Life

Geoff Helisma. Clarence Valley environmental defenders John and Pat Edwards were inducted into the  Allen Strom Hall of Fame  at the Nature Conservation Council’s NSW Environment Awards ... “Individuals for this award have been actively involved in the conservation movement for many years, have made a constant and invaluable contribution to the environment and have displayed qualities of integrity, reliability and commitment.”

The first thing Sophie Matterson does at a new camp spot, after she has unloaded the packs from her five camels, is to put the billy on and make a cup of tea. In April last year, the 33 year old Brisbane woman set off on a camel trek from Shark Bay in Western Australia. On Sunday night she was bedding down at the Bonalbo Showground in the chicken shed.

Bernice Shepherd. In the Adelaide Parklands, the annual gathering of Greek and Italian locals spreading blankets and bashing olive trees is quite the spectacle. Olive trees proliferate around that city and no self-respecting ex-European would dream of letting that bounty go to waste ... In Casino, we have the Junbung Walkway bush tucker trail ... But could we go further?

When Mic Eales sits at the potter’s wheel, he forgets the world. “When I throw, I switch off, it’s like a meditation,” Mic said. In his vast tin shed studio overlooking a lagoon and green hills, Mic loses himself in his art ... This month, he will share his joyful space when people are invited to visit the Mallanganee studio as part of the Australian Ceramics Association open days across the country.

A massive cyclone swell on Sydney’s beaches claims a big wave surfer, leaving his long-term partner without a body to mourn. His four adult godchildren from far and wide gather for the reading of his will. A mystery girl from Tasmania joins them Down the coast, a man is pulled from the water and abandoned to his fate with a head injury and amnesia ... The debut novel by Coffs Coast local, Michel Vimal du Monteil, himself a surfer and former SES volunteer.

Cook Shire mayor Peter Scott and two councillors have heard the concerns of residents living in the council’s smallest locality. Around eight Portland Roads residents – or Iron Range if you want to be technical about the actual locality – attended a community forum last Tuesday to voice their concerns ... One of the hot topics was the desire for better water access in the area.

This time last year, Athol Ryan was in hospital with severe facial injuries after an innocuous incident while preparing to gallop a horse at Mount Garnet ... “When you’ve got a horse like Macipenko it keeps you going,” he said of the horse that has now won four races this year. While seven winners might not seem like a lot, it’s not bad considering Ryan only has a few horses in work at any one time and has to travel more than 300km one-way for just about every race meeting.

Dylan started bowling about 11 years ago when he was at his local club, Moulamein Bowls Club. He decided to have a go with his Grandfather’s bowls and next thing you know he was playing pennant.

The Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN) today welcomed the Final Report from the House Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and the recommendations to improve access to services for people in rural and remote Australia.

Queensland Government Minister for Tourism and Sport, Stirling Hinchliffe MP visited the South Burnett on Saturday 6 November 2021. Minister Hinchliffe opened Blackbutt’s new Bicycle Building School and Museum, the brainchild of renowned Penny Farthing historian, Mr Brett Richardson.

Air services critical to the Lord Howe Island community are set to continue, with the NSW Government extending the existing QantasLink licence for another three years from 2022. Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the air service is vital for keeping the Island’s 350 residents connected to Sydney and to support the tourism industry.

By all reports, the Gidgegannup Show held on Saturday 30 October was a roaring sucess with over 6,000 patrons attending the one day event.

Tennant Creek Girl Guides celebrated its 80th birthday on Saturday morning with an Open Day at the Showgrounds. Everyone was welcome to come along and see some of the history of Guides in Tennant Creek, and also to get a look at what the girls get to do under the careful guidance of their leaders, not to mention the special treat of being able to take a ride in the Bushfires vehicle courtesy of Keven Stout.

There have been two fashion parades, one at Panacea Estate, with items from Trés Doux Trés Beau, featuring beautiful clothing from the Duchess of Walmer. The other involved Beaton’s Stores and Poppy’s of Maldon displaying their gorgeous clothing at the Maldon Neighbourhood Centre to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation as part of the ‘Paint the Town Pink’ fundraiser.

Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Paul McVeigh has congratulated Chinchilla journalist Harry Clarke for taking out a prestigious award at the 2021 Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) Annual Conference.   Mr Clarke, founder and editor of the online news publication Country Caller, took out the coveted  Bean Lockyer Ticehurst Award for Excellence in Regional Journalism.

Kirstin Nicholson. Dr Megan Belot is the new president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA). Locals will know Dr Belot through her previous role as a GP at the Cohuna Clinic, and her current roles as a GP anaesthetist at Cohuna Hospital, GP at Northern District Community Health (NDCH) Medical Clinic in Kerang and a GP anaesthetist and Visiting Medical Officer at Echuca Hospital.

Geoff Wakeman is not against the principles of environmental watering. He does, however, have a huge problem with the way it is being used in the Gunbower Forest/National Park, particularly around Cohuna ... As a geologist, his interest was piqued when he came across some commentary surrounding the Barmah Choke, which prompted him to take a closer look at what was happening out in the Gunbower Forest. It was then he became alarmed.

The prestigious Greenham’s Trade and Export (Carcase) Cattle competition is going ahead. The competition has been held annually since 1983 and in recent years producers have been entering the National Beef Expo which is held every three years at Rockhampton with much success.

Lisa Stewart stood on the burnt ground among the charred trees at Rappville and looked across the railway line to the grand 1911 hotel. She was drawn to buy it, she said, although at the time she didn’t know why the pull was so strong. That was 18 months ago and with partner Colin Foyster, they have transformed the pub.

The fire engine red of the coral tree is unmissable at the moment. They are everywhere and are particularly virulent outside Lismore on the Bruxner Highway and along the Richmond River at Coraki and Woodburn. The scarlet flower reflects its bloom into the still river waters and if it wasn’t such an invasive weed, it would be a pretty sight.

The proposal for a battery at McKees Hill has neighbour against neighbour. This week 20 residents met on the rise of Auckram Rd outside the new site proposed for the Lismore Battery Energy Storage System (Lismore BESS) to discuss what action they would take to oppose the project.

The Victoria Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas visited the Belar Nursery and Bioculture Resources Centre to announce the Labor Government’s $2 million Djakitjuk Djanga Program in partnership with the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations ... The Djakitjuk Djanga Program has supported 13 Aboriginal native plant businesses to overcome key resource-related barriers towards the commercial production of native foods and botanicals.