Month: July 2026

Jul
03
2026
By Newsroom

Letter to the Editor

Letters To The Editor
Sir, No doubt there were many who, like me, questioned who authorised the two blank pages of the centerspread in issue 38 of the NEWS, naturally assuming it would have been the General Manager. On one hand we have  the General Manager proclaiming the need for transparency regarding Council matters and, on the other, saying nothing of Council’s decision to cease advice to ratepayers in the NEWS. What right does any Council employee, have to impose personal views, opinions, dictates or theories upon the very people who elected the Council? Freedom of speech is a basic tenet to which we…
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Jul
03
2026
By Newsroom
STUDENTS FROM THE BIG LIFT VOLUNTEER IN DEEPWATER

STUDENTS FROM THE BIG LIFT VOLUNTEER IN DEEPWATER

Local News, Rural
On its 16th Winter Trip, The Big Lift from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is setting itself across regional New South Wales and Queensland on a mission to share its volunteering movement across the country. Founded on the philosophy of ‘Paying it Forward’, The Big Lift is a student-run volunteer organisation that takes eighty students on a nine-day bus trip through regional Australia to complete various volunteering projects. These include painting, gardening, cleaning and simple construction and maintenance tasks. With a focus on community engagement, The Big Lift works closely with towns to provide help where it is needed…
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Jul
01
2026
By Annette Bain
One Australian Ambassador’s story – from Ben Lomond to Riyadh

One Australian Ambassador’s story – from Ben Lomond to Riyadh

Local News
When Ben Lomond farmer and Australian Ambassador Mark Donovan represented Australia in the Middle East, he made a point of wearing his Akubra hat. "It helped me represent rural and regional Australia," he said. Mark served as Australia's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2021 to 2025, with non-resident accreditation to Bahrain, Oman and Yemen. More recently, during the 2026 Iran War, he was recalled to diplomatic service as Chargé d'Affaires at the Australian Embassy in Kuwait, temporarily relieving the Ambassador. Despite spending years working in one of the world's most strategically important regions, Mark remains firmly connected…
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