NSW

The National Farmers’ Federation welcomes today’s announcement to end plans for the development of the proposed Shenhua coal mine on the Liverpool Plains. "After more than 13 long years, farmers and the Liverpool Plains community can almost breathe a sigh of relief that this process has finally ended," President and Liverpool Plains farmer Fiona Simson said. "The fertile black soil of the Liverpool Plains is some of the best farm land in Australia. It is a region of national significance.

Only a few weeks until the Kyogle Writers Festival kicks off ... Authors attending include Melissa Lucashenko, Stuart Rees, Daniel Browning, Ellen van Neerven, Nardi Simpson, Scott Bevan, Laura Elvery, Jessie Cole, Lisa Walker, Kristina Olsson and many more ... Local authors at the festival: Jarrah Dundler, Paul Shields, Linda Woodrow, Odette Nettleton, Gwendolyn Gray, Hayley Katzen, Andrew Johnston and Thor Phillips.

Ken Vary knows a lot about Tabulam and about horses ... Ken is a regular at the Bonalbo Show where he sat watching the horse competitions. In his younger years, Ken mustered and went to rodeos. At 77, he may ride less but he can spot a quality horse with no trouble at all. In 1976 he won Campdraft Horse of the Year at the North Coast National with his horse Gift.

Emma Pritchard. Proudly holding his beautifully framed certificate in his hands, Grafton man Ian McGaw remains humble and appreciative as he shares the story behind it. After dedicating more than 60 years of service to local shows, including the Grafton Show, Mr McGaw was recognised for his selfless contributions by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW who recently presented him with a certificate of appreciation for his ongoing support and service to the most famous show in Australia, the Royal Easter Show ... Describing the “friendships formed through volunteering” and being able to “share your knowledge with others” as highlights throughout his association with local shows and the Royal Easter Show, Mr McGaw said he felt very humble upon receiving his certificate during the Easter long weekend, and he is looking forward to adding “a few more years” to his impressive portfolio.

Geoff Helisma. Clarence Valley Council [CVC] has restated its opposition to any diversion of the Clarence River or mining within its catchment. The council’s general manager, Ashley Lindsay, concludes in CVC’s submission to the draft North Coast Regional Water Strategy: “Council reiterates its position that any proposal to divert the Clarence cannot be justified from an economic, environmental or social perspective.”

Geoff Helisma. The latest data from Liquor & Gaming NSW has revealed that Clarence Valley local government area residents lost $20,727,573 to poker machines in the last six months of 2020 ... There were 691 poker machines distributed across the Clarence Valley Local Government Area (LGA); 214 of which were in 22 hotels and 477 of which were in 12 clubs. There has been a reduction in the number of machines since the Liquor & Gaming NSW started publishing the statistics from December 2016 ...

Forestry Corporation of NSW is halfway through the delivery of 25,000 koala food tree seedlings to Port Macquarie Koala Hospital for their annual koala food tree giveaway program ... The seedlings were grown at Forestry Corporation’s Grafton nursery and have had an exceptional start with the perfect growing conditions and look extremely healthy and luscious, said Forestry Corporation’s Partnerships Leader, Sandra Madeley.

Following a training treble on the program and many winners owned by close family and friends, the Milligan training establishment was the dominant force at the Port Macquarie race meeting on Friday. With Bob’s experience and expertise as patriarch of the team and the operational guidance of son, Glen, the stable was successful in landing a treble with wins by Being Naughty, Hold all Tickets and Dr Demon.

The past 12 months have seen Forestry Corporation of NSW implement a $46 million bushfire recovery program to repair NSW State forests, the largest in the organisation’s history. The equity injection has seen Forestry Corporation repair priority damaged public infrastructure, expand its Blowering and Grafton nurseries, and start replanting bushfire-affected State forests.

Steve Dobbyns. The native forests of the north coast of NSW are not just the backdrop for an idyllic seaside lifestyle for its 1.7 million residents, they also sustain a hardwood timber industry that has been in existence for more than 150 years ... The 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires have emerged as a tipping point for the hardwood timber industry on the NSW north coast.

The Eagles senior men have been training hard this off season and have generated a lot of excitement around the club with plenty of new signings and new players. The team is fresh from a win over the Tuggeranong Hawks 62-40 in a trial match at the Narrandera sportsground on the weekend.

Barellan is now on the map when it comes to historic aircraft with the Whispering Pines Aviation Museum securing the naming rights to the Australian Aviation Museum. The museum was officially opened on Saturday by Bland Shire deputy mayor Rodney Crowe. Guests flew in from Bankstown and Wagga Wagga for the occasion with around 13 planes on the property’s dirt airstrip. Among the planes surrounded by red dust and cropping paddocks are a De Haviland Dove, Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer, a 1963 Cessna 172D, a replica Spitfire and a Clancy Sky Baby, reputedly flown by pioneer aviator Charles Kingsford Smith.

Can you quantify the impact music has had on your life? Don Hearn from Caldwell near Barham believes music is intrinsic to our DNA and is enjoyed in every culture, and in every country around the world and he is looking to share the unity that music brings to us all ... Noteworthy’s aim is to repurpose pre-loved guitars or the like and provide them to people around the globe.

Kirstin Nicholson. A turtle nest – a wonderful construction, dug by the female to lay her eggs in and filled back up to keep the eggs safe from the world until they hatch up to a year later ... Despite being backfilled, the eggs are still in danger from predators like foxes and water rats. While we may not be able to easily identify a turtle nest, unfortunately a fox can ... Graham Stockfeld from Turtles Australia has been visiting the Gunbower and Cohuna area several times a year to protect the nests and collect data.

“Fisher folk, stand-up boarders, kayakers and everyone are invited to bring their sailboats, tinnies or whatever and come along with us to stand up for our inland rivers,” says Carol Carney. Carol is the proud owner of "Sneaky Snag", a beautiful 4.8 metre long blue and white trailor-boat that floats around the Murray River and other waterways near Echuca, one of Victoria's primo river towns. At 3pm on April 16, 2021, boats of all descriptions will launch into the weir-pool above Lock 32, at Menindee in Western NSW.

Norco Primex director Bruce Wright is ready for the event to roll next month. With all necessary covid measures in place, he is confident this will be the best Primex yet ... Norco Primex calls itself “Australia’s sustainable farm and primary industries exhibition” and says it offers a complete paddock to plate experience where farmers & foodies meet.

Every Friday afternoon stalls selling honey, fruit, vegetables and cinnamon doughnuts are set up close to the beach in the surf club car park. This is Evans Head and the market here is like no other.