Life

The 1959 All Saints Church in Old Bonalbo is preparing to hold its final service. Jill Gorry said she felt sad about the church going. “But we’re not left without a church, there is one in Bonalbo,” she said. The Anglican church will be deconsecrated on April 13 by Bishop Murray from Grafton.

Kendall Jennings. Jaydyn Coggins is a former student from Barham Primary School. The school had cups and that is where Jaydyn first tried sport stacking. At this moment the world changed for Jaydyn, his family moved to Adelaide after he completed year one. Then, at nine years old, Jaydyn rediscovered the sport on YouTube, but it would also be the start of an obsession with sport stacking. With the support of his family, at 15, Jaydyn quickly became the fastest cup stacker in Australia, with a dream to travel overseas to the World Sport Stacking Championships. As a young man with Autism, Jaydyn has had his hurdles to overcome throughout the years and so, when he found a sport that he not only loved, but excelled in, there was no turning back.

Unequipped and unsafe health facilities in the Murrumbidgee region, lack of funding and available services and minimal staffing leading to burnout have all been the focus of regional submissions to a NSW Upper House inquiry ... “The reality is however, throughout rural NSW hospital operating theatres stand unused, no babies are being delivered and regularly there is no doctor available to attend emergency wards” : Narrandera Shire general manager, George Cowan.

Geoff Helisma. There’s a sign on the outside wall of the Bak’d Hot Bread (formerly Yamba Street Bakery) announcing that it accepts Bitcoin; the Independent spoke with proprietor Will Trevithick about the cryptocurrency, which was last week valued at $74,500 AUD. The bitcoin.org website asks on its FAQ page, Is Bitcoin really used by people? The answer is yes and, while it’s an apparent rarity among on-street shops, one Yamba business accepts the digital currency.

Emma Pritchard. Her eyes sparkle and her lovely smile widens with excitement as Dr Dinara Markhabullina speaks about her love for Australia and how her childhood dream was to live and work in this beautiful country, to be able to experience its climate and lifestyle, and be a part of its amazing diversity.

Emma Pritchard. With areas of bushland and forestation cleared following the bushfires, cane toads have hopped their way south along the Summerland Way and breeched the southern containment line, the Clarence River, within the past 12 months.

At the November 2020 Council meeting, following the presentation of the 2020-21 Plant Replacement Report, Cloncurry Councillors voted to purchase a new grader. In partnership with Hastings Deering, part of the machine was painted blue to help raise awareness for men’s mental health.

With the support of the CEF Gwydir Learning Region, Louisa has recently made the big move to Sydney to study her dream course, a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Media and Communications at Macquarie University.

Michelle Elvy is happy to bring a little bit of boring to her newly created role as she looks to put her stamp on Rio Tinto in Weipa. The new general manager of bauxite, replacing the GM roles at Weipa and Gove, says that safety and stability will be pillars of her leadership.

Sunshine Coast foodie Martin Duncan said he started the Scone Time events as a way to combat isolation experienced by our elderly residents and to breathe life into Sunshine Coast heritage halls. “Now, Scone Time is about bringing everyone together for a good old-fashioned chat, in person, while enjoying a sweet treat,” Mr Duncan said.

Back with a brand new format, Whyalla's award winning uneARTh Festival is sure to offer a great experience for everyone.

Watch the snapshot of the Words Out West, Western Downs Readers & Writers Festival

In his studio at Eden Creek, Brett Hamlyn turns “chords into a fully mastered product”. The producer spent 15 years touring with bands and now at Deva Studios, he helps musicians develop their songs. “He’s the best,” singer songwriter Wendy Ford said. “He has a great sense of melody.”

Kirstin Nicholson. Organisers of Sunday’s AWMA Water Control Solutions 28th Cohuna Bridge to Bridge are thrilled with the day. Cooler weather presented ideal conditions for entrants who competed in seven running and cycling events from as early as 8am ... Entrants travelled from across Victoria and New South Wales to participate, with many staying overnight and injecting cash into local businesses. With events catering for all ages and abilities, participants ranged from serious runners and cyclists to those out for a leisurely Sunday walk, with many ex-locals returning for the event.

The Wakool Show was back with a fantastic flurry of fun, food, music and entertainment. This year’s show was rolled into one action packed evening and the community support was fantastic with families coming from Wakool, Moulamein, Koondrook-Barham and Deniliquin.

Nicholas Rupolo. Narrandera-born GWS Giant Matt Flynn is set for an AFL debut this week after recovering from a devastating ACL injury last year. The Giants host St Kilda on Sunday with Flynn to take to the paddock in what is a dream come true after 12 years in the making.

Geoff Helisma. Yamba Surf Life Saving Club member Kalani Ives says her “main goal is to paddle across the Molokai Channel and win that” ... Kalani has already racked up a numerous outstanding results competing in the Nippers – and at the 2021 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships, held at Swansea on March 6 and 7, she won the U17 Iron Woman, came third in the U17 Female Board Race and fourth in the U17 Female Single Ski.

This "Seas of Change" will take you on a 35-year journey in 2 minutes, highlighting how the Northern Prawn Fishery recognised in 1985 that sustainability needs to be a never-ending process.

MidCoast Council is again asking the community to refrain from approaching or feeding Dingoes in the Tea Gardens / Hawks Nest area following the need for lethal control of a sub-adult pack this week. The three males and two females had been involved in at least five incidents involving people and domestic pets over the last month, all increasing in ferocity ... "We are all really disappointed that it has come to this," said Council's Senior Ecologist, Mat Bell.

Last year’s world-first discovery that smoke dose is directly linked to the level of smoke taint in wine was an ‘absolute gamechanger,’ according to Professor Ian Porter. ‘We discovered that provided the burn is not right next to the vineyard, it actually takes a lot more smoke to cause smoke taint than we originally thought’, Professor Porter from La Trobe University said.

The future of funerals is in the spotlight following community feedback showing increased interest in more eco-friendly burial options. Sunshine Coast Council is investigating natural burial sites within existing cemeteries.