NSW

Kirstin Nicholson. Organisers of Sunday’s AWMA Water Control Solutions 28th Cohuna Bridge to Bridge are thrilled with the day. Cooler weather presented ideal conditions for entrants who competed in seven running and cycling events from as early as 8am ... Entrants travelled from across Victoria and New South Wales to participate, with many staying overnight and injecting cash into local businesses. With events catering for all ages and abilities, participants ranged from serious runners and cyclists to those out for a leisurely Sunday walk, with many ex-locals returning for the event.

The Wakool Show was back with a fantastic flurry of fun, food, music and entertainment. This year’s show was rolled into one action packed evening and the community support was fantastic with families coming from Wakool, Moulamein, Koondrook-Barham and Deniliquin.

Nicholas Rupolo. Narrandera-born GWS Giant Matt Flynn is set for an AFL debut this week after recovering from a devastating ACL injury last year. The Giants host St Kilda on Sunday with Flynn to take to the paddock in what is a dream come true after 12 years in the making.

Narrandera’s century old police station has been branded as outdated and the community’s plea for a new station will be on the NSW Police Minister’s desk this week. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has heeded the call from Narrandera Shire Council and is due to speak with Minster for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott.

Geoff Helisma. Yamba Surf Life Saving Club member Kalani Ives says her “main goal is to paddle across the Molokai Channel and win that” ... Kalani has already racked up a numerous outstanding results competing in the Nippers – and at the 2021 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships, held at Swansea on March 6 and 7, she won the U17 Iron Woman, came third in the U17 Female Board Race and fourth in the U17 Female Single Ski.

Geoff Helisma. “It is my intention to provide RDA Northern Rivers with a copy of the Clarence Valley Regional Economic Development Strategy [2018 – 2022],” Clarence Valley mayor, Jim Simmons: wrote in his minute, “which identifies [CVC’s] ‘Engines of Growth’ as being tourism, agriculture (beef cattle, blueberries, macadamias and sugar cane), aquaculture, forestry, logging, sawmilling, marine manufacturing and logistics. I see our focus being on growing these ‘Engines of Growth’, along with improving our digital connectivity within the area, to capitalise on the state government’s recent decision to decentralise the public sector workforce to regional areas"

Emma Pritchard. There is a lot of admiration for the unique piece of equipment Grafton Fire and Rescue 306 Station Captain Garry Reardon holds proudly. The impressive state-of-the-art remote piloted aircraft system (RPAS), more commonly referred to as a drone, is the latest addition to Grafton Fire Station and will assist in the protection of the Clarence Valley community and help keep the dedicated team members who make that possible, safe as well.

Rod Fuller. Following a deluge of rain over the past few days and the promise of further heavy downpours on race day, Racing NSW Stewards had little alternative but to cancel the race meeting scheduled for Port Macquarie on Friday where the Lisa Sheppard trained Racketeering had been scheduled to run.

More than 800 of the state’s fittest and fastest Masters competitors braved both scorching sun and squalls of rain to show they’ve still got what it takes after a big two days at the NSW Masters Surf Life Saving Championships, proudly supported by Your local club, at Swansea Belmont.

NSW Farmers and the Country Women’s Association of NSW (CWA of NSW) are alarmed by a proposal that would stifle community consultation on the Inland Rail project. It comes as the NSW Minister for Planning the Hon Rob Stokes MP has issued an order declaring the construction of the Inland Rail in NSW as a critical state significant infrastructure project.

David Landini, Riverina State Group. The Labor party victories in the recent Queensland and West Australian State elections are a reminder that a Labor government will eventually be elected federally as well.

Forestry Corporation of NSW delivered the first load of 25,000 koala food tree seedlings recently to support north coast koala care groups’ efforts to build koala habitat. The organisation delivered 10,000 seedlings to a new Lismore nursery facility managed by Friends of the Koala to support their, and Bangalow Koalas’, planting programs.

MidCoast Council is again asking the community to refrain from approaching or feeding Dingoes in the Tea Gardens / Hawks Nest area following the need for lethal control of a sub-adult pack this week. The three males and two females had been involved in at least five incidents involving people and domestic pets over the last month, all increasing in ferocity ... "We are all really disappointed that it has come to this," said Council's Senior Ecologist, Mat Bell.

The NSW State Government announced on 10 March 2021 that The Minister for Planning will issue a new section 9.1 direction (to the Koala SEPP) to ensure that only the Minister, and not councils, will be empowered to rezone land used for primary production to an environmental zone (E zone), or to rezone land currently in rural zones 1, 2 and 3 to other rural zones.

Wyong Race Club is proud to host one of the qualifiers for the Polytrack Provincial Championship Series at Wyong Race Club on Saturday, March 27.

Narrandera racing will feature one of the biggest prize purses outside of the major regional tracks in 2021 with three TAB meetings offering $365,000. Representing the biggest prizemoney offered in the history of the club, the three meetings comprising 20 races will be open to the public for the ­first time in a year.