The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Thirty-two nations from across the globe will compete for a world title in the men’s and women’s singles at the 2025 World Bowls Champion of Champions at cluBarham. An estimated 3,000 visitors will be in our twin towns for the prestigious international event, with 27 men and 30 women competing at cluBarham’s state-of-the-art bowling facility.

Paddock to plate: Deni butcher bids for state title

Contributor, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Agriculture

11 September 2025

Gus van Hart. The knives are sharp and the butterflies are real as Hayley Pattison counts down to the Australian Meat Industry Council NSW butcher apprenticeship competition in Sydney on 11 September, banking on paddock-to-plate know-how to set her apart.

Off and racing

Contributor, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

4 September 2025

Charity

Gunbower Racing Club is taking a big punt on itself – and the payoff would be huge. But more for Gunbower Lions Club and Echuca Regional Health’s Wellbeing Centre, because there’s $50,000 up for grabs as part of the 2025 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep.

Local connection to fallen nurse

Lloyd Polkinghorne, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

History & heritage

28 August 2025

Joy Cassidy presented a touching talk as guest speaker at Cohuna RSL ... Joy spoke of her Aunt, Rosetta Joan Wight who was one of the 21 nurses massacred by the Japanese in WW2 after their surrender at Radji Beach, Bangka Island.

Irrigators got their day in court

Contributor, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

21 August 2025

Federal politics

It might have been six years in the making but irrigators across northern Victoria and the Riverina have finally got their day in court with the MDBA. The MDBA used overbank transfers to flood the bush four times during 2017-2019 which resulted in little or zero allocation for irrigators, causing extreme financial and mental stress.

Basin Plan chickens return to roost

Lloyd Polkinghorne, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper - 28 August 2025

The trail of destruction that is the politically charged Murray Darling Basin Plan may have had its time in the sun as failings are laid bare. The court case of irrigators vs the MDBA, and last week’s suspension of NSW environmental water delivery has clearly demonstrated what locals have been concerned about, but remained unheard due to the dramatic power imbalance between the arbiter of truth, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, and the political aspirations of the politicians involved.

Cohuna remembers our Vietnam Vets

Ali Bohn, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Community

21 August 2025

August 18 marked almost 60 years since the Battle of Long Tan, reported as one of the most horrific conflicts by Australian soldiers in the Vietnam War. The date is now being acknowledged as so much more than the battle itself, with greater focus on the sacrifices made by all who fought in Vietnam.

Walsh pleads for DEECA to repeat 2024 Barmah firewood collection

Contributor, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

21 August 2025

Forestry

The Nationals Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh is appealing to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action to repeat its public firewood collection from Barmah Forest in September last year. Mr Walsh said that day saw thousands of tonnes of flood-damaged timber made available to hundreds of locals for heating and, in some cases, cooking.

Chalmers crowned CY25 SunRice grower of the year

Contributor, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Agriculture

14 August 2025

Sophie Baldwin. Since the 1970s, the Chalmers family have been growing rice, so they certainly know a thing or two about the importance of performance and business planning. For Michael and Felicia that acumen was rewarded with the couple recently crowned CY25 SunRice grower of the year.