NSW

Upgrades to a 29-kilometre section of the Narrabri to North Star section of the track are now complete ... Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said in a boost for the local industry, fully loaded trains are now departing from Moree.

Lismore City Council will install temporary signage to reduce the number of koalas being hit by vehicles at six identified koala-strike hot spots around Lismore. “Since the beginning of this year 33 koalas were killed on roads in the Lismore Local Government Area – this is 33 too many,” said Council’s Environmental Strategies Officer Angie Brace.

A mass rescue effort in the Illawarra has unfortunately resulted in the death of a man and six other males receiving CPR or first aid after their boat overturned at Bulli Point on Sunday morning.

Justin Gilligan. I'm excited that my image 'Rich Reflections' has been announced as the winner of the Plants and Fungi category of this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The digital awards ceremony was just broadcast live from the Natural History Museum in London, with more than 50,000 entries from 95 countries.

Researchers from The University of Western Australia recently completed the final report for the LHI Galapagos shark research project, which has been running since January 2018. This research used acoustic listening stations around LHI waters to track Galapagos sharks fitted with internal acoustic tags to determine their movement patterns, as well as identifying where, when and how frequently these sharks interact with fishing vessels.

LHI Board. Designed to protect the island’s World Heritage status and move Lord Howe Island towards a more sustainable future, the solar array project, underpinned by community-based Sustainable Energy Working Group, is designed to supply at least two-thirds of the electricity needs of the community each year, equating to at least a 67% reduction in diesel fuel consumption – a saving of around 360,000 litres of diesel a year.

With just two days’ notice, community volunteers at the heart of the Koondrook Perricoota co-design welcomed a shiny entourage of politicians, bureaucrats and media. The whistlestop tour was part of a $330 million funding announcement with no less than five state and federal politicians ... The Koondrook Perricoota project has been a white elephant of government spending with the $120 million over-designed project sitting idle.

Kirstin Nicholson. Cohuna Neighbourhood House treated 28 people to a ‘Bush Bash Tour’ as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival ... Local Aboriginal elder, Aunty Esther Kirby, explained the historical significance of the Gunbower Forest to the local Aboriginal people and discussed items of cultural significance.

Narrandera Shire Council rejected its own DA for the State-listed heritage lattice railway bridge project at the October Council meeting. The DA provided for the conversion of the bridge to a pedestrian bridge as part of the State Gov't-funded Playground on the Murrumbidgee project ... The converted bridge was to have been added to the town’s bike and hike trail enabling locals and visitors to cycle and/or walk along the bridge from the northern side.

Nicholas Rupolo. There are no signs the Riverina property market is set to cool down as demand for new homes and low interest rates keep city buyers in the hunt for a switch to the country ... Median house prices in Coolamon and Narrandera have increased around 20 per cent and 17 per cent respectively this year.

Entering the market after almost 30 years, an expansive citrus farm and vineyard in the New South Wales Riverina region is ripe for picking, in the country’s largest citrus-growing and NSW’s largest wine producing region.

Coraki Post Office owner Steve Taylor knows how difficult banking can be for residents when they are unable to travel to their closest bank in Lismore or Casino. “One lady in her 80s who is born and bred in Coraki got caught out with no cash,” Mr Taylor said. She banked with ANZ and with the bank’s branches closed in Coraki and Casino, she wanted to get money from the post office. She couldn’t because ANZ don’t have a banking agreement with Australia Post.

For 17 years Robert Hackett has checked the skies. His interest in all things weather related is a hobby. Living in the Kyogle area for many years, Robert has been caught in some dramatic situations while updating weather warnings out in the field. “As storms gets closer, you see and feel the energy of Mother Nature,” Robert said.

Jasmine Phillips didn’t have a speech prepared. “I didn’t expect to be named as a winner,” Jasmine said. Four years ago, Jasmine started her design business Wild Honey Creative and this week won a Northern Rivers business award ... “We’re the smallest organisation and it was nice for a small studio in our little town to win.”