Bendigo Bank Agency Open at Midway Centre

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Wentworth Shire Council Team Leader Customer Service Annette Fraser (right) with Customer Service Officers Julie Simpson and Mel Hoskin at the Midway Centre Bendigo Bank Agency Buronga.

A Bendigo Bank Agency is now open at the Midway Centre in Buronga.

The agency, operated by the Community Bank Wentworth and District and staffed by Wentworth Shire Council’s Customer Service Team, offers core day-to-day banking facilities to existing and new customers of Bendigo Bank.

“We are super excited to be able to offer real time banking services in the Buronga and Gol Gol area and we look forward to re-investing local dollars back into the local community,” Wentworth Shire Council Team Leader Customer Service Annette Fraser said.

The agency’s hours are Monday to Friday 10:00am to 12:00pm and 1:00pm to 4:00pm.

Puppet Show at Pooncarie a success

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School of the air student Monty and Palinyewah students Arden, Issy and Millie play musical chairs while waiting for the show
Jenny Ellis of Little Wing Puppets
Little Wing Puppets’ Jenny Ellis is given a hand during the show by student Ethan

A little bit of the arts was brought to Pooncarie on Thursday 18 March when Jenny Ellis of Little Wing Puppets performed “A Little Bit of Blue” at Pooncarie Town Hall for students from Pooncarie Public School, Palinyewah, Pomona and the School Of The Air as well as some of their family members and staff.

The 46 gathered students, many of whom live remotely on stations or outback properties, were treated to an excellent show.

Pooncarie Public School’s Adele Fernandez was integral in coordinating the schools and barbeque luncheon afterward

The event was funded by a Restart Arts Grant awarded to West Darling Arts and facilitated by Wentworth Shire Libraries.

“To be able to come together and watch a live performance, especially in a small town like Pooncarie was really special,” Wentworth Shire Libraries’ Gabrielle Murphy said.

“The show was really engaging and the puppetry quite mesmerising to watch.

“To have the event come together after so many things being cancelled for so long was wonderful. It was just a really brilliant day.”

The show was also rolled out to Wentworth and Gol Gol public school students, with the latter show including students from Dareton Public School.

MURRAY REGION OVERLOOKED IN FEDERAL TOURISM SUPPORT PACKAGE

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Murray Region tourism businesses have been overlooked in the recently announced Federal Government Tourism Support Package.

Murray Regional Tourism Chair Wendy Greiner was disappointed at the announcement Albury and Mildura’s airports would not be included in the $1.2 billion cut-price flights scheme.

Prior to COVID-19 and border closures the region would welcome annually 6.5 million visitors across our river communities supporting around 2,500 tourism businesses and providing over 18,000 jobs in the region.

Visitors spent nearly $2 billion in direct expenditure and enjoyed 10 million nights in the region.

“The Murray region’s tourism industry has been decimated by COVID-19 and the border closures unlike any other location in Australia,” Ms Greiner said.

“With two regional airports servicing the Murray region from key source markets we are extremely disappointed to have again been overlooked for vital support for our region.

“We implore the Federal government to review the current arrangements and urgently request Mildura and Albury are added to the list of eligible destinations in the support package. These short sighted and unfair subsidies as they currently stand will reduce visitation, net visitor spending and only lead to an alarming increase in job losses”.

Tourism operators in the Murray have endured the highest lockdown measures in Australia with over 41 weeks of interrupted trade in the past 12 months as a consequence of Coronavirus restrictions implemented by both the NSW and Victorian governments. 

Wentworth Shire Council meets with Crown Land Commissioner

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Wentworth Shire Council met with the NSW Crown Land Commissioner Professor Richard Bush and his Senior Project Officer Clint Willoughby on Tuesday to discuss Council’s submission on the Evaluation Of The Crown Land Management (CLM) Act 2016.

Professor Bush is currently reviewing the CLM Act, which incorporates the almost-complete first State Strategic Plan for Crown Land.

The Commissioner’s role is to provide independent advice to Crown Land users, stakeholders, the community and Government regarding the management of Crown land.

He has a responsibility to represent the interests of all Crown Land users independently and bring transparency and open communication to the management of these important assets to deliver economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits for the people of NSW.

“Our Crown Land estate is remarkable in terms of scale, diversity and utility,” Professor Bush said.

“In an independent role as Commissioner I have the privilege to talk with a wide range of people about Crown Land and it is clear, from my conversations, the estate is highly valued and people are passionate about the future of Crown Land.

Wentworth must keep registrar services

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Wentworth Shire Council has urged the New South Wales Government to keep the Wentworth Local Court registrar service operating.

In a letter to the Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections, which was then forwarded on to the Attorney General’s office, Mayor Susan Nichols sought assurance the Wentworth Local Court could continue to uphold the services previously offered by the now retired registrar Peter Fitzpatrick.

“This is a service our remote community cannot do without,” Cr Nichols said.

“Further to this, the future operating model must be the same capacity as it existed when Mr Fitzpatrick was the registrar.”

Mr Fitzpatrick had served the Wentworth community for more than 40 years, finishing at the end of January.

Under his watch the Wentworth Local Court operated Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm offering face to face personal appointments with clients in need of the services provided.

Interim arrangements at the Wentworth Local Court involve a relieving registrar opening the registry on court sitting days and for two days the week prior to prepare for Court.

Court sits at Wentworth five days per month, Monday to Friday of the first full week of each month.

The community can continue to contact Wentworth Court at local-court-wentworth@justice.nsw.gov.au or through the NSW Court Services Centre on 1300 679 272.

There are also a number of online services available, including LawAccess, which can be contacted via https://www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au or at 1300 888 529.

The Department of Communities and Justice will undertake community consultation before making a decision regarding the ongoing provision of registry services at Wentworth.