Monthly Newsletter for the

Balranald Shire community and

friends

Balranald Shire Council Councilor Contact

Details

Mayor Steve O’Halloran

0428 201 301

Deputy Mayor Cr Leigh Byron

0418 530 782

Cr Lynda Cooke

03 5020 0471

Cr Elaine Campbell

0447 271 086

Cr Alan Purtill

0429 201 301

Cr Jeff Mannix

0409 783 075

Cr Trevor Jolliffe

03 5020 1597

Cr Ken Barnes

03 5038 2221

WHAT’S OPEN

Balranald Museum Open Monday, Wednesdays &

Fridays 10am to 12 noon

Balranald Library Monday & Friday 2pm - 5.30pm

Wednesday 9am - 5.30pm

Day Care Monday 10am - 2pm

Thursday 10am - 2pm At the Day Centre at the Hospital

Phone Hospital 5071 9800

Seniors Club Meets every Friday 2pm

Senior Citizens Hall Phone Shirley 5020 1890

Hospital Auxiliary Meets 2nd Monday of the month

2.30pm at the Day Centre Phone Dawn 5020 1311

Health Advisory Council (HAC) 4th Monday of each month

at 7:00pm Contact 5071 9800

Swimming Pool Opening Hours Season Closed

Little Bunyips Playgroup Every Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 1pm - River Street Contact Lisa 0428 995 489

Balranald Child & Family Health Immunisation Clinic

2nd Monday of the month 9.30am - 11.30am

Contact Hospital 5071 9800 Clinic closed if Medical officer is

un-available

RMS Opening Hours 9.30am to 4pm

Tuesday to Friday Closed for lunch 1pm - 1.45pm

Call Centre 132 213

Newsletter Published by:

BALRANALD SHIRE COUNCIL

70 MARKET STREET (PO BOX 120)

BALRANALD NSW 2715

OFFICE HOURS 8.30AM TO 5.00PM

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

PH: 03 5020 1300 FAX: 03 5020 1620

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCIES 0418 322 902

ISS UE

Ju ly 2013

7

Balranald Shire Council Newsletter Issue 7, July 2013 www .ba lrana ld .nsw .gov .au

Coming Events NEWSLETTER

** NOTICE **

Dumping of dead animal carcasses

Over the past months Council has received several reports of people disposing of dead animal carcasses in the vacant land behind

the cemetery.

Council staff and the local Police will be making enquiries to determine these offenders

in question, and will be issuing penalties.

www .ba lrana ld .nsw .gov .au

9 Aug 21 Aug 13 Sept 25 Sept

Hospital Bus Dates

Swan Hill Mildura Swan Hill Mildura

10 Aug Annual Roo Ball - after the Woorinen home game. Tables of 10 and tickets $50 pp will be available at Sair’s Sports.

13 August Robinvale & District Aeromodellers Club meeting 7pm @ Royal Hotel Euston

17 August Robinvale Country Market, Caix Square

20 August Euston Robinvale Historical Society Inc. Meeting 10am @ The Court House

25 August Mallee Almond Blossom Festival Robinvale Golf Club from 10am - 4pm $5 entry. More info http://www.malleealmondblossomfestival.org.au

29 August Positive Partnerships workshop for

parents/carers of school age students

on the Autism spectrum @ Balranald

Central School from 9.30am - 2.30pm.

Morning tea/lunch provided.

Registrations close 27 August. Go to

www.positivepartnerships.com.au for more info or to register

30 Aug & 1 Sept

Euston Club Resort Mildura Cup

Carnival @ Mildura Racecourse. To

book or more info call 5032 2110 or

http://mildura.countryracing.com.au/

2 Aug 3 Aug 9 Aug

10Aug 16 Aug 17 Aug 23 Aug 24 Aug 30 Aug 31 Aug

Euston Club Entertainment Viktor Brank Ron Herberte Shadow Duo Dave Routledge Coen Byrne The Hoffmans Kiera Smith Chris Street Kirby Hensgen Iwan and Andrea Duo

Balranald Ex-Servicemen's Club Seniors Lunch (Members) - Mondays Bingo - Tuesday at 7.30pm Bingo - Thursdays at 2pm Poker - Saturday from 6.30pm Now available at the Club- Pre-paid phone credit City Link passes Pre-paid Broadband vouchers

Memberships are now due

11 - 13 Oct 5 Rivers Outback Festival 2013. Visit www.5riversoutbackfestival.com.au for more information or contact Mia Zaffina 0404338578, Jock Campbell 0427934436 Crowbar Stead 0404678519 or Steve Blore 0427346407

COMMUNITY GENERAL INTEREST

Sing Australia Meets every Monday evening at the Presbyterian Church @ 7.30pm - all welcome

Men's Shed Tues & Thurs 10am Heritage Park Take Off Weight Naturally Club at Multipurpose Centre (Hospital) Mondays 6.00pm Contact Kathy 0407 304 922

Optometrist (from Deniliquin) last Wednesday of the month, appointments @ Balranald Chemist

Balranald Wool Centre meet 3rd Friday of month, 11am till 3pm @ The Gallery. New members are most welcome to come and join in.

Balranald CWA Meet fourth Thursday in each month @ 2pm Contact June Spinks (Secretary) 5020 1774

Balranald Hospital Auxiliary every 2nd Monday of the Month @ 2:30pm at Senior Citizens Centre

CanAssist Balranald Branch Every 2nd Mon of Month @ 4pm at Balranald Senior Citizens Centre

Sunraysia Hearing Clinic Every 4th Wednesday of the month @ Balranald Hospital call 1800432748

Robinvale & Dist. Aeromodellers Club Each Sunday 9am Wewak Rd Robinvale.

Narelle’s Driving School Ph 0402 782 597 email narellet08@y7mail.com

Rubbish Tip Hours

BALRANALD

1st May to 31st July

Tuesday 4.00 - 6.00pm

Thursday 4.00 - 6.00pm

Saturday 10.00am - 1.00pm

Sunday 10.00am - 3.00pm

EUSTON

Effective 1st April 2011

Tuesday 1.00pm - 6.00pm

Thursday 1.00pm - 6.00pm

Sunday 9.00am - 3.00pm

Tip Tokens are

available from Councils office,

Visitor Information Centre and CC’s Diner and Takeaway

(Caltex, Market Street).

Council Website

www.balranald.nsw.gov.au

Is your food shop healthy?

Council will be conducting random spot checks on local food premises within the Shire to ensure compliance with Food Safety Standards, and to offer advice (as required) to keep your food busi-ness and your customers healthy.

If you have any queries, or would like to book an inspection to ensure you are meeting the Standards, please contact Ray Mitchell, Health & Development Officer at Council’s Office on 03 5020 1300.

Swimming Pool Inspection Policy

In 2012 a comprehensive review of the Swimming Pools Act 1992 was finalised. This review implemented a number of legislative amendments designed to enhance the safety of children under the age of five years around private (‘backyard’) swimming pools in NSW.

In accordance with new legislation, Council is required to develop an inspection program for swimming pools in consultation with the community.

Council’s Draft Inspection Program is available for viewing at the Council Chambers during normal office hours until Monday 26 August 2013.

Balranald Bidgee Haven Hostel employees Gen McConnell (Co-ordinator) and Pamela Martin (Registered Nurse) attended the 2013 Aged and Community Services (ACS) State Awards for Excellence Presentations, held at the Parkroyal Parramatta on Monday 6 May. The Aged and Community Services NSW & ACT State Awards for Excellence, sponsored by First State Super and Health Super, aims to promote and recognise excellence in a range of areas that contribute to the quality of life of older people, people with disabilities and/or their carers. The Awards presentations coincided with the 2013 ACS State Conference themed “Together Towards Tomorrow” which showcased Aged Care services and updates on reforms within the industry. The State Award categories were Employee, Volunteer, Trainee and Organisation, and with five finalists in the Employee Category, the highlight of the night was when Bidgee Haven employee, Pamela Martin received this coveted award which recognises the dedication and contribution of an individual employee in the delivery of services to older people and people with a disability.

At the July Meeting of Council, Mayor Steve O’Halloran together with Councillors, senior staff and hostel employees, presented Pamela with a plaque to acknowledge her achievements. Pamela and Gen will travel to Melbourne in November to attend the ASCA National Awards. Councillors and staff of Balranald Shire Council congratulate Pam on her State Award, and wish her the best of luck with the National Awards.

Pamela Martin named

ACS Employee of the Year

Pictured above: Pamela Martin and Balranald Shire Council Mayor Steve O’Halloran following the presentation

Centre construction underway

The Balranald Visitor and Interpretive Centre is becoming a reality, with the first sod of soil turned last week. Council has contracted Granite Way Pty Ltd trading as Neil Tolley Builders to construct the new facility, and recent landscaping of the Market and River Street frontages was undertaken by Sonny Porter Landscaping from Swan Hill. It is envisaged that the building component of the project will be completed by December 2013.

Balranald

Visitor

Information

Centre

Cnr Market and River Streets

Open Daily

10.00am to 4.00pm

Phone 03 5020 1599

CountryLink tickets and

fishing licences can be

purchased from the

Visitor Information Centre

If you’re aged between 16 and 22 and live outside the big cities, enter the Heywire competition to be heard. Tell your story using video, audio, photos or text and upload it to abc.net.au/haywire

Winning stories are featured on the ABC and winners score an all-expenses paid trip to the prestigious Heywire Regional Youth Summit in Canberra. Entries close on 16 September.

Web: abc.net.au/haywire Facebook: abcheywire Twitter: @haywire

From the

Mayor’s Office

Mayor Steve O’Halloran

Deputy Mayor Leigh Byron

Bes Murray

Community Centre

Health Services delivering:

Medical practitioners

Regular Health Service

Maternal & Child Health

Registered Nurse

Drug & Alcohol Worker

Midwife

Smoking Cessation

Healthy for Life programs

AHIV & programs

Podiatrist,

Psychologist

For more information on

services and appointment

times please call the centre

on 03 5020 0330

Visual

Merchandising

and Aussie

Host

Balranald and Hay have

been successful in

securing funds to deliver

a pilot program to

improve

local customer service

and develop visual

merchandising skills.

The program will be run

in conjunction with the

Murray Hume

Business Enterprise

Centre and the

Australia Retailers

Association.

The program will

recognise Balranald and

Euston as Aussie Host

towns, a name trusted

nationally in the

customer service and

communication skills

training.

The launch of the

project will be held in

late August.

Next Ordinary Meeting of Council

- 20 August 2013 -

By now everyone who reads a paper, watches the news or listens to the radio would have heard the words of the 16 year old girl shot by the Taliban, delivered in the United Nations. “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.” There is a danger that Australia will miss the message, “We call upon all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world.” I hear you ask, How is this relevant to Australia, we have free education? Thousands of Australian children are being denied education every day by parents who would rather smoke, drink and party all night. You could describe this as passive denial. Worse, some parents are actively denying their children the right to education by discouraging them from attending school. Malala has the advantage in her country of being able to recognise and name the perpetrators. The Taliban. In Australia, the problem is actually worse because it goes unrecognised and unnamed. The people perpetrating this gross injustice against our children in Australia are in fact worse than the Taliban, they are under the radar. This is the message from Malala we must not miss.

At present these children’s future is being stolen day by day. Identifying the problem is the first step. The next is up to you. Write, call or email your State Education Minister and the Federal Minister for Education and demand they take action to give children back their right to education. This is what Malala would want.

Chris Littlemore General Manager Balranald Shire Council

Shire to benefit from motorhome rally

Balranald Shire is well placed to reap the benefits from the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia’s (CMCA) rally to be hosted in Robinvale - Euston in April 2014. Councillors and senior staff met with representatives from the CMCA and Robinvale-Euston Rally Co-ordinator Ray Jones earlier this month to discuss event logistics and how locations within Balranald Shire could be utilised as staging areas in the lead up to, and following the rally. Council’s Director of Economic and Community Development Robyn Ryan will be working collaboratively with the CMCA, the Rally Co-ordinator and Swan Hill Council to assist in planning for the event.

Dry-Cleaning

Services

in Balranald

Balranald has two agents for Swan Hill based dry-cleaning

services .

If you have dry-cleaning needs please drop your

garments in to: Conway's Agencies - Agent for

Byrnes Dry - Cleaning Pye Street or

Sairs Sport n Surf - Agent for Swan Hill Dry - Cleaning,

McRae Street

It is pleasing to see the Cristal-Atlas Campaspe Mineral Sands project team continuing to provide local businesses and the community with information regarding their proposed development. The Services Expo entitled “What Does Balranald Shire have for you?”, sponsored by the Balranald Interagency Network, Families NSW and Council was very successful. Thank you to those who participated - it was pleasing to see so many people take advantage of the day. The General Manager and I met with Gavin Hickey, Labour candidate for Farrer to outline issues such as the lack of mobile coverage within our Shire. After a Special meeting of Council in January discussing commencement and completion of the swing bridge, it is pleasing to have this wonderful project completed on time and within budget. Congratulations to all involved on such a tremendous effort. Mr Richard Barwick, General Manager of the CMCA and Mr Ray Jones, CEO of Euston Club Resort met with Council’s Senior Staff to confirm arrangements for the Campervan and Motorhome rally to be held in Robinvale in April 2014. This will be a wonderful opportunity to promote Balranald Shire, and a great boost to the local economy. The Federal and State Governments purchase of the highly productive Nimmie-Caira land and water entitlements from 11 landholders (to contribute to environmental water for the Murrumbidgee Valley as part of the Murray Darling Basin Plan), will all but destroy and deny future generations of young farmers the chance to continue to utilise millions of dollars of capital works within Nimmie-Caira. This decision, along with ten years of drought, the loss of 20 teachers, the demise of the timber industry and the loss of the largest freehold property in the Southern Hemisphere will spell disastrous times for Balranald Shire and its residents. This will have significant negative impacts on our community and detriment to our Shire’s long term viability, and I have requested a meeting with the Premier of NSW to request compensation for business houses that will have to close their doors and be unable to continue trading with decisions stripping them of their income.

Malala Yousafzai’s Message for Australia

Council to reconsider lawn

cemetery reservations Following a request from the Euston

Beautification and Tourism Committee a report

was tabled at the July meeting of Council

asking Council to consider changing the policy

for reservations in lawn cemeteries.

In June 2012, Council implemented a policy

that no reservations be accepted in the

Balranald Lawn Cemetery or the Euston Lawn

Cemetery. At the meeting Council requested

that an amended policy be prepared for

consideration, and amendments to include

consideration of reservations at the Euston

Lawn Cemetery.

Triangular road markings or “Dragon’s Teeth” have been installed at entry points to all school zones across NSW to improve road safety for students.

The Dragon’s Teeth program involved painting triangular line-markings on the road pavement for up to 32.5 metres at the start of each school zone and indicates a 40 km/h speed limit around schools.

Combined with existing signs, dragon’s teeth ensure motorists know when they are driving through a 40km/h school zone. Most school zones operate between 8am and 9.30am and from 2.30pm till 4pm. Please be vigilant while driving through these zones.

Ruby Rally visits Balranald Shire represented at conferences

Over the next few months Balranald Shire will be well represented at various conferences. At the July meeting of Council, Councillors nominated to attend the following State and National conferences: The LGNSW (Local Government) Conference in Sydney - attendees Crs Byron, Cooke, Campbell and O’Halloran and General Manager Chris Littlemore. The LGNSW Water Management Conference in Terrigal - attendee Cr O’Halloran. The ALGA National Roads and Transport Congress in Alice Springs - attendees Crs Barnes, Byron, O’Halloran, Campbell, and the Director of Infrastructure and Development John Stevenson with Cr Purtill as an alternate delegate.

Swan Hill Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club Inc. celebrated 40 years with the hosting of the “Ruby Rally”. Over 80 enthusiasts travelled from all over Australia to join the rally. The seven day event began in Swan Hill on 21st July with rally participants enjoying day trips to Robinvale and Balranald. The visit to Balranald included shopping time, a tour of the Art Gallery and lunch at the Yanga Homestead. Congratulations to everyone who assisted in making their visit to Balranald memorable.