NSW

Personal stories keep coming in about elderly people stuck in hospital beds because they can’t get signed out to go into a nursing home. A major issue for people is finding a GP to sign their relative out of hospital.

Emma Pritchard. Rachel King wrote her name in the record books at the Clarence River Jockey Club (CRJC) on July 14 when she became the first female jockey to win the premier staying event of the year, the 2022 Southside Pharmacy Grafton Cup over 2350m onboard the Bjorn Baker trained former French galloper Arapaho (FR). After beginning her riding career in Great Britain, King travelled to Australia and completed her apprenticeship with leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse while on her way to becoming one of the country’s premier hoops.

The NSW Government is backing growing industry calls for the urgent development of a national mandatory sheep and goat electronic identification system in light of the serious threat of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) entering Australia ... “Individual traceability for sheep and goats will be crucial during an emergency disease outbreak and deliver benefits across the supply chain" : Dugald Saunders, NSW Agriculture Minister.

Rodney Stevens. A band of adventurous brothers have unearthed what they believe could be remnants of a shipwreck on Yamba's Main Beach. Simon Vertullo said his family, who regularly holiday at Yamba, were at Main Beach on Thursday, June 7, when the inquisitive trio of George 9, Ted 6 and Joseph 2, decided to go exploring.

Out now!

Outgoing NSW Farmers President James Jackson says there is a great future ahead for Australian agriculture if governments and the public support the vital sector ... “Australia as a nation lags behind on backing farmers, with a government paper on food security this week revealing we have one of the lowest levels of agricultural support across the 37 OECD member countries – and when compared to major emerging economies."

Expected but also dreaded, the Varroa mite that has decimated hives overseas has been detected in Australia ... If it turns out that the mite is here to stay and we have to live in a ‘new normal’, as our counterparts overseas have had to do, it will be a sad time for beekeeping in Australia ... Lindsay Callaway, of Warral Maldon ... is receiving daily updates on the situation from those on the front line.

Two women, Alice Halden and Ayla Young, will feature in Narrandera's Artist of the Month in the Wide Open 2022 program, which features a variety of artists' work each month throughout the year ... Ayla will have 10 charcoal drawings on display while Alice has 10 photographic prints, seven water-colours and two oil paintings in the exhibition.

It’s been seven weeks since the election in which Labor promised it would deliver the basin plan in full. Last week, a private jet jaunt around selected parts of the basin saw Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek doubling down on the promise ... Once again, the plan rolls on with decisions made on high and an attitude of propaganda rather than collaboration and information sharing. I suppose when one body implements, oversees, reviews and funds the science, it would be hard to get any outcome other than the one they seek.

It took just eight days for a community solar farm project planned at Grong Grong to reach its $750,000 crowd-funding target ... Under the scheme, the investors who signed up in the crowd-funding campaign join other seed investors in owning 90 per cent of the shares in what is the first crowd-equity-funded and owned solar farm.

Narrandera Shire, along with Hay, have recorded the highest unemployment rates in the Riverina, according to the latest unemployment data released by the National Skills Commission, whilst neighbouring Lockhart has recorded one of the lowest ... Regional Development Australia Riverina chief executive officer and Director of Regional Development Rachel Whiting says it's no cause to celebrate because the Riverina has more jobs than people to fill them.

Kendall Jennings. Barham-built PS Emmylou has been awarded the Tripadvisor ‘2022 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Award’ ... “Our PS Emmylou overnight cruises have been very popular with domestic visitors over the past 12 months, with many visitors having never considered an Australian river cruise before": Director of Murray River Paddlesteamers, Craig Burgess.

Kendall Jennings. Koondrook teenager, Alethea D’Silva, has been selected for an inaugural under 14 girls football development game against Sunraysia at Tooleybuc on Sunday, August 7 ... a great discussion about what Alethea has overcome to play any sport with girls' participation low.

Out now!

Out now!

Farmers are finding caravans, gas cylinders, washing machines and even a swimming pool washed into their fields since the floods. Fire and Rescue NSW crews are using drones to help spot and clear this leftover flood debris in cane fields.

Rodney Stevens. It was standing room only at Yamba's Wooli Street hall on Saturday as Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann joined concerned residents at a public meeting convened by Valley Watch to illustrate concerning developments on the floodplain. Attendees learned of Valley Watch's activities, raising awareness of development on the West Yamba floodplain since it first became an issue under the former Maclean Shire Council in 1995.

Key members of the rural sector joined the NSW Government at Sydney International Airport to send a message to travellers to do their bit to keep the highly contagious Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) out of Australia.

Installing wind turbines in just five sites in State owned pine plantations could generate up to 2.5 gigawatts of energy a year, a registration of interest process has revealed, prompting Forestry Corporation to formally call for Expressions of Interest to develop renewable energy generation and storage in plantations near Oberon, Sunny Corner, Bondo, Orange and Laurel Hill ... “Wind farms successfully operate in softwood forests overseas .. " : Gavin Jeffries.

An independent report on the Iron Gates subdivision has been completed by town planner and consultant Malcolm Scott. The report was done for the Richmond Valley Council and will go to the Northern Regional Planning Panel later this month or early in August.

Lynne Mowbray. The old concrete pump station in River Street Maclean has been given a facelift over the weekend, with a mural painting depicting one of our prominent Yaegl Elders. Highly respected Yaegl Elder, Uncle Ron Heron of Yamba, has had the artwork created in his honour, to celebrate NAIDOC week.