January 2022 – Wentworth Shire Council

Vale Roy “Locky” Harvey

January 28, 2022/by Communications

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of our workmate and friend Roy “Locky” Harvey after an amazing career with Council spanning 54 years.

Commencing work with Council in 1968, Locky’s passion, dedication and commitment to Council has been remarkable.

Thank you for the friendship and memories.

You were able to put a smile on our faces every day and that is something we will all cherish.

Your infectious nature and cheeky sense of humour has touched us all.

You will be greatly missed by colleagues both past and present.

We extend our deepest sympathy to Noelle, Mel and Glenn, Kate and Mick and families and Locky’s mother Jean.

Rest In Peace Locky,

Mayor Tim Elstone, Councillors and Staff at Wentworth Shire Council

Wentworth Shire Council Australia Day Awards 2022

January 25, 2022/by Communications

Wentworth Shire Citizen Of The Year 2022 Jeanette Stephens with Mayor Tim Elstone.

Jeanette Stephens has been announced as Wentworth Shire’s 2022 Citizen Of The Year at Tuesday night’s awards ceremony at the Coomealla Memorial Sporting Club.

Jeanette has been heavily involved in the Anglican Parish of Wentworth Dareton as Parish Secretary and was Sunday school teacher for 45 years, also furthering her studies in an effort to improve the Parish.

She has always displayed a strong support of school communities through involvement with P & C associations, tuck shop duties and voluntary reading with students.

Jeanette has been local her entire life and during this time has fostered 16 children of varying backgrounds, whilst having three daughters of her own.

Also nominated for the award were Dianne Pitt, Daryl Edwards, Margaret Morrison and Andrew Lamb.

Young Citizen Of The Year was awarded to Jess Doidge.

Jess was a member of the Wentworth Area Skate Park committee, raising money for the Wentworth Skate Park and was a helper at all of their fundraising events.

She has been a karate student for five years, earning her brown belt and therefore the responsibility of assisting junior karate students in learning stances, positions and Carta as well as
respect for themselves, the community and Renshi.

She has also been involved in several sporting clubs such as the Cobras Basketball Club and Coomealla Wentworth Cricket Club.

Through school she has volunteered at Murray House by assisting staff, spending quality time with residents and performing for residents as part of the school band.

In 2021 Jess was the Wentworth Public School Vice-Captain and assisted the schools P & C at a number of fundraising events.

Also nominated for this award were Kayla Hayes and Pippa Heeps.

Nicholas Witte was announced the Young Sportsperson Of The Year.

Nicholas is a junior member at Wentworth District Tennis Club where he assists with clubhouse and ground maintenance, plays in the B1 & B2 Pennant Teams and was runner up in singles and doubles for the Junior Boys Club Championships.

He is also a dedicated member of the Coomealla Wentworth Cricket Club in the Under 14s side and trains with the Curlwaa Islanders senior men’s team where he is always willing to be a substitute fielder for their team or the opposition if required.

Nicholas competes in school-based sports, was part of the school representative soccer team and is always encouraging other students to participate.

Also nominated were Isabelle Newton and Brock Lyall.

Wentworth Shire Mayor Tim Elstone congratulated all award winners and nominees.

“Our great communities rely on the efforts of people such as Jeanette, Jess and Nicholas, as well as the respective nominees in each category, to make them tick,” Cr Elstone said.

“Without these people, and others like them, Wentworth Shire would not be such a wonderful place to live and we hope they will continue their terrific efforts to improve our communities.”

Eight new Australian citizens were conferred as part of the ceremony on Tuesday night.

These new citizens are Riyalyn Ortega, Aaliyah Ortega Santos, Charles Ortega Santos, Angel Cano, Salina Chirozva, Lisa Hutchinson, Zaihasra Imandin and Yi Chun Liao.

Wentworth Shire Council also presented awards of recognition to previous serving Councillors Jane MacAllister and Bill Wheeldon.

Former Councillor Peter Nunan received an Order of Merit for his service on Council between 1991-1998 and 2012-2021.Current sitting Councillor Susan Nichols received an Order of Merit for 16 years’ service to Council, including recently as Mayor.

Former Councillor Donald McKinnon was awarded the prestigious Emeritus Mayor, for 31 years of service to Council including as Shire President in 1991 and 1992 and Mayor between 1993-2001 and 2012-14.

In total Mr McKinnon spent 14 years as Mayor and eight as a Councillor.

NSW Rural Assistance Authority – On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme

January 25, 2022/by Communications

Sample-Application-form Download

Guidelines Download

This program aims to provide funding for one-off rebates to eligible primary producers for the costs associated with the purchase and installation of on-farm water infrastructure that addresses animal welfare needs and improves resilience to drought.

The rebate is 25% of the cost of purchase, delivery and if applicable, the labour cost to engage a person to install water infrastructure for animal welfare needs or drought resilience. The maximum that can be claimed is $25,000 per farm enterprise and several claims can be made up to that sum, under the one application.

Primary producers will be eligible to apply through this program (Round 2) for the rebates which will cover eligible expenses that have not already been claimed, and that were incurred since 1 July 2018. The scheme is also available to horticulturalists with permanent plantings.

The availability of rebates is subject to funds being available. No rebates will be offered beyond the allocated total funding pool.

A total funding pool of $15 million is available.

As announced in the 2021-22 Federal Budget, an additional funding of $30 million is available in 2021-22 to extend the On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme by one year to 30 June 2022.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants must:

Be a property owner, share-farmer or lessee in the grazing industry (as confirmed by their Land and Stock Return).
Have a business that operates as a sole trader, partnership, trust or private company.
Have a business that is identified by the Australian Taxation Office as a primary producer, and has an Australian Business Number (ABN).
Have a property that has been at risk of, an emergency animal welfare need or they have experienced other negative impacts from drought because of a lack of water infrastructure.
As the owner and operator, they earn more than 50% of their gross income from their primary production enterprise under normal seasonal circumstances.
They are classified as a “new entrant”, meaning that they have been operating your farm business for between 12 months to three years and more than 50% of their gross income will be derived from the farm business within three years of the date of the application. Applicants can include group-mart configured references. The applications of new entrants will be considered on a case by case basis.
They do not have gross off farm assets exceeding $5 million excluding funds in a registered superannuation fund.
They installed or plan to install, water infrastructure for animal welfare needs or drought resilience activities.
They can demonstrate that the work will help ensure that stock water is available into the future to prepare for animal welfare concerns and improve drought resilience.
The water infrastructure is or will be installed for livestock permanently residing on their property.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible Activities

Eligible activities include:
1. For the purchase and installation of emergency water infrastructure after 1 July 2018 for livestock and drought resilience for primary producers

Pipes.
Water storage devices such as tanks and troughs associated with stock watering.
Water pumps.
De-silting dams, drilling of new stock water bores and associated power supply such as generators.
Construction of new dams for stock use only, noting that all required work approvals and environmental permits must be obtained prior to commencing work.
Repair or improvement of existing stock water bores and associated power supply such as generators.
Solar systems support water infrastructure.
Other materials or equipment necessary to install the above excluding purchase of machinery.
Freight components to purchase and install the equipment.
Professional installation costs to install the water infrastructure.

2. For horticulture farmers with permanent plantings applies to water infrastructure purchased after 30 June 2019

New horticulture groundwater bores.
Desilting dams.

Restrictions

The following are ineligible for funding:

Water infrastructure that has been purchased and installed where there is not an emergency animal welfare need or drought resilience preparedness requirement, or the potential for this need, aside from horticulturalists with permanent plantings where provisions from section 3k and 3l relate.
Water infrastructure that has been purchased and installed for uses other than to supply water for livestock, aside from horticulturalists with permanent plantings.
Wages for your employees or your self-assessed labour costs.

For more information go to https://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/grants/ewir

Wentworth Shire Council Australia Day 2022 event live stream

January 24, 2022/by Communications

See below for the live stream of the Wentworth Shire Council Australia Day 2022 Awards Ceremony from 7:00pm Tuesday 25 January from the Coomealla Memorial Sporting Club.

Energy Efficient Communities Food and Beverage Manufacturing Business Grant program

January 19, 2022/by Communications

The Australian Government is supporting small and medium food and beverage manufacturers to be more energy efficient, while cutting their electricity bills and emissions.

Australia’s manufacturing sector employs over 800,000 Australians. Food and beverage manufacturing is one of six national priority areas targeted under the Morrison Government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy.

The food and beverage manufacturing industry employs 1 in 4 manufacturing workers and contributes around $22.4 billion to the economy.

Guidelines have been released today for the $19.9 million Energy Efficient Communities Program. It will provide grants of up to $25,000 for eligible food and beverage manufacturing businesses to help them adopt energy efficient technologies.

Grants will be split between states and territories based on the proportion of food and beverage manufacturing businesses in each jurisdiction to ensure equitable distribution across Australia.

Assistant Minister to the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Tim Wilson said the program will cut power bills for businesses and create jobs directly in the sector as well as for local tradespeople.

“The Morrison Government is helping food and beverage manufacturing businesses to take practical action to cut their energy bills and emissions by upgrading costly and inefficient equipment, like fridges and boilers,” he said.

“These grants are another clear example of the Morrison Government’s technology not taxes approach to reducing emissions, which will bring down power bills and create jobs.”

Applications for this round of the Energy Efficient Communities Program will open on 12 January 2022 and close on 18 February 2022.

More information, grant guidelines and application forms are available at https://www.business.gov.au/EECFB, or over the phone at 13 28 46.

Suspension of Alcohol-Free Zone – Wentworth Rowing Club

January 18, 2022/by Communications

Notice is hereby given that the Alcohol-Free Zone will be temporarily suspended at the Wentworth Rowing Club for the event known as the Murray Darling 110 Ted Hurley Water Ski Race for the entire days of Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd January 2022.

A map of the area for which the suspended alcohol-free zone will apply is available for viewing at Council Offices 26-28 Adelaide Street Wentworth.

Road Closures Dareton and Buronga

January 18, 2022/by Communications

DARETON

Matong Street in Dareton will be closed from next week between School Road and Burra Road for the construction of a raised school crossing near the intersection with School Road.

The closure is expected to start on Monday January 24 and is estimated to remain in place for 10 days, weather permitting, while the project is undertaken.

There will be a detour via Burra Road for through traffic while the project is being completed.

BURONGA

From Monday January 24 Pitman Avenue in Buronga – between the Highway and Chapman Street – will be closed for through traffic for the construction of a raised school crossing.

The closure is estimated to be for a period of 10 days, weather permitting, with a detour via Hendy Road and Chapman Street for traffic.