End of an era for Bishop’s Lodge, but the doors remain open
Anne Longworth bowed out as the final president of Bishop’s Lodge Management Committee last Wednesday when the final meeting took place after the last of Hay Shire Council’s Section 355 museum committees was dissolved. This reluctant step was taken at the request of the committee due to the chronic volunteer fatigue experienced in Hay over the last few years.
Hay Shire Council welcomes $45M feedlot development
A $45 million development application which will create 147 direct jobs in the district was unanimously approved by Hay Shire Council at its monthly meeting last week. General Manager, David Webb said Council staff supported the application to intensify the cattle feedlot capacity at Ravensworth from 60,000 head to 100,000 standard cattle units (SCU), and recommended it be approved. There will be no change to existing infrastructure (pen space) at the Ravensworth feedlot which currently employs 35 to 40 people.
Renmark High students deliver smash hit
Lachlan Dand. It is little secret for those who have completed year 12 studies that it’s one of the biggest years some can face, as high schooling days draw to a close. With exams, prom, and graduation all wrapped up, students at the Renmark High School (RHS), have one piece of official duty left. Students will head to the Gold Coast this Sunday morning for the Australian Volleyball Schools Cup, which was previously held in Canberra and Melbourne, running until 15 December.
Families praise West Wimmera early years services
A West Wimmera Shire Council survey on maternal and child health and support playgroup services has highlighted the overwhelmingly positive experiences from families in the community. The survey, which gathered responses from parents and caregivers from across the shire, showed strong satisfaction with the support and care currently provided.
Advertising concerns after lengthy debate sees motion lost
Clarence Valley Councillor Lynne Cairns has expressed her disappointment after a Notice of Motion (NOM) she put forward during the Ordinary Council Meeting on November 21 proposing, “council increase the amount of advertising to a full or half page contribution (depending on requirements) in the highest circulating, printed, local, weekly newspaper, the Clarence Valley Independent ... The NOM was ultimately lost following a lengthy debate in the Maclean Council Chambers.
Community chimes in on World Heritage bid
Sarah Herrmann. Calls for increased local consultation as part of the progressing Moonta Mines World Heritage bid were made at a community forum last week. The forum gave those interested the opportunity to quiz UK-based World Heritage consultant Barry Gamble, who had travelled to the Copper Coast for the official celebration of the tentative listing...
Enjoy a winter wonderland at the Lockyer Valley Christmas Carnival!
Set aside Friday 20 December – the annual Lockyer Valley Christmas Carnival is back! Gatton’s North Street is set to resemble a winter wonderland for the beloved event, which is set to be a fun-filled family night … “The Winter Wonderland theme was so well received in 2022, we simply knew we had to bring it back.
Council responds to water complaints – no reason for concern
Narrandera Shire Council has received the results from recent PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) testing in the local drinking water supply, offering assurances to residents that there is no cause for concern. The assurances follow recent complaints from residents about the colour of Narrandera water which is not a new occurrence in the town.
Power surge cause of water outage
The reason behind why Wyreema residents were faced with little or no water coming from their taps a few weeks ago has been revealed ... a large storm caused a power surge, with the Wyreema water tower perhaps even being struck by lightning. "That resulted in substantial damage to some of our most critical infrastructure that left almost 2,100 residents with either low or limited water supply," Mr Passier said.
Win! Win! Win … Entire community to benefit from landfill revolution
Clarence Valley Council (CVC) have taken a giant leap toward both substantially lowering greenhouse gas emissions from landfill and at the same time, greatly increasing their future usage of renewable energy after awarding a tender for Landfill Gas Management and Gas to Energy services at the Grafton Regional Landfill facility. And the huge bonus to the community… Council is set to reap a financial windfall.
The Queen’s Loxton arrival
Sebastian Calderon. Loxton has become the Murray River Queen's (MRQ) new home after the boat’s successful voyage from Renmark ... The Paringa Bridge crossing was one of the highlights during her trip, as cars and people gathered to see the bridge go up and give way to Donna Neale and her team steaming the MRQ.
Hay sits out the calm before the renewable energy storm
SW-REZ is in the calm before the REZ Access Rights announcement-storm in the coming months. Proposed large-scale windfarms such as Pottinger, Engie and Bullawah are all waiting in the wings for the all-important announcement to be made ... further proposals are coming forward, with renewable energy development company RES announcing a $40 million commitment to local community development as part of its plan to construct the Argoon Wind Farm.
Wow for the wharf
Hugh Schuitemaker. A significant milestone in Renmark’s recovery from the 2022/23 flood event has been marked with the opening of the town’s new wharf. A large crowd of local residents, plus local and state government representatives, gathered at the Renmark riverfront last Wednesday to mark the opening of the town’s redeveloped wharf.
Lismore lays the foundation for a world-class skatepark
An important milestone in constructing Lismore’s new $3.9 million Lismore Skatepark was reached this week, with the pouring of 2400m2 of concrete set to begin ... The facility includes both ‘street’ and ‘park’ (bowl) sections and a covered mini ramp, which is eagerly anticipated by the local skater community.
Sunshine Coast selected for new subsea cable landing point
In a major win for connectivity and economic growth, Sunshine Coast Council will partner with Google, NEXTDC and others on Australia Connect, an initiative to further the reach, reliability and resilience of digital connectivity in Australia and the Indo-Pacific. Australia Connect will deliver new subsea cable systems and build on the Pacific Connect initiative.
New faces join Buloke Council
Buloke Shire Council has officially re-elected Cr. Alan Getley as Mayor, and Cr. Graeme Milne as Deputy Mayor, during the Special Council Meeting ... in Wycheproof. The meeting also confirmed the Council’s delegate appointments and set the schedule for the year ahead.
Festive fun for 2024 Gin Gin Christmas Parade
The Gin Gin Christmas Parade is back again on Sunday 22 December with the whole community invited to get into the festive spirit. Gin Gin Rural Fire Brigade’s Jack Daw gives an overview of the event: The event started in 2023 as a way to bring the community and the local emergency services closer together, and to spread some holiday joy.
Council to fix Shuards Lane
After 10 years of neglect and six years of wrangling, the current Naracoorte Lucindale Council has voted 7-2 in favour of fixing and reinstating a 636m portion of the 1.866km Shuards Lane. At least five ratepayers no longer have all-weather access to their properties … there is no all-weather access for an ambulance or veterinarian if needed, nor a truck to move or sell livestock.
Deep dive into romance of surf culture on Mid North Coast
An immersive exhibition which plumbs the depths of the rich surfing culture on the Mid North Coast will open to fanfare at Coffs Harbour tomorrow.  Swell Chasers: Surf Stories from the Mid North Coast  sprawls across three galleries at the City of Coffs Harbour’s Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) from 23 November to 2 February. Â
Rail sale: Council and VicTrack respond
A property leased by the Victorian Goldfields Railway (VGR) is being sold by the Victorian Government, raising questions about zoning and community consultation around the sale of a heritage asset that has been a green buffer around Maldon Station since the gold rush era. The Tarrangower Times ... requested information from Mount Alexander Shire Council (MASC) to ask about the zoning for 14 Reef Street, which was understood to have been changed to make way for the sale ...
Two-in-five city dwellers looking to make a regional move: RAI
New research commissioned by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) shows the number of city-dwellers looking to relocate to the regions has doubled over the past 18 months, demonstrating an urgent need for solutions to regional pressure points. The results of a nationwide survey shows 40 per cent of capital city residents are considering a move to regional Australia – up from 20 per cent in May 2023.
Holiday levy from January: Stress for BnBs
The Victorian State Parliament has passed the contentious ‘AirBnB Tax’ law to impose a 7.5 per cent levy on short-stay accommodation platforms ... Michele Waddington, owner of Fairbank House holiday home rental, believes the levy will have an impact on local accommodation providers and beyond: "The legislation, which taken with other recent taxes, has significantly impacted Maldon’s economic recovery."
