LAST weekend’s Interdominion Pacing Grand Final in Melbourne was a big win to Tiger Tara and a great second placing to Bathurst’s own Our Uncle Sam.
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Owned by Chris Frisby (Bedwells) and his family, and driven really well by Anthony Frisby, this was a great effort. It’s good to have famous neighbours.
Strong finish
A GREEN Christmas for the Central Tablelands brings 2018 to a close after one of the toughest years that many country people can recall.
The feeling of relief is obvious everywhere and is a just reward for the landholders who have kept their herds and flocks in sound condition and will give satisfactory returns during 2019.
A lot of summer pastures are surprising producers as there is very little bare ground visible.
Run-off rains are still to come and Bathurst’s Chifley Dam may well overflow by Easter.
As Christmas is the season of Faith and Hope, we must all hope that predictions of an El Nino summer are hopelessly wrong.
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A kind offer
BATHURST Regional Council’s gesture to provide free bulk water to genuine drought-affected farmers was well-received, even though very few producers took up the offer.
Some useful storm rains have eased the pressure on stock water supplies at present, but every farmer knows that the BRC offer was genuine.
It’s great to see a democratically elected council make firm decisions and it seems that a final decision on the proposed go-kart track on top of Mount Panorama will be made early in the new year.
Hard times
FRIENDS in a district away to our north west tell us that the charity outlets in their small towns are inundated with requests from farm families and country dwellers for help in paying accounts for basic costs like fuel, registration, insurance, school fees and council rates.
Their district is still in real drought and off-farm jobs are hard to find as no harvest and minimal stock numbers have diminished the need for casual rural workers.
Perhaps some of last weekend’s horrible dust storms have come from the north west drought area.
Will be missed
THE recent death of Mrs Veronica Hoolihan took away one of the grand old ladies of the Oberon community.
Veronica and her late husband Alan raised their family at “Wrens Nest”, Porters Retreat and they were a vital component of the primary production segment of our lovely Central Tablelands.
She will be greatly missed by her wide circle of friends.
Well deserved
CONGRATULATIONS to Mrs Gen Croaker, who is Bathurst’s Citizen of the Year.
Gen and her late husband Alan operated the “Boonah” Poll Hereford Stud on the Macquarie River upstream from Bathurst for decades before they semi-retired to Duramana.
Her community work over many years is well-recognised and many country people are delighted to see her being the recipient of this prestigious award.
Golden glow
GOLDEN wedding congratulations to long-time Bathurst couple Sue and Phil Murray.
Sue was a teacher at Bathurst Demonstration School and assistant principal at Bathurst Public School.
Phil was a highly regarded photographer at the Western Advocate for many years.
Sue and Phil were married at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Stewart Street, Bathurst on December 28, 1968, and celebrated their anniversary with an ocean cruise to New Zealand. Well done Sue and Phil.
For the diary
PLEASE note that the next regular sheep sale at CTLX will be held on Wednesday, January 9.
And finally ...
THIS column will take several weeks off over Christmas and new year, so it’s time to say thank you to Mark Horsburgh for his weekly wool report and to the three desperadoes who send me a few harmless yarns to include in the column.
Many thanks to Murray Nicholls and the Western Advocate staff, as well as the Oberon Review and Blayney Chronicle who provide room for Rural Notebook each Thursday.
I hope that readers find interest in the country news and views and that a few smiles are seen as you eat your cornflakes.
Rosemary and I wish our readers a peaceful, happy Christmas. Please remember that we’re celebrating Christ’s 2018th birthday.
We hope Santa is kind to all ages and that you share peace and happiness with lots of your friends.
Laugh lines
THREE clergymen were discussing their plans for some very rewarding Christmas plate collections.
“I took 12 loaded collection plates out in the church yard after the faithful had all gone home,” the Rabbi said. “I threw the plates into the air. Whatever the Lord wanted, he kept, and whatever came down I kept.”
**
IT was an enchanting evening and they found a quiet table.
He held her hand and gazed into her eyes.
“Wine does a lot for you; you are beautiful, appealing,” he said.
“But darling,” she murmured, “I haven’t been drinking.”
“I know, love,” he whispered, “but I have.”