Big win for EvaBalranald Central School stage 3 student, Eva Gaston was a convincing winner in the senior section of the Hay CWA public speaking contest last Friday. Eva (pictured far left) delivered a well-researched speech on ‘weird foods’, with good eye contact and a clear voice. Eva is pictured with fellow BCS participants Isla Old, Fletcher Old, Sophie Comitti and (back) Maddi Sengoz who represented St Joseph’s School. Image: The Riverine Grazier/Tertia Butcher.

Mark your calendars for October 5 and 6 2024; there is a must-see event happening again in Balranald. Ivanhoe Dry Times Truck, Tractor, Car and Bike Show is on again! It only happens once every two years so polish up your chrome and hit the road!Founded in 2019, the Ivanhoe Dry Times Truck, Tractor, Car and Bike Show was a way to bring the community together during difficult times. Backbone of the community, AllanCarmichael, decided to get the community together with their collective pride and joy, their vehicles. Other community mainstays quickly got behind the event, and before you know it one of the most successful events on the Ivanhoe calendar began. After the first event in 2019, the team went full steam ahead, and made bigger and better plans for 2021.But nothing ever holds battlers like the town of Ivanhoe down for long. They began planning ahead for 2022, and the second truck show did not disappoint! Raffles were bigger, there was an auction, more stalls, great entertainment, and they secured sponsors, Central Darling Shire and Tronox.The town was buzzing once again.Unfortunately, as with so many things, COVID put a big spoke in the works in 2021. The efforts were so incredible, and led to the Ivanhoe Dry Times Truck, Tractor, Car and Bike Show earning Event of the Year at 202 Australia Day Awards. Vintage tractor pull, many children’s activities, BBQs, and the wonderful Ivanhoe CWA ladies with their delectable treats.The truck show ensures the Sahara football oval is jam packed with people and shining chrome, and the town is abuzz with activity. Camping is available at the footy oval, and camp draft grounds, with toilet and shower facilities available. The best pub feed you will ever have will be available at the Ivanhoe RSL Club.The best part of events such as the Truck Show is all raffles and fund-raising efforts go back into the community for ventures such as the hospital. Small towns like Ivanhoe are the most amazing towns, the way they make things happen, come together and keep their town going.

A woman has been charged over the alleged supply of nicotine vape fluid and vape devices in the state’s west.About 10.30am yesterday (Tuesday 17 September 2024) officers attached to the Barrier Highway Patrol stopped a van on the Sturt Highway, Euston to conduct drug and alcohol testing.The 41-year-old female driver allegedly returned a positive result.During a search of the vehicle, officers allegedly located and seized about 1,000 vape devices and more than 6,500 bottles containing vape fluid – with an estimated street value in excess of $650,000. Five grams of cannabis leaf was also allegedly located in the vehicle.The woman was arrested and taken to Dareton Police Station where she was charged with supply restricted substance, goods in custody and possess prohibited drug. The van was also seized.She was granted conditional bail to appear before Wentworth Local Court on Tuesday 8 October 2024.A 65-year-old male passenger of the van was also arrested and taken to Dareton Police Station. He was released without charge as enquiries continue.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a woman missing from the state’s south.Heather Johnstone, aged 74, was last seen outside the shops in Yenda Place, Yenda, about 12pm on Monday (16 September 2024).When she could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.Police and family hold concerns for Heather’s welfare due to her age and health.Heather is believed to be travelling in her car, which is described as a silver Mitsubishi Outlander with NSW registration plates DC49AF.She was last seen wearing a pink blouse and grey skirt.Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to call Griffith Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

Everyone should check if their Telstra GO has the latest software update and is configured to boost 4G signal.Many Telstra GO Repeaters (signal boosters) operate on both 3G and 4G and will not be impacted when 3G closes from 28 October. However, in some cases they may have been configured to only operate on 3G and hasn’t been updated with the latest software. Telstra encourages you to check your Telstra GO Repeater settings using a smartphone with the Cel-Fi WAVE app installed to see if its correctly configured to boost 4G signals and has the latest software update. To ensure you are getting the best possible 4G experience when 3G closes on 28 October, Telstra have created a handy factsheet with instructions to update your Telstra Go repeater with the latest software, check setting on your device so it is boosting 4G coverage and to also check if your current antenna is compatible with the 4G network. Use the link to download the factsheet https://qrco.de/bewdvA

Regional Development Australia (RDA) Riverina are conducting research into the availability of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services in the region. Do you run an Early Childhood Education and Care service, or are a user of a childcare service, the survey is a fantastic way to highlight needs and shortages in our area. This survey is for ECEC professionals and focuses on the workforce needs of your service and the impact of any workforce shortages.If you are a director or nominated supervisor of an ECEC service in the Riverina, please fill in this survey to share your organisation's experiences.  Survey - ECEC ProfessionalsAre you a parent seeking an Early Childhood Education and Care service?This survey is for parents and guardians using, waiting for or unable to access ECEC services in the region.This survey focuses on the availability of services and the impact availability has on a family’s ability to participate in the region’s workforce. Survey - Parents and GuardiansThe information collected in the surveys will be anonymous, none of your personal information will be used.The results of the survey will be used in a report on ECEC availability in the Riverina which will be used to advocate for communities across our region. Get the word out! Any steps we can all take to highlight the needs and strive for improvement in Early Education benefits children now and into the future.

Balranald is on of hree New South Wales councils are set to come out of administration the local government elections held on 14 September have been held.  Central Coast Council, Wingecarribee Shire Council and Balranald Shire Council can now all return to democratic representation.  The councils were placed under the control of an administrator by the former State Government due to a range of performance and governance related issues.  To ensure the newly elected councillors are supported in the transition out of administration, the New South Wales Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig, has given notice of a Performance Improvement Order to apply for the 12 months following the election.  The Performance Improvement Orders will focus on budget discipline and financial sustainability, ensuring there are strong governance processes in place and that each council continues to implement the changes identified at the respective public inquiries. Each council will be required to: Obtain concurrence of the Office of Local Government to make major staffing decisions including the termination of the General Manager, the restructure of the organisation, or budget allocations, Ensure adopted policies of Council are adhered to, including meeting practice, councillor request systems and councillor/staff interactions, andEngage with Council’s Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee before any significant changes to Council’s priorities are adopted .The 2024 local government elections will see all but one council return to democratic representation. The government has developed a new Rural and Remote Council model for Central Darling Shire Council in far west New South Wales which has been in administration for more than a decade. Elections have been deferred with the aim of holding elections in March 2025. Minister Hoenig said that democracy is an important part of Australian society, and every resident should be given the opportunity to elect the people they want to represent their local interests. “The issues that led to these councils being placed under administration in the first place were very serious.  “While the new councils are finding their feet, I want to make sure there is a framework in place to ensure stable and strategic governance which is why I intend to issue each council with a Performance Improvement Order.” 

Meningococcal disease, a potentially life-threatening infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis, is on the rise in Australia. Despite recent cases in Queensland and Western Australia, the number of documented cases in the country has exceeded 80 in 2024 alone.While the disease can occur year-round, it is most prevalent during the late winter and early spring months. The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease are commonly found harmlessly at the back of the throat and can spread through saliva. In some cases, these bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause serious illness.Although anyone can contract meningococcal disease, certain groups are at a higher risk, including infants, toddlers, teenagers, Indigenous Australians, and smokers. The disease often manifests as septicaemia and can also spread to the brain, causing meningitis. Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, joint and muscle pain, and in some cases, a characteristic rash.Meningococcal disease can progress rapidly, even in healthy individuals. It is crucial to seek urgent medical attention if symptoms are present. While antibiotics can be effective in treating the infection, complications can be severe, and the mortality rate is significant.Vaccination is a key preventive measure against meningococcal disease. Australia offers two main types of vaccines: ACWY, which protects against serogroups A, C, W, and Y, and meningococcal B. While the ACWY vaccine is widely available under the National Immunisation Program, the meningococcal B vaccine is only fully funded for certain high-risk groups.Despite the availability of vaccines, the number of cases continues to rise, particularly due to low uptake of the meningococcal B vaccine. This is concerning, as the serogroup B strain is now responsible for the majority of meningococcal disease cases in Australia.It is imperative that families take advantage of available vaccination programs to protect their children from this serious illness. By increasing vaccination rates, we can significantly reduce the burden of meningococcal disease in Australia.

Something is happening to the aesthetic of Ivanhoe. In a month, people will notice the firmer butchers transform into a picturesque café. Two vending machines will dispense coffee and freshly made sandwiches, and gardens will brighten up the streetscape.This is by far not the start of the transformation, however. Mrs Kendells accommodation has literally revitalised old, historic buildings and made them into wonderful, clean accommodation options for tourists.There are different units, with different levels of comfort. Regardless of which unit selected however, quality is premium and only continues to climb.Mrs Kendells Bungalow, Mrs Kendells Cottage, Margaret's Garden Cottage, Mrs Kendells Homestead, Margaret's Garden Executive Cottage. The various accommodations will suit various travellers, with the Bungalow a more compact home away from home, the garden cottage fully self-contained with everything a larger group will need, the homestead accommodates six, and the executive cottage upping the ante yet again. For late arrivals, the fridge is fully stocked with food so nobody goes hungry.Everything a traveller could want is at their fingertips, ice cream, wine, a beer. One can sit on the veranda and enjoy the stunning sunsets, and gaze at the stars once the sun goes down.The buildings were originally constructed by Roy and Dorothy Kendell in the late 1940’s. It was their family home, occupied by Mr and Mrs Kendell, their children and grandchildren.The homestead had two rooms, with the kitchen and dining to the rear. Verandas ran along three sides and all washing facilities were in the bungalow.​Roy was a drover, moving sheep across the region.​Dorothy was a keen gardener and established a garden with an almond tree and every fruit tree; peaches, oranges, mandarins, lemons, figs, grapes and mulberries.​The garden was skirted with cottage flowers; zinnia, sweet peas and stocks, plants which thrived in the hot climate. ​At the back of the property, Roy built stables with tac rooms and a small forge room where repairs were be carried out. In later years their first motor car, a blue 1958 FB Holden ute was kept there.​Roy passed in 1960, and Dorothy in 1972. The couple are buried at Ivanhoe cemetery. The house changed owners several times, fell into disrepair, and became uninhabitable.  ​Reacquired by Dorothy's grandchildren, the property was untouched for many years until July 2020. Restoration began and was completed by December 2020.​Ivanhoe has a rich history, having functioned as a service centre for the surrounding area, long before it was declared a town in 1890.The township was located on well-used coach and stock routes connecting Wilcannia on the Darling River with Balranald on the Murrumbidgee and Booligal on the Lachlan.Any progress and revitalisation of Ivanhoe should be welcomed with open arms, congratulations and welcome to enterprise and redevelopment in Ivanhoe.

Drone images of the Western Floodplain in April 2024 showing the lead of the flow moving into the wetland. Photo credit: Matt Miles (New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water-Biodiversity and Conservation).The figures are in, and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) delivered the second highest amount of water for the environment on record, in 2023-24.The CEWH, Dr Simon Banks, said around 1800 gigalitres of commonwealth water for the environment had been used to maintain or improve conditions in river and wetland systems across the Murray–Darling Basin.“To put that in perspective, that’s around 720,000 Olympic swimming pools or 3.6 times the volume of Sydney Harbour,” Dr Banks said.“It’s second only to the 2021-22 water year which saw 2016 gigalitres of environmental water used.“Last year we were able to deliver such high volumes thanks to high allocations due to previous wet conditions, as well as strong collaborations with our partners.“We work closely with state agencies, landowners, First Nations people, communities and industry to get water where it’s needed at the right times and have teams of dedicated scientists monitoring to ensure we know if any improvements can be made and what outcomes our water is achieving.”Dr Banks said another record had been broken with the volume of environmental water flows that had crossed the South Australian border.“For the first time, more than 1000 gigalitres headed to South Australia which was partly made up from return flows from upstream use, meaning we could multiply the benefits from the same parcel of water,” he said.“It’s essential to acknowledge the outcomes we achieved from our environmental watering activities, noting the importance of the Murray–Darling Basin as a place that’s home to 2.4 million people and encompasses unique habitats that are critical to the survival of plants, animals, people and the whole river system.“One of the wins was in the Goulburn River through what we call a ‘winter fresh’ to remind platypuses to build their nests nice and high on riverbanks to keep their eggs and young from drowning if the river rises later in the year.According to Dr Banks more than 41 gigalitres of environmental water, mainly Commonwealth water, was protected through the Barwon-Darling to reach the Menindee Lakes. This protected water was then passed through Menindee Lakes as a part of an innovative trial, which meant it could travel further downstream into the lower Darling/Baaka River and the River Murray and achieve more environmental outcomes.“This water also increased the habitat available for native fish and water bugs by inundating connected anabranches and wetlands.“As the water flowed out of the Goulburn River it then benefited the Murray River downstream by improving water quality and helping to break up blue-green algae, coinciding with a delivery of water for the environment from the lower Darling/Baaka,” Dr Banks said.Dr Banks said environmental flows in the Murrumbidgee had supported endangered Australasian bitterns to breed.“Monitoring of the elusive bitterns through our science program, Flow-MER, confirmed that when water for the environment was delivered, the number of male bitterns calling for a mate to breed with more than doubled – a great outcome.”Water for the environment was also used:in the Gwydir, Namoi and Macquarie valleys to increase connectivity of rivers to the Barwon-Darling river system, improving water quality and opportunities for native fish to disperse.in the mid-Macquarie, Namoi, Peel and Gwydir rivers to support native fish breeding and movement, particularly in spring. The flows were specifically designed to support key species such as the threatened Murray cod and freshwater catfish.to inundate wetlands in the Macquarie Marshes, the Gwydir Wetlands, and the Western Floodplain at Toorale. This improved the growth and condition of vegetation at these sites, and supported ecosystem function, and frog breeding. It also provided food and habitat for waterbirds, fish, frogs and turtles. Several waterbird species benefited from the flows, including brolga, Latham’s snipe and sharp-tailed sandpiper.to support the successful completion of one of the biggest pelican breeding events ever at Lake Brewster. The largest colony counted had 49,500 nests between September 2022 to March 2023. Water for the environment was used in 2023 to maintain water levels and water quality to ensure the pelicans could finish their breeding.in the Lachlan River to stabilise water levels during the Murray cod nesting period to support their nesting and dispersal.at Gayini Nimmie-Caira (between Maude and Balranald) to help maintain native fish populations by protecting and improving the condition of fish habitat and providing opportunities for movement. It also maintained foraging habitat for remaining juvenile birdsDr Banks said environmental watering actions in this current water year would make the most of the positive environmental outcomes already achieved.

Point-to-point speed cameras are a feature of back country roads. Also known as average speed cameras, they are placed at either end of a section of road, and calculate the average speed of vehicles travelling between two or more points along a section of road.In NSW these cameras have been used only to monitor the speed of heavy vehicles speed over a set distance.But a recent announcement by the NSW Roads Minister John Graham will see a trial rolled out along two stretches of NSW highways and will target all road users, including light vehicles.The trial will be conducted on two roads - the Hume Highway between Coolac and Gundagai (16km between cameras) and the Pacific Highway between Kew and Lake Innes, Port Macquarie (15km).The state government announced on September 8 that NSW would join other states in using average speed cameras for light vehicles to help combat the rising road toll, which stands at 227 - two more than at the same date in 2023."NSW is the only jurisdiction in the world to use average speed cameras but restrict their use to heavy vehicles only," Minister Graham said."In the context of a rising road toll, now is the time to trial these cameras for light vehicles and understand if we can keep more people safe on the road more of the time."Minister Graham also reportedly said the cameras were "a truer reflection of how quickly people are driving" given they test a vehicle's speed over 15 or 16km rather than at a singular moment, meaning motorists can't simply temporarily slow down to avoid them.The trial will run for six months, but for the first 60 days, motorists will receive a warning letter in lieu of a fine or demerit points.In-road sensors will capture a vehicle passing through a section of road, while cameras captures their speed and takes a time-stamped digital image of the vehicle.

A mayoral chain worn by the late OJ Smith has been returned to Hay. “It needed to come back home,” former Hay resident Noelene Martin said. “It had been sitting in a cupboard since we moved to Uranquinty and no one ever saw it.” Noelene and her husband, Rod brought the chain to Hay over the weekend after having it framed, and presented it to Council on Monday morning. It was left to Noelene by her mother, Dorothy Markey who was a good friend of the Smith family. “I would like to thank Hay Shire Council for accepting this very special framed memorabilia,” she said. “OJ Smith would be proud to know this is on display. “OJ Smith was deputy mayor in 1950 and 1964 and mayor of the Hay Municipal Council from 1954 to 1961. “He received the Local Government Certificate of Merit in 1968.“During his term as mayor, he personally funded the chains for himself and Mrs Smith.” Following the death of Lillian Smith, Mrs Markey was acting mayoress for OJ when the Governor, Sir Eric Woodward visited Hay in 1961. OJ Smith died in 1974, aged 88.

The NSW Electoral Commission has released eraly results in the 2024 Local Government Elections, after voting closed yesterday, Saturday September 14, at 6pm.In Hay Will Miller has emassed the highest number of first preference votes in the initial count, followed by former Mayor Carol Oataway.Euston local Louies Zaffina has taken an early lead in the Balranald electorate, followed by Dwaine Scott.Carrathool Shire held elections in two wards, A and B. Darryl Jardine and Craig McKeon lead the race in ward A, while in ward B Beverley Furner and Michael Armstrong lead a very close race.Council declarations will not be made for several weeks, until all postal votes have been counted and preferences distributed.No election was held in Central Darling Shire, while it remains in administartion.Early first preference resultsHay - eight councillors to be elected from 10 candidiatesWill Miller 331Carol Oataway 296Martyn Quinn 183Lionle Garner 180Darren Tapper 125Geoff Chapman 81David Townsend 71Paul Porter 66John Perry 59Steven Young 18Balranald - eight councillors to be elected from 13 candidatesLouie Zaffina 222Dwaine Scott 198Tracey O’Halloran 78Alison Linnett 69Iain Lindsay Field 60Philip Pippin 60German Ugarte 57Leigh Byron 32Patricia Winch 30Morgan Rasmus 29Lynda Moss 21Ronald Mengler 15Brodie Rayner 6Carrathool Ward A - five councillors to be elected from six candidatesDarryl Jardine 195Craig McKeon 112David Fensom 80Heather Lyall 77Geoffery Peters 56Julie Potter 35Carrathool Ward B - five councillors to be elected from six candidatesBeverly Furner 97Michael Armstrong 95Nicholas Smith 74Jamie Parsons 45Anne-Maree Young 43Damon Liddicoat 36David Burcham 29Jeffrey Mickan 22

The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir by Sandie Docker Published by Penguin Australia, June 2024.Sandie’s books are always a highlight in my year of reading. Their historical fiction elements mixed with modern day storylines never fails. Sisters Eleanor and Maggie have been running Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir for fifteen years and they’ve seen it through each members’ highs and lows. When Hannah, a new face comes to the small town of Lyrebird Lake, she is welcomed into the choir with her angelic voice. Eleanor and Maggie think Hannah could be the answer to their upcoming choir competition. But when Eleanor hears Hannah sing a long-forgotten lullaby, her memories flood back in of a life in Ireland long ago. One that is very heavy to remember and relive. Sandie’s stories always intertwine new and past love, with a sprinkle of mystery. I had the pleasure of speaking with Sandie a few weeks prior to her putting words to page for this novel. It was incredible hearing about the inspiration she drew from long-lost objects that connect to the book and writing from an Irish perspective. Find an interview with Sandie Docker and more book reviews from Mel on www.melreviewsherbooks.com

Ivanhoe is forming a car club, the Ivanhoe Historic Car Club. Founding members of the club are wanting to put the call out, for people to dust off their old vintage beauties sitting in their sheds, and join up.Cars 30 years and older can be registered, and the club will operate on the logbook system.President is Allan Carmichael, and Vice President is Mark Slade. Publicity Officer will be Ray Longfellow, and Treasurer Jan Longfellow.Max Bradley amongst others, will be scrutineer. Their first open meet will take place after the Truck Show, with the committee’s first meeting to take place beforehand. Cars will need to be roadworthy, and able to pass inspection by a qualified mechanic.Clubs are an optimum way of people to get together on a social basis, and the club will be aiming to get together once a month. The aim of the club is to implement various get togethers, such as barbecues, coffee days, inspection days, visits to people’s collections, and trips away to other car clubs. “Ivanhoe has relied on the motor vehicle heavily throughout the years,” the secretary of the club said. “Trains trucks and cars have been the livelihood and backbone of the town.”Stay tuned folks for details on how to join up to the club.

Organisers of the world's most remote music festival, the Big Red Bash, have announced the festival will not be held in 2026.Held outside the village of Birsdville in Queensland's own back country, the Big Red Bash was first held in 2013.My husband, Jason Gee and I travelled to the Big Red Bash in 2021."The Birdsville Big Red Bash will be taking a breather in 2025," organisers posted on social media."After running non-stop since 2013 (with a covid break in 2020), our team is ready for a reset and recharge.As the most remote music festival in the world, building our mini desert city from scratch each year is a massive undertaking. After 11 massive years, it’s time for a well-deserved break - think of it like a gap year after 12 years of school! Just like Glastonbury’s 'Fallow Year', we’re taking a pause to come back even stronger."The post went on to recognise the impact the festival has on inland tourism each year, when around 10,000 descend on the corner of the wide Australian outback."We know this might be a letdown for those planning to attend in 2025 and for businesses in Outback Queensland that benefit from the event. That’s why we wanted to give you plenty of notice."Organisers then released the dates for the 2026 festival - 7th to 9th of July."The Birdsville Big Red Bash will be back, refreshed, and ready to 'Rock the Simpson' once again."The sister festival, the Mundi Mundi Bash held near Silverton in NSW since 2021, will be held unchanged."If you’re looking for a Bash fix next year, check out the Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash from 21-23 August 2025 at Belmont Station. The line-up drops mid-October, and tickets will be available at the end of the month. We’re keeping the numbers fairly steady to ensure a great experience for everyone!"Thanks for all your incredible support. We’ll miss you in 2025 but can’t wait to see you in 2026! Rock on!"

Image: FRRRGrants now availableThe Foundation for Rural Regional Renewal (FRRR) has announced round 23 of the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) is now open.The Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Prepare & Recover program supports communities in remote, rural and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate related impacts, or recover from existing disasters in the medium to long-term timeframe, generally one to ten years after the disaster.The program recognise that remote, rural and regional communities across Australia are vulnerable to climate change and disasters, experience capacity challenges in responding to and preparing for disasters where often existing disadvantage is exacerbated."That is why our grant programs focus on building resilience and strengthening communities, and actively seek to support a more prepared and climate resilient remote, rural and regional Australia," an FRRR spokesperson said.Grants up to $25,000 are available for a broad range of initiatives that focus on community-led resilience building in recovery or preparedness to strengthen the capacity and capability of local people and systems, especially to manage the impact of future disasters. Projects that focus on strengthening local inclusion, networks, communication, information sharing, self-organising systems, local decision making, resourcing, tools and support will be prioritised.Demonstration of project need must reference a specific climate impact or event, either historic or likely to occur in the future.Funding for the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires projects has now finished, however projects relating to community preparedness, resilience or recovery from bushfires or other disasters, weather events, or climate impacts are still eligible to apply. NOTE: There are two streams of funding available within the Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) Program: Small and Vital and Prepare and Recover. Organisations may submit their application in one of these streams per SRC grant round, and any other. If your project does not relate to a Prepare & Recover project, please complete an SRC Small & Vital application.Applications close  5 December 2024. Funding announced by mid March 2025Phone 1800 170 020 or email [email protected].

2023 Citizen of the Year Mark Huntly from Ivanhoe, with his family. Image: Central Darling Shire Council.Nominations are open for the Central Darling Shire Outstanding Community Service Awards. People are encouraged to nominate a candidate for these important awards. Nominations are being called in the following categories: • Citizen of the Year • Young Citizen of the Year (aged 17 and under in 2024) • Service to the Community (examples; bravery, local business, environment etc.) • Volunteer of the Year • Outstanding Local Event (2024) The Outstanding Community Service Awards recognise Central Darling Shire residents who have made a significant contribution to the Shire and its community. The community benefits greatly from the contributions of our residents and volunteers who work to improve the lives of others and make Central Darling Shire a better place to live. Each year these awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of outstanding residents by publicly thanking them in a spirit of community pride. Nomination forms are available at Council offices. You can also nominate online via Council’s website. More information on the nomination process can be obtained by contacting Council’s Community Engagement Officer, Gabrielle Johnston: [email protected] or by phone 0472 787 022. Nominations will close at 4pm Friday, 8 November 2024. The Judges decision will be final. No further discussion will be entered into.

Published by HarperCollins, March 2024 Rune’s life changed forever when her Grandmother was murdered by a band of society's most elite witch hunters, the Blood Guard. In an act of keeping their identity as witches hidden, her Grandmother sacrificed herself for Rune’s future. It is now Rune’s mission to protect and save witches from the Blood Guard, giving the witches a new life and Rune a target on her back as the illusive Crimson Moth. Rune uses her limited magical abilities to ensure her true identity is never discovered. But when her lines of intel on witch attacks begin to run low, she is forced to play into the vain, pretentious and unaware character she’s mimicked for years to trick the trust of Gideon, the Blood Guards’ most reputable hunter. Gideon doesn’t suspect Rune’s involvement, as she doesn’t hold a witch's typical markings. However, her sudden interest in him and the rattled feelings going on in his body whenever they’re in the same room, threatens to change the course of his future. The first book in a new duology, The Crimson Moth is an addictive young adult fantasy novel. Find more book reviews and author interviews from Mel on www.melreviewsherbooks.com