A piece of largely unknown treasure was recently unveiled in Lachlan Street.

Gwen Wall and Roger McGrath have painstakingly uncovered a vintage Goldenia tea sign on the Foodworks wall of their property in Lachlan Street.

Read Kimberly Grabham’s account of the history and plans for the site.

The replacement pool and facilities at the John Houston Memorial Swimming Pool will be constructed free of debt to Council and at minimal cost to ratepayers.

The $8.067 million project received a further boost of $4.191 million last week following Council’s successful funding application under Round 2 of the Growing Regions Program.

“As we followed Sarah away from the floats at the start of the track, watching her ride off with her horses was so moving and inspiring, knowing she had been through so many extreme hardships at only 27 years of age, but still strives to make the best of each and every day. “

Read Lottie Ryan’s account of riding with Sarah Wheeler on the Outback Long Ride charity trek.

Hay Shire Council is continuing its efforts to improve accommodation for key workers, and more recently for its Multi-Purpose Service facility manager, and has met with Murrumbidgee Local Health District to discuss opportunities in Hay.

Heating options for two of the replacement pools at the John Houston Memorial Swimming Pool are currently being investigated by the contractor, ELM Aquatics.

Works are due to commence late next month, with the pool closing on February 24, to be completed for re-opening late November 2025.

General Manager, David Webb said the replacement project includes three new pools, filtration equipment, solar heating, renewable energy supply, recreational facilities and landscaping.

The loss of a parent is devastating. Losing both is unimaginable, but photographer and horse lover Sarah Wheeler is turning her grief into hope for others suffering from liver, pancreatic, stomach, bile duct and oesophageal cancers.

She is on a 5,500 kilometre journey to raise funds and awareness, and capture the landscape through her lens as she travels outback NSW and Queensland over nine months.

AFA’s $780 million deal to Agriculture and Natural Solutions Acquisition Corporation has received FIRB approval.

The sale consists of three major freehold title land aggregations within the Deniliquin, Hay and Coonamble districts including Boonoke, Burrabogie, Wanganella and Wingadee stations.

The Ampol Service Station in South Hay has DA approval to undertake a grand overhaul, including Hay’s first drive-through coffee.

Read about the histor yof the Freemasons in Hay The Hay Gaol has an interesting collection of artefacts made up of local Freemason items.

ansporting homemade pipe bombs along the Sturt Highway will serve his sentence in the community.

Thirty-three-year-old Timacoy Jason Williams remained in custody after pleading guilty to all charges at his October 4 appearance at Griffith Local Court and was sentenced on November 20 by Magistrate Wright.

Helen Dalton MP (pictured above), Member for Murray, says the truth about what she describes as $13 billion of wasted taxpayer money needs to be told.

The independent member is referring to a new four-year study into the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) Plan reveals mixed results.

The four-year study released last involved 12 scientists from Australia’s leading universities, and drew on data from 1980 to 2023.

The report is co authored by Matthew Colloff, Kate Lanyon, Jamie Pittock, Milo Costanza-van den Belt, Sarah Wheele, Quentin Grafton, John Williams, Fran Sheldon, Richard Kingsford, Gilad Bino, Luigi Renzullo and Bradley Moggridge.

Anne Longworth bowed out as the final president of Bishop’s Lodge Management Committee last Wednesday when the final meeting took place after the last of Hay Shire Council’s Section 355 museum committees was dissolved. 

This reluctant step was taken at the request of the committee due to the chronic volunteer fatigue experienced in Hay over the last few years.

“Am I, or is my property, at risk of bush or grass fires? The reality is simple – if you live, work or travel near bushland or grasslands, you are in a fire risk area.”

A message form the NSW RFS Commissioner.

“Everyone passed with high distinction and I am very proud of their achievements.”

Wool handling champion Kayla Garner praised the largest wool classing cohort, who recently graduated with high distinctions at Hay TAFE.

Tribute has been paid for the efforts of local community members and volunteers in the search and rescue of a fatal helicopter crash near One Tree on Friday.

Retired paramedic, Robert Marmont said locals rallied to render assistance after an official alert went out to all aircraft in the area.

“It was a local plane which located the site of the accident and it was local landholders and the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue members who provided shade for the patient and emergency workers,” Mr Marmont told The Riverine Grazier.

“They stood for ages in the hot sun, holding a tarp over the site.”

All the glamour of the 2024 Hay Races and the big winners in the Fashions on the Field competitions - photo gallery.

The 2024 Rainbow on the Plains Festival was another huge success for the township of Hay.

Check out all the images and a wrap up of events.

It was the end of an era last week when Hay’s pharmacist of close to 70 years finally passed on the baton.

“The time has come,” Allan Japp told The Riverine Grazier after signing over his share of Japp’s Pharmacy to Mina Malek who had been working with him for the past two-and-a-half years.