Family

Steven Alldrick. Narrandera is a special place for me and my family not only going every year, being able to organise the run, but it is where I met my wife Kathleen and where I proposed to her. Kathleen and I met 24 years ago and have been together ever since ... Kathleen and I also share a passion for hot rods and custom cars ...

Serena Kirby. Much-loved local GP Alex Sleeman is back home and learning to adjust to life with a disability. Alex has spent the past six months in Perth receiving medical care for serious spinal injuries from a tractor accident in September.

From a little Ford truck to a multi-million-dollar fleet of Kenworths and high-tech earthwork equipment, Naracoorte’s Bull Bros Pty Ltd this year celebrates 75 years in business. Driving further enthusiasm and longevity into the esteemed company which employs around 30 people, a fourth generation is stepping up.

Imagine fleeing your home in your car with a screaming, terrified two-year-old and having no idea where to drive to. Too scared to head to your parent’s house, knowing that’s too obvious, and too far away. Hiding out in the streets of your hometown ... This is the story of one woman, Sechia Darlow, who lived a reality almost too harrowing to believe.

The NSW ICPA conference, held in Euston and organised by Balranald ICPA was a resounding success ... The conference addressed critical issues for rural and remote education, including teacher retention, rural equity, inter-agency support, Early Childhood Education access and funding, transport challenges, boarding school matters, and connectivity.

Michelle Daw. Families, employers, and representatives from 23 council areas gathered in Port Broughton last week to launch a project advocating for fairer access to childcare across the vast federal electorate of Grey.

Paul Mitchell. Chantelle Weckert was born to be a mother—but being single and nearly 40 is an unconventional platform for such a life-changing leap.

The farm produce section at the Allora Show has been under the watchful eye of Shooter family members for the past 70 years. The 2025 Allora Show was a great opportunity for the family to meet in the Pavilion for a happy snap.

Barham is in the midst of a childcare shortage crisis, with a wait list of 90 at the Barham Early Learning Service alone, with 75 per cent aged in the 0-3 years old bracket. It is estimated that 45 per cent of the children in Barham, Koondrook, Moulamein and Wakool have been unable to be placed in a childcare facility.

Hugh Schuitemaker. Families are being informed about contents of the upcoming 2025 sex education program at Renmark High School (RHS) ... The 2024 controversy – which saw year 9 RHS students exposed to the concepts of bestiality and incest without prior parental knowledge – surfaced again ...

Bushfires are stressful enough, but having a zoo of 500 animals and 23 staff adds a whole new level for the Treweek family. Former Wakool family Mark and Lisa Treweek and their kids Cooper and William have finally been able to open their 52-acre Halls Gap Zoo after the challenges of the Grampians bushfire. Their second fire in 12 months.

The loss of a parent is devastating. Losing both is unimaginable, but photographer and horse lover Sarah Wheeler is turning her grief into hope for others suffering from liver, pancreatic, stomach, bile duct and oesophageal cancers.

Serena Kirby. Denmark GP Alex Sleeman is learning to walk again after sustaining serious spinal injuries from a tractor accident on his property last September ... “I plan to do everything I used to do but I’ll just do it a bit differently and good luck to anyone that tells me I can’t do something.”

I am a co-founder and Chair of a business (My Word) that enables families to capture the life stories of their loved elders. Storytelling is the oldest and most accurate way to pass on history and wisdom. To know where you have come from is to know who you are ... The elderly, with decades of life behind them, offer unique insights into what it means to lead effectively and meaningfully.

Victoria Mathew reckons her name should be Mrs Christmas. She really loves Christmas – the mother of six children and grandmother to six started making Christmas decorations when she had her first child. “Christmas is my passion,” Victoria said. “I love everything about Christmas. It’s when I shine brightest.”

A West Wimmera Shire Council survey on maternal and child health and support playgroup services has highlighted the overwhelmingly positive experiences from families in the community. The survey, which gathered responses from parents and caregivers from across the shire, showed strong satisfaction with the support and care currently provided.

Making every step count, close to 100 Clarence Valley residents joined members of the Iluka-Woombah Rotary Club on November 29 for a twilight walk to raise awareness of domestic and family violence and the devastating impact it has on communities around Australia. Organised as part of the global campaign 16 Days of Activism, an annual event aimed at eliminating violence against women and young girls while promoting respectful relationships, the initiative received an outpouring of support throughout the coastal village.

Serena Kirby. Denmark's CWA is bridging the generational gap with its Nanna’s Next Door initiative. The intergenerational playgroup is the brainchild of local mum Megan Sutton who believes that the Denmark CWA is the only branch offering this type of program ... "Some of these women may not have held a baby in decades and there’s certainly something special that happens when they hold a baby."

The tree was beautiful and we loved it. It was a maple that was young and growing when we moved here after the fires, and was part of many different trees on the property, all quite immature ... Boy did it grow.

One 11 year-old Jack Russell female named Elizabeth, for scaring her parents and causing trouble. Worming day...dogs line up for treats...

Between Halloween events held at Wyreema the weekend before last and at Westbrook on Halloween night, well over a thousand local children participated in community events ... 1,400 kids were counted at one house, including likely a few repeat customers, and overall over 1,000 kids plus parents, meaning upwards of 2,000 people taking part in the festivities.