Life

When John McFadden gave up a promising career as an NRL player aged 14, his parents Bob and Bernice never imagined he would be crowned World Food Champion, but they were determined to support him to pursue his dreams ... John said. John decided to become a chef and started as a kitchen hand at a restaurant at Long Jetty on the Central Coast called Dominic’s Manor...

Relationships, social support, physical fitness and a sense of belonging are key elements for positive mental health, and being part of a sporting community like the Birchip-Watchem Football, Netball and Hockey Club ticks all these boxes ... Following the headspace round, the National Centre for Farmer Mental Health also jumped on board and provided funding from its flood recovery program "Building Farm Spirit" ...

In recent weeks headspace Swan Hill has actively partnered with twenty-four local sporting clubs to deliver important mental health messages and strategies in three leagues across the North Central and Mallee communities.

Nhill had the honour of having two locals bestowed with an Order of Australia medal (OAM) in the King’s birthday honours announced on Monday. Hindmarsh Shire Councillor Rob Gersch for his service to local government and to the community and Kevin Bye for his service to lawn bowls and the community.

The NSW Government has rolled out 80 new four-wheel drive ambulances across the state, which will allow paramedics to access patients in challenging terrain, the NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park announced on 13 June 2023. These purpose built 4WD ambulance vehicles are used to access patients in situations where standard ambulances would not be able to, particularly in regional and remote areas.

The Palaszczuk Government is making kindergarten free for all Queensland families from 1 January 2024. The Premier announced the $645 million investment which will help every Queensland child get a great start in life and support parents in their return to work.

Australia’s food systems must change now to remain sustainable in the future according to a new roadmap released by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency ... The roadmap, Reshaping Australian Food Systems, sets a path for how Australia can secure a more sustainable, productive, and resilient future for its food, environment, and people.

CANEGROWERS is calling on the federal,  state and territory governments to redouble their efforts to halt the march of Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA), following the release of a damning report on the failure of the current eradication program.  The report, which has been kept under wraps for two years, makes clear that the current strategy will not only fail to eradicate RIFA, but will be unable to stop the global super-pest from spreading beyond south-east Queensland.

A New urgent care clinic where a child with a high fever or someone with severe lacerations or a suspected broken bone can be taken will open soon in the City of Wanneroo. Yesterday the Albanese Government announced that Ocean Keys Family Practice in Clarkson has been given approval to operate a Medicare urgent care clinic.

Kyogle artist Rebecca Tapscott chose to paint a self-portrait at a low point in her life. She was going through radiation treatment to eliminate cancer that had returned to her body from her 2017 breast cancer. Her portrait doesn’t shy away from that harrowing experience.

Not every child gets a Christmas present of money to buy a steer. The Gould kids did. Harper, 12, Allora, 11, Slater, 9, and Ledger, 7, bought steers and named them Big Boy Steve, Fuzz, Parker and Max ... Adam said being on the farm is good for the kids because they have to take responsibility. They get out here at 3am to milk the cows and by 6am they’re ready to go, he said.

Tom came to us for unknown reasons. A stranger in our midst, yes, but feral? He was clearly somebody’s pet but having learned from other cats in the neighbourhood that the place up the road offered a better alternative to the life he had – good (and regular) food, a warm place to sleep, and reasonably congenial humans – he’d opted to chance his luck on our doorstep.

Wiradjuri man Buddy Oldman is about to be immortalised in the history books. Under the guidance of the Guinness World Records, the World Champion Masters Boxer is proud to confirm that he will be punching a boxing bag for 72 hours to set a new world record to raise awareness for mental health ... Buddy answers a few questions from ARR.News.

Since its beginnings in 2013, the NDIS has helped many people with disabilities all around Australia to live fuller lives, but like any long term program, it sometimes needs to be reviewed to ensure that it is still able to meet the needs and expectations of the community.

Maldon locals are most likely to know Anita Sinclair as a puppeteer, a cartoonist or an artist ... she’s releasing her second memoir, A Wild Surmise - A dream of migratory birds, which follows Anita as a new migrant arriving in Australia at the age of 12 through to finishing her painting and sculpture degree at the age of 20.

Local train enthusiasts couldn’t believe their eyes or good fortune on Tuesday morning, when an enormously long train, estimated to be up to a kilometre-and-a-half in length, passed through Donald, heading north, towards Mildura ... There was no official word on what was the purpose of the train might be, but one theory was that is was a test run to check the suitability of the Mildura to Melbourne line to transfer freight.

The State Government is being urged to provide funding certainty for the Mode Shift Incentive Scheme (MSIS) to encourage more freight on to rail. The MSIS is an incentive program providing financial support to rail freight companies to make the cost of transporting goods on rail more competitive ... Deputy Leader of The Nationals and Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, said the MSIS program allowed regional rail freight operators to offer competitive transport options for exporters, encouraging them to use rail instead of road transport to get their goods to the Port of Melbourne.

Rev. Rick Gummow shares a brief history of All Saints’ Anglican Church in Cambooya and its important role in the surrounding district. "Why!" wrote a perplexed Patrick Leslie in his diary in 1848 regarding the choice to base a new settlement at Drayton.

The Northern Territory (NT) is currently experiencing an outbreak of Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE), with 7 confirmed cases this year, including 2 deaths. This is the highest number of cases ever recorded in a single year and compares to 2 cases over the previous 5 years across the Territory.

More than 5,000 trees and shrubs now call the banks of Thowgla Creek home thanks to the combined efforts of more than 30 volunteers over three days. The plantings will accelerate the recovery of the water system following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires by stabilising banks, providing shade and housing terrestrial food items that fish love.

The multi-award winning documentary ‘Solstice’, about survivors of suicide, including interviews with local people who have been impacted by tragedy, will screen in Corryong next week. The inspiration for the film had its genesis with the Winter Solstice event that happens in Albury for survivors of suicide and those struggling with their mental ill health.