Wednesday, January 21, 2026

News

Australia Day - Bonalbo

The Ryans’ 1939 Austin 10 leaves the paddock and is up for auction – with no reserve

Susanna Freymark, indyNR.com
Charity
In 1990, Graham and Margaret Ryan bought a 1939 Austin 10 at an auction in Woodburn. They paid $2400 for it ... As part of the Australia Day celebrations at Bonalbo this year, the vintage car will be auctioned at noon at the Bowlo – and there is no reserve price on it.

Ravenswood fire

Ravenswood fire: evolving incident

On Friday 9 January, during a day with a Catastrophic Fire Rating, a grassfire started between 2 and 3pm at Fogartys Gap Road in Ravenswood and by 5pm it had crossed Calder Freeway. Emergency warnings to ‘Leave Immediately’ were issued at 7pm for Harcourt and areas to the east towards Sutton Grange. The fire burned through the Harcourt township and travelled up Mount Alexander/Leanganook.

Walwa-River Road fire

Firefighters make the most of calmer weather

Mark Collins, Corryong Courier
Community
A major operation is underway in the Upper Murray and Tallangatta Valley to complete a 300km containment line to bring the Walwa-River Road fire under control … the blaze was started by a lightning strike in the Mt Lawson National Park 25kms west of Walwa on January 5th and has now burnt more than 105,000 hectares and the perimeter stretched around 420kms. To date, there have been nine confirmed house losses, 53 structures (sheds) destroyed and an estimated 10,000 hectares of HVP pine plantation and communication infrastructure at Mt Lawson have been burnt.

Victoria

Magnificent sky!

Magnificent sky on Friday. Photo by Kathy Koop.

Victorian fires

Bushfire crisis – Australians called to support Victorian farmers: VFF

The Australian public is being called upon to unite and lend a helping hand to our farmers in need, as they battle the Victorian bushfire crisis - one of the worst in years ... In response to the crisis, Victorian Farmers’ Federation (VFF) - the state’s peak farmer advocacy body - has activated its Disaster Relief Fund...

State of disaster declared

On Friday 20 buildings were lost in the fire that tore through Grass Flat including Natimuk and Quantong, in the afternoon. Local crews including the FCV Broughton T1 and Propodollah T1, manned by members from across the Lowan Group, attended the Grass Flat/Natimuk fires for two days, including Friday faced with extreme heat and winds.

Rescue - Illawarra

Rescue - Sunshine Coast hinterland

LifeFlight airlifts man after hinterland motorcycle crash

Contributor, ARR.News
Health
The Sunshine Coast-based LifeFlight aeromedical crew ... airlifted a man to hospital after a motorcycle crash in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The LifeFlight helicopter was tasked by Retrieval Services Queensland at 12.15pm to a State Forest near Kenilworth and landed on a dirt road close to the scene.

Alert

Red Alert warning issued for blue-green algae at Toonumbar Dam

Contributor, indyNR.com
Dams & water
WaterNSW has issued a Red Alert warning for high levels of potentially toxic blue-green algae at Toonumbar Dam, about 30 km west of Kyogle. The Red Alert warning applies only to untreated water at the dam.

Citizen of the Year

Loxton arts advocate’s honour

Murray Pioneer
Arts
Sebastian Calderon. "In a country town, if you can play piano, you get asked to do a lot of things... " - Karyn Skewes ... Community contribution through music, mentorship and quiet leadership has earned Loxton's Karyn Skewes the District Council of Loxton Waikerie Citizen of the Year award – recognising more than three decades of shaping the region's cultural life and strengthening local connections.

Christmas spirit

A plea for Christmas

Nasik Swami, Naracoorte Community News
Charity
This Christmas, Naracoorte father and leukemia survivor Remo Herron has one heartfelt wish: that people give a gift that truly matters — a gift that helps save lives and keeps families together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Christmas - Barmera

Christmas hits Barmera with a bang

Madison Eastmond. Crowds of Riverlanders lined the main street of Barmera for the annual Christmas pageant and firework display ... the community gathering providing another successful showing of local festive cheer and spirit despite the weekend heatwave.

Christmas - Birchip

Show of support by holding hands

Community together in song and fellowship – Birchip Ecumenical Christmas Service

The Buloke Times
Community
The Birchip community came together in a spirit of unity, reflection and celebration at the Ecumenical Christmas Carol Service held at the Birchip Public Hall ... Representatives and congregations from St Mary’s Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Uniting Church joined with community members of all ages ... In a powerful moment of solidarity, Robyn invited attendees to hold hands as a visible sign of unity and support for Jewish communities, both locally and around the world.

Wildlife hospital

A medicated spa day for one lucky echidna

Dunoon and District Gazette
News
NR Wildlife Hospital. Thankfully, not every patient journey begins in crisis. A crowd favourite on our socials this month, this little echidna came in bright eyed and alert, but a little too smelly for our liking!
Echidna day spa

Talking rural and regional

No Drama Farmer Christmas logo

It’s cheaper to live in England now? Plus your Christmas weather

No Drama Farmer
Agriculture
In the Christmas instalment of No Drama Farmer, Fiona L Fox joins us to talk about koala numbers plus is England cheaper than Australia? (cost of living) it might be!

Tribute truck

Community unites to honour Lauren

Ted Rogers, On Our Selection News
Community
A powerful show of community resilience and strength unfolded at Nobby ... as family, friends and supporters gathered to honour the life and legacy of 21 y/o Lauren Smith, whose life was cut short by epilepsy ... the Smith family, alongside local haulage company OBrienco Transport, officially unveiled a specially branded B-Triple truck dedicated to Lauren’s memory...

Local history

Time capsule

Time capsule finds a new home

Krista Schade, The Riverine Grazier
Community
The town's time capsule was installed in its new home last week, lowered carefully from above onto the original stand. Once displayed in the grounds of the former St Paul's Church, in Moppett Street, the time capsule was donated to the town by David Kenton, when he purchased the land from the church several years ago.

Marine monitoring

Watching for marine recovery on SYP

Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Council
Michelle Daw. A team of citizen scientists is monitoring the impact of the harmful algal bloom on two southern Yorke Peninsula jetties that were home to a dazzling array of sea life. Certified volunteer divers involved in the Edithburgh and Wool Bay Jetties Marine Watch are conducting monthly photography, transects of the seafloor, and quadrat observations under and around both jetties.

Lifesavers

Rest stop heart attack turns into miraculous survival

As David Anderson travelled back home to Stanthorpe from a trip to Toowoomba, little did he know a rest stop at Allora would leave his life hanging in the balance. David had just exited the public restrooms when he suddenly collapsed to the ground, unresponsive. Confirming that David was in cardiac arrest, bystanders immediately began providing effective CPR, before paramedics arrived...

Storm

Fast and furious

Michelle Dorian, Tarrangower Times
Community
An intense and devastating storm hit Central Victoria on Saturday 13 December and cast a weird yellow light ... In Tarrengower, Anne-Maree McComb described the destruction: “It took out trees in a straight line over around 800 metres as well as the roof of our house, spreading debris over about 250 metres. We were watching two storm fronts colliding and a mini tornado circling in our back yard when our back verandah was ripped off, taking the whole roof of the house with it.”

Fire - Central Coast

Residents in shock after Koolewong fire claims 16 homes

Coast Community News
Community
The community is still reeling after a devastating bushfire destroyed 16 homes and damaged a further nine at Koolewong on Saturday, December 6 ... News of the fire first broke at around 1pm on Saturday at which time four homes had been lost, with reports of more homes destroyed surfacing during the afternoon and early evening...

Appeals launched to help victims

Family members and friends of some of the victims of the Koolewong fires have started gofundme appeals to help them get back on their feet ... Elyse, her boyfriend, her mother, her one-year-old son and their greyhound luckily escaped the flames but have lost their home and every belonging inside it.

Water - Denmark

Nutrients still a threat to ‘good’ inlet water quality

Denmark Bulletin
Community
Mat Dalby. A Department of Water and Environmental Regulation report, Wilson Inlet (Nullaki) – Condition of the Estuary 2025, was tabled at the Wilson Inlet Community Science Forum ... Department officials presented the report which assesses the main drivers of estuary health that includes rainfall, river flows, catchment condition, nutrient inputs and sandbar dynamics, as well as the estuary's water quality and seagrass pastures.

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