The woman behind the counter at White Cliffs' only shop moves with quiet efficiency, her smile genuine as she serves customers who've become friends. At 53, Jacqui Portch radiates a contentment that comes from having weathered life's worst storms and emerged not just intact, but flourishing ... Jacqui's story begins in the tobacco fields of Rhodesia, where her father's farm stretched across rich red earth just outside Salisbury.

"Surviving Vietnam War Veterans deeply admire the war widows in our communities for their courage and resilience, for the ways they supported and cared for their veteran husbands during the living years, and how they dealt with the unimaginable grief and loss of their loved veteran partner": David Langdon.

Brendan Atkins. "On a knoll commanding a wide view of peaceful mountain, reef and sea, there stands a monolith, erected to the memory of Allan McCulloch, naturalist, an outstanding figure in the history of the island", says cinematographer Frank Hurley in Jewel of the Pacific, his 1932 travelogue about Lord Howe Island.

On Saturday, 11th October, history came alive in the Allora Community Hall. With the support of Qld Government and COTA, the Allora & District Historical Society (ADHS) hosted a Bridal Extravaganza and High Tea showcasing over a century of Allora bridal fashions.

Lockhart and District Community held another very successful and enjoyable Spirit of the Land Festival on the weekend of 11 and 12 October. It is 19 years since the first very small festival was held during one of Lockhart's most challenging droughts. Over the years it has grown into a vibrant community event.

You may not know Mervyn Bishop’s name, but you certainly know his work. He took the ultra-famous photo of Vincent Lingiari and Gough Whitlam at Wattie Creek, NT, in that defining moment when the Prime Minister of Australia poured earth into the right hand of the representative of the Gurindji people ... The biography starts with a road trip to Mervyn’s birthplace of Brewarrina ... It is absolutely charming and we get to know and - to an extent - understand Mervyn’s life and achievements.

As October arrives, so too does the first flush of mauve from Australia’s beloved jacaranda trees. I trace the jacaranda’s journey from the dry slopes of the Andes to its spectacular springtime display in towns like Grafton, where more than 1,700 trees transform the streets into rivers of purple. With the bloom set to reach its dazzling peak in just a fortnight, it’s the perfect moment to celebrate this fleeting spring spectacle.

Jenny Pollard. An amble down the garden path brings joy to most gardeners – especially when it means viewing someone else’s patch ... So last Sunday, despite the cool and overcast conditions, gardeners from near and far trekked to the North Central Garden Club’s (NCGC) annual Open Gardens Day in Charlton.

War Widows Day on 19 October is now an official National Day of Commemoration first initiated in 2024 by the Commonwealth Department of Defence in collaboration with the Australian War Widows Inc. and Families of Veterans Guild. This is a special day of tribute dedicated to acknowledging and honouring the service and sacrifices of Australian war widows.

Historian and President of Maldon Museum and Archives Association Derek Reid delivered a paper at the Australasian Mining History Association conference in Broken Hill on Wednesday 3 September. His presentation, called 'The Beehive Mine Chimney: Maldon's Mining Memorial' was reportedly well received by attendees and delegates, who expressed concern about heritage and maintenance in relation to the chimney.

The Charlton Courthouse Gallery was abuzz with visitors on Sunday, October 5, for the opening of Birds in Focus, the latest exhibition by local farmer and keen photographer, Stuart Giles ... When asked if there was one bird he found especially elusive, Stuart pointed to the Red-capped Robin.

John Williams. During the Battle of Britain Luftwaffe pilot Heinz Grabow was shot down on 5 September 1940, making a good forced landing near Wichling, Kent ... Grabow’s damaged Messerschmitt 109 (Yellow7) was to become a story in itself, transported to Australia as a "prize" to be put on show at various locations including Nhill where it was exhibited on the 4th of August 1941 in the Williams Garage next to the theatre.