THIS week I shall be accompanying the Regional Assistance Advisory Committee on a tour of the Coonamble, Pilliga, Moree and Cobar regions to meet with landholders devastated by the current drought.
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A RAAC sub-committee will hold meetings in these communities to discuss with local landholders how the ongoing dry conditions are affecting their farming operations and to assess on-ground conditions.
These meetings will give farmers a perfect opportunity to outline to the committee how the drought is affecting their operations and I encourage everyone affected in these communities to attend.
Following the tour the committee will report back to the NSW Government on the current situation and advise of any additional support measures that may be required in the area.
Meetings will be held today in Cobar and Nyngan, tomorrow at The Marra, Coonamble and Pilliga, Wednesday in Spring Plains and Moree and on Thursday in Boggabri and Bugaldie.
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WITH heatwaves and droughts currently ravaging parts of Barwon, we may not quite feel like the ‘Lucky Country’ at the moment, but come Sunday we can all give thanks for the wonderful country in which we live.
Liberties such as voting, having access to healthcare, education and even fresh water should never be taken for granted when you look at the conditions in some of our neighbouring nations.
We are extremely fortunate to live in such a wonderful part of Australia, surrounded by beautiful countryside, rich productive soils and communities full of spirit and camaraderie.
We welcome newcomers to our region with open arms while recognising and celebrating the traditional owners of our fine land.
Living in the country is a true blessing and come this Australia Day, when I will be playing cricket in Narrabri, there will honestly be nowhere else I would rather be.
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JUST a reminder to tourism operators throughout the region that there is still time to apply for a share of the $2.25 million available through the NSW Government’s Regional Visitor Economy Fund.
Deadlines for applications close on Friday, 31 January 2014.
The Regional Visitor Economy Fund provides funding for the regional tourism operators to grow their business, which in turn boosts the local visitor economy through the injection of visitor expenditure, and of course creates and sustains tourism-related jobs.
This funding provides a great opportunity for Barwon tourism providers to access funding that will help them to develop and promote their tourism products to visitors both in Australia and overseas.
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To the late Eileen Palmer who passed away this month at her home in Windmill Cottage, Gilgandra.
Eileen was Gilgandra’s oldest resident, at 106, and from all accounts was an absolute delight.
It was a pleasure to hear of her life story in the Curban and Gilgandra communities and she has certainly left a wonderful legacy.
Thoughts are with her daughter June son-in-law Doug Tait and family.