Community

Last week marked the International Day of People with Disability ... so it was fitting to consider how the design of a humble pedestrian crossing can make a difference to safety and accessibility.

Gus van Hart. A young angler has landed the catch of a lifetime off the Cohuna pier, reeling in a metre-plus Murray cod that has kids around town asking him how to fish. Personal trainer Jye Hill, who recently turned 20, was only a few minutes into a session at the popular Cohuna spot when his rod suddenly came to life.

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.

The community is still reeling after a devastating bushfire destroyed 16 homes and damaged a further nine at Koolewong on Saturday, December 6 ... News of the fire first broke at around 1pm on Saturday at which time four homes had been lost, with reports of more homes destroyed surfacing during the afternoon and early evening...

Narrandera Shire Council is excited to announce that the community is one step closer to safer, more reliable water, with $908,000 in funding from the Albanese Government to develop a full business case for a new, state-of-the-art Narrandera Water Treatment Plant.

Mat Dalby. A Department of Water and Environmental Regulation report, Wilson Inlet (Nullaki) – Condition of the Estuary 2025, was tabled at the Wilson Inlet Community Science Forum ... Department officials presented the report which assesses the main drivers of estuary health that includes rainfall, river flows, catchment condition, nutrient inputs and sandbar dynamics, as well as the estuary's water quality and seagrass pastures.

Five years after establishing a community-driven food system in the Upper Murray, the Acres & Acres Co-op paused operations at its retail outlet ... to review the business. Following a trial period, Acres and Acres is now operating under a new model and a new board ... "The new model has already allowed us to reduce the price of many products in-store as our markups are very low.

Andrew George. On Tuesday 18th November, the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) facilitated the first of four meetings of the Community Reference Group (CRG) for Disaster Adaptation Planning (DAP) for the Northern Rivers (NR). This is a positive step for democratic, community participation in disaster preparedness and adaptation in collaboration with the RA. It is also a sliver of hope for deliberative democracy for the region.

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.

It has stood in place since the 1870s, but the significance of the Stone Pine that towers over the Apex Park in Church Street has now been immortalised. A research project, headed by Hay Landcare member Sally Ware, has unearthed the history and probable provenance of the tree.

When Shayne Sutherland and his partner Courtney Ann started Surf Camp Down Under, they had the goal of becoming the best surf school in Australia, and on Saturday night their ambitions were realised. Surf Camp Down Under was awarded the Surf School of the Year award at the 2025 Australian Surfing Awards...

Jenny Pollard. A new vision for Charlton's Christmas decorations has been realised thanks to the innovation and inspiration of a small group named "Community Spark". The volunteer-led team, comprising many "newcomers" to town, has created the impetus for refreshing and renewing the main street décor, along with encouraging local involvement in boosting the festive signature of the township.

The Gannawarra’s newest community meeting and digital connectivity space is officially open for business. More than 100 people gathered at Kerang’s Sir John Gorton Library this morning for the official opening of The Glasshouse.

Like every parent watching their adult kids edge toward the real estate market, I look at the numbers with growing alarm. In 25 years, Perth house prices have jumped from roughly $200,000 to close to $900,000 — a three-to-fivefold increase — while wages have barely doubled from $50,000 to $100,000. That’s not a generational squeeze; it’s a structural impossibility.

The emergency services join forces at Christmas to bring Santa to Casino. The annual emergency services Santa run is on Sunday, December 14 and on Friday, December 19 ... On the first day of the Santa run the volunteers gave out more than 400 lollipops and candy canes.

Allora’s Wikner Ford Special is on the highway heading south to Maroubra – not to surf but to be a headline act at huge celebrations ... The Vintage Car Club of Australia is celebrating the Centenary of the opening event at the infamous Maroubra Olympic Speedway in 1925. Of that initial event only one racing car remains as it raced that day, Doug’s Wikner Ford Special.

The owner-operator of the Union Hill Gold Mine and nearby gold processing plant, Kaiser Reef Ltd, held an information session for Maldon residents ... to advise of current and future works planned for its Maldon sites. ... Kaiser Reef Ltd, which is listed on the ASX, has operated in Maldon since 2021 after an acquisition agreement with Golden River Resources Pty Ltd.

The Department of Health has confirmed the first detection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in mosquitoes for the 2025–26 season. The virus was found in a mosquito trap in the Horsham Rural City Council area, as part of Victoria's Arbovirus Disease Control Program.

WFI Insurance today shared concerning rural crime statistics in conjunction with the University of New England Centre for Rural Criminology, revealing 90 per cent of NSW farmers have experienced crime on farms, with around 30 per cent victimised 7 or more times. The crime statistics from UNE’s National Rural Crime Survey were highlighted on a special WFI rural crime podcast which aims to help farmers reduce their risk of being targeted by criminals.

The Horse Riding Clubs Association of Victoria (HRCAV) staged its annual awards on 15 November in Melbourne, celebrating standout achievements from the 2024–25 competition season. Among the evening's major honours was the Level 2 Overall Champion Rider award, claimed by Narrandera Adult Riding president and founding member, NSW competitor Erin Anderson and her horse "Adventures of Grand Rock".