Life

Estimates of around 1,000 trick or treaters and adults roamed the streets of Westbrook last Tuesday to celebrate one of the biggest days of the year for families. Rather than a traditional-style trick or treating arrangement, the Westbrook Lions organised a street closure in the part of town which sees the most houses participate.

The Narrandera Concerned Ratepayers Group has received around 300 signatures on its petition objecting to the Narrandera Shire Council’s proposed Special Rate Variation plan. The petition was created on October 16 at the groups first meeting where over a hundred people gathered to voice their concerns.

Serena Kirby. Golfer Marion Nelson has been Denmark’s ladies’ golf club champion 25 times. But that is just the start of Marion’s golfing achievements. She has achieved a rare hat trick by winning GolfWA’s Provincial Cup three times in a row and one other time as well ...

The Nhill RSL Sub Branch has, in partnership with Lowan Lodge 107, Rotary Club of Nhill Inc. and Nhill Lions Club, established a subcommittee aimed at honouring all service men and women in our Nhill cemetery. Our sub-committee will honour our local heroes by flying flags behind their graves on ANZAC and Remembrance days - we are hoping to start in 2024.

“At the same time we have seen these shocking declines in volunteer numbers, without any genuine attempt to stem the flow, Labor governments have embarked on a land lock-up spree that has seen National Park size in Queensland increase from around 6.6 million ha in 2002 to more than 7 million ha in 2022 ... Then we have the Prime Minister running around the country saying he will protect 30 per cent of lands, meanwhile what is currently under lock and key are poorly-managed, ecological wastelands that raise the nation’s bushfire risk": Traeger MP Robbie Katter.

This December, RADIANCE illuminates the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens ... Rockhampton Regional Council Mayor Tony Williams said RADIANCE is an event the whole family can enjoy as the Botanic Gardens awaken nightly with a spectacular Christmas-themed sound and light experience.

Long Day Care will be available alongside Kindergarten in Charlton from Term 1, 2024 with the announcement of a change of service provider for the Charlton Early Years Centre ... “The arrival of a new Early Years provider in Charlton represents a significant step in Council’s commitment to providing high-quality, accessible, and inclusive early childhood services to families in our community,” said Mayor Cr. Alan Getley.

Jess Liddy. A feeding-friendly group has started in Kadina. Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor Sally Michael and her daughter, trainee counsellor Mary Carroll, wanted to bridge a gap locally ... “We will talk through all different kinds of baby topics throughout a session — not just feeding.”

Proving age is no barrier regarding charitable acts, Lachlan Baker, in Year 6 at Trinity Anglican School (TAS) Kewarra Beach campus hosted a dinner and trivia event, raising $1255 for local charity COUCH. Lachlan tells ARR.News about his first, and very successful, fundraising experience.

Spaghetti Circus have been on a very special tour. As part of the company’s outreach program their Junior Performance Troupe performed in five pre-schools and four aged care facilities across the Byron Shire last week to foster connection and joy across generations.

Every week we all have an opportunity to engage with and influence someone ... A coaching moment could be with a child, a friend or colleague, staff member, or indeed a perfect stranger. Typically, it involves a conversation where you provide the gift of feedback. And here lies the question. What makes an effective coaching moment?

Melina Morrison, BCCM CEO, responds to the Westfund Regional Health Gap Report and answers a few questions from Australian Rural & Regional News ... "The co-operative business model, with its emphasis on grass roots democratic management, and sustainability, is ideally suited to providing care services in small and under-supplied markets."

The third $10,000 red-tagged barra of Million Dollar Fish Season 9 has been caught just five weeks into the season. The season runs from 1 October 2023 until 31 March 2024 ... This season someone is guaranteed to win a million dollars.  

So you like competing at dressage but don’t like to travel far. Imagine being Nina Harris, whose work area for training is often an airstrip and going to a competition means a 670km one-way drive from Daly Waters to Darwin.

Candece Jay. Donald’s Soldier’s Memorial Park was awash with colour as a gathering began to take shape last Saturday, October 28. Community came together to celebrate one of Australia’s most enduring narratives: migration and mateship, and Donald celebrated well; as multicultural locals came out in force to share food and dance and words.

Tennant’s own Pam Dillon has been recognised as a Leader in Education at the Teaching in the Territory Excellence Awards, held on World Teacher’s Day last Friday. Pam has been teaching for 40 years, of which 10 of these years have been spent working in Indigenous education in the Northern Territory.

The lack of a TAFE, children with special needs, the health bureaucracy, E-tag regulations, arts, rare earth mining, radiation therapy and plastics were among 16 questions asked at last week’s Country Cabinet forum in Naracoorte. During a two-day whirlwind visit SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, his ministers and all department chiefs collectively met with hundreds of people as they travelled to various special spots within our region.

When Respect Cohuna Village resident, Robin Wilkinson, mentioned she would love to fly a plane, staff at the village ‘flew’ into action and before she knew it, the 84-year-old was flying high above the town she now calls home … “They offered me a trip to go on a joy flight, and I jumped to it,” said Robin...

Australian farmers are requesting donated hay at a phenomenal rate as drought and bushfire conditions bite ... Queensland cattle producer Betty Johnson, of Biggenden, this month received hay from Rural Aid ... “We’ve had no rain at all since about January which means that I’ve been feeding stock for ages. If you’re feeding stock, it costs money.”

Recently I have been hosting a series of Business Leaders Round Tables throughout regional Victoria and Queensland. In several of the sessions, I was quite taken aback by the language used to describe our next generation by some of the leaders present. History shows that every generation has its own set of unique qualities, values, and idiosyncrasies. But describing or labelling an entire generation with broad sweeping negative generalisations is unhelpful and is a sure way to get any potential staff or volunteers offside.