NSW

If you think the water tastes good in Casino, you’d be spot on. Known more for its beef, Casino is officially home to Australia’s best tap water. Richmond Valley Council has won top honours in the Ixom 2021 Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition.

Emma Pritchard. She is one of the most charismatic entertainers in Australia and a self-described proud Graftonian, and now, Brooke McClymont has entered the jungle to try and win $100000 for her local community.

Emma Pritchard. Cohen Daly has a dream. It’s a dream which he is determined to see come true. And nothing, not even a battle against aggressive bone cancer, will prevent the strong-willed teenager with the beautiful smile from fulfilling his ambition.

Lesley Sutton. Clarence Coast Dragon Boat Club returned to the water after our Christmas break with enthusiasm. The first session was to revisit the very important safety drills to ensure all paddlers are familiar with safety calls, medical issues and possible capsize.

School leavers looking for a lucrative career in the bush have the chance to join an iconic industry and help Australia recover from COVID. NSW Farmers Wool Committee Chair Helen Carrigan said a shortage of shearers meant there was good money to be made by young people who were willing to learn. Find out the details of courses between January and June 2022.

She might not sound like it with her prominent London accent, but Abbey Martin is a fair dinkum, true blue, dinki-di Australian. The only thing she’s missing is the piece of paper to prove it. Tomorrow, on Australia Day, Abbey will take the pledge and become a bona fide Aussie.

After landing her debut victory on Cool Missile at the circuit a fortnight ago, Shayleigh Ingelse was able to stride clear on Cecilia and claim a magnificent victory in the $65,000 GemLife Queen of the North at Port Macquarie on Friday.

When it came time to finally throw away her corporate wardrobe and city lifestyle in favour of pursuing her long-held dream of becoming a full time novelist, Sarah Hawthorn relocated to the sleepy village of Bundanoon in NSW’s Southern Highlands. Sarah's debut novel, A Voice in the Night, is a psychological thriller about a woman seeking answers after her lover who died 20 yeas earlier in the 9/11 attacks suddenly contacts her.

“This is the beginning of a new era for farmers and the wider community on the Liverpool Plains, ending years of uncertainty. From today, this land will be actively managed by the Local Land Services on behalf of the government to safeguard the areas with environmental and cultural significance”: Paul Toole, NSW Deputy Premier. ARR.News has questions for the Deputy Premier and Minister Saunders.

Hundreds of fish died including Murray Cod, Golden Perch, Bony Herring and Australian Smelt as well as Murray Crayfish in a disastrous black water event in Bundidgerry Creek near Narrandera late last week.

Sean Cunningham. Covid has swept through regional communities leaving a trail of economic destruction and Narrandera, like many small towns, has been right in its path. One of the industries which has been the most severely impacted has been the tourism sector.

Scott Osmond has driven 499 winners during his 27-year career in the gig, and he hopes to bring up his 500th winner in the coming weeks. “It would be nice to bring it up,” Osmond said.

Ali Bohn. 2022 looks to resemble a regular season with businesses wanting to put 2021 behind them and look to a more positive year ahead. The Bridge took a moment to catch up with some local businesses for their feedback on how the summer trade has been tracking.

Kendall Jennings. On a hot summer day at Barham’s Riverside Park, locals were treated to a world-class experience when former world and current Australian champion Jaydyn Coggins held a sport stacking demonstration and coaching session on Wednesday, January 5.

Myall Lakes residents have been given their first look at the $100 million Stage 2 redevelopment of Manning Base Hospital with the master plan unveiled today. Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said Stage 2 builds on the $40 million upgrade completed as part of Stage 1 in mid-2020.

The possibility of bare barbecues on Australia Day should be an alarm bell to all sides of politics, NSW Farmers says, with the major retailer supply chains continuing to struggle. NSW Farmers President James Jackson said ongoing failures to prevent anti-competitive behaviour had led us to a handful of companies controlling most of our meat supply, and called on the Federal Government to address the issue.

Northern NSW Local Health District’s Lynne Weir said the hospital system was challenged because of the “increased activity resulting from the pandemic and the additional pressure of some staff being furloughed because they need to isolate.” The district has sufficient intensive care beds across its three major hospitals in Grafton, Lismore and Tweed with plans in place to surge staffing and ICU capacity if needed, Ms Weir said.

Sharon and Graham Collins live on an organic farm in the curve of the hills at Peacock Creek. Englishman Graham calls himself an accidental farmer, he’d never planned a life on the land. His wife Sharon grew up on a dairy farm in Cornwall in England and she described herself as a ‘”compassionate farmer”. They raise and sell English black pigs, have cattle, sell duck and chicken eggs and recently got some goats.

When Caroline Powell bought a 1949 house on a corner block in Evans Head, she had no idea what was hidden in the walls. Her brother Lyall Powell was renovating and as he pulled the stained plywood off the walls in the entry hall, he came across three panels of posters featuring films from the 40s and 50s.