Youth

Madison Eastmon. A Riverland student has been awarded during this year's National Reconciliation Week for receiving one of the highest Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks (ATAR) in the state. Scoring 86.75 — one of the highest ATARS received among South Australia's Aboriginal students — Berri Regional Secondary College alumni Nicholas Harris was awarded with a Chief Executive's Reconciliation Award last month.

One of the most active junior sports in the region is junior rugby league and our local teams, the Wattles Junior Warriors make their mark every time a team goes onto the field, be it in the Warwick and District competition, or the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League. You can see the enthusiasm in the faces of Wattles Under 6 team.....

The only Queensland high school that will have a team compete at the Australian Human Powered Vehicle Super Series is Clifton State High School - and it has not one, but two. Clifton State High School (CSHS) has had human powered vehicle (HPV) teams for several years and so far 2025 is shaping up to be easily the best year yet, even after the girls' team became state champions last year.

A group of Naracoorte residents gathered at the Town Square last Friday to express their disappointment at the Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s decision not to waive burial fees for children under the age of 10. The community demonstration reflected growing frustration over the council's stance, which many believe lacked compassion for grieving families.

A Naracoorte Lucindale councillor has voiced strong criticism over the council’s decision to keep $8,600 in its budget for post-meeting “meals and drinks” but reject a proposal to waive burial fees for children under the age of 10. Speaking to The Naracoorte News, councillor Craig McGuire expressed disappointment following the council’s recent May meeting, where his motion to waive all cemetery charges for children up to 10 years old—excluding plaque expenses—was voted down.

While the state unveiled a new Emergency Services Levy, it also tried to sweeten the blow with a headline-grabbing promise: free public transport for all Victorian children under 18, starting January 1. But for rural communities like Donald, that promise rings hollow. "We have no trains, the tram is decommissioned ..."

Earlier this month, Year 10 students, along with Mrs Veal and Mrs O'Toole, from Allora P-10 State School visited the Allora Museum on Drayton Street to deepen their understanding of Australia's World War II history.

Hay's local superstar and running aficionado, Daniel Green, was overjoyed recently to run with William Goodge from the UK, a man who is running to break a record ... "He is so cool, he has run across Japan, America, and has completed many desert runs."

Sarah Herrmann. Aspiring young artists were treated to a dose of acting expertise, along with life skills, when Country Arts SA visited Maitland Town Hall last week ... Country Arts SA associate producer for performing arts, Jay Gonzalez, said making artistic opportunities accessible for regional youth was integral in inspiring them to pursue their dreams.

Wati Mai brings starving people food, feeds homeless people, gives them magic water. Spider Girl Kungka helps kids stay safe. Comes out at night. Throws webs. Scares kids to go home and makes them go to sleep ready for school ... "The ultimate power of the Superheroes is the voice of the children who created them."

The 2025 Anglican Debutante Ball group.

Amy “Dolly” Everett would have turned 20 on May 1st. Tragically the young country girl took her life at age 14 after facing persistent and cruel bullying. Her family, parents Kate and Tick and sister Meg Everett, vowed to keep her memory alive by establishing anti-bullying organisation Dolly’s Dream.

A dedicated Cairns mother and son duo are set to represent Australia at the 2025 ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in Jesolo, Italy, this October, following years of shared discipline, training, and personal growth on the local dojang floor.

Year 7 scientists at Donald High School spent Term 1 learning about "Safety in Science". Late in Term 1 they gained their Bunsen Burner Licences after a competency test.

For the first time ever, Casino High School will have three students playing rugby league in the state comp. Ciara Close, Tye Hogan-Collins and Joshalynn Walker were selected from players between Tweed and Newcastle to play in the Combined Schools State Championship ... Joshalynn, 17, is an all round sportsperson.

The Crisafulli Government has unveiled the results of a covert crackdown on youth crime in Townsville, with the State Flying Squad arresting 17 juveniles on more than 100 charges. The State Flying Squad targeted the worst juvenile and adult offenders during the week-long crime blitz between 29 April and 6 May.   

Murray River Council is bringing vibrant new artwork to local primary schools through a creative mural project, delivered as part of our Council’s Arts and Culture Strategy. Each school will have the opportunity to collaborate with Mathoura artist Zowie Crump to determine the design and location of their mural, ensuring it reflects the unique identity and values of their school community.

Sean Cunningham. The Gillenbah Rural Fire Service recently celebrated a major win as five new recruits officially joined the ranks after successfully completing their final Bush Fire Fighting assessments ... Training, which is conducted over a couple of months, covered all the basics from how to draught water from a dam or the town's reticulated supply (main water lines), to pump operation and crew protection under extreme fire conditions.

Recognising his advocacy to make the arts more accessible to young people, especially those living with a disability, local artist, and Riverland Youth Theatre (RYT) artistic director, Sam Wannan has been nominated as a finalist in the 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for South Australia. Mr Wannan received a nomination for the Carclew Creative Achievement Award earlier this month, for his work with neurodivergent artists and organisations in regional areas ...

Communities across the region, concerned about ongoing serious incidents of crime will soon have their voice heard as the Time for Change e-petition hits the NSW Parliament. Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said 22,015 people across New South Wales had signed the petition, sending a strong message to the Labor Government.

The Finocchiaro CLP Government is continuing to focus on keeping Territorians safe by allocating a record $495 million directly to Corrections in the 2025-26 Budget. There will also be additional funding held in contingency to be drawn down to address corrections demand pressures as needed.

The Minns Labor Government will today introduce legislation to the NSW Parliament significantly reforming the state’s victims registers to ensure victim-survivors of serious crimes receive a mandatory notification about their right to sign up as a registered victim-survivor, to receive critical information about an offender.