Life

Helping spot fires is the job of dreams for Parks and Wildlife Service Senior Spotter Pilot Bronwen Prinsloo. This Manjimup-based pilot loves taking to the skies to spot and report on fires, monitor prescribed burns and do her bit to help keep our communities safe.

The people who love cars are like a family, of sorts. “Once you’ve been bitten by the bug,” said Greg, “it stays with you for life.” And for Greg, Leanne, and Andrew, this love of cars has been the driving factor in them deciding to host Charlton’s very own (and very first) Show ‘N’ Shine, coming up on April 29-30.

For those who have not seen it, the view from the top of Panoramic Drive at Preston is spectacular. Also worthwhile experiencing, but potentially exhausting, is the bushwalk down from the peak ... The walk is very steep but offers magnificent views of the southern part of Toowoomba.

It was a ride with a difference for about 10 motorcyclists who hit the road on March 19 to create awareness about mental health and suicide prevention on the Limestone Coast. The riders travelled up the Riddoch Highway towards Keith and then up to Murray Bridge as part of the first Limestone Coast-Mallee Black Dog One-Dayer Ride.

The International Charter was presented to the initial twenty-two foundation members at Lennons Hotel on Saturday night, April 6 1963. Lions Club Toowoomba West member Merv Symons said Lionism is not a religion but a way of life, offering a great sensation from within – the love of service to the community.

Gerrit Fokkema. Wesley Stacey died recently in Bermagui, where he had lived since the mid 1970’s. Between 1968 and 1972, Wes made pictures in Wilcannia of buildings and street scenes that were used in a book, ‘Historic Towns of Australia’.

Allora Landcare Group (ALG) is delighted to announce the 2nd edition of their book "A Pictorial Guide to the Birds of Allora Mountain Flora and Fauna Reserve" is now available. Since the success of the first edition in 2020 more species of bird have been identified on the Mountain with now well over 100 which suggests the Mountain's ecosystems are richer and more diverse than originally thought.

The Allora Museum at 53 Warwick Street will be open this Sunday 16 April from 1 until 4pm with an extensive collection of Wedding Gowns that have been worn by local ladies over the years. The Gowns and Bridesmaid dresses have been tagged with the Bride's name and who she married.

Mystery still surrounds the disappearance of a woman who went missing while camping at Brooms Head in 2020 after the NSW Deputy State Coroner found she died close to where she went missing after going to amenities less than 200 metres from her camp. Annmarie Jeffery was last seen around 9am on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, at the Lake Arragan campground near Brooms Head.

Nhill Leo Club members, along with their mentors, attended their first Victorian Leo Summit on Sunday 26th March, which was held at the University of Melbourne Shepparton Campus and hosted by the Lions Club of Shepparton ... The majority of Leos’ Clubs in attendance comprised youth older than Nhills’ Leos, however, it was soon evident that the Nhill crew could hold their own amongst them.

Kaniva Day Centre and Nursing Home had a very special visitor this week ... Dodge an 11 year old AQHA stallion and therapy horse popped in to visit.

Since she was a child,  Navanka Fletcher has helped her nan set up the district produce exhibit at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Her nan Lyn Cregan, 76, has been involved in setting up the Northern District exhibits for 30 years.

Richmond Landcare has set an inspiring precedent for reconciliation by being the first Landcare group in NSW to have its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. The Reflect RAP outlines the group’s dedication to increasing cultural awareness and knowledge, promoting engagement strategies, and building collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

National Rural Health Alliance Chief Executive Susi Tegen said mental health in women is 'an enormous issue in rural and remote Australia' and called for action to improve rural healthcare accessibility. Ms Tegan was a guest on the first episode of Brainstorm, the new mental health podcast hosted by Guy Rowlison and produced by Plus Communications.

Volunteer-based not-for-profit organisations have received vital support through the Early Needs Recovery Program to help re-build, repair and clear fences in flood-affected areas ... "By providing this funding to ShoreTrack, BlazeAid and Rotary Australia to help with the fence rebuilding process, it is hoped to take some of the pressure off farmers to get this done so they can concentrate on other parts of their businesses and recover production quicker": Peta Holcombe, Early Needs Recovery Project Manager.

Castlemaine is set to become the Scrabble capital of the world, thanks to the Giant Scrabble Battle event which took place during the Castlemaine Fringe Festival. This year marked the 30th year of the festival, and the Scrabble Battle is quickly becoming one of the most popular events on the bill.

To ensure that the emu population receives appropriate funding and care, a recent on-country meeting was held on Mount Wycheproof, with participation from Council, Traditional Owners, State Government agencies, Friends of Mount Wycheproof, Landcare, and community members. The group collectively resolved to establish a team representative of all stakeholders to oversee the welfare of the emus.