Central West Village Voice - Issue 037

Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund, co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments.

Pictured: Andrew Gee MP and Lithgow Mayor, Maree Statham with workers installing showers at Lithgow Showground

The latest from Jemena

Energy infrastructure company Jemena is pleased to confirm that gas supply has been restored for residents and businesses in Bathurst**, following an outage on Wednesday, 2 November 2022.

Gas has also been restored to the Lithgow Hospital using a Compressed Natural Gas vehicle to provide an interim supply until an permanent supply is re-established.

Jemena’s Managing Director, Frank Tudor thanked the community and operational personnel for their efforts in completing the restoration.

“We’ve been humbled by the generosity and resilience of the local community, and would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to all involved in helping restore gas supplies for local homes and businesses across Bathurst,” Mr Tudor said.

“We would also like to thank the New South Wales Police, the New South Wales Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, and local councils for making their people available to support our restoration efforts. We also thank APA for their support throughout the restoration process.

“Since the outage commenced last Wednesday (2/11), we have visited more than 14,000 homes and businesses to conduct crucial safety checks and restore customer gas connections.

“The community is also to be recognised for the resilience it has shown during what has been an unseasonably cold period. The generosity of neighbours, community organisations, and other

service providers is also to be commended.”

Mr Tudor said that Jemena personnel will remain in Bathurst to assist any residents and businesses who may not have been home when crews arrived to carry out the reconnection process and as a result are still without gas.

Customers who are without gas should contact Jemena on 131 909.

Bathurst, Lithgow, Oberon, and Wallerawang were left without gas supply following an incident on APA’s Young to Lithgow gas pipeline on the evening of Wednesday, 2 November 2022.

For customers in Wallerawang, Lithgow, and Oberon, Mr Tudor said Jemena and APA are working on short-term and permanent solutions to restore their gas supply. It is anticipated that gas supply will be restored for some residential and small business customers2 from the week commencing 14 November 2022.

Prioritisation will be given to reconnecting vulnerable customers and welfare support services. Prioritisation will be done in consultation with local community organisations, emergency services, and Councils.

For the latest information on the supply outage please visit the Jemena website at www.jemena.com.au.

**Gas supply may not have been restored for premises which crew were unable to access. If gas is not available, customers should contact Jemena on 131 909.

Bathurst Mayor encourages community to look after one another

A multi-agency response now underway to restore gas supplies to the Bathurst community after damage to the Young to Lithgow pipeline.

Mayor Robert Taylor said APA crews have been able to reinstate gas supply to Bathurst and Jemena is now undertaking the first stage of works to return supply to the city.

“Council has provided approximately 30 staff to assist Jemena undertake the ‘make-safe’ process where gas meters are being turned off as the first part of the process to getting gas back to consumers.

“While this work is being undertaken can I ask the community to be patient. Resupplying gas to the community is a multi-stepped approach and will take some time to complete. Community safety is of the highest priority and we need to allow Jemena to undertake the required works to get the gas supply reinstated.

“While this is an inconvenience to most people some in our community are more vulnerable than others,” he said.

“I would like to encourage our community to check in on your neighbours and loved ones during this time.

“You could cook up a barbecue to share some food or gather a few blankets and drop them round to those who may need to keep warm during this cold snap affecting our region”.

“It is also vital that you keep warm safely. Use alternate heating such as electric, oil or woodfired heaters. Please don’t bring your outdoor barbecue inside or use a non-flued heater. This can be dangerous,” Cr Taylor said.

Lithgow Mayoral Update

Lithgow City Council continues to work closely with all stakeholders to minimise disruption and to ensure impacts to the community are mitigated to the extent possible.

Lithgow City Council understands that the exact timeframe of the gas supply disruption is largely unknown. While several solutions are being pursued, both temporary and permanent, the fact remains that for many this is an unprecedented emergency. Today, Mayor Statham offers the following advice.

“In acknowledging this emergency, our only real concern is the wellbeing of the community, with the restoration of gas supply being just a means to ensure this”, said Lithgow City Council’s Mayor, Councillor Maree Statham. “As Council cannot restore supply, we are actively pursuing any and all opportunities to reduce the impact of this challenging situation.”

“Today, Council’s engineers are working directly with Public Works Advisory to assist with the supply of gas directly to the Lithgow Hospital by truck, and the installation of a new gas tank for temporary supply at a Jemena site in Wallerawang. These are technically challenging problems which require a multi-faceted approach to construction. I thank Jemena, APA, Public Works and Council staff for their efforts on behalf of this community.”

“Earlier though, I acknowledged that community wellbeing is our focus”, continued Mayor Statham. “To achieve this, in addition to the free showers offered at Tony Luchetti, we continue to engage with community groups to make their showers available. Staff will be working today alongside the Wallerawang Indoor Sports Association to replace shower heads at the Wallerawang Basketball Stadium, which will ensure accessible facilities for the community.”

“We are also working with individual members of our community who are experiencing vulnerability. In serious cases, rather than send the resident through Service NSW, we are reaching out and providing direct assistance. We are providing timely and much needed assistance directly to our community. We are also working with LINC and Resilience NSW to ensure priority reconnection of other sites such as group homes which are also experiencing vulnerability.”

“Lastly, it is not just residents who are struggling”, noted Mayor Statham. “Thales are one of Lithgow’s largest employers and many of their processes are gas dependent. To reduce risk to employment, we are directly connecting businesses like Thales directly to APA and Jemena to pursue direct assistance.”

“Combined with damage from recent floods, this is a very difficult time for Lithgow. As we continue to do our best to help you, please make sure to help each other. Together, I have every confidence that we will get through this, as we have with all past disasters.”

Check It Out! day a hit with Central West Year 6 students

Story and images supplied

Approximately 150 Year 6 students from four public schools across the Central West region attended Charles Sturt University in Bathurst on Wednesday 26 October to experience university life and a range of disciplines for possible future study

Charles Sturt University’s engagement with school students across the Central West continued with a ‘Check It Out!’ day in Bathurst on Wednesday 26 October.

Mr Ben Rodwell, Future Moves Program Coordinator in the Charles Sturt Division of Student Success, said, “The Check It Out! day hosted by the Future Moves program is a chance for Year 6 students in the Central West to visit the University in Bathurst to experience what it’s like to study at university.

“As these students move into high school, this is a great opportunity to create awareness around higher education, discuss and overcome barriers students might have about university, learn about university life and what opportunities are available to them through higher education.”

Mr Rodwell said approximately 150 Year 6 students from four public schools across the Central West region attended the campus.

The schools are Bathurst South Public School, Bathurst West Public School, Parkes Public School and Portland Central School.

“Students were able to explore a range of disciplines, including engineering, nursing, paramedicine, business and accounting, by involvement in workshops run by Charles Sturt University academics,” he said.

The students participated in a mock graduation ceremony at the end of the day, celebrating their achievements throughout the day.

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 in 2021, 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

Future proofing our kids for

the jobs of tomorrow

across Australia, the Future You online hub is designed to inspire upper primary school students to see themselves working with STEM skills in their futurefrom carpentry to chemistry.

Launching

Future You is an initiative of the Australian Government’s Women in STEM Ambassador and aims to build a more diverse, inclusive, and skilled workforce, ready to tackle the technological, environmental, and economic challenges Australia will face in the future.

The new multi-media resources launch with the Pathfinder films and Imagining the Future short stories and dramatised podcasts to inspire children across Australia with a vision of their future selves working in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM). These story-centric resources feature diverse role models to help change perceptions around STEM so that young people, especially young girls, can see themselves in a STEM-based job.

Led by Australia’s Women in STEM Ambassador, Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith, astrophysicist, author of acclaimed popular science books, and a regular commentator on television and radio on science matters, Lisa champions systemic and attitudinal change around STEM. She says:

“Future You aims to break down stereotypes and help all children, their parents, and teachers, to understand that STEM is for everyone.”

“By engaging children early in Future You, we hope to help future-proof our younger generations for the jobs of tomorrow, where it’s predicted that half of workers will need to know how to use, build and configure digital systems - a critical skill embedded in STEM studies.

“I pursued a STEM career because I fell in love with the beauty of the night sky. And that’s what we want younger generations to do, be inspired by the world around them and the understanding that STEM is everywhere.

Engaging early in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics creates so many possibilities and means our children can contribute to a better world. STEM is for everyone, and there are so many pathways to get there,” Lisa says.

Through films, graphic art, competitions, fiction, short stories, podcasts, catchy songs, and a suite of activities for use in the classroom or at home, Future You presents inspiring STEM role models and practical advice on STEM career pathways. Future You sparks children’s creativity, inviting them to imagine their place in the future world of work, and to find solutions to the problems the world faces.

The website brings together teaching resources, activities, and career advice packs to help teachers, schools and families engage with children in discussion and exploration of STEM careers.

Future You resources are being rolled out online to primary schools across Australia, with a particular focus on engaging children in remote, regional and Indigenous communities. The free resources are available to view and download on the Future You website visit https://futureyouaustralia.com/

Office Details

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

Notice to all advertisers and contributors

The Village Voice accepts no responsibility for any advertisement, submitted article or feedback published. Any advertisement, submitted article or feedback is published at the risk of the contributor, who accepts liability for any intended publication.

By contributing to this publication, you agree to indemnify the publisher and warrant that the material is to the best of your knowledge accurate and is neither deceptive or misleading, in breach of copyright, or in breach of any other laws and regulations.

Pictured Above: Bathurst South Public School students (L to R) Dom Wheeler, Zaid Dowley, Koby Eagles and Raff Diaz collaborate on an engineering design exercise.

Pictured Above: Portland Central School students Summer Peters and Olivia Evans try their hands at a paramedicine exercise to ‘resuscitate’ a mannikin.

Council’s River Connections Program wins National Award

Council’s River Connections program has won the Indigenous Recognition category of the 2022 National Awards for Local Government.

River Connections is a nature-based program to connect school students with the Macquarie Wambuul River. It includes a program of hands-on activities to learn about the river from a range of perspectives, including Wiradyuri culture, science, geography, and arts.

the Wiradyuri Elders and Traditional Owners of Wiradyuri Traditional Owners Central West Aboriginal Corporation, who deliver the cultural education sessions in the program.

Mayor Robert Taylor said the program has been enthusiastically received by teachers, students, and the community.

“In the first 18 months of the program, 325 students from six schools across the Bathurst region have participated in the program,” he said

“Students have been very creative, coming up with projects to help look after the river, including footpath

By creating a truly local calendar, Rotary Club of Bathurst Daybreak are combining Community Service with their fundraising efforts for Local Charities and inspiring some fun along the way.

The fun starts with the photo competition - This year the theme is local pets.

Entrants can submit photos of their Bathurst pet(s) by Friday 18th of November to mitchell@oneagencybathurst. com.au at a cost of $10-00 per photo or unlimited entries for $50-00. Winners’ photos will be featured in the calendar and prizes will be given for the most inspirational, humorous or artistic entries. There will also be random lucky draw prizes for entrants and a prize in every 50th calendar sold.

Prizes this year have been kindly donated by PETstock and Bunnings.

By listing Community Events throughout the months on their given dates Rotary Club of Bathurst Daybreak’s commitment to Community Service brings a uniquely local atmosphere to our calendar.

December. Events must be within 50km of Bathurst area and in the case of multiple events being on the same date…first submitted only will be featured.

The fundraising comes from calendar sales which will be available by contacting us on Facebook or through our current President – Mitchell Bestwick at mitchell@ oneagencybathurst.com.au

All monies raised will go to Local Charities and Rotary Club of Bathurst Daybreak look forward to this becoming an annual event.

RESPONSE TO GAS OUTAGE

I want to thank each and every one of you for your patience during what has been a very challenging time for everyone.

Who would have ever thought that a week ago a gas pipeline would be breached in the Macquarie River, from recent flooding, impacting on more than 20,000 gas customers across the area?

I have been in constant contact with both APA and Jemena to ensure that they are providing consistent information and providing the community with as many updates as possible as they attempt to reconnect customers.

Whilst gas supply has been restored

to Bathurst, alternative measures are still being put in place for Oberon, Lithgow and Wallerawang and hopefully we will see gas restored to these properties over the next week.

I understand it is a very distressing situation for everyone but my number one priority has been the safety of our community.

I've also made it very clear that my expectation is for these gas companies to continue to mobilise every resource available to them to fix this issue as soon as possible. And I make no apologies for putting that pressure on them to keep the community informed every step of the way.

As work continues many boots are on the ground, in our streets, door knocking each house and businesses to reinstate gas supply. That has also seen an army of State Government Agencies assisting in this process as well as people from across this state and country flying in to assist.

Thank you to our RFS, SES, Police, Resilience NSW, FRNSW, councils, Department of Community and Justice, Public Works, Transport for NSW, Service NSW and the amazing army of volunteers.

I have heard of some incredible stories of neighbours looking out for one another, strangers sharing blankets or kettles and families making sure their loved ones are okay.

I also want to extend my sincere thanks to the community for their patience and co-operation.

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

A special shout out to the tradies, contractors and community members who have shown what community spirit is all about over the past week.

Some of these worked to ensure the elderly and vulnerable had temporary access to hot water.

We are all grateful that the timeline for restoring gas will not take the 6-7 weeks that was initially proposed - even though works will continue on the pipeline after the gas has been restored to customers.

Some people may still be in need of welfare assistance so please contact Service NSW on their dedicated emergency line on 13 77 88.

If you have questions about your gas connection then please contact Jemena on 101 909.

And finally, a reminder to please not attempt to connect gas yourself... it is very dangerous. All gas appliances such as BBQs must stay outside. They cannot be brought inside and turned on as they pose a risk to your safety.

Finally, I want to thank the three Councils that have also worked to provide shower facilities across the Oberon, Lithgow, Wallerawang and Bathurst Local Government areas.

Together we are getting this done and I look forward to the last customer being connected as soon as possible.

GAS OUTAGE: Member for Bathurst Paul Toole and Inspector David Abercrombie receiving a briefing at the Emergency Operations Centre.

SOLOISTS TO SHINE IN ALLEGRI SINGERS CONCERTS

With only a few weeks until Allegri Singers’ performances of Almost Christmas, Musical Director, William Moxey is putting the choir through its paces, shaping and polishing each item to be at its best.

In the approach to Christmas, part of the program comprises a variety of Christmas songs, with some given a contemporary treatment.

The remainder of the show is an eclectic mix of ancient and modern, sacred and secular. William’s thoughtful selection will have a broad appeal to all those who appreciate fine music and share his strong belief in the power of music to move performers and audiences alike. Each of the items chosen has a story to tell, and the ensemble brings those stories to life to involve listeners in the narrative.

The Allegri Singers are fortunate to have among its members several outstanding solo performers. Sopranos

Bethany Carter and Kathy Powell are well known to Bathurst audiences; each brings a special, distinctive quality to her performance, and they will have solo parts in the program.

Luke Moxey, the choir’s accompanist, will join forces with guest performer, violinist Ivy Hawker. 16-year-old Ivy has been playing violin since the age of 5 and has spent the last two years studying with Lorraine Moxey. She enjoys playing with small groups, and is sure to bring a fresh, young spirit to the ensemble.

As with many life skills, a musical production requires a good deal of effort to make the final result appear effortless. In preparation, rehearsals can evoke sweat and tears. In performance, the choir’s audiences have often been visibly moved. In the presentation of this delightful selection of musical pieces, participants and listeners can expect to experience, at the very least, a warm inner glow!

Times and venues: Sunday 13 November, 2 pm at the Uniting Church, Bathurst. Saturday 19 November, 2 pm at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church, Cowra.

Tickets: adult $35, concession $30, children accompanied by an adult enter free of charge.

Tickets online for both performances via trybooking.com or at the door.

For the Bathurst performance only, from BooksPlus – cash only.

Violinist - Ivy Hawker

Pictured:

Selecting Plants for Water Smart Gardens

Withsuch favourable soil moisture this Spring it’s a great time to think about establishing a garden or increasing the plantings in existing gardens with an emphasis on developing a hardy, resilient garden.

By selecting plants with known hardiness for local conditions you maximise plant establishment and survival rates.

In selecting garden plants it is always best to know your soil type. For Bathurst region gardeners clay soils and granite soils pose different challenges to plant growth so it’s recommended to get to know your soil type before selecting garden plants.

Clay soils are particularly challenging for plants such as grevilleas, proteas, hakeas and banksias as clay soils are typically poorly drained. Mounding the planting bed, adding gypsum and organic matter can help improve the drainage of clay soils.

A wet Spring offers the best opportunity for establishing a Water Smart and climate resilient garden but what exactly are Water Smart plants?

Water Smart Plants are plants particularly well adapted to prolonged dry conditions. They are typically from Australian, Mediterranean and South African origin. Features of Water Smart plants include silver or grey foliage, succulent stems and leaves, small leathery leaves and leaves with oil glands. All these

Here’s a standout idea for Bathurst

Ever wondered why some cities are more memorable than others? It is usually because of a standout natural feature, such as a lookout, a river, or a beautiful valley. In other locations, it is the construction of man-made features that set one city apart from others, such as wide, tree-lined boulevards, a striking monument, manicured parks and gardens, or perhaps even a stunning piece of memorable sculpture.

As twice as much vehicular traffic enters Bathurst every day from the east, than it does from the west, then it would be appropriate

features help plants radiate heat and reduce water loss. Most Water Smart plants are inherently hardy and will withstand wet seasons as well as the very dry seasons.

Some examples of Water Smart plants that do well in many Bathurst gardens include the groundcovers Creeping Boobialla and Matting Thyme, medium shrubs Coastal Rosemary, Lavender and Native Fuschia and trees such as Red Flowering Yellow Gum and White Cedar.

Gardens with a high proportion of native plants will enjoy high visitation from native birds like fairy wrens, eastern rosellas and finches since native plants provide the most favourable feeding and nesting characteristics upon which these birds depend. Selecting plants to attract birds, bees and other biodiversity will not only create a beautiful garden but provides important habitat in urban areas.

Native plants from medium to low rainfall zones are often well suited to Water Smart gardens as they have evolved to withstand prolonged dry conditions. Plant breeders have been busy in recent years developing native plant cultivars with compact forms and more colourful flowers developed especially for residential gardens.

Backyard food gardens are a great way to reduce living costs whilst reducing our carbon footprint due to lower food miles and reduced packaging, not to mention the superior freshness and flavour of homegrown fruit, vegetables and herbs.

If you are interested in learning about Water Smart gardening local gardening groups can be a valuable source of information. There are many resources available at the Bathurst Regional Library and information can be found on the Council website www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au.

A Point of View - by Stuart Pearson

for this city to have something attractive and striking on its eastern edge that would act as a memorable “welcome” to Bathurst.

Even though, Bathurst and the Central West is awash with water at the moment, the usual weather patterns are for much drier conditions. It would be fitting therefore to think about a water feature at the eastern entrance to Bathurst, to welcome the visitor, the weary traveller, and the prospective new resident to this beautiful city.

I am not the first person to make this suggestion. Over the decades, others have come up with similar proposals involving parklands,

OVER 70 WAYS

walking trails and picnic areas surrounding a man-made lake. The configuration and design of this welcoming feature differs slightly from person to person, but the key element in all these proposals is for the construction of a lake.

I would love to see Bathurst Regional Council dust off these plans and scope out the possibility of creating a lake that would be so attractive, so memorable, that people would remember Bathurst as one of the most attractive cities in inland New South Wales.

While Council is adding up its costing, I would like to be so bold as to add one more inclusion that has not been thought of

previously.

In the middle of the new lake, I would love to see a jet spray throwing up water pumped from lake 18 metres into the air. Surrounding this central jet, could be 15 smaller sprays, each with a reach of only one metre. If you are wondering, the water feature would represent the founding of the first European settlement in inland Australia in 1815.

The lake, with its surrounding parklands, featuring a unique water spray would certainly be a standout idea for Bathurst.

The NSW Government is helping reduce your cost of living by giving you more ways to save, including:

• Up to $110 Gas Rebate

• $250 Regional Seniors Travel Card

• Up to $556 with Free Car Registration

Join the millions who have saved and use the Savings Finder to see all the vouchers and rebates you’re eligible for, or book an appointment with a Savings Specialist.

GET A BOOST FOR YOUR BUDGET

service.nsw.gov.au

√

RUNS ON THE BOARD FOR BATHURST AND LITHGOW

Free MRI scans at Bathurst Hospital. Lithgow got its MRI licence in 2019

√$12.5 million for Bathurst’s second racetrack

√ $2 billion for Great Western Highway upgrade

√ 24 hour rescue helicopter for our region

√ $380,000 for a new laundry building at Glenray Industries following fire

√ Millions in Federal funding to keep Lithgow Aged Care open

√ $5.3 million for production line upgrades and more jobs at Allied Timber Mill, Bathurst

√ $3.3 million for improvements at Bathurst Airport

√ $3.083 million for an expansion and improvements at Three Tree Lodge

√ $2.235 million for Lithgow’s Blast Furnace Park √ $3.2 million for the Lithgow CBD revitalisation

√ $1.1 million for the upgrade of Glen Davis Road

√ $625,554 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

FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT IGNORE CALLS FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE!

Calls to provide financial assistance to businesses affected by the gas outage have fallen on deaf ears, with the new Federal Government saying it will not declare the event a natural disaster, and telling my office that the NSW Government is refusing to request the disaster declaration which would unlock disaster assistance.

A natural disaster declaration must be made by both the state and federal governments to trigger financial assistance to everyone impacted by the gas emergency. The states need to request it as the first step.

Residents and businesses in Bathurst, Lithgow, Oberon and Wallerawang impacted by the gas emergency have been hung out to dry by this decision after flooding caused the underwater APAowned Lithgow to Young gas pipeline to rupture at Gormans Hill last Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the office of the Minister for Emergency Management stated that the Federal Government will not be declaring the gas emergency a natural disaster - despite the severe gas emergency being directly caused by a natural disaster - because the NSW Government isn’t requesting it. If this is the case, it shows that neither government is taking this emergency seriously enough.

This means affected residents and businesses across Bathurst, Lithgow, Oberon and Wallerawang, which have been battling through the gas outage, or which have been forced to close indefinitely, will not be able to apply for financial assistance.

This is a disgraceful situation, and it must be reversed. Is it penny pinching by these governments?

Unfortunately, the NSW Government continues to remain publicly silent on whether it will deem this severe gas outage a natural disaster, leaving thousands of residents and businesses in limbo. What’s the hold up? The Federal Government is saying that the NSW doesn’t want the declaration.

To me, and to our region, it couldn’t be clearer. We need this assistance activated on the double.

The State and Federal Governments are asking hardworking residents and business owners in the Central West to take this on the chin. With this unprecedented gas outage directly caused by storms and floods, denying disaster assistance is cruel and nonsensical. This response is simply not good enough.

I am renewing my calls for State and Federal Government financial assistance to help business owners, and the thousands of individuals and families hurting due to no fault of their own.

The Disaster Recovery Payment, Disaster Recovery Allowance, business grants and all other assistance must be put in place to help everyone affected by this emergency. If this gas emergency happened in Sydney, both the State and Federal governments would be falling over themselves to shovel money out the door.

This emergency was caused by an extreme weather event – the same one that has caused all the flooding. It’s clearly all part of the same natural disaster and our residents and our businesses should be getting exactly the same level of support as other areas.

People hate it when different levels of government play the blame game. Both the State and Federal governments each need to make a very clear statement about whether they support a disaster declaration being made and how much they’re putting on the table to help. No ifs or buts. We have local residents in need and this buck passing has to stop!

I am calling for disaster recovery and relief grants to be immediately provided to residents and businesses impacted by the gas outage emergency!

For updates on this disaster, please visit my Facebook page.

TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS AND RECONNECTING SAFELY

There

Until this is complete at each property, there are two temporary solutions in play. The first is to truck in gas. A second 42-tonne gas tank has arrived in Wallerawang. The Liquified Natural Gas will be vaporised to turn it into gas and put into the system on Friday. There will be a progressive re-lighting in Lithgow, Oberon and Wallerawang from there. Re-lighting is anticipated to start on Sunday but let’s hope it’s sooner! The second temporary solution is to build a temporary pipeline which would mean the gas supply for customers in Wallerawang, Lithgow would be reinstated. The pipe has arrived from Brisbane. Drilling under the Macquarie River at a depth of 4 metres will occur and gas should be put into it by the middle of next week. This will help get the big industries back on track! By the end of next week it is hoped everything will be back to normal.

Lastly, a permanent fix will be put in place. Currently, multiple options are being explored.

Lithgow Hospital and Three Tree Lodge have been connected to a tank of compressed natural gas.

BUSINESS ANGUISH OVER GAS OUTAGE

Thousands of businesses across the region, both big and small, have been forced to reduce their operations or close their doors - and many don’t know when they’ll re-open again. Their staff are going without pay.

The gas emergency forced Greg Lewis to close his family owned Italian restaurant in Bathurst late last week. With their gas supply down for 4 days, the outage came at a huge cost to Greg and his wife Fiona. The forced closure has left them thousands of dollars out of pocket and their 10 casual staff went five days without work. The seafood, meat and perishables they’d bought to top pizzas ended up in the bin!

Thales (pictured right) is a larger local business that has been hit hard by the gas outage.

It’s a huge cost for small to large businesses alike, and thousands of other local businesses are

hurting financially due to this unprecedented emergency. That’s why I’m calling for State and Federal Government financial assistance to help business owners like Greg and Fiona, and the thousands of individuals and families hurting due to no fault of their own.

We need a natural disaster declaration to be made to trigger financial assistance to help everyone impacted. This is a joint State and Federal Government responsibility, so we need both levels of government to come together and sort this out as soon as possible.

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

ANZ AXES LITHGOW AND MUDGEE BRANCHES DESPITE POSTING $6.5 BILLION PROFIT

ANZ will permanently close its Lithgow and Mudgee branches on 19 April 2023, leaving thousands of local customers in the lurch, despite announcing a $6.55 billion cash profit over the last year.

With banking analysts saying that the ANZ is in its best shape in three years, why is the ANZ culling country branches? With banking analysts saying that the ANZ is in its best shape in three years, why is the ANZ culling country branches?

The closures will be devastating for local residents, community groups and businesses who rely on in-branch banking services.

Last year, the big banks used the cover of the COVID-19 pandemic to slash opening times or to close branches entirely. Now, with the big banks as strong as ever, there is only one reason for it: greed.

From mid-April, loyal ANZ customers in Lithgow will be forced to make a 74-kilometre round trip to the ANZ Katoomba branch – the new home of their accounts.

ANZ’s decision to ditch bricks and mortar branches in the vibrant and thriving towns of Lithgow and Mudgee shows that the bank cares little, if at all, for its loyal country customers who rely on faceto-face banking. The big banks are clearly out-of-touch with country communities, too busy dreaming of their dollars, or marvelling at their profit margins, to think about the people they are supposed to serve.

Blinded by the prospect of the even higher profits to be made by abandoning branches, the big banks are refusing to acknowledge that banking the ‘old school’ way is an essential part of living in the bush.

The ability to bank face-to-face is vital in regional Australia. For many country customers, making the move to online banking is not as easy as the big banks would believe. Many of these customers are elderly, not familiar with digital products, or they may live in areas with poor coverage meaning internet banking is simply not an option. There are also many community groups which need to regularly deposit money from fundraising initiatives, and businesses also need to deposit takings.

The big four banks have been putting an axe to branch after branch in regional Australia, with the list of closures blowing up in recent years.

Blayney has recently been hit by closures. The Cabonne Shire no longer has a single stand-alone bank branch. Molong, Portland, Cowra and Canowindra are struggling after branches ceased operating, while people in Gulgong, Wellington and Oberon are trying to make do with reduced service hours.

The big banks are putting profits over people. The obliteration of regional bank branches must be stopped and I will continue to do all I can to curb these devastating closures.

HAPPY 160TH BIRTHDAY ROCKLEY MILL & STABLES MUSEUM!

I was delighted to visit Rockley last week to celebrate the 160th birthday of the Mill and Stables Museum.

The Museum was built in 1862 and displays the rich history of the area, with old mill machinery, period clothing on display, old police records and more. The three story building is a highlight of the drive along the main street of Rockley, directly across from Stevens Park.

I am proud that the previous Coalition Government provided the Mill and Stables Museum with a $10,000 grant under the Drought Communities Program Round 1. This allowed for much needed repairs and maintenance work, vital for the preservation of important and ageing buildings like this one.

Thank you so much to Pauline Barker and other members of the Rockley Mill and Stables Museum committee for a wonderful afternoon!

√ $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

√ $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

√ 40 mobile phone towers and base stations for Calare

Bathurst Celebrates Local

In this issue we get to know Ingrid Pulley, owner of Best Paw Forward Bathurst.

When did Best Paw Forward begin and what was the reason behind its inception?

BPF began in 2017, after I had been a volunteer instructor with a local dog club for a time. I wanted to offer short courses for owners to bring their dog out to and so that they could learn how to work with and train their dog.

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

The biggest win that I have seen since starting BPF is seeing the relationship between owners and their dogs change, where the dog is volunteering more of the behaviours their owners would like to see.

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

The biggest challenge in my business is knowing how to read dogs and their owners properly to make sure that I’m working on the right solution, the right training plan so Im actually helping both dog and owner.

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

The best business advice I’ve been given to have that attention to detail and that you sometimes need to put your business first. It’s also really important to understanding your “why”! And being passionate about your business means the you will prioritise that over other things sometimes and thats ok!

What’s your favourite thing about Bathurst?

I think that the best thing about Bathurst is its amazing beauty, great atmosphere and has everything that you need! Bathurst also has a wonderful sense of community.

Final thoughts…

BPF can provide one on one classes in your home anytime during the week or weekends as well as our group classes here at Centennial Park on Bentinck Street. I work with dogs from all walks of life so I have programs to suit anything that dog owners need help with.

To get in touch with Ingrid at Best Paw Forward Bathurst, please phone 0488 462 963 or go to www.bestpawforwardbathurst.com.au for more information.

Celebrate Local

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.

Christmas wishes for more than 220 local children and young people have been placed on Christmas trees at Veritas House offices in Bathurst and Orange, and the local charity is calling on the community to help make this Christmas brighter for these special young people.

For the sixth year Veritas has again set up Christmas Wishing Trees in their offices at 98 Keppel Street and 96 Bentinck Street, Bathurst, as well as 29 Sale Street, Orange. Veritas House is calling on local residents to embrace the spirit of giving and purchase a gift for a child or young person who is either in Out-of-Home Care, experienced homelessness, or unlikely to receive a gift this year due to hardship.

“Each year we are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Bathurst and Orange communities in supporting our Christmas Appeal and we are hopeful the community will rally again to help us grant all the wishes on our trees,” said Veritas House Business Development Manager, Narelle Stocks.

“In previous years we’ve had parents bring their children in to select a tag and purchase a gift, so they could learn the importance of giving gifts, not simply receiving. We’ve also had businesses in the region replace their office Kris Kringle with buying gifts for our clients, which was a huge contribution towards filling our tree and providing gifts to all

of the children in our care,” said Narelle.

There are several ways the community can contribute; the most popular being to visit a Veritas House office to collect a gift tag with the wish list of a child from the Christmas tree, and then return it by Wednesday 7th December with the preferably unwrapped gift. Alternatively, supporters can purchase a gift card for a local teenager or make a taxdeductible donation to contribute towards the purchase of a gift for a child via the Veritas House website: www. veritashouse.org.au/events/christmas.

In addition to the trees at Veritas House, Bathurst businesses Moodie’s Pharmacy in Howick Street and Anytime Fitness in George Street will once again have Veritas tags on their Christmas trees for customers to collect.

Over the past two years, the local service has been unable to hold their annual Christmas Party due to Covid but is looking forward to again seeing Santa distribute many of the gifts to local children, ranging in age from newborns to 18, who are living in Foster Care.

“Children and young people enter into foster care for a myriad of reasons, but generally they have experienced a degree of trauma, neglect and abuse that required intervention and removal for their own safety and well-being,” explained Narelle.

“Veritas House Foster Carers in Bathurst and Orange provide a secure, safe and supportive home environment to these children and young people, but there is no doubt that Christmas can still be a tough time, so our Christmas Appeal is an opportunity for local residents to bring some joy into the lives of these special children.”

Veritas House is a not-for-profit organisation that was established in the Central West over 40 years ago and has grown to become one of the largest providers of foster care, youth homelessness and family support services in the region, supporting more than 900 children, young people and families each year.

Christmas 2022

Shop 2/76 George St Bathurst

Phone: 02 63245422

cu@baketableandtea.com.au www.baketableandtea.com.au

Local residents urged to support local kids in need this Christmas

The Board of Directors of Lithgow Community Private Hospital (LCP) are aware that there is community concern regarding the ongoing services provided to our community by LCP. This uncertainty is presenting challenges when choosing to schedule important procedures.

Last week the board announced that LCP will continue normal operations beyond November 2022, in anticipation of finalising a new service agreement with NBMLHD.

LCP Chair Robert Swinton said “LCP and the Nepean Blue Mountains Health District are in discussions regarding a new sustainable model and services agreement that aims to provide certainty for both parties. There is acknowledgement of the valuable role played by LCP in addressing the health needs of the Lithgow community. While discussions are still ongoing, we want to assure the community that there is genuine commitment on both sides to resolve the current issues.”

The Board would like to thank our LCP staff, doctors, patients, and the community for their support during the past couple of uncertain months. In particular, we would like to thank the Lithgow Mayor – Maree Stratham, and the Lithgow City Council for their support. We also acknowledge support from Paul Toole MP, Member for Bathurst, and Bronnie Taylor MLC Minister for Women, Minister for Regional Health, and Minister for Mental Health for their support of LCP in continuing to provide valuable health services to the community.

Mr. Swinton said “In the meantime, it is business as usual at LCP and we encourage the community to continue to use our services”

Changes to Public Spaces and Unattended Property Laws

Lithgow City Council has advised of new legislation which aims to free public spaces from abandoned and unattended items and animals.

The new laws provide Councils, other public land managers and Police with stronger powers and penalties to ensure abandoned and unattended property is not left on footpaths, streets, parks, bushland, and waterways.

Under the new laws, a person responsible for private property left in public places such as shopping trolleys, unregistered and abandoned cars, unattended trailers, and stray stock can, face regulatory action if they do not remove that property within identified timeframes. This includes on-the-spot fines, higher court penalties, rapid seizure action and enforcement orders.

The new laws make it easier for Councils to store and dispose of unattended or abandoned items and animals, significantly reducing red tape and cost for local communities.

The changes also improve the ability of

Council officers to track down owners of shopping trolleys and vehicles, reducing the need for impounding action.

Key Changes:

From 1 November 2022 to 30 April 2023 a grace period applies for certain offences relating to classes of property left unattended, including:

• animals (typically stock animals)

• shopping trolleys

• personal recreational devices such as kayaks. This grace period provides an opportunity for members of the public to become familiar with the new laws and make appropriate arrangements for the ongoing storage of their property. It also enables the owners of shopping trolleys additional time to comply with branding requirements.

During the grace period, warnings may be issued to the owner of the above classes of unattended property and, should the property be left unattended after 1 May 2023, a fine may be issued.

Graham ’ s advertising campaign was first class and exceeded my expectations.

A quick sale resulted and my wife and I were very happy with the whole experience.

John & Rose C.

ANZ AXES LITHGOW AND MUDGEE BRANCHES DESPITE POSTING $6.5 BILLION PROFIT

will soon be even harder for Central West residents to find a bricks and mortar bank, with ANZ announcing the closure of two branches in the region next year.

ANZ will permanently close its Lithgow and Mudgee branches on 19 April 2023, leaving thousands of local customers in the lurch.

Member for Calare, Andrew Gee, said the closures will be devastating for local residents, community groups and businesses who rely on in-branch banking services.

“ANZ has sounded the death knell for its Lithgow and Mudgee branches, despite announcing a $6.55 billion cash profit over the last year,” said Mr Gee.

“Come April, the ANZ will deliver a stinging blow to our region, axing branches at Lithgow and Mudgee - even after recording a 5% jump in profits for the 12 months to September 30, with every division reporting growth.

“With banking analysts saying that the ANZ is in its best shape in three years, why is the ANZ culling country branches?

“Last year, the big banks used the cover of the COVID-19 pandemic to slash opening times or to close branches entirely. Now, with the big banks as strong as ever, there is only one reason

for it: greed.

“From mid-April, loyal ANZ customers in Mudgee will face a 256-kilometre return shlep to visit the bricks and mortar branch at Dubbo which is where their accounts will be relocated.

“ANZ customers in Lithgow will be forced to make a 74-kilometre round trip to the ANZ Katoomba branch – the new home of their accounts.

“The big banks are neglecting the needs of country customers. This savage slashing of bank services in the bush must be stopped.

“ANZ’s decision to ditch bricks and mortar branches in the vibrant and thriving towns of Lithgow and Mudgee shows that the bank cares little, if at all, for its loyal country customers who rely on face-to-face banking.

“The big banks are out-of-touch with country communities, too busy dreaming of their dollars or marvelling at their profit margins to think about the people they are supposed to serve.

“Blinded by the prospect of the even higher profits to be made by abandoning branches, the big banks are refusing to acknowledge that banking the ‘old school’ way is an essential part of living in the bush.

Invitation to be part of the LINC Volunteer Expo

Lithgow Information Neighbourhood Centre will be hosting a volunteer expo on Monday 14th November, and we would love for you or your organisation to attend.

The Expo provides a unique opportunity for the public to engage with volunteer-involving organisations, learn more about the programs on offer in the Lithgow LGA and register their interest for roles.

From emergency services, school P&C, driving a bus, running a Bingo night, helping in local shops, being a youth mentor, a maths tutor, doing some gardening, working in the library, helping out in our men’s and women’s groups, or teaching language or art classes. The opportunities are endless.

Groups interested in participating will be able to share information about what you do and answer questions about volunteering with you from our community members. We only ask that groups bring any equipment required (gazebos, tables, chairs, information etc) and provide a copy of their Public Liability insurance.

“The ability to bank face-to-face is vital in regional Australia.

“For many country customers, making the move to online banking is not as easy as the big banks would believe. Many of these customers are elderly, not familiar with digital products, or they may live in areas with poor coverage meaning internet banking is simply not an option. There are also many community groups which need to regularly deposit money from fundraising initiatives, and businesses also need to deposit takings.

“The big four banks have been putting an axe to branch after branch in regional Australia, with the list of closures blowing up in recent years.

“Blayney has recently been hit by closures. The Cabonne Shire no longer has a single stand-alone bank branch. Molong, Portland, Cowra and Canowindra are struggling after branches ceased operating, while people in Gulgong, Wellington and Oberon are trying to make do with reduced service hours.

“The big banks are putting profits over people. The obliteration of regional bank branches must be stopped,” said Mr Gee.

We appreciate this is a busy time for you and your volunteers and it would be wonderful to see community members signing up to support.

Pictured; Cook street plaza is a central location in Lithgowfor Volunteer groups to gather.

Art, science and the weather were all in tune as we gathered on the shores of a sparkling Lake Wallace on Saturday for the Painted River Project. We learnt about our fragile and precious river systems, platypus dreaming stories and were inspired by how deftly Lucy Culliton can gloriously capture the essence of water and sky on canvas.

Thanks to all who made the day such a one of inspiration, learning and connection.

The event was funded by the Black Summer Bushfire Grants Program which is an initiative of the Commonwealth Government National Recovery and Resilience Agency.

Local Author to Launch Debut Novel at Lithgow Library

Come along to the launch of Bruce Ryan’s debut novel – “1936”, at Lithgow Library on Saturday 12 November 2022 at 10:00am.

Described as “an exciting and confronting thriller” 1936 tells the story of Robert O’Calahan’s selection as an Australian Olympic Team doctor for the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Germany had won the rights to conduct the 1936 Olympics though many countries were uneasy about giving the games to Germany after the conflicts of World War 1. Weaving historical events and people into this fictional work, a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues and sees members of the Olympic team in dangerous life-threatening situations.

Meet the author and join us for morning tea. Copies of his novel will be available for purchase on the day.

Mayor encourages community to invest in local businesses

Lithgow Mayor, Maree Statham has encouraged the community to invest in businesses that are committed to Lithgow. This follows advice that the ANZ bank will permanently close its Lithgow Main Street branch.

Mayor Statham said, “The ANZ Bank has elected to abandon the Lithgow community when it comes to face-to-face customer service. This will mean a 74-kilometre round trip to the nearest branch, for the moment, at Katoomba. The ANZ Bank has chosen too not be local.”

The Mayor added, “One of the defining qualities of Lithgow is the way in which local

businesses support locals. Time and time again I see examples of businesses stepping forward to help in so many diverse ways. The message to me is that we, the community, must invest in local businesses to ensure they can continue to profit and then re-invest back in this community. This is why the council actively supports local businesses, because the funds and benefits are kept local.”

“I encourage people to place their money locally - buy from local retailers, eat locally, employ locals and build a relationship with your local businessperson.”

Mayoral Message

My fellow Councilors and I understand that this is a very difficult time for our community. It feels like we are in a constant state of flux, rolling from one disaster to the next. Fortunately, Lithgow Council and local volunteers are becoming very proficient in responding quickly.

Council’s staff have been working directly with the NSW Government to assist with the supply of gas direct to Lithgow Hospital by truck and to install a temporary supply point in Wallerawang. Regrettably, the exact time frame of the gas supply disruption is largely unknown. While several solutions are being pursued, both temporary and permanent, the fact remains that for many, including business, this remains an emergency.

Community wellbeing is our focus. Council moved rapidly to install free showers at Tony Luchetti and Lake Wallace. We also worked with the Wallerawang Indoor Sports Association to provide accessible facilities for the community at that location.

I thank Council staff and volunteers throughout the community who are working tirelessly to support people in need. The generosity of so many in our community has been heartwarming and welcomed.

If you require assistance during this difficult period please contact the Service NSW Helpline on 13 47 88. Please do not touch the gas infrastructure at your property (including meters and valves). Please do not remove any tags or markers attached to your gas infrastructure. When the gas has been safely re-established to your area, Jemena will visit your property to perform a check and let you know it is safe. If you are not home, they will leave a calling card advising you of next steps. If you have safety concerns contact Jemena on 131909 or call 000.

Join

date.

For further information on any of these positions and to apply, go to the Council’s website.

Would your business like to be export capable?

This NSW Export Capability Building workshop is brought to you by Investment NSW, Lithgow City Council and RDA Central West. It is aimed at businesses who are considering export but are unsure where to start, or what assistance is available to them.

This is a FREE event and morning tea will be provided Scan QR Code to book.

Lithgow Export Capability Workshop Tickets, Tue 22/11/2022 at 9:00 am at Maldhan Ngurr Nurra - Lithgow Transformation Hub.

Public Exhibition of proposed lease to Kenwood Industries Pty Ltd

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 31 October 2022 Council resolved to exhibit its intention to enter into a Lease to Kenwood Industries Pty Ltd for use of part of Council owned land which forms part of 67 Bridge Street, Lithgow (Lot 2 in DP1077295).

The Lease will be publicly exhibited from Wednesday 9 November 2022 to Wednesday 7 December 2022 (inclusive), pursuant to section 47 of the Local Government Act, 1993.

The draft Lease will be available on Council’s website at www.lithgow.nsw.gov.au and at the Council Administration Building during the exhibition period.

Written submissions marked “Submission - proposed Lease to Kenwood Industries Pty Ltd” must be received by Council no later than 4pm on Wednesday 7 December 2022.

Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Council on 6354 9999.

Closed for Picnic Day

Council advises that Council will be closed on Friday 18 November 2022 for Council Union Picnic Day. Essential services will be maintained.

Big metal rock line up for Portland and Cowra

The hard rock/metal experience is coming to Portland and Cowra this month for Arts OutWest’s Ausmusic Month focus.

The Dave Webb Project headlines both gigs offering guitar driven, hard rock/ metal experience ripe with catchy vocal hooks, memorable riffs and blistering guitar solos.

They perform Saturday 19 November 6pm at The Foundations of Portland with a pre-show shredding jam session open to all, then are joined by hard metal group from Dubbo Whisperhead on Sunday 20 November at 2pm at Cowra Civic Centre.

“If shredding guitars and music on the heavy side is your thing here is a Live & Kicking featuring two bands that are gonna be your new thing now,” said Arts OutWest’s Patrick Coomey.

“Opening the evening in Portland will be an opportunity to show your chops on the fretboard with a shredding jam type session with master Dave Webb before he takes to the stage to ride his high octane sonic wave around the Annexe,” Mr Coomey said.

The Dave Webb Project have recently released their debut EP,

A Second To Surface. Inspired by a 15-year long journey that began with Dave’s band A Second to Surface, which is where the title of this EP and the six songs were born.

Dave says of the release “if metal greats like KISS, Metallica and Tool were to meet Good Charlotte and Chevelle they’d end up a bit like us”.

Featuring Todd Brownlow on drums and Kaitlyn Baker on bass, A Second to Surface is a sonic journey that embraces Webb’s past, present and future direction.

Opening the afternoon in Cowra will be Dubbo based metal meisters Whisperhed. They have crashed onto the metal scene taking no prisoners combining nu-metal riffs with the technicality of modern metal. This has included appearing at the Devouring the Flesh Festival in Sydney. Featuring the song writing of Nolan Furnell that has seen their song Paranoia used

in a short film and collecting a group of nominations/awards including New York Movie Awards. The Driving bass in their Rhythm section is supplied by Cowra local Darcy Coates.

Tickets from the venues: The Foundations of Portland Facebook or Cowra Civic Centre’s website.

Live & Kicking gigs are supported by the Australian Governments Live Music Australia.

LITHGOW VALLEY FILM SOCIETY

16 Main Street, Lithgow

Friday 11th– November 2.00 pm

ARMISTICE DAY, true story.

British film – PG. A tale of the highs and lows of life protecting the vital convoys between America & England during WW11. Lt. Cranford lives the life of a playboy sportsman until the outbreak of war when he joins the Royal Navy and is assigned to convoy protection duties . The convoy is a part of the vital supply chain that is all that is allowing Britain to fight of the Nazi threat. A German battle ship targets the convoy protection ships and a deadly game of cat and mouse ensures.

STARS

CLIVE BROOKS, JOHN CLEMENTS, JUDY CAMPBELL.

Sunday 6th November 2.00pm

Judi Dench Comedy THE LAST OF THE BLONDE BOMSHELS. Sunday 20th Nov – 2.00pm

HOLLYWOOD GOLD SERIES RATED PG

Rock Hudson

CAPTAIN LIGHTFOOT

In 1815 Michael Martin, member of an Irish revolutionary society, turns highwayman to support it, and is forced to flee into outlawry. In Dublin, he meets famous rebel “Captain Thunderbolt” and becomes his second -in-command, “Lightfoot”. Is a perilous life, with captures, turncoats, rescues and romance

STARS

ROCK HUDSON, BARBARA RUSH JEFF MORROW

Just as many businesses in our region are getting back on their feet again after a torrid three years of bushfires, Covid-19, and then floods, many have been slammed with the gas shut down . The resilience of these Business Owners are admirable but I ask myself how much more can they take? It is enough to make you cry out of despair.

Well, if you have made it so far, you might as well keep going. I mean what else could we do because as entrepreneurs we make terrible employees. Keep your dream alive and keep driving forward. It is simply another challenge we have to overcome on our amazing journey to business and life success. With each challenge that is thrown at us there are valuable lessons to learn. These lessons help us become stronger, smarter, and better than we ever were before. Admittedly, they have been expensive lessons lately.

We have almost survived another year and many Business Owners I speak with are tired, overworked, and overwhelmed. Now is the time

Leo, Roving Reporter

Report from: My desk, late at night

Story filed: School Camp

Hello, people. Leo here. Last week my year group went on a school camp. It was three days long, Wednesday to Friday.

I still feel really tired with sore muscles from camp activities and it didn't help that I also got sick from it all. The hacking cough started Friday afternoon on the bus ride home and the following weekend it wasn't any better. I'm slowly recovering and should be good in about a week or so.

The camp was actually really fun. The activities were awesome and I was in a good cabin with some of my friends.

I was also in an activity

to gather your resilience and push a little harder because in six weeks’ time we will get a welldeserved break. So make your client calls and visits. Send out proposals and sell wherever and whenever you can. This action will create momentum that will carry you through to February 2023 and beyond.

Get active with your social media posts and let your target audience know what you are up too. Create awareness of yourself and your brand. Continue to build your credibility and be visible whenever possible. This a key part of building back your momentum. Immerse yourself in your business and start to enjoy the things at work that you really love to do.

Most importantly, get out and network with every chance that you get. The more networking you do the more likely you are to find better opportunities to meet that potential client to sell to and for you to generate more revenue. Another, key factor of networking is the social interaction and the continual building of long term relationships with both clients and

group with all of my friends during the day - bonus. Some of the activities we got to do were caving, high ropes, bush walking, rock climbing and the challenger valley which was a bunch of obstacles in the mud and water so we got absolutely soaked.

The camp was good, hanging out with my friends, the food was good, and sleep was just about all right. The only thing that was not alright was that the packing list said 'more than one pair of shoes required ' (as our shoes were going to get wet) but I sort of thought that I would be fine with just the one pair. At camp, I soon realised that I would not be alright. At first, it was good, then when we did caving my shoes got drenched but not too badly, so I when around the rest of the day

Planning Column by Daniel Crump

It’s tough being an investor right now. It’s even harder to be a retiree investor because retirees are generally more conservative than their younger selves. Let’s face it, most of us are feeling significantly poorer than we were 12 months ago. With the US share market off 16 percent since the start of the year, house prices falling for six consecutive months, and with the cost of living rising at levels not seen for 30 years, it’s no wonder that retirees might be losing confidence.

But this is not the first economic slowdown we have seen and it’s not the first market correction. Here are the five most important things for retiree investors to remember during uncertain times.

1. Volatility is normal

Volatility is an inherent feature of investing. Market confidence can falter for any number of reasons; as a result of economic uncertainty, monetary or fiscal policy changes, financial contagion, geopolitical tension or simple shifts in investor sentiment.

2. Equity risk is rewarded in the long run

Equity investors are typically rewarded for the extra risks they bear. In the long-term, asset prices are driven by fundamentals

suppliers.

As the song Tubthumping, sung by Chumbawamba, goes, “I get knocked down, but I get up again, You are never gonna keep me down, I get knocked down, but I get up again, I get knocked down, but I get up again, You are never gonna keep me down.” When times are tough I play this song over and over again and it gets me motivated and back on my feet! (Well, most of the time).

It is a tough time to be in business at the moment, but I just have to remember how happy a client has been with my service this week or something that I have said that is life changing for that person, and that result constantly keeps me in the game. Now is not the time to give up! Reignite your flame and let it shine! Build back your momentum!

with my wet shoes BUT they did dry overnight! The next day when we had the challenger valley my shoes got truly absolutely soaked. As that was the same day we were leaving the best I could do was to have a shower and change my clothes and socks and try to dry my shoes as much as possible. Reader, they did not dry at all. For the bus ride home I just wore my

socks and put my wet shoes under the seat. When we had a pit stop I would just wear my socks I didn't even bother with damp shoes. I definitely learned a lesson at camp: trust the list and from now on you will never catch me with just one pair of shoes.

Until next time Leo Roving Reporter

(such as earnings) rather than emotion. Stocks have generally outperformed other asset classes in real terms.

We understand that as a retiree, you’re both a long-term and shortterm investor. That’s why we compartmentalise your investments based on time, so you can own your long-term assets over the longterm.

3. Be aware of loss aversion

As human beings we all experience emotions when we invest. When we experience strong returns, we feel positive emotions like joy and optimism. But when we lose money from negative returns, we feel fear and often anger.

In fact, for most of us living in retirement, losses hurt more than gains feel good. The intense pain can create a bias called ‘loss aversion’. Loss aversion can lead investors selling their investments at the wrong time.

There is some evidence that investors use a rule of three in dealing with losses.

They are prepared to ride out the first correction in the market; they are pained by the second correction but hold on; but finally, they capitulate after the third wave of selling pressure and don’t participate

in the inevitable market recovery.

4. Diversification smooths returns

The single, most effective way to manage volatility is to invest broadly. By investing in a spread of cash, fixed term investments, property and shares across different geographies, you can effectively smooth returns and avoid extreme losses.

5. Don’t get caught up by sweeping sentiment

The share market tends to ebb and flow in accordance with popular investment themes.

Investors need to take a discriminating view and not allow the euphoria of the market to cloud their judgement.

At Daniel Crump Financial Planning we understand that investment outcomes are just as much a result of what you don’t do as what you do. We will help you stay the course and improve your investment outcomes in the long run.

Daniel Crump is the founder of Daniel Crump Financial Planning. This article is general and does not consider your personal circumstances. If you would like advice specific to you, give us a call on 0418 148 622.

submit your stories and read more at

Building back the Momentum! Hang in there!

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi

Better Business Column by Steve Semmens, The Persuader

Steve Semmens is an experienced Business Coach who works with senior and mid-level executives, managers, and business owners at all levels of leadership throughout the Central West of NSW. Find out more at https://thepersuader.com.au

Financial

Playing it Forward: A Concert

presented by the Bathurst City & RSL Concert Band

It has been many years since the band has presented a concert and programme of special music to the Bathurst community. As the circumstances of COVID from recent years have prevented concerts and rehearsals for us, we are excited to present our concert as an acknowledgement of renewal and freedom to express our love of local music.

The Playing it Forward title reflects this sentiment of moving forward, showcasing 21st century music composed specifically for concert bands. You will hear music from Australian, American and English composers written in a variety of moving and fun styles – catering to a range of listening enjoyment. There is a bit

of something for everyone.

The concert will be presented in the auditorium of the Bathurst RSL Club on Saturday 12th November at 2.00pm, we invite everyone to join us for this unique event. A gold coin donation upon entry will be contributed entirely to the Defence Dogs – in support of the Bathurst RSL Subbranch for whom we have performed most for over the last two years.

It will be a perfect day to have lunch at the RSL restaurant, and stay on for a feast of beautiful music by Bathurst’s own community band.

Liam Benson: Virtue Without Stain

Liam Benson: Virtue Without Stain presents a collection of works, performances, and community engaged projects by Western Sydney based artist Liam Benson exploring the intersection of gender, cultural and queer identity.

The exhibition surveys Benson’s photographic work, new media, performances, and embroidery practice. Importantly, Virtue Without Stain includes new collaborative works made with local communities to provide a context for the complexity of Benson’s work that discusses and celebrates contemporary stories, values and culture experiences.

‘Born, raised, and currently living in Western Sydney, in one of Australia’s most culturally diverse areas, his work holds an unflinching mirror up to who we are as Australians, and in Benson’s case what it is to be a Queer white male of Anglo-Saxon heritage’, says Richard Perram OAM, Curator of the exhibition. ‘Like the American photographer Cindy Sherman, Benson uses himself as the subject of his work. The addition of costume, make-up and text creates unsettling images of great beauty that subtly deal with issues of masculinity, homophobia, gender, and our colonial history.’

Liam Benson: Virtue Without Stain is a BRAG exhibition, curated by Richard Perram OAM.

PLATYPI DOWN BUT NOT OUT

Panorama Platypi’s round-six WWRL match resulted in a loss by the Bathurst club to competition leader the Goannas 34-22.

The loss sees Platypi drop to equal third spot on the ladder, but still sitting only two points behind the frontrunner.

The trip to Wellington took its toll, with some players unavailable to travel, and the side only able to field a basic number of players plus replacements resulting in some players playing the full 70 minutes and a couple of under18s helping out.

It was another tough, hard game for Platypi and, resilient, they still performed well against strong opponents, and returned home pleased with their efforts.

In the previous week’s Carrington Park encounter against Midwest Brumbies the Platypi had a good win 464, Xanthe Booth scoring the first try in the third minute, Zarlia Griffiths converting her try for a 6-nil lead.

The Bathurst side scored another three times before Brumbies were able to get on the scoreboard, and Griffiths’ goalkicking was impeccable, converting each try for 24-nil, then 24-4 into the second half.

With her radar control she was able to push her team’s score along in six-point increments.

Platypi scored eight tries but Griffiths missed out on a clean sweep when her last kick rebounded off the goalpost, but with her early try and seven successful goalkicks, she scored 18 individual points.

Platypi play their round-seven game this Sunday at Carrington Park against Vipers who are sitting just one point above them on the competition ladder.

Astronomy Night

Stargazing over Portland

Story and pictures by John Fitzgerald

Pictured Above: Platypi’s Tiana Anderson, second-leading WWRL tryscorer

Pictured: Above Left: Platypi’s Meredith Jones

Poictured Left: Platypi's Paris Campion

Lithgow Can Assist members were invited to cater for a morning tea on the 17th October for the Australian Caravan Club. The group came to the Lithgow region for a 10 day stay to visit our beautiful are. On their arrival they set up on the Tony Luchetti Showground and utilized the facilities including the Civic Ballroom for their social events. Can Assist members catered for 170 people on the morning, providing them with home baked cakes, slices and biscuits. The Lithgow Rapid Response team supplied

tea and coffee.

The group held fund raising events to assist Lithgow Can assist. Local member for the caravan Group Mr. Neil Cochrane had pleasure in presenting a cheque to the value of $3,000 to the committee.

A big thank you to the Australian Caravan Association for this wonderful donation.

At the present time there are over 200 clients on the books for assistance in the local Council area.

WALLERAWANG WBC Celebrate Their 46th Birthday DAY

Vice President Lynette Cooke welcomed guests to Wallerawang Community & Sports Club to Celebrate their Lady Bowler's 46th Birthday. Then invited all to enjoy morning tea.

The cards were read with Conditions of play to have a fun and enjoyable game of two Triples. Roll up to start game was a spider prize for closest bowls to gifts. It started great day of bowls and so lucky to get a dry day amongst the wet ones.

Before officially introducing guests, Carol Doggett was presented by Vice President with a Certificate and Badge for her 25 years State Women's Bowls Affiliation Membership.

Vice President Lynette officially then welcomed guests and introduced her table guests, District Executives, her team and Club Rep John Williams. The Bowlers Grace was commenced by Patron Margaret. The lunch was catered by new club Caterer who served a generous and enjoyable lunch, with tasty slices for desert. The Birthday Cake was cut by Lady Bowlers Patron Margaret McCallum and 25 yr State Affiliated member Carol Doggett.

Guessing competition had ten chances to win a gift.

Winners on the day were a team from Lithgow City WBC, Betty Newcombe, Gai McGuirk and Pam Rivett, Runners Up a home team of Lynette Cooke, Pat McMillan and Carol Doggett.

Vice President Lynette enjoyed her hosting the Birthday, representing Club President Violet McMahon who at present is enjoying an extended holiday overseas.

Guests were thanked for joining us and wished a safe trip home.

Story and photos supplied

Winners, Betty Newcombe, Gai McGuirk and Pam Rivett

Pictured: Noela Williams, Lesley Townsend, Neil Cochran, Mayor Maree Statham, Linda Lingard and Sue Giokaris.