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The late Mr Mervyn John was announced as an inductee to the Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Group’s “Hall of Fame” last month. He was nominated by the “Friends of Mount Wycheproof” and was one of 30 nominations (12 were successful) ... Before the days of "Landcare" he was a foundation member of the "Southern Mallee Trees on Farm Group".

The Leitchville Memorial Hall may be a far cry from the Sydney Opera House, but it rates highly as one of Eliza Hull’s top experiences. The musician, author, podcaster, writer and disability advocate performed to a full audience at Leitchville on Tuesday, April 30 as part of Leitchville LIVE – Presents.

Joanna Tucker. Local artist and past winner of an Our Mob exhibition award Cedric Varcoe has been sharing his culture through creative avenues for decades, and you may have already seen examples of his work. Mr Varcoe, who grew up at Point Pearce, has been painting since he was a child, inspired by his family, the stories of the Narungga and Ngarrindjeri people...

Michelle Daw. Lessons learned on the footy field that can be applied for success in all facets of life are being shared by high-achieving former footy player and coach Michael Wanganeen. Now chair of Nharangga Aboriginal Progress Association, Michael has released a book that draws on the lessons he learned through his illustrious football career, his trajectory from farmhand to agency manager, and the education he undertook to grow his skills and knowledge.

Meet John and Reina, as they prepare to open Lyrics Restaurant, and bring fine food to the Commercial Hotel, Kaniva. After fifty years of working all around the world in hospitality, John decided that "now was the time to run things his way" and create a new venture.

It’s a good thing Englishman Peter Shuttleworth loves chatting to strangers when he’s holidaying. If he hadn’t struck up a conversation with the also holidaying John and Glenda Cleave back in 2013, he would never have discovered Cohuna ... once he heard there was a clay target club down the road, he came back for the club’s annual Anzac Day Shoot the following year – and kept coming.

Brenda Poole of Narrandera serves as the vibrant and dedicated Aboriginal Education and Engagement Coordinator at TAFE NSW. With over 20 years of experience, Brenda is a force to be reckoned with, especially her infectious energy and passion for her work.

Steve North said it was fate after a play he wrote a couple of years ago was recently announced as one of eight winners in the nationwide Sage Age Playwriting Competition. Entitled The Last Rehearsal, Mr North’s play is based on a theatre group who are preparing to rehearse ahead of an upcoming performance, but unbeknownst to their director ...

Kimberly Grabham. Tim Booth is the son of Lyn and Ken Booth, formerly of Hay. Tim has written a book, titled, You Called an Ambulance for What? ... details the crazy and curious reasons for people calling emergency services, and are situations he experienced while working as a paramedic in Sydney.  

A Barkly registered nurse has been announced as a finalist in the 2024 Nursing and Midwifery Awards. Annette (Nettie) Hodgson-Taylor is one of three finalists in the Excellence in Aboriginal Health category.

Kim Woods. Peter Clancy will cut the 80th anniversary cake at the CopRice Leeton Cup ... and mark eight decades of involvement with the club. Octogenarian Peter Clancy is simply "Mr Racing" – the racehorse trainer and breeder has been the mainstay and face of the industry in the Leeton area for more than 60 years.

Shane Presley, a dedicated member of the Barkly Youth Advisory Group, is driven by his aspiration to enhance access to mentored employment pathways for fellow young Aboriginal Territorians. His passion for fostering a secure environment and his aspiration to establish safe after hours activities for the youth instil a sense of hope and optimism.

Coming back from Newcastle a couple of weeks ago we passed him somewhere between Nyngan and Cobar. Just poking along, and we thought, another person with time on their hands to cycle, not drive ... Mic Whitty’s story is not the usual push bike rider's adventure story ... he hatched a plan to cycle and follow his grandfather's footsteps around the Western Front in France.

Mackenzie Walch, 18, has only been riding seriously since 2014 but the talented young eventer has just represented her country for the first time ... With eventing as her first love, she rose through the ranks and is now part of a group of young Tasmanian riders who find it necessary each year to compete on the mainland to get strong competition experience.

Wayne Hawthorne. It was interesting to hear that the South-East of South Australia was home for one of the great surveyors and explorers of Polar regions. The little-known exploits of John Rymill (1905-1698) were outlined to members of Naracoorte Men’s Probus Club recently.

As if all the promise to see a Grumman Avenger, a Delorian, or Paul Bennet performing his acrobatics is not enough, the Airshow Committee are pleased to announce yet another exciting surprise for those planning to attend. Jane Bunn the popular, Channel 7 weather forecaster, has agreed to be the ‘Guest of Honour’ on the day.

Three cricketers who have played more games than they care to remember have enjoyed representing Vic Country at the annual Echuca over-60s carnival last week. For those old enough to remember, Shane Noonan played for Charlton, particularly during the 1980s, after debuting for Wychitella.

Kerry Munns, whose happy abstract art adorns people as well as walls, moved with her family to Cowalla from Beacon about 10 years ago ... As well as turning her paintings into wearable art, Mrs Munns sells her original artworks, opens up her art studio for abstract painting workshops and holds plein air painting classes on her property, alongside the Moore River.

You could easily say that Leanne McKenzie is a high flyer - but not in the traditional sense of the word.   Leanne is a pilot but she’s also President of her local aero club in Albany WA and she’s one of less than a handful of females to hold such a position. But Leanne has another venture underway and it’s one that her aero club is actually famous for as the Albany Aero Club was once a global hub for self-built planes.

Remember that old saying, “You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl”?  Peta Credlin AO, host of the “Credlin” program on Sky News Australia, columnist with News Corp, and former Australian Liberal Party dynamo, amongst many other accolades, made a flying visit to Wycheproof over the recent long weekend.

Kerry Cain. From community support to culinary apprentice. Many readers would know Janet Mullholland from her five years managing the IGA Supermarket in Maldon or from Porcupine Village, where she is in the second year of a Commercial Cookery - Level 3 apprenticeship at the Golden Nugget Restaurant.

Corryong Health announced the appointment of Dr Catherine Porter as a permanent General Practitioner (GP) at the service. Dr Porter is a UK-trained GP qualifying in 2023 ... In 2018, Dr Porter moved to Australia to gain further experience in emergency medicine and rural general practice ...