News

The Allan Labor Government has cut critical health support for rural children in Western Victoria, axing the award-winning By Five Early Years Initiative in the latest state budget. Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur MP, condemned the decision as a direct attack on families already battling limited access to paediatric care.

Lydia Kindred. Bringing low-emission, passenger train services back to the Northern Rivers railway line is the closest it will ever be, right now. The required reports have been lodged with UGL Regional Linx and Transport for NSW and we now must raise sufficient funds for a licence to be granted. Northern Rivers Rail Ltd, local community-based railway company ...

Joe Lauria. The Australian government whistleblower David McBride is headed back to jail with no end of incarceration in sight. He is serving nearly six years for leaking documents to the media exposing Australian war crimes in Afghanistan. A three-judge panel at the Supreme Court in Australia's capital on 28th May spent less than one minute dismissing all appeals by David McBride ...

Photographer Jodie Harris is a finalist in the 2025 National Photographic Portrait Prize ... Jodie is a photographer of Yamatji and Wajari descent and she lives and works on Bundjalung Country in Kyogle ... “Photographic portraiture is something I continue to be drawn to for its enduring power to tell a story.”

They did it. Organisers of the World’s Biggest Happy Dance were thrilled to see 468 people groovin’ to the song Dancing in the Street at Kyogle Showground yesterday, Saturday, June 14. The previous record for a happy dance in Singapore was 448.

A large number of people from Lajamanu and from Yuendumu, the home town of Kumanjayi White who died in custody on May 27, came to Alice Springs to attend a vigil, to march and mourn ... Coles staff welcomed into the store several small groups of men and women to aisle four – “chocolate, juice, lollies” – where the confrontation had taken place a short time before Kumanjayi’s death.

Richmond Landcare Inc. held a Science in the Pub event at The Channon Tavern on Thursday 27th March, with over one hundred people filling the venue, despite the dreary weather. This event was the first opportunity for the broader community to hear about Richmond Landcare's Nature Based Solutions Project: Building Flood Resilience in the Lismore Catchment.

Ross McDougall. Last year the Dorrobbee Grass Reserve Trust approached the Dunoon Men's Shed to assist them with making a sign to be placed on the roadside of Dunoon Road to highlight the location of the significant ecological grassland site. Long time resident John Pirlo generously donated a two metre long slab of red ash timber for the project.

Be part of the magic! LisAmore! 2025 Calls for volunteers and Italian car lovers. Get ready to immerse yourself once again in the vibrant atmosphere of Italian culture and community spirit. The Lismore Turf Club's parklands will be transformed into a bustling Italian festival for LisAmore! on Sunday 6 July 10am to 3pm.

The movement to protect our starry night skies – along with our landscape and character, environment and wellbeing – is taking the next step. Sunshine Coast Council is proposing to establish a Dark Sky Reserve in the hinterland, encompassing almost 900 square kilometres in the Mary River Catchment and adjoining national parks in our local government area.

The global grains and oilseeds trade continues to grow steadily and reached around 880 million metric tons in 2023/24, with an estimated value of USD 330 billion, according to Rabobank’s just-published global grains and oilseeds world map.

Nimbin Artist Gallery's artist of the month is Clare Johnson, aka Miss Prissy ... Her works reflect an appreciation of the simple joys of life and also reflect her sense of the absurd.

With a renewed mandate in hand, the Albanese Government and its new Cabinet will have no barriers for further delay to implement the many health, disability and ageing sector reviews, reforms and recommendations it worked on with stakeholders in its first term of government ... The 7.3 million Australians living in rural and remote areas don’t need more consultations. They need a government that will implement the solutions that have already been developed, debated, and recommended.

Out now! Available here!

Out now! Available here!

Patricia Gill. Denmark artist Melissa Boughey's painting, State of Flux, Symbiosis, won the 2025 Omnia Art Prize announced in Toorak, Victoria recently. Melissa, who heard about the win while at home, said she had felt overwhelmed: "There were long distance tears over the phone. I'm touched and surprised."

Sean Cunningham. Narrandera is saddling up for a major milestone soon as those involved with the Narrandera Horse Trials are set to mark 50 years of equestrian excellence with a celebratory function ... Narrandera's status as a regional equestrian hub will be on full display with the Horse Trials expected to attract more than 1000 visitors ...

A Cotswold Hills resident has helped prevent the potential spread of fire ants by reporting fire ants found on second-hand machinery purchased from within a fire ant biosecurity zone. On Friday, 29 May the resident spotted suspect fire ants in organic material inside the loader bucket and on the machine's frame.

Shaun Morgan, of North Central Catchment Management Authority addressed a large crowd who gathered in Kerang June, 6 to listen and voice their concerns. NCCMA is spearheading a critical initiative to address levee systems in response to recent flooding events.

Yorke Peninsula was left behind by the 2025-26 state budget, with no specific funding announcements for the region. The budget invested $1.9 billion in health, but none was specifically earmarked for Yorke Peninsula, despite the recent parliamentary inquiry into health services in the area.

The building has been open for public viewing on a couple of occasions but not well advertised. The Architect, David Kaunitz visited Wilcannia recently with a professional photographer, and has kindly sent us some good photos including inside views.

Despite contacting the usual suspects who may have owned this panel van in the local area, no-one seems to know ... Back in 2002 this Morris Mini Panel Van was discovered by RACQ in Allora and was purchased from a private owner.