Life

The 19th NHMA National Machinery Rally, Australia’s largest display of working heritage equipment, and the Steaming Under the Southern Cross event took place at Kingsthorpe last week.

It wouldn’t be a 20 year celebration of the Big Sky Readers and Writers Festival without a stellar line-up of special guests and an exciting programme to match! With this year’s theme “A Celebration of Stories”, special guests include multi-award winning actress, author and former Geraldton local Tasma Walton, novelists Catherine Greer and Stefanie Koens, musician and crime author Dave Warner, and so many more.

Murrumbidgee Council Mayor Ruth McRae OAM has expressed deep disappointment at the closure of Coprice's Coleambally facility from 1 September 2025. Cr McRae described the news as devastating for the community and said it was disappointing to see the withdrawal of a business, particularly one that has helped drive the region's agricultural sector.

Six years after leaving a career as an internationally celebrated jazz pianist for the life of an ordained Buddhist monk, Koun Vincent has announced a return to the keyboard and the national stage with a new Australian tour including a performance in Corryong.

Gunbower Racing Club is taking a big punt on itself – and the payoff would be huge. But more for Gunbower Lions Club and Echuca Regional Health’s Wellbeing Centre, because there’s $50,000 up for grabs as part of the 2025 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep.

The next Nhill Book Fair will be held on September 7, from 10-2 at 44 Victoria St (next to Lowana), in conjunction with the second birthday celebrations at LOL next door. At this book fair there will be a large selection of Walkabout magazines available.

Hugh Schuitemaker. Struggling Riverland grape growers would have a better chance of staying in the industry – and sustaining the region's economy – if an indicative pricing Bill being introduced to State Parliament today becomes law, an SA MP says. The Bill would force processors to release indicative prices by September 30 each year, giving growers the choice of opting out of loss-making vintages months in advance, rather than plunging further into debt ... MLC Sarah Game will introduce the Bill to the upper house ...

Haydays retirement hostel is facing an imminent crisis, due to the building’s ageing infrastructure. The centre, which first opened in 1968, is just two or three years away from closing, unless vital refurbishments can be undertaken, to ensure the facility is compliant with all Aged Care Commission regulations, according to the Haydays Management Board.

Join us at Australia’s largest commercial-scale regenerative trial farm on Wednesday 10th September, as it opens its gates to invite farmers, agronomists, agtech leaders and data specialists to the highly anticipated Boolah Trial Farm Field Day in Pallamallawa, NSW.  

The Black Shadows at Mundi Mundi ... Line up of cars and campervans returning from Mundi Mundi ...

As the push for a cashless society continues, so does the exodus of financial institutions from the Yamba CBD, with BCU the latest to announce it will close its doors early next year. The Yamba CBD was once home to six different financial institutions, ANZ, BCU, Commonwealth Bank, NAB, St George, and Westpac.

As local government rates notices hit letterboxes across the state, farmers are highlighting the madness of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund Tax (ESVF) now hitting the pockets of Victorian homeowners. Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) President Brett Hosking said the mounting outrage is adding more weight to calls to scrap massive increases in the tax. 

On Monday, 8 September at 11.30am, a special ceremony will be held at the Port Lincoln War Memorial in Eyre Park to plant a Fig Tree of Tobruk—a living symbol of remembrance and resilience that not only honours the legacy of Australian soldiers who served in the Siege of Tobruk during World War II, but also commemorates the enduring significance of the tree itself, which once offered shelter and solace to troops in the harsh desert conditions of Libya.

Bendigo Bank closed its last remaining banking service in an Aboriginal community 27 days before celebrating the launch of its Aboriginal Reconciliation Action Plan. The Aurukun agency in far north Queensland was one of 27 to be closed in 2022-2023 under the eye of the bank’s now chief executive Richard Fennell when he was in charge of the consumer banking division.

Country race meetings are the heartbeat of regional Australia. Unlike city races where only a small percentage of people attend, country race days see entire towns turn out to support their local event.

Wendy Watts. On Sunday August 17th the Nullawil Historical Society celebrated my 100-year anniversary. “Auchmore 1925-2025” ... As the centrepiece of the Nullawil Heritage Centre, some refer to me as the “Grand Old Lady”.

A buoyant crowd gathered at Maldon Community Centre on Thursday 21 August to hear the announcement from Community Bank Maldon & District about its BIG Project grant, which offered a million dollars over five years to create long-lasting impact within the local community ... $650,000 will be invested with the Mount Alexander Affordable Housing Trust towards affordable housing in Maldon.

Joy Cassidy presented a touching talk as guest speaker at Cohuna RSL ... Joy spoke of her Aunt, Rosetta Joan Wight who was one of the 21 nurses massacred by the Japanese in WW2 after their surrender at Radji Beach, Bangka Island.

Regional Development Australia (RDA) Orana together with The Energy Charter are proud to announce the launch of the innovative Regional Energy Collaboration Framework - a pioneering initiative designed to transform the way energy organisations and regional communities collaborate during Australia’s clean energy transition.

A new program is set to revitalise towns across regional New South Wales with the power of arts-led regeneration. Launched by Regional Arts NSW in partnership with Cementa Festival co-founder Alex Wisser, the RALLY program invites artists from across the state to connect and collaborate ... RALLY participant Eliza Wells said as well as enhancing creativity and self-expression, she hoped the program would reduce loneliness and improve wellbeing in her community in Harden-Murrumburrah.

The Walking the Seasons program provides guided walks led by local First Nations Elders and aims to deepen the understanding of local landscapes ...