Central West Village Voice - Issue #045

VILLA

Gorgeous villa with internal garage plus separate internal laundry. Features include high ceilings, living flame gas fire and a large rear garden.

The large lounge/dining room and master bedroom enjoy stunning views of the surrounding undulating hills with a lovely private courtyard area. The master bedroom also boasts an ensuite bathroom plus an entire wall of built-in wardrobes.

$629,000

This villa is something to behold. With 2 gorgeous bedrooms, each with private bathroom and the best in modern fixtures and fittings. The master bedroom is furnished with walk-in robes and has a private ensuite.

The single garage gives you direct access to the home which makes access a breeze. It has a natural living flame gas fire in the living area and zoned heating and air conditioning throughout.

$579,000 2211 VILLA

A refurbished freestanding villa with a private courtyard and attached garage, it boasts three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a spacious living area and newly designed modern open kitchen. Reverse cycle air conditioning and flued gas heating are included.

You will love the private courtyard that is perfect for that mid-morning, relaxing coffee.

$569,000 2211 VILLA

The Megalong-style villa packs a huge range of features into its cleverly designed layout with the very best in modern fixtures and fittings. It boasts 2 large bedrooms, the master with walk-in robes and private ensuite. The second bathroom is perfect for guests. The single garage has easy access directly into the home, which has a living flame gas fire in the living area and zoned heating and air conditioning throughout.

$639,000

This stunning home has the best of open-plan living areas. Each bedroom has its own ensuite, essentially creating two separate private wings. The master bedroom has built-in wardrobes, and there is a cozy gas fire in the living area for those winter nights.

The kitchen is equipped with stone bench tops, dishwasher, oven and cooktop. The home has fully ducted and zoned air-conditioning throughout. The single garage is fitted with an automatic roller door.

NEW “KURRAJONG” VILLA

$579,000 221

This ingenious floor-plan offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an internal single garage. The master bedroom has walk-in wardrobes and its own ensuite. The second bedroom also has an ensuite, which creates two separate living quarters. The superb kitchen is equipped with stone benchtops, dishwasher, oven and cooktop.

The living room boasts a cosy living gas fire, and it has fully ducted and zoned heating and cooling throughout.

BOOKINGS CLOSING SOON FOR THE LITHGOW BUSINESS & LIFESTYLE EXPO

The Chamber is sending out a reminder this week to all Lithgow region businesses to secure their exhibition booth as bookings for the Lithgow Business & Lifestyle Expo will be closing soon on 31 March.

The Chamber says that all businesses who would like to expand their client and / or customer base should get on board for the nominal cost of $100 per exhibition booth.

The Expo is the activation event to launch a new website that the Chamber is releasing to the public in just over a week to attract new residents to come live, work and play in our Lithgow region. This new website called Escape to the High Country will be the major promotional asset of the Chamber’s ongoing campaign called Live. Work. Play to attract new residents and businesses into the region. The major drawcards in attracting new residents to the region will be affordable housing, proximity to Sydney Metro and the beauty of the natural environment.

Steve Ring, Vice-President of the Chamber and BLER Program Director said ‘The Lithgow region has lost many young residents and families since the region shifted from being a predominantly industrial and mining based community. Since the closure of several mines, workers and their families having been leaving the region. As a community we need to manage the economic transition affected by the increasing decline in the coal mining industry. As a result, we now need to attract new people to move into the region and encourage a diversified economy.’

‘To attract new residents into the community we want to offer them a number of work and lifestyle opportunities. There

are those new residents who can work hybrid roles between the Lithgow region and Sydney metro, there are those people who would like to source work within the Lithgow region and those who’d like to set up their own businesses. For each category of potential new resident, we need to show them the opportunities that are available to them’.

The major drawcard that the Chamber is using is the attraction of affordable housing opportunities, lifestyle options and proximity to Sydney metro for those people who will continue in hybrid jobs roles.’ said Mr Ring.

The Chamber is doing an extensive marketing campaign to attract people, initially as visitors, to the region, and the Expo will give them a taste of what the business and lifestyle opportunities are in Lithgow region.

Mr Ring said, ‘the Expo will act as a microcosm of the Lithgow region macrocosm, so we want to represent as many aspects of Lithgow business and lifestyle options that can be made available to potential new residents’.

‘As such, we’re calling out to all employers who require staff for their businesses to come forward and the Chamber may be able to add their details onto the Escape to the High Country website’.

For more details about the Expo, or if you’d like to include your business’s work opportunities on the new Escape to the High Country website email events@lithgow.org.au or call 0403 397 645

To book your Business & Lifestyle display visit the Chamber website – WWW.LITHGOW.ORG.AU

The Lithgow Regional Business and Lifestyle Expo 2023 is part of the Revive Regional Business in Lithgow project that has been funded under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund, co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments.

BRIGHT FUTURE FOR FUTURE WOMEN NSW RURAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Bathurst’s Baneen Alrubayi has been named as one of 24 recipients of the 2023 NSW Rural Scholarship Program.

The one-year scholarship program will begin with the finalists attending the Future Women Leadership Summit in Sydney on March 6 and 7, as part of the 2023 NSW Women’s Week celebrations.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said regional women like Baneen are the lifeblood of so many bush communities.

“Baneen has already gone above and beyond for our community, and this program will boost her leadership potential as she inspires the next generation of local leaders,” Mr Toole said.

Miss Alrubayi is a final year medical student and is passionate about regional health. She was the first Muslim School Captain of Cobram Secondary College. She hopes the Future Women program will expand her knowledge and experiences.

“It is an honour to be recognized and I look

forward to developing my leadership skills,” Miss Alrubayi said.

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the program is designed to connect driven and passionate women from all ages and backgrounds, and help them in developing leadership skills as they progress to the next stage of their career.

“I’m delighted to see the that the cohort participating in this program reflect both the creativity and diversity of women in rural, remote and regional NSW, while offering practical support and advice,” Mrs Taylor said.

Not only do the winners get access to the coveted Future Women Platinum+ Emerging Leaders Program, valued at over $6,000 each, but all 237 women who entered will also receive a complimentary oneyear Gold membership, which gives them access

To find out more, visit: https:// futurewomen.com/ruralwomens-scholarship/

to FW Advance, a year-long career development webinar series, and a 50 per cent discount to attend the Future Women Leadership Summit on 6-7 March.

Pre-retirement Planning

Retirement Planning

De ned Bene ts Super

Daniel Crump Financial Planning can help you:

• prepare for retirement

• manage your money so that you don’t run out

• legally manage your tax and maximise your age pension entitlements.

NO HIDDEN AGENDAS. We are not owned by any financial institutions or super funds who might want to bias our advice.

VERTO WELCOMES CRUCIAL SUPPORT FOR RENTERS

Local not-for-profit community services provider, VERTO, has welcomed the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s proposal to provide greater protection for renters, recognising the support as critical for thousands of NSW residents.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has proposed reforms that would see no-grounds eviction notices on periodic leases replaced with a reasonable grounds model, extended notice periods for end of fixed term leases, among a raft of other changes.

“As the local provider of the South Western Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy program, we are regularly hearing firsthand how people in Albury, Bathurst, Goulburn, Orange and Wagga Wagga are being significantly impacted by rising rents, decreasing vacancies and an increase in no-grounds evictions,” VERTO CEO Ron Maxwell said.

“No-grounds eviction notices, whereby a lease is terminated without reason, have been steadily on the rise across the South West since the COVID-19 pandemic. VERTO’s statistics reveal that end of fixed term and 90 day no grounds eviction notices have increased a whopping 158 per cent in Bathurst and 205 per cent in Orange since 2020.

“It is positive to see the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s are listening to calls from the community to make these necessary and important changes, because no one

should ever live in fear of homelessness.”

Other proposed reforms include:

• Extending notice periods for end of fixed term leases from 30 to 45 days

• Introduction of a new, optional standard lease agreement with three and five year terms

• Introduction of a rental bond rollover scheme

• Regulation of information collected and stored from tenants and applicants.

“Orange’s latest vacancy rates have dropped to 2.4 per cent, with Bathurst as low as 1.2 per cent,” Mr Maxwell said.

“When you have a situation where rents are rapidly rising, are increasingly difficult to retain and it’s incredibly difficult to find new housing, you unfortunately, have a perfect storm for many tenants,” Mr Maxwell said.

“Something has to change to level the playing field and cross-party support for ending no grounds evictions notices is imperative to improve security of renters across NSW.” VERTO's free, confidential South Western Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy program is run by professional and experienced counsellors trained to support people through difficult times. For more information or assistance, phone 1300 483 786 or visit www.verto.org.au.

Appointments are now available in Lithgow and Bathurst. To book please call 0418 148 622 or visit danielcrumpfp.com.au for more information.

D Crump & Co Pty Ltd t/as Daniel Crump Financial Planning (ABN 83 642 812 904) is an authorised representative of Catalpa Pty Ltd AFSL 530665 ABN 57 648 557 340

Lions Club of Mount Panorama is seeking additional stallholders for future market days.

First Saturday of each month at Lions Berry Park, Bathurst Come and be part of the markets.

Further Details

Email: macquarielions@gmail.com facebook.com/riversidemarketsbathurst

Share the Dignity is worried about meeting the demand of period products for their bi-annual Dignity Drive as the cost of living sees an increase in “The Working Poor”.

The rising cost of living has seen an influx of people reaching out to specialist homelessness services. It comes as the latest Australian Homelessness Monitor report suggests homeless services are providing more support to low-middle income earners who are struggling to make ends meet.

Share the Dignity’s Dignity Drives allow people to pay it forward and support women, girls and anyone with a period who is experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness, domestic violence or poverty. But as the cost-of-living increases, Share the Dignity has seen donations decrease.

Throughout March, Woolworths will donate 5 cents from the sale of every period product purchased to help fund Share the Dignity’s Dignity Vending Machines. Collection boxes have also been placed in all Woolworths supermarkets nationwide, where customers are able to place donated period products.

Share the Dignity Founder and Managing Director Rochelle Courtenay

said rising cost of living causes a ripple effect and as people close to her struggle to make ends meet, she also worries about the charities and people who rely on the period products Share the Dignity collects.

“A close friend of mine has two young children and reached out to me asking me to pick her up period supplies. Between medical bills for the kids, rent and everything in-between she didn’t have money spare to pick up period products when her period suddenly came,” Ms Courtenay said.

“It broke my heart but made me realise how many Australians are struggling right now.

“Share the Dignity works to ensure those escaping domestic violence or experiencing homelessness have equitable access to period products, but the number of people needing support is skyrocketing due to the current cost of living crisis.”

Since 2019, Woolworths donations have helped fund 107 of Share the Dignity’s Dignity Vending Machines, which dispense free packs of pads and tampons and are located in community centres, homeless hubs, charities, Aboriginal Medical Services, hospitals and other areas where there is a need

Central West Media has consolidated its two previous publications into the new Central West Village Voice, Covering the entire Lithgow and Bathurst region, and distributed fortnightly on Thursdays.

If you are looking for a way to grow your business, speak to one of our friendly team and they will design a marketing plan that suits your budget and gets results.

Central West Village Voice

Publisher Rich Evans on behalf of Central West Media Pty Ltd Emails: editor@villagevoice.net.au sales@villagevoice.net.au

Office Details

across Australia.

Woolworths Head of Community and Sponsorships, Sarah De La Mare said “We’d like to thank all of our customers who have donated to Dignity Drives over the years as their generous contribution has helped provide access to period care for many Australians. We hope this month’s Dignity Drive will continue to support those experiencing period poverty and help provide menstrual equity for all.”

Supporters can drop-off donations at all Woolworths stores and a number of nominated businesses nationwide throughout March, or donate via the Share the Dignity website.

Share the Dignity strongly believes those experiencing period poverty should be able to choose which period product they use, and is encouraging customers to collect all period products in their original packaging including pads, tampons, menstrual cups, period undies, reusable pads, as well as incontinence aids.

Find your closest drop point online at https://www.sharethedignity. org.au/dignity-drives

Call our office on (02) 6355 4258

Office: 35 Wolgan Street, Portland NSW 2847

Postal Address: PO Box 227, Portland NSW 2847

Visit our website at www.villagevoice.net.au

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WE CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS REACH MORE LOCAL READERS EVERY WEEK FROM BATHURST TO BLACKHEATH

Share the Dignity is worried about the impact the rising cost of living will have on their Dignity Drive

BRINGING REGIONAL COMMUNITIES CLOSER TO SPECIALIST CARE

Regional patients will be able to access specialist followup care closer to home with a re-elected Liberal and Nationals Government announcing more than $7 million to establish virtual consultation spaces in every Multipurpose Service (MPS) across the State.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said it would allow patients to connect with specialists in major regional or metropolitan centres from their local health hub and with the necessary local support.

“You shouldn’t have to drive hundreds of kilometres for a follow-up specialist appointment if you can have it face–to-face but via video in your local community,” Mr Toole said.

“That’s why we’ll create a devoted space in every one of our 63 MPSs in regional communities across the State with the technology for outpatients to connect with specialists anywhere in the country.”

Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said setting up virtual consultation spaces in the MPS meant support

was available for patients, both to assist with navigating the technology and to help them plan for further treatments.

“This is about providing choice to our rural and regional patients who may not want to travel outside their community and don’t have access to the necessary technology at home or feel at ease using Telehealth on their own,” Mrs Taylor said.

A re-elected NSW Liberal and Nationals Government will also commence a trial of networked, rural virtual hubs, building on the Government’s commitment to better connect care across the bush.

Mrs Taylor said the hubs will help our smaller health facilities access enhanced medical coverage and support staff through remote monitoring, specialist advice where needed, 24/7 General Practitioner care, and better access to patient records.

“Our rural virtual hubs will be based in regional locations and staffed with regionally-based clinicians who will bring with them a wealth of knowledge,” Mrs Taylor said.

“From our lifesaving Telestroke Service, the Virtual Intensive

Care Service in Broken Hill and our Virtual Chemotherapy Service run out of Coonabarabran and Cobar, virtual care has been a game-changer in the regional health space.

“There is no one quick fix solution to Australia’s medical workforce shortage, but by building rural hubs with clinicians who live and breathe regional health care, we are adding another layer of support in our rural and regional communities.

“This is not about removing face-to-face care, rather about making sure that no matter where you live you will receive the best care in a timely manner.”

The Bureau of Health Information’s 2021 report into Virtual Care surveyed over 20,363 people. Around nine in 10 (91%) rated their virtual care as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. Patients living in rural areas also tended to be more positive about their experiences of virtual care than urban patients.

The Regional Health Inquiry also recommended virtual care technology be used to supplement face-to-face services and assist patients effectively engage in virtual care.

State Election 2023

The Bathurst Electorate has 8 candidates in the running for the upcoming State election on Saturday 25 March. 2 more than the 2019 election, with candidates from across the political spectrum

Paul Toole - Nationals, Cameron Shaw - Labor, Kay Nakervis - Greens, Craig Sinclair - Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, Martin Ticehurst - Independent, Burchell Wilson - Liberal Democrats, Michael Begg - Sustainable Australia Party, Anthony Zbik - Legalise Cannabis Party.

The electorate has been in the hands of Nationals under Paul Toole since 2011, who is now Deputy Premier and leader of the Nationals.

Labor candidate Cameron Shaw has lived in Bathurst since 2015 and works in a local business in the Bathurst Region. Kay Nankervis is a journalist who first moved to Bathurst to study 40 years ago and returned in 2001.

A number of the candidates were only revealed at the March 9 Ballot Draw, with Shooters and Fishers candidate

Craig Sinclair taking the top spot.

The rising costs of living will be on people’s mind at this election, with access to even the most basic of life’s comforts starting to become out of reach for some.

Former Lithgow Councillor, Martin Ticehurst has said he will be requesting the incoming NSW State Government to immediately introduce would be a new cost of living program for the owners and drivers of up to 1.5 million motor vehicles in all of the nominated ‘Country’ Greenslip Rating Districts of NSW to be provided with up to 7 days of free travel each year on all Sydney Toll Roads and Tunnels.

For the two main parties, the election is being run and won on the other side of the sandstone curtain, no matter who wins on election day, let’s hope they remember that civilisation doesn’t end at Blackheath and the growth of the region is at the forefront of any government policy as that is where the opportunities for our national are.

Bathurst Celebrate’s Local

In this issue, we chat with pretty new owners, Sharon & Rodney from Trinity News & Gifts!

When did you take on Trinity News & Gifts and what was the reason behind that?

We took over in October 2019, after always wanting to own a newsagency. Working in a newsagency was my first after-school job and then before I started my career in Banking & Finance,

I worked for our local newsagency in Sydney.

Rodney had also owned a newsagency with his brother in Sydney too… so I guess it was in our genes.

What has been the biggest win over the last few years?

We have had 2 first prize winning lottery tickets! The first was in November 2020 where a $2 ticket won its owner $1,540,000 and in April 2022 we had a first prize of $606,096 as the jackpot was shared that night. It’s so exciting to be involved with a big win!

What has been the biggest challenge over the last few years?

Running a small business can be full of challenges, but our biggest challenge is making sure that I’ve got things right for my gorgeous customers. We look to source the best quality giftware and greeting cards so we can offer the best I can get. This ensures my customers are happy to keep coming back - so maybe this is my goal maybe not a challenge. Customer satisfaction and getting it right is so important to us!

What was the best business advise you’ve ever been given?

There have been so many pieces of advice but I have always followed the advice of “keep your integrity”. I would hate to think that my integrity was ever questioned. What’s your favourite thing about Bathurst?

Having lived here for 6 years now, we love the genuine friendliness shown by “Bathurstians”!

This has been the common theme from when we first arrived till now. People are happy for a smile and a chat. Bathurst is very community focused and we love that. Final thoughts…

We love our “Trinity family” and we love how they have taken us into their lives. We have many stories told to us, we are already seeing babies growing up and going off to schoo! We have beautiful families who feed us with dinners, sweets, fresh produce. I’m not sure if anyone truly understands how appreciative we are of their generosity and that true feeling of community!

To get in touch with Sharon & Rodney from Trinity News & Gifts, give them a buzz on 6331 6933 or visit at Shop 7, 13 Marsden Lane, Kelso.

A Bathurst Regional Council / Bathurst Business Hub initiative

In partnership with Central West Village Voice, we want to celebrate the stories and successes of our local Bathurst Region businesses. From our local retailers and foodies through to our industrial and construction firms, we are looking to celebrate the wide variety of businesses that make up our strong, diverse economy.

2023 Festival of Bells embraces equity and diversity

The Festival of Bells unites nine diverse community groups into delivering a program of music performed by Carillonists from around Australia, supplemented by the very best local musical bands, choirs, orchestras and individuals.

This year, Vivability came on board as a major sponsor to make the Festival even more inclusive.

Vivability is a leading provider of services to people with disability in Bathurst and Lithgow. Vivability has operated for the last 35 years in Bathurst and is actively involved in delivering services throughout the community.

The Festival of Bells offered Vivability an opportunity for one of its social enterprises, Café Viva, to participate as a concession food and drinks stall in Russell Street during the Festival on Saturday 29 April 2023. Delicious cheese boxes prepared by Café Viva are available through an online pre-order purchase through the Festival of Bells website, or at the Café Viva stall on the day.

The Festival of Bells is an entirely free event, but you should register your attendance for the Last Post Ceremony on Friday 28 April, and for the performances on Saturday 29 April at www. bathurstregion.com.au/festival-of-bells.

BATHURST BUSINESSHUB

Families to step back in time at Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail

Take a front row seat and watch blacksmiths, stonemasons, leather workers, woodworkers, textile makers and glass artists at work. There’s also knife making, violin making, saddlery and dry-stone walling.

“This is a great chance to appreciate the skills that built the Bathurst region live and in person. To see how things were done in times before all the modern comforts we enjoy today.” said Robert Taylor, Mayor of Bathurst Regional Council.

For more information and tickets to go www.bathurstregion.com.au

Are you nostalgic for the past? The Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail celebrates history with a vibrant new festival program in April.

Over 100 artisans from across Australia will captive and inspire young minds (and older!) at the Bathurst Heritage Trades Trail from 15-16 April 2023. An exciting, expanded program this year features a two-day fair and for the first time a new visitor trail to iconic heritage venues around the region.

Rare trades, lost arts and heritage crafts will demonstrate their skill over two days at the main event at the historic Bathurst Showground. Meet the artisans, see them at wor, and attend workshops including candlewicking, upholstery, crochet and spoon carving.

This weekend of creativity is the best time to bring your family to Bathurst and is great value as children under 16 attend the main event for free. There will be old fashioned treats, live music, rides on the Cobb & Co, and hands-on activities like

whip cracking and wine stomping. Also, for the first time a demonstration of local Aboriginal culture and traditional tool and weapon making will be shown.

New this year, ticket holders can take a free hop on hop off shuttle bus running between iconic venues which are offering 50% off entry. This includes Abercrombie House, Chifley Home, the Bathurst Railway Museum, Bathurst District Historical Society Museum, Old Government Cottage and Miss Traill’s House and Garden.

As Australia’s first inland city, Bathurst is the ideal location for this annual celebration which is now in its 26th year. It is a signature event of the Autumn Colours Heritage Festival, held annually throughout the Bathurst region, Wiradjuri Country.

The event will be an educational journey to learn how things were made before the electronic world. With a trend towards ‘hand-made and buying local’, record numbers of people are expected to attend.

ROOM TO MOVE

Event details:

• Tickets: Children under 16 are free. Adults cost $20 when pre-booked online or can be bought upon entering the Bathurst Showground for $25 over the weekend. Tickets are valid for entry to both days of the Trail.

• Date and time: 10am-4pm on Sat 15 and Sun 16 April 2023

• Venue: Bathurst Showground, 28 Kendall Ave, Bathurst. The free shuttle bus departs from here to seven other venues around the region.

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for playground equipment in Bathurst

√ $954,250 for construction of Bathurst Rail Museum

√ $650,000 for replacing footpaths in Bathurst

√ $300,000 for upgrades to the Civic Ballroom at Lithgow for use as an evacuation centre

√ $205,000 for upgrades to Machattie Park

√ $54 million for the CSU Medical School

THANK YOU PANORAMA GLASS & GLAZING!

Abigthank you to the team at Panorama Glass & Glazing for replacing our Bathurst office window and door glass.

The window and door were recently badly damaged and Liam and Julian gave up a Saturday night to secure the office and make it safe. I really appreciated their work.

This is a very serious matter and Bathurst police moved really quickly to make an arrest. The office is equipped with CCTV and we provided this to police.

PORTLAND ART SHOW A SMASHING SUCCESS

t was great to attend Portland’s iconic Art Exhibition!

In it’s 47th year, this year’s show featured more than 300 stunning artworks from local and visiting artists.

I managed to add to my Portland collection by putting a red dot on a painting of a classic beach scene!

Congratulations Rich Evans and the whole Portland Art Purchase Society committee, plus The Foundations Portland and all of the sponsors.

PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDS OF MOTORSPORTS

Iwasgreat to catch up with Bathurst Mayor Robert “Stumpy” Taylor and five-time Australian Touring Car Champion Mark Scaife OAM, at Parliament House recently for the official launch of The Parliamentary Friends of Motorsport group.

Announced in 2022, this great initiative seeks to drive greater support for motorsport in parliament and create bipartisan support for the industry, which in turn will help support the Bathurst region.

2BS CATCH UP

Itwas terrific to catch up with Bathurst Radio legends (and neighbours!) Pecky, Ricky and

2BS and B-Rock do a huge amount of work for the local community which is greatly appreciated!

I sent them round a cake not too long ago so I’m hoping Pecky can return the favour soon!

Andrew with Tracey Callaghan, Rich Evans and Martin O’Connell

MY TWO CENTS

Oneof the important things about being an independent is not being told how to vote by a political party.

There is a growing expectation in the community that MPs will say what they actually think and not just follow a party line because it’s good for their career prospects. There just isn’t enough of it in politics. Giving up my numerous shadow ministries meant taking a significant pay cut but I’m now free to turn an independent eye to any issue before parliament or our area.

Here are a few issues on the agenda this week:

• I won’t be supporting the government’s proposed tax increases on superannuation. If they were planning to move the super goal posts it should have been stated before the election.

• I don’t think the NSW Nationals/NSW Government should have promised (and advertised) to make NSW mobile blackspot free at the last state election. There are still plenty of mobile phone blackspots around and this was a promise that was highly unlikely to ever be fulfilled. You don’t hear much about that promise these days. No wonder people get cynical about the major parties.

• The level of both state and federal road funding is clearly not where it should be. Recent state funding announcements will only have a minimal impact. The backpedalling on the Great Western Highway by the federal government is also very concerning. The $2 billion that the previous federal government and I secured for the project needs to be released and rolled out.

Andrew with Mark Scaife and Robert “Stumpy” Taylor at the Parliamentary Friends of Motor Sport

A great selection of artworks were on display

Jodie Mason and Andrew

Andrew with Ricky and Deek

Andrew and Pecky live in the studio

Deek during the week.

FIREFIGHTING CREWS BATTLE HILL END BLAZE

The bushfire north of Hill End has burnt more than 18,000 ha, massively impacting farms across the Tambaroora/Pyramul area.

I’ve been out with RFS crews and local landholders working to contain the bushfire and keep properties safe from the blaze.

These teams have done an outstanding job in the face of very dangerous and challenging conditions to protect as much as possible.

Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard around the region to get us through yet another emergency.

I rode shotgun with Oberon Headquarters and Wattle Flat-Sofala Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade up in the Hill End area.

They’re both great brigades and I picked up some very handy firefighting tips.

John the techie legend from Oberon even fixed my radio while we were waiting for tasking (it no longer speaks to you in a foreign language!).

It’s been a massive multi agency effort, and thankfully the fire situation is looking much more positive after a very stressful week for local residents and communities.

We really could use some fodder up there for farmers who’ve had their paddocks obliterated.

If you can spare some hay, please give my office a call on 6361 7138 or email on andrew.gee.mp@aph.gov.au.

RUNS ON THE BOARD FOR BATHURST AND LITHGOW

√ $14 million for highway upgrades between Lithgow, Bathurst and Orange

√ $181,818 for Bathurst’s War Memorial Carillon

√ $11.4 million for expanding and supporting aged care facilities in Lithgow

√ $398,500 for crisis accommodation in Bathurst

√ $1.2 million for CCTV in Bathurst and Calare communities

√ $200,000 for new synthetic courts at Wattle Flat Recreation Ground

√ $480,000 for Wallerawang Community & Sports Club

√ $19.75 million in federal funding for bushfire recovery projects in Lithgow and Calare communities

√ More than $1.6 million for supporting childcare centres in Calare, including Bathurst Family Day Care

GRANTS GRANTS GRANTS!

Here are some current grant opportunities to check out:

● Round 17 of the Strengthening Rural Communities program is open. Grants up to $10,000 are available for a great range of grassroots, community-led initiatives which aim to bring people and community organisations together. Applications close on 31 May.

● Round 16 of the Festivals Australia program is open. This grant program supports regional artists, arts workers and organisations to help fund performances, workshops, installations, parades or exhibitions. Applications close on 20 March 2023.

● Applications are open for Round 1 of the Energy Efficiency Grants for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. This grant provides businesses with an employee headcount from 1 to 199 employees with up to $25,000 to replace or upgrade existing

equipment with more energy efficient products. By doing this, businesses will slash their power bills, and cut greenhouse gas emissions, too! Applications close on Wednesday 19 April 2023.

● The Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program is also open. These grants are designed to preserve Australia’s wartime heritage; involve people in projects that highlight the service and sacrifice of Australia’s service personnel in wars, conflicts and peace operations; and promote understanding of the experiences of service.

Local, community-based projects can apply for up to $10,000, while major commemorative projects of broad significance may be eligible for a grant of up to $150,000.

The current round closes on 13 June 2023.

VALE ERNIE CLEMENTS

As patron of the Lithgow RSL Sub branch it was an honour to speak at the service to celebrate the life of veteran Ernie Clements in Lithgow. Ernie was kind and generous and he made a wonderful contribution to our region and country.

Every year he would give me and many others, jars of his famous pickles.

Farewell Ernie. Thank you for the joy and kindness you brought to so many.

Lest We Forget.

√ $925,000 for the Bathurst Animal Rehoming Centre

√ $60 million for drought and COVID-19 recovery to our local councils for local projects

√ Record Australian Government funding for hospitals, schools, childcare and the NDIS

√ $125,000 for canteen facilities at Bathurst Sportsground

√ New headspace service for Lithgow

√ 47 mobile phone towers and base stations for Calare

Danelle Bergstrom: Afterglow Look beyond the cover at Bathurst Library’s first Human Library event

Bathurst Library will host its first-ever Human Library experience as part of Harmony Week celebrations later this month.

On Saturday 25 March at 3pm, five community members will volunteer their time to be ‘books’ on loan for 15-minute conversations. Each human book will share a unique and personal story, which may include lived experiences of stigma, prejudice or intolerance. Some of the books available for loan include: My Journey of Self-Acceptance: You Can’t Pray the Gay Away, Sounds of Silence and Map Out Your Life, But Do It In Pencil.

The Human Library concept began in Copenhagen with a youth organisation called Stop the Violence. The group wanted to create a safe place for conversation between individuals in order to dispel assumptions and create understanding. The project has spread and is now worldwide.

Manager Library Services, Patou Clerc, said Human Libraries offer a safe and respectful opportunity for people to learn different perspectives and build understanding about the lives of people around them. “We want to encourage our community to learn more about different cultures, lifestyles and histories,” she said. “In starting conversations we can all learn to better understand the community we live in. Everyone has a story to tell and our human books promise to be both enlightening and entertaining.”

You can reserve a Bathurst Library human ‘book’ prior to the event, or some may be available for a loan on the day. Bookings are now open and can be made by calling the library on 6333 6281.

This event runs from 3pm to 5.30pm. For more information, visit the library website.

Bathurst Regional Art Gallery presents Afterglow by acclaimed Australian-Swedish painter Danelle Bergstrom. Afterglow is Bergstrom’s first career survey and presents key works from the last 25 years of the artist’s practice. Based in Hill End since 1997, Bergstrom now lives between Australia and Åland, a remote archipelago in Finland. Bergstrom uses landscape and portraiture as vessels to navigate “human emotion, experiences and choices”, where the artist paints what she feels, rather than what she sees. Afterglow traces Bergstrom’s own life as it is reflected in the overtures and undertones of her subjects, from major landscape paintings and portraits to intimate sketches and drawings.

Featured artworks include Symphony, 2010, Between Two Worlds, 2020 — a painting celebrating Bergstrom’s two great loves, Hill End and Åland — and Entwined, 2020, a suite of 12 paintings transformed into an immersive digital experience which invites the viewer to contemplate the beauty and fragility of the Australian bush. Portraits of iconic national and international figures will also be on display, including Margaret Olley, Jack Thompson, Guy Warren, and the first female president of Finland, former President Tarja Halonen.

For Bergstrom, painting is an intuitive process, allowing the psychological plain to inform the physical terrain of both place and face in her paintings. For the artist, ‘Nature’ moves beyond geographic location, title, and position, becoming the internal coordinates of transformative human experience.

My landscape paintings are sensory memories – they are the way I understand the world and often a metaphor for human condition. – Danelle Bergstrom

Danelle Bergstrom has been awarded major prizes such as the Archibald Packing Room Prize (1995, 2007); the People’s Choice Award, Portia Geach Memorial Award (2013, 2010, 2009, 2006, 2005, and highly commended 2003); and the People’s Choice Award, Norvill Art Prize (2004, 2010). She has also been a multiple finalist with commendations in these and other prestigious awards including the Salon des Refusés and the Paddington Art Prize. Bergstrom has painted over twenty public commissions and her works are held in significant public collections nationally and internationally.

Image: Danelle Bergstrom, Afterglow, 2006, oil on linen, 122 x 366cm. Courtesy the artist and Arthouse Gallery, Sydney.

Council is providing funding to assist local businesses improve security and community safety. Businesses may apply for funding up to a maximum of $500 on a dollar-for-dollar basis, under

NOTICE OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION NO 2023/21

LOT: S DP: 158024, 48 STANLEY STREET BATHURST. DEMOLITION OF AN EXISTING DWELLING, CONSTRUCTION OF THREE SINGLE STOREY DWELLINGS AND A THREE LOT RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION.

Exhibition period: 13 March 2023 to 27 March 2023

Plans (excluding residential floor plans) and documentation submitted with this application can be viewed on Council’s online DA tracking system (http://masterview.bathurst.nsw.gov. au) or at the Civic Centre during business hours.

Any submissions may be included without alteration in public reports, on Council’s website and to the applicant for comment.

QUOTATION

SUPPLY AND DELIVERY OF ADVANCED TREES

Bathurst Regional Council is seeking quotations from suitably qualified and experienced companies for the supply and delivery of advanced trees. Please note all trees must be received in two (2) deliveries but must be packaged as per each separate list. The quotation shall be for the two (2) individual, separate plant lists below:

- 2022/23 Section 94 Tree List

- 2022/23 Replacement Tree List Interested parties are required to register via the E-Tendering Portal, www.tenderlink.com/bathurst to download the Quotation document at no charge.If you experience difficulties accessing the above website, please call the Tenderlink Helpdesk on 1800 233 533. All electronic quotations must be submitted in the format specified in the quotation document. Failure to do so will result in the quotation not being considered by Council.

Submissions Close: 10am on Tuesday, 4 April 2023 Council Policy is that the lobbying or liaison with Councillors prior to the consideration of a Quotation by Council will lead to the rejection of the Quotation.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING EXPO APPLICATIONS OPEN

Applications are now open for anyone wishing to be an exhibitor, market stall or hold a second-hand sale at the 2023 Bathurst Sustainable Living Expo. The Expo will be held on Saturday 25 March from 8am – 12pm at the Bathurst Showground.To apply, visit Council’s website.

FOOD AND DINING BATHURST WINTER FESTIVAL 2023

Council is seeking an Expression of Interest for a food and dining area for the 2023 Bathurst Winter Festival. For further information please contact Council’s events team on 6333 6111 or visit bathurstwinterfestival.com.au/get-involved

HERITAGE ASSISTANCE GRANT FUNDS 2023/24

Applications are now invited for small grants, under Section 356 of the Local Government Act 1993, under Council’s Heritage Assistance Funds. Applications for funding must be made on Council’s application form which is available on at: https://yoursay.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/heritage-assistance-funds

Applications close Friday 9 June 2023.

For further information or assistance contact Council’s Strategic Planning Section, on 6333 6211.

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

For more info, visit Council’s website or contact Property Section on 6333 6235. The lobbying or liaison with Councillors prior to the consideration of expressions of interest by Council will lead to the rejection of the offending expression.

2023 CLUBGRANTS SCHEME CATEGORY 1

Bathurst Regional Council invites community organisations to apply for funding from the 2023 ClubGRANTS Scheme, under CATEGORY 1 criteria.

Applications close on Friday 21 April 2023.

All applications are required to be completed via ClubGRANTS Online. No manual applications can be received.

For further information and a link to ClubGRANTS online visit:Council’s website: www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au or - ClubsNSW website www.clubsnsw.com.au, or - contact Cultural & Community Services on 6333 6523.

FAST CARS IS A RIOTOUS ROMP ABOUT WINNERS AND LOSERS

FAST CARS IS A RIOTOUS ROMP ABOUT WINNERS AND LOSERS

Think Schitts Creek, Upper Middle Bogan and The Castle all rolled into one! Fast Cars by Kate Smith is a riproaring comedy about wannabe winners, family feuds and dirty deals staged at the base of Wahluu /Mt Panormana. This fast-paced new show features the Brocky loving Byrnes family. They live for the big race, their home-grown Brocky burgers and making their dreams come true. Matriarch Barb dreams of cracking her personal best walking around the Mount. Daughter Chez, a mechanic and go-kart racer wants to be the King of the Mountain. Insta-mad son - Tez dreams of finding Mr Right. But word on the street is business is bad for Barbs Burger Van, and they need a boost. Big time. Who and what can save Barb and her brood from going bankrupt?

Slimy Mayor, Belle Farquhar is getting smashed in the polls. With the election looming she needs a plan to get back on top. And fast!! Mayor Belle Farquhar declares that locals can now drive in the great V8 race on the mountain and win a big cash prize. Bingo! The Byrnes are in! This is just what they need. Or is it?

Premiering at the end of March, Fast Cars will be performed in an atmospheric location at the Agricultural Station at Charles Sturt University, at the base of the mount.

Get your engines revving, your hearts racing and discover what happens when the will to win spins us out of control and away from the ones we love.

When: Thursday 23, Friday 24 & Saturday 25 March 7:30pm.

The Sustainable Living Expo makes a return

Think Schitts Creek, Upper Middle Bogan and The Castle all rolled into one! Fast Cars Smith is a rip-roaring comedy about wannabe winners, family feuds and dirty deals stage base of Wahluu /Mt Panormana

SATURDAY 25 MARCH 2023 | 8AM - 12PM

Bathurst Showground

The Sustainable Living Expo will return and will be run in conjunction with the Bathurst Farmers’ Markets.

Sustainability Exhibits

solar power, gardening and wildlife.

Second-hand Stalls

The event will be held from 8.00am to 12.00pm on 25 March and feature a range of exhibitions, market stalls and the popular Australian Wildlife Displays.

“The Sustainable Living Expo is an opportunity for organisations including local businesses, non-government organisations, community groups and others to showcase their sustainable ideas, products, services and volunteer opportunities,” he said.

Market Stalls Australian Wildlife Displays

This fast-paced new show their home -grown Brocky burgers and making their dreams come true. Matriarch Barb cracking her personal best walking racer wants to be the King of the Mountain

This year’s special guest will be Grant Denyer who will host a sustainability quiz and engage in a panel discussion with local sustainability experts.

Workshops Waste 2 Art Exhibition

“Everyone can contribute to the environment by living more sustainably. There are many simple things that can be done to reduce the amount of resources we consume. Come along to the expo and find out how”.

Tez dreams of finding Mr Right. word on the street is business is bad for Barbs Burger Van, and they need a boost. Big and what can save Barb and her brood from going bankrupt?

Panel discussions with local sustainability experts

Mayor Robert Taylor said the event raises awareness of ways to live more sustainably by providing information on waste and recycling, water conservation, green design and construction,

Applications for stallholders are still available. For more information visit www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au

Slimy Mayor, Belle Farquhar is getting smashed in the polls. With the election looming a plan to get back on top. And fast!!

Supporting women in trades on International Women’s Day

TIPS ON SUSTAINABILITY FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

the great V8 race on the mountain and win a big cash prize. Bingo! The Byrnes are in! what they need. Or is it?

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) on Wednesday, 8 March, not-for-profit organisation VERTO has teamed up with ambassador, Lucinda Shilcock, to shine a light on women in trades and encourage more women to follow a trade career path.

@sustainablebathurst

follow their dreams into a trade career in everything from electrical to cabinet making,” he said.

Premiering at the end of Agricultural Station at Charles Sturt Universit

www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au

Ms Shilcock, an electrician from Newcastle and proud Indigenous woman of the Guringai nation, believes the theme for IWD 2023, #EmbraceEquity, should inspire more businesses to realise the benefits of a diverse workforce.

Sustainability Quiz

hosted by Grant Denyer

“IWD gives us a chance to acknowledge and celebrate these achievements because many women continue to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about their chosen career path and, in doing so, pave the way for others.

Get your engines revving spins us out of control and away from the ones we love.

“The number of women starting trade apprenticeships has grown over the past five years, but not fast enough,” she said.

“The challenge is getting women on to work sites, as they represent only 11 per cent of those who complete their apprenticeships.

“We need more awareness and visibility of women in trades. We need to challenge stereotypes and address myths about the capability of women in trade-based work.

“This International Women’s Day, we will not only be celebrating the incredible achievements of all tradeswomen in the past 12 months, but we also hope to educate and empower organisations to consider greater gender diversity,” Ms Shilcock said.

VERTO Chief Executive Officer, Ron Maxwell, said IWD was also an opportunity to highlight some of the many success stories of women who are breaking new ground and building fulfilling careers in male-dominated industries.

“At VERTO, we have helped many women just like Lucinda

“When female school graduates are thinking about careers and their next steps after high school, they shouldn’t be afraid to think outside the square.

“We need to start seeing non-traditional trades as viable career options for women because they are.

“My advice to any young woman who is considering a future in trades is to seek out rounded career advice and speak to people who are experts. Ask them to help you identify options that suit your interests and use online tools like VERTO’s CareerGate to explore a wide range of options,” Mr Maxwell said.

To find out more about Apprenticeship opportunities in your area, visit www. careergate.org.au or contact VERTO on 1300 483 786 or info@verto.org.au.

ADMIS N COSTS

Friday 17th March 2023

Gates Open 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Saturday 18th March 2023

Gates open 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Admission Prices

• Adult over 16 years old - $15.00

• Child 5 to 16 years - $5.00

• Children under 5 are free

• Concession - $10.00

(Proof of a valid Concession card is required)

• Two day Family Pass $50.00

• Family Pass includes Two Adults and Two Children

Vale Ladies Lithgow support Palliative Care with Charity Fundraiser.

For the past 6 months, the Vale Ladies have been fundraising for the Palliative Care in Lithgow.

They aim to finish their fundraising on 28th April with a charity event.

Tables of 10 are available and they are urging the community to get a table together and join them for a very special night.

The Vale Ladies Palliative Care Charity Fundraiser is on Saturday 28th April, to be held in the Lithgow Workmans Club Showroom from 7:00pm.

The entertainment for the night will be the Stoney Broke Band. Tickets cost $100 per person and include pre-dinner drinks & nibbles, 2 course meal, entertainment & lucky door prizes.

To secure your ticket or table of 10, please contact Julie on 0418 319 408, seats are limited.

Lithgow Community Private Day Surgery and Specialist Medical Centre (LCP) is upgrading its respiratory diagnostics testing facilities with the acquisition of new Ganshorn lung function machine. The investmentof $66,000 dollars was made possible from a grant from the State Government.

facebook.com/thevillagevoicecentralwest

LCP Chair, Rob Swinton said “This new diagnostic machine will bring state of the art technology to the Lithgow Community. Each year LCP provides over 700 lung diagnostic tests supervised by our visiting specialist physicians, that means 700 less trips to Penrith or Bathurst every year for those who need these services. We are grateful for the funding

assistance provided by the State Government.”

Deputy Premier and Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said this funding will go a long way for Lithgow locals.

“The new lung machine is a welcome addition to Lithgow Community Private that will allow continuation of this service locally,” Mr Toole said.

“Health concerns can be stressful enough without the added pressure of travel to have important diagnostic tests, this investment by the NSW Government will ensure that respiratory testing services remain accessible to residents of Lithgow. I want locals to continue to be treated locally.”

HOW DO WE SET THE RIGHT PRICE FOR SELLING YOUR HOME?

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We use relevant comparative sales from close surrounding properties to decide a price range that will give you the best result in the appropriate time frame.

We then give you a best case scenario and a worst case scenario, then work with you to set a price that achieves your desired result.

We communicate with you constantly throughout the sales process to ensure we have a price that accurately reflects current market conditions

Over our last 50 sales, our vendors have achieved a sales price within 5% of the estimated price.

We pride ourselves on ensuring the best result for a vendor and this can only be done when we have your confidence in the process.

LCP Chair, Rob Swinton also said “LCP bulk bills these services to Medicare so there is no cost to the patients. Our ageing population and high concentration of mine workers mean that early detection and monitoring of lung disease is particularly important in the Lithgow Community”.

LCP continues to work with the Local Health District to establish a sustainable service agreement. While this is being progressed, we are continuing to operate our full range of services as well as adding new ones.

To keep these important health services in the community, we encourage everyone to choose local services when they are needed.

Lithgow community to benefit from an investment in the latest respiratory diagnostic facilities.

Lithgow Comedy Festival

choose Lithgow’s foremost venue – The Lithgow Workies. Final day will be a truly special event with a lunchtime show at the historic mansion – Wenvoe (The Bracey Mansion).

There is no better way to get through election day than with a smile on your face! We have selected Lithgow’s premier and most interesting venues.

It all kicks off on March 24 at Lithgow’s famous Tin Shed, Followed on the Saturday with a twilight show at Art School at the Pottery, then its off to the coolest spot in town – Café 128 or

There are some amazing comedians joining the event including: Tommy Dean (pictured), Christian Elderfiel, Billy D’Arcy, Christina Van Look, Leon Anderson, Jarred Keane, Peter Green, Daniel Muggleton, Claudia Green, Sean Micheals, Pat Doherty, Amanda Morris, Brock Singleton, Riv Narak, Lucy Henderson, Laura Johnston, Kurt Sterling, Thao Thanh Cao, Martina Lascialanda, Martin Curtis, Petie Sefton.

Tickets are available online through our website and at the venues.

Find out more at https://lithgowcomedyfestival.com.au

Aboriginal art exhibition at Hartley for International Women’s Day

In celebration of International Women’s Day an exhibition called Guyulgang Yinaagirbang (Strong women) was opened at the Kew-Y-Ahn Aboriginal Art Gallery at Hartley Historic Site as one of many International Women’s Day events around the region.

The exhibition of artworks and crafts celebrates the strength and diversity of female Aboriginal artists from the Central West.

The exhibition was opened by Cr Maree Statham, Mayor Lithgow City Council and Aleshia Lonsdale, Aboriginal Arts Development Officer, Arts OutWest.

Work on show in the gallery ranges from weaving, painting and jewellery to sound and digital artworks. This exhibition runs until late April.

The Kew-Y-Ahn Aboriginal Art Gallery is located in the National Parks and

Wildlife Service Building at 50 Old Great Western Highway, Hartley (10 minutes east of Lithgow). The gallery is a partnership between Arts OutWest, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the NSW Department of Environment and Heritage. The gallery is open Tuesdays-Sundays and receives more than 8000 visitors a year. Work by local Aboriginal painters, weavers, designers, jewellers and photographers from across the NSW Central West is shown and for sale in rotating exhibitions in the gallery space.

Pictured right: Aleshia Lonsdale_Kew Y Ahn_Guyulgang Yinaagirbang (Strong women). Pictured left: Mel Cox work.

The gallery is open 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Sunday (closed for lunch 1-2pm). Closed Mondays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The first ever Lithgow Comedy Festival is all set to kick off this March. Five shows over three days will see the best hand-picked comedic talent that’s sure to put the fine people of Lithgow in stitches.

Community Groups show their value and resilience in Lithgow Showcase Event

Over 25 community-led groups in communities impacted by the 2019/20 Black Summer Bushfire event gathered at Portland Golf Club on Saturday 11 March 2023 to showcase local activities, map their networks and connect with funding supporters.

The event showed just how innovative our community members have been in the dramatic three years since the catastrophic Black Summer Bushfires. With community work,

over 50 projects have been funded by a range of providers, Government, NGOs and charities. The Showcase had 20 of these groups doing rapidstyle storytelling called ‘pecha kucha’, hosted by a Creative Recovery team.

The Groups shared their experience of getting their people through the impacts of drought, bushfires, storms, floods and Covid-19; through it all they developed fantastic projects, submitted for funding and some of these have been funded and are

underway, or are being held up by other challenges.

Lithgow’s rural, remote and regional communities include 21 villages, over the seven valleys, escarpments and towns. Many groups working across our landscapes have been funded – but many have not. All are working hard as volunteers in the difficult tasks of putting community needs, postdisaster, into a vision for community futures.

The Showcase helped the groups to see what each other is doing, take some time out from the delivery of projects and be inspired by other communities working on postdisaster and community building activity.

The Mayor Maree Statham praised the work of the communities who are bringing attention and investment into the region. “What terrific work there is being codesigned by our people. Council is proud to partner and assist groups to get the most from their projects over the coming years. Lithgow Council is keen to thank the groups and associations and the funders from State and Federal Government programs. Council encourages agencies to continue to look at what

our community is coming up with for the important task of disaster risk reduction and preparation”.

Pictured Left: Welcome to country smoking ceremony.

Pictured Above: Organiser Jen Quealy and Mayor Maree Statham

This activity is supported by Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN) as part of the Australian Government’s response to the 2019/20 bushfires. Wentworth Healthcare is the provider of NBMPHN. Lithgow City Council has hosted the project.

Lithgow Library Receives $452,940 Grant Funding for Refurbishment

Lithgow Library will undergo an extensive internal refurbishment following its successful application for Public Library Infrastructure grant funding from the Library Council of NSW, administered by the State Library of NSW.

The competitive annual grants are open to all NSW Councils every year and are part of the NSW Government’s commitment to public libraries. Lithgow Library is one of twenty-one successful recipients this year with its application to provide a more functional, flexible, futureproofed space.

“Libraries are becoming community hubs. Places where you can not only get books and other resources for free, but also a place to meet, learn and create. This exciting development will help to futureproof Lithgow Library,” said Mayor Maree Statham. “I am looking forward to seeing the end result”.

Lithgow Library has been in the Main Street building since

2004 using these funds, a new internal design based around flexibility will be created using mobile shelving, flexible furniture, and updated technology creating areas for both large events and quiet spaces.

Surveys conducted on library use in 2021 and 2022 reinforced the need for better seating, study options and quiet spaces. Presentation and video conference technology including projectors and screens both in the event space and meeting room will also provide an effective platform for discussion, information sharing and other group-based activities, creating a more collaborative space.

The project is scheduled for completion by June 2024. For more information on Lithgow City Council Libraries contact the library on 6352 9100 or head to the library webpage at library. lithgow.com

COMMUNITY AND PLACE FUNDING TO DELIVER FOR LOCAL ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Barrinang has received $99,907 towards their Soothing the Soul - Bundadhaany Girbang (Many Artists) project through the NSW Government’s inaugural Community and Place funding program Paul Toole MP has announced.

The first round of the landmark Community and Place Grants Program will provide $20.5 million in funding across the State to solutions-focused projects that immediately engage and benefit Aboriginal communities.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said the funding will deliver real benefits to the Lithgow community.

“I’m delighted that Barrinang can now get on with training locals in Indigenous art techniques so a community exhibition can be held celebrating this culture,” Mr Toole said.

“Barrinang have received such a positive response to previous events and this funding will allow for more opportunities for local young people to gather and nurture their talents.”

Barrinang Incorporated will deliver a number of Aboriginal art and craft projects to the local community including both children's and adults' art, photography and digital art, Aboriginal art, language, coolamon and weaving workshops. Following these workshops Barrinang will host two exhibitions including food and entertainment for the community.

Barrinang member Judith Harding said the word Barrinang is a Wiradjuri word for blossom of the wattle.

“Just as the golden wattle flower breaks from the seemingly

Mayoral Message

Next

Lithgow City Council is currently consulting the community on a proposal to add a green bin to the kerbside bin collection service. The Council is proposing this to implement this initiative well prior to the 2030 deadline that has been stipulated by the NSW Government. The proposed green bin would be a Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin. This bin will be used to collect organic waste from households, such as food scraps, garden cuttings, grass clippings and prunings. Instead of wasting organic material in landfill, the organic material is converted to compost and recycled for use in agriculture and landscaping. It is an exciting opportunity for improved waste management in the Lithgow LGA. The proposed FOGO service will increase service levels for our community and offer considerable environmental benefits.

I had the pleasure of attending the Disaster Recovery Resilience in Lithgow Showcase Event that was held at Portland Golf Club on Saturday 11 March. Over 25 community-led groups were impacted by the 2019/20 Black Summer Bushfires and the event showed just how innovative our community members have been in their recovery by showcasing local activities, mapping their networks and connecting with funding supporters. Many projects have been funded by a range of providers and Lithgow City Council is proud to partner and assist these groups to get the most out of their projects. We encourage agencies to continue to look at what our community is coming up with for the important task of disaster risk reduction and preparation.

Green Waste Collection

A Green Waste collection will be provided on 3rd April 2023. Residents are reminded that a SERVICE BY REQUEST will apply. Residents can register via Council’s website www.council.lithgow. com or alternatively phone Council before 12.00pm FRIDAY 31st March 2023.

Scan here for more information or to register

dead branches, so too can people come forward to shine and be their healthiest, best selves,” Ms Harding said.

“We would like to thank Aboriginal Affairs and the NSW Government for believing in us and granting us this funding, mandaang guwu (thank you).

“We will work hard to use this grant to its fullest to support the community.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin said the Community and Place funding program is delivering tangible local benefit and impact to Aboriginal communities against Closing the Gap targets, while also recognising that Aboriginal communities have the solutions to issues in their community.

“This is a terrific and unique program that will put important funding in the hands of Aboriginal groups who best know how to bring about improvements and opportunities for their community,” Mr Franklin said.

“The Liberal and Nationals Government knows that by investing in local community initiatives we will significantly increase the likelihood of NSW achieving our targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.”

For more information on the Community and Place grant program and to view the list of successful grant applications, visit the Aboriginal Affairs NSW website.

Easter Festival

EVERYTHING IS FREE

Monday, 27 March at 7pm In the Council Chambers, 180 Mort Street, Lithgow

On Exhibition

Members of the community wishing to address the Council meeting are required to register by midday on the day of the meeting. Register online at: www.council.lithgowcom/addressing-council. Copies of the agenda can be found on the website.

Council is inviting you to have your say on the following:

• Proposed Licence of Community Land

The following Licence Agreement is on public exhibition from 28 February to 28 March 2023.

Licence Agreement

Premises:Part of Lot 1 in DP433264 located off Inch Street, Lithgow and comprising railway infrastructure Licensee:C.O.C. Limited

Licece term:12 months commencing 1 April 2023

Permitted use:Access and movement of locomotives

Licence fee:On commencement the licence fee is $565.80 pa + GST

• DRAFT LITHGOW FLOODPLAIN RISK MANAGEMENT STUDY AND PLAN

Council at the Ordinary Meeting of Council 27th February 2023 resolved to place the Draft Lithgow Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan on public exhibition. The draft study and plan will be on public exhibition for 42 days, starting from the 17th March 2023.

The purpose of the Draft Lithgow Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan is to manage flood risk in the Farmers Creek and Marrangaroo Creek catchment areas by proposing modifications to existing Council policies, setting out a recommended program of works and measures aimed at reducing the impacts of flooding, and providing a program for implementation of the proposed works and measures.

Lithgow City Council invites members of the community to a presentation where Council’s flood consultant, Lyall & Associates, will be presenting the contents Draft Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan to the community in conjunction with a Q&A session at 5pm on the 28th March 2023 at the Maldhan Ngurr Ngurra Lithgow Transformation Hub (corner of Bridge Street and Mort Street).

For further information, please visit Council’s ‘On Exhibition’ webpage at https://council.lithgow.com/category/onexhibition/. Copies of the draft study and plan are available

at Council’s administration centre in addition to the Lithgow, Wallerawang, and Portland public libraries. You may also contact Council’s Strategic Planning team for further information on 02 6354 9999 or via email at Council@lithgow.nsw.gov.au

Written submissions to the draft study and plan are to be submitted in the following ways:

• Mail to PO Box 19 LITHGOW NSW 2790, marked to the attention of the General Manager

• Email to council@lithgow.nsw.gov.au or

• by using the online submission form on Council’s onexhibition page.

Join our team

Council is currently seeking applications for the following position/s:

• Casual Learn to swim instructors closes 5 May

• Casual Lifeguard closes 5 May

• Casual Ranger closes 27 March

• Community Resilience Officer closes 24 March Applications must be received by the advertised close date. For further information on any of these positions and to apply, go to the Council’s website.

Waste2Art

Lithgow City Council is calling for entries for the 2023 Waste 2 Art Exhibition.

This community art exhibition and competition aims to educate, inform and challenge the way we look at Waste, and is an initiative of Netwaste.

Entries close 4.00pm on 9th May 2023 and should be sent to Community & Cultural Development Co-Ordinator, PO Box 19, Lithgow NSW or emailed to council@lithgow.nsw.gov.au.

Scan here for more information or to download the entry form

www.council.lithgow.com

YOUTH PROGRAMS TO TACKLE MENTAL HEALTH

Young people from both Lithgow and Oberon will receive a boost to their wellbeing with a new two year physical and mental wellbeing program being delivered by Murdi Paaki Regional Rugby League Council.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole has announced $900,961 to run the program in Oberon and an additional $360,240 for Lithgow.

This project encompasses a whole of community approach to deliver physical activity, mental wellbeing, capacity and resilience building in communities by providing the following components over 2 years of the contract:

• Four 6-week & Four 4-week blocks of afterschool sports in 10 communities

• Four accreditation courses in 10 communities

• Youth led and youth driven events to provide work experience and develop skills

• Two Youth Leadership camps

• Two Community events in each of the 10 communities

• Mental Fitness workshops delivered in secondary schools in these communities

• The project strategy aims to engage residents and boost the overall wellbeing of communities

Mr Toole said today’s announcement will make regional communities stronger and an even better place to live.

“Mental Health is important, especially in the younger generations and this program aims to tackle mental health issues our youth are facing over the next two years,” Mr Toole said.

“This is an investment in the next generation – an investment in projects and initiatives that matters to them and that will help

regional youth reach their potential.

“The afterschool sport program and leadership camps will give young people something to do, something to look forward to and something to learn from.”

General Manager Kyle Myers said the funding is invaluable to the community.

“Programs like this are key factor in making a positive impact

FIRE DANGER ON THE RISE AGAIN FOR BATHURST, LITHGOW & OBERON LGA

The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is warning residents of an increased risk of grass fires across the Bathurst, Lithgow & Oberon areas with hot, dry and windy weather expected from Thursday in to the weekend.

NSW RFS Inspector John Bennett said that under these conditions, grass fires can start easily and spread rapidly, threatening lives, property, crops and stock.

“Similar conditions were experienced at the start of last week, and since last Monday firefighters have responded to more than 290 bush and grass fires, including the Alpha Rd Fire near Hill End, in the state’s Central West,” Inspector John Bennett said.

for fire and have firefighting equipment on hand, such as a full knapsack, spray pumper or a handheld fire extinguisher, each in good working order.”

“Bathurst, Lithgow & Oberon residents need to ensure they have an up-to-date Bush Fire Survival Plan and know what they and their family will do if a fire threatens their property,” Inspector John Bennett said.

“You should also make sure you have downloaded or updated the new Hazards Near Me NSW app and set Watch Zones to receive accurate and timely information.”

The NSW RFS provides the following advice about protecting properties from grass fires:

› Put fire breaks in place around assets and standing crops as well as boundary fences.

› Check your farm equipment is in good order and is ready to deal with a fire.

› Be aware that slasher and mower blades can spark if they strike rocks or metal, causing dry grass to ignite.

› Register Static Water Supply sources on your property, such as dams, swimming pools and water tanks, with the NSW RFS, which will assist firefighters in a fire emergency.

in young people lives and setting them up with the skills to deal with whatever life throws at them,” Mr Myers said.

“We are very grateful for the NSW Government and Paul Toole’s support.”

YOUTH PROGRAM: Program leader Kyle Myers and Member for Bathurst Paul Toole with local children.

PROJECTS TO BOOST YOUTH WELLBEING ANNOUNCED FOR LITHGOW

Two Lithgow organisations are among the latest batch of successful projects announced for the Bathurst Electorate under the NSW Government’s Children and Young People Wellbeing Recovery initiative.

Mountains Outreach Community Service will be receiving $48,700 and Connect & Explore’s Exploring Nature Within program has been funded by a $50,000 grant.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole MP said the projects will help support recovery and boost resilience for young people in the region following the impacts of natural disasters and COVID-19.

“I’m thrilled to announce support for these projects that will help young people in our community bounce back stronger than ever in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions and natural disasters,” Mr Toole said.

“These programs are all about supporting our next generation and equipping them with the skills to tackle life head on, I am proud to be financially supporting such initiatives.

care about the youth in regional areas,” Ms Green said.

“Our program will take ten young people at a time out into the wilderness for a day of adventure.

“The days will be filled with abseiling, rock-climbing, meditation and breath work to reconnect with nature and build confidence and capability.”

Lithgow PCYC is partnering with Connect & Explore to run the program.

Minister for Regional Youth Ben Franklin said the $10.3 million Children and Young People Wellbeing Recovery Initiative offers large grants between $10,000 and $50,000 and small grants for up to $10,000.

“The large grants fund projects such as community events, peer support groups, cultural connection or partnership programs, while small grants are to enable initiatives like sporting programs and barbecues,” Mr Franklin said.

Inspector

“Every

For more information and resources, visit www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare

“Projects like the two funded today is a great example of how we can help young people recover, build resilience and improve wellbeing by providing them with the tools and resources they need to become the best version of themselves.”

Dominique Green from Connect & Explore said they are so grateful for the funding.

“To see the NSW Government supporting important programs like this says to me they

“Our Regional Youth Community Coordinators will help connect young people with the projects that best support their wellbeing and recovery and foster resilience and connection.”

The Children and Young People Wellbeing Recovery Initiative is funded through the NSW COVID-19 Economic Recovery Initiative and the co-funded NSW and Australian Governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

“The Apha Rd Fire has burnt more than 18,000 hectares and has destroyed six homes, unfortunatley highlighting the danger these fires pose and the need to be prepared.”

“Grass fires travel much faster than bush fires and can quickly threaten property and lives.”

John Bennett urges Bathurst, Lithgow & Oberon landholders to be aware of this threat and of the risks associated with using machinery outdoors.

landholder should be prepared

100th Rydal show Members Celebration Ball.

On Saturday 4th March members of the Rydal A, H & P Association gathered at the Rydal showground to celebrate the recent 100th show.

It was a glamorous affair with members dressed in formal evening wear which saw the ladies looking lovely in evening gowns and the men looking dapper in jackets and ties.

The evening began with drinks and nibbles followed by the 150 attendees sitting down to a delicious dinner catered by Mumma Snow’s Country Kitchen and General Store.

President Brett Radburn spoke about the wonderful volunteers that have helped put on 100 Rydal shows and the wonderful young members who have contributed and will contribute to running the next 100 shows.

2023 Rydal show Young Woman Ambassador, Grace Hadley cut the celebration cake which was made by Life member, Mrs Margaret Morton. Lithgow Mayor, Maree Statham congratulated the show society on achieving 100 shows and wished them every success for many more to come.

Members enjoyed catching up for a chat which is not always

possible on show day, and also enjoyed browsing through some of the history of the show society with various displays of newspaper clippings from previous shows as well as old programs and ribbons. There was also a display of older ball gowns worn at previous show balls and a couple of Belle of the Ball and Matron of the Ball sashes. A slide show of photos from the very successful 100th show and past shows was popular as was the video of the 80th show put together back in 2002.

The evening finished up with music provided by Chris Bettison Music which saw many members enjoying a dance or two until late.

Thankyou to all involve in such an enjoyable night , particularly to David, Emma, Kirilee, Alex, Jed, Lorraine, Linda, Katrina, Coral and Iris who worked very hard to organise and put on such a wonderful event.

Pictured Above: Katrina, Lily and Coral Kable, Mayor Maree Statham and Robyn Hadley.

Pictured Right: Part of the organising committee Emma Martin, Jessie Young and Kirilee Scott

AUTUMN CONCERT

As the days shorten bringing cooler temperatures and leaves change to spectacular browns and reds, Autumn is a delightful time to be in Lithgow especially to enjoy live orchestral music. Lithgow City Orchestra will be presenting their Autumn concert on Sunday April 2nd.

You can expect to hear a variety of musical styles, not just “classical” - movie themes, popular, dance, hymn and folk music. New music from Australian, Ukraine, Austrian and German composers – an Archie Roach classic, a Ukraine hymn, music from Pirates of the Caribbean, Strauss' Pizzicato Polka and more. You will also hear some well-loved favourites such as Morning Song by Grieg, Largo by Handel, A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum, Barbara Streisand's What are you doing the rest of your life and Sahara Crossing.

The concert will be presented at Notre Dame Uni (near Lithgow Hospital) on Sunday April 2nd at 3pm. Free admission and stay on afterwards and enjoy afternoon tea. Proof of Covid vaccination is no longer required for entry. Doors open 2:30 pm.

HERITAGE MATTERS

Heritage Tomorrow

Mrs Heritage and I just got back from a few days jaunt to Canberra checking up on Ant and Pete. Loads of traffic but excellent roads, and now a big city.

The last few blocks as you enter along Northborne Ave to Civic are lined with wall to wall cramped up five and six and more storey hotels, apartments and offices, as is much of Braddon and surrounding districts. Architecturally speaking the buildings are all bland big shoe boxes – something heritage Bathurst would do well to avoid. The concrete canyons are saved by the foresight of the city fathers to plant lots and lots of very big trees which soften unbridled commerce.

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But gone is the big country town I remembered. The classic heritage buildings at Civic which defined Canberra are still there, but now are swamped into insignificance. The parliamentary triangle is still evocative with those massive public and brutalist government buildings surrounded and separated by huge swathes of open space, parkland, big trees and the lake. You can do big brutalist buildings if there is plenty of space around them to frame the scale.

The idea of Bathurst becoming the fledgling nation’s capital engendered great optimism

SIMPLY WHOLEFOODS

Wraps, Salads, Soups & Treats

Local Artists, Makers and Producers work For Sale.

Art and Sculpture on Exhibition, Information about The Foundations Development

when it was hotly debated at the 1896 Peoples Federation Convention on the corner of Howick and William Streets. Imagine if those 220 good men had been successful and we now lived in a jungle like Canberra where there is no free parking but there is great food.

My mate Mick says he likes the big country town feel of our city. And he really likes the Federation Convention Chair in front of the headmasters House in Howick Street. Mick says it’s very “blokey” – see if you can find any women on the list in front of it.

A Point of View - by Stuart Pearson

Thought of the week …

“A visionary called Burley Griffin created Canberra, and a visionary called Lachlan Macquarie created Bathurst. What would each do now to update their visions for a better city tomorrow?” by a humble heritage advocate March 2023 column #272

Tourism can be grouped into two broad categories – Sports tourism and Cultural tourism.

Sports tourism has served this city well. Bathurst Regional Council has heavily invested in Sports-based tourism to drive the local economy. As a strategy, it has worked brilliantly. Congratulations Bathurst Regional Council, you are the envy of the Central West and will continue to generate wealth through Sports tourism for many years to come.

But there is a maxim that says, “you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket”. People’s tastes are changing, and Sport tourism is now being challenged by a new emerging interest - Cultural tourism.

Cultural tourism is defined as visits to theatres, concerts, museums and galleries, festivals and fairs, historic and heritage houses, interest in food and wine, villages or monuments and experiencing Aboriginal art and culture.

According to Government sources, before COVID struck there were just over a million visitors to the Bathurst region. Of that number, about 100,000 wanted a cultural experience. Tourism Australia found that this sector is growing at an impressive rate of over 8 per cent per annum.

Visitors seeking a cultural experience spend more dollars per person per day than Sports tourists, and they stay in the area longer too. According to Tourism Research Australia, every Cultural tourist is, on average, worth twice as much to the local economy as a Sports tourist.

Tourism in all its forms injects almost $250m into the local economy and employs 650 people. But the growth of sports tourism is beginning to taper off, whereas cultural tourism is growing rapidly.

We have the Winter Festival (60,000 visitors), Royal Bathurst Show (20,000), the bi-annual Festival of Bells (3,000) and Heritage Trades Trail (2,200). Then we have the thousands of visitors to our Entertainment Centre, museums, art galleries, parks and gardens, and historical houses.

Sports tourism has been great for Bathurst, but now it is time to add a second string to our tourism bow. Look at the success that Orange and to a lesser extent, Mudgee have enjoyed through promoting cultural tourism.

It is time that Bathurst promoted itself as a cultural hub of the Central West, as well as being destination for Sport. It is time we said to the world, Bathurst is more than just a motor race on Mt Panorama.

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from: my Grandmother's house

Story filed: A great friend

Hey there people, hope you're doing ok and having a great day. For today's story, I'd like to talk about a good friend of mine. I've been friends with him most of my life as we went to the same school from when we were in kindergarten. I still go to the same school but my friend changed schools in Year 7. As we slowly got to know each other through the years of early primary school, the more we started to find that we had similar interests and from that point onwards we became good friends. As we are now at different schools, we don't see each other that often but do meet up every now and again when we can. A while ago I went to his house to play some video games on his state-of-the-art computer. I don't have a massive gaming pc, monitor, keyboard or mouse, I just had my new Asus laptop.

As we got into the day we started to play some War Thunder and it was very obvious that my laptop wasn't made for video games as the FPS was particularly bad, (for those who don't know FPS stands for frames per second). It was just too slow. But being the very kind and amazing friend that my friend is, without me knowing, he took it upon himself to make me my own personal gaming PC!

He knows how to build a computer and to do this just for me was truly amazing and I am eternally grateful for his gift, But it didn't stop there. You can't just play on a PC, if the PC is the brain then you also need a body and the rest of the limbs, So I bought a mouse pad, a gaming keyboard and a gaming mouse myself. All Logitech and they're pretty sweet.

However I had some trouble finding a monitor screen, and once again my friend helped me out by giving me a monitor too. I am truly blessed to have such an amazing friend, and I couldn't ask for anything more. My friend is the humblest, nicest person I have ever met and I'm glad to have been his friend for all these years, so thank you Lachie.

The growing value of CULTURAL tourism

Stunning Dahlias

Those who visited the recent Portland Art Show would recall a vase of beautiful dahlia flowers sitting on the entry table to the show. Those dahlias were grown by Portland local Rob Slarke, who has lived in the Lithgow district for over 40 years. He has been growing dahlias for many years and regularly enters them at flower shows all over NSW and the ACT, most recently at Goulburn and Blayney.

Over the past six weeks, Rob has been successful with champion dahlias at Stanthorpe in Queensland, Oberon, Gulgong, Goulburn and Blayney, and has been appointed to judge the Dahlia section at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on April 6th.

Dahlias are tough plants and grow in a wide climatic range, from Tasmania to

southern Queensland, flowering in summer and autumn, but finish with the first frost. Flowers for show, demand perfection, and the growers all do their best to grow the perfect bloom for show time. Protection from insect pests, pruning, fertilising, sun protection and watering all help to produce the best flowers.

The flowers are divided into categories based on the dahlia shapes. Cactus dahlias have pointed petal tips, Waterlily dahlias are a similar shape to waterlilies with incurving rounded petals, and Anemone dahlias have a domed centre of tubular petals. Decorative dahlias can be as small as 100mm or as large as 260mm in diameter, and Pompon dahlias are the size and shape of a golf ball. Dahlias come in all colours except green and blue, and there are even rare examples of black varieties.

LITHGOW VALLEY FILM SOCIETY

Celebrating 21st Anniversary

Sunday 19th March—2.00pm

FOUR FEATHERS

21st ANNIVERSARY MIRIMAX FILMS

The story, set in 1885, follows a British officer (Heath Ledger) who resigns his post when he learns of his regiment’s plan to ship out to the Sudan for the conflict with the Mahdi. His friends and fiancée send him four white feathers which symbolize cowardice. To redeem his honour he disguises himself as an Arab and secretly saves the lives of those who branded him a coward.

STARRING: HEATH LEDGER, KATE HUDSON, WES BENTLEY, MOHAMED BOUICH

Sunday 26th March 2.00pm

RECENT RELEASE DOCUMENTRY

CHILDREN OF TIBET follows the journey of three young Tibetan refugees who escaped by foot across the Tibetan terrain and over the Himalayas in winter.

Told in there own words, it is a story of courage and hope, set against the backdrop of the Himalayan Mountains. The journey takes them a long a dangerous route- leaving there families behind, they are placed in the care of guides who are entrusted to take them across the mountains to safety.

16 Main Street, Lithgow

Oil cartel

Light scarf fabric

Inuit snow shelter

Struggle roughly

North African nation

words

Carry to excess

Lunar rockets

Nixon’s successor (6,4)

Glaze

Ostrich relatives

Spreading trees

Stretchy tape

Book quote

Palms off

Angle

SUDOKU Last week's solutions

Paul TOOLE Member for BATHURST

Delivering for Bathurst

Great Western Highway, Kelso to Raglan upgrade – $73 Million

Water Security – $25 Million

Bathurst Hospital Upgrade – $200 Million

New MRI Machine – $5 Million

Delivering for Lithgow

Zig Zag Railway – $4.5 Million

Gardens of Stone Ecotourism and Adventure Park – $50 Million

New MRI Machine – $4 Million

Fixing local roads and country bridges – $12.9 Million

/PaulTooleMP