Spreading illness down generations
Ted Sterle and Don Fuller. The explosion of type two diabetes, obesity, kidney disease and renal failure among remote and closed NT Aboriginal communities – at least 10 times the incidence among non-Aboriginal people – can be tracked to poor lifestyle choices not only within individuals: Such acquired changes can be passed on to the offspring down generations.
Letters from Home: Walking Queen Mary
People who think all dogs are the same really have no idea. Like humans, each is totally different, each has their own personality ... Eric is a gentleman ... Pink is sunshine ... Trudy a worrier ... Then there's Mary Queen of Scots ...
Wheels turn for Charlton Motor Club
Jenny Pollard. Like-minded motoring enthusiasts showed their support as the Charlton “Wheels on A79 Car, Truck and Tractor Club” was launched at the Traveller’s Rest last Sunday morning. The multi-vehicle and highway-defined title has been a deliberate attempt to embrace as wide a range of participants as possible – not just from the local areas, but also to include locations from along the Calder Highway route, with Charlton providing the nucleus of the operation.
Chloe excels
Former Donald High School student, Chloe Frank, has been selected for one of the 19 spots in the AgriFutures Horizons Scholarship for 2024. Chloe, daughter of Andrew and Nadine Frank, of Carron, grew up on their mixed cropping farm gaining an early interest in agriculture.
Allora community Biggest Morning Tea
Allora Men’s Shed hosted a successful morning tea last Thursday to raise money for the Cancer Council Queensland. A huge crowd turned out to enjoy the social outing while helping a worthy cause.
Focus on a volunteer – Jamie Jones
Volunteering knows no age limits, as demonstrated by 17-year-old local Jamie Jones. Not only is he a keen Speedway competitor, but he also enthusiastically helps out at Speedway meets.
Barkly Regional Council announces new CEO appointment
Barkly Regional Council has announced the appointment of its new CEO on a social media post late yesterday afternoon. Official Manager Peter Holt announced that Chris Kelly will commence the helm role of the organisation on 1 July, with Jeff MacLeod continuing as Acting CEO until then.
First female captain for Walmer FB
Congratulations to Julie Hough, who as from 1 July will be the first woman to be appointed Captain of the Walmer Fire Brigade ... She is well qualified and has a few roles at the Walmer Brigade - she’s the Comms Officer, the Health & Safety Officer, is trained in first aid, is licensed to drive trucks and has been part of a few strike teams.
Town’s top honour for fire brigade stalwart
Patricia Gill. Denmark's Citizen of the Year Murray Brooker believes in always leaving a place better than he found it and continually improving and learning. The former school principal and university lecturer in child psychology has served in emergency and fire services wherever he has lived but is thankful of all the support he receives.
New signage to track Nornalup rail history
Serena Kirby. The Denmark Historical Society is in the process of erecting information signage along the Denmark - Nornalup Rail Trail. The 38 signs provide historical background about the origins, significance and role that the old Elleker-Denmark-Nornalup railway line played in opening up the surrounding areas for grazing and settlement.
Fire officer pulls pin over loss of vehicle
The Group Captain for the Southern Border region of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has resigned after being asked to return his official vehicle. Lankeys Creek volunteer brigade member, John Hawkins, claims that on May 17th he had been told by his RFS manager that his Group vehicle - a 2005 Toyota Landcruiser with 600lts of water (classed as a Cat 9) - was to be taken off him, with no replacement available ... In his resignation letter, Mr Hawkins also took the RFS to task over a number of other issues.
‘Forest of the Fallen’ visits Kerang
600 bamboo stakes stood amongst the crowd at the Kerang Community Market on Saturday. Each stake held the story of an Australian who had an adverse reaction to the mandated Covid-19 therapeutic.
Kaniva District Hospital Ladies Auxiliary celebrates centenary
The Kaniva District Hospital Ladies Auxiliary marked their 100th Anniversary on Wednesday, 22nd May ... Chair Katherine Colbert expressed gratitude for the Auxiliary’s century-long support and highlighted its importance to the Kaniva community.
Volunteers track local success with tourist trains
As they stood in the shadow of the heritage 1960s 621/721 class rail motor at Grafton City Station, volunteers from the Rail Motor Society reflected with heartfelt pride and passion on the unequivocal diligence and resoluteness of their ongoing work which enabled local railway enthusiasts to experience the sensation of travelling in historic style over the weekend.
Mamma Mia!: TAFE NSW Moss Vale helps Abba tribute band artist play new career tune
TAFE NSW Moss Vale is empowering a career musician and Abba tribute band bass player to call the tune on the next chapter in his career: as a farmer. Simon Tonks, 64, has enjoyed a long and illustrious music career, including stints as house engineer/producer at recording giant Sony Music, making records, mixing live shows, and writing television music.
Jake joins the 300-gamers
Saturday was a momentous day for the Birchip-Watchem Bulls, with club stalwart Jake Noonan playing his 300th game. The 38-year-old Noonan has spent his entire football career at George Cartwright Oval, playing all his junior and senior football with the Birchip Swans and Birchip-Watchem Bulls.
A reprieve for regional patients: Doctor tax backflip
Regional Victorians can breathe easy after five years of advocacy and the Victorian Liberal-National Opposition’s criticisms embarrassed the State Government into pausing its $10 million doctor tax, the Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health, Dr Anne Webster, said at the weekend.
Regional renovate to rent
Every country town has at least one building that lies abandoned or underutilised which could be turned into a house or unit that could attract another worker or family to the community. We have old train stations and roads boards buildings, there are abandoned shops in the main street, empty pubs, unused halls, even farmhouses close to town left to deteriorate.
Need a business? Build it and they will come
Don’t have a plumber, electrician, aircon mechanic, car mechanic, tyre shop, independent ag mechanic, hydraulic shop etc in your town? Then do something about it. The council or a group of farmers should get together to buy an industrial lot, build a lock up shed, offer it out for $1 a year then stand back and watch the rush.
Torbay Glass Studio and Gallery – The art of glass
From little things big things grow and when Mark Hewson made a stained glass window for his new home in Torbay back in the early 1980s he was unaware that it would mark the beginning of a career that would span more than 40 years. Mark, and his equally-talented wife, Paris Johansen, have now designed, sculptured, moulded and soldered literally thousands of glass artworks.
Letters from Home: The travelling Calendulas
Yes it sounds like a rival band to the group headed by Roy Orbison, but no... it's simply a dainty little yellow/ gold/ orange daisy you probably better know as English Marigold. It's a tough little critter with a smiling, pretty face that doesn't ask for much and once you have it, it's there forever...sneaking through the garden beds and into your heart.
New report reveals significant economic benefit of volunteering to SA: Cook
South Australians’ volunteering efforts reaped a net return on investment of $29.3 billion for the state last year – with every dollar invested through volunteering returning $5.20 to the community ... The critical economic impact was revealed in South Australia’s first State of Volunteering report ...
