News

Chris Oldfield. Bouncing into life across 45 acres of lush grass, the 42nd SE Field Days at Lucindale will boast at least 450 exhibitors this year, on March 18 and 19.

Chris Oldfield. More than 57 years ago, Jeff and Fay Davey took up dairy farming on their Callendale farm near Lucindale ... In 1978, they joined a group of young farming families all thirsty for information and wanting to see some of the latest machinery ... “We built the site as a club. Then came the infrastructure, and it was all volunteers again.”

The Victorian Goldfields Railway (VGR) is in for a bumper year with the ever popular steam train back on the tracks. Visitors are catching up on missed rides, celebrating delayed birthdays and experiencing riding beside the driver. Bookings are almost sold out for the incredibly popular Ales on Rails and Murder on the Orient Express. Tickets are still available in May for a ride on Victorian Colonial Express; one of Victoria’s oldest railway carriages dating back to the 1880s.

Michael McCartney. This year’s Maldon Classic was a great success for the town. The two-day event, prior to the long weekend, ran as a fundraiser for the Maldon Hospital. Visitors travelled from all parts of Victoria and interstate.

Yanchep News Online  gave evidence at the Inquiry into Australia’s regional newspapers on Tuesday, March 1 speaking as a regional representative from the Public Interest Publishers Alliance.

Diversified national property development group Goldfields has snapped up three adjoining sites in Shepparton, as they continue to expand their residential platform in regional Victoria. The $15 million combined sites span 44-hectares and have been earmarked for development into a 450-lot strong masterplanned residential community, to meet increasing demand for affordable housing in the region.

Australia wheat farmers can expect increased farmgate prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, although the local impact is not expected to match that seen globally. Together, Russia and Ukraine make up nearly 30% of global wheat exports. Ukraine’s military has suspended commercial shipping at its Black Sea ports, which is tipped to disrupt the supply chains of grain and oilseeds exporters.

Patricia Gill. Denmark equestrian Andy Forbes has his eyes on the 2024 paralympics in France with the palace of Louis XIV at Versailles the dramatic backdrop to the event. The para equestrian recently won Dressage WA leader board and is classified as a Federation Equestrian International Grade 5 para dressage rider.

Serena Kirby. A rare specimen of a ruby seadragon, found washed up at Ocean Beach, has piqued the interest of experts at the WA Museum. The pristine body of the seadragon was the lucky find of Annika Engstrom who regularly walks the beach picking up rubbish and plastics.

The Denmark Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service celebrates 60 years since it was established on March 9, 1962 ... One of the first members was Ollie Wakka who has served for all of the 60 years of the service and is still doing so.

This year’s Rockin' on East Festival is set to be bigger and better to make amends for the last two events being cancelled due to COVID. It will be like a scene from yesteryear when rock and roll bands and dancers, dressed in 1950s attire, descend on Narrandera to create a fun, family event scheduled for the October long weekend.

Narrandera will be the starting point for a re-enactment of the 131st celebrations of the Riverina Light Horse Association on the last weekend in March. Riders will mark the occasion by taking their mounts in a trek from Narrandera to Wagga to raise funds for a bronze statue.

“They refused to vote down dodgy National Party law changes that allowed for excessive water take in the Northern Basin. These law changes really disadvantaged Lower Darling communities and Murray River irrigators” : Helen Dalton ... “This disallowance motion is a political game from a green Independent looking for relevance that undermines years of hard work by the SFF to see floodplain harvesting regulated”: Mark Banasiak, SFF MLC and Deputy Chair of the Select Committee on Floodplain Harvesting.

Warwick Show is going to be everyone’s happy place in 2022. It will be where you can enjoy fresh air and good wholesome family entertainment starting bright and early Friday morning with peoples’ day.

Innovative research at the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority has produced a world-first blue kangaroo paw (anigozanthos masquerade) that is now available to be purchased by Western Australians at local retailers.