NSW

Kirstin Nicholson. The district was filled with the sights and sounds of 110 motorbikes and 44 cars on the weekend, all part of the Gannawarra Memorial Toy Run (GMTR). The toy run was organised by John Webb and his team for the Combined Churches group. Toys and money collected on the day, and in the collection bins around the district, will be used for hampers to be distributed across the district in December.  

Ruth Arthur. On Monday, following a call from my sister, Diane, that she thought there might be a photo opportunity in Moulamein not seen before, I travelled to see her and the new experience for Moulamein that was about to happen.

NSW Farmers is calling for natural disaster declarations to allow relief funds to flow as torrential rains continue to soak vast parts of the state, causing widespread flood damage. State and federal leaders had pledged to make disaster assistance available to affected communities after flooding in the Lachlan Valley last week, but since then farming regions right across the state had been inundated, with predictions of further flooding in already-drenched areas.

Tweed farmers are invited to attend a field day to learn why and how to restore and protect biodiversity on grazing properties. The field day is being delivered by Council’s Sustainability and Environment team alongside Tweed farmers Rhonda and Greg James, who will host the event on their 220-hectare cattle grazing property at Cudgera Creek on Thursday 16 December 2021.

The state’s peak farming body will directly tackle the shearer shortage with the formation of the NSW Wool Technical Advisory Group (WoolTAG). NSW Farmers Wool Committee Chair Helen Carrigan said fewer shearers were making their way to Australian sheds, and the NSW WoolTAG would address the challenge.

Recent research by a team at Charles Sturt University aims to help develop a robust research framework for regional New South Wales to help improve the control strategy for COVID-19 at the regional level in NSW. It can also assist other infectious disease epidemics.

Racing NSW has announced the 2022 dates and venues for the $1.6 million Newhaven Park Country Championships Series. The Series in 2022 will again be run on six Sundays and two Saturdays before culminating in a $500,000 Final at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday, 2 April 2022 on Day 1 of The Star Championships.

We asked the 18 candidates running for Richmond Valley Council about the rental housing shortage in our region? There is no simple answer to this nationwide issue, read what your councillors of the future say. We asked: What can council do to alleviate the shortage of rentals in our LGA?

Two years ago, bushfire ravaged Bungawalbin land. Property owner Jimmy Malecki had to flee his home known as  The Bog  on the day the fire tore through the tall trees. The film maker is documenting the recovery from the bushfire which includes regular visits from the Envite team. Envite coordinator Maree Thompson said they were working with Landcare groups and about 10 private landowners and working on seven National Park reserves.

Andy Marson and Craig Faulkner are at a property at Bungawalbin searching out feral pigs. They use sweetcorn and molasses to lure the pigs out. “It’s like chocolate for us,” Craig said. As consultants working for ReconEco, an environment consultancy firm based in Lismore, the men are working with the Envite team at Jimmy Malecki’s place, as part of a post-bushfire program to restore the land.

Geoff Helisma. The  Regional State of the Environment Report Summary  2020 reveals that Clarence Valley Council is near or at the back of the pack when it comes to its renewable energy and emission reduction targets. The document, which was funded by 12 north coast councils (and Rous County Council), from Port Macquarie to the Queensland border, “aims to provide data on environmental conditions at both a regional and local level from 2016 to 2020”.

Story Dogs is a reading support program where selected children read to an accredited dog and its handler ... Rusty and his handler Kathy are the Clarence Valleys first Story Dog team. They visit Gillwinga Public School in South Grafton each week to listen one on one to a pre-selected group of children who benefit from Rusty’s calm and relaxed manner.  

Gai Pritchett. A collaboration  of art and photography is featured in Julianne Gosper’s intricate detailed paintings of  amazing birds and animals and the ethereal photography of Brian McGrath.  “Artography”  will be exhibited at the Old Kirk, Yamba Museum from Friday November 26 to Thursday December 23, 2021 ... Julianne Gosper is a Clarence Valley based artist who has had a lifelong  fascination with the natural world ... Photographer Brian (Dino) McGrath spent his initial childhood years in the small town of Harden/Murrumburrah in the Riverina Region of NSW.

NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall has today taken aim at the Animal Justice Party (AJP) for recklessly threatening the future of the state’s invaluable fishing industry. Mr Marshall said he would not entertain the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Aquatic Animal Recognition) Bill 2021 tabled before Parliament by the radical group.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has welcomed the timely arrival of a new state-of-the-art helicopter to boost its capacity and help frontline firefighters prepare for and defend against bushfires. The new Airbus H125 helicopter, with its customised avionics, winch, radios and other specialised operational and safety equipment, joins four similar machines operated by the NPWS air wing known as ParkAir.

An in-depth review of an excellent, timely and well-written book. Sold Down The River is really a text book on water trading for the uninitiated which sums up the tragedy of the Murray-Darling created by successive governments of all persuasions. Highly recommended.

Renewable energy and renewable timber may soon be produced side-by-side, with the passage today of legislation to enable clean energy developments such as wind energy to be established in State forest pine plantations. NSW Parliament passed amendments to the Forestry Act 2012 as part of the Energy Legislation Amendment Bill to facilitate the opportunity to establish renewable energy infrastructure in State forest pine plantations.

In partnership with Varuna, The National Writers’ House, the New England Writers’ Centre is delighted to announce Armidale writer, Dr James O’Hanlon as the winner of the 2021 Varuna/New England Writers’ Centre Fellowship. The Fellowship, to be taken up in 2022, will give James a week’s inspirational writing residency in the beautiful surroundings of Varuna, in the Blue Mountains.

Walgett Shire Council, News, 18 November 2021