Longford Show success!
Despite the snap lock down in Hobart affecting the show slightly - with two attractions unable to attend, along with some equestrian, chopping and kennel competitors - much to everyone's gratitude, the show still went ahead, one of only four agricultural shows held this year.
A favourite Mt Archer view point is ready to re-visit
The Grass Tree Lookout at Mount Archer is ready for visitors once again, following upgrades completed by Rockhampton Regional Council and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) ... “In addition to the amphitheatre and the skywalk, we are really pleased that residents and visitors can once again enjoy this beautiful vantage point, taking in the incredible views Mount Archer has to offer."
Shark Warning System upgrade to boost safety
The McGowan Government is enhancing WA's program of shark mitigation measures in the lead up to summer, with the Shark Warning System now automated to alert beachgoers to the presence of a tagged shark in the vicinity.
Afghani locals in “limbo”
Gabrielle Duykers. Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Migrant Resource Centre (MRC), Eugenia Tsoulis spoke to Naracoorte Lucindale Council at its latest meeting, emphasising the need to continue support for Afghan residents ... Following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, many local Afghan migrants are trying to safely bring their family members to Australia. However, many are unable to do so due to being on temporary “bridging” visas or without citizenship.
Prior wins Tatiara Art Prize
Gabrielle Duykers. A “poignant” and “emotional” textile work has taken home the 2021 Tatiara Art Prize and is now on public display at Walkway Gallery. The winning work, ‘The Shortest Day of the Year', comes from artist Deborah Prior and tells the story of family connections as inspired by her grandmother. Made from vintage Australian woollen blankets, the beautifully crafted piece also represents the wool industry and its critical connection to regional and remote communities.
Boxing and skateboard champ calls in to talk importance of looking after your mental health
Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia NT (MIFANT) were fortunate enough to have the assistance of Louise ‘Bang Bang Lulu’ Hawton, former skateboarding champion, and two time World Champion Atomweight boxer, to get the mental health message across.
Renewable Newstead
A small-scale solar farm on Newstead’s outskirts is still on track for completion by 2022, albeit, a downsized version. After community consultation and feedback from the energy industry, the community group behind the project down-scaled it from 9 mega watts (MW) to 5MW ... The project is run by a group of dedicated volunteers with a range of expertise in business, PR, communication and project management.
Mayor pulls no punches on parliament visit – housing issue is a priority
South Burnett Regional Council Mayor Brett Otto has hit the ground running on his visit to George Street in Brisbane to meet with Cabinet Ministers ... “Minister Enoch is fully aware of our housing situation here in the South Burnett, as a result of high property demand and a lack of available affordable housing,” Mayor Otto said.
Hendra virus confirmed in flying foxes in broad region of Australia
Scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have uncovered a new type of Hendra virus in flying foxes, confirming the virus can be found across a broad region of the country. A paper detailing the findings has been published just days after the new genetic type (HeV-g2) was detected in a horse near Newcastle in New South Wales, the most southern case of Hendra yet recorded.
James Sullivan honoured
Liz Lawrence. The Sullivan name has been synonymous with Australian football in Narrandera for decades and now one of its favourite sons James Sullivan has been honoured for his commitment to the game as a teacher at St Francis de Sales Regional College. James, son of Barry and Debbie Sullivan of Narrandera, has been named as a NSW/ACT Secondary School Ambassador for the game in the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards.
A tale of two cockatoos
John Anderson. White-tailed black cockatoos have one of the most evocative and haunting bird calls in Australia. Around Denmark, they can often be seen and heard in the evening flying in small groups to their roosting sites. Occasionally, massive flocks of hundreds of birds converge on a favoured watering hole or swamp to drink, such as Yanchep National Park, north of Perth.
Latest gallery exhibitions build the natural connection
Two exhibitions open at the Caloundra Regional Gallery Friday October, 15, exploring our connection to the ocean and the many ways nature sustains our wellbeing. I Sea U and Healing Garden are on display until December 5.
Segregation week
Any person who is over 16 years of age and who is not fully vaccinated with the provisionally approved COVID-19 vaccine has been excluded from many NSW businesses this week. Despite our regional areas having limited to no COVID-19 cases and willing uptakes exceeding 80% in LGAs like Murray River Council, the state government pushed forward to rip the last shreds of medical sovereignty from people living in our supposed democracy. The mandates have turned friends into enforcers and loyal customers into the unclean, and in turn, the unwelcome.
River folk
Tuesday Browell describes herself as a river guardian. “It’s a tricky disposition, one of whinging nana, or that of wishing she had superhero river powers” ... “Miles and miles of Paterson’s curse, looking like the lavender fields of France, are a beautiful, yet shameful reminder of how rampant invasive weeds are along the Murray River. The native species of understory are dissipated and scant.” The river is a special place, one worth protecting for future generations, ‘living art’ as Tuesday describes it.
Iconic Copmanhurst property on the market
Emma Pritchard. The Church of the Holy Apostles in Copmanhurst is widely admired and loved by many, having served the Copmanhurst community and surrounding districts for more than a century. Strong family connections and lifelong memories have been formed, along with an intense interest in its history and preservation. And it has also generated plenty of interest in the property market.
Get along to the 74th Gidge Show, 30 October 2021!
The Country Show on the City Doorstep! The Gidgegannup Agricultural Society holds a very popular, traditional Country Show each year on the last Saturday in October which attracts visitors and exhibitors from all over the hills, metropolitan areas and beyond.
The 2021 Westbury Show welcomes you on November 6th!
Westbury Show is Tasmania’s third-oldest agricultural show. We like to say that we are the family variety show of the north. Our show has something for every family member, from horse competitions, kids’ entertainment, dog shows to a fantastic array of home industries creations.
New rate peg methodology includes population growth
Geoff Helisma. NSW Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock has “endorsed the new rate peg methodology and has asked IPART to give effect to it in setting the rate peg from the 2022-23 financial year” ... Clarence Valley Council’s (CVC) general manager, Ashley Lindsay, said he didn’t foresee any “significant increase in its revenue”, because of the changes.
Fighting on our own
Deaths and high hospitalisation rates from COVID-19 will be the harsh reality for Cape residents if the state and federal governments do not act immediately to improve vaccination rates. The numbers in some communities are frighteningly low.
Yet the state and federal leaders have been absent ... The Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service has tried its best to service the vast region in a timely manner, however they are working in a flawed system. Some communities – Coen, for example – have only been able to access the vaccine on a handful of days this year.
Tennis SA State League All Stars kick off 2021/22 Tennis SA State League season in style
The 2021/22 Tennis SA State League season has been officially launched by the Tennis SA State League All Stars on the Eyre Peninsula ... The state’s highest level competition visited regional South Australia for the first time, with eight Tennis SA State League players joining six local tennis players to create Team Red and Team Blue.
Review – Walkabout to Wisdom
In many ways this captivating book describes the relationship between the author, Lachlan Hughson, and his much loved Australian Outback. In travels rivalling those of Odysseus in extent, the author takes us across the vast expanse of the ancient Australian continent, mixing geological insights, historical background, and personal experiences with vivid descriptions of nature in all its forms.
State invited to co-invest in SA tourism with Tumby Bay jetty refurbishment
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has been presented with a ground-breaking opportunity for the State to work with the District Council of Tumby Bay on significantly refurbishing the Tumby Bay Jetty to benefit cruise ship tourism on Eyre Peninsula, as well as tourism and the community at large.
