All the photos from the 150th anniversary celebrations at The Riverine Grazier, including the 12-page feature as a FREE download.

Internationally renown wildlife artists Chris McClelland lives and works in Hay, giving visitors a unique opportunity to mee an artist of such high calibre.

In its heyday Hay was a bustling regional centre and boasted a variety of long gone industries that serviced the district. Breweries and malt houses were established in the late 1800s and by all accounts were in fierce competition with each other.

Arguably one of Hay’s finest and best known photographers Irene Brown, known as Rene, was born in Hay in 1908.

Hay Historical Society has a vast collection of Rene’s images and has collated them in the book “Rene - Photographer of Hay.”

There were plenty of glitter and glamour at the second annual Bollywood night at Hay Services Club last Saturday.

The evening raised money for local medical services and brought together the many cultures that make up the people of Hay, with a strong focus on our Indian community.

The owners of Gundaline Station are facing serious allegations from former employees about their management practices, particularly in relation to staffing and biosecurity measures, but have strenuously denied any wrong doing.

“All such allegations are utterly unfounded,” a spokesperson from Smart Shirts said.

Four employees resigned in September 2023, and shortly afterwards long-term employees were made redundant, following disputes over hours worked and safety conditions.

"Some staff were told last month they had (unknowingly) worked too many hours and the business was now in breach of the modern slavery act and supply-chain policies, which would put Gundaline Station's contracts in jeopardy when the auditors and compliance teams turn up," one source said.

The Hay Plains have become the focus of geoscientists and researchers who believe the largest known asteroid impact structure on Earth lies buried beneath.

Geologist Tony Yeates, originated the view of the Deniliquin multi-ring structure as an impact structure. He visited the area last week as guest of Edward River Council and U3A (University of the Third Age) in Deniliquin.

Mr Yeates told The Riverine Grazier the structure is yet to be further tested by drilling, but is believed to span up to 520 kilometres in diameter.

This is larger than the Vredefort impact structure in South Africa which to date has been considered the world’s largest, and three times bigger than the Chicxulub crater in Mexico which represents the impact that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Armed stand-offs over establishing the town of Hay NSW, pulling down buildings as they were being constructed, and shallow graves for the unfortunate are all tales from the town’s early history, when Lang’s Crossing Place was the domain of a few determined people.

The Hay Football Club was founded in 1876 at a meeting at the Royal Hotel. Read about the history of AFL in Hay, from 1876 to the premiership year of 2023.

Members of Hay Plains Landcare travelled to Carrathool and Narrandera recently to hone their skills in composting and propagating.

To fast-track their nursery and demonstration site development, members visited the established nursery at Narrandera to learn effective methods of propagating native seed.

The workshop touched on the different containers and potting media available, labelling and record keeping, watering regimes required, and the seed preparation needed for the hard coated seeds like acacias.

The Hay branch of the Country Women’s Association hosted another successful bi-ennial flower show at Hay War Memorial Hall on Saturday, supported by volunteers from Hay Youth Taskforce.

The most coveted award, for best overall rose, sponsored by Hay Services and Fitness Club, was won by Linda Anderson (nee Headon), pictured above with her bloom and prize.

Two new gardening gurus emerged as winners of the 2023 CWA Flower Show’s Best Garden Competition.

Robyn Vickery took out the Small Garden category and Anna Antonakas the Best Large Garden category.

Council’s unrestricted cash remains sound with a balance $8,648,000 showing in the financial statements.

Even allowing for prepaid grants of $6,133,000 which are included in this figure, this still a very satisfactory result for the year and gives Council sufficient cash moving forward.

“Good financial management would be to try to keep this figure around this mark, although there is scope to use some of these funds if required,” Director Corporate and Community Services, Mark Dowling said.

This story is about Billy Curtis. Billy or Bunter as he is affectionately known had a great playing record after starting with the Magpies as a 19 year old in 1958. It was a time when Rugby League was played by hard men. Men who were physically hard men who did not have the skills of today's player. They were men who were as tough as teak, no sooking, just took what was dished out in the 'Era of the Biff’. The game was not policed as much then. There were no videos, and head high tackles were good old stiff arms. Billy said to get hit with a stiff arm tackle was like running into a pick handle.

In the early years of the settlements of Hay, Booligal and Balranald midwives were often the only form of medical care, and the townships have hosted a variety of private hospitals throughout the years.

This is an interesting glimpse into the care of women and babies in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

11 of best places to eat in Hay, NSW, as voted by the locals

Finding the best meals in any town requires a great deal of insider information – the best way to find out what is on offer is to ask a local!

The Riverine Grazier asked residents of the Riverina township of Hay where their favourite places to eat are, and which menu items are always at the top of the list.

“Hay is very spoilt for choice,” one local commented. “I don’t think I’ve had a bad meal at any of our local food outlets.”

Here are the very best meals in Hay, NSW right now.

Driving back and forth from Deniliquin to Hay over the years, one’s imagination would surely be ignited by the legend of the Headless Horseman.

Legend tells of the Headless Horseman riding the saltbush plain of the Cobb Highway on his grey steed, striking fear and often terror into the very hearts of the drovers moving their stock.

It’s a simple cross of nails mounted on a small wooden plaque. But the story behind the cross and how it came to be a powerful symbol of peace and reconciliation after the Second World War is a poignant one.

The cross is believed to be a Coventry Cross of Nails, made from nails salvaged from Coventry Cathedral in England after it was destroyed by German bombing in November 1940.

It was discovered at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Hay, NSW, and gifted to the Australian War Memorial.

At the recent Hay Shire Council meeting, the updated Investment Attraction Strategy was presented to council. The 2022 – 2027 IAS was adopted in 2022 and has guided the economic development function of Council.

Booroorban-based Maddy Telford scooped the pool at the Royal Melbourne Show last week, winning the supreme Red Angus exhibit with her 14-month-old bull, MGT T3 Texas.

It is the second Royal Melbourne win for Maddy, who took out the Grand Champion in 2022, with MGT T3 Texas’ grandmother.

Read on to learn more about Hay’s touching tribute for returned service men and women; the beautiful painted water towers, overlooking Sandy Point Reserve.