THERE'S so much bad news to report that the email inbox at the Western Plains App is flooded with them, so it's a pleasure to chronicle a series of small kindnesses that came our way last week.  Also in this story is a mystery hero who we're trying to find – so hopefully you can help.  The Editor-at-Large (Lee) and Right-Hand-Woman (Maddison) had an overnight trip to Lightning Ridge last week in the hope of digging up some local talent to give us a hand with the Western Plains App. Clockwise from top left: Franca, Barb and Michael, Grassy, Ann and Bevan, Glenda and Rebel - just some of the friendly faces at the Ridge last week. We met lots of wonderful, friendly and helpful people - from Kevin (Grassy), Ann and Bevan Brown from Opal-FM, Sue and co. at the Visitor Info Centre, Rata the leprecaun (it was St Pat's Day after all) and Scott at the Lightning Ridge Bowling Club, Glenda the Monopoly magician, the lovely Franca from Outback Opal Tours and Donna from Duncan's Fashion, Jenni and Donna from the Australian Opal Centre, the irrepressible Rebel Black, and right through to Michael Taylor and Barbara Moritz from the Historical Society (a mine of information).  While working hard for the App we also had an amazing lunch at the Gourmet Gecko Cafe, a dip in the soothing artesian baths, partook of some of the best Italian food we've ever eaten at the Piccolo Restaurant, had a nightcap and great night's sleep at the Lightning Ridge Outback Resort, rounded up some brekky at the Opal Street Café, picked up a paper at the Newsagents and enjoyed a coffee at the delightfully decked out Busy Bee Café.  Rata Jackson and Eleanor Beaumont at the Lightning Ridge Bowling Club.Just before we hit the road for home we took a detour back to the artesian baths to film our latest Western Plains App tik tok. To get the pool and the gate in the shot we propped the gate open with the heaviest item we could find - my laptop backpack filled with electronic essentials and notebooks containing everything from app stories, bills, business workings and, well, important stuff I need to remember.  At the baths we met Gavin from Grawin, who guest starred in our video, then we set sail for Coonamble, tik tokking all the way home.  Our app staff take their work very seriously when they're out and about in Lightning Ridge.Somewhere around 2 and a half hours later we unloaded at the office - and immediately realised I'd left the backpack propping open the gate at the Lightning Ridge Bore Baths.  Enter the local heroes.  A few quick phone calls later and the Police, the Walgett Shire Council and the Opal Caravan Park across the road from the baths were alerted to our dilemma. Both the Police and Council staff offered to go and check.  All were very helpful but no-one gave much hope of retrieving the items.  Then, about twenty minutes later, I received a call from Anthony (Frog) Leeder, who works with Walgett council.  "You must be the luckiest woman in Australia," said Anthony. [sounds of whooping, hollering around the office] "I'm often asked by people to go out and look for things they've left behind - and they're never there," he said.  I thanked him profusely. "It's not me you need to thank," he said. "It's the blokes that stayed there to keep an eye on it after you left."  So the kindness of strangers is not dead - especially at Lightning Ridge. Gavin - the mystery man from Grawin - and Lee (WP App Editor) at the Lightning Ridge Artesian Baths. But wait, there's more...  Not only did Gavin and his mate wait around for hours, expecting that we would return for the bag, they passed it over to Anthony who kept it safe overnight and then went out of his way to arrange for it to take a trip on the Countrylink bus the next morning.  Then another Ridge resident, the obliging bus driver Aaron, delivered it to me with all contents completely intact (including bluetooth headphones, hard drives and other expensive bits) when his bus stopped over in Coonamble the next day.  I am so very grateful to all involved in this string of good deeds I thought I'd give the whole of Lightning Ridge and the Walgett Shire a shout-out on the app. Kindness rules! Now we need to find Gavin, so that I can let him know that the bag made its way back to me and thank him personally.  If you know Gavin from Grawin, please ask him to Contact Us or give Lee O'Connor a call on 0428 222517. 

Brewarrina Councillor Trish Frail is taking to the big leagues, standing for the Greens candidate for the seat of Parkes in the upcoming Federal Election in a bid to spark change for the regions. It isn’t long, Cr Frail believes, before the local voters will shift away from their usual faith in the National party, asking for more from their government. In an electorate that has been represented by National Party members since 1984 until present - where Mark Coulton has held the seat for 15 years - Cr Frail knows it’s a big call to make.“A lot of people are complaining that they’re not listening to the local people anymore. They’re listening to all the industrial businesses…I am listening to what people are saying and I am taking note,” Cr Frail said. With her ear to the ground, the Brewarrina-based Ngemba woman said that a focus on waterways, housing, and a voice for the individual farmer have been lost somewhere along the line. “When we were growing up it was always the individual farmer. Now that’s changed it’s become the industrial farmers, so the individual farmers have been totally disregarded,” Cr Frail said. As local focus is continually pulled towards floodplain harvesting in the area, Cr Frail said that the tensions and discontent within the community could be a cause for the mass exodus away from National votes. “They’ve opposed meaningful action on climate change, they’ve let the Murray-Darling be exploited and almost destroyed, and they’ve failed to provide adequate health and housing services for the most vulnerable in the community, especially women and children. I will be a voice in Canberra who speaks for everyone in Parkes. I am someone who cares for the whole community, not just the privileged few.” Still, representing a party that is largely ideologically opposed to the one that has held power for over thirty years, Cr Frail recognises that working with the local perception of the Greens Party could be an uphill battle. “I knew that before I accepted my nomination, and I’m quite happy to take on that battle. It’s more important that we get out there and notify people and say ‘just because your parents were a National, it doesn’t mean that you have to be a National’,” Cr Frail said. “Look at what’s happening in the world. Look at what’s happening around your region,” she said. While environmental, health, housing and employment issues will feature in Cr Frail’s campaign, the candidate is also looking to draw a focus on women in regional areas, something she believes hasn’t been done adequately before. Looking to be the Parkes electorate’s first female member, the local area’s infamous rates of domestic violence against women and children are a key priority. “Women in Australia earn 14% less than men and 24% less if you work in the care sector. Yes we’re discriminated against. We work as hard as men then we go home and continue to work for love,” Cr Frail said.  Despite the past, the Brewarrina business owner is certain that this year, more than ever, the tides could begin to change. “The seat of Parkes is in need of a change. The NationaIs have held this seat since I was a child and they have failed time and again to act on the big issues we face,” said Cr Frail. The federal election is yet to be called by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, although law states that it can be held no later than May 21, 2022. 

By JAMES NALDER  THE rising interest by producers in the now not-so-humble goat as a viable business enterprise in recent years was exemplified at the goat production field day held last Friday 18 March at the property “Buena Vista” near Collie. Local Boer goat producers Craig and Jo Stewart operate a paddock to plate business under the label “the Gourmet Goat Lady”, successfully working through numerous hurdles to supply butchers and restaurants throughout Sydney with their high quality cuts of goat meat since 2014. Industry trailblazers Jo and Craig Stewart are sharing their hard-earned knowledge with a growing number of producers.Following on from the inaugural field day in 2021, the event has grown significantly with the distance travelled by close to 100 producers a testament to the value they saw in the high calibre presenters and vital information to be presented and discussed on the day.   The diversity of locations and production systems of the attendees also highlighted the wide geographic spread where goats are suitable to be run as a business.  Goat producers came from locations Longreach, Bourke, Oberon, Wagga Wagga, Muswellbrook, Mendooran, Coonamble, Hermidale, Oberon, Gatton, Wellington, Warwick, Lightning ridge, Blayney, and Blackhall. An equally diverse range of speakers on the day covered the full gamut of topics and issues from current domestic and global market information and production, factors affecting meat quality and tenderness for the consumer, goat meat - it’s not just for curries, data driven decision making, buck selection and importantly how to asses for faults, what data to measure in your mobs and how it can take your production forward. Dealing with worm drench resistance and how to proactively manage it, findings from new drench research and the importance of having the right agent and marketing strategy for your intended market were also discussed.  • Presenters on the day: Colin Ramsay “Dudauman Park” Boer Goat Stud Lake Cargelligo, Emma Doyle UNE Armidale, Jenny Bradley “ New Armatree” Border Leicester stud Armatree, Jarrod Lees UNE Armidale, Jason Hartin Schute Bell stock agency Narromine. Front Row Ian Manwarring Contender Meat goats Condobolin, Craig & Jo Stewart “Buena Vista” Collie, Dr Jillian Kelly LLS Coonamble, Trudie Atkinson NSW DPI Trangie.   Coonamble goat producers James and Emma Nalder said they found the day ‘red hot’ with multiple take home points from each speaker.  “Usually with field days you might get one or two pearls of wisdom to implement in your business but todays speakers provided multiple as well as from fellow producers who we talked with throughout the day,” said Emma Nalder.  Of particular interest to the Nalders were the talks involving data collection and how to identify the higher and lower performing animals in your mobs in order to lift productivity and profitability.  The overall success of the day was viewed by many as a great show of confidence in the industry going ahead off the back of strengthening values and market stability. 

A Lightning Ridge local worries about damages to the community's reputation after a visitor to the town received a less than ideal welcome last week. On the morning of Tuesday 15 March, a vehicle was stolen from the Opal Caravan Park and, after being parked in front of a residence on Opal Street, was set ablaze at about 3.45am. A resident of Lightning Ridge, who witnessed the incident but wished to remain anonymous said local firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze quickly, however they understood the victim of the incident had already been through a difficult ordeal. "The firies were there very fast - the flames went straight up so it didn't spread beyond the car," they said. "I believe the vehicle belonged to some poor beggar who had come out here from the floods in Lismore to start from scratch - I think he was going to do a bit of mining and help out a bit." The resident said there had been another incident involving a stolen car a couple of nights before the Tuesday incident, however the owner of this vehicle had managed to chase the thieves down and retrieve it. However, they said it was disappointing to hear about these sorts of criminal incidents occurring in the first place. "It makes you feel very sad actually because we've normally got a lovely community - everybody looks after everybody else and we really appreciate our tourist season which goes from March to October. "But when you have this sort of thing happen, you get really worried about whether it’s going to turn people off which would be a shame for everyone, including the visitors because they miss out." Through further investigation, local police were able to recover a trailer which was connected to the now-torched vehicle. Investigations are currently ongoing in relation to the matter, however, in the meantime, police urge residents and visitors to make sure their vehicles are locked and secured when unattended.

OFFICERS from the Central West Police District are currently seeking information on the whereabouts of two men known to frequent parts of the Western Plains for separate outstanding warrants. 27-year-old man Cecil Collis is wanted by virtue of two warrants for Stealing and Malicious Damage. He is described as being Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 185 to 190cm tall, about 95 to 100kg with a solid build and black hair. He has a tattoo of “Tylea” and “BJC” on his neck, “2839 and BRED” on his hands, flames on his left forearm, two teardrops on his cheek and a cross on his right leg. He has “WEST SIDE” tattooed across his chest.A picture of Mr Collis can be seen below: Meanwhile, police are also seeking 32-year-old man Bradley Boney for three warrants for domestic violence (Breach ADVO, Assault and Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm). Mr Boney is described as being Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 175 to 180cm tall, about 80 to 85kg with a thin build and brown hair and a tattoo of “KCP” and “Latia” on his neck, “Lil BRADDO” and stars on his left arm.A picture of Mr Boney can be seen below:Despite being wanted under separate warrants, both Mr Collis and Mr Boney are believed by police to frequent the Orange and Brewarrina areas. Anyone who sees either man or knows their current whereabouts is urged not to approach them, but contact Triple Zero (000) immediately. Police are also urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to contact Crime Stoppers via 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/. Information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence. People are also reminded not to report crime information on police social media pages.

A drone safety campaign is now being offered to schools across Australia. The innovative program, launched by aviation safety regulator Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) alongside Education Services Australia, aims to provide children and teenagers from 10 to 16 years old with the skills to safely fly drones for both educational and recreational usage. The classroom-based campaign has been created in a way that is informative yet fun and engaging for students, including quizzes, learning activities, and teacher-led discussions, explains Sharon Marshall-Keefe, CASA Acting RPAS Manager. “In consultation with Education Services Australia, CASA has developed a range of tailored resources to help build understanding and awareness of the drone safety rules among young people, teachers, parents and carers,” she said. “It’s important to raise awareness of incoming operator accreditation and drone registration requirements affecting people over 16, and the requirement for people under 16 to be supervised by an accredited adult.” Andrew Smith, CEO of Education Services Australia, says that the program was created with the future generation’s enjoyment in mind. “We’ve developed a range of resources including digital resources that we know will help engage young people,” he explains. “So, there’s board games, there’s quizzes, there’s videos, all sorts of material that we know young people will enjoy engaging with and we’ll know they’ll learn from, so that we’ve got the pilots of tomorrow learning today.” "It's critically important that young people understand they do have to be safe when they're flying, safe for themselves, safe for others and take a responsible approach to what's really, at the heart, a fun activity for them." Andrew Coughlan, NSW Farmers Regional Services Manager for the Central/Orana area, conducts drone courses in the Western Plains region, and was pleased to hear that students can now learn how to use them safely. Mr Coughlan says that drone usage continues to increase in regional areas due to being a useful tool in not only the farming community, but many other businesses. While the courses are traditionally aimed at farmers, they are beginning to pique the interest of the younger generation. “We have had some children of the farmers come along and register for the course which was really good, and we also had a couple of the younger ones tag along with their parents for the day and learn a bit as well,” he says. "We definitely had the younger generation coming through who might already have drones but don’t truly understand the full potential of the units.” Mr Coughlan believes that a drone safety course in schools would be beneficial in order to protect both young people, and the community. “People understanding the CASA guidelines around operating a drone straight off the bat is a massive benefit to drone usage, so you’re not going to have people using them in the wrong way, which gives them a bad name and potentially puts people in danger.” “That part of the education would be fantastic.”  For more information about drone safety, visit www.knowyourdrone.gov.au 

Tomorrow (Tuesday 22 March) marks a significant milestone for the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) and its local vaccination program, having now run for a full year.According to WNSWLHD, local teams have now delivered almost 124,000 doses in more than 75 communities of varying sizes and demographics, which Chief Executive Mark Spittal said was a complete evolution of the program's initial focus.“At the start of COVID-19 vaccination, we were expecting to deliver around 15,000 vaccines to healthcare workers, but within just two months, our vaccination team had rapidly geared up and were vaccinating people in the community,” Mr Spittal said.“Between our vaccine clinics and those delivered by other providers such as local GPs, Respiratory Clinics, Aboriginal Medical Services and pharmacies, we have managed to ensure Western NSW reached high vaccination rates sooner than many other parts of NSW."That’s a huge achievement, especially considering the challenges of distance for many of our remote communities.”A number of western plains communities were among the first to achieve the 95 per cent double vaccination milestone for adults, a milestone which is now shared by countless others.At the time of writing the state's 16 and over population hovers just 0.1 per cent off the magic 95 per cent mark, although attention has now turned to promoting the third booster shot.The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is today urging the federal Government to launch a public campaign encouraging eligible people to receive their COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.It comes following reports of complacency creeping into the booster rollout with not enough people receiving their third dose despite being eligible. As of 13 March 2022, only 65.6% of eligible people have received a third COVID-19 vaccine dose. That number is significantly lower in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities where only 49.4% of eligible people have received a third dose.In the Orana & Far West, 60.4% of those eligible had received more than two doses, indicating that our protection status may be falling behind other areas.Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor  said the booster shot is particularly important for older people and those who have chronic health conditions.“For example, if you are aged 70 to 79 and have not had a booster dose you are twice as likely as someone who has received it to end up in hospital or to die if you get COVID-19,” Minister Taylor said. While GPs and some pharmacies continue to offer vaccines, clinics continue to "pop-up" around the Western LHD and Mr Spittal acknowledged the efforts of the many partners in helping his vaccination team, from emergency services, to the ADF as well as countless local businesses and volunteers who have supported the rollout in the past 12 months.Find the current schedule for pop-up clinics and other vaccination information here.

A group of cyclists will take to the roads in the name of a good cause, as the Toyota Tour de OROC starts rolling today. Over six days, 25 riders will cover over 1,100 kilometres, breaking in Armatree, Walgett, Bourke, Cobar and Warren to raise money for the Macquarie Home Stay. Rider and Chair of the Tour de OROC fundraising committee Mathew Dickerson said that despite it being his fourth year of the tour, he’s still tentative about the trip. “It’s very tough. It varies each time we do it in different aspects…one year we had a 20 kilometre headway and it was 55 degrees in the sun, it was a really tough day and people were really struggling,” Mr Dickerson said. With 25 riders set to tackle the challenge, Mr Dickerson said that the charity ride was open to anyone willing. “It’s for anyone who is silly enough to say that they’d like to ride 1140 kilometres over six days, and pay money for the privilege of doing it,” he said. Originally started in 2013, the ride was an idea to raise money for the establishment of the Macquarie Homestay; a crucial facility to give patients and their loved ones a home away from home during their stay at Dubbo Hospital.Since then, the biannual event has occurred four times, raising around half a million dollars for the facility. One of the highlights of the ride, Mr Dickerson says, is the interactions with the communities the riders pass through each day, and where they will eventually stop over to stay at night.“We stop at lunchtime for an hour each time wherever we might be, and for that hour we eat and interact with some locals. Then each night time there will be a different function that each community will put on, and you will meet people that have used Macquarie Home Stay,” he said.“Most of the riders come from Dubbo who never use Macquarie Home Stay because we’ve got somewhere to live in Dubbo. All these people out in the regions actually use Macquarie Home Stay, and they just have so much appreciation.”Member for Barwon Roy Butler said that more than 50 per cent of admissions to Dubbo Hospital come from outside of Dubbo, making the home stay a crucial facility. “The facility provides affordable accommodation for people in the region in a range of circumstances, from pregnant ladies through to extended treatments and emergency situations and everywhere in between,” Mr Butler said. Excitement and Trepidation, in equal parts, is how Mr Dickerson is approaching the ride. “It’s not much about outright fitness, you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete. You do have to make sure you’ve trained your body to be used to sitting on a narrow seat for a long period of time,” he said. “People probably suffer more from what happens with their contact points - their hands and their bottom - than their legs. You’re not going flat out, but you are sitting on the bike for a long time, approximately 45 hours altogether.”The Tour de OROC will kick off on 21 March, and see the riders finishing at the Macquarie Home Stay in Dubbo on 26 March. To read more visit the Tour de OROC website.

Today is World Oral Health Day (Sunday March 20) and the Australian Dental Association (ADA) say they have unmasked some home truths about teeth whitening. A survey of 25,000 Australian adults conducted for the ADA in November and December 2021, found that 22% of us have whitened our teeth - an 8% increase since it first started recording this data in 2017. More than twice as many women than men have teeth whitened, and it is most popular in the 24-34 year-old age group. But as of 2021, whitening treatments done by dentists is a downward trend with only 1 in 3 adults whitening their teeth under the supervision of a dental professional. The 2021 survey showed 19% of respondents used take-home kits while 14% opted for in-clinic whitening. The other two thirds of Australians teeth whitened using other D-I-Y means.  39% bought a teeth whitening kit online, 16% bought an over-the-counter product like strips or gel from a pharmacy or supermarket, and 9% used whitening services provided by someone other than a dental professional.  All three of these methods are on the rise. “The theme for World Oral Health Day this year is 'Be Proud of Your Mouth', and people seem to be trying to do this by undertaking cosmetic procedures to lighten their teeth,” said Dr Mark Levi, ADA spokesperson and Sydney dentist. “The problem with home treatments that are not supervised by a dental professional or being treated by someone other than a dental professional is that you’re exposing yourself to a range of injuries including soft tissue burns from peroxide, extreme pain if the bleach gets into a crack or hole, blotchiness and damaged enamel - and even swallowing the bleach. “A high percentage of my patients who’ve tried to whiten their teeth themselves report pain - but when done correctly, there shouldn’t be any pain.” “People need to get their oral health assessed first to ensure there are no cracks in teeth, untreated dental decay, leaking fillings or other unresolved dental issues that could cause pain, discomfort, damaged nerve pulp - or even more serious problems down the track.” One problem with buying off-the-shelf products is that you may not know how effective that product will be. As Emeritus Professor Laurie Walsh from UQ’s School of Dentistry reports, “the blue light sold with peroxide whitening gels speeds up the tooth whitening process by warming the gel or even better, by using special light-based chemistry." “But there are some peroxide products on the market where the gel does not include chemicals that these lights will work on, so they’re essentially being sold as a gimmick.” Another issue is that in some products the bleach trays are not customised to mouth shape so with a one-size-fits-all tray, peroxide from the bleach can escape and burn the mouth’s soft tissue, or worse, be ingested. “Sometimes too high a concentration of peroxide in the bleach is used and many of the online and off-the-shelf products are unregulated so it’s a bit of a wild west and you take a chance with them as you just don’t know how well they will work,” said Dr Levi. A further concern is that online and over-the-counter products sometimes make claims of using ‘all natural’ ingredients, which do not stand up to scrutiny - some products contain sodium chlorite, an industrial chemical also used in swimming pool cleaning. “Whitening doesn’t alter the shade of existing fillings, veneers, crowns or artificial teeth such as dentures which are already in the mouth, yet there are no clear warnings of this lack of effect visible on sale websites or on over-the-counter products," Dr Levi said. “The safest option recommended by the ADA is to see a dentist to assess your mouth first.” The ADA has long held serious concerns about teeth whitening being an unregulated space and has written to the ACCC on several occasions about the availability of teeth whitening products that contain illegally high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide which have no safety warnings, as well as concern over false advertising claims about the nature of product ingredients, the extent of the whitening effect consumers can expect, and the claimed expertise of non-dental practitioner teeth whitening service providers. As the peak dental body, the ADA has asked that the ACCC and its regulators act to better protect Australian consumers by enforcing compliance with relevant Australian laws and educating consumers about the health risks associated with undergoing teeth whitening procedures without first seeking the advice of a dental professional. While there are dental surgeries in many of the western plains communities, it can still be a long drive for some of our region's residents. Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show that in remote and very remote areas there are less than half as many full time equivalent dentists per 100,000 people as there are in the cities and this is thought to be a contributing factor in our differing attendance patterns. Rural residents have a higher incidence of unfavourable visiting patterns (38 per cent) than urban residents (27 per cent) meaning that country people are more likely than those living in capital cities to have a problem-orientated pattern of dental attendance – we only go to the dentist when something goes wrong. These visiting and treatment patterns increase the risk of poorer oral health in rural residents. National health data shows 31.7% of rural residents have untreated decay compared with 24.8% of urban residents and 18.5% of rural residents have fewer than 21 teeth compared with 13.8% of urban residents.World Oral Health Day is an annual initiative of the FDI (Federation Dentale Internationale). The theme for 2022 is ‘Be proud of your mouth’.  The campaign aims to help reduce the burden of oral diseases which affects individuals, health systems and economies everywhere by empowering people with knowledge and the tools to pursue good oral health practices.  So whether it is teeth whitening or a checkup, find your nearest dentist and get into that chair. 

Last weekend’s Zone 6 NSW Young Woman finals saw some of the region's most dedicated women gather at Condobolin, where Bourke’s Lilly Hand was selected as one of three to represent the zone at the Sydney Royal Show. Formally known as the Showgirl competition, the NSW Young Woman competition selects regional young women to become ambassadors to promote the Sydney Royal Easter Show and Agricultural Shows across the state. Entrants in the Zone 6 finals for RAS NSW Young Woman held at Condobolin. PHOTO SUPPLIED.Lilly Hand was originally selected as Bourke’s ‘showgirl’ in 2020, but the cancellations of the pandemic meant that her chance for success didn’t come until last week at the Zone 6 finals. As well as working full time, Lilly has become the poster woman for rural life and an advocate for community, operating the Young Farmers Challenge at Bourke Show, volunteering for Parkrun and being on various local committees. However she said being a Showgirl was always the dream. “Since I was younger I always looked up to Showgirls. It looked so fun and they all looked so beautiful…when I attended the Sydney show with the cattle I used to go and sit and watch them and just wanted to be like them,” she said .“To be honest, I thought they were just there to have a beautiful sash on. It was like a beauty pageant…then I grew older and found out more about what the role actually entailed, to be a part of my community and be a role model,” Ms Hand said. Working as a mobile playgroup educator, Ms Hand travels hundreds of kilometres either side of Bourke, presenting children with early learning opportunities that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to. “We are slowly but surely getting in as much early intervention as we can, not only with the rural remote children but the indigineous children in our community," Ms Hand said.“A lot of the children in our communities do not have access to education as their parents cannot afford clothes, shoes, or to even send their children to school. Our job is to go out and bring the school to them,” she said. While the local and zone stages brought about enough challenges, there’s plenty of prep work to be done before Ms Hand packs up for Sydney next month. “There’s a lot of preparing for speeches, interviews and outfits. We get given mentors from last year’s competition and they run us through possible things that we need to know.”“I’m very nervous but I’m also very excited. It’s been such a wonderful experience and something new for me. I’m a little nervous for the interviews and the speeches, but I mean, it’ll all be worth it in the end,” Ms Hand said.Lilly was selected out of 19 finalists alongside Cowra Show’s Marta Sarova and Peak Hill’s Molly Wright, who are also on their way to Sydney next month. Other local Western Plains participants included Haidee Yeomans from Condobolin, Lauren Moody from Narromine, Emily Turnbull from Warren, Kate Banks from Gilgandra, and Edwina Knight from Coonamble.  

Experts are calling for better management programs for feral animals after a study revealed that foxes and cats are responsible for the death of 2.6 billion birds and mammals across the country. A national study with 16 universities and conservation agencies used over 50,000 fecal and stomach samples to investigate the damage of foxes and cats across the country each year.The project’s senior scientist Professor John Woinarski said that the findings highlight a need for integrated management of the feral animals to better conserve Australian wildlife. “Since foxes and cats were introduced to Australia by Europeans, they have played a major role in the declines and extinctions of many native animals,” Professor Woinarski said. “To be effective, management programs need to be highly strategic as numbers of both of these predators can rebound quickly when management is not ongoing or is piecemeal across a landscape,” he said. While feral cats are controlled by shooting, trapping and predator-proof fencing, foxes and wild dogs are largely managed by seasonal baiting programs. Western Local Land Services Regional Pest Animal Coordinator Brooke Anderson said that while fox numbers are easier to control with dog baits, cats have been a bigger issue. “Cats are a hard one. They don’t readily take up a bait as much. Bait is strong enough to kill them but they much prefer live prey,” Ms Anderson said. She said that more work could be done in that space, especially in finding methods to kill the cats. Closer to towns and in more metro areas, none of the current baiting programs can be implemented regardless. This, as well as the damage that domestic cats can do, is presumably why the study found the highest toll by cats is around urban areas, where the number of animals killed per square kilometre per year is 5,670 by feral cats and 13,100 by pet cats. Some local councils counter the issue by placing ‘cat curfews’ on owners, meaning that the cat isn’t allowed to wander outside of the home during certain hours (such as nighttime), or in some councils, for 24 hours. There is no state or federal law restricting the movement of cats, however. On 30 March, Western Local Land Services will commence their aerial baiting program for the control of wild dogs, foxes and feral cats. While the program will largely affect properties west of the Western Plains, areas surrounding Enngonia may be involved. 

Built within an empty iron tank on the Cobar plains, the new Cobar Sound Chapel is a permanent new sound installation; a marriage of sound, architecture, art, poetry and nature. Creator of the project and composer behind the sound Georges Lentz says it’s the most fun he’s had artistically in his whole career. “It’s definitely out there, and I make no apology for that,” said Mr Lentz, less than a month out from the April opening date. When approached by the late Cobar mayor Lillian Brady in 2008, Mr Lentz was offered no money to bring art to the region, but instead some land to work from.When he saw the tank, a structure from 1901 covered in graffiti, Mr Lentz saw it as the obvious choice, a contrast between roughness and elegance. “When we saw that, we knew it was going to be perfect,” he said. Retaining the graffiti on the exterior was an intentional artistic choice, according to Lentz. Since then, progress for the project has come in ebbs and flows, recording sounds with a Sydney orchestra for six years, finding funding for the project, and dealing with the inevitable delays of the pandemic. While orchestra music isn’t typical of the Cobar landscape, Mr Lentz said that he couldn’t think of a better fitting place. Born in Luxembourg and having lived in Australia for over thirty years, it is the red dirt of the outback, he says, that represents the real Australia. “It’s wide open spaces, the night sky, the Aboriginal culture, the silence,” he said. There’s also a thrill to be found, he said, in the challenge of convincing a new audience of the worth of his art, after being used to the crowds of the Sydney Opera House.  “I was nervous for a long time…but that’s where it gets exciting. There’s no sense in preaching to the converted,” Mr Lentz said. A dream of 20 years that has come to life, Mr Lentz said that the Cobar Sound Chapel has no religious connotations by any means, but is inherently spiritual.The project involved a collaboration with other artists, including architect Glenn Mercutt, The Noise String Quartet, and Cobar local Indigenous artist Sharron Ohlsen.The tank was redesigned by renowned Australian architect Glenn Murcutt.In keeping with the string quartet theme, the Cobar Sound Chapel and its surrounds will also be home to a new yearly ‘Cobar String Quartet Live Festival Weekend’, showcasing concerts presented by a different leading string quartet ensemble selected from all over Australia each year. The annual festival is set to commence in 2023. The Cobar Sound Chapel will be officially launched on April 2, where the featured musicians The Noise String Quartet will perform.

Three teenaged boys have been charged by police from the Central West Police District following a number of break-ins in the Lachlan shire this week.Early on Wednesday morning (16 March), three people allegedly forced entry into a business on Grace Street, Lake Cargelligo, and stole a white Ford Utility.Police will allege the Ford was driven to Condobolin, where it rammed a locked gate at a business on William Street, and a trailer was stolen.About 4am, the trio attended a business on Bathurst Street, Condobolin, where they rammed the front gate and the front door of the building before leaving the scene.Later, just after 5am, officers from the Central West Police District attempted to stop the vehicle after sighting it driving into Lake Cargelligo.The vehicle allegedly failed to stop, and a pursuit was initiated; however, it was terminated a short time later due to safety concerns.The vehicle was located abandoned in Naradhan Street and following further inquiries, officers arrested three teenagers near Reef Street about 6am.The teenagers were taken to Lake Cargelligo Police Station.A 15-year-old boy was charged with aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, destroy or damage property, steal trailer, two counts of destroy or damage property, aggravated break and enter with intent-in company and police pursuit - not stop - drive at speed.Two other 15-year-old boys were charged with aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, destroy or damage property, steal trailer, destroy or damage property and aggravated break and enter with intent-in company.All three were given conditional bail to appear at a children’s court on Wednesday 4 May 2022.

Last year saw dramatic changes to regulations around the sale of e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ that aimed at slowing Australia’s growing addiction. However with user numbers failing to drop, the government has shifted to an educational approach, warning secondary students of the risks of vaping. The ‘Get the Facts’ vaping toolkit will see students, parents, carers and young people learning the facts and dangers of e-cigarettes, which can contain harmful substances found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer and bug spray. Health Minister Brad Hazzard said that research has proven that e-cigarettes are just as addictive and harmful as regular cigarettes. “A respiratory researcher once told me that e-vaping liquids have chemicals that are similar to antifreeze, with 500 different flavours to attract kids,” Mr Hazzard said. In October of 2021, the NSW government introduced new vaping laws that made the sale of e-cigarettes with nicotine illegal, reserved only for pharmacies to supply customers with a prescription from a doctor. Despite the law changes, nicotine-filled vape usage across the state has remained steady.While the illegal status of using e-cigarettes containing nicotine means that data hasn’t been recorded on current usage, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation recorded that in 2019, 14 per cent of 12 to 17 year olds had tried vapes. NSW Health continues to take action against retailers who sell e-cigarettes and e-liquids containing nicotine. Over 100,000 e-cigarettes worth an estimated street value of over $2 million were seized from 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2021. The Vaping Toolkit aims to combat the growth in use, particularly among young people. Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell urged parents to discuss the dangers of e-cigarettes - including potential long-term effects to the physical and brain development of young people - with their children. “The number of young people vaping without consideration to the effects is concerning. I encourage all parents and young people to find out more and talk about the hidden, dangerous impacts of e-cigarettes,” Ms Mitchell said. “Educating our young people about the dangers of vaping is essential when there continues to be a large number of reckless individuals selling nicotine products to minors.”There are severe penalties for business or others who provide them to minors, including fines of up to $11,000 for individuals, and up to $55,000 for corporations, for first offences. 

Residents across the Pilliga and Warrumbungle area woke up without their alarm clocks this morning, with a power outage affecting the region. Almost 4000 homes and businesses have been affected by the power outage, with power yet to be restored.  According to Essential Energy, the outage was caused by a lightning strike, with thunderstorms hanging around in the area into the afternoon.“Electricity network protection equipment operated automatically after detecting a fault, switching power off to 3,975 homes and business in Coonabarabran, Baradine, Binnaway, Ulamambri, Mullaley and surrounding area, around 7am this morning,” said an Essential Energy spokesperson. Crews have responded to the outage, and have identified a broken high voltage insulator as the cause of the outage. Essential Energy crews are working to complete repairs, and hope to have power restored to all customers by midday today.

Regional Australia has been put under the microscope in the Select Committee on Regional Australia presenting its report on the regions after the pandemic, bushfires, floods and droughts have brought increasing attention to the cracks in local infrastructure, services and connection. The report, which was three years in the making - beginning in 2019 - aimed to address the challenges that plague regional Australia, with recommendations to build community liveability, services, connectivity and business. Chair of the committee and Member for Barker Tony Pasin said that the report highlights a need for a whole government approach to regional locations.“The committee has recommended establishing a dedicated Commonwealth Authority with responsibility for developing and implementing regional policies and programs,” Mr Pasin noted.The regional authority will provide a whole of government approach coordinating activities across Australian government agencies, different levels of government, public, private, non-profit and community sectors to ensure that there is a nationally consistent plan in the development of regional Australia. “Our regions are too important to leave to idiosyncratic and haphazard integration and planning,” he said. It will be up to that authority to tread the fine line between consistency in approach to the regions, while recognising the unique and diverse range of each region and how their needs may differ. Currently, the government initiative Regional Development Australia (RDA) is the most similar organisation, although the body carries no authority. The proposed organisation will be partly responsible for administering and achieving the 13 recommendations handed down from the recent report. Among the recommendations were greater investment into health training organisations and regional universities, prioritising the release of government land for housing developments, and investigating means of reducing red tape burden upon regional business. With submissions from the public open and closed in 2019, there is a chance that the submissions aren’t reflective of the most current version of Australia, who has faced challenges disproportionate to the city, namely a lack of connectivity during increased working from home conditions. On top of simply keeping regional Australia alive and thriving, the goal is to improve the quality of life of locals, who, as noted in the submission from the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), suffer from much greater health risks. RFDS Federation Director Frank Quinlin noted a number of shortcomings in accessing healthcare across regional areas.“The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare proposes that all Australians should have reasonable access to services, which it defines to be access within a 60-minute drive time. However, the RFDS found that 42,805 people had no access to any place-based primary healthcare services within a 60-minute drive time,” Mr Quinlin said. While COVID-19 became the catalyst for a drive to increase telehealth services for regional area as a way of filling these gaps, the irony was soon discovered as public outrage revealed that regional connection wouldn’t allow for the model to be successful. As well as investment in students, the report recommended greater investment in the specialist capacities of regional hospitals, and increasing the number of Medicare funded visits for regional patients. The full report can be found on the Committee’s website.

Two men have been charged with drug-related offences following a police operation in the state’s north west yesterday.Just after 11am (Wednesday 16 March 2022), officers attached to Central North Police District Proactive Crime Team, Crime Prevention Unit, Criminal Investigation and the Dog Unit executed a search warrant at a property on Simms Hill Road, Lightning Ridge.Officers located and seized, methylamphetamine, unauthorised prescription medication and a mobile phone.An 80-year-old man was arrested and taken to Lightning Ridge Police Station.He was charged with supply prohibited drugs on an ongoing basis, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, two counts of possess prohibited drug and supply prohibited drug.The man was refused bail to appear at Lightning Ridge Local Court today (Thursday 17 March 2022).A 58-year-old man at the property was issued a Court Attendance Notice for possess prohibited drug. He will appear at Lightning Ridge Local Court on Wednesday 25 May 2022.

HOSPITALISATIONS due to COVID-19 infection have again spiked in the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) this week, with today's numbers more than double what they were on Monday (14 March). However, the more detrimental symptoms of the virus do not seem to be as widespread, with patients in intensive care not seeing similar increases as of yet.In addition, while cases across the LHD have seen similar increases this week, the number of active cases in the Western Plains seems to be about the same to what it was a couple of weeks ago. After hovering between 10 and 15 hospitalisations over the previous week, this number jumped from 14 reported on Monday to 23 reported on Tuesday 15 March. This number rose again to 32 reported on Wednesday 16 March and increased slightly further in today's (Thursday 17 March) reported numbers of 36 in WNSWLHD hospitals up to 4pm on Wednesday. Despite this, patients in ICU have not seen similar spikes, only increasing from one to two in Wednesday's reporting and falling back to zero in today's numbers. There has been one further death recorded from the central west in the past week, a man in his 60s who had received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and had significant underlying health conditions. However, every day since, there have been five further deaths recorded from confirmed cases of the virus across the state, most of whom were older and all had underlying health conditions.NSW Health continues to maintain vaccination - including booster shots - remain the best defence against serious illness caused by the virus. According to the latest data, more than 95 per cent of people aged 16 and over across NSW have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine while 94.5 per cent have received two doses to Tuesday 15 March 2022. Of people aged 16 plus, 57.6 per cent have now received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, 83.5 per cent of children aged 12-15 have received a first dose and 79.1 per cent have received two doses, and 48.6 per cent of children aged 5-11 have received their first dose. Positive test results for the virus have also climbed in recent days in the WNSWLHD. On Monday and Tuesday, there were less than 100 new positive test results recorded and under 200 Rapid Antigen Tests in the LHD from the previous 24 hours. Yesterday, however, this climbed to 234 positive PCR test results and 748 positive Rapid Antigen Test results identified. In today's reporting, there were 243 positive PCR test results and 424 positive RAT results. Note, there may be some cases where people have reported multiple positive RAT results and/or also had a positive PCR test during the same reporting period, resulting in duplicates. According to the latest NSW Health data to Wednesday 16 March, there were 527 active COVID-19 cases in the Western Plains. Active cases are defined as people who have tested positive in the past 14 days. Broken down into LGA's, this includes 30 in Walgett, 24 in Brewarrina, 20 in Bourke, 97 in Cobar, 51 in Bogan, 69 in Lachlan, 67 in Narromine, 22 in Gilgandra, 33 in Warren, 27 in Coonamble and 87 in Warrumbungle.

Cobar businessman Michael Prince has been confirmed as the final councillor who will serve on the current term of Cobar Shire Council. After only 11 candidates nominated for the 12 seats on council during last year's local government elections, a by-election was held on Saturday 26 February 2022 to decide the 12th seat. Two people nominated for the role, newcomer Jesse Cochran - who moved to the area in 2019 - and the locally born and bred Mr Prince who previously served as a councillor for one term after the 1998 local government elections. In the lead up to the election, 2810 eligible voters in the shire were sent postal voting forms and were also given the option to cast a vote during the early voting period. According to the latest data released at 9am on Tuesday 15 March, 1452 postal votes (51.67 per cent) were returned while 387 (13.77 per cent) cast their vote early at pre-polling facilities. On election day itself, polling places were Cobar High School and the Euabalong Community Centre with around 226 formal votes counted. According to data last updated at 10am on Monday 14 March, of the 1989 formal votes counted, Mr Prince received an overwhelming 1537 votes compared to 452 votes issued for Mr Cochrane. 32 votes were ruled informal.Just under 71.92% of eligible voters took part in the election. Mr Prince was officially declared elected by the Returning Officer from the NSW Electoral Commission on Tuesday, 15 March. In an article published earlier this year by the Western Plains App, Mr Prince indicated while the council had been doing a good job so far, there was still a lot of work to be done in the shire and he wanted to be part of making sure things continue to progress for the district. Some areas of improvement he outlined at the time included improvements to roads, gutters and drainage in the town's industrial area, sourcing more doctors for Cobar and ensuring money was spent locally by FIFO workers at the local mine, which he said was the town's biggest challenge to overcome.When asked why he had decided to stand for Cobar Shire Council this term, Mr Prince said he felt he now had the flexibility around his work commitments which were the main reason why he did not re-stand following his original term.He said the amount of votes he received compared to Mr Cochrane still came in as a surprise, however he was looking forward to using his vast understanding of the shire as a major boon for the council."I was quite pleasantly surprised as the talk was that Cobar needed some youth on council," Mr Prince said."(However), sixty years of living in Cobar and 33 years in business makes me hope that I have a bit of an understanding of what’s required." When asked for his thoughts on the latest addition to council, Acting Mayor of Cobar Shire Council Jarrod Marsden said he believed Mr Prince would fit in really well. "Michael Prince is a guy with a lot of knowledge and experience - he's already a really successful local businessman, so I think he'll be awesome in council," Mr Marsden said. "He has been a councillor before and has a wide variety of knowledge of both the farming and mining industries which will be really beneficial in Cobar Shire." Mr Prince will have his first council meeting for the term next Thursday 24 March in the council chambers.