Life

Sloping banks make it difficult to access the Richmond River at Casino. The sound of the river water echoes up the slopes to a winding path where Casino High School students are planting 800 native trees behind Queen Elizabeth Park. Teacher Rod McFarlane said they wanted to revitalise the whole area to make it accessible for elders.

The final Get Set in the Basin celebrations were held over the weekend. The concerts, funded through Lloyd’s Walk for Water, the Australian Horizon Foundation and BEEFitUP Australia, had toured four rural communities for a night of music and comedy. Headlining the shows were Aria Award winning lead singer of TAXIRIDE, Jason Singh, along with musician, Huc Richards and comedian, Flemmo.

An independent inquiry has stated that Field and Game Australia should rightly be concerned that serious efforts by Victoria’s Game Management Authority (GMA) are underway to restrict duck hunting in the state, regardless of scientific evidence. The veiled threat about whether duck hunting may no longer continue in Victoria should be taken seriously.

Ever had a dream to paddle the Murray? Amy Teitzel did. Now utilising her long service leave, she is paddling her 13-foot canoe the length of the mighty river. Amy started in Walwa, 150km upstream of Hume Dam on April 9.

Narrandera's Volunteer Rescue Association squad was handed the keys to their new $380,000 rescue truck on Thursday by NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott.

With recreational freshwater fishing worth $300 million to the economy, a local author has launched a complete fishing guide to the Murrumbidgee for anglers. Martin Asmus, NSW Department of primary Industries, and Dr Jamin Forbes have published the Fishing Atlas for Murrumbidgee river- Gundagai to Balranald.

Geoff Helisma. The Lions Club of Clarence – Environmental is a rare breed of Lions club and, just like the threatened coastal emus it is campaigning to protect, its vital numbers are growing. The nature-focussed group, the first of its kind in Australia, has gathered 1,318 signatures on its petition to reduce the speed limit on Brooms Head Road from 100kph to 80kph, particularly where emus regularly cross.

The National Farmers Federation has welcomed recent announcements on the roll-out of the Future Drought Fund’s (FDF) Farm Business Resilience Program, a program that will provide practical training for farms on strategic business management, natural resource management, and personal and social resilience. "This program will be crucial in building our farmers fundamental business and strategic planning skills with respect to resilience and preparedness," NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

Geoff Helisma. When Keeley Pritchett’s phone rang he didn’t recognize the number, but he took the call … a call that steered his life a little wide of the mark while riding towards a bullseye. Just over two years ago, the Lower Clarence man was an apprentice motorcycle mechanic learning his trade in Sydney. Following that unexpected phone call, Pritchett ended up touring Tasmania with five other bikers and starring in the film Wide of the Mark.

Council’s push for an improved planning approach to renewable energy developments has received a boost after gaining support from the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV). In a motion put to Friday’s MAV State Council, Moyne Shire Council called on the MAV to advocate to the Planning Minister and Energy and Environment Minister for a strategic approach to be taken on renewable energy projects and transmission lines.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is almost here and this year’s theme ‘More than a word, Reconciliation takes action’ is all about Australians making impactful social change. Events are happening throughout Geraldton as well as online from Wednesday 26 May to Thursday 3 June, and most of them are free.

The things you see while driving in the Cape. This is Peter Stuart, an Atherton man on a mission. He’s riding all the way to the Tip of Cape York and for no particular reason.

Five optometrists from Queensland University of Technology recently visited the Northern Peninsula Area and provided free eye tests for children. “The aim was to provide a service to the kids to do comprehensive vision testing and to understand the extent of any uncorrected vision problems that may be in the community,” said Dr Scott Read, Associate Professor at QUT’s School of Optometry and Vision Science.

The State of Queensland’s 162nd birthday is coming up and to celebrate Scenic Rim Regional Council will host events in Beaudesert, Boonah and Tamborine Mountain for the whole family to enjoy.

Rural Aid Volunteer Army is headed to Walgett - help us give them a warm Walgett Welcome. The whole town is welcome for the free BBQ, bring the family.

Catherine Grimley. After having missed out on the races last year due to COVID-19, Tennant Creek certainly made up for it last Saturday with the Tennant Turf Club Two Cup Race Day. The ladies dusted off their long unused gladrags, hats and high heels and there were more suits about than have been seen in a good long while as everyone dressed up to give race day a sense of occasion that has been missing for too long.

Visitors and locals were thrilled with the offerings at the Border Flywheelers Club and Heritage Museum 24th Vintage Engine and Machinery Rally. “You could spend weeks in there,” was a repeated comment from visitors. The shear volume and variety of local history that has been amassed is a credit to everyone involved.

Farmers are being urged to touch base with a Rural Aid counsellor for a mental wellbeing check-in, as mouse plagues continue to ravage rural communities. Rural Aid CEO John Warlters has urged primary producers to get in touch with Rural Aid. “Rural Aid can help farmers with a range of measures including financial, fodder and mental wellbeing assistance,” Mr Warlters said.

Narrandera could potentially become the centre in the Riverina for cycling enthusiasts with a $600,000 Rocky Waterholes Mountain Bike Park mooted. The idea was conceived by the Mountain Bike Trail Narrandera Group whose members want to see the informal trails in the Rocky Waterholes hill transformed into a formal mountain bike trail.

The thirtieth Noosa Festival of Surf is being held between 15th and 23rd May. The festival organisers expect up to 400 competitors – one of the biggest turnouts in the event’s history and with eleven different age divisions, six open divisions, a team challenge, family challenge, standup paddleboard surfing, and the crowd-pleasing dog surfing championships, the event promises to be one of the most exciting yet.

Emma Pritchard. Earlier this year, the Clarence River Historical Society was contacted by the curator of a Newcastle museum, citing a topic which may be of interest to them. An old brass bell had appeared in a Hunter Valley op shop, and it was suspected it had a strong link to Grafton, and the Clarence River. The evidence was boldly engraved across the front of the brass bell. It read, SS Induna, 1891, Aberdeen.

Emma Pritchard. Since the early 1900’s it has stood on the hill, welcoming parishioners and offering them a safe and sacred place of worship. But now, the 106-year-old Church of the Holy Apostles in Copmanhurst is being permanently closed and sold as part of a wider restructuring plan for Anglican mission and ministry on the North Coast ... There have been no services at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Copmanhurst since March 2020, due to restrictions enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic ... "prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, an average of three or four people were attending Sunday services there."