Life

Last week young students at St Patrick's School were treated to an entertaining session on campdrafting. The idea was to educate and obviously amuse the students in readiness for the Pacific Seeds 88 to Educate Charity Campdraft to be held on 23 and 24 August at the Allora Showgrounds.

Allora's Laura Geitz is one of Australian netball's greatest players and most respected leaders, achieving a decade of supremacy with the Queensland Firebirds and Australian Diamonds. Representing the Queensland Firebirds in 169 games, Laura played a significant role as a dominant player and inspirational captain in three championship-winning seasons: in 2011, and back-to-back successes in 2015 and 2016.

The Rolls-Royce name is imbued with suggestion and symbolism, not all of which is really to do with cars or mechanicals. We live in changing times, and the group of Rolls-Royce (and Bentley) owners who visited Maldon on the weekend were just another bunch of car enthusiasts who were happily chatting about bearings and gearboxes...

Carolyn Wheeler. What an incredible journey I have had on our Excel Farms regional tour with the Blue Tree Project, focusing on mental health awareness and support! ... Over the course of the tour last week, we travelled more than 1,700km, painted 5 trees blue on farm and in the communities, and hosted two sold out community quiz nights.

Just like the ever-changing weather, our feelings experience many elements; stormy and gloomy, sunny and bright, cold and dark, sometimes all at once ... Barham Public School is proud to be running the Seasons for Growth program, a program designed to help provide support to children and young people experiencing uncertainty, change and grief.

Coming off a farm at Barham, 14-year-old Hunter Toohey is at school in Ballarat studying as hard as he can to get back there as fast as he can. At the weekend he was on a mate’s property outside Ararat trying to help thin the local fox population before heading back to the boarding house on Sunday night.

More than 200 residents and concerned citizens from neighbouring municipalities turned up on Sunday at the Corryong Memorial Hall to protest against the redevelopment of the Albury Hospital and to continue the fight to have a new facility built on a greenfield site to meet the future needs of Albury Wodonga and surrounding communities.

It is very appropriate that the Narrandera Race Club Community race meeting on Saturday is sponsored by the Narrandera Ex-servicemans Club and named the TC Lee OAM Memorial meeting ... The Lee racing heritage has continued on with his wife Gwen an ongoing active supporter and this year his granddaughter Cassie Jess did an outstanding job with organising and coordinating the club's Fashions extravaganza on Cup Day.

Angourie residents came together on Sunday as they traditionally have a family to discuss serious concerns about the escalation of crime in the village. The meeting at the Blue Pools carpark was convened by resident of 30 years, Lindsay Hunter, who said the situation escalated last month when carloads containing 12 people came to the town and threatened residents.

If you ask members of the Grafton Vintage Motor Vehicle Club how special Holdens are, you’ll be told a variety of different answers, each one overflowing with praise, pride, and passion ... A popular annual attraction which features a huge line-up of classic and vintage vehicles including race cars, motorcycles, trucks, and vans...

John Williams. Nhill was the halfway marker for outlandish speed records set in the 1950's by car drivers who took enormous risks. Risk of death and risk of arrest, but all survived. The test was who could drive from Melbourne to Adelaide in the fastest time in highly illegal speed runs on the Western and Dukes Highways, which at the time were rubbish roads.

Check out the powerful exhibition Scars of Fire by photographer Liam Cuce, now showing at the Purple Starfish in Kaniva. With ancestral ties to Kaniva dating back to the 1800s, Liam returned not to retrace old footsteps but to document the impact of the present.

It was a busy weekend for members of the Rotary Club of Nhill and the A&P Society with 107 cars and 350 crew from the Variety Bash visiting Nhill. The Rotary Club has been communicating and planning with event organisers for the past few months in readiness for the arrival of the 'Bash'.

A major milestone was reached for Roger McGrath and Gwenda Wall, when the first tree was planted in their intended beer garden recently. Pictured is Roger on the excavator, with Jason Wall and visiting tree expert Mr Lin guiding the tree into its new home.

A wave of concern has swept through the Naracoorte community following a shooting incident that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, August 6. South Australia Police (SAPOL) is actively investigating the event, which unfolded around 2.40am on Dorset Street, leaving residents stunned and seeking answers.

Australian health promotion charity, Gotcha4Life Foundation, has today launched a powerful new podcast series centred on First Nations voices, exploring what truly shapes and sustains mental fitness – in culture, in community, and in individuals. The inaugural series is hosted by award-winning Indigenous businesswoman and Gotcha4Life Board Member Mundanara Bayles and produced in partnership with award-winning Black Magic Woman podcast. 

Hugh Schuitemaker. The chairman of Renmark's Olivewood museum says she is "fed up" with a lack of support and consultation from National Trust SA ... "It's almost as if they are trying to bleed the branches dry." Ann Ryan said volunteers had been directly responsible for raising money to purchase, and maintaining, many of Olivewood's major exhibits.

Maureen Donnellon. Brian Lea, Birchip Probus president was guest speaker on the role played by Birchip Apex Club, from 1975, without whom, the Tchum Lake we know and love, may never have been created. Brian was the original treasurer of Apex at that time and has had an interest ever since in the story of the development of the lake.

Following the success of an introductory Rock Up to Pickleball session at St Arnaud, the latest sporting craze is set to continue. Northern Grampians Shire Council’s Thrive 50+ Healthy Ageing Hubs team will host ongoing pickleball sessions at St Arnaud Sports Stadium on Wednesdays at 10 a.m..

In a time when big banks often feel distant from the communities they serve, Summerland Bank's proposed merger with Regional Australia Bank offers a refreshing alternative – one focused on mutual ownership, ethical banking, and a deep commitment to regional sustainability.

Bob Dooley. Nimbin is truly blessed to have always had beautiful art around the village. Thanks to Julie De Lorenzo for her latest piece on the newly-built amenities block which adjoins Peace Park, the swimming pool, the skateboard park and the Aquarius Walking Track.