Life

Ali Bohn. After five years, two locations and more than 350 print editions, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper (The Bridge) is officially for sale. It has been quite the journey for proprietor, Lloyd Polkinghorne and his family, who took over the newspaper in 2016 after making the transition to journalism and reporting from his first passion, farming.

Four years ago, a local group was established to offer support, social interaction, and plenty of fun, laughter and friendship, to Clarence Valley residents living with dementia ... it expanded to include locals affected by memory impairment, and senior citizens with limited opportunities to socialise. Together, they sing, they dance, and they enjoy being in each other’s company.

Warren Entsch says he has no intention of pulling the pin early and will see out his ninth and final term in parliament ... “I have kept just about every single promise I have made in politics and I will see out the full duration of this term ... It was a respectful campaign from Labor but they sensed their chance and put a lot more work in this time around.”

Kate Foran. It was a terrific team effort. Together they visited Ali Curung, Ampilatwatja, Alpurrurulam, Elliott, Epenarra, Murray Downs and Mungkarta. More than a hundred dogs were desexed ... Two emu chicks were treated for injuries and bandaged ...

Thanks to the John Moriarty Football (JMF) and Australian Blind Football (ABF) partnership blind and vision impaired (BVI) Aboriginal children will be able to participate in JMF’s transformational program through the use of audible balls ... JMF Co-Founder and Co-Chair and the first Indigenous footballer to be selected to play for Australia, Yanyuwa man John Moriarty said the partnership is game changing.

In addition to a 2,000 litre tank, the new tanker contains 650 litres of water set aside for crew and vehicle protection sprays in the event of a burnover. It also includes brackets to hold breathing apparatus cylinders as well as a cabin that allows a crew of five to travel safely together.

On Monday, 22 April 1901, Maldon’s Chinese community gave a concert at the Temperance Hall (now the Community Centre) to help raise funds for the Maldon Hospital ... A highlight of the evening was the Chinese dragon, worked by Tow Yin, Ah Chong and George Ah Mi. The dragon performed an elaborate dance before miming the actions of eating a meal and bathing and then settling down and going to sleep. The performance was greeted with loud applause.

Chris Oldfield. “For an elderly person - or any person - with blood cancer to be forced to get on a bus to Adelaide or Warrnambool to see a haematologist while they are very sick, navigate their way to the specialist, then find and pay for accommodation, then get back on a bus for up to 450kms (to return home)– well it’s a disgrace”: Senate hopeful Nick Xenophon.

Mike Riley. The Naracoorte Swap Meet and Show n Shine had something for everyone last weekend. The Naracoorte Historic Vehicle Club was very pleased with the turnout after a break of two years. The number of sites was over 320 and there were plenty of buyers. Site holders were very happy with their sales and generally believed that the Meet was better than the 2019 event.

Serena Kirby. Emergency food provider, Foodbank, has begun a delivery service to Denmark to meet rising demand in the community ... Foodbank Albany branch manager Rod Pfeiffer said that while the mobile service had been running in Perth for some time, the regional need was now urgent.

The Country Women’s Association (CWA) of NSW is calling for greater financial protection for landholders from mining exploration, urgent action on the quality of health services for rural and regional communities and an increased supply of social and affordable housing for older women in both metropolitan and regional areas of NSW.

cluBarham has finalised a 5-year strategic overview ... The 5-year strategic vision aim is to directly contribute to local population and tourism growth that will enhance the economic benefit to the community. ... “The main vision of it is really to focus on population growth and community support" : cluBarham CEO, Jason Wallace.

A Charles Sturt University early childhood education expert asks where in the 2022 election campaign is the commitment to big investment and to big policy ideas that ensure free and accessible early childhood education for the long-term? Dr Leanne Gibbs tells ARR.News how the challenges in workforce supply and retention in the ECE sector are even greater in rural, regional and remote areas within Australia.

Fewer than 50 people have made it all the way from Cooktown to Healesville since the Bicentennial National Trail opened in 1988. Rob Wylie managed to make it from Cooktown to Tamworth when he attempted it 25 years ago, but daughter Libby is aiming to make it all the way to Victoria – likely sometime next year.

“We’re off to the Landor Races” ... “Where is Landor?” ... “About a 12-hour drive away. The nearest town is Meekatharra, some 270 kilometres away from Landor” ... “So what’s at Landor?” ... “Nothing, just the racetrack.”

“With the new Board of Directors, and myself as Chair of BRADAGG commencing in March this year, we are keen to start moving ahead with a clean slate on this sorely needed alcohol and other drug (AOD) therapeutic treatment facility. The NT Government first committed funding towards a new facility in 2018" : Barkly Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Group Chair, Elliot McAdam.  

Nurses around the world were celebrated yesterday as part of International Nurses Day ... This year’s theme is “Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health.” We put the spotlight on local Registered Nurse Rizza Pagayon from Tennant Creek Hospital’s GP Clinic.

The Australian Timor Leste Friendship Network was established in 2009, and in the same year, Mount Alexander Shire entered into a Friendship Relationship Agreement with the sub-district of Lolotoe, Timor Leste and Friends of Lolotoe Timor-Leste Incorporated. This friendship is based on mutual support and respect for each other’s culture. The Friendship group started work raising funds for school infrastructure, school resources, scholarships and gardening programs.

This year's winter festival is going to be bigger and better than ever. The 17-day event will begin on Friday 24 June, with a bonfire and story-telling at the Maldon Golf Club, followed by an intimate performance by the award-winning classical guitarist Clancy McLeod.

Raise money for the Cancer Council while enjoying a delicious morning tea at the beautiful, historic Plaistow Homestead this Thursday, 19 May. From 10am, there will be scones freshly cooked, bottomless tea and coffee, stalls with plants, quality knitting and handcrafts and continuous music from the Maldon based Platform Souls. Other musicians are welcome to bring their instruments and join in.

Joan De Bondt. Young Jack Thomas from Koondrook has landed a dream job in England as a performance engineer with the Aston Martin F1 team based in Silverstone, around a hundred kilometers from London. Jack has been in his new job for three months. He is a graduate performance engineer, motivated to learn, contribute and win in fast-paced, team environments.