Community

This year’s Desert Harmony Festival has been hailed a success with more than 3,000 people passing through the gates over the Picnic Day long weekend. The Barkly Regional Arts’ event featured 27 performances, an extensive workshop series and an art fair over four days in Tennant Creek, the annual festival provided an opportunity to celebrate and showcase talented creatives from the Barkly region alongside some special guest performances.

Catholic schools across Queensland celebrated their community spirit during Education Week - the theme being Communities of Faith, Hope and Love. The official launch was held at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Toowooomba ... Allora’s St Patrick’s School was represented by the Principal Keith Blaikie and students Douglas E., Mili W. and Maggie P.

Samuel Davis. Cold beer and refreshments can be savoured in Lockhart River again after the community’s new social club finally opened its doors to patrons ... The club, which opened its doors on Friday night, operates under a Restricted Liquor Permit that aims to provide a safe space to socialise and drink responsibly ... In a community with high unemployment, Cr Butcher said the social club provided more than just a gathering place.

In recent years, main streets and town centres have faced many challenges to their survival. First, shopping centres, then online and finally, COVID. Now they’re faced with worker shortages and price increases. However, in comparison to metro main streets, regional precincts have done it even tougher with a smaller population to call on for support and drops in tourism. It is for this reason Mainstreet Australia are bringing their one-day conference, normally held in Melbourne, to regional Victoria also – and you can attend!

Showcasing the best of the Barkly’s creative talents and providing memorable and exciting experiences for all ages, the Barkly Regional Arts (BRA) 33rd Desert Harmony Festival is set to be as fun and engaging as ever ... BRA will light up for an evening of poetry, music, circus and dance featuring acts by Kasey Chambers, Olive Knight and many more artists.

Dhelkaya Health is setting up a new committee that will work behind the scenes to help people maintain their health and wellbeing for longer.

The first rural Safe Space in Victoria, Castlemaine Safe Space (CaSS) is a non-clinical support service, staffed by trained Peer Volunteers, who have lived experience of emotional distress and/or suicidality. The pop-up Safe Space will initially be operated from two venues in Castlemaine, the Senior Citizens Centre and the Salvation Army hall on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Chris Oldfield. A desire by parents to get children out of the house, away from screens and in touch with nature is turning the Naracoorte district into a school holiday destination ... “The idea of being able to get out, get the children out of the house and do all the things that we have in the local area that has a nature base, feet on the ground experience, is exceedingly popular.”: Naracoorte Holiday Park Edwards Group regional manager Alison Baker

At their Ordinary Council Meeting last Wednesday, Southern Downs Regional Council approved a contentious development application by Arolla Pastoral Company Pty Ltd to build a sheep and cattle feedlot at Mount Marshall ... The feedlot is of much interest to the community, with the application receiving 74 submissions, 11 in favour and 63 against.

The town came alive during this year's Maldon in Winter Festival. Over the course of 17 days, locals and tourists delighted in art, music, poetry, plays and performances ... EDGE Galleries opening of 'Shroud' by sculptor, photographer, filmmaker and installation artist, Gary Deirmendjian was well-attended. Visitors were treated to a thought-provoking performance by gallery owner Simon Dow as part of the exhibition.

Rodney Stevens. It was standing room only at Yamba's Wooli Street hall on Saturday as Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann joined concerned residents at a public meeting convened by Valley Watch to illustrate concerning developments on the floodplain. Attendees learned of Valley Watch's activities, raising awareness of development on the West Yamba floodplain since it first became an issue under the former Maclean Shire Council in 1995.

The Elliott basketball court was the setting for the Barkly Regional Deal Governance Table meeting recently. This was the first time a Governance Table meeting was held outside of Tennant Creek, following a commitment from the Governance Table to speak with people across the Barkly to hear their priorities for their community and region.

The NSW country town of Leeton is about as far removed as possible from Afghanistan – geographically, culturally, politically and religiously – but it has set the gold standard for how Australia can successfully integrate refugees into local communities.

The stories of Kerang’s fauna, flora and people will be celebrated during four nights of activities this July. Using digital projection technology, many of Kerang’s landmarks will be lit up by works created by residents during the Kerang’s Living World light festival, occurring on 4-5 July and 15-16 July.

From children to seniors, beginners to pros, everyone is invited to join the fun and #HaveaGo at a free council community event in Caloundra on July 23 – a celebration to acknowledge exactly 10 years to go until the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games open. Get on your bikes at Sugar Bag Road Mountain Bike Trails from 10am-3pm for an action packed day of demos, trails, #HaveAGo sessions and rubbing shoulders with world class champions.  

Chris Oldfield. A proposed $250 million development over 25 years at Naracoorte’s North Parklands was unveiled last week to a large crowd thirsty for information. Putting a spotlight on Naracoorte, the proposal is hailed as the biggest development plan for regional SA.

This weekend, as part of the Goldfields Gothic Festival of Dark Ideas, the streets will be alive with the sights and sounds of the Goth community ... It’s time to dress up (don’t forget your thermals!), go Goth and enjoy yourselves! There are plenty of events on offer ... At the Victorian Fan Language Workshop, you can learn over 20 delicate and precise gestures fit for high society!

The inaugural Art Festival on Ford held over three days from June 24-26 in Ganmain was a resounding success. Several local artists and community groups such as the Art Society and Craft Cottage exhibited their creative works in the Ganmain Hall ... Lush Creative Galleries threw open their doors with artists Linda Nolan and Jody Graham welcoming visitors to view their paintings.

Ford Street in Ganmain will be transformed into a collection of art galleries over three days between June 24 to 26. The inaugural Ganmain Art Festival on Ford event has been organised by Myfanwy Collette and her stepdaughter Rosemary Ashton.

Funding has ended for two male youth worker positions in Evans Head. The positions were funded by the Federal Government’s Safer Communities program ... “Unfortunately, we have had to say goodbye to Josh, Toby and the Mobile Youth Van service, this decision was not ours, the program was sadly no longer funded.”

Queen Elizabeth’s representative for Queensland has given Cooktown and its annual Discovery Festival the royal thumbs up after visiting the Cape over the weekend. Her Excellency, the Honourable Jeannette Young and her husband Graeme Nimmo were eager participants ... Highlights of the weekend were the markets, with hundreds flowing through the stalls over the weekend, the street parade, inaugural 4x4 muster, the sunset soiree and fireworks, all capped off by the reenactment on Sunday morning.

The City partnered with the Kwinana Social Club and the Medina Residents Group to celebrate the life of one of Kwinana’s historic figures, Margaret Feilman, with a unique artwork designed specifically for the area and installed on the external wall at the Club on Pace Road, Medina. At sixteen, Margaret became the state’s first female architectural cadet.