CASSILIS TO REMEMBER
CASSILIS Public School has secured some of the $124,000 in funding to 99 community groups, schools and ex-service organisations from the Anzac Community Grants Program (ACGP) to commemorate veterans across the state.
The $2,000 grant will go towards a project to create a commemorative garden at the front entrance of Cassilis Public, serving as a daily reminder to the school community and visitors, of the sacrifice and service of all our defence force personnel.
The 2024 round of the ACGP received 116 applications, surpassing the number received last year with a record amount of funding requested.
The NSW Office for Veterans Affairs manages two grant programs which provide funding to acknowledge our military history - the Anzac Community Grants Program and the Community War Memorials Fund.
Applications for Round 2 of the 2024-25 Community War Memorials Fund close at 11pm on Wednesday 12 February at: www.veterans.nsw.gov.au/grants/
UPCOMING ROADWORK
Transport for NSW continues to plan for the rehabilitation of the Brig O’Johnston Bridge, Clarence Town with geotechnical investigation work to begin next Monday, 17 February.
Work on the bridge will be conducted 7am-4pm and is expected to take two weeks to complete, weather permitting.
Rehabilitation work to retain the existing Brig O'Johnston Bridge will commence following completion of the new bridge to be constructed by Dungog Shire Council.
Meantime, night work is scheduled for the New England Highway between White Avenue and the Hunter River Bridge, Singleton from Sunday 23 February.
Transport will carry out the work which includes removal and replacement of concrete slabs on the highway between 7pm and 5am, Sunday to Thursday.
The work is expected to be completed in eight shifts, weather permitting.
Motorists are reminded that a 40km/h speed limit will be in place during work hours with further updates available from: www.livetraffic.com/incident-list
LIDDELL LATEST
The NSW Government has approved the Future Land Use and Enabling Works project for Liddell Power Station near Muswellbrook.
It clears the way for the former power station to be demolished, the site remediated then transformed for future industrial land uses.
Work includes construction and operation of a borrow pit for capping, civil works and recontouring of the site, recontouring and revegetation of the site plus the construction and operation of a landfill for the disposal of asbestos contaminated soil and material from demolished infrastructure.
The project spans around 143 hectares and is expected to generate more than $260 million in Capital Investment Value for the Upper Hunter as well as 100 fulltime equivalent jobs.
Proponent AGL now expects work to commence within the next three months and continue over the next ten years.
INPUT REQUIRED
Residents of the Upper Hunter electorate are being asked to help a University of Newcastle research project.
Dr Hedda Askland has received funding from the Australian Research Council for the study and would appreciate local input.
The project is seeking participants for the study, Mining Voids and Just Transition: Reimagining Post-Mining Landscapes.
Dr Askland wants to speak with Hunter Valley residents about their experience of landscape change, mining legacies and post-mining futures.
So, if you live in the Hunter Valley and are aged 18-50, please contact Emma Clifton on Emma.Clifton1@newcastle.edu.au or Hedda Askland on Hedda.Askland@newcastle.edu.au
ATTENTION, SCHOOLS!
NSW Parliament has unveiled a new NSW School Travel Subsidy designed to support schools and students.
The travel subsidy is available beginning Term 1, 2025 to all schools located in eligible electorates, such as Upper Hunter, which are 120 kilometres or more from Sydney.
The subsidy aims to help ease the financial burden of travel costs, ensuring all students, no matter where they live, have equitable access to the civics and citizenship educational programs that the NSW Parliament offers to all NSW schools.
Highlights for the 2025 program include Guided Tours, Legal Studies Workshops, Visit Us At Our House, Parli-Flicks Short Film Award and Secondary Schools Student Leadership.
Schools eager to visit and experience the Parliament of NSW are encouraged to view: https://education.parliament.nsw.gov.au
TOWN PLANS
Have your say on the Clarence Town Structure Plan during a series of in-person sessions later this month.
Dungog Shire Council has developed the Clarence Town Structure Plan and Streetscape Master Plan following community workshops held late last year.
The Plans are on public exhibition from Wednesday, 12 February to Wednesday, 12 March with the community asked to view the plans online and submit any feedback.
Council’s in-person sessions are on Saturday 22 February, 9am-Noon, then at Clarence Town Markets, 1-4pm at Clarence Town IGA.
Clarence Town School of Arts is the location on Tuesday 4 March between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.
Your input is essential to shape the future of Clarence Town, so submit any feedback you have via the Dungog Shire Council website: www.dungog.nsw.gov.au/Home
SHOWS ARE GO!
The build-up to the Upper Hunter Electorate’s annual agricultural show season began over the weekend in Muswellbrook.
Upper Hunter Show had the honour of hosting The Land Sydney Royal Ag Shows NSW Young Woman 2025 Zone 5 Final which was held on Saturday at Muswellbrook RSL Club.
From this Friday, the exhibition pavilions and centre rings will burst into action as
Maitland Show plays host through until Sunday.
Cessnock Show takes the baton Friday and Saturday 21-22 February, the 93rd Gresford Show runs Friday-Saturday 7-8 March, Muswellbrook has the Upper Hunter Show Friday to Sunday March 14-16, Gloucester Show is on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 March and Stroud Show is Friday to Sunday April 25-27.
MOBILE UPGRADE PLANS
Public comment is currently being taken on plans to upgrade mobile telephone facilities on McDougalls Hill, Singleton
Optus and Vodafone are proposing to carry out 5G upgrade works to the existing mobile telephone base station at the telecommunication site.
The proposed upgrade works include the replacement of existing panel antennas with new antennas, and the installation of active antenna units.
The proposed upgrade aims to enhance mobile network coverage in the local area by adding 5G frequencies to the network.
Details about the proposed facility and its emissions can be found on the website www.rfnsa.com.au site number 2330029.
Feedback can be provided on the proposal until Thursday 20 February with additional information at: www.rfnsa.com.au/2330029.
LIFEBLOOD ROLLS IN
If becoming a blood or plasma donor was one of your New Year resolutions, well, the time has arrived to roll up your sleeve.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will be in the Upper Hunter Electorate over coming weeks and you are encouraged to book your appointment.
Lifeblood’s mobile donor centre will be at Dungog Bowling Club on Tuesday, 18 February, 10am-3pm and Raymond Terrace at The Close, corner of Sturgeon and Glenelg Streets, Thursday 20-23 February.
The Charlton Street carpark is the venue for the Cessnock Mobile Donor Centre Monday-Tuesday, 24-25 February and the PCYC car park for the Muswellbrook Mobile Donor Centre visit during Monday to Thursday, 7-10 April.
Maitland Donor Centre is open at 39 St Andrews Street from Monday to Saturday and on public holidays.
You can pre-book your appointment today at Find a Donor Centre near you:
STILL TIME TO ENROL
TAFE NSW reminds prospective students that it's not too late to enrol for Semester 1, but you do need to hurry as applications close soon and places are limited.
When you take the step towards studying with TAFE, you gain access to industry-standard training facilities, teachers with real-world experience, support services for every stage in your study journey, and affordable, flexible study options.
You can improve your reading, writing, maths, English, or digital skills with the free Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) Program.
Or, enrol in the Datacentre Academy workforce development program created in collaboration with Microsoft and the fully subsidised Cyber Security microskill to understand cyber safety and threats.
Discover your options at: www.tafensw.edu.au
APPLY NOW
Gloucester, Stroud and Dungog shire communities can now lodge their application for Essential Energy Community Grants.
The program aims to support eligible community groups contributing towards positive outcomes for regional communities.
Grants up to the value of $15,000 are available for community-based initiatives supporting the environment, education, resilience or related to the energy transition.
Eligible groups include not-for-profit organisations, charities and community groups located within Essential Energy’s network area: www.essentialenergy.com.au/about-us/our-network-area
Nominations close Monday, 31 March: www.essentialenergy.com.au/about-us/community-support/Essential-Grants
TOPS NEWS!
Aussie Ark’s Barrington Tops Wildlife Sanctuary has been thrilled to recently welcome home five Koalas to the Upper Hunter highlands.
Late last year, Aussie Ark worked with a specialist Koala capture and care team from Ecosure and Endeavour Veterinary Ecology to conduct a rigorous health check of its resident Koalas.
The focus of the testing was to determine the presence of the highly infectious disease chlamydia, which if left untreated causes blindness, infertility and even death.
Two females and three males were transferred off site to Koala hospitals but have now
returned to their favourite trees chlamydia and pain free.
The ultimate test of Aussie Ark's success to secure one of the nation's only chlamydia-free Koala populations will be in a couple of months, when it recaptures and retests all Koalas to ensure they're still chlamydia-free and thriving.
Follow the progress of Flora, Grevillea, Banksia and her joey Gymea, and males Gerbert, Manna, Blue and Scribbs at: www.facebook.com/@AussieArk
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