117th Maclean Highland Gathering
Lynne Mowbray. The last couple of years have proved to be a trying time for anyone attempting to hold an event and organisers of the 117th Maclean Highland Gathering, were keen to make this year’s event, a great one. Maclean Highland Gathering Chief Peter Smith said that they were expecting a particularly good gathering this year and it did not disappoint.
Northern Rivers Rail Trail set to take shape
This year his year will be a big one for the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, with 54km of the planned 130km set to become a reality ... A car-free pedestrian connection for locals and tourists alike, the Rail Trail will be used for all active eco transport and recreation, including walking, running, bikes, riding, mobility scooters, prams, and multi-day adventures.
Mackeral stats are fishy: Katter
Katter's Australian Party Leader Robbie Katter has backed a Cairns game fishing leader’s condemnation of the state government for siding with anti-fishing groups to slash Spanish mackerel quotas ... Cairns Professional Game Fishing Association spokesman Dan McCarthy said the survey on the management measures for the east coast Spanish mackerel fishery released by DAF was skewed towards severe restrictions and used a very different stock assessment model and method to any ever used before.
‘We lost everything’: Woodburn Boxing Club fights back after floods
Gavin Begbie has put his “heart and soul” into the Woodburn Amateur Boxing Club. He has been involved in the club for 12 years and has been club president for five. On March 1, floodwaters went over the roof of the club on Redwood Lane.
Throws master does it again
Geoff Helisma. The joy of training is Tom Hancock’s secret when it came to taking on all-comers at the Australian Masters Athletics Championships held in Brisbane from April 1 to 4. The 85-year-old won every event he contested in ‘throws’ events for 85 to 90-year-olds.
SA riders set for National Para-dressage competition
As part of a partnership with Equine Pathways Australia, Racing SA is supporting three South Australian riders competing at the Australian National Para-dressage competition at Boneo Park in Victoria ... the event is a qualifier for the World Equestrian Games to be held in Denmark later in 2022.
Racing NSW launches Equimillion – A $1 million equestrian event for retired Thoroughbred racehorses
Equimillion will showcase the versatility and suitability of Thoroughbreds for careers outside of racing, with the inaugural event to be held on the October long weekend in 2023. The $1 million plus in prizemoney on offer at Equimillion will be distributed across a range of disciplines and classes in the biggest two-day equestrian event ever to be held in NSW.
Lions roar
Jeff Hanson. In only their second year in the competition, the Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong (GGGM) Lions have won the AFL Riverina SNSW women’s football premiership. After going through the 2022 season undefeated, the Lions met the North Wagga Saints in the grand final at Apex Park on Friday night and came away 8.6 (54) to 2.5 (17) winners.
Mason is on track
Kye Mason of Cohuna represented Victoria at the 2022 Australian Track & Field Championships in Sydney last week. Competitors from across Australia and New Zealand converged on Sydney for the championships which were held from March 26 to April 3.
Bowling clubs come together to assist South Lismore BC
With borrowed shoes, uniforms and bowls, the South Lismore team put the trauma of losing their homes and beloved Bowling Club behind them to show the true grit this little club really has. They didn’t win the bowls but just being there could surely be seen as victory enough.
Pixie Hanson wins at NSW Surf Life Saving Championships
Luke & Dani. For those of you who remember Pixie Hanson running laps of the airstrip before school (with Elsie, Millie, Ruby and Gale), or charging down Intermediate Hill, or blitzing the LHICS cross country race, you may have wondered why she was always moving faster than the rest of us.
Masters games are set and ready to go
Chris Oldfield. The 2022 Tatiara SA Masters Games are set and ready to go in “The Good Country” – featuring 24 mature age sports, social gatherings and a lot of fun. With sport being the heartbeat of rural communities, the event over four days (April 7-11) is expected to attract more than a thousand athletes, spectators and volunteers combined.
Emu Trek journey near end
The Emu Plume Trek which started in Narrandera last weekend is now in the latter stages of its journey to Wagga Wagga after visiting Grong Grong, Ganmain, Coolamon and other villages along the route to Wagga Wagga.
Grafton to host $75000 greyhound race
Emma Pritchard. The Grafton Greyhound Racing Club will host several races in a new feature series worth more than $200000 following a stunning announcement by Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW). Set to become the world’s richest race over a short distance course, The Thunderbolt series will include qualifying heats held at eight regional venues, a semi-final and final.
Police active with Ampilatwatja students
Pam Dillon. Students from Ampilatwatja school have been fine tuning their tee-ball and softball skills with Barkly Region Sports Coordinator recently ... The Arlpara Police visited and were keen to be involved in playing softball and are looking forward to returning every week to participate in physical activity with the school students.
Surfing serves top snowboarder well
Serena Kirby. Extreme snowboarder Henry Edmondson has surprised everyone with his recent results on the international junior Freeride circuit. Henry, 16, is ranked among the top 40 junior freeriders in the world after competing in several events in France in January.
Legacy bowls tournament comes to an end after 55 years
Joan de Bondt. When the Legacy Bowls Tournament was initiated in Barham 55 years ago in 1967, it attracted four greens of bowlers, drawn from surrounding areas as far away as Bendigo. The event was established as a fundraiser to assist war widows and their families.
The Peter Turner Memorial Show and Shine
Steve Cole. The Peter Turner memorial Show and Shine will allow the Guildford Grumpies Car Club Inc. and visitors to pay their respects to their cherished former President. The Show and Shine will feature a huge range of veteran and vintage cars and motorbikes, along with an array of community stalls, live bands, displays and raffles ... at John Powell Reserve in Guildford on Sunday 27 March.
Tantanoola gymnasium relocation plan
Sheryl Lowe. The small regional community of Tantanoola in the South East of South Australia has big plans to move their almost one-million-dollar school gymnasium a few hundred metres across a couple of country roads to the town’s sporting complex. We have the skills in our community to do this, Tantanoola local Mr. Peter Altschwager told The News, we just need permission ... Local students were educated at the once vibrant school for 139 years but with recent declining numbers, the Education Minister John Gardner decided to close the school in 2020.
Active farmers games hailed as a success
Active Farmers founder and chief executive officer Ginny Stevens has hailed the Active Farmers Games at Coleambally as a success. The Games were created to raise awareness of the importance of physical and mental health in rural communities and to encourage more men to become more active. About 30 teams of three people competed in events which were designed to "mimic real-life challenges".
Show me!
Kendall Jennings. The Wakool Show once again entertained locals on Saturday, March 12, an iconic rural agricultural show that has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting community spirit in an area that has suffered from drought and water restrictions.
Tatt and Spitty 2022 Golfanza Champions
Again, a successful northern Victorian Triple Golfanza held at Cohuna on Saturday, Barham on Sunday and Kerang on Monday, over the Labour Day long weekend. This was the 49th edition of the Triple Golfanza with plans for a big 50th anniversary next year. All the courses were in great shape and near capacity fields at each venue with 133 at Cohuna, 160 at Barham and 130 at Kerang.
