Steph Cattanach is one of those rare people. The vibe that you feel from her, is just something that cannot be put into words. A more cynical person would question if she is real; she has that unworldly quality. The honest truth is - she is as real as you can get.

Earnest, with the very best of intentions, a person with a journey, and a person who has the most sincere and wonderful intentions for all around her. A person, who I would truly aspire to be. Many would know her journey, or part of it.

Mr Adrian John Gorman, a beloved member of the Balranald community, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for his service to the community of Balranald.

Balranald Australia Day Citizen of the Year recipient in 2019, Adrian has penned four books, two on his life and two books of stories.

Hay sports nut, Rob Neill, has dedicated most of his adult life to assisting the Hay community.

On Australia Day, Rob was rewarded for his hard work and dedication when he was announced Citizen of the Year.

Other 2024 award winners: Leo Fitzpatrick-Dedini - Young Person of the Year, Pauline Symons - The Gavin Johnston Memorial Vocational Award and Leanne Congdon, Helen Rogers and Adrian Myers - Achievement Awards.

When Jim and Gail Quick drove up to the Homebush Hotel site eight months ago, Gail figured that this treechange would be something to which she would have to become accustomed. A week later, however, she knew she never wanted to leave. The couple are the managers of the pub.

The horrific crash just outside Hay last week was directly linked to poor driver behaviour according to Police.

The Sturt Highway collision left two dead and the road closed for more than 24 hours.

Crash Investigation Unit Commander Inspector Jason Hogan said the tragic Sturt Highway collision on Monday, January 15 at about 5.10 pm was the result of the sedan driver attempting a U-turn in front of a fully loaded semi-trailer.

The grim reality of the shortage of available housing in Hay hit home to one young family recently.

After a career change which saw Mick and Gabby Flattery and six-year-old Connor leave employer-supplied housing, they faced the disheartening search for a rental property in Hay.

Check out the photo gallery from the recent skate workshop, hosted by Hay Shire Council.

Hay Youth Taskforce has identified the need for a safe place for young people to gather and socialise.

The community building at Park, which is close to all three schools, is considered underutilised and has the potential to redevelop into a modern youth and community indoor/outdoor space.

Hay Shire Council has successfully applied for funding under the Regional Youth Investment Program to develop concept plans to redesign the space, consult with stakeholders and develop detailed building plans and cost estimates.

The new managers of Discovery Café in Balranald, Mikayla Bax and partner Connor Westcombe, have opened the doors.

Aged 21 and 24 respectively, the courageous pair have decided to branch out for themselves, after Mikayla worked for the former owners for five years. Connor is an electrician, having recently left his job of six years to pursue the venture with Mikayla.

“I always loved working at the Discovery Cafe, and for Sue and Charlie,” Mikayla said. “And I always wanted to branch out on my own. So, when the opportunity arose, we mutually decided to have a go.

A man and woman have died following a two-vehicle crash near Hay late Monday afternoon.

The accident occurred about three kilometres east of Hay on the notorious Sturt Highway, which has claimed the lives of at least 10 people between Balranald and Darlington Point in the last five years.

Emergency services were called to the scene at about 5.10pm on Monday, following reports a sedan and a truck had collided.

Robert Ronald’s work “The Riverina - People and Places” is an important record of the settlement of the region around Hay. It was first printed in Melbourne in 1960 by EW Cheshire Pty Ltd. Robert’s younger brother agreed to underwrite the printing costs, after publishers showed little interest in the tome, however the first print run of 1000 copies quickly sold out, and a second print run was organised

Almost fifty years later Robert’s sons Wilson and Hugh worked with The Riverine Grazier’s Rod McCully to reproduce the book in 2004, with the inclusion of a forward, penned by the brothers.

In the book, Robert writes about explorers Oxley, Throsby, Currie and Ovens, Hume and Hovell, Mitchell and Charles Sturt, and records the early settlements along the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Edward and Murray Rivers and the Yanko Creek.

Carbon farming refers to a set of agricultural practices and land management techniques aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions or capturing and storing carbon from the atmosphere.

In Australia, it involves various methods designed to sequester carbon or reduce emissions in agricultural and land-use activities. This includes practices such as reforestation, revegetation, improved grazing and cropping techniques, as well as conservation and sustainable land management approaches.

Two young boys, Jae Nisbet (8) and Nash Payne (11) and life guard, Kelly Rutledge-Robson have been hailed Hay’s true heroes when their quick action prevented a teen from drowning on New Year’s Day.

The incident occurred early afternoon at the John Houston Memorial Swimming Pool when the victim, known to bystanders only as Jack, suffered what is believed to be a “shallow water blackout” which is caused while holding breath underwater.

Hay Shire Council and Hay Lions Football and Netball Club partnered again for the annual native fish restocking in the river around Hay, and 8000 Murray Cod and Golden Perch fingerlings were released west of Sandy Point on New Year’s Day.

A review of the past, fun filled, and action packed 12 months.

The Sturt Highway has become a death trap. It is a stretch of road that deteriorated in the worst way with 2022 flooding, and a common sight all over the area are road crews repairing roads.

Lives were lost in two horrific truck collisions in the last month, one at the Carrathool turn-off and one at Waddi.

Tragically, a nine-year-old also died on Sturt Highway in Balranald last week when he was hit by a vehicle in the main street.

Bendigo Bank has dipped into their coffers once again, donating $60000 to the Hydrotherapy Pool Committee.

The donation is the final influx of funds the committee needed to get the project into the construction stage.

“Once again, it is because people in the community bank with Bendigo that we are able to contribute to worthy causes to benefit the community,” Branch Manager Sandra Dolan said.

Former resident Lucina Hogan was recently appointed to the board of Meat & Livestock Australia.

At the recent annual general meeting held in Bendigo Ms Hogan received 91.54 per cent of the favourable vote. She is one of nine directors leading the national organisation.

The Senate has passed the Murray-Darling Basin Plan amendment bill following a deal made by the Albanese government and the Greens.

The bill passed on Thursday afternoon. It will now go back to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass.

The Federal environment and water minister, Tanya Plibersek, said that the deal includes a commitment - in law - that an extra 450GL of environmental water will be recovered by 2027.

Hay could have its own university by as early as next year.

A pilot campus for Country University Centre in partnership with TAFE Connected Learning Centre has been proposed, and to be known as CUC Hay.

As reported by Hay Shire Council in October and in The Riverine Grazier on November 15, Hay had been identified as a good fit for CUC Southern Riverina which would also include the Councils of Berrigan, Edward River and Murray River.