Authorities in Warren are working together to put flooding safeguards in place as river levels continue to rise and weather conditions remain unprecedented.  Gary Woodman, General Manager at Warren Shire Council said he is thankful to all Warren residents and business owners for their continued help in assisting emergency services to protect the Warren township from flooding. “Due to the continuing extreme weather and flooding conditions experienced here in Warren Shire and across much of north-Western NSW, Council has enacted a number of preventative measures to ensure the safety of our town community under these conditions,” Mr Woodman said. “These include the closure of our levee stormwater floodgates when the Macquarie River reaches a height of 8.4 metres to prevent widespread flooding throughout the town." “When the levee floodgates are closed and rainfall continues, this does cause the capture of both rainwater and stormwater run-off from roof gutters, drains and roads throughout town, which is mitigated by the activation of pumps located around the town to reduce any overflow to protect the town against further flooding risks.” “Given that these are the conditions we are currently experiencing, with significant further rainfall predicted over the next few days, it is critical we continue to activate these safety measures.” SES Unit Commander Sam Midgley is reminding Warren residents to get ahead of what is likely to be a very wet weekend. "We are expected to receive 50-100ml over the weekend with the current river level already reaching 9.11 metres," she said.  "We are currently preparing sandbags for locals to use and moving livestock to higher ground. We will continue to liaise with local emergency services including the Warren SES, Fire & Rescue, Police and Ambulance to organise a plan for the worst-case scenario.". Mr Woodman has praised the local community for their cooperation in assisting services in preparing for worsening flood conditions. “We have a loyal and close-knit community here in Warren Shire and many people have come forward to donate tractors and other machinery to assist with the pumping efforts to help safeguard our town. “Council understands these efforts can be noisy and at times disruptive to residents and the local business community, but the alternative is major flooding and safety risks for all businesses and individuals. “We appreciate the continuing patience and cooperation of community members as we work together to safeguard our town against the significant threat of flood damage throughout these unprecedented weather conditions,” he adds. Back roads have been closed for over two months including the Ellengerah and Wambianna Roads, with more roads and highways expected to receive damage says the SES Unit Commander. "All travellers please be weary of the Oxley Highway towards Gilgandra. It has multiple damages due to flood waters," she said. Miss Midgley also wants to remind Warren residents to adjust their behaviour to stay safe as waters rise. "Do not ride, drive or walk-through flood waters. Your safety is our top priority, so if it is wet, then forget it", she said.

Did you know?   The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) will expire on 31 December 2022. Many NSW dentists are reporting low uptake of the Schedule, and while many rural and regional families struggle with access to affordable oral care, local practitioners say this is an opportunity not to be missed. Established in 2014, the CDBS is an Australian Government means-tested program that provides access of up to $1026 in benefits every two years to eligible children under the age of 18, covering most basic general dental services - but not specialist services like orthodontics or services provided under general anaesthetic. Regional NSW dentist, Dr Peter Harris has a practice in Condobolin and is concerned about the underutilisation of the scheme.   "Only one-third of eligible Australians have accessed the scheme so it's severely underutilised," said Dr Harris.   "I would like to see more government support for dental services but my worry is that if it remains underutilised than it could be a scheme that will end up being lost," he said.   Dr Harris knows that without support for dental access schemes the health outcomes for low income and rural and remote children can be harmful.   "if tooth decay is not kept under control than that can lead to early extraction of baby teeth which leads to orthodontic complications later in life which comes at a higher cost that many families can't afford," he explained.   "But that problem could be nipped in the butt if people accessed these sorts of schemes."  Recent studies from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show the disparity in outcomes between rural and regional and metropolitan areas.  Children living in Remote and very remote areas were more likely to have had decay in their primary teeth (53%) than children in Major cities (39%). They were also more likely to have untreated decay in: at least 1 primary tooth (38%; 25% in Major cities) or 1 permanent tooth (22%; 10% in Major cities). The prevalence of primary and permanent tooth decay was highest among children living in households with low income: half (50%) had experienced decay in their primary teeth nearly one-third (28%) had experienced decay in their permanent teeth.  ADA NSW President Michael Jonas says that poor oral health early in life is the strongest predictor of further oral disease in adult life. With many of Australia’s lower-income households have a higher incidence of poor oral health.   “This can have a significant impact on their overall health and wellbeing and contribute to more significant health problems. Regular dental visits and brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste are key to limiting the impact of children’s poor oral health and reducing social inequalities, said Dr Jonas.  Use it or Lose itAnd, for those families living in rural and remote areas or with a low income, Dr Jonas's advice is to use the available benefits or lose them.   “Our advice is to book your child into your local dentist in the next few months and before the end of the year, and do make sure if eligible, you use the government’s Child Dental Benefits allowance or lose it.”  Dr Peter Harris says that he's typically booked two and a half months in advance, so for anyone wishing to use their child dental benefit before it runs out, ensure you book in as soon as possible.   "At the end of the day it's $1000 that can be accessed every two years and we bulk bill so there's no cost to the family," said Dr Harris. "I really don't understand why more people aren't using it."  Visit Services Australia to find out if you're eligible or to apply for the Child Dental Benefit Scheme .

The reward for information regarding the 1995 death of Paul Murray at Lightning Ridge has been increased to $500,000 as the NSW Government and NSW Police Force work together to try and solve the case that has rocked the Lightning Ridge community for 27 years. Paul Murray, 40 years of age, had moved from Sydney to fossick for opals in a claim located eight kilometres north-west of Lightning Ridge. He was last seen alive on Sunday 19 March 1995 by friends, who had driven him to a location just outside of Lightning Ridge at Mr Murray's request. Members of Paul's family reported him missing to police one week later, and an extensive search by Police and SES failed to locate him. His campsite was undisturbed, his wallet containing some cash was still there, as were his shoes. On Saturday 24 April his naked body was discovered by two graziers in scrub about two kilometres from his camp site. A post- mortem examination of Mr Murray's body found no evidence of trauma or known cause of death. There were quite a few burrs in his feet indicating that he had walked at least part of the distance to the site of his death. The murder- mystery was then referred to detectives from the State Crime Command's Unsolved Homicide Unit, who established Strike Force Huddleston to further investigate the death of Paul Murray.ABOVE: Paul Murray was discovered dead by two graziers on April 22, 1995.The Unsolved Homicide Unit's Chief Detective Inspector David Laidlaw said NSW Police are remaining open-minded into the causes of Mr Murray's death. "Police have always kept an open mind as to the circumstances of his death and hope this reward can encourage the flow of new information," Det Ch Insp Laidlaw said. Part of the investigation has focused on the whereabouts of Paul's 'little black book' where he kept records of who he had loaned money to, from an amount he'd received after a serious motorcycle accident when he was a teenager left him with permanent brain impairment. ABOVE: Paul Murray's sister Rosemary.Paul's sister, Rosemary Pearse highlighted Paul's generosity."Paul was a kind and generous man, who helped out many people in Lightning Ridge financially and just asked to be repaid when they could." "Paul deserves justice in tracking down the people responsible," she said. Rosemary urges the public to release any information that could be helpful to the NSW Police. "Any information, no matter how small, would assist police and may be what is needed to provide myself and my family with some much needed answers," she said.ABOVE: Paul Murray's youngest brother Simon.Paul's youngest brother Simon Murray who pleaded with the public to come forward. "Since his death we have done nothing but grieve without redemption," he said in the press conference. "We adored our brother. He had his hand outreached for people to take him to safety yet they led him to his death." "We ask for justice and I applaud those where, my brother David, my sister Rosemary and the Police for not wavering over the 28 years of heartache as we ask again for whose who have information to move forward and contact Crimestoppers." The reward was increased by the NSW Government from today (Thursday 6 October, 2022). 

A recent visit from the Walkabout Barber had many Cobar locals flaunting some fresh haircuts, and provided a valuable opportunity for mental health support.  Over two days on the 26th and 27th of September, more than100 hair and beauty appointments were carried about the Walkabout Barber in their trailer.  Brian Dowd, the man behind the clippers, is a trauma specialist, who, after surviving his own trauma realised that his skills as a barber and a trauma specialist were in dire need of those who lived far away.  Quickly, he began converting a trailer to allow his barber shop to become mobile. And, so, the Walkabout Barber was born. "For women, a lot of the time going to the hairdresser is like their counselling session," said Mr Dowd. "The Walkabout Barber has allowed a lot of men the opportunity to sit and let their guard down." "It's like they get given permission to do that when they're in a barber space," he said. Brian and his team spent two days in Cobar giving out free haircuts and beauty appointments. PHOTO SUPPLIED. Brian also presented a suicide prevention workshop each day to help spread awareness and offer first aid mental health training to a community that wouldn't have otherwise had that opportunity.  Cobar's Wellness Coordinator, Wendy Liu said "our main goal was to highlight the presence of the community services here in Cobar and to show our community that together we can reduce the stigma of mental health."  "Brian was very proactive to engage with all clients and surrounding people in Cobar and we've had great feedback from their visit," she said. Brian with a Cobar youngster showing off the finished product. PHOTO SUPPLIED. Although the Walkabout Barber shop is not scheduled to return in the near future, Wendy says that a number of other community organisations have activities scheduled to help showcase the available support within the community.  "Especially after the COVID lockdowns meant a lot of events had to be cancelled, we are definitely trying to kick start a lot more," she said.  A free sausage sizzle and kids activities in Drummond Park next Tuesday is the next activity on Cobar's calendar, which Wendy hopes will once again bring the community together to build resilience, friendships and support networks. 

Dolly Parton lovers were tumbling out of bed and stumbling over to Narromine during the long weekend to attend the new 2022 Dolly Festival. The brand new Dolly Parton inspired festival, supported by a $90,000 New South Wales Government Community grant, was such a huge success amongst Dolly fans that it sold out just shy of a week before it started. Dolly Festival Narromine Secretary, Skye Rush, says that the committee even had to release extra tickets. "To meet demand, we released 150 extra tickets after we had already sold out. We wanted to make sure no one was missing out on the first ever Dolly Festival to come to Narromine". "Overall, we sold more than 1200 tickets. We had visitors come from all over the world, including America, Queensland and towns all over New South Wales," she said. The Dolly Festival ran from Friday 30 September and finished Sunday 2 October. Many festivities were jammed into the four day period including a street party, music festival, movie screening, karaoke, trivia and plenty more. The music festival featured various Australian celebrity guests including iconic Drag Queen Timberlina, reality television star and radio host Abbie Chatfield, and award winning recording artist and personality, Kirsty Lee Akers. Additional entertainment included 13 year old singer and guitarist, Amy Ryan from Queensland, and Dubbo singer and guitarist Tanya Andrew. "Both the young and the old watched, sang and danced to Dolly's #1 hits," said Skye. "The entertainment for the night had everyone up dancing and singing. Timberlina, our master of ceremonies for the night, did a really great job of making sure the audience enjoyed themselves by wandering around the crowd, telling jokes and getting photos. Timberlina was so much fun!" "My favourite acts were the Dolly Parton and Kenny Roger's impersonators, 'Grand Ole Country Showcase', who made sure the whole crowd was involved in their act," she said. The festival was a huge success for both the Narromine community and the Dolly Festival committee. "The festival went better than we could have ever imagined. The weather was great, the entertainment was top notch and the support from locals and business owners was next level!" "We had heaps of support from the local community. Lots of locals dressed up, shop fronts were decorated and even school kids created butterflies to hang everywhere in the street. It was just beautiful to see the townspeople get around an event like this," said Skye. The Dolly Festival Narromine committee ensure locals that the festival will be returning next year, bigger and better than ever. "We are hoping to lock in the October long weekend again next year. We want to have buskers singing and playing down the street, have plenty more tickets available and make it an annual event for Dolly fans across the whole of Australia to enjoy". ABOVE: Macquarie Clothing Ladies and Men's Wear Narromine: local shop fronts getting into the spirit!The committee also wants to thank the locals for their support during the long weekend of festivities. "We want to especially thank local shops, pubs and clubs for getting so involved in the event. Thank you for the Narromine Golf Club committee for letting us borrow your facility to host the event". "We have heard amazing feedback, especially from the local Bakery who informed us this week that it was the busiest they have been since the 2018/2019 drought". "The best part about events like this is that they give back to the community. By running events like these, we can attract so many visitors into the community to spend money and keep towns like Narromine running," Skye said. ABOVE: Abbie Chatfield and Rowdie Walden on stage at the Dolly Fest Narromine

It’s been more than two years in the making but Nevertire's newest business, The Rural Trader, finally threw open its doors this long weekend, beginning with an official opening on Friday night 30 September. Situated in the former Mansours building opposite the Nevertire pub, this lifestyle and coffee/food store is the brainchild of Kat Montgomery, who’s married to local farmer Tod, and the opening follows months of hard work and planning - along with the odd curve ball. On Sunday, sitting outside the store, Kat reflected on how a girl from the Hay Plains ended up opening a shop in Nevertire. “After uni I worked in banking finance for CBA and then Westpac, and met Tod when I was living in Dubbo,” said Kat. “For five years I’d been making candles on the side, filling a creative void, but then I thought about building a space where I could not only sell the candles, but add other beautiful things, plus coffee and food.” In June 2020, Kat bought the derelict building, which had been vacant for 70 years, but later that year the tiny town was hit by a freak storm that caused thousands of dollars in damage. “It was pretty devastating, the storm removed half of the roof and completely destroyed the back of the building. It was such a setback, but I was so amazed by how my family and friends and the community of Nevertire pitched in to help with the cleanup and rebuild,” said Kat. The following year Buy From the Bush and PayPal launched the inaugural Big Break, an online competition for regionally based start-ups to pitch an idea for a chance to win part of a $60,000 prize pool to help upscale or kickstart their business. ABOVE: Warren Mayor Milton Quigley with Maree Glasson (Warren) and Georgia, Alex and Kate Barclay (Trangie) at the opening.“It may be a mere seedling of an idea, a proof of concept or an existing bush business that needs a little boost to get to the next level,” said BFTB founder Grace Brennan at the time. “We are looking for creative ideas that have strong market potential and will deliver positive outcomes to local rural communities.” Kat won the people’s choice award of $15,000 which helped fund the storm repairs and further develop the space.“It was unbelievable, to have that support and so many people voting from me, I will always be grateful for that belief in my dream,” she said. Months of work followed, with the rebuild and fit-out slowly taking shape under Kat’s guidance, and on Friday night that dream was finally realised as more than 200 people gathered to celebrate the opening. Speaking on Sunday, Kat couldn’t contain her excitement.“I’m hoping The Rural Trader will be good for Nevertire and surrounds. I want it to be used as a beautiful community space, where people can get together for events, buy something beautiful or just hang out for a coffee. We need that out here.”  ABOVE: Jody Ross (Nyngan), Lou Webb (Warren) Holly Robb (Nyngan).

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is encouraging farmers and landholders who have been affected by the recent severe weather and floods to report damage using the DPI’s online survey tool. CEO of the NSW Rural Assistance Authority (RAA) Sean O’Connell said the Primary Industries disaster damage survey is an online survey that records damage to primary production and animals from natural disasters such as floods, fires and storms.  “The damage survey allows you to record the number of crops, animals, infrastructure and other primary industries damaged in a single event, add photos to the assessment and see the severity of damage in your area.” Mr O’Connell said. “With the current conditions, and severe weather predicted in the coming weeks, we are encouraging those people in impacted areas to submit a survey as soon as they are able.” DPI can view survey information in real time and results are used to determine:the area the natural disaster has impacted and the scale of the eventthe severity of the impactthe value of impact to primary productionwhere and what assistance or resources may be needed. Survey feedback helps the Commonwealth and NSW governments, and communities understand the scale and regional distribution of the impact of a disaster on agriculture and target resources and assistance in an area. “There have already been reports of damage around the state, so it is important for farmers and landholders to know the survey tool is readily available whenever they need it.” “The survey tool is free to use and only takes a few minutes to complete, affected farmers and landholders can submit their survey on a mobile phone, computer or tablet whenever and wherever they need to.”   Submit a survey here and for all the latest flood information visit nsw.gov.au/floods

Both the State Emergency Service (SES) and the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) have issued alerts ahead of two significant rain events expected to impact a widespread area this week urging communities and travellers across the west to "stay on top of the warnings'. This morning the NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York was joined by BOM Meteorologist, Gabrielle Woodhouse to provide an operational update on the coming weather. A severe weather warning is already in place for a number of regions as the first front is forecast to bring moderate to heavy rainfall to inland areas today and tomorrow. "A second system is expected to follow very quickly and bring widespread rain to inland parts of NSW again, particularly around the Western Slopes and Plains from Friday," said Ms Woodhouse."We're looking at around a month's worth of rain, particularly in inland areas." "What this means is that we'll start to see more of a flash flooding risk as well as a riverine flood risk over coming days," she said. "We urge everyone to stay on top of the warnings, even in areas away from river systems that have been in flood for some time." The NSW SES has already had one of their busiest years ever, with more than 60,000 requests for assistance so far, including more than 2200 in September and more than 100 flood rescues.A translator with the SES Commissioner Carlene York and BOM Meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse at this morning's press conference. Commissioner York reinforced the gravity of the situation expected to arise from the coming weather. "We know the ground is saturated, dams and full and rivers are in various stages of flooding across the state," she said. "My message to the community is if you see water across a road, turn around and make another route." "You can't see what's under the water and often it is fast flowing and can easily lift and move a car and put your and other people in the car at risk." "We are particularly concentrating on western and central NSW," she said. Towns such as Wee Waa, Warren and Gunnedah are already on alert. "We are also keeping an eye on Nyngan," Commissioner York said. "The majority of rivers have been very close to full and this added rain will increase the risk in those areas." She said the SES have already deployed additional vehicles, boats and aerial assets across areas at risk. The main rivers of concern at this stage are the Namoi, Darling, Culgoa, Bogan and Barwon.The heavy rainfall risk will mainly be with thunderstorms embedded in the rain band, with Bourke and Cobar included in the areas identified at risk.Six-hourly rainfall totals of 20-30mm are likely, with localised falls up to 60mm possible. 24-hour rainfall totals of 40-60mm are likely, with localised falls up to 80mm possible. "Anyone driving around those areas needs to take extra care," she said. "It is important to have a battery operated radio in case you cant get access to messages electronically or through television." "Every flood is different so people shouldn't assume that if they haven't been affected in the past they won't be affected in future." Residents have been reminded to clean their gutters and have a plan for the safety of themselves and any animals, including moving livestock to higher ground. "We will have a lot more messages in coming days so please heed the warnings," said Commissioner York.View the full video Communities should stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings via the Bureau's website and the BOM Weather app and follow advice of emergency services.For assistance call the SES on 132 500 or in emergencies call 000.

MOBILE telephone and broadband services in the Gulargambone area have recently become a whole lot better, with the Telstra mobile tower at 'Misery Farm' just south of the township receiving a long-awaited and desperately needed upgrade.The township was excluded from the NBN's Fixed Wireless and Fibre to the Node service, so the majority of the population are reliant on the mobile tower for both their phone and internet services.The tower had reached full capacity in recent years leaving users with third-rate coverage.Community members who have been lodging complaints and campaigning for better service have welcomed the improvements.The work started on 22 August and took around ten days to complete.Although service disruptions during this time were very inconvenient, especially when the town was without service during the Gold Cup Races, one of the busiest weekends of the year for Gulargambone, local residents say that they are pleased to have seen a dramatic change in connectivity."They've done the upgrade and we now have 4G," said local farmer and former publican Ashleigh Walker."I drove past one day when it was pouring down rain and there were five or six vehicles, with blokes hanging from lines on the tower." "They were really committed to getting the work done."Despite being frustrated by the amount of time it took to have the tower upgraded, Mr Walker says that it should have enormous benefits for people's personal and business lives."In general, we've become so reliant on being able to click and connect to conduct our everyday business that having good mobile broadband is critical."Even for primary producers, if you want to buy or sell stock online or you want to do a whole range of other tasks, you need to be able to send and receive data to conduct your business."Telstra's Northern NSW Regional General Manager Michael Marom said that with usage increasing at a rate of about 50 per cent each year the 3G service provided by the old tower was no longer fit for purpose."When there's an increase in traffic the signal shrinks," Mr Marom said."We have always had Gulargambone as an area for upgrade to the full 4G spectrum.""It will certainly provide a much-improved service for the area."The latest work means that the tower is now equipped for providing both 3G and 4G spectrums, although the 3G will eventually be phased out."We used the best technology available and it takes the pressure of both 4G and the old 3G network which will be decommissioned in June 2024," Mr Marom said."With this particular upgrade, the footprint will be the same if not greater because there'll be less traffic on the tower on each spectrum."Mr Marom says that users in the area should check that their phone settings are switched to automatic to get the full benefit, rather than 3G or 4G only."With the modern developments now most phones have the capacity to go onto the best possible signal," he said.Although Telstra is already rolling out 5G across their network, the Gulargambone tower's upgrade is not quite there yet."There is no timeframe for 5G but possibly within the next 12 months or so," he said."The upgrade means the tower is prepared for 5G as well. It does mean different equipment but the tower is ready to accommodate that new hardware so it provides a bit of future-proofing as well," he said."We're very happy with the result and it was fully Telstra funded, there were no government funds in that upgrade."

New information on changes to the inland rail project was given to members of the public at an information session held in Baradine recently.  Members of the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) inland rail team gave an update and answered questions about the Narromine to Narrabri (N2N) section of track at the Baradine Memorial Hall on Tuesday 6 September as part of a series of information sessions in communities along the route. The 306 kilometres of new track of the proposed greenfield section is a crucial part of delivering a fast and reliable freight rail service between Melbourne and Brisbane.“We have some exciting and important information that has been a released to the public through the Department of Planning Environment regarding our preferred infrastructure report and amendment report,” said Erica Tudor, Stakeholder Engagement Manager for southern NSW.“Some of these changes include crossing loops, road rear alignment improvements, changes to locations of workers accommodation, as well as further information around hydrology and biodiversity.”Ms Tudor said that the new information is more refined than the previous update.“This is a real opportunity for the community to become engaged with the project team, with our environment team, with our property team, with our stakeholder engagement team and to ask questions; it really is the next stage and progressing to construction,” Ms Tudor added.“So, there are opportunities around putting in a submission to the Department of Planning and Environment around these new documents. However, if people do have questions around opportunities that come with the alignment, we're happy to facilitate that conversation.“What might be a key thing is that at the end of the day, we're building a rail line and safety is of the utmost importance. So, for example, we have some additional treatments and locations to public level crossings, in which I think the community would be interested.""We've also been able to reduce some of the road closures, which I think is a good win for the community as well. But it's just about refining those details since we've last been into the community and sharing it with them." Approvals“We are in the reference design stage still and then we're looking to have environmental approvals early next year and commence major N2N construction later next year,” Ms Tudor said.According to inland rail, communities will benefit from the new freight connection between Melbourne and Brisbane through lasting legacy projects.  Planning and investigations are underway for a multi-million-dollar materials distribution site at Narromine, which will service the future installation of ballast, sleepers, rail and turnouts along the 1700-kilometre Inland Rail alignment.“We have early works commencing around Narromine, which is really exciting,” Ms Tudor said. “In Gilgandra we have a housing strategy, as well as water bore projects and these are all ramping up for construction for next year.  “We have had these early works happen in other areas and they are an awakening for a lot of communities as to what the legacy opportunities might be. So, we have regularcontact with other councils and we are working through what their legacy items might be."The Inland Rail under construction in another section. Image: inlandrail.artc.com.au “With regards the proposed worker camp at Baradine, we have slightly moved the location to accommodate feedback from the community with key stakeholders around that," she said."So, it will not be at Camp Cypress, but at the race course location, to accommodate that feedback and to not impact the community in any negative way. That is our footprint; our plan at this stage and ultimately with the housing strategy.  As we go through the detailed design, we will firm up those details. "But essentially, we're working with our preferred contractor ACCIONA and CPB Contractors Joint Venture (ACACPB JV) about our preferred locations and Baradine is one of those.“I think time frame at this stage, given the housing construction strategy, we will probably have more information later next year. In terms of where we are at the moment, this community information session is around the public exhibition of our preferred Infrastructure report.“However, we have a team that is in the community frequently and anticipate that to be the case going forward.”

Property owners downstream of Gin Gin on the Macquarie River system are preparing for a “perfect storm” next week, with the forecast of significant rainfall combining with an increase in the amount of water being released from Burrendong Dam.   Currently Burrendong Dam is 128.5 percent full and with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting 50mm-75mm widespread rain on Wednesday and Thursday over the catchment, WaterNSW is anxious to bring levels down to a safer level.   The Burrendong Flood Mitigation Zone Reference Panel met on Thursday to discuss the current airspace at the dam, and the likely downstream impacts from the upcoming rainfall event.   Panel member, Richard Woodlock who represents landholders along the Macquarie River creek tributaries down stream of Warren, said there would likely be more flooding as the release rate from Gin Gin increased from the current rate of 30Gl a day to 40Gl a day.    “As creeks are already high, this water may reach the us more quickly than previous releases. Please use this time to move any stock or equipment in low lying areas,” Mr Woodlock told landholders on Saturday.   “Please advise your neighbours if you think they will be impacted by these flows.”   Landholders downstream of Warren have already experienced widespread flooding when water levels surged following the rainfall a fortnight ago.   Dione and Jack Carter said around 800 hectares of crop was inundated on their property “Fairview”, north of Nyngan, from the Gunningbar Creek overflow.   Mrs Carter said a flight over their property had shown the real spread of the floodwater, and was busily preparing for the next rise as well as the forecast rain.   “Everything is already saturated and it looks like it’s going to get worse. We are not expecting the crop will come through it. It already turning yellow,” she said.   The Bogan River south of Nyngan along the Tottenham Road on Friday 30 September. Photo courtesy Dione Carter.The spreading water has also impacted roads in the region, with many closures in the Warren and Bogan Shires where creeks have broken their banks.   Meanwhile the Bogan River peaked in Nyngan town this weekend at a height of 4.2m causing “moderate” flooding.   The SES were visiting properties along Moonagee Road, Temples Lane, Pepper Lane and Bourke Street West over the long weekend to assist with any flood preparations.   In Nyngan, Rotary Park, the Nyngan Golf Course and the Lower Weir precinct were inundated, and there was also flooding at the Riverside Tourist Park and the Bogan Weir Campgrounds.   The Bogan River meets the Macquarie tributaries in the north west of the Bogan Shire on boundary of the Brewarrina Shire. The BOM is predicting the Bogan River at Mulgawarrina may reach the major flood level (5.50 m) around 9-10 October. 

Residents of the Bogan Shire have been allocated at least half of the 1500 free tickets to the Big Bogan Festival in Nyngan next month where all comers will be formally introduced to the Big Bogan's new mate. The Big Bogan Dog was installed next to the Big Bogan last week.It is yet to be officially named and Council is currently fielding a barrage of suggestions on its Facebook page. Mr Francis said the installation of the “Big Bogan Dog” had garnered widespread interest, with National television quickly picking up the story.   Bogan Shire Director of Engineering Services, Graeme Bourke, who designed the “cattle dog type” installation said popular suggestions so far had included “Rusty”, “Red” and “Blue”. Bogan Shire general manager Derek Francis provided an update on the festival arrangements at last week’s Council meeting emphasising that the event is designed to reconnect the community after COVID19.   Although the grant-funded event on Saturday 22 October, which includes a country music concert headlined by Australian performer James Johnston, is free of charge, numbers will be capped at 1500 for security and catering purposes.   Mr Francis told Councillors the event was attracting interest from outside the Shire, however priority would be given to local people who are able to collect tickets from the Bogan Shire administration building with half of the tickets to be distributed this way.   “We are very mindful of keeping this event for local people in keeping with the intention of the grant funding.” Council also discussed merchandising opportunities for the festival last week. Local businesses have been invited to apply to sell their own merchandise, and Council resolved to produce some of its own – the proceeds from which will be used to fund a new visitor information guide for the Bogan Shire. 

Being airborne is a great way to see the countryside and, at the moment, one of the only ways to tour the rain-drenched areas of western NSW and Queensland.Kim and Darryl Walker from Sydney's northern beaches spent a day in Coonamble last week when their gyrocopter sightseeing trip was interrupted by wet weather.They fly a fully-enclosed tandem gryo with a Rotax 912 motor with turbocharge."It's about 140 horsepower and runs on car fuel," said Darryl. "I'm the captain and Kim has only had one lesson so she's in the back."The couple left Wallsend airfield at Newcastle and flew to Coonamble in four hours, including a fuel and coffee stop in Mudgee where they were given a lift into town by a crop-dusting pilot.From there they travelled via Walgett, Lightning Ridge and Bourke to Charleville and finally Caboolture, before heading back down the coast.Darryl and Kim Walker overnighted in Coonamble and had a delayed re-start due to rainy weather.The key destination is the west Queensland Channel Country."We saw it on TV and we'd never heard of the Channel Country," said Darryl. "We travel a lot overseas but we've never really been out west. Then we heard of the Macquarie Marshes.""We just wanted to go and see it," said Kim. "It just seemed like a really great thing to do and so far the people have been really friendly."How cool is this?! This is just a snippet of Darryl and Kim Walker's footage of their flight over the Macquarie Marshes last week.The gyro cruises at between 300 and 1000 feet, and with an average cruising airspeed of 75-85 knots."We'll see it from a different perspective, like few people get to," said Kim."When you travel by air you have to really plan where you go so you learn it in a lot of detail and you get to see what's really out there."Also on their agenda is the chicken racing in Winton and a pub at Stonehenge bought by a couple of mates on a night of a few too many beers, which they also saw on TV.Darryl Walker gets a bird's eye view of the Macquarie Marshes last week. PHOTO: D&K WalkerThe Walkers are recording their own travels, with cameras mounted on the gyrocopter's tail, mast and between the wheels.

The voices of Greg and Sara Storer are familiar sounds around the Western Plains, but their upcoming album is shaping up to look a little different, adding Greg’s daughters Pip and Bonnie to the family band.Using the name that binds them, the band 'Storer' released their first single off an upcoming album last week, after playing a series of gigs in the local area.Greg Storer said that while the girls have always had talent, he didn’t see the evolution of the Storer music legacy evolving like this. “They’re always playing piano and did a lot of singing at school…but I never thought that we’d take it this far. It’s such a good thing to record with your kids and get the family involved,” Greg said. Although he’s well seasoned in the industry, Greg said that recording with Bonnie and Pip was enough to shake him. “It was quite emotional. Pip was sitting in a little spot in the studio and started recording and just seeing the song come to life and seeing your daughter singing…I had to take a minute to pull myself together,” he said. Album veterans Greg and Sara showing Bonnie and Pip the ropes. (Supplied)For Pip, music never really felt like something she’d take up as any more than a hobby. “Doing music, you’re a lot more out there and you’re singing and you’re thinking ‘are people going to like that, are they not?’ so it’s really good to have people who have done it a lot before who can just tell you to do it and be proud of it,” she said. “It’s really good working with family because they’re your biggest supporters.” Pip said. Voices aren’t the only thing they can provide, with each family member bringing their own songs to add to the collaborative album. Siblings Sara and Greg have both enjoyed music careers as solo artists and together. (Supplied)Pip said that watching her father write songs all her life made the process seem simple. “For years and years, he’d always sit at the kitchen table and pick up melodies. He’d come in from work and I guess he’d been thinking about it through the day,” she said. “After a weekend of being with all the family, we all spoke about all these really funny memories and it just all sort of came to me and I thought this would be a really funny song.”While the family is hopeful the upcoming album is the beginning of something bigger, it’s no easy feat balancing a music career as a full time farmer. “We’ve got some touring coming up and we’re going to launch the album in Tamworth at the festival. Hopefully we’ll be right to put some cropping in again and then head out after the crops are in the ground,” Greg said. The first single from Storer ‘Show Me’ was released in late September. 

Today marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness month and  Breastscreen NSW staff want to remind women in western NSW to be vigilant about the disease.  In 2022, more than 20,000 Australians will be diagnosed with breast cancer and over 3,200 people will die from this disease.   The better news is that, in the 25 years from 1989–1993 to 2014–2018, the five-year relative survival for breast cancer improved from 77% to 92%.  More than 250 women expected to be diagnosed in Western NSW Local Health District with breast cancer this year, and while the survival rates are creeping higher, it is the steps you take that might make the difference.  Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in NSW, with one in seven being diagnosed in their lifetime.   Professor Tracey O’Brien, Chief Cancer Officer NSW & CEO of the Cancer Institute NSW said that age and being female are the two biggest risk factors to developing breast cancer.    “More than 75 per cent of breast cancers occur in women over 50 and we know that screening saves lives by finding breast cancer early," she said. “We need women to know that breast cancer can happen to anyone. In fact, nine out of 10 women who develop breast cancer have no family history." We all know someone who has suffered from breast cancer and it would be rare to find anyone in our community who has not lost a close friend or loved one from the disease yet not all women are taking up the opportunities that are available to have their breasts checked.  “There are many reasons why women may put off their breast screen," Professor O'Brien said. "Some feel that without a family history they are not at risk, some say they are too busy, and others fear embarrassment about the procedure." Most towns around the western plains generally receive a visit from the too-pink-to-miss-it Mobile Breastscreen Van at least once every two years. They generally stay for at least a week in each place and send reminder letters and text messages to eligible women in the area to remind them to book in for their mammogram. The free service is available to all women aged between 50 and 74 years and just takes 20 minutes. But if you missed the van in your town this time round or you are younger than 50 years, there's no need to wait as GPs can also perform a check or you can book in to Breastscreen Centres in places like Dubbo. The screening service there is located beside the hospital carpark in Myall Street. "BreastScreen NSW staff are highly trained and support women through the process. Screening provides great peace of mind,” Professor O’Brien said.  BreastScreen NSW recommends all women aged 50-74 years have a breast screen every two years. It takes just 20 minutes. Call 13 20 50 to book an appointment or book online. Find out more about breast cancer signs and symptoms here. 

A mining company exploring south of Narromine has reported promising findings at the drilling site, raising the prospect of a new mine to be established in the coming years. Mining company Magmatic Resources kicked off a diamond drilling campaign at the Myall Copper-Gold Project near Narromine in July this year. According to reports, Magmatic Resources intercepted visible copper sulphide mineralisation, meaning the project could be a viable copper-gold discovery. Narromine Shire Council Mayor Craig Davies said that the results are looking promising so far but nothing is set in stone. “I’ve spoken to a couple of geologists who are very excited by the prospect of drilling that’s being done just 30 kilometres south of narromine,” Cr Davies said. “It’s showing potential to be a very significant copper gold outcrop,” he saidThe mining company has reported that the Myall Project site has a similar age, compositions and dimensions to the North Parkes mine, which is a world-class deposit that has been in operation for nearly 30 years. Cr Davies said that positive results won’t necessarily mean anything for the community for a long time. “They’ve only done one lot of drilling but the drilling results that they’ve had are very exciting…but if a mine were to be established there it’s probably 7 or 8 years away,” he said. “I don’t want to talk it up, I’d hate for people to dive into it and for it to fall over…it’s very early days.”Further south, the Tomingley gold operation employs around 200 people and has been operating since 2014. The Tomingley Gold Mine recently poured their 500.000th ounce of gold, well beyond their original goal of 380,000 ounces. “It’s just another significant employment opportunity for the Narromine people. As it is, we are just going flat out trying to get housing and development done, and bringing people to the shire to fill all the jobs that are currently going,” Cr Davies said. Magmatic Resources has been contacted for comment.

National Cabinet this morning, with state and territory leaders have agreed to end COVID-19 stay-at-home orders for majority of positive NSW cases.   The mandate will remain for those working in vulnerable settings including aged car and hospital employees.   The changes will take full effect from Friday 14 October and also brings an end to pandemic leave payments for affected workers.   It comes just a day after NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet called for the stay- at- home orders to be scrapped stating that it is time for Australians to take personal responsibility into their own hands.   "We need to get to the point where we move away from public health orders," Premier Perrottet said.   "It is always a balance between the public health, broader health issues like mental health, social wellbeing and economic and financial issues facing people across our state.".   Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly, advises Australians that changes to the mandate "do not in any way suggest that the pandemic is finished".   "We will almost certainly see future peaks of the virus into the future, as we have seen earlier this year".  "However, at the moment, we have very low rates of both cases, hospitalisations, intensive care admissions, aged- care outbreaks and various other measures that we have been following very closely in our weekly open report," he said.  Trend in recorded weekly cases for Australia as a whole as at 27 September. SOURCE: health.gov.auNew South Wales is currently seeing an average 1,827 new cases per day, an 18.9% drop on the previous week. The The number of hospitalised COVID-19 cases has also decreased by an average 12.2% compared to the previous week.COVID-related deaths are also on the decline with the rolling seven day average number of deaths in NSW sitting at 10, down from a high of 43 deaths recorded on 22 January 2022.

A young man has been charged following an investigation into a fatal crash earlier this year that claimed the life of his passenger. About 11pm on Friday 15 April 2022, emergency services attended Baradine Road – about 5 kilometres east of Coonamble – after reports of a single vehicle crash. Police arrived and located a Toyota Hilux that had left the roadway and entered a paddock, before rolling a number of times. A 21-year-old man died at the scene and an 18-year-old man was flown to John Hunter Hospital suffering serious head injuries. Officers attached to Orana Mid-Western Police District established a crime scene and an investigation commenced, led by officers from the Northern Tablelands Crash Investigation Unit (CIU). Yesterday (Thursday 29 September 2022), an 18-year-old man attended Coonamble Police Station where he was arrested.He was charged with dangerous driving occasion death, negligent driving occasioning death and disqualified driver.The man was granted conditional bail to appear at Coonamble Local Court on Monday 17 October 2022.

Family members of fallen police officers along with hundreds of serving and retired police officers took to the streets of Sydney yesterday (Thursday 29 September) to mark National Police Remembrance Day.The annual event has been reinstated after two years of pandemic-related restrictions and included a service at the Wall of Remembrance in The Doman to honour the 275 officers who have died in the line of duty since 1862.The NSW Police Commissioner, Karen Webb APM, was joined by the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Police, Paul Toole, and other distinguished guests.“Today is the day we stop and remember those officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” Commissioner Webb said.“This is a day for police, their families, friends and the community to pause to honour officers whose lives have been cut short while performing their duty.“We also remember those who have lost their lives through illness, injury or other circumstances, and we stand with those they have left behind," she said. Police in the western plains region, have always been a part of efforts to remember and acknowledge their fallen colleagues.Former Superintendent Stan Single, who was born in Coonamble, served 23 of his 42 years with NSW Police in western communities including Lightning Ridge, Walgett and Bourke.He has become renowned for his contribution to state and national Wall to Wall rides by creating commemorative batons that have become a key part of the remembrance ceremonies."I was an apprentice fitter and turner before I joined the Police," Mr Single said. "I started making the batons when I was working in Lightning Ridge.""At any remote location most police do their minimum tenure and go, so I started making them as a send-off gift.""It was therapeutic to start with but I've created a bit of a monster," he said.The original batons were made from local timber and featured small opal doublets, one gem for each year served at the command.In 2009, after hearing about a commemorative ride held each year in Texas (USA), Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy from the NSW Police Force and Inspector Brian Rix of the Victorian Police had conceived the idea to hold a 'ride with their mates' as a tribute to honour the service and sacrifices of the many law enforcement officers who have died while serving their communities.Stan Single as part of the Wall to Wall contingent in 2011. PHOTO: Orana Mid Western Police fb.Superintendent Single got a call from Assistant Commissioner Corboy, and he set about fashioning perpetual batons for the national Wall to Wall ride.His handiwork has become part of policing history and a treasured tradition for the future."I made eight batons and used timber appropriate to every state - Huon Pine for Tasmania, beefwood for western NSW, Red River Gum for the Murray region.""I used a Coober Pedy opal for South Australia, a Boulder Opal for Queensland and a Lightning Ridge Black Opal for NSW," he said.The perpetual batons were trickier and more time-consuming to make than the original 'gift' batons as they were designed to be a hollow tube to contain a scroll sealed inside with the names of any deceased police officers for that particular calendar year."Bearing in mind the best result would be that each baton arrives at the Wall of Remembrance empty," Mr Single said.Each one was individually turned freehand – meaning that although they are similar in shape, size and style, no two are identical. "Each one took about three or four hours," he said. "Sometimes the machine would hit a knot you didn't see and it would blow up.""I'd be in the shed for hours and hours but I suppose I've got a bit of a legacy."The batons now accompany riders in both state and national Wall to Wall remembrance rides.This special tenth anniversary Wall to Wall baton was engineered in alloy in 2019 using Mr Single's design and contained a special message from Prime Minister Scott Morrison inside. Each badge represents all 8 Australian Police Forces and the other badges are the annual W2W badges. PHOTO SUPPLIED. As a bike rider, Mr Single has joined many of the rides."It's fairly impressive if you see it," he said. "You don't often see a couple of thousand bikes in a procession.""It's for the families really, the families are always involved and acknowledged at the service," Mr Single said. "It's pretty emotional.""It's not like those police serve, are lost and forgotten.""Their names are always on a board in the Police Station they came from and on the state and the national walls."Police riders from Coonabarabran line up before departing on the 2022 Wall to Wall ride on Friday 16 September. PHOTO: Coonabarabran TimesAccording to Mr Single, Australia's tight gun control laws mean that the country loses very few officers in comparison to many other countries, such as the United States."They lose officers any week of the year," he said. "We can go a few years and don't lose one.""Unfortunately this year we lost a female officer who was off-duty and drowned trying to save someone."He says the bike rides, the remembrance day services and walls, and the batons serve an important purpose to acknowledge the service of those police."It brings it to the fore and its a good thing, it gives closure to those families," he said.