Locals headed to the foot of Everest
A contingent of local residents is in training in preparation for a trek to the Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal as a fund-raising adventure for Toowoomba-based mental health service Momentum Mental Health ... The self-funded event has attracted 18 starters but there is room for two more people.
Locals ride for a cancer cure
You are likely to have seen Towong Shire Councillor, Peter Dikschei, along with Corryong Health CEO, Dom Sandilands, training on local roads in preparation for the High Country Charity Ride ... over Mount Hotham and through North East townships - a distance of 550 kilometres.
The city country health divide: Life expectancy, suicide and avoidable death significantly worse for Far West NSW than Sydney: TAI
People in Far West NSW are dying earlier than they should, from avoidable causes, and while suicide rates have steadied in Sydney, they are on the rise in the most remote parts of the state. The report warns of serious and growing inequality in health outcomes between city and country residents and recommends immediate investment in the sector.
First angiogram procedure at Toowoomba Hospital
Allora man Ken was all smiles after being the first patient to receive a diagnostic angiogram at the Toowoomba Hospital earlier this month ... A coronary angiogram uses x-ray imaging and contrast dye to diagnose heart artery blockages.
Yamba Doctors welcomes Dr Julia Fortes
The doors on their Treelands Drive premises have been open more than three weeks and now Yamba Doctors are proud to welcome well known female GP Julia Fortes to the practice. ... Dr Fortes grew up in the UK and went to medical school in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Naracoorte Lucindale Council to help Lifeline
Lifeline South East has received the thumbs up from councillors to be the new tenant at the back of the Town Hall on Ormerod St, but not as a shop front or office. Essentially, it will operate as a call centre for local volunteers and be linked as part of the national service’s 24-hour suicide prevention help line – 13 11 14.
Too many mozzies? Learn from Rentokil’s Mark Kendall
The data of pest control expert, Rentokil indicates that mosquito activity is up right across Australia, increasing 216 per cent in November, compared to October recordings ... Rentokil has a database on pest activity across Australia. ARR.News asked a few questions of Mark Kendall from Rentokil Initial.
Water restrictions set to continue in Clarence Valley
Clarence Valley Council (CVC) General Manager Laura Black has revealed she is unsure how long Level 4 (Severe) water restrictions introduced last week for the whole Clarence Valley water supply system due to a prolonged dirty water event following recent rainfall in the Nymboida River will remain in place but said council should have “a better idea later this week.” The restrictions were issued by council on January 30 to avoid the need to call a Boil Water Alert.
Get tested: Increase in syphilis cases cause for concern
A sharp rise in syphilis cases across the Northern Rivers has prompted health authorities to advise people to get tested for the disease ... North Coast Population and Public Health director Dr Valerie Delpech said since 2020, infectious syphilis cases increased each year with 29 cases in 2020, 41 cases in 2021 and 85 in 2022.
Grog ban first step
The recommendation to reinstate alcohol bans in Alice Springs town camps and outback home lands was described as “finally some commonsense” by the Independent MLA for Araluen, Robyn Lambley. But she says Dorrelle Anderson, who made the recommendation, should now go back to her work and “sort out child protection, the most critical problem in Central Australia” and “keep off the streets” children causing trouble.
Country music show by Dolly’s Dream ambassador
Country music on horseback will rev up Narrandera tomorrow night when multiple Golden Guitar winner, Tom Curtain, rides in to the Narrandera Showground ... Tom is an official ambassador for Dolly’s Dream, and uses his music and shows to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and wellbeing in rural communities.
Cambooya’s Blue Tree turning heads
The sight of two trees painted blue located on the eastern side of the New England Highway just north of the United Etonvale petrol station has caught the attention of motorists with a keen eye ... Painting the trees blue is not a random act but rather something that has been happening all over Australia as part of the Blue Tree Project.
Warning about swimming in Moore River in Guilderton
The Shire of Gingin and the Department of Health are warning people to avoid swimming and other full-body water immersion activities in Moore River at Guilderton after recent sampling results detected amoeba and high bacteria levels at several sampling locations.
Barkly’s Australia Day Awards focus on our local heroes
Tennant Creek’s born and bred doctor Sarah Goddard took the top honours in the Local Government 2023 Australia Day Awards for Tennant Creek. Dr Goddard has spent well over a decade reaching her goals to become a doctor and Citizen of the Year Awards adds to her list of growing accolades, winning best Indigenous doctor in Australia late last year in the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) awards.
Mietta proves that where there is a will, there is a way
Despite some major setbacks, life was back on track for this Victorian rider before the unthinkable happened ... Mietta Innes-Irons is a remarkable young woman who has faced more obstacles in her life than anyone should, but still aims for the future ... “I am aiming to get onto the Australian Para Dressage High Performance Squad and qualify for the 2024 Paris Paralympics."
Super volunteer recognised
A staunch advocate of women in agriculture, long-time Landcare supporter, strong community proponent and anti-cancer fighter has received an Order of Australia (OAM) in today’s honours list. Julie De Hennin of Talgarno was recognised for her service to the North East community and is well known in the Upper Murray.
Toowoomba is LifeFlight’s busiest base
Toowoomba LifeFlight was the aeromedical service's busiest Queensland base in 2022, with 659 people helped. The aeromedical missions were performed by the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue and Toowoomba LifeFlignt Surat Gas Aeromedical Service (SGAS) helicopters, which are based at the Clive Berghofer LifeFlight Centre and cover a huge area of the state, from the Darling Downs and beyond.
Dr Alex Sleeman – diving into a country practice
There’s something very special about country doctors; they rarely work in the places they were born and raised and often bring with them a wealth of knowledge and life experience. Alex Sleeman is one country GP who had a big life before he became a small town GP.
Renmark Hospital restores full services after floods
Patients will once again be able to access acute inpatient care at the Renmark Paringa District Hospital from 25 January 2023, as the hospital returns to business as usual following its flood response. As flood waters continue to recede in the area, acute inpatient admissions will recommence after being suspended on 5 December 2022 as part of Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network’s (RMCLHN) flood response.
NSW welcomes record intake of junior doctors: Hazzard, Taylor
Staff and patients in NSW public hospitals are set to benefit from a major workforce boost with almost 1,100 medical graduate interns starting work in city and country hospitals this week – more than any other state or territory in Australia ... Minister Taylor said the new medical graduates will be welcomed with open arms to our rural and regional hospitals, with almost one third or 396 of the positions in the bush.
Cases falling but the XBB.1.5 variant now detected in WA
In WA Covid-19 cases are continuing to fall but ... WA Health said one case of the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant has been confirmed in the state. The Omicron XBB.1.5 variant is a sublineage of XBB, which emerged when a person was infected with two BA.2 sublineages.
Vaccine supplies run short as mosquito virus threat spreads its wings to the city: Speirs
The Opposition is calling on Peter Malinauskas to urgently source more Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccine doses and expand the criteria for those who want to boost their safety and be vaccinated against JEV – as concerns over the potentially deadly virus grow ... “It’s clear JEV is no longer a Riverland specific problem and $300 for a vaccine is completely unreasonable given so many South Australians are battling through a cost of living crisis": SA Opposition Leader, David Speir
