largest margins for a Coalition seat in the nation."

First Nations science, knowledge, skills and culture were all celebrated at the annual Nharangga Cultural Day at Minlagawi. On Sunday, May 4, well over 100 people travelled to Gum Flat Reserve in Minlagawi (Minlaton) to celebrate everything Nharangga with the wider community.

At the April Richmond Valley Council meeting, councillor Lyndall Murray had the questions she posed to the NSW Reconstruction Authority and council answered ... Councillors had a confidential meeting on Tuesday, April 8 with the Reconstruction Authority and the responses below are based on the information provided at that meeting.

ANZAC Day in a small town still feels personal, over a century after the events at Gallipoli. We just need to look around to see how a small community would be impacted by the absence or loss of a large proportion of its men and young people.

In tune with the rest of Australia, Allora citizens gathered on Anzac Day to commemorate the immense service given by our Defence personnel past and present across more than a century. As the Allora service drew to a close a few random rain drops fell like tears.

Sean Cunningham. Although skies threatened rain and the school holidays pulled numbers down, Narrandera's ANZAC spirit was still alive and well at last Friday's commemorations to mark the 110th anniversary of ANZAC Day to honour Australia's fallen. About 140 early risers gathered for the solemn Dawn Service, while 20 made their way to the War Graves for a quiet moment of reflection.

On Anzac Day ceremonies across the region were again well attended as we recognised the service of those brave men and women who served and continue to serve Australia in defence of our freedom, and despite it being a long weekend this year, attendance at local commemorations were as strong as ever.

Patricia Gill. Community leader Roger Seeney called on attendees at the Anzac ceremony in Denmark last Friday to reflect on the concepts of courage and community. The 2017 Denmark Citizen of the Year and 45-year national service medal recipient was guest speaker at the service.

Ordinary and Extraordinary Meetings of Clarence Valley Council (CVC) could proceed in the future with limited public attendance after CVC Mayor Ray Smith spoke of his plans to contact the Office of Local Government this week ... The decision was made at the conclusion of another 15-minute adjournment while members of the public and Clarence Valley Independent journalist Emma Pritchard were outside the Grafton Council Chambers.

Standing proudly alongside one another, thousands of Clarence Valley residents attended Dawn Services and Commemoration Services across the region on Anzac Day to pay tribute on the 110th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli in 1915 during WWI while also remembering the countless Australians who served, and sadly lost their lives, in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations through the years.

The Nhill community came together in strong numbers to commemorate ANZAC Day, with around 300 people attending the Dawn Service and approximately 200 at the 11am service. The Dawn Service began with a reflection on the Gallipoli campaign and the spirit of the ANZACs, delivered by Nhill RSL President John Dunbar.