Molong Express 26 August 2021

Growing the Community since 1876 AND WESTERN DISTRICTS ADVERTISER

THURSDAY 26 August 2021

Ph: (02) 6366 8017

$2.00 inc gst

Email: molongex@bigpond.net.au www.molongexpress.com.au

INSIDE

Magazine Section Cranky Jack

By Steele Rudd

Australia’s best prime ministers? and worst! Page 8

Extension of Lockdown "likely" There was no new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Orange or Cabonne by Monday, but with 36 new cases of community transmission across the Western NSW district health officials maintain there's a genuine concern for the area.

Twenty-three cases occurred in Dubbo, where the number of active cases has rocketed past the 200 mark and now sits at 245 to 8pm on Monday.

There were multiple cases in locations like Parkes (five), Bourke (two) and Wellington (two).

Chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said vigilance across NSW was essential. "We have a strong focus on communities in Western NSW, please follow public health advice and follow the vaccination plan," she said.

Earlier, on Monday, NSW deputy premier John Barilaro said a lockdown extension appeared likely across Western NSW. The COVID lockdown is expected to be extended for Orange and Central West Local Government Areas and there is a possibility of tighter restrictions for Sydney construction workers in regional NSW On Tuesday Mr Barilaro said a meeting to discuss the regional NSW lockdown will take place on Wednesday, and it will be made clear what will be required to lift individual LGAs out of lockdown. He said it should include looking at cases of sewerage surveillance, positive case numbers as well as the situation in neighbouring LGAs. An announcement will be made on Thursday 26 August

"My view would be whatever we decide on for the announcement for post this weekend needs to be long term, you can't go week by week. I've never been a fan of week by week and I was confident we could get out of this in the first seven days and it's not the case," Mr Barilaro said.

"If we do go for a further extension, if it's 14 days, if it's 28 days, if it's to the end of September, we need to be upfront of it so businesses can prepare, communities can prepare and of course we can make adjustments to support packages."

The region is due to come out of lockdown this Saturday, however new cases have been confirmed in Orange.

"We've been saying for a week about Orange we were concerned about Orange and now we've got a case in Orange and it was the same in Mudgee and Parkes so it is a very, very good indicator," Mr Barilaro said.

You must always have a mask on you when you leave home. If you’re going outside to exercise, carry a mask to wear before and after your exercise.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she will announce later this week what COVID restrictions will ease in September for fully vaccinated people. "I look forward to making the announcement on Thursday or Friday this week as to what fully vaccinated people will be able to do from the month of September because of the target we have set," she said.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro is to be commended for fitting into his schedule a daily on-line conference and talkback session with regional NSW newspapers and media outlets focussing on local Covid matters.

Go for the Jab! There are now two vaccinatiuon centres in Molong to head to for The Jab and to access AstraVenica which health professionals and government are providing (Free of Charge) to people aged 60+.

1. Molong HealthOne. AstraZenica and hopefully by September - Pfizer will hopefully be available for 16 years-59 age group.

Phone 63694200 to book in for your jab. Please be patient ... the switchboard is very, very busy.

2. Molong Pharmacy is now able to provide vaccinations for AstraZenica and Pfizer (when available).

Phone 63694100

Protect yourself, your family, the town you live in ... your friends, neighbours, elderly and disabled residents etc. etc. AstraZenica is now available at the Molong Pharmacy on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pfizer (16 years-59 years) available end of August/early September Book in now 63668669 or email molongpharmacy@bigpond.com Go For The Jab. (Above: Alice Druve and Sue Wild at the Pharmacy)

3. Dr. Kapu (Molong Surgery) can provide vaccinations at his Canowindra day surgery. Phone 63668579 4. Emergency ... and COVID Testing Molong Multi-Purpose Service (Molong hospital). Book in for an appointment for COVID Testing - or to access the Orange service.

Around town ...

It’s heartening to see the positive initiatives that most local residents have taken to ensure that they are complying with the COVID/Delta variant rules - the wearing of masks, meeting the committment recommended by health officials/ government of staying at home .. not visiting others ... hand washig and most of all lining up for the jab!

What is the problem for others in our communities who defy COVID and the rules the majority of us are diligently and respectfully living by and with?

Why can’t these people remove themselves from just a simple exercise - to come down from their high horses - and personal platforms of all things which basically expound self-imposed and senseless conspiratory theories.

Whilst our christian backgrounds and study of buddhist philosohies suggests that we practice compassion and understanding of those who have the ability to put the health/lives of babies, children, through to the most senior residents at high risk ... and to contribute to the survival and future of their communities ... it is incredibly hard to have any respect for them right now. I am weary of listening to them! So are others Something is destroying the communities today - that men and women lost their lives for during wartime efforts. The armed forces had a conviction - the main one being to protect their country, communities, current and future generations.

with Rozzi Today, we look around us - within our own communities - and unfortunately look in disgust at the selfishness, self-centredness of some locals we live amongst. And, wonder why we even try to offer respect, compassion to a group who are letting us down. Letting their communities down. Letting the people around them - well and truly down. How? Through (it has to be said) ignorance ... Something that has been building up slowly over time as some people refuse to think positive. Perhaps because their thinking and disrespect for others becomes a blockage in their minds. The result being that they lose their abillity to learn - and most of all their inability to change what is known as ‘pig headness’ and desire to win the argument. What argument is that? The argument of their own creation and thinking. Why? To prove that the platform they have chosen is ‘right’.

I ask these people - is it not time to be part of a community to work for the greater good of all?

The greater good is to help this town and surrounding towns to emerge from COVID/ Delta alive, healthy and well.

The Jab ... COVID testing ... complying with the COVID directives ... mask wearing, hand washing ... stop blaming others for the situation we are all in together.

The Jab is the answer - not individual conspiracy theories or ‘platforms’. See on the front page how and where to get the jab. For those who worry about an injection ,,, just do it!

Meet Joshua Batty who is currently a work experience student at the Molong Pharmacy.

Currently completing his 4th year Bachelor of Pharmacy degree at CSU Orange - Joshua is spending two weeks gaining experience with Sue and Alice and the local team of pharmacy/health professionals.

“Great” responded Joshua when asked how he likes Molong and working in the Molong Pharmacy.

(Above right) Jake Allcorn showing Joshua around the popular local Pharmacy that has been providing the best possible care, information and service to local and district residents for some years. Jake joined Sue Wild’s Molong Pharmacy as a part-time employee whilst at school progressing to full-time employment some 7 years ago after completing Year 12 at Molong Central School. Jake has enjoyed the training and opportunities that the Molong team has provided for his career progression.. Well done to Sue and Cameron Wild who have created 9 positions (full-time and part-time) in Molong.

Dr. Simon Basha & Dr. Lisa Staudinger

93 Bank Street MOLONG 02 5319 0190 hello@bankstreetdental.com.au bankstreetdental.com.au

How come?

The former dr’s surgery in Gidley Street has been standing vacant for some (maybe 20 years) and could be better used as a family home, or B&B accommodation or to add to the Bells Lane townhouse development. During the summer, the overgrown garden could be considered a fire hazard.

The Express receives considerable complaints each and every year from residents who are concerned about the continuing decline of the building and the grounds. “Can’t Cabonne Council do something to address the OH&S issues with the owner(s)”? the Express is often asked. Can Cabonne Council do something?

ACCEPTING BOOKINGS FOR SEPTEMBER

TIMBER & PLUMBING SUPPLIES Mon Fri 7.30 to 5.00 Sat 8.00 to 12.00

We Deliver to You

Ph: 5325 5040 2 Bank St MOLONG 2

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

convenience store at BP Molong

Quick, Grab & Go Foods Great Coffee

Spend $50 or more in one transaction at

8

to receive

c

per litre

Supply and lay Carpet, Vinyl, Vinyl planks and laminate.

Central west area.

No job too big or small.

No charge for travel.

DISCOUNT on fuel

Cash / card only. No commercial sales. No fuel cards.

Hill St. Molong - Ph: 6366 8393

cabonnecarpets@outlook.com

(02) 6316 5482 m: 0484 259 668

Visit all our listings at www.molongre.com.au 42 Bank Street, Molong

6366 8800

Historic Double Brick circa 1913

20-22 Obley Street CUMNOCK

This charming double brick home has all the features that you would expect. Front bullnose veranda, wide central hallway, high pressed metal ceilings, 4 open fireplaces with original timber mantles, spacious formal and casual living areas. The property is on two separate titles.

• 5 bedrooms, 2 with built in robes, 3 with open fireplaces • Spacious formal lounge room with high pressed metal ceilings and a cosy open fireplace • Great size kitchen with plenty of cupboard space overlooking the casual family room • Main bathroom has bath and separate shower • Northern rumpus room or 3rd living space • Huge laundry with walk-in storage and 2nd bathroom For Sale $480,000 - $510,000 2 5 2

Mark Howes 0427 668 800

Opportunity awaits

• Solid concrete tilt panel workshop with extensive mezzanine storage area • Workshop is approx. 264m2 in total space • Good access with new privacy gates • 4 car spaces + additional off-street parking area • Located just off the main highway between Orange and Dubbo • The bonus is the attached office space or 2-bedroom residence STCA • Two good size bedrooms with walk in robe • Updated kitchen with walk in pantry • Good bathroom facilities • Very comfortable residence all freshly painted For Sale $420,000 to $450,000 1 3 0

Mark Howes 0427 668 800

4 Bundella Close, Molong Over 55’s Retirement Village Opportunity Looking for something smaller to make life easier?

Need your privacy and freedom to come and go as you please?

Molong Lodge is a popular retirement village for the over 55s, in an ideal location to CBD and recreational facilities Featuring 2 bedrooms with built-ins, combined lounge/dining, separate kitchen, laundry and easy bathroom Beautifully manicured lawn area with established trees and gardens 24 hour maintenance service Medi-Alert emergency help buttons • Security • Community Centre Sale by Tenure

Units 3 & 10 Molong Lodge, Bells Lane, MOLONG

1 2 0 3 Howes 5Mark 3 0427 668 800

Molong & District’s Own Real Estate Agent

With such strong buyer enquiry, if you have been thinking of selling there is no better time than now.

If you are curious please call me.

KERRIANNE KELLY

PROPERTY MANAGER 0432 649 274

MARK HOWES LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENT 0427 668 800

42 BANK STREET, MOLONG PH: 02 6366 8800

JULIE KENT ADMINISTRATION 6366 8800

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

3

Cabonne Family Day Care funding grant to reduce fees

Cabonne Family Day Care has been successful in gaining Community Child Care Funding (CCCF) for the 2021-2024 period. The total amount of funding is $203,400.

Cabonne Council has given approval for Cabonne Family Day Care to to apply the funding in the following ways over the next three financial years, commencing October 2021.

Decrease Parent Administration Levy to $1.15 per hour, per child. (Currently $1.45 per hour, per child.)

Decrease the Educator Levy to $10 per week, per educator. (Currently $20-$25 per week, per educator, Decrease Initial Enrolment Fee to $25 per family. (Currently $50 per family.)

The service proposes also to eliminate the annual enrolment fee, with the income covered by the Community Child Care Fund.

The Australian Government has delivered a vital agriculture visa to help secure the future of rural and regional Australia. The Australian Agriculture visa will provide a long term, reliable workforce for our critical industries while solving one of the great challenges facing regional Australia in recent history.

Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee, said the Australian Agriculture visa will address the critical on-farm workforce shortage – a symptom of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The absence of backpackers due to international border closures has left a huge hole in the labour force,” Minister Gee said.

“Our primary producers across Calare have done it tough, doing battle with the drought, local bushfires, floods, and the mouse plague. Now, a severe labour screening service to save that one woman in shortage threatens to disrupt what could be a record harvest for many seven from an avoidable premature death.

“The presence and proximity of COVID-19 does producers.

“During last summer’s harvest not eliminate other serious medical conditions, such as breast cancer, nor does it absolve our our orchardists were roping in State Government from its responsibility of friends and family to pick fruit. We providing the essential services to detect and even had an old community hall in the foothills of Mt Canobolas full of treat them.

“If NSW Health need to redeploy staff from BreastScreen to make up a shortfall in staff to attend to COVID-specific duties, one has to wonder what other medical services have been abandoned.

“Country NSW already has limited medical services as it is, many of which were implemented The Commonwealth Bank is as a result of a lot of lobbying by passionate about to make good on its promise locals. These services are absolutely essential, to reinstate the ATM machine in we don’t want to see someone slip through and Molong. miss the opportunity for early detection and Cabonne Council has approved intervention.

“I’ve written to the NSW Health Minister, rquesting he immediately reverse this decision,” said Mr Donato.

Passionate mental health advocate and Member for Orange, Philip Donato MP, today, Monday 23rd August 2021, unveiled a comprehensive mental health directory which will be mailed to each household across the electorate in the coming weeks.

“For those experiencing mental health challenges, there has always been confusion as to where they should turn for help,” said Mr Donato.

“I’ve met dozens of people across the electorate who’ve shared with me their experiences of mental health anguish, having been lost in a mental health maze in their plight for help.

“There appears to be a lack of collaboration among service providers in the mental health space, who are often competing for government funding.

“On top of drought, flood, bushfire and mouse plague, COVID-19 has had a detrimental impact on mental health in our community, with people facing business closures, job and income loss, mortgage stress, relationship breakdown and now isolation in lockdown.

“In the New South Wales Parliament, I’ve been raising awareness of mental health and suicide prevention while advocating for improved coordination and service delivery to the community.

“I’ve raised the issue of mental health service coordination with

Cancer won’t wait for Covid

Member for Orange Philip Donato MP today, Wednesday 18th August 2021, scolded the NSW Government for allowing closure of NSW Health’s BreastScreen service across the State to redeploy their staff for COVID-19 related duties.

“The incidence of breast cancer among women in our community doesn’t cease, so neither should BreastScreen NSW, which is the primary scanning service for early detection, Mr Donato said.

On its website today, Breastscreen NSW’s message read, ”An important message about our service. 2008-2021 - BreastScreen NSW, as part of NSW Health has made the decision to temporarily suspend all routine breast screening services in NSW. The decision has been made in response to the increasing risk posed by the COVID-19 Delta strain and a need to redeploy staff to support the pandemic response at each local health district.”

“The decision by NSW Health to cancel appointments and close its Breast Screen service across the State for redeployment of staff for COVID-specific duties is a reckless move that may eventually have grave consequences for a loved mother, daughter, niece or sister we love.

“COVID poses no more risk to staff and patients than that of customers and staff who still go to Bunnings for hardware supplies, which is presently allowable in our current restrictions.

“Cancer has no conscience, it isn’t considerate, it has no concept of time – it’s indiscriminate and will continue to harmfully grow if it isn’t detected early enough for medical intervention.

“One in seven women will develop breast cancer, odds which demand an uninterrupted

4

Agriculture visa a lifeline for local producers

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

Sydney boarding school students who had been rounded up to come out west and help pick cherries.

“If there were Aussies who would do the work that would be great, but in reality, it’s been years since locals wanted to do fruit picking. That’s why the Australian Agriculture visa is vital, providing a long-term, reliable workforce our local primary producers have been crying out for.

“Our local orchardists have been pushing for this for a long time, and their advocacy has played an important role in achieving this outcome.

“The agriculture visa will be in place by the end of September 2021, with the full implementation of this demand driven visa complete within 3 years.

“The visa will be open to applicants from a range of countries and will be available to skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers.

“This will greatly assist the fruit and grain industries in Calare as they manage and plan out their future workforce needs.

Installation of Commonwealth Bank ATM

the Bank’s development application to install a machine and signage at 6-8 Bank Street Molong (17 Shades Hairdressing).

Health of knowledge

the NSW Government but they’ve been too slow to respond. I wasn’t going to wait any longer to address this issue.

“I’ve sought to simplify the task for those in need of mental health-related services or support by compiling a comprehensive directory of the various service providers, charitable organisations, not-for-profits and community groups in a convenient booklet.

“This tangible resource is unique, having been specifically developed for the residents of the Orange electorate to erase some of the confusion by providing a map in their hands to better navigate the many pathways to access appropriate mental health services and support.

“In the coming weeks, this handy resource will be delivered by mail to every household in the Orange electorate,” Mr Donato said.

Government Fail to Engage Regional Media in COVID-19 Messaging

Regional New South Wales is missing out on vital health information as Government excludes regional newspapers from their COVID-19 communications messaging, say Shooters Fishers and Farmer’s Party Member for Barwon Roy Butler and Mark Banasiak, MLC. The SFF is speaking out on the subject after the Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional NSW and member of the COVID-19 crisis cabinet, John Barilaro, announced on Twitter that regional NSW would go into lockdown.

“For the NSW Government to fail to engage local, regional media to assist in communicating the lockdown is unforgivable. I have many people in regional NSW who rely on local papers or listen to local radio. Again, it demonstrates a lack of understanding of regional NSW,” said Mr Banasiak.

“Many people in regional NSW have limited or no access to the internet. Many wouldn’t know what Twitter is,” said Mr Banasiak.

“There needs to be a review of Government’s communication decisions now,” says Member for Barwon, Roy Butler.

“Rural and regional newspapers remain the most trusted media source for communities in our regions, and as such, they must be supported

by Government and included in all marketing campaigns.

“It’s the same for consultation with regional NSW communities. They just don’t know how to do it successfully.

“Vital health information is not being communicated to our regions because Government has ceased to include small regional and rural newspapers in their marketing campaigns and would rather spend their money with Facebook to get their message out.

“Accessibility of evolving health orders that incur criminal penalties and hefty fines is of great concern to the SFF, and we call on the NSW Government to remedy this immediately,” said Mr Butler.

The Local Government (General) Amendment (COVID-19) Regulation 2020, which removes requirements for councils to publish advertisements and announcements in local newspapers, is already hurting small local papers and their communities. Now, these same publications are left out of State Government health campaigns.

“These measures impact a person’s right to access government information, and we see the reality of that in the misinformation spreading through our regions relating to COVID-19 health orders and restrictions being relayed through social media,” said Mr Banasiak “The most up-to-date ABS statistics tell us that there are 421 000 households without internet access. It is these people that rely on the local paper to inform them.

“The SFF demand Mr Barilaro improve COVID-19 messaging for rural and regional communities by committing to full-page advertisements with accurate, up-to-date and reliable information,” said Mr Banasiak.

View from the Hill

Michelle Grattan

Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Medical dash as COVID spreads among Indigenous people in western NSW Urgent medical resources are being dispatched to western NSW in a vaccination and support drive after the alarming spread of COVID into Aboriginal communities there.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the first of five Australian Defence Force vaccination teams will arrive on Wednesday.

An initial Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) – which is multidisciplinary health group – will also be sent within a couple of days.

AUSMATs can help shore up local hospitals and health services where that might be needed.

COVID has now spread to areas including Bourke, Broken Hill, Brewarrina, Gilgandra, Walgett and Dubbo.

With a large Indigenous population in these areas and a low vaccination rate, COVID presents an especially serious threat. Aboriginal people are vulnerable because they often already have other health conditions.

Most of the about 117 cases in western NSW are among Indigenous people, particularly young people.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, said that nationally 169,000 Indigenous Australians had had their first vaccine (a rate of 30%), and 69,000 (15%) had had two doses.

The rates are much lower than for the general community, where more than a quarter of eligible Australians (26.9%) are now fully vaccinated.

Wyatt said Indigenous leaders were stepping up and “we’re seeing straight talking happening”.

He said some Indigenous people had been fearful of adverse effects of being vaccinated.

“People are now believing that it is time for them to take the proactive action. And the elders and the leaders are ensuring that the straight messages, straight talking is now part of what communities are hearing.”

Dharriwaa Elders Group at Walgett called for more resources and help in a statement last week.

“Many of our Elders and others in Walgett experience health and social issues that make them vulnerable to contracting COVID-19. The impact on our community could be devastating,” they said.

Pat Turner, CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), said the shortage of Pfizer and people’s reluctance to have AstraZeneca had been problems in the rollout in western NSW. “People put their back up against getting AstraZeneca,” she said. They had also thought they were a long way from Sydney, where the NSW outbreak was centred.

With the spread of the virus people were now realising they needed to be vaccinated, Turner said. But she was

still “very concerned” about the situation in western NSW. She said one of the problems Aboriginal health centres had was a shortage of staff due to state border closures, as well as nurses not coming from New Zealand.

She welcomed the dispatch of the defence and AUSMAT teams and that increased supplies of Pfizer had been prioritised as well as more testing capacity and personal protective equipment. (theconversation.com.au)

REGRET

New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard has expressed regret over comments he made equating mourners at a funeral in a predominantly Aboriginal outback town with people who attended an illegal gathering in Sydney's east.

Mr Hazzard linked the two groups over the weekend and warned that the behaviour of "selfish" people who deliberately failed to comply with health orders might cause other people's deaths.

The funeral in the town of Wilcannia was held before the lockdown of regional NSW was enacted and police have not reported any infringements from the event.

But health authorities are worried that people who attended could have unwittingly brought the virus into other regional areas.

Darryl Bugmy, the brother of the deceased, said the state government failed to protect Wilcannia from COVID by imposing restrictions too late.

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

5

Remembering Margaret Enid Starr - known to many as “Matron Starr”.

Margaret’s neice, Margo Miller kindly provided the eulogy.

Margaret’s father, Richard Starr came from Copper Hill. He married Kathleen (Kit) O’Brien from Cumnock in 1925. They set up a home on “Arakoon” at Boomey, the property Richard bought after returning from service in WW1. The following year, Margaret, their first child, was born.

Margaret Enid Starr, was born 3rd May, 1926 (the same year as Queen Elizabeth II) at the Molong District Hospital. This would be the start of her very long relationship with the Molong Hospital and the nursing profession.

Her early days were spent enjoying life on the family farm and growing up with her younger sisters, Jan & Gwen and brother, Richard. When the time came to start school, Margaret would catch and saddle her horse “Broomstick” and ride the mile or so to the local school at Boomey.

Margaret moved into Molong and attended Molong Central school to complete her secondary education. On leaving school at age of 17, Margaret started her first job at the Commercial Bank in Molong where she earnt 98 pounds a year.

She decided this was not the career for her, so she moved to Sydney and at the of age 21 commenced her general nursing training at Prince Henry Hospital at Little Bay. Margaret then went on to complete her Midwifery training at the Ryde Hospital.

The Nurses Training qualifications from NSW was accepted in Great Britain. And so, on completion of her studies, in 1953, armed with her nursing certificates, Margaret headed off to London on what would be the first of her many overseas trips. At that time the usual way to travel to England was by ship. Margaret’s trip took over 3 months. It was a fascinating adventure for a county girl as the ship visited a variety of exotic ports along the way.

Although she missed her family, Margaret loved being in England. She gained tremendous experience working in several hospitals in London. After working for 2 ½ years in England it was time to come back to Australia on board what Margaret called “that old tub, the Iberia” which was on its last voyage before being scrapped.

Whilst in England Margaret had met many people.

Funnily enough lots of those were Australians, especially as she said, “lots of nice Queenslanders”! So, after a short stint working at the Orange Base Hospital, she decided to go north and work in Queensland.

Life in Longreach turned out to be very much to her liking. She ended up staying & working at Longreach Hospital for the next 8 yrs. Bruce Starr recalls the floods in the late 1950s which inundated the Longreach hospital and was followed by a plague of frogs which Margaret abhorred.

In 1964, Margaret made the decision to return to Molong where her parents were living in semi-retirement.

She took a job at the Molong District Hospital - initially, in the role of Sister and then as the Matron of the hospital.

Margaret would go on to serve the Molong community for the next 28 years. She was the Matron of the hospital for 19 years. Even to this day many people still refer to her as “Matron”!

A colleague from the hospital has described her as a “wonderful nursing professional.

Stern but fair!” She energetically developed her staff, guiding and encouraging the younger staff to go on to further study.

Another colleague said that she considered her staff as her family sometimes referring to them as kids!!! However, I am sure if she felt that correction was necessary it was delivered in her usual direct and abrupt manner.

Diplomacy wasn’t one of her strong points.

In 1992, after a 45 year career dedicated to nursing, Margaret retired.

Margaret was then able to pursue her other interests and she did so with great enthusiasm!

Margaret had a life-long love of travel. Retirement gave her even more opportunity for travel - exploring new and favourite locations or visiting family and friends. The destinations were many and varied from Japan to Norfolk Island.

Margaret loved to revisit the UK and travel in Europe.

She toured countries in South East Asia several times and travelled to other places ranging from Fiji to Alaska with her friend Rhoma Hale. Margaret even travelled across the United States in a caravan for 6 weeks with her sister Gwen and her family. Her niece Jane has memories of a trip to Bali with Margaret in 1975 - long before most Australians knew where Bali was! Margaret visited her friend Kerry Dunski (Dunn) in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

several times in her late 60’s & 70’s. Then in her 80’s visiting Kerry on the Gold Coast. Margaret’s travelling continued even into her 90’s!!

In retirement Margaret took the opportunity to expand her range of handiwork and would attend any class on offer in Molong. She tried classes in sewing, embroidery, patchwork, painting and even furniture making. Some ventures were more successful than others!

Margaret was always very involved in her community, from being a long-term member and contributor to The Yarn Market to volunteering at the Vinnies shop right up until she went into aged care. She was a member of many organisations - St Johns Anglican Church, the Red Cross and Probus. She loved to go to Garden Club and she was particularly fond of the Probus bus tours. She thoroughly enjoyed Bridge Club for the companionship and home baked morning teas with the other card playing ladies!!

In her later years Margaret often refused lifts to town and insisted on using her walker, though she always appreciated the lifts home from the many caring members of the community that kept an eye on her and supported her which enabled her to maintain her independence and stay at home well into her 90s!!!. Such was the strong will and determination of this amazing lady.

The vermin are coming back Early detection of mice key to managment

Warnings about the potential onset of a mouse plague come springtime have further justified the advocacy work of NSW Farmers in securing a $150 million state government support package.

The CSIRO is advising farmers in NSW to get out of the ute to monitor paddocks and bait cards as predictive modelling forecasts showed a high risk of a mouse outbreak in spring.

NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin said mouse activity is already on the increase in some areas, according to the latest Mouse Update from the CSIRO and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

“The August update states that mouse numbers are moderate to high in parts of the Central West and highly variable in northern NSW, with serious concerns about the impact on chickpea crops,” Mr Martin said.

“I am starting to see increased activity on my own farm, and I am hearing the same from a lot of Members.”

“NSW Farmers is encouraging farmers to apply for the zinc

phosphide bait rebate of up to $10,000 per farm business through the Rural Assistance Authority website. Applications are open until 17 December and a claim can be made retrospectively for bait costs incurred back to January 2021.”

“NSW Farmers have advocated tirelessly for this financial support since February and along with the CWA of NSW, pursued a shared responsibility in combatting this plague, resulting in $150million worth of mouse plague support packages announced by the NSW Government.”

“We do continue to call on the reallocation of funds not used for the defunct bromadiolone baiting scheme to be put into Mouse Bait Rebate Package. The mouse plague of 2021 is clearly not over and farmers will need all the support they can get.”

NSW Rural Assistance Authority will administer the rebate program.

For more information about the zinc phosphide rebate program visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au. For information about household and small business rebates visit www. nsw.gov.au/mice.

6 MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall has urged primary producers to start preparing now for a spring surge in the mice population after increased activity was reported in the state’s north.

“While there has been some respite from high mouse numbers across the winter months as breeding slowed, we remain concerned about a spring surge in numbers as the weather warms up,” Mr Marshall said.

“It looks like we’re going to have good conditions and hopefully a great winter crop, but that also means mice will have everything they need to build populations very quickly in the lead up to harvest.

“Early detection is critical to helping protect crops, so farmers should be walking their paddocks now looking for signs of mice and being prepared to bait if needed.”

Mr Marshall said signs of mouse damage included chewing the nodes of developing cereals and the chewing of flowers and pods on canola and legumes.

“The experts tell us it is better to bait early with the newly-available zinc phosphide 50g/kg baits before your crops start to fill,” Mr Marshall said.

“Baiting early will help control mouse populations before they start breeding in spring, as they’ll more readily take the baits while there is less alternative food available.

“Zinc phosphide is the most effective

rodenticide available and the NSW Government is offering producers a rebate which will cover 50 per cent of the cost of zinc phosphide baits, up to $10,000.

“Already 304 producers have accessed more than $2 million worth of assistance under this program, and more than 13,000 households and small businesses have claimed more than $7.5 million worth of rebates on retail mouse baits.

“The NSW Government is also working with manufacturers to make sure we have an ample supply of zinc phosphide available we’ve provided more than $5 million to make sure NSW producers are first in line for zinc phosphide and to assist with the costs of getting the chemical to NSW.” Households are eligible to claim up to $500 and small businesses, including primary producers and sole traders, will be eligible to claim up to $1,000 for rebates on baits.

The NSW Rural Assistance Authority will administer the zinc phosphide rebates. For more information visit www.nsw.gov.au/mice.

Magazine

Lockdown Special Steele Rudd was a comic writer of genius who created the inimitable Dad and Dave, Mother and Sarah, Dan and Grandpa, and gave them an immortal place in Australian folklore.

His writings were at one time as widely known and loved as those of "Banjo" Paterson, Henry Lawson and C. J. Dennis.

This story is from his collection of stories from “On our Selection”' Told with robust humour and rollicking satire, Budd's stories are as fresh and

Cranky Jack

It was early in the day. Traveller after traveller was trudging by Shingle Hut. One who carried no swag halted a the rails and came in. He asked Dad for a job. "I dunno, Dad answered - "what wages would you want?" The man said he wouldn't want any. Dad engaged him at once.

And such a man! Tall, bony, heavy-jawed, shaven with a reaping-hook,· apparently. He had a thick crop of black hair - shaggy, unkempt, and full of grease, grass, and fragments of dry gum-leaves. On his head were two old felt hats - one sewn inside the other. On his back a shirt made from a piece of blue blanket, with white cotton stitches striding up and down it like lines of fencing. His trousers were gloom itself; they were a problem, and bore reliable evidence of his industry. No ordinary person would consider himself out of work while in them. And the newcomer was no ordinary person. He seemed to have all the woe of the world upon him; he was as sad and weirdlooking as a widow out in the wet.

In the yard was a large heap of firewood - remarkable truth! - which Dad told him to chop up. He began. And

Bank St MOLONG

PH 6366 8062

entertaining now as they were at the turn of the century. They are full of human and historical detail, and through them pulses a sense of rough and almost indestructible life.

Steele Rudd is best known for his stories charting the misadventures and misfortunes of life on a small selection, where families face the great and small crises of everyday life with larrikin humour, farcical confusion. and finally a sardonic acceptance of fate.

Enjoy!

By Steele Rudd

how he worked! The axe rang again - particularly when it left the handle - and pieces of wood scattered everywhere.

Dad watched him chopping for awhile, then went with Dave to pull corn.

For hours the man chopped away without once looking at the sun. Mother came out. Joy! She had never seen so much wood cut before. She was delighted. She made a cup of tea and took it to the man, and apologised for having no sugar to put in it. He paid no attention to her; he worked harder.

Mother waited, holding the tea in her hand . A lump of wood nearly as big as a shingle flew up and shaved her left ear. She put the tea on the ground and went in search of eggs for dinner. (We were out of meat - the kangaroo dog was lame. He had got "ripped" the last time we killed.)

The tea remained on the ground. Chips fell into it. The dog saw it. He limped towards it eagerly, and dipped the point of his nose in it.

(Continued page 9)

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MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August July 2021

7

Magazine

Who were Australia’s best prime ministers?

We asked the experts

W

ho have been Australia’s most accomplished prime ministers? Curiously, it’s a question that is seldom asked. We enthusiastically compile lists of the greatest films or sporting champions, but rarely do we apply the same energy to thinking about primeministerial virtuosity.

More common is the rush to condemn incumbents.

For example, a recent venomous piece of commentary on Scott Morrison demanded to know: “Have we ever been led by a worse prime minister than this smirking vacuum?”

The problem with these hyperbolic attacks is that they lack context. How does Morrison’s leadership compare to his 29 predecessors? And, in any case, is it too early to properly judge his performance given his primeministerial project is incomplete?

What makes a great prime minister?

Evaluating leadership performance is replete with difficulties. This is despite the fact that, in democratic systems like ours, the mark of leadership achievement can appear deceptively simple.

On first consideration, longevity of office appeals as the sine qua non of successful political leadership. After all, winning government is the chief prize for a political leader, and retaining power, which is indicative of holding onto public support, affords the primary means by which to exercise influence.

Yet further reflection suggests survival alone is not a sufficient criterion of leadership success: it must also take account of what is accomplished with power.

Indeed, should the legacy of a leader’s time in office be the paramount test of performance?

But then a new problem: how are we to construct meaningful and agreed upon measurements of the scale and quality of that legacy? Surely, for instance, the benchmark has to be more than the legislative productivity of a leader’s government. Yet once we endeavour to devise qualitative measurements that factor in the impact of the changes a leader has wrought, we inevitably run into disagreements about whether those changes were for good or bad.

The top 10 prime ministers according to historians and political scientists Survey of 66 political scientists and historians, 2020 1 John Curtin 2 Bob Hawke 3 Alfred Deakin 4 Ben Chifley 5 Robert Menzies 6 Paul Keating 7 Gough Whitlam 8 Andrew Fisher 9 John Howard 10 Edmund Barton 8 MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

One way of sidestepping the difficulties of evaluating political leadership is expert rankings. That is, ranking evaluations gained from people with professional knowledge, rather than surveys based on population sampling.

These have a storied history in the United States.

Presidential rankings are not only conducted regularly but their results painstakingly analysed and hotly debated.

In parliamentary democracies such as Australia, leadership rankings have taken longer to catch on. But they have gained a foothold in recent decades. Most of them have been ad hoc surveys of a small number of public intellectuals and commentators initiated by broadsheet newspapers.

In 2010 and again in 2020, however, large-scale expert rankings surveys have been run out of Monash University. Sixty-six political scientists and political historians participated in last year’s survey. They were asked to rate the performance of all prime ministers, barring the incumbent (Morrison was not included as Julia Gillard was not included in the 2010 survey), and the three caretakers, Earle Page, Frank Forde and John McEwen, who briefly warmed the prime-ministerial seat following the death of an incumbent.

John Curtin, war-time PM, rated our greatest leader

Andrew Fisher, Australia’s first majority prime minister whose legacies included the establishment of the Commonwealth Bank and maternity allowances; and, in a delicious irony, the two great rivals, Paul Keating and John Howard. Keating is the big improver from the 2010 Monash ratings.

Longevity in office isn’t everything

The 2020 rankings also asked participants to rate prime ministers in nine performance areas. These were: effectively managing cabinet, maintaining support of party/coalition, demonstrating personal integrity, leaving a significant policy legacy, relationship with the electorate, communication effectiveness, nurturing national unity, defending and promoting Australia’s interests abroad, and being able to manage turbulent times.

Looking for correlations between performance in these areas and overall ratings it was evident that there was

The results of the 2010 and 2020 Monash surveys suggest there is a reasonable consensus about who have been our best prime ministers.

The top-rated national leader is Australia’s second world war prime minister and co-architect of its postwar reconstruction regime, John John Curtin (second from left), who led Australia through the second Curtin. Next comes Bob Hawke, world war and co-designed its post-war reconstruction, has been whose governments modernised and ranked our best prime minister. AAP/AP internationalised Australia’s economy in the 1980s through market-based reforms cushioned by an overlay of social democratic a close nexus between a high ranking and being scored values. strongly for policy legacy. The upper echelon prime Third-ranked is Alfred Deakin, the Liberal Protectionist ministers – Curtin, Hawke, Deakin, Chifley, Menzies, prime minister and the chief architect of the nation- Keating, Whitlam, Fisher and Howard – were all in the building edifice laid down in the first Commonwealth top grouping for policy legacy. decade. It included, among other things, tariff protection, Julia Gillard rounded out the policy legacy top ten, an industrial arbitration system and the beginnings of a which seemed to go a long way to explaining her healthy welfare state through provision of old age pensions. rating in the upper middle tier of the former prime Ben Chifley, Curtin’s collaborator in the design of the ministers. post-war reconstruction Keynesian welfare state, is also It appears that in the minds of the participants the in the top echelon. He is followed by Robert Menzies, relationship with the electorate, while also important, the father of the modern Liberal Party and Australia’s ranks behind policy achievement in significance. longest-serving prime minister.

Whitlam, Fisher and Keating were all outside the top ten Others who make the top tier or are close to it are: for winning favour with the electorate, but are still highly Gough Whitlam, the reforming titan whose government ranked. dramatically modernised Australia in the early 1970s; (Continued next page)

Magazine

Cranky Jack

(from page 7) It burnt him. An aged rooster strutted along and looked sideways at it. He distrusted it and went away.

It attracted the pig - a sow with nine young ones. She waddled up, and poked the cup over with her nose; then she sat down on it, while the family joyously gathered round the saucer.

Still the man chopped on.

Mother returned - without any eggs. She rescued the crockery from the pigs and turned curiously to the man. She said, “Why, you’ve let them take the tea!” No answer. She wondered.

Suddenly, and for the fiftieth time, the axe flew off.

The man held the handle and stared at the woodheap.

Mother watched him. He removed his hats, and looked inside them. He remained looking inside them.

Mother watched him more closely. His lips moved.

He said, “Listen to them! They’re coming! I knew they’d follow!”

“Who?” asked Mother, trembling slightly.

“They’re in the wood!” he went on. “Ha, ha! I’ve got them. They’ll never get out; never get out!”

Mother fled, screaming. She ran inside and called the children. Sal assisted her. They trooped in like wallabies - all but Joe. He was away earning money.

He was getting a shill­ing a week from Maloney, for chasing cockatoos from the corn.

They closed and barricaded the doors, and Sal took down the gun, which Mother made her hide beneath the bed. They sat listening, anxiously and intently. The wind began to rise. A lump of soot fell from the chimney into the fireplace where there was no fire. Mother shuddered. Some more fell. Mother jumped to her feet. So did Sal. They looked at each other in dismay.

The children began to cry. The chain for hanging the kettle on started swinging to and fro. Mother’s knees gave way. The chain continued swinging.

A pair of bare legs came down into the fireplace - they were curled round the chain. Mother collapsed. Sal screamed, and ran to the door, but couldn’t open it.

The legs left the chain and dangled in the air. Sal called “Murder!”

Her cry was answered. It was Joe, who had been over at Maloney’s making his fortune. He came to the rescue. He dropped out of the chimney and shook himself. Sal stared at him. He was calm and covered from head to foot with soot and dirt. He looked round and said, “Thought yuz could keep me out, did’n’y’?”

Sal could only look at him. “I saw yuz all run in,” he was saying, when Sal thought of Mother, and sprang to her. Sal shook her, and slapped her, and threw water on her till she sat up and stared about. Then Joe stared.

Dad came in for dinner - which, of course, wasn’t ready.

Mother began to cry, and asked him what he meant by keep­ ing a madman on the place, and told him she knew he wanted to have them all murdered. Dad didn’t understand. Sal ex­plained. Then he went out and told the man to “Clear!” The man simply said “No.” “Go on, now!” Dad said, pointing to the rails. The man smiled at the wood-heap as he worked. Dad waited . “Ain’t y’ going?” he repeated.

“Leave me alone when I’m chopping wood for the missus,” the man answered; then smiled and muttered to himself. Dad left him alone and went inside wondering.

Next day Mother and Dad were talking at the barn. Mother, bare-headed, was holding some eggs in her apron. Dad was leaning on a hoe.

“I am afraid of him,” Mother said; “it’s not right you should keep him about the place. No one’s safe with such a man. Some day he’ll take it in his head to kill us all, and then - “

“Tut, tut, woman; poor old Jack! he’s harmless as a baby.” “All right” (sullenly) ; “you’ll see!”

Dad laughed and went away with the hoe on his shoulder to cut burr.

Middle of summer. Dad and Dave in the paddock moving lucerne. Jack sinking post-holes for a milkingyard close to the house. Joe at intervals stealing behind him to prick him with straws through a rent in the rear of his patched moleskins. Little Bill - in readiness to run - standing off, enjoying the sport.

Inside the house sat Mother and Sal, sewing and talking of Maloney’s new baby.

“Dear me,” said Mother; “it’s the tiniest mite of a thing I ever saw; why, bless me, anyone of y’ at its age would have made three of - “ “Mind, Mother!” Sal shrieked, jumping up on the sofa. Mother screamed and mounted the table. Both gasped for breath, and leaning cautiously over peeped down at a big black snake which had glided in at the front door. Then, pale and scared-looking, they stared across at each other.

The snake crawled over to the safe and drank up some milk which had been spilt on the floor. Mother saw its full length and groaned . The snake wriggled to the leg of the table.

“Look out!” cried Sal, gathering up her skirts and dancing about on the sofa.

Mother squealed hysterically. Joe appeared. He laughed.

“You wretch’ Mother yelled. “Run! - run and fetch your father!”

Joe went and brought Jack.

“Oh-h, my God!” - Mother moaned, as Jack stood at the door, staring strangely at her. “Kill it! - why don’t he kill it!” Jack didn’t move , but talked to himself.

Mother shud­dered.

The reptile crawled to the bedroom door. Then for the first time the man’s eyes rested upon it. It glided into the bedroom, and Mother and Sal ran off for Dad. Jack fixed his eyes on the snake and continued muttering to himself. Several times it made an attempt to mount the dressing table. Finally it succeeded.

Suddenly Jack’s demeano ur changed. He threw off his ragged hat and talked wildly. A fearful expression filled his ugly features. His voice altered.

“You’re the Devil!” he said; “the Devil! THE DEVIL! The missus brought you - ah-h-h!”

The snake’s head passed behind the looking-glass.

Jack drew nearer, clenching his fists and gesticulating.

As he did he came full before the looking-glass and saw, perhaps for the first time in his life, his own image . An unearthly howl came from him. “Me father!” he shouted, ·and bolted from the house.

Dad came in with the long-handled shovel, swung it about the room, and smashed pieces off the cradle, and tore the bed-curtains down, and made a great noise altogether. Final ly, he killed the snake and put it on the fire; and Joe and the cat watched it wriggle on the hot coals.

Meanwhile, Jack, bare-headed, rushed across the yard. He ran over little Bill, and tumbled through the wire-fence on the broad of his back.

He roared like a wild beast, clutched at pace, and spat, and kicked his heels in the air.

“Let me up! - ah-h-h! - letgomethroat!”hehissed.

The dog ran over and barked at him. He found his feet again, and, making off, ran through the wheat, glancing back over his shoulder as he tore along. He crossed into the grass paddock, and running to a big tree dodged round and round it. Then from tree to tree he went, and that evening at sun­down, when Joe was bringing the cows home, Jack was still flying from “his father.”

After supper.

“I wonder now what the old fool saw in that snake to send him off his head like that?” Dad said, gazing wonderingly into the fire; “He sees plenty ofthem, goodness knows.”

“That wasn’t it. It wasn’t the snake at all,” Mother said; ‘there was madness in the man’s eyes all the while. I saw it the moment he came to the door.” She appealed to Sal. “Nonsense!” said Dad; “nonsense!” and he tried to laugh. “Oh, of course it’s nonsense,” Mother went on; “everything I say is nonsense. It won’t be nonsense when you come home ome day and find us all on the floor with our throats cut.”

“Pshaw!” Dad answered; “what’s the use 0f talking like that?” Then to Dave: “Go out and see if he’s in the barn!”

Dave fidgetted. He didn’t like the idea. Joe giggled.

“Surely you’re not frightened?” Dad shouted.

(Continued next page) MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

9

Magazine

Cranky Jack

(Continued from page 9)

Dave coloured up.

“No - don’t think so,” he said; and, after a pause, “You go and see.”

It was Dad’s turn to feel uneasy. He pretended to straighten the fire, and coughed several times.

“Perhaps it’s just as well,” he said, “to let him be tonight.”

Of course, Dad wasn’t afraid; he said he wasn’t, but he drove the pegs in the doors and windows before going to bed that night.

Next morning, Dad said to Dave and Joe, “Come ‘long, and we’ll see where he’s got to.”

In a gully at the back of the grass-paddock they found him. He was ploughing - sitting astride the highest limb of a fallen tree, and, in a hoarse voice and strange, calling out - “Gee, Captain! - come here, Tidy! - wa-ay!”

“Blowed if I know,” Dad muttered, coming to a standstill. “Wonder if he is clean mad?”

Dave was speechless, and Joe began to tremble.

They listened. And as the man’s voice rang out in the quiet gully and the echoes rumbled round the ridge and the af­ frighted birds flew up, the place felt eerie somehow.

“It’s no use bein’ afraid of him,” Dad went on. “We must go and bounce him, that’s all.” But there was a tremor in Dad’s voice which Dave didn’t like.

“See if he knows us, anyway” - and Dad shouted, “Hey-y!”

Jack looked up and immediately scrambled from the

limb. That was enough for Dave. He turned and made tracks. So did Dad and Joe. They ran. No one could have run harder. Terror overcame Joe. He squealed and grabbed hold of Dad’s shirt, which was ballooning in the wind.

“Let go!” Dad gasped. “Damn y’, let me go!” - trying to shake him off. But Joe had great faith in his parent, and clung to him closely.

When they had covered a hundred yards or so, Dave glanced back, and seeing that Jack wasn’t pursuing them, stopped and chuckled at the others.

“Eh?” Dad said, completely winded - “Eh?” Then to Dave, when he got some breath: “Well, you are an ass of a fellow. (Puff’.) What th’ devil did y’run f?”

“Wot did I run f? Wot did you run f?” “Bah!” and Dad boldly led the way back.

“Now look here (turning fiercely upon Joe), don’t you come catching hold of me again, or if y’ do I’ll knock y’r damned head off! ... Clear home altogether, and get under the bed ify’r as frightened as that.”

Joe slunk behind.

But when Dad did approach Jack, which wasn’t until he had talked a great deal to him across a big log, the latter didn’t show any desire to take life, but allowed himself to be escorted home and locked in the barn quietly enough.

Dad kept Jack confined in the barn several days, and if anyone approached the door or t he cracks he would ask: “Is me father there yet?”

“Your father’s dead and buried long ago, man,” Dad used to tell him.

“Yes,” he would say, “but he’s alive again. The missus keeps him in there” - indicating the house.

And sometimes when Dad was not about Joe would put his mouth to a crack and say: “Here’s y’r father, Jack!” Then, like a caged beast, the man would howl and tramp up and down, his eyes starting out of his head, while Joe would bolt inside and tell Mother that “Jack’s getting out,” and nearly send her to her grave.

But one day Jack did get out, and, while Mother and Sal were ironing, came to the door with the axe on his shoulder.

They dropped the irons, and shrank into a corner and cowered piteously - too scared even to cry out.

He took no notice of them, but, moving stealthily on tiptoes, approached the bedroom door and peeped in.

He paused just a moment to grip the axe with both hands. Then with a howl and a bound he entered the room and shattered the looking-glass into fragments.

He bent down and looked closely at the pieces.

“He’s dead now,” he said calmly, and walked out.

Then he went to work at the post-holes again, just asthough nothing had happened.

Fifteen years have passed since then, and the man is still at Shingle Hut. He’s the best horse Dad ever had. He slaves from daylight till dark; keeps no Sunday; knows no compa nion; lives chiefly on meat and machine oil; domiciles in the barn; and has never asked for a rise in his wages. His name we never knew . We call him “Jack.”

The neighbours call him “Cranky Jack.”

Who were Australia’s best prime ministers?

(Continued from page 9) (This is further reflected in the fact that, while Australia’s three most durable prime ministers – Menzies, Howard and Hawke – all make or are near the top tier, the next four longest-serving prime ministers and multiple election winners, Malcolm Fraser, Billy Hughes, Joseph Lyons and Stanley Bruce, do not.

In short, though longevity is important, what a prime minister does with office counts more to the experts.

Strikingly, all of the top-ranked leaders were either the initiators or consolidators of major policy settlements.

A high score for nurturing national unity also strongly correlates with a favourable overall rating. Howard’s below-average result on that measure seems to disqualify him from pushing further up among the top-ranked prime ministers.

Conversely, the connection was weakest between a high ranking and the integrity performance benchmark.

This does not mean the experts paid no heed to integrity.

Rather, they had a generally favourable view of the collective integrity of our prime ministers, regarding them as a fundamentally upright bunch.

And who were the duds?

What about the prime ministerial dunces? There is not only a consensus about who have been our best prime ministers but also our worst.

William McMahon, who was the nation’s leader in the dying days of the Liberal Party’s post-WWII ascendancy and was defeated by Whitlam at the December 1972

10 MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

election, wins that dubious honour.

Yet the 2020 rankings suggest he now has a rival for that ignominious status: Tony Abbott. Indeed, despite squeaking ahead of McMahon on the overall performance question, Abbott exceeded him for the number of failure ratings: 44 to 41. Against the nine benchmarks, Abbott is ranked last for policy legacy and nurturing national unity.

McMahon is bottom for six of the nine areas, among them integrity (part of his entrenched reputation is that of an inveterate schemer and leaker).

Notably, three of the four most recent prime ministers – Kevin Rudd, Malcolm Turnbull and Abbott – are situated towards or in the rear of the ratings pack. Together, they occupy the three bottom rungs for management of party/ coalition. This suggests respondents hold them, rather than their colleagues, chiefly responsible for their depositions by party-room revolts.

The clear exception among the post-Howard prime ministers is Gillard. Though still only middle-ranked overall, she is by far the highest-rated leader among this ill-starred group.

Where will Morrison end up in the rankings? The short answer is that it is too early to tell since his is an unfinished story. The COVID-19 pandemic has ensured his incumbency will be a significant one, either for good or bad.

Yet the lack of much in the way of tangible policy achievements to this point does not bode well for his rating.

Paul Strangio, Professor of Politics, Monash University (theconversation.com.au)

William ‘Billy’ McMahon was ranked our worst prime minister, but Tony Abbott is hot on his heels.

Museum of Australian Democracy

REG’S BENCH A fleeing German, desperate for water, was plodding through the African desert when he saw something far off in the distance. Hoping to find water, he hurried toward the oasis only to find a British soldier selling regimental ties.

The German asked, "Do you have water?"

The soldier replied, "There is no water, the well is dry. Would you like to buy a tie instead? They are only £5."

The German shouted, "You idiot infidel!

I do not need an over-priced tie. I need water! I should kill you, but I must find water first!"

"OK," said the soldier, "It does not matter that you do not want to buy a tie and that you hate me. I will show you that I am bigger than that, and that I am a much better human being than you. If you continue over that hill to the east for about two miles, you will find our Sergeant's Mess. It has all the ice cold water you need. Inshallah."

Cursing him, the German staggered away over the hill.

Several hours later he staggered back, collapsed with dehydration & rasped: "They won't let me in without a bloody tie!”

A Police officer stopped at our farm yesterday, he said “I need to inspect your farm for illegal growing drugs.”

I said “Okay, but don’t go in that field over there.”

The Police officer verbally exploded saying, “Mister, I have the authority of the State Government with me!” Reaching into his rear pants pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and shoved it in my face. “See this badge?! This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish…. On any land !! No questions asked or answers given!! Have I made myself clear?…. do you understand?!!”

I nodded politely, apologized, and went about my chores. A short time later, I heard loud screams, looked up, and saw

ACROSS the police officer running for his life, being chased by my big old mean bull…. With every step the bull was gaining ground on the officer, and it seemed likely that he’d sure enough get gored before he reached safety. The officer was clearly terrified.

I threw down my tools, ran to the fence and yelled at the top of my lungs “Your badge, show him your BADGE!!”

A blonde lady motorist was about two hours from Sydney when she was flagged down by a man whose truck had broken down.

The man walked up to the car and asked, "Are you going to Sydney?"

"Sure," answered the blonde, "do you need a lift?"

"Not for me. I'll be spending the next three hours fixing my truck. My problem is I've got two chimpanzees in the back that have to be taken to the Taronga Zoo. They're a bit stressed already so I don't want to keep them on the road all day. Could you possibly take them to the Taronga Zoo for me? I'll give you $200 for your trouble”.

"I'd be happy to," said the blonde.

So the two chimpanzees were ushered into the back seat of the blonde's car and carefully strapped into their seat belts, and off they went.

Five hours later, the truck driver was driving through the heart of Sydney when suddenly he was horrified!

There was the blonde walking down the street, holding hands with the two chimps, much to the amusement of a big crowd.

With a screech of brakes, he pulled off the road and ran over to the blonde.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, "I gave you $200 to take these chimpanzees to the zoo!"

"Yes, I know you did," said the blonde.

"But we had money left over so now we're going to Sea World."

1 Potter's material (4) 3 Sheath for a sword (8) 9 Arabian Nights hero (3,4) 10 Holiest city of Islam (5) 11 Larceny (5) 12 Shake with cold (6) 14 Fired (6) 16 Small (6) 19 Material for violin strings (6) 21 Seedhead of a dandelion (5) 24 Vine fruit (5) 25 Yerevan is the capital of this country (7) 26 Climbing plant with fragrant flowers (5,3) 27 Tool for cutting and shaping wood (4)

DOWN

1 Castigate (8) 2 Wonderland girl (5) 4 Unrefined (6) 5 Walt Disney deer (5) 6 Very old (7) 7 Momentous date in

World War II (1-3) 8 Farm livestock (6) 13 Item of jewellery (8) 15 Readily perceived pretence (7)

17 Earnings (6) 18 Relaxed (2,4) 20 Invited person (5) 22 Possessed (5) 23 Eras (4)

5 Smooth finish on some attire (5) 6 Flower an animal found by mistake (7) 7 Transfer to be approved (4) 8 Harp player, perhaps, beginning to annoy girl (6) 13 Big star making great din (3,5) 15 Football player beginning to sob?

Crybaby! (7)

17 Singer ordered to quit (6) 18 Servant more exposed, we hear (6) 20 The wife's language?

(5) 22 The opening of a chain letter (5) 23 Some sophisticated native woman (4)

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1 Formerly appearing in concert (4) 3 Near agreement about drink before retiring (8) 9 Like a certain poet composing in Corby (7) 10 Game birds seen by bishop (5) 11 Dress material a poet brought back (5) 12 Take up residence with a wooden bench (6) 14 Island capital as a sun resort (6) 16 Nonsense about fifty times three? (6) 19 Have requirement for lace borders — and sewing implement (6) 21 Type of music that's provided in playground (5) 24 Some Spode pottery in the warehouse (5) 25 Office wear ordered from Algeria? (7) 26 Harry is upset by early start in part of Scotland (8) 27 Let it stand for hat son mislaid (4)

Down

WORD SEARCH

Solutions page 14

QUICK CROSSWORD

1 Circling or piercing? (8) 2 Dog right in between officer and private (5) 4 Packed as a precaution?

(2,4)

SODUKU Fill in the grid so that every row, every

column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9, with no number repeated.

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

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Licence No: 1033852

2/67 Bank Street, Molong NSW 2866 PO Box 174, Molong NSW 2866

Ph: 02 6366 8222 Fax: 02 6366 9273

Free Quote

N LO

ED

BUILDING

MO

Orange office 193-195 Anson St.

CONVEYANCING

E: margot@margotsawyerconveyancing.com.au

AUTOMOTIVE / SMASH REPAIRS

Carpentry Painting Tiling Plastering

General Repairs & Maintenance No Job too Small !

Ph: 0437 218 930

TUES- Andrew Kermode Solicitor WED- Michelle Reynolds Conveyancer THURSDAY & FRIDAY by appointment.

Mark O’Donahue Home Maintenance

Concrete Trucks Mini Mix •3 •Mini digger, Bobcat, Truck & Truck Trencher, Dog hire

•Sand, aggregates •Topsoil, Mulch •Mushroom compost •Woodchips

SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR OVER 40 YEARS

Call Dusty

6366 8448

m 0428 650 499 Family owned & f 63 669 559 operated 33 BETTS ST, MOLONG

EARTHMOVING

CONCRETE Lic. MVRL45372

Watson Street MOLONG

EARTHMOVING & TRANSPORT

T 6366 8280

Extensive range of driving lights and light bars starting from

$140

Now doing

LIGHT VEHICLE BLUESLIPS

Servicing all your Earthmoving requirements, Low Loader, Water Tankers and Side tipper hire

• EXTENSIVE RANGE OF TYRES • WHEEL ALIGNMENTS • E-SAFETY INSPECTIONS • VALVOLINE PRODUCTS • SUPERCHARGE BATTERIES • EXHAUST REPAIRS

Contact Garry Gersbach:

0417 422 926 or 02 6369 6185

Open Monday to Friday - 8 am to 5.00 pm

ELECTRICAL / PUMPS

• Residential & Commercial • Network & data cabling • Security & access control • Optical fibre & TV cabling • CCTV

0447 239 937 sammueldwyer@gmail.com

12

E: garry@boxtrim.com.au W: boxtrim.com.au

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICIAN

» » » » » » »

Switchboard Upgrades Lighting & Power Appliances Smoke Alarms Sheds Test & Tagging Emergency Call Outs

AVAILABLE 24/7

SOLAR PUMP SPECIALISTS

Recieve a Complimentary Electrical Safety Health Report

SUPPLY, INSTALLATION, REPAIRS & ELECTRICAL

Rest easy knowing your Home is safe & sound! Valued at $149!

TROY BARRETT ELECTRICAL Servicing Molong and the Central West

CALL DAVE 0497 864 303 ADMIN@CWPUMPS.COM.AU LIC 349683C

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

0407 274 358

LIC. No 323812C

FUNERAL SERVICES

PAINTING / DECORATING

T.A. ALLCORN PAINTING

6361 7777 6362 3751

NORMAN J PENHALL FUNERALS Serving the Molong District PROVIDING 24 HOUR 7 DAYS SENSITIVE, DIGNIFIED & PROFESSIONAL CARE WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST PRE-PAID AND PRE-ARRANGED FUNERAL SPECIALISTS, RESPECTING ALL DENOMINATIONS email: mail@penhallfunerals.com.au

OUR FAMILY CARING FOR YOUR FAMILY

AFDA

ABN 39 372 942 873 LIC. NO. 170885C

• • • • • • • •

DOMESTIC, COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL TEXTURE COATING ROOF RESTORATION (IRON & TILE) AIRLESS SPRAYING HIGH PRESSURE WATER CLEANING EPOXY FLOOR COATINGS QUALITY WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE

0448 702 617

MOLONG

PACKAGING

MOVING HOUSE OR OFFICE?

Book Boxes | Tea Chests Bubble Wrap | Glass Jars Packing Tape

ALL YOUR PACKAGING NEEDS! Come and see us at 1 Wellington Street, Molong Or phone us on 02

6366 8100

SMASH REPAIRS

PLUMBING

D & M DUNCAN

Javelinplumbing

we’ll pinpoint your problem Lic No. 160917C

Licensed Plumber, Drainer, Gasfitter Servicing

Servicing Molong / Cabonne & District

• Domestic • Rural • Commercial

0408 031 829

B-Double Livestock, Hay & General Freight

Country Tree Services Garry Livingstone

Matt Knott

knotttransport@gmail.com

0408 655 811

WATER BORES

• Auto Robot • Baking Oven • All insurance work • Panel Beating & Spray Painting 24 HOUR TOWING • Windscreens supplied and fitted

TREE SERVICES

• Arborist • Tree Felling • Trimming • Stump Grinding • Fully Insured • 30 years experience

0428 986 164

53 CUDAL STREET, MANILDRA

PH/FAX: 6364 5432 AH:63 645 077

(02) 6366 9010 e: javelin@telcomail.com.au

TRANSPORT

SMASH REPAIRS

WELDING

Molong

Smash Repairs Quality Smash Repairs

• Insurance & Private Work • All vehicle makes & models • Custom work and paint

• Hotrods/Restoration/Vintage vehicles • Motor bikes/boats and all marine vessels

Ph: 6366 8208

info@molongsmashrepairs.com.au

MOBILE ENGINEERING

Wr ght

ABN 75 131 657 324

OBLIGATION FREE QUOTE OVER 50 YEARS EXPERIENCE FULLY LICENCED & INSURED CALL BRYAN OR CLIVE NOW ON

WELDING & FABRICATION FIXED & MOBILE PLANT MAINTENANCE MOBILE WELDING SERVICE

PROMPT, PROFESSIONAL & RELIABLE SERVICE

0409 041 659 email: srdwelding@bigpond.com

6366 5220

Sam & Jacqui Duncan

(m)0468 962 162

14 Enterprise Place Molong NSW 2866

RURAL INDUSTRIAL DOMESTIC REPAIRS MACHINING & FABRICATION ON SITE SERVICE Bruce Beasley

Mobile 0418 672 247 AH 02 6361 7380 Shed 6 / 390 Clergate Road Orange NSW 2800

CONNECTIONS

CABLE/ PIPE LOCATIONS TREES LOPPED / REMOVED TRENCHING / YARDS CLEANED PHONES / CABLES REPAIRED PHONE / TV EXTENSIONS ANY TIME ANY WHERE

NOW CLEANING CHIMNEYS Avoid a fire !

Call Lenny Punch

M: 0481 119 039 T: 63 668 108

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

13

CLASSIFIEDS

that work !

PHONE: 02 6366 8017 • Email: molongex@bigpond.net.au

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

DEATH & FUNERAL LYONS, Ian Scott (Jake)

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION DA 2022/0024 – 5 GEORGE STREET MOLONG

A development application (DA) has been lodged for Industrial Units and a Neighborhood Shop at Lot 2 Section 33 DP 758693, 5 George Street, Molong.

Development Consent is sought for the construction of 5 light industrial units and a neighborhood shop. Ancillary works include earthworks, installation of services, construction of a vehicle access to Riddell Street, carparking, and retaining walls.

NOTE: THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT IS NOT DESIGNATED DEVELOPMENT. Owned by: A, E, J & D Scott Applicant: A Scott Consent Authority: Cabonne Council.

SUBMISSIONS: The development application and accompanying documents may be inspected on Council’s website from Thursday 26 August to Friday 10 September 2021 during the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Any person may, during this period Thursday 26 August to Friday 10 September 2021, make written submissions to Cabonne Council about the proposal. If a submission is made by way of objection, the grounds of objection must be specified in the submission.

PO Box 17 MOLONG NSW 2866

REMINDER! COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANTS

Applications are open for the first round of Cabonne Council’s 2021-22 Community Assistance Program (CAP) grants, which are designed to provide an ongoing or sustainable benefit to local communities.

Applications for CAP funding will close at 5pm on Friday 24 September 2021.

To read more about the requirements for the grant funding and to apply, please visit www.cabonnecouncil.nsw.gov.au and click “Funding Opportunities” from the side menu.

Further details can be obtained by contacting Cabonne’s Tourism, Culture & Events Coordinator on 6392 3200.

PO Box 17 MOLONG NSW 2866

B J Byrnes General Manager

Sunday 29 August Molong 11.00 am: Paul Weathersten Heather Woodhouse 63668218 Helen Houghton 63668020

“In The Arms of Jesus” Due to Covid restrictions a private burial was at Euchareena Cemetery.

Norman J. Penhall Funerals, A.F.D.A. - F.D.A . NSW, 33 William Street, Orange Phone 6362 3751 Our family caring for your family

MEMORIAM In loving memory of

Susan Kay Philpott

15.1.1955 - 28.2.2014 Like falling leaves the years roll by But memories of you will never die Time has changed so many things But not the memory this day brings Your loving husband Michael, Matt and Kaylene, Scott and Diana, Jen and Pete, Gran and their families

Welcome MOLONG & DISTRICT BAPTIST CHURCH

Now streaming Sunday 10 am School Sunday Worship Service & Sunday 10 am online. Visit www.mdbc. services

Weekly For All AgetoGroups org.au -Activities click on livestream, link Wayne Spencer (Pastor) Ph: 63669376 to the online platform.

MOLONG COMMUNITY CHURCH YOU ARE NOT A MISTAKE

Sunday 10 am: Celebration & Sunday School (Ages 3 & up)

Wednesday Night 7 pm: Connect Group All Welcome

RETURN THANKS

B J Byrnes General Manager

Margaret Enid Starr “Matron”

Member for Orange

Your voice in NSW Parliament Get in touch: M: 123 Byng Street Orange T: 02 6362 5199 E: orange@parliament.nsw.gov.au Authorised by Philip Donato MP, Member for Orange, produced using parliamentary entitlements

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UNITING CHURCH

For more information contact Deon Stapelberg Ph: 0498 659 703 1 Edward St, Molong (opp Police Stn)

Phil Donato MP

QUICK CROSSWORD

22.12.1939 – 18.8.2021 Passed away suddenly at Orange Hospital. Late of Molong. Dearly loved husband of Judy. Much loved father and father-in-law of Mitch and Tavia, Renee and Mark, Kylie and Ken. Adored “Papa” to Katie, Nate, Alice, Noah, Eden, Archer, Patrick and Georgia. A loved brother, brother-in-law and uncle.

CHURCH NOTICES

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

3 May, 1926 – 8 August, 2021 The family of Margaret wish to express their sincere thanks to relatives and friends for their wonderful support, kindness, cards, phone calls and attendance at Margaret’s funeral.

Special thanks to Craig Ostini of Norman J Penhall Funerals, Rev David Blackmore, Dr Williams, Dr Zambo and the nursing staff at Molong MPS for all the care and respect shown to Margaret.

Please accept this as our personal thanks.

Claim the date – 2021 Send your 2021 dates to molongexpress@bigpond.net.au

September 2 Molong Men’s Shed meets 6 Molong Show Meeting, Showground 7.00pm 9 Molong Advancement Group RSL 7pm 14 Molong Probus 10am Bowling Club 14.. Molong Hospital Auxiliary 2.00 pm 18 Cumnock Markets 9-12 October 4 Molong Village Markets Molong Rec Ground 7 Molong Men’s Shed AGM 12 Molong Probus 10am Bowling Club 12 Molong Hospital Auxiliary 2.00 pm 14 Molong Advancement Group RSL 7pm 15 SMARTS Molong Central School 16 Cumnock Markets 9-12 November 1 Molong Show Wind-Up Meeting, Showground 7.30pm 4 Molong Men’s Shed meets 9 Molong Probus 10am Bowling Club 9 Molong Hospital Auxiliary 2.00 pm 11 Molong Advancement Group AGM RSL 7pm 20 Cumnock Markets 9-12 26 Molong Shopping Night, Molong Village Green December 2 Molong Men’s Shed meets 6 Molong Show Meeting, Showground 7.30pm 9 Molong Advancement Group RSL 7pm 11 Cumnock Markets 9-12 14 Molong Probus 10am Bowling Club

Sport Rugby League

Molong Golf

Semi final series uncertain.

Woodbridge Cup organisers have advised that although Covid 19 is making it difficult, they are hopeful & committed to completing a Final series in 2021.

Sunday Mixed

Six pairs played twelve holes A proposal with a format and dates has of golf on Sunday under Covid 19 been sent to all clubs involved in the series for conditions.

We hit off from different tees to approval.

Obviously no footy until after the 28th August. keep players apart and the game finished early and all players departed for their homes.

Bro stayed back to add up the scores and deduct the handicaps.

His faithful sidekick Robin (or was it The Joker ?) stayed behind to monitor the process. property.”

I believe Bro had a birdie (one Australian Livestock and Property Agents under par for the hole) on the fifth Association CEO Peter Baldwin welcomed the hole but apparently the rest of his exemption. game was very ordinary. He may “Industry will work together to put in place have been bobbing or casting. measures which make sure people who attended It turned out that Al Evans was sales are legitimate buyers as well as online the winner on the day. His score bidding,” Mr Baldwin said. could have been better if he hadn’t "We need to take a step back and remember left a few putts right on the edge of we are in a pandemic and are fortunate sales can the cup. His golfing partner was no go ahead and we should honour the privilege of help. being essential workers.

After paring the first hole his "In wishing our vendors every success in their partner lost a ball on the next hole sales, we have to run these in a COVID-safe and everything went downhill from manner." there. Golf spelled backwards is People attending auctions will be required flog and I suspect he was playing to practice COVID-safe measures, including flog instead of golf. He tried to drag wearing a facemask, checking in via the Service NSW app and carrying photo I.D. with evidence of their home address. The exemption replicates the same which was granted last year. More information is available at www.nsw.gov.au/ covid-19.

Covid-Safe Saleyards & Auctions Given Green Light

Industry leaders have welcomed the news that food, fibre and livestock auctions can continue under current stay-at-home orders in rural and regional NSW, Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said today.

Mr Marshall said an exemption had been made under the Public Health Orders, as it was critical the agricultural supply chain could continue to operate.

“I worked hard to secure an exemption to keep sales running in a way that still ensures public health and safety,” Mr Marshall said.

“Buyers and sellers can sleep easier tonight knowing they can continue their operations which are so important to the agricultural supply chain.

“There are many sales, especially livestock and wool auctions, scheduled across the state over the coming weeks and we can’t afford to stem the critical flow of livestock through the supply chain.

“Saleyards operators and attendees proved last year they can safely meet COVID requirements, so it’s only right they remain open for business now, including those sales conducted on private

LANDMARK TABLELANDS LIVESTOCK

We offer Auction Plus assessments on both sheep and cattle.

Direct paddock sales, over the hook rates, Weekly stock sales in Carcoar (CTLX), Forbes, Dubbo & Wagga saleyards. Contact one of our Landmark Tablelands Livestock team.

Paul Glynn (Molong & surrounding districts) – 0428 168 638 CTLX CATTLE 24 August It was a good quality yarding with a large selection of young steers and heifers to suit the feeders along with fair numbers to suit the trade.

There were some good runs of grown steers and heifers and there were 150 mixed cows yarded. A full field of buyers were in attendance and operating including the return of a major processor from the south.

Young cattle to the trade were up to 20c dearer with prime vealers selling to 558c/kg.

Prime steer yearlings sold from 440c to 542c, while the prime heifer yearlings sold from 440c to 537c/kg. Feeder cattle were 9c dearer and more in places with the feeder steers selling from 445c to 576c, while the feeder heifers sold from 450c to 533c/kg. Young cattle to the restockers were up to 30c dearer, with the young steers selling from 536c to 668c/kg. The young restocker heifers sold from 400c to 605c/ kg.

Grown steers and heifers were up to 15c dearer, with the prime grown steers selling from 420c to 485c/kg. The prime grown heifers sold from 410c to 450c/kg. Cows were up to 15c dearer, with the 2 and 3 scores selling from

220c to 370c/kg. The prime heavy weight cows sold from 355c to 428c for a C muscle Charolais cow. The prime heavy weight cows averaged 413c/kg. Heavy weight bulls were 15c dearer selling to 343c/kg.

CTLX SHEEP 18 August It was a mixed yarding with a few pens of good heavy weight and trade weight lambs yarded along with odd pens of well finished new season lambs. There was also a fair percentage of plainer quality lambs and hoggets as we come towards the end of the good quality old lambs. One major export processor was absent due to the temporary closure of their works as a result of the current restrictions.

Trade lambs were up to $25 dearer and more in places with the old lambs selling from $150 to $258/head to average between 950c and 1,050c/kg cwt. New season lambs were also dearer with the trade weights selling from $170 to $250/head. Heavy weight lambs were $15 to $22 dearer with the 24 to 29kg lambs selling from $240 to $298/head to average around 1,000c/kg cwt. A few small pens of trade weight Merino lambs sold from $152 to $219/head.

Restocker lambs were $10 cheaper with the new season lambs going back to the paddock selling from $124 to $177/head. Heavy hoggets sold to $237/head.

It was only a fair quality yarding of mutton where the Merino sheep were firm to $8 dearer while the crossbred sheep were up to $12/head cheaper. Merino ewes sold from $100 to $200 while the crossbred ewes sold from $110 to $215/head. Merino wethers sold from $151 to $177 while Merino wethers in store condition sold to the restockers for $130 and $156/head.

Merino ewes to the restockers sold from $110 to $139 while Dohne ewes sold to the restockers for $175 and $209/head.

“ I NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE HOMELESS.” More people are now facing homelessness than ever before.

Visit salvationarmy.org.au or scan the QR code

Al’s game down to his level but Al stayed strong and played well. Al may not know he has won until he reads this. The runners up were Ged and Matt Philpott.

Paul and Ged were playing the relatively long par three fourteenth hole. Paul says “ looks like a three wood and a putter from here”.

Paul tops the ball and it goes about six metres in front of him.

Ged immediately hands him his putter and says “ looks like you’ve got one hell of a putt from here “.

This Sunday coming the Molong Open Golf Tournament was due to be held at Royal Molong golf course. Due to the uncertainty regarding the Covid-19 lockdown this tournament has been canceled/ postponed (?). S unday golf will be played to whatever Covid 19 conditions apply, 8.30am for 9am.

!

8 M e m i T 8 R G !

8 v o n to Re

loans@firstchoicecu.com.au, enq@firstchoicecu.com.au, www.firstchoicecu.com.au 0263622944 Terms and Conditions, Fees and Charges may apply.

Australian Credit Licence 240722, BSB 802318

It’s your club!

22-24 RIDDELL ST MOLONG

P: 6366 8105

e:admin@molongrsl.com.au

BISTRO

NOTE NEW EXTENDED TRADING HOURS

Service NSW Dine & Discover Vouchers Accepted

BAR: Mon Tues 3.00 - 9.00 WED 11.30 - BISTRO Mon -Tues 6-8 pm Wed-Thu 6-8.30 pm 9.00 THU 12.00 - 10.00 FRI 12.00 - 11.00 Fri-Sat 5.30-8.30 pm SAT 11.00 - 10.00 SUN 11.00 - 8.00

MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021

15

Sale

Auction

“Balmoral Park” Your Dreams of Self Sufficiency Eugowra Mackeys Creek Road

“Balmoral Park” offers a unique opportunity to create a life of self- sufficiency. The property is sub-divided into 16 paddocks, and a recently renovated 4 bedroom 2 bathroom homestead.

Secure water with 5 tanks and 2 dams, & room to run sheep, cattle or horses. This property has everything you need to build a sustainable future.

Auction Friday 3rd Sept 152 William Street Bathurst View

By Appointment Kurt Adams 0428 747 050

Large Scale Central Tablelands Grazing Enterprise Cumnock “Catombal Aggregation”

•

•

2,912ha* (7,195* acres) of gently undulating volcanic red soils & protected valley grazing to beneficial timbered grazing offering a diverse enterprise mix suited to cattle or sheep breeding & finishing, combined with cereal & oilseed production Central location 85km* Dubbo, 35km* Wellington & 80km* Orange

Sale

“Woodlands” is the perfect property for anyone looking to escape the busy city life, or ideal as an entry level, highly productive farm or for astute investors with immediate income.

• Approx. 21.67ha - 53.5acres • 3 bed, 1 bath, 2 car homestead • Nine individual titles

Sale $680,000 View

By Appointment Josh Keefe 0439 269 449

Expression of Interest, Closing Monday 6th Sep at 12pm

View

By Appointment Ben Redfern 0457 770 062

Your Local Agent...

Escape To The Country - Ideal Investment!

Billimari / Cowra “Woodlands”

Sale

Ben is a licenced stock & station and real estate agent based in Molong and services the Central Tablelands area and beyond.

Ben has over 15 years experience in the agency world. With proven knowledge and understanding of the Central West region’s market Ben handles himself with the utmost professionalism and care of which Ben keeps as his primary focus for all his clients.

Ben Redfern | 0457 770 062 ben.redfern@raywhite.com

Ray White Emms Mooney

34 Bank Street Molong | 02 6366 9606 | raywhiteemc.com

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MOLONG EXPRESS, Thursday 26 August 2021