Youth

The recommendation to reinstate alcohol bans in Alice Springs town camps and outback home lands was described as “finally some commonsense” by the Independent MLA for Araluen, Robyn Lambley. But she says Dorrelle Anderson, who made the recommendation, should now go back to her work and “sort out child protection, the most critical problem in Central Australia” and “keep off the streets” children causing trouble.

Out now!

A team of Australian Pony Club riders have been having the time of their lives in New Zealand after being selected to be part of this year’s Inter Pacific Exchange. The four riders – Ashleigh Bennett of Young NSW, Bridget Mouat of Riddells Creek Victoria, Georgia Elias of Launceston, Tasmania and Georgia Goss of Eastern Hills WA – competed in two events while overseas, as well as fitting in a lot of sight-seeing across the 18 days of their trip.

Teachers and students headed back to school on Tuesday after the six-week break to start the new school year. Plenty of nerves and excitement as students look forward to seeing friends and getting to know new teachers ... One big change this year that has been welcomed by staff and parents, is the introduction of the mobile phone ban.

This year Maldon PS has welcomed 16 preps to our school. This is the highest number of prep enrolments we have had for many years. We have also had some new enrolments across the school, bringing our enrolment number to 84 students.

Large happy crowds turned out for Australia Day at both Naracoorte and Lucindale last week to celebrate local award winners, welcome new Australians citizens and participate in an Australian citizenship affirmation ... Mayor Patrick Ross read a statement from the Federal Member for Barker, Tony Pasin, then introduced guest speaker, Robertson Street Daily Market proprietor, Didar Ali ... “I came to Australia because I ran away from war."

Xavier Wishart spent a week of his school holidays in Hobart – but he didn’t have much time to see the sights – he was there for the Under 17 National Championships of cricket. The championships were held at several locations across Hobart from January 16 to 23 with teams playing six matches.

Students in Rochester will return to their schools this week after being affected by the devastating flooding across Victoria last year. It’s the first time the students at Rochester Primary School and Rochester Secondary School will be able to walk back through the school gates since the flooding left both schools inundated with water.

About 650 breakfasts – cooked and served by volunteers – were consumed at the 2023 Australia Day event in Two Rocks ... Yanchep resident Sharon Conley, who is a member of the Yanchep Netball Club, received the YTRCRA citizen award.

Tennant Creek’s born and bred doctor Sarah Goddard took the top honours in the Local Government 2023 Australia Day Awards for Tennant Creek. Dr Goddard has spent well over a decade reaching her goals to become a doctor and Citizen of the Year Awards adds to her list of growing accolades, winning best Indigenous doctor in Australia late last year in the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) awards.

A group of Denmark Senior High School students took a long walk from Greens Pool back to the school as part of Duke of Edinburgh International awards camp ... Along the way of their walk, the group collected rubbish littering the trails ... Lightning weed was the target species over the morning in what had felt like a gym work out.

Serena Kirby. A school holiday program involving Indigenous games of mock warfare and dispute settling was hosted at the Denmark Recreation Centre. Jayden Caldwell, a Noongar man from Perth, organised the Institute of Indigenous Wellbeing and Sport-run games.

An emergency services leader and a passionate musician have taken out Gannawarra Shire Council’s 2023 Australia Day Awards. Kerang Fire Brigade captain Ramon Steel was named Gannawarra Shire Council’s Citizen of the Year, and Deaken Fawcett presented with Council’s Young Citizen of the Year Award.

More than 80 rowers from The Southport School (TSS) on the Gold Coast recently made waves on the Clarence River in Grafton. Between January 18-23, the boys, aged from 13 to 18, trained along a 20km stretch of water in their respective age groups in preparation for the upcoming 2023 Brisbane Grammar School Regatta on January 28, and the 2023 GPS Head of the River Rowing Championships on March 11.

The youth crime crisis has not only once again revealed the Queensland Labor Government’s ineffective way of dealing with a problem but also exposes their disregard to the regions ... the fact that it took a response for a murder in Brisbane, not the constant high levels of violence and off the charts levels of offences occurring in Mount Isa, Townsville and Cairns, to incite some sort of change, is disappointing.

The prestigious Sydney Dance Company joined forces with NORPA last week to mentor young dancers from the Northern Rivers in a week-long dance intensive held at Southern Cross University in Lismore. Working with Sydney Dance Company's Teaching Artists, 30 local dancers aged 13-18 years from across the region were taught Sydney Dance Company choreography and repertoire as well as learning how to develop and express their own experiences through contemporary dance.

Kristin Murdock. With the school year approaching an end, students have been busy finishing off projects ... Shearing and marketing of the lambs has also occurred recently, with Agricultural Studies students from all year levels taking part in the process.

Seven inspiring young leaders came together yesterday as the Territory’s new NT Youth Week Ambassadors ... Ambassadors, aged 16 to 22, play a key role in the organisation and promotion of NT Youth Week and have chosen this year’s theme: "Break Free, Unleash Your Story".

Ali Bohn. Travelling three hours a day, five days a week for six years to attend secondary school in Echuca might seem more than a little daunting for many students, but for Harry Coughlan, he looks back on the last six years and feels that every minute of travel was worth it. The Koondrook local graduated from Echuca’s St Joseph’s College last year with a 95.3 ATAR score, affording him the opportunity to enrol and be accepted into his first course preference of bio medicine at the University of Melbourne.

Artist Donna Mitchell has been drawing and painting since the age of eight, with portraits her speciality. She now shares her knowledge and skills by conducting art classes for kids and adults ... "Since moving to Hendon in 2022, we have enjoyed the simpler lifestyle that comes with living in the country."

Taj's Small Fries presented by Board.Store concluded in emphatic fashion yesterday in Yallingup, with eight champions crowned in classic summer conditions in Yallingup marking the end of three days of amazing surfing at WA's biggest, best and most prestigious junior surfing tournament.