Life

The winning jockey of the 2020 Melbourne Cup, Jye McNeil, is getting behind the fundraiser, ‘We’re Here for Langy,’ to assist hometown boy James Lang and his family. James was left paralysed from the waist down as a result of a motorbike accident earlier this year. Jye is donating all proceeds from the auction of a limited edition 2020 Melbourne Cup – Twilight Payment framed display to the fund.

“At a dog park in Sydney in 2018, my wife and I got to talking about food security; how the global population is forecast to grow to nearly 10 billion by 2050, yet we don’t have enough protein to feed everyone. I was looking at the ‘fur babies’, wondering how we could feed them more sustainably: could we feed them insect protein instead?” asked Shaun Eislers, founder of BuggyBix.

One hundred and forty people have voted unanimously to oppose Clarence Valley Council’s (CVC) plan to install a new onsite sewage management system at the Brooms Head Holiday Park. The Brooms Head Community Action Group (BHCAG) held a meeting on Sunday July 3, so concerned “residents, holiday makers and day visitors” could “hear what CVC is proposing to do to their sand dune by the beach”.

The 2021 show is a grassroots, community focused event. It is the result of the year-long efforts of the local 10 committee members and their families, the Support Officer, an army of over 50 volunteers, tenders and casual workers.

On World Zoonoses Day, Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Mark Schipp has highlighted how the risk of zoonoses, diseases which can be transmitted to humans from animals, can be reduced through practising good animal biosecurity and hygiene control procedures. The bacterial disease leptospirosis is an example of a zoonotic disease of worldwide importance. The disease has been reported in over 150 mammalian species around the world, including wildlife, rodents, cattle, pigs, horses, dogs, and people.

Could underwater hockey be the next big sport in Weipa? Scott Barton thinks so. The keen spear fisherman says its the perfect sport to hone your underwater skills and hopes it will catch on in the community ... “Weipa has got the ideal pool because it has great tiles and it’s not too deep,” Sean Hartley said. “Underwater hockey is a great sport in the tropics because you don’t sweat.”

This Plastic Free July Sunshine Coast residents are encouraged to refuse single-use plastic products and adopt more sustainable behaviours by transitioning to reusable alternatives. Many single-use plastic items can be avoided by making simple changes in our daily habits and choices. Last year, an estimated 326 million people worldwide took part in Plastic Free July. On average, participants reduced their household waste and recycling by almost 5% (or 21kg).

Jim McFayden. Lord Howe Island Marine Rescue is the first off-shore marine rescue unit in NSW and the 45th overall. We have been very well resourced with world class assets and training and a solid commitment to spend funds locally as a priority. The back-up and support from the Marine Rescue NSW organisation during the establishment of our unit has been nothing short of outstanding.

CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, will spearhead a $1.7 million project to identify new treatments for COVID-19, including 'long-COVID'. Scientists will develop a faster, smarter way of rapidly screening existing drugs and advancing those that can be used to treat COVID-19 and aim to have identified the suitable TGA- or FDA-approved drug candidates to progress to phase 2-3 human clinical trials within a year.

Catherine Grimley. Everyone is aware of how much of a disadvantage low literacy can be in everyday life, and how those with literacy problems can be reluctant to ask for help for a variety of reasons. This issue is set to be less of a problem in Tennant Creek with the Literacy for Life program setting up to start classes at premises in Noble Street.

The Chief Minister announced Territory Day celebrations across the NT are deferred due to the unfolding COVID situation in Darwin ... Territory Day will go ahead at a later date so we can all celebrate together ... The Alice Springs Show which was due to happen today was cancelled due to the lockdown.

Eliza Berlage. Mothers in Kingston and Edenhope have channelled their frustration about the local childcare shortage into action by working with councils and government to find solutions. With existing services at or close to capacity and waiting lists up to 12 months, many parents have been unable to work or study, and some have considered leaving altogether.

Sheryl Lowe. What is the Day of the Dackel you may say? It’s when lovers of the long bodied, short legged bundles of love celebrate all things Dachshund. Approximately 100 Dachshunds converged on Edenhope for the inaugural Day of the Dackel this weekend.

This article may trigger strong emotions. To clarify, COVID-19 as an infection does pose serious health risks to vulnerable people. That being said, I believe we must still discuss the issues affecting our nation and communities in an open and transparent manner ... We now see state-wide restrictions and lockdowns as a result of low case numbers. At the time of printing, there is one person in ICU in Australia with COVID-19 and a total of 54 in hospital, from a nation of 25,360,000 people. Yes, COVID-19 is a risk, but so are lockdowns. The trigger for these lockdowns is the numbers of positive PCR tests. What if a PCR test didn’t accurately reflect live virus but instead Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) of dead virus?

Kirstin Nicholson. A Cohuna vet has taken out the Agricultural Student of the Year award. Amy Munro received the award at a ceremony held at Parliament House in Canberra on June 17. Amy, who grew up on her family farm at Cumnock in New South Wales, is an associate veterinary surgeon at Clavin Rogers and Associates. She moved here in August last year after graduating from university.

Kirstin Nicholson. It was a moment of mayham that had people looking on in disbelief – a pig waltzing down King George Street, Cohuna. Well, it wasn’t quite that glamourous, but it was definitely a pig.

Eight units are under construction at 115 Centre St in Casino through Momentum Collective ... Across the region, there is a chronic shortage of affordable housing, said Mark Edwards from Momentum Collective. “This is a positive move to support local people and key workers who may not be able to access safe, affordable housing.”

Emma Pritchard. Blessed with beautiful winter weather and clear skies, more than 80 rowers and paddlers in 31 boats took to the waters of the Clarence River on June 26 to participate in the Grafton Rowing Club’s annual Rowathon to raise funds for the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter ... eager participants traveled from Maclean, Iluka, Coffs Harbour, Murwillumbah, Lismore, Ballina, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Port Macquarie, with Grafton Rowing Club seniors and rowers from Grafton and South Grafton High Schools also joining in.

A political decision to build a kidney transplant unit at Townsville instead of Cairns has riled medical experts in the Far North. The state government held bids from both Cairns and Townsville hospitals for the new renal transplant unit, but opted for the more southern hospital, despite evidence suggesting more patients would benefit if it was in Cairns.

In this issue of The Winemaker, Bill talks about some of the different ways family wine companies, from famous dynasties to smaller private companies, might handle adversity and succession.

“If we lose churches, we lose the soul of our community,” says Stuart Holm. Stuart is not a member of the St John’s Uniting Church in Adams St in Coraki but he cares about its closure and what it means for the community. He is one of eight people in a working group discussing the re-invention of the church. “The conversation started three weeks ago and it’s building momentum,” Stuart said.