Bourke will have a helping hand to attract essential workers with the expansion of the state government's 'The Welcome Experience' service. The service pairs incoming government and non-government employees, including health, education and emergency service workers, with local organisations that advise them on 'life things' like housing and jobs, aim being to make the move smoother. The program has helped 57 essential workers move to Walgett since it began as a pilot 12 months ago, and 511 statewide. Walgett police officer Amy is one of them. She moved with her family from Sydney in November last year. “We decided to give regional NSW a go," she said. "We not only have room for a trampoline, but our children love collecting fresh eggs from their very own chicken coop every morning. “We haven’t looked back. Living in a close-knit regional community has given us the freedom and space to give our kids a childhood filled with fun and adventure. We tend to stress less and have more time to spend together doing the things we love.” Amy's children Hugo (2), Arthur (5) and husband Casey. PHOTO: suppliedClose to 1,800 workers have inquired about the pilot locations which also include Broken Hill, Walgett, Coffs Harbour and Muswellbrook. Of those who have relocated, 224 are health workers, 84 are educators and 35 are NSW Police staff. RDA Orana will cover Bourke, Wellington and Dubbo under the program expansion to 52 Local Government Areas from an initial eight during the pilot stage. The non-profit's CEO Justine Campbell said it will use it's resources in the region to help program clients.  "We have a very strong presence and broad reach in the region. We have numerous resources, growing networks and significant connections and partnerships that we can leverage to help ensure The Welcome Experience is a success in the Orana," she said. “We rely on key workers to facilitate some of our most important services so attracting and retaining people is of the upmost importance."Ms Campbell said RDA Orana will help workers settle in by connecting them with schools, helping them join sport clubs and assisting with finding a job for their partner.CEO of RDA Orana, Justine Campbell, says her organisation will assist with the expansion of The Welcome Experience in the Orana Region. IMAGE: RDA OranaNSW Minister for Western NSW Tara Moriarty said the program has received positive feedback. “Locals can give insights on different locations in towns to suit housing needs, or finding a reliable removalist or even knowing which café boasts the best cappuccino in town, and that is why The Welcome Experience pilot has been such a resounding success," she said. “511 workers and their families have already made the move and the feedback is the program was important in accepting the job offer and was vital in helping people find their feet in their new community. “The NSW Government’s decision to expand the program shows what a difference a warm welcome can make for workers moving to a new community. It fosters people to grow roots in the town and be part of the community they are looking after."

A minute’s silence has been observed today in honour of fallen Cobar firefighter, Daniel Howard, on the 10th anniversary of his death..Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner, Jeremy Fewtrell, Assistant Commissioner – Regional Operations, Cheryl Steer, and Executive Director of Business Co-Ordination, Compliance and Reporting, Kelly McFadyen, joined “Howie’s” friends and family at a special ceremony at the scene of the tragedy in 2014.Commissioner Fewtrell laid a wreath to acknowledge the popular 37-year-old, who died when a wall collapsed during a fire that engulfed the New Occidental Hotel.The alarm was raised just after 7.35am on the morning of 17 August 2014 and emergency services responded to tackle the inferno.Ten people, including overnight guests, escaped the large blaze however another fire fighter was seriously injured.The 135-year-old building was destroyed.Commissioner Fretwell salutes Daniel. IMAGE: FRNSWAt the time, Daniel had been a retained firefighter for Fire & Rescue NSW for around five years.He had his own business as an electrician in Cobar and was working as a contractor at the Peak Hill Gold mine. According to the Coroner's Report, Daniel was a former captain of the Cobar Camels Rugby club was well known and respected in the town and wider district. During a gathering at his gravesite today, FRNSW Senior Chaplain, Jason Goodhart, also recited a prayer for Daniel.A floral tribute created for the occasion. IMAGE: FRNSWCommissioner Fewtrell said "Daniel’s bravery and service to his local community will never be forgotten." 

For 24-year real estate agent Averill Berryman, business has been busier than usual in the last two years.As Director of ABC Property Sales, which in Lachlan shire covers Lake Cargelligo and Tottenham, she says she's seen a spike in interest from Sydneysiders looking to buy property in her areas."Last year in particularly, there was a huge amount of properties were sold here. I don't know the exact figures off hand but quite a large percentage of properties were sold," she said.It isn't just her.A survey of more than 3000 people from across Australia by the University of South Australia, published in February this year, found 53 per cent living in large cities would be willing to move to a "mid-sized city", defined in the study as having a population under 100,000 people.Eighty four per cent of respondents were living in large cities.Averill has been based in Lake Cargelligo for two years. PHOTO: SuppliedThe results, gathered during the height of COVID, were little surprise to Averill, who believes the pandemic made more people realise they can work from home."They can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and traffic jams and all the rest of it. We don't even have a traffic light, let alone a traffic jam," Averill said.."It's a good quiet lifestyle. We don't have to lock our doors.""One of the other things is the amount of money someone can get for, say, a property in western Sydney, your average property there is what? Eight, nine hundred thousand dollars, a million dollars for a very ordinary house.""If you sold your house in Sydney for that amount of money - let's say $1 million - and then you moved to the country, you buy in a smaller town and pay three to four hundred thousand in Lake Cargelligo, that leaves you $600,000."You can leave your house in the country and you can go travelling, you can invest your money. There's just so much more you can do."Lead study researcher Associate Professor Akshay Vij also noted a pandemic-induced shift, although she found the move to smaller areas didn't stick across the board.“Our study found that people are willing to relocate to smaller towns but are unable to do so due to a lack of suitable employment opportunities,” Assoc Prof. Vij said.“The pandemic and increased adoption of working from home enabled short-term migration to the regions. But as the pandemic has receded and most workers have returned to the workplace, opportunities to work remotely from a small regional centre have faded as well, prompting the return to pre-pandemic migration trends observed in more recent ABS data."Associate Professor Akshay Vij. IMAGE: iMove Australia“The primary barrier to regional migration is the absence of appropriate employment opportunities," he said.“While job vacancy numbers have been persistently high in regional Australia, these are typically not the kinds of high-skill high-wage jobs that can help attract residents from large metropolitan centres.”According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 73 per cent of the national population live in the major cities.Around 26 per cent live in "inner regional" and "outer regional" Australia, with the remaining two per cent living "remote and very remote" areas.

The Coonamble Shire Council last week announced big plans to boost the local housing market as part of what they're calling the Simmons Modular Housing Project. The council is currently preparing contracts to enable a land deal with Simmons Global, a 'housing initiative' company formerly based in Narromine, to build modular homes in a new subdivision of 17 lots to be created along Yarran Street in west Coonamble.The project was revealed after following an extraordinary meeting held on 6 August and will be the first major housing subdivision in the town in many decades.On Monday 12 August, Council's General Manager Paul Gallagher confirmed that the deal involves the construction of a combination of seven affordable 3-bedroom homes, as stage one and two 2-bedroom duplexes for stage two to provide key worker accommodation and one dwelling for council staff.Key workers include nurses, teachers, police, and agricultural workers. "These workers are tired of living in motels," General Manager Paul Gallagher said. "This is a demonstration to prove that we can build houses quickly in Western NSW to address the housing shortage."The housing will be of modular construction.Modular homes means their components will be built at a manufacturing hub and transported to their final site for erection. Draft subdivision plan for the proposed development. The first four homes to be built will front Yarran Street. Blocks range in size from 780m2 to 1413m2.The General Manager added that the council has been in talks with two other companies as well as Simmons Global, to build housing in Coonamble.  He says, while modular, the homes are designed to be more like on-site builds rather than 'transportable' houses.Mr Gallagher said they are expecting to finalise the contracts for the land and first housing on site within the next three months. The Coonamble Shire Council will bear the costs of infrastructure development including sewer, roads, and water amounting to an estimated $750,000 plus the subdivision costs.  "We picked that site because we knew it would be easy to develop," Mr Gallagher said.He says council had already committed to put sewer in that area with funds allocated in this year's budget and tenders for the work were awarded this week at the ordinary council meeting in Quambone for a new sewer pump station and infrastructure to service that part of town.In return for the land and infrastructure costs council gets a 3-bedroom house and a plot of land for council staff housing. According to Mr Gallagher the project will be "almost cost neutral."That land has been sitting on council's books and depreciating," he said. "Council will walk away with a house and a block of land for the construction of new house allowing council to potentially dispose of one its older assets back into the community."Plus council will play their role as a catalyst for development and going forward will receive rate revenue."Council expects the homes to be affordable for those wanting to gain entry to the housing market and an appropriate way for council to address the housing shortage.Barry Broe, Director of Planning & Development at Coonamble Shire Council, at the Yarran Street site. IMAGE: Coonamble Times"This means council will get housing quickly," Director of Community, Planning, Development, and Environment Barry Broe said. "He (David Simmons) wants to demonstrate what can be done in a short amount of time."The first four modular homes are set to be delivered within the next six months.The constructed houses will then be on exhibition for three months so that the State and Federal Government - and the general public - can come and inspect the project's delivery. Mr Gallagher estimated the transportation and installation of these homes will create 15 to 25 new jobs, associated with delivery, construction and horticulture. While these homes are expected to be manufactured at Narromine, Simmons Global anticipate that they will establish a factory on the coast.Council has hopes that as a result of the partnership Coonamble could become a distribution hub for a rollout of modular homes in towns around western NSW creating further employment opportunities.

First responders and the Coonamble community were thrilled to witness the long-awaited opening of the new State Emergency Services (SES) Building on Sunday 11 August. “We haven’t had a proper building to work out of. It was hard because we had nowhere to go,” Unit Commander Shiralee Robinson said. The official opening took place on a warm, sunny afternoon with high ranking members of the SES, Coonamble Shire Council, and Labour Party member Stephen Lawrence, with members of the community were also present. “It’s great to be here on such a beautiful day,” Stephen Lawrence said. “I know there’s a real feeling of pride with the official opening of this new building.“It’s a testament to the skill and commitment of the members here.”David Jones and Tony Boney Jr gave an Acknowledgment to Country and held a smoking ceremony to commemorate the opening of the building, along with several more members of the Aboriginal community. Deputy Commissioner  Damien Johnston emphasised the importance of the new building. PHOTO: Mayor Tim Horan, Coonamble SES Commander Shiralee Robinson, Hon, Stephen Lawrence, Deputy Commissioner Damien Johnston.“It’s a fantastic facility for our unit here in Coonamble,” Deputy Commissioner Johnston said. “They’re a busy unit. It’s important we have the right facility for our members so they can house the assets but also respond to their community needs.”Chief Superintendent Brigid Rice thanked the Coonamble Unit for their outstanding work. “I really have to call out the Coonamble Unit for being the absolute hub building the units around it,” Superintendent Rice said. PHOTO: Coonamble SES Commander Shiralee Robinson receives National Emergency Medal from Deputy Commissioner Johnston.Coonamble Shire Mayor Tim Horan attended in his mayoral chains to show the significance of the event.  “It took a bit longer than expected but we really got the job done,” Mayor Horan said.  “Our SES members are all unpaid and they do an amazing job and you’re the whole reason that we were able to build the shed. This is in recognition of those volunteers.” Coonamble needed a new facility to ensure that they can be a self-sustaining unit in times of flooding.  The old building was inadequate to meet the needs of the SES. PHOTO: Members of the local Aboriginal community perform a smoking ceremony to commemorate the opening of the SES Building. One of the vehicles had to be housed outside for ten years because there was not enough space in the old shed, former Coonamble SES Commander John ‘Tiny’ Lewis said.  Fifteen years earlier, than Minister for Emergency Services Steve Whan stood in the SES building and promised a new shed.  The proposal stalled after a change in government before negotiations and plans for the new SES building were re-opened in about 2022. PHOTO: Deputy Commissioner Johnston presents award to John ‘Tiny’Lewis. The Coonamble Shire Council contributed around $1 million to the new shed and the NSW government around $500,000.  After the appointed contractor went into liquidation, the council took over the contract to manage the project themselves in August 2023 to get the project over the line.  During the ceremony, several members from Coonamble and the surrounding areas received awards to commemorate their service.  SES Chaplain Jim Newton gave a blessing for the new building.  Lane Lewis and Shiralee Robinson from the Coonamble Unit received a National Emergency Medal for assisting in the Bushfires in 2019/2020. John Lewis from the SES Walgett Unity and David Monk from the NSW SES Western Zone received the same award.Mr Lewis also received a 15-year long service award. Dominic Warnock who was not present was awarded the 30 Year Long Service Award. Julie Anderson from the Macquarie Capability Unit was recognised for life preserving incident management support provided during the Central West flood event on 13 and 14 November, 2022. The ceremony concluded with an official walkthrough of the new building featuring new dressing rooms, offices, a kitchen, and a spacious garage for the rescue vehicles.

Endeavor Mine in Cobar, will ramp up again after revised studies on the value of extraction doubled its worth.The lead, silver and zinc mine has been in care and maintenance mode since 2019 when previous owners CBH Resources reduced the 161 full-time staff and 40 contractors to 71.Current owners Polymetals Resources will now make plans to bring the mine back into production over the coming year, after a restart study demonstrated better than anticipated profitability and an increased present value of $414 million from $201 million.Company General Manager of Corporate Development Linden Sproule told mining.com.au that the Endeavor mine had contributed a great deal to Cobar.“On an annual basis, when it was operating, it was contributing between $50 million and $80 million to the local township of Cobar, which has a population of 4,000 people. So it’s significant,” Mr Sproule said.Based on a 10-year mine life, the company now predicts earnings of $89 million per year in the first five years, equating to an anticipated doubling in value and extension of the mine’s life.Valuable tailings the key to profitabilityMr Sproules attributed the increased value to the capacity to reprocess high-value tailings. “All you’re doing, basically, is moving the material that’s very near to where you’re processing already, and then putting it back in the mill and reprocessing it, so you’re not mining or disturbing new areas.“There’s almost $6 billion worth of metal still in the tailings. If we’re able to extract, let’s call it five per cent of that, over a period of five or 10 years, that’s on the low side. We might be able to get 10% or 20% of that. It’s a significant amount of money.”Based on a 10-year mine life, the company predicts earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation of $89 million per year in the first five years. Production is expected to start in the first half of 2025.“The work completed by the technical team has generated impressive outcomes for the Endeavor Mine Restart,” Polymetals executive chair Dave Sproule said. A boon for the regionDemi Smith, secretary of the Cobar Business Association said she hopes this will revitalise the region.“I'm hoping it brings more families here to town and settling within the community,” she said. “I think that's the most important part. If the mine is going to revamp, you'd hope to see more people living here.“In Cobar, mines contribute heavily to our economy. They bring workers and families and contractors to town. Mines operate as fly in, fly out/drive in, drive in/ drive out and we also have our fair share of residential employees. It’s a huge workforce.”But for the Cobar community, the company’s revenue leads to bigger community advantages. “Mining is our region’s biggest employer, and the doubling value and extension of a mine's life is good news. Obviously, we've got active mines all around here and when fully operating, Endeavor was a large employer. To have it out of care and maintenance is fantastic."Ms Smith said mines contribute to local community in other ways beside employment. According to the Cobar Shire Council, there are five main mines in the region; Endeavor, Aurelia Metals' Peak Gold Mine, Tritton copper mine, owned by Aeris Resource, Metals Acquisition Limited's CSA copper mine and the Manuka gold and silver mines, owned by Manuka Resources.“Several have a community donation scheme and give back to the community in that way, giving funds to sporting groups and community groups. A mining revamp like the one at Endeavor is good news for us.”

Neilrex resident Ray Lewis is back on the Warrumbungle Shire Council, and all he had to do was fill out the forms. The shire won't hold elections this year because no more than nine candidates put their hat in the ring for the nine council seats up for grabs. Under election rules, that means all the candidates went through without contest.A similar situation occurred further west in Cobar Shire. Mr Lewis, who had been a councillor since the shire was established in 2004 but missed out in the 2021 local government elections, said it shows a disillusionment in his community. "What I came up against, and didn't even start to campaign, was 'what's the point, they don't take any notice of one anyway," he said. Fellow councillor, Coonabarabran's Zoe Holcombe, said she was unsure why the shire didn't field the numbers this election year.The Warrumbungle Shire Council office in Coonabarabran. PHOTO: Warrumbungle Shire Council"Maybe just people are busy and don't have the time for it. I mean, all of us have full-time jobs so that's a pretty poor excuse really," she said."You don't go in it to get paid, the pay is terrible. So if you think you're going to earn a lot of money, that's not true- and you shouldn't be doing the job if you're thinking of the money. "Maybe people this time have thought, 'well, the ones that are there are doing a good job, maybe I don't need to have a go. "Or you can look at it another way and say 'well, maybe local government isn't easy and what's the point in going on. You don't achieve anything.' But I think it's the first one."  Nominations for local council elections closed at 12pm on 14 August, although the NSW Electoral Commission's online candidate list may not immediately display everyone who put in their election forms on time. For example, the Coonamble Shire list updated with at least one more candidate on 15 August.  Voters will go to the polls on 14 September.  Cobar Shire also won't have a contest, where 12 candidates put their hand up for 12 seats. Incoming first-time Cobar councillor Michael Haines said he would have preferred to be elected.   "Yeah, well, it saves money anyway," he laughed. "There's not much you can do, is there? You can't force people. "If they don't want to do it, they don't want to do it." Asked why he thought Cobar didn't meet the numbers for a contest, he said there's "a lot of people in this town that want things done but aren't prepared to do anything about it." "A lot of people winge, and carry on, and have their say and everything like that, but aren't prepared to step up," the more than 40-year local said. "And there's a lot of fly-in-fly-outers here too, so the population is transient." Among the councillors re-elected unopposed is current mayor Jarrod Marsden and deputy mayor Michael Prince. The members of Cobar's next council may have walked in without a fight, although Michael Haines said they are still there to better the town. "They put their hand up and said 'I'm prepared to have a go.' So I think they'll do just as good a job as if they were elected."

Telstra and Optus have pushed back the closure of their 3G networks to 28 October to make "one last" public awareness push before they pull the plug. In a joint release on Wednesday 14 August, the telcos said they will invest in a "public safety campaign" to ensure Australians still depending on the older network to know how to switch to 4G and 5G. The telcos say the closure is necessary to free spectrum for the newer networks, which are faster than 3G.“We have been communicating to customers about the need to prepare and make the move for almost five years. This has included multiple letters, bill messages, SMS, public awareness campaigns, advertising – even door knocking and sending free phones to people in vulnerable circumstances, and our support for customers won’t end the day the network closes,” Telstra CEO Vicki Brady said. Telstra had already extended its shutdown date from 31 June this year to 31 August, while Optus had planned to began its shutdown from September. Telstra and Optus customers can check where their respective coverage maps online to see if their area should be covered under the 3G, 4G and 5G networks. Telstra customers can also text '3'to '3498' to check if their phone is 4G-compatible.Warren, like many Western Plains shire centres, is covered by 4G and 5G. PHOTO: River McCrossenWarren Motor Inn manager Gwyn Davis said his business is already prepared for the end of 3G, although he's concerned that guests may not be. "We always have a lot of problems with people getting reception for booking accommodation," Gwyn said, also a member of the local Chamber of Commerce. "I'm a bit sceptical that it's going to be a bit of a problem for when the 4G actually comes in." The Warren township is currently covered by Telstra and Optus according to their coverage maps. Gwyn said the deadline should be pushed further than October, although he did not give a precise date. "I would like to see it extended as long as people have the opportunity for their sets to actually be replaced at no charge, irrespective of their income," he said. National Farmers Federation President David Jochinke welcomed the move, although he warned people not to leave the switch to the last minute. “This is not the time to take a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. I urge people to check their devices urgently and make sure they are compatible with the 4G and 5G networks,” Mr Jochinke said.“If you don’t know whether your device runs on the 3G network, you must contact the manufacturer to find out. Make sure this is on the top of your priority list.“We can’t keep prolonging the inevitable. Let’s use this time wisely and then start focusing on how we move forward and address the systemic issues facing rural connectivity.”The delay announcement comes after telco representatives fronting a federal parliamentary hearing in July faced concerns the 4G and 5G footprints won't match the current 3G service area. READ MORE: Telstra front inquiry ahead of 3G closure

The Walgett Charity Bushmens Carnival is the latest Western Plains rider event to fall to this year's usual rains after its committee was forced to cancel the rodeo this morning. The Walgett Showground has been washed out, with so far almost 30 millimeters of rainfall in the town this week. The committee had earlier ruled out camp draft events at the carnival due to wet weather barring access to cattle donor properties.Committee secretary Jordy Fenwicke confirmed the decision this morning to the Western Plains App. "The rodeo arena itself is actually laying water. It has a pool of water in the corner," Ms Fenwicke said. "And then the grounds itself, where we set up our bar and all our grandstands, are very spongey underfoot. "It's just probably not going to be safe and we'll probably make too much of a mess trying get all the relevant gear in there to run the show."The action from the 2023 carnival. PHOTO: Coverdale Media Around 300-350 riders had been expected to jostle for an over $10,000 prize pool across the rodeo and campdraft from 16-18 August, with the annual show averaging roughly 1000-1500 spectators post-COVID. It's not the only rodeo and camp draft rocked by poor weather this year. Coonamble was forced to postpone its flagship camp draft event over the June long weekend after rains barred access to cattle properties, although it was still able to hold its annual rodeo.Their campdraft is now planned for 6-8 September. Ms Fenwicke said it wasn't possible to postpone the Walgett carnival. "We've looked at other dates, but with where we live obviously the further we get through October the closer we get to harvest, and it's just too hard for our volunteers to help out because they're just too busy," she said. "We'll clash with too many other local events in the next few weeks if we do try to postpone, so we have to cancel. We'll run again next year. "We did try make this decision as soon as possible because people normally start to roll in today and tomorrow." She said 2023 Toyota Star Maker Grand Finalist Robbie Mortimer, who was to set to play at the showground on Saturday, will still take the stage next year.

Walgett Shire spent $749,000 on its general manager role in the 2022-23 financial year, topping the list of high-paid council executives from new data released on 9 August by the NSW Office of Local Government (OLGNSW). Walgett Shire Council said the actual package for the top job held by Megan Dixon is $330,000, although the sum in the report is inflated due to a termination payment to previous GM Michael Urquhart, who left in March 2023. “The figure released by OGLNSW over-represented the actual remuneration received by individual CEOs because where a general manager resigns or is terminated from their employment, the data will typically include employment costs associated with the outgoing general manager such as entitlements owing, any applicable termination payments and Fringe benefits Tax,” Walgett mayor Jasen Ramien said.“When Michael Urqhuart left the organisation, he was paid out 38 weeks salary, Annual and Long Service leave as part of his termination,” “The actual package for the General Manager is $330,000k.”Source: NSW Office of Local Government  Local councils report their performance and expenditure each year to the each year to OLGNSW, which collates and publishes the figures on its website. Those figures include spending on water, infrastructure and asset maintenance as well as mayoral and councillor fees. Cr Ramien said the General Manager position is the only role within Council that is appointed by and reports to the elected councillors. “Councils are large and complex organisations that manage millions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure, services, and staff, and their salary reflects their level of accountability.” “For example, all legal liability sits with the General Manager. If the Shire gets called before a court, or an inquiry, it is the General Manager alone who is held accountable, not the Councillors. “The salary package for General Managers is based on the responsibilities that go hand in hand with being the head of an organisation that oversees millions of dollars in operations. “For the sake of transparency, the salaries of the General Manager and other executive staff members are published as part of the Annual Report. It is publicly available information.”

Coonabarabran High School got a shoutout in Sydney last week when its long-running Ag Skills Day was awarded at the Public Education Awards.The program, aimed at giving students hands-on agricultural learning, received a Secretary’s Award for an Outstanding School Initiative at Town Hall.The award recognises NSW public school programs and events showing commitment to teaching, learning, leadership and supporting students.“Ag Skills has been running at Coonabarabran High School for 33 years and provides opportunities for students and presenters to share ideas and provides a hands-on learning environment targeted at giving real life application to the learning experience,” the school's relieving principal Duncan Graham said.“Its success stems from the fact that it has continuously evolved to ensure that it best meets the needs of students.”The day sees students attend up to ten 30-minute workshops for fields including mud brick laying, shearing, grafting fruit trees, animal husbandry and journalism, delivered by experts.High school students get hands-on at an Ag Skills Day. PHOTO: Department of EducationIt began as a venture between the school and the local Rotary Club to address gaps between school agricultural programs and skills needed in agriculture industries.The awards, formerly the NSW Minister’s and Secretary’s Awards for Excellence, were held during Public Education Week from 5-9 August.Up to 20 schools can receive the school initiative award each year, selected by a panel including representatives from the NSW Department of Education, the Public Education Foundation and others from the education sector.Schools can make up to two nominations per year and have to demonstrate their measurable long-term benefits to students.“The Public Education Awards are an important opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the amazing work of our teachers, school communities and other staff who each day work together to bring out the best in our students,” Minister for Education Prue Car said.“This annual celebration also recognises the academic, cultural, sporting and leadership excellence of our students, as we share in their personal stories and performances.”

Queensland Fruit Flies have been found in Broken Hill, and the challenge for travellers is to not bring the destructive pest back into the Western Plains.Dr Salman Quddus from Local Land Services said the fact that the fruit fly is not currently found in our region is no reason to be complacent.“At the moment, the big issue with fruit flies is in the Broken Hill area towards the Menindee side,” Dr Quddus said.The Queensland Fruit Fly (Bactrocera tryoni) is a significant pest in horticultural regions, including far western NSW.It can cause substantial damage to a wide range of fruit and vegetable crops, leading to economic losses for growers.Even hobby gardeners are at risk, Dr Quddus said.“There is a potential problem for other areas that comes from people who have one or two fruit trees in their back yard in places such as Broken Hill,” he said.“If no one is monitoring the tree, and don’t see the pest they are unlikely to break the life cycle of the fruit fly, and it will just keep going.”Dr Quddus (Image credit: Charles Darwin University)Because of this, Dr Quddus advised against bringing home-grown fruit from Broken Hill, or any other infected area, back to local regions.“It’s really not a good idea,” he said. “Fruit from supermarkets has all the precautions taken before it's sold and shouldn’t have issues with fruit flies, but if you carry fruit from someone’s backyard, that has the potential to harbour fruit fly and transfer them to another area.”The LLS advise that effective management of fruit fly is crucial year-round, including during winter, when the flies are less active but still present.While the winter months may seem like a quiet period for QFF management, they are crucial for laying the groundwork for effective control.The LLS suggests some key strategies for managing Queensland Fruit Fly during the winter months in Western NSW. These include monitoring and trapping, having good hygiene and sanitation, looking after pruning and tree maintenance, having community cooperation and preparing your garden for spring.Dr Quddus said LLS was planning a series of awareness workshops with dates and locations still to be announced. He also said there were plans to establish at least three trapping sites in Broken Hill to get data on the pest’s activities.The bottom line is by maintaining vigilance, practicing good orchard hygiene, and preparing for the upcoming growing season, growers in Western NSW can better protect their crops and reduce the impact of this pest.And if you pick some delicious fruit from a backyard tree in the Broken Hill or far west area, please inspect carefully and eat it before you leave town! 

The Barwon Darling Rugby League competition will look to boost its junior ranks under a $500,000 injection from the state government into community footy in western NSW.The money will help cover costs like registration, insurance, club transport and referee travel, and will be split with the tournament Outback Rugby League competitionThe Barwon Darling 2024 season just finished on August 4 this year and includes clubs from Bourke, Brewarrina, Walgett and Lightning Ridge.Competition Secretary Jack Ramage said the funding will help expand the local game at the junior level."We do have quiet a lot of grades, but it will help us ensure that we can keep facilitating as many gala days as possible for the kids aged five to 12, and also allow them to participate in mid-week footy competitions in Bourke and Brewarrina."And we're trying obviously help get volunteers on the ground in those communities and upskill them so they can have ownership of the development of their juniors."The funding was announced at the Outback Challenge games at Lightning Ridge on August 10.The NSW government said the funding will also cover "community development programs" and relieve cost-living-pressures on participating in rugby league.“Sport plays many roles in making that real. Targeted funding like this makes a big difference," Minister for Western NSW Tara Moriarty said.“Getting juniors and referees out to games across long distances is critical to keeping rugby league going and people playing. The Far West deserves this support.”

With the nomination deadline for local council elections less than 24 hours away, it appears that most Western Plains councils don't yet have the candidates to hold an election.  But that's no cause for alarm according to Warren deputy mayor Sarah Derrett, whose shire at the time of writing - around 5pm on 13 August - has six of the 12 candidates needed to fill all council seats across the shire's four wards. "I think definitely we'll get enough," she said. "This did happen last time where there was a bit of talk at the last minute, thinking that there wasn't going to be enough, and then we ended up having an election in three of the four wards. So we had more than enough in the end." While candidates appear on the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) website once they register online, Cr Derrett said she knows people nominating using paper forms, meaning the site might not immediately show how many people are actually running. "You sign up online or through a paper-based version, which might take a little bit longer to go through," she said. "I think that might be the reason that there's a bit of a lag between filling in the nomination and going through to the website."Walgett almost has the numbers fielded for a full council. PHOTO: River McCrossen Nominations close at 12noon on 14 August.It was a similar response from Walgett Shire Council, which at the time of writing has candidates running for eight of its nine seats. A spokesperson for Walgett Shire said the council was not worried about community participation. "Walgett Shire Council (WSC) will vote for nine councillors on September 14 and we are anticipating that we will have enough candidates," the spokesperson said. "WSC has never had a problem with public participation and this year is no different. We have a very committed and engaged community and there is a healthy mix of old and new candidates. "Council has supported the local government elections through proactive means such as media releases, council columns with important dates, and social media posts." So far according to the NSWEC website, Narromine has reached nine out of nine candidates needed for a full council. Bourke has nine of ten, Bogan eight of nine, Cobar nine of 12. Gilgandra sits at five of nine, Coonamble four of nine. In Brewarrina Shire, where six of nine council seat are currently contested, Goodooga-based councillor Tommy Stanton said it's been a struggle finding residents to run, although he believes they will still have the numbers for a full council.IMAGE: Wikimedia "I've been a councillor for ten years now and when I first run there was 16, 18 that nominated," Cr Stanton said. "We struggled last elections. I think there was ten candidates. "There's people that are just not interested. To be honest, I don't know what it is." The NSWEC told the Western Plains App that if local government areas don't field candidates for all positions by deadline, unfilled positions will go to a by-election. "If, by 12 noon, nomination day, only the required number of candidates (or less) have been duly nominated for Mayor or for Councillor for a council area or a ward, those candidates will be declared elected unopposed," a NSWEC spokesperson said. "Where less than the required number of candidates are nominated by 12noon, nomination day, a byelection will be held at a later date to fill any vacancy."Visit our Local Government Elections button for more information and handy links. 

Coonabarabran and Coolah will host their very own street festivals after Warrumbungle Council received $150,000 under the NSW government's Open Streets Program.Coona's Dalgarno Street is set to boom with music come the Bloomin' Birds SpringFest on September 21, while the Christmas Carnival and Parade will run throughout Coolah on December 7.Warrumbungle Mayor Ambrose Doolan said streets will close to traffic and transform into "vibrant community hubs.""This grant will allow us to host two vibrant community street festival events, transforming our towns into lively hubs that celebrate the region's natural wonders and community spirit," Warrumbungle Mayor, Ambrose Doolan said."We are excited to collaborate with local businesses, artists, music groups, community groups, and residents to develop a program for each festival that reflects the unique character of Coonabarabran and Coolah."The festivals offer free entry as a condition of the grant, aimed at making local streets and centres more vibrant.Coona's Imperial Hotel in the corner of John and Dalgarno streets. IMAGE: Destination NSWCoonabarabran's Clock Tower Motor Inn co-owner Guy Andrews welcomed the potential visitor influx from the festivals."It'd be a good idea," he said."It should be alright if they get a few people in town."Warrumbungle was approved for the maximum funding amount on 14 June 2024.The same month, Gilgandra Shire was allocated $125,000 for its 'Under the Gums + Goin' to Gil Weekend,' Lachlan Shire $93,000 for 'Condo Comes Alive.'Coonamble and Bourke Shire Councils have also been approved for events.John Graham, the NSW Minister for Roads, Arts, Music and the Night-Time Economy, Jobs and Tourism, said the grants help celebrate "the unique personality of each town."“Too often our main streets are something we drive through, rather than drive to. Our streets are a critical part of our public and social infrastructure," he said."Great streets make great towns and centres and reflect the local community and culture."

Not filling out the ballot paper can be a deliberate act, even a political statement.But Coonamble adult literacy teacher Gail Turnbull says there might be another reason the paper comes back blank- the voter couldn't read it."Just turning up to a polling booth is very daunting, let alone knowing how to fill it out," she said.It's unknown how many invalid votes are due to low literary, although the Literacy For Life Foundation says at least 40 per cent of Aboriginal adults have low literacy.A UNSW household survey of 1177 Indigenous Australians who self-reported their literacy levels, published in 2021, also found 68 per cent of them had "low or very low" literacy.Three per cent reported no literacy at all.Literacy for Life Executive Director Jack Beetson. PHOTO: James WhiteStudies for literacy levels in Australia over the last 20 years may use different methodologies and definitions, so it is difficult to find comparable statistics between Indigenous and non-Indigenous adults.However, levels are generally considered lower among Indigenous people.Literacy for Life Executive Director Jack Beetson, originally from Nyngan and Brewarrina, said low literacy is blocking people from taking part in the election process."It prevents people from enrolling because they can't fill out the form, they can't read the form. When you have very low literacy, like many in our (Indigenous) community do, you will also have very low comprehension of ideas and how important it might be to vote. So, literacy cuts into pretty much everything," Mr Beetson said.Voters can ask for help from election officials at the polling booth, although Mr Beetson said embarrassment may get in the way."If they even are brave enough to go in just so they avoid a fine, they quite often won't ask anyone to help because they're embarrassed at not being able to read and write," he said.Mr Beetson spoke to the Western Plains App as NSW prepares for local government elections on September 14Voting is compulsory for everyone on the electoral roll, with a $55 fine for failing to vote.In the 2021 NSW local government elections, almost 85 per cent of about 4,860,000 eligible voters took part, with 5.5 per cent of votes recorded as invalid, or 'informal.'"Any elector who needs help casting their vote can take a friend or relative with them, or can seek assistance from an election official at a polling place," a NSW Electoral Commission spokesperson said."Election officials can help mark ballot papers if requested, or put completed ballot papers into the ballot box."We provide an easy read guide and explainer animations to guide people through the process of voting both in person and postal voting."The spokesperson said telephone-assisted voting is available to blind or vision-impaired people, although they confirmed it can't be used by people with low literacy.Gail said how-to-vote sessions and more Indigenous people manning polling booths could encourage low-literacy people to ask for help at the booth and fill out the ballot.Mr Beetson also said a fine exception for Indigenous people may also increase participation."For a lot of people, I know that their biggest fear is forgetting about it and getting fined, and when you've got people with a very small amount of disposable income that actually becomes the other consideration."So, it might be in order to get Aboriginal people to want to vote is to remove that threat of 'if you forget, you're going to get a fine.'"You've got to take all this stuff into context with some of the ailments some of our communities are suffering. In places like Wilcannia, the average life expectancy of an Aboriginal man is 38."Those things could prevent them from coming and voting."

CULTURAL WARNING: Indigenous readers are advised this article contains the name of a people who has died. A coronial inquest has found police in Bourke should have done more in the 2019 search for missing man Dion Moore. A family member had reported the 29-year-old missing on Saturday morning January 6. Mr Moore and his nephew had been driving from Dubbo to Bourke the day before when their vehicle ran out of petrol, leaving it on the side of the highway and separating. The nephew headed towards Bourke, Mr Moore to a remote property bordering the road. Mr Moore was found dead on January 7. Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame found that his death occurred on January 5 or 6 and was linked to drug toxicity, dehydration and heat. In her findings, read at Bourke Local Court on August 6, 2024, Magistrate Grahame said Mr Moore had been described as a "happy-go-lucky boy, always up for a good time, a laugh and a joke." "Dion’s mother, Jennifer told the court that Dion was adored by his brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and all of their extended family," Magistrate Grahame said. "Jennifer told the court that Dion was the third of her children to die too young and the traumatic circumstances of his death meant that family were never able to hold him or say goodbye. Her pain was palpable in the court room." Magistrate Grahame said police had made a "number of poor decisions" after the missing persons report. She accepted police had made a "continuous response" to locate Mr Moore, including attempting to locate to witnesses, a drone search and consulting search and rescue experts. However, she said police should have begun a coordinated land search a day earlier as advised by one of the experts. She also found police also partially based the decision not to begin a search on "erroneous" information that Mr Moore had "bush survival skills." "This assumption was apparently based on a past attempt by Dion to evade police in January 2018. Police in Bourke took into account erroneous information that Dion had spent three days in the bush on this occasion. "Police in Bourke took into account erroneous information that Dion had spent three days in the bush on this occasion. In reality, Dion had only spent 20 hours in the bush and was treated for dehydration in hospital after being found. "This should have been clear from NSWPF’s own records," she said. Magistrate Grahame also found "no evidence" that police encouraged assistance from landowners of the property Mr Moore was found on. "(They) knew the property where Dion might have been better than anyone. They also had vehicles available to search and in the course of their work needed to move around the property frequently. "In my view they should have been encouraged to assist a fellow citizen who may have been in serious trouble on their land at the earliest opportunity." Command and culture changes recommended Magistrate Grahame made two recommendations to the NSW Police Force Commissioner. One was "additional cultural awareness training" for police in the Bourke, with the facts of the inquest considered as a case study. The other was a shift change in who makes the calls on search and rescue operations. NSW Police have specialists trained in search and rescue, although under its command structure it is the 'Duty Officer' attached to a police command who has overall authority on responses to situations. That includes whether and when to begin search operations. In Mr Moore's case, the court found the officer in charge decided against a larger-scale search involving SES personnel, despite advice from a specialist. "Some of the factors recorded as C/Insp Weyland’s reasons for not accepting the advice of Sgt Hood to escalate the search on the morning of January 6, 2019 included factors that were either irrelevant or given too much weight. "For example it is difficult to know what weight was given to the recorded fact that Dion was 'a violent criminal', that he had 'bush skills' and that he had people willing 'to harbour him'. These factors may have been weighed differently by an officer whose sole focus was on LANDSAR (land search and rescue) criteria. "In the context of missing persons who may also be wanted by police or are attempting to evade police, families and communities may also feel more comfortable to provide information if the response to a missing person report is managed by an accredited SAR (search and rescue) Officer rather than by local officers tasked also with criminal investigations."  A NSW Police spokesperson said the force will consider the report recommendations. "The NSW Police Force notes the findings of the State Coroner in relation to the death of Dion Moore in January 2019. "A comprehensive review of the findings will be undertaken and all recommendations that are directed to police will be considered."

Restrictions on flood plain harvesting, minimum flow rules and dam releases are needed to preserve water flows in the Barwon-Darling.Those are some of the suggestions in a final report released by a Connectivity Expert Panel to maintain water flows in the Barwon-Darling River system.The Connectivity Expert Panel, chaired by Amy Dula from the Natural Resources Commission, was convened in August 2023 by Minister for Water Rose Jackson.The panel was given a broad terms of reference to provide advice on topics including water sharing plans, flood plain harvesting and triggers for dry time rules in the Barwon-Darling, which flows down from Mungindi in Queensland through Western Plains towns Collarenebri, Walgett, Brewarrina and Bourke before heading south-west to the Menindee Lakes.It is used for town and stock water supplies as well as irrigation, and hosts native fish including Murray cod and golden perch.The report states that current management of the Northern Murray-Darling Basin, which includes the Barwon-Darling River, is unhealthy for the system."Small and medium sized flow events have been impacted due to extraction for irrigation and capture by dams. These changes to the hydrology of the system are having a significant effect on connectivity, ecosystem resilience and environmental, social and cultural outcomes," the report said."The system is currently being operated in a way that runs it dry and then restarts it much more frequently than would have historically occurred."This is highly inefficient as the riverbed acts like a sponge; the drier it gets the more water it takes to get flows downstream as the riverbed soaks up flows, and the pools and weirs must be filled along the way."This has negative impacts on the ecosystem and communities downstream, particularly the Aboriginal communities who place a high cultural value on flowing rivers."The Murray-Darling River System. SOURCE: Murray-Darling Basin Authority The report recommends minimum daily flows at the end of water systems to reach 'base flow' targets in the Barwon-Darling.Base flows are continuous low-lying flows in a river which support and life cycle of water-dependent plants and animals during dryer months.The report proposes triggers for dry time restrictions when flows dip beyond baseflows for 90 days at different locations throughout the system.It also says there are "considerable limitations" of evidence to asses connectivity issues, including data on floodplain harvesting.Balanced use required - ButlerState MP for Barwon, Roy Butler is wary of making decisions around flow targets."You don't keep adding ingredients to a dish without tasting what the impact of the previous ingredients are, and it's the same with water," he said."I just want to make sure we understand what the implication of what we've already done is because I don't think anyone has a really firm grasp on that."We've got to strike a balance where we can have economic activity and we can have a healthy river as well."Member for Barwon Roy Butler. PHOTO: Facebook/ Roy Butler MPFor it's part, the report says policy can still be made without "perfect information.""These are merely limitations; they do not mean that suitable action cannot be taken using a precautionary approach based on the best information available to us now. This will in turn require that rules are adaptively managed as better information and improved modelling become available," it said.The 120-page report drew criticism from the NSW Irrigators’ Council (NSWIC) over recommendations to restrict floodplain harvesting.Floodplain harvesting is when the water that flows across the floodplains during a flood is collected and used later.“On the basis of little more than it ‘feels right’, the panel wants the Government to restrict the ability of farmers and communities in the Border Rivers, Gwydir and Namoi valleys to divert water in times of plenty to tide them through dry times," NSWIC CEO Claire Miller said.Conservation Council backs recommendationsNature Conservation Council of New South Wales water campaigner Mel Gray said the government should implement the recommendations in full."Failing to implement these recommendations would sacrifice dozens of towns and local economies along the river from Bourke to Wentworth, just to maintain the inflated profits of a few industrial cotton operations upstream," she said.While the report has a summary, Mr Butler said there should be "plain English" explanations of it publicly available."What's really important is - and I don't say this to be negative - plain English explanations of what we're talking about," he said."This report - the length and complexity of it - unfortunately there's a lot of people that'll look at that and go 'just don't have time to try dive in.'"

A locally bred budgerigar has flown off with a prestigious award in the hotly contested field of budgie showing at the Australian national championships.Robyn Cosgrove, resident of the small village of Bugaldie, admits she is feeling pretty chirpy after her male budgerigar ‘Tassie’, took out the first prize in the Spangle AOSV (All Other Standard Varieties) at the Australian National Budgerigar Council’s (ANBC) Championship Show held in Launceston, Tasmania on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 May. Robyn’s entry was one of many elite budgerigars to be boxed and sent to the apple isle to compete against 600 entries flown in from throughout Australia in what breeders consider to be their national logies. “My bucket list is complete; I only ever wanted to get a bird to the nationals, not win it, but I am overjoyed that Tassie won his section,” Robyn said. “All the money that we've outlaid in feed, supplies and veterinary items has all been worth it. If I never win anything else, I've got it, I've made it!” Robyn says her hobby started by accident and now she and her husband Bob currently own more than 300 birds.“When we bought our first budgie back in 1996, I thought there was something wrong with it because it had this big feathered head,” she explained. “We took the bird back to the breeder to find it was actually the smallest headed bird, all his other birds had magnificent heads and feathers.  "We then realised that it was a show budgie, quite different from the usual little bush budgerigar.  That's where it started; I bought a pair from the breeder and a breeding cabinet. It went from there to an addiction!”Tassie impressed the judges to win the Australian National Budgerigar Championships in his Spangle AOSV class. IMAGE SUPPLIED.It has taken Robyn almost thirty years of selective breeding to win at the nationals.  Preparing budgerigars for showing is serious business for those vying for a place on the state team to compete in the nationals. Robyn says it is not just a case of the fluffiest head, the brightest colours and the best markings, a prize-winning budgie cannot be a champion unless it presents properly.  Showy“You almost have to train them to perch correctly in their show box,” she says. “It has to stand nicely and present as a showy bird. The judge looks to make sure it has all its tail and wing feathers and all its toenails. If it has lost a toenail, it is disqualified, the competition rules are tough.“When I am preparing for competition, I put my show birds in their presentation boxes for half an hour every third day to start with so that I can see the ones that will not sit up on the perch. "I've had a couple that really don't like the box and they sit on the floor; they will never be show birds but used for breeding. "As it gets closer to the judging date, I put the birds into a different box for an hour a day; sometimes I spend three or four hours a day doing this. Many people think you pluck them out of the aviary, put them in a box and that's it!”The ANBC says trends in what constitutes a prize-winning bird have changed over the years from birds that more closely resembled the wild budgie of the thirties to a bird with a dramatic feathered crown in 2023. Tassie is certainly no ordinary Australian bush budgerigar; he is a popular mutation of the Spangle variety known for their unique eye-catching patterns. They are distinguishable by a clear yellow or white tail. The specific Spangle variants are characterized by retaining full black spots, unbroken violet or grey cheek patches, and strong, uniform body colour. Initially, fanciers had used the term ‘spangley’ to describe the birds.Kathy Manton, judge and publicity officer for the Budgerigar Society of NSW says that judges look for overall outline, condition and deportment, including size, which accounts for 60 points out of 100.“The remaining 40 points, in the case of a Spangle, are shared between colour and markings,” Ms Manton said.  “Robyn’s bird is a combination bird, that is, it’s a Spangle and an Opaline, a combination of two varieties.Standard“We judge to a written ‘standard’ and all judges are required to learn and understand it and the features of all the budgerigar varieties. The top three birds selected in each variety from each State and Zone, are judged a week later at the National show.“Robyn’s bird showed well. Opaline light green, a big, long strong bird with a lovely top end and a nice face with good directional feather and mask. “How exciting this win is for Robyn and when her bird looked his very best on the day when it really mattered!”Bob and Robyn Cosgrove are delighted with their winning trophy. Following the win at the nationals, Robyn was offered $3,000 for Tassie, which she turned down. “I knocked back the money for him because selling him was never my aim,” she added. “My satisfaction will be seeing his progeny on the show bench.  I get more of a kick out of that than getting money for them; it's a passion.Tassie went on to win another championship trophy in his class in June at the New England Budgerigar Club Show. "I just wanted to give him one last normal showing and also a lot of people like to see why the birds won at the Nationals. "Craig Buckingham, one of the judges in Tasmania, told me that Tassie had lost weight but he was still a beautiful bird. There were 150 competing in Tamworth and he still got champion young bird. “Now Tassie has gone into a happy retirement and I am happy that he is already breeding.  He has sisters, brothers, cousins, nieces and nephews, so his progeny lines are established for the future.  He is such a beautiful bird; I think I am very lucky.”