NSW

Stunned fishermen have had a close encounter with what they described as a ‘Sand Slug’. Once thought to be a tale of folklore, the mythical creature rose to public awareness after a Sand Slug was reported to have caused the blocking of the Barmah Choke.

Leigh Robertson. Despite the onslaught of rain and resulting flooded fairways over the past week, our course is in great condition. Once again, our greens staff have worked hard to help the course recover so competitions and social play can go ahead.

The milko is back — the clinking of glass bottles, the layer of cream at the top of the milk — harks back to a time long gone. Dairy farmer Shane Hickey delivers fresh bottled milk straight from his Jersey cows to homes around Kyogle ... Shane said bypassing the supermarkets meant people could connect to a farmer who “farmed in a way that was ethical and sustainable”.

For landscape painter Sally Joyce, the Lions Rd represents the leaving and the coming back home to Kyogle. Lions Road – Scenic Journeys is a body of work Sally has been developing over many years of travelling this road.

They had been planning to construct a lake out the back of the Rappville Pub. But publicans Lisa Rosenbaum and Col Foyster didn’t expect the deluge last week to leave a body of water so vast it lapped at the steps of the back veranda as Rappville faced flooding ... Through it all they kept serving drinks at the bar. Dave Newby came to the pub in a tractor to get through the floodwaters, she said.

Geoff Helisma. The NSW Government has granted $30.8 million in funding to Clarence Valley Council (CVC) to replace 31 timber bridges in the Clarence Valley. The council was successful with 31 of 32 applications to the Fixing Country Bridges (FCB) program. Staff wrote in the report to yesterday’s March 30 CVC meeting that it was “an unprecedented amount of funding for timber bridge replacements in the Clarence Valley over the next two years”.

Emma Pritchard. The temporary causeway across the Mann River near Whytaliba on Old Grafton Road was destroyed during the recent flood, leaving many locals stranded and facing an additional drive of more than 100km via Buccarumbi to access Grafton.

Amy Foxe. A significant event occurred on 5th March which is certainly worth mentioning and celebrating whilst the project team continue to work towards practical completion. A combination of slightly lower than average overnight demand and very clear morning skies provided the perfect conditions for the solar PV and solar-charged battery to take the island load for a full 24 hour period.

Ed Rourke. Recently, after several attempts to repair the keel on “Albatross” it was, sadly, decided to bring the boat ashore!

Ian Hutton. With the removal of the rodents and owls in 2019, we are seeing another dramatic increase in bird life - not just the Woodhens, but all land birds, especially Emerald doves. There are also more seabirds: Black-winged petrel numbers are increasing; Grey ternlets are being seen on rock cliffs from Ned’s Beach to Middle Beach, Brown noddies are increasing in areas where they breed.

CSIRO. The US government has announced it will fund a pilot-scale test facility to demonstrate a next-generation concentrated solar thermal (CST) technology that Australia helped develop. The falling particle CST technology is 100 per cent renewable and can store multiple hours of thermal energy for firm, fully dispatchable power generation.

Just a ‘toilet roll' incident is an interesting metaphor to use in respect to the critical timber shortage occurring within the Australian and world-wide construction industry.

Forestry Corporation of NSW is about to commence small-scale strategic hazard reduction burns in up to 2,000 hectares of State forests near Narooma and Eden to protect against wildfires. Autumn is one of the key times to reduce the forest’s fuel load and help protect communities and the environment against bushfires, said Forestry Corporation Protection Supervisor, Julian Armstrong.

The star-gazing project at Mallanganee Lookout is exciting and ambitious. With expansive views across the Richmond Range, Mallanganee National Park and Hogarth Range Nature Reserve, the under-used lookout has the potential to attract thousands of visitors of the star-gazing kind.

The 1959 All Saints Church in Old Bonalbo is preparing to hold its final service. Jill Gorry said she felt sad about the church going. “But we’re not left without a church, there is one in Bonalbo,” she said. The Anglican church will be deconsecrated on April 13 by Bishop Murray from Grafton.