Life

Both Barham and Deniliquin High School students attended Barham Lakes to complete revegetation work. Almost 200 terrestrial plants grown at Tulla Natives and many aquatic species transferred from within the local area were planted, assisted by Western Murray Land Improvement Group, Traditional Owners from the Moama Local Aboriginal Land Council, Deniliquin Landcare and volunteers.

Jodie Hicks played her 50th AFLW game last Saturday night in the Richmond Tigers’ Dreamtime in Darwin clash against Essendon. It was a frantic final few minutes of the first AFLW Dreamtime match, which saw both sides score 6.6 (42) to post a full-time draw … Hicks was a first-round pick at the 2017 AFLW Draft and has not missed a game in the past three seasons.

Born and raised in the Clarence Valley, Alice Jabour, 30, grew up admiring the Grafton Jacaranda Festival and the proud traditions it holds within the local community. As a student at St Joseph’s Primary School in South Grafton, she recalls feeling inspired to nominate as a Jacaranda candidate after a former Jacaranda Royal Party visited her and her classmates.

On Tuesday 22nd October, May Craig celebrated her 104th birthday with her usual style, good humour and grace… Merv Schneider, who incidentally is May’s Legacy helper – Reader please NOTE: Veteran Merv 99 years old helps veteran/war widow May 104!! That has to be a first, maybe even a record!

West Wimmera Shire Council has named Serviceton’s Angela Heinrich as the 2024 Senior Citizen of the Year ... Ms Heinrich has been an active volunteer in her community for many years and continues to make an outstanding contribution to both the Serviceton and Kaniva districts.

Kenneth “Ken” Weeks, the Clarence Valley’s oldest resident and the country’s oldest known living man, celebrated his 111th birthday earlier this month at his residence at Whiddon Grafton. With his loved ones by his side, Mr Weeks enjoyed a low-key affair this year after his 110th birthday in 2023 was commemorated in spectacular style by Heinz Australia who personalised 300 cans of his favourite food, baked beans, with his portrait in his honour.

There’s something about late autumn that seems to kick start the urge to have things neat and tidy before the chills of winter, send us to hibernate in front of the fire so we rush around cutting limbs off trees, raking up leaves, deciding where to plant spring flowers. But with that done, we move inside, find the winter doonas, check the flues in the fires are clean, and then – worst of all – decide to tidy the house ...

...the administrators for Rex Airlines have advised the sale of Pel-Air, part of the Rex business, to Helicorp Pty Ltd, part of Toll Aviation. Pel-Air is the contractor supplying ambulance services to Ambulance Victoria and NSW Ambulance, along with specially-modified aircraft for international and domestic aeromedical transfers.  

The Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, says with regional Victoria’s dangerously below par ambulance response times, it is essential people make submissions to the parliamentary inquiry into the performance, workplace culture, and procurement practices of Ambulance Victoria. Ms Benham says with the Victorian health system in crisis, our overworked and undermanned ambos are reaching breaking point.

Ian Riley. One of the best things about the museum, other than the exhibits, is the people you meet there. I have always been a history tragic, but on my last visit to the museum, I met Michelle Ross. Michelle has a YouTube channel with 9,000 followers and a website called Goldfields Guide ...

Serena Kirby. Garden lovers can wander through two of Denmark’s biggest private gardens ... one of the garden owners, Geoff Osborne, said he was opening his garden to raise funds for the Albany Community Hospice. Geoff’s garden spans 4ha and was the creation of him and his wife of 50 years Ruby. She died in June 2021 after spending her final days in the Albany Hospice.

Sean Cunningham. The added attraction of former Hawthorn Australian footballer Robert “Dipper” DiPierdomenico helped to draw a crowd of about 350 people at the recent Mirrool Silo Kick competition ... “About 30 blokes had a kick,” Silo Kick competition President Jason Bryce said. “Only three got to the grand final ..."

It’s well known that one of the best way to fight mental illness is to begin the conversation and the Westbrook Truck Drivers Association is doing exactly that with a get-together on 16th November at Nobby’s iconic Rudd’s Pub. Spokesperson for the group, Darren Eyers said truck drivers in particular are reluctant to talk about any form of mental illness and hopes that the day at Rudd’s Pub will provide an avenue for discussion.

A compelling feature film that seeks to initiate and deepen conversations around mental health particularly within the agricultural community, was screened to nearly 100 people at the Corryong Youth Club Hall last Friday evening. Leila McDougall, scriptwriter, lead actress and co-producer of ‘Just a Farmer’ - based around the community of a farming family who lose husband and father to suicide - spoke afterwards...

Despite a number of delays caused by the Corryong streetscape project, the re-opening of the Youth Space in Hanson Street will go ahead tomorrow. In 2021, Upper Murray Innovation Foundation (UMIF) - the Corryong Neighbourhood Centre (CNC) Community Foundation - received a federal Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grant to refurbish and re-equip the Youth Space at 42 Hanson Street.

Drew Chislett. In an exhilarating display of skill and determination, young motocross rider Judd Chislett has made headlines by clinching two titles in his first year competing in the Victorian Senior motocross titles. The 16-year-old talent achieved a clean sweep, dominating all four rounds of the Senior Victorian Titles (C Grade) held at Portland, Shepparton, Albury and the final round at Blue Rock near Moe.

The 61st Barham Koondrook Show dodged the rain on Friday to put on two days of fun-filled action for the community. Thrilling rides, live music, great food and impressive displays enticed the crowds to brave the wind and menacing clouds for the first show of the new committee.

The Centre for Population has published two publications on Deaths of Despair and our submission to the Excess mortality inquiry. This short guide prepared by the Centre for Population compares deaths related to suicide, drug and alcohol induced deaths in Australia, the UK and the US.

The Hay Shire Council Aged Care Roundtable was held last Monday and was organised by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care Local Network. More than 25 people attended, representing Council, Haydays, Hay Multi-Purpose Service, and aged care providers and support services.

As a person in his nineties and born in the past Holicene Age with the prospect of leaving it in the current Anthropocene Era, I have started wondering when the world is going to put humanity back into our sense of true original humanity. This question has been uppermost in my mind as I realise my life so far has also spanned two deadly world wars and 96 serious military actions between countries and states with a total estimated death toll of well over 120 million often innocent people.

Sarah Herrmann. Following five previous unsuccessful attempts since 2000, the Lutheran Church of Australia has made the historic decision to allow women to serve as pastors ... The ordination of women had been a major thread throughout her life, Copper Coast Anglican Community priest The Reverend Sheridan Brand said, adding she was pleased to see the LCA take this direction.