6:30pm @ Merriwa RSL
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Permaculture at the Pub Merriwa!
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Merriwa District Progress Association
WHO WILL YOU VOTE FOR???
6:00 PM Wed 4 September Merriwa RSL
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NSW Farmers
EMPOWERING WOMEN IN FARMING
Merriwa CWA Rooms
Wednesday 4th September
9AM-3PMWORKPLACE RELATIONS TOUR
NSW Farmers’ Workplace Relations Tour is coming to Regions 1 & 4! Join us on Sept 10-12 for free workshops on new workplace laws and wage compliance. Locations & Times:
Free for members, $30 for non-members (deductible if you join). Register now to secure your spot!
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Merriwa CWA
Join Us for a Morning Tea to Raise Awareness on Domestic & Family Violence 
Date: Saturday, 7 September
Time: 10:30am – 1pm Location: CWA Hall, Merriwa.
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Merriwa and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry
𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐈𝐭! Merriwa Railway Society Inc
The Merriwa Railway Society will hold their next working and open day on Saturday 28th September 2024.
Come along, meet the committee, grab a sausage sanga. A bit of gardening, mowing, whipper snipper. Bring the kids, its School Holidays.
Merriwa RSL Club
𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔
Merriwa R.S.L Club will now be open from 11AM – 7 Days.
6548 2295 to order.
Live & Free
11:30-2:30PM!
Sandy Hollow Charity Motorfest
MAJOR RAFFLE
Hunter Local Land Services
UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
GROWING YOUR NATURAL CAPITAL – WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? UPPER HUNTER
Join us on-farm for a Natural Capital conversation as we launch of our Natural Capital Program. Learn about what natural capital is and how you can recognise the value of natural assets on your land.
We will have a range of service providers in attendance to discuss topics including:
- Carbon and environmental markets
- Identifying and maintaining natural assets
- Financial opportunities
- Emissions reporting and market trends
- Hear from landholders who are actively managing their natural assets
Registration is essential and you can register your attendance by clicking on this link.
When
13 Sep 2024 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Region
Hunter
Where
Venue details will be provided on registration
Merriwa
Contact
Julia Emerson
0477 954 302
Julia.emerson@lls.nsw.gov.au
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14 SEPTEMBER 2024
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LIVERPOOL RANGE RURAL FIRE DISTRICT
EVENT PROGRAM
Plan your October long weekend around this timeline. 
Be sure to follow the Cassilis Country Music Inc on Facebook for all the latest updates.
5-6PM : DAN EADE / 6-8PM : DINNER AND RAFFLES @ THE CLUB / 8-11PM : SQUEAKY SOUND BOX
SATURDAY OCTOBER 5TH 2024
9-11AM : SHYANNE IRWIN /11-1PM : CHRIS LONDON / 1-3PM : CROSS COUNTRY / 3-5PM : MACKENZIE LEE / 5:30-7:30 : SAMANTIX / 7:30-8:30PM : MATT BARRATT /9PM- 12AM : VICTORIA MCGEE & SOUTHERN STONE
SUNDAY OCTOBER 6TH 2024
9-11AM : BREKKY @ THE CLUB / 10-11AM : SHYANNE AND IMOGEN / 11-12PM : CHURCH SERVICE / 1-2PM : YABBY RACES / 2-3PM : MICK FETCH / 3-5PM : JARRED TAYLOR / 6:30PM-9PM : NRL GRAND FINAL ON THE BIG SCREEN
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Upper Hunter Shire Council
Street Sweeping Schedule Alert: September 2024
Scone: 2 September – 27 September Aberdeen: Week starting 2 September Murrurundi: Week starting 9 September Merriwa, and Cassilis: 4 September – 18 September
Residents, please make sure that all vehicles, trailers, caravans, and other items are removed from gutters and kerbsides. This helps us in efficiently cleaning our streets.
WORKS SCHEDULE – WEEK STARTING MONDAY, 2 September 2024
Each week Upper Hunter Shire Council prepares a report detailing the work that our infrastructure crews plan to deliver in the coming week.
Scheduled work is merely an indication of what we intend to undertake and is not a guarantee of work being carried out. As factors such as weather, resource availability and unexpected needs can impact Councils priorities for the coming week.
Works Delivery
- Bunnan Road – Heavy patching
- Flight Springs Road – Maintenance grading
- Road inspections as required
- Action requests as required
Parks and Facilities
- Amenities maintenance
- Cemetery maintenance
- Parks, sports fields, rest areas, entrances/approaches, Showground Passive areas and reserves mowing and maintenance
- Playground inspections
- Actions requests as required
Water and Sewer
- Water treatment plant operation and maintenance
- Sewer treatment plant operation and maintenance
- Water and sewer distribution systems and actions requests as required
- Water main renewal work- near 57 King George V Avenue Merriwa (work commencing 6 August 2024)
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Have you seen something that needs attention?
Please use the Customer Request Management Form available online by clicking here to lodge an action with UHSC.
Alternatively, you can download and use the Snap, Send, Solve app from the App store. This app allows you to submit requests with various authorities or Local Council with ease. Learn more about the Snap, Send, Solve app here.
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State Matters – A Weekly Bulletin from Dave Layzell MP
Member for Upper Hunter 2 September 2024
‘TOPS RESCUE ASSISTS ‘BLULINK’ – A BARRINGTON TOPS rescue on Australia Day this year was one of the incidents which has contributed to NSW Police introducing the ‘BluLink’ Triple Zero (000) platform.
Four bushwalkers had become lost in the ‘Tops and despite one of the bushwalkers only having four per cent mobile ‘phone battery power, the Police Airwing located the group within 45 minutes of the ‘BluLink’ location request being sent.
Technology may be advancing but I would at this point remind the community to refer to the joint agency advice on the Hunter Valley Police District Facebook page posted on 16 July about being properly prepared before travelling into the Barrington Tops.
‘BluLink’ is consent-based, requiring callers to Triple Zero to click on a link that is sent to them via their smartphones – the platform is not an app, so the caller does not need to do anything beforehand.
The platform can help police confirm the exact location of an emergency with Global Positioning System coordinates, and for the caller to interact directly with police dispatchers and police responding as an incident unfolds.
Discover more at: www.police.nsw.gov.au/safety_and_prevention/policing_in_the_community/blulink
EXPERT FORESTRY PANEL – An expert panel has been tasked by the NSW Government to consult with a broad range of stakeholders on a Forestry Industry Action Plan by 31 December.
The Independent Forestry Panel chaired by Peter Duncan AM includes Professor Mary O’Kane AC and former MP, the Hon. Mick Veitch.
The plan will outline the path the state should take to ensure a sustainable timber industry and report to Government on the best options to achieve the balance between sustainable supplies of timber and the environment.
Stakeholders will include representatives from the timber industry, forest growers, environment groups, unions, Aboriginal communities, local government, business, related industries, tourism, scientific experts and the Commonwealth Government.
To be informed on the Independent Forestry Panel’s process, register your interest at: www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/forestry-industry-action-plan
STAY FIRE SAFE! – Fire and Rescue NSW is still firmly focussed on winter home fire dangers even though spring is making its presence felt.
Firefighters have been visiting retirement villages and lifestyle communities across the state to share crucial fire safety advice with seniors.
Eleven people died in residential fires during winter in NSW, three of them aged in their seventies.
Fire and Rescue tips include having a working smoke alarm, if necessary, there are specialised smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Turn off heaters when not home and before bed also ensure everything is kept one metre from the heater.
When fire does take hold every second counts – a small flame can get completely out of control in less than 30 seconds and turn into a major fire.
Never leave cooking unattended – if a fire in your kitchen becomes unmanageable get out, stay out and call Triple Zero (000).
To book a home fire safety visit go to: https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/visits and for more tips on home fire safety see: www.fire.nsw.gov.au/befiresafe
SPRING INTO WELLNESS – Hunter New England Local Health District wants to assist families to make healthy changes.
The free healthy lifestyle program, Go4Fun, is currently taking registrations for children aged 7 to 13.
During the 10 weekly online sessions you will learn about physical activity and healthy eating for children.
There is personalised contact including weekly telephone, email and SMS support to keep you on track as well as rewards with tokens earned each week that can be swapped for a prize at the end of the program.
In addition to tools and resources, there is an online community chat to other families participating in the program.
Sign up at: www.go4funonline.com.au
MUSWELLBROOK LEGAL HELP – Wanaruah Local Aboriginal Land Council, Muswellbrook is hosting a Wills event this month.
Legal Aid NSW will be joined by Sparke Helmore but there are limited spaces, so bookings are essential, by calling Sandy on 4929 5482.
On Tuesday 24 September, you can speak with a lawyer about what is needed to make a Will and other planning for when you can’t make decisions for yourself such as Power of Attorney and Appointment of an Enduring Guardian.
Advice will also be available on other everyday legal problems, such as housing or fines.
Then on Wednesday 25 September, return to make and sign your documents – free birth certificates will also be available.
If you can’t make it and need legal help, call LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 or visit: www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au
LLS EVENTS – A Spring Producer Dinner and a Small Landholder Long Lunch are two events to be staged in the Upper Hunter over coming months by Hunter Local Land Services (LLS).
The Spring Producer Dinner at Scone RSL Club on 2 October will outline livestock nutrition and animal health strategies to manage a ‘big’ spring.
Learn about the Hunter LLS Farming Forecaster site’s new Pasture Forecast tool which can help make decisions and plan grazing.
And, after the success of the inaugural Small Landholder Long Lunch held recently at Tocal Homestead, LLS’s next event is at Scone Race Club on Saturday 23 November.
The Upper Hunter’s very own chef and television presenter, Paul West and small-scale regen landholder, Kylie Woodham are the key-note speakers for this event.
Register at: www.lls.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/events?region=hunter&topic=
BUST ILLEGAL DUMPERS – Illegal dumping is an issue that costs the community and the environment but we can all do our bit to stop polluters in their tracks.
Council’s rangers are now better equipped with new technology to monitor illegal dumping and with a substantial amount occurring in bushland near residential areas, local residents are encouraged to play an important role in detecting and reporting incidents.
Illegal dumping such as household items, old tyres, green waste or construction waste can be reported to the local council or the Environment Protection Authority to investigate or clean up.
If there is an emergency such as toxic fumes or a large chemical spill, call Triple Zero (000).
If dumped waste poses an immediate environmental risk and requires an urgent response call the local council.
For dumping incidents over 200 tonnes or containing asbestos, call the EPA Environment Line on 131 555.
If you see litter being thrown or blown from a vehicle or trailer you can make an online report to the EPA: https://ridonline.epa.nsw.gov.au
FORESTRY FIREWOOD PERMITS – Holders of State Forest firewood collection permits are being reminding by the Forestry Corporation to review the conditions attached to the permit after fines were issued recently.
Permits can be purchased allowing members of the public to collect firewood from designated areas within State Forests.
There is a one tonne load limit and all firewood must be collected from the ground within designated areas which are shown on maps.
Forestry Corporation says the two conditions most commonly being ignored are taking more than the one tonne limit and the concerning practice of people cutting down standing trees, which is not permitted.
Find out more about Forestry Corporation firewood collection permits at: www.forestrycorporation.com.au/about/permits2
FREE EVENT! – Muswellbrook’s free family event, the Cultural Spectacular, comes to Muswellbrook Showground on Saturday 14 September, 1-9pm.
The event will display the richness of Aboriginal culture with performers, including storytellers, dancers, comedians, and singers.
ARIA Award-winning singer and songwriter Dan Sultan is this year’s headline act supported by indie-pop artist Jem Cassar-Daley, with comedian and emcee Isaac Compton adding to the entertainment.
The musical line-up also includes Buddy Knox Blues, Len Waters, Jacob Ridgeway, Katie Jayne, Sharnee Fenwick, Shelley Minson, Terra Firma, Millie Mills, Castlereagh Connection, and didgeridoo virtuoso Ganga Giri.
Cultural Spectacular is open to everyone with a variety of food available all day and the event is strictly no drugs, no alcohol, no smoking or vaping.
For more information, please visit https://culturalspectacular.com.au
LANDCARE GRANTS – This year’s Landcare Australia Community Grants program is taking applications until Friday 20 September.
The program is open to all Landcare and community groups that embrace the Landcare ethos, including Landcare, Bushcare, and youth environmental groups and networks.
Project applications should address priority issues, and may include educational workshops, restoring essential wildlife habitat, shelterbelts and fences, protecting waterways, managing weeds and feral animals or purchasing plants and equipment.
Landcare Australia’s fundraising activities provide the total funding pool of $300,000 to cover grant applications of between $5,000 and $20,000.
Further information at: https://landcarensw.org.au/landcare-australia-community-grants-program/
BUSH SNAPS – Rural Aid is calling for entries in its 2024 Spirit of the Bush photography competition.
Twelve photographs will be selected by a panel of judges and featured in next year’s fundraising calendar to give back to rural communities.
Photograph categories include: Family, Community, Mates, Faces, Eyes, Tough, Golden Hour (Sunrise/Sunset) and All things Rural.
Each winner will receive a $250 prepaid Visa card and a copy of the 2025 calendar once it is created.
The Spirit of the Bush photography competition closes on Tuesday 1 October with further details at: www.ruralaid.org.au/spirit-of-the-bush.
Contact:
Email address: upperhunter@parliament.nsw.gov.au;
Phone number: 6543 1065;
Postal address P.O. Box 493, Muswellbrook 2333.
www.davelayzell.com.au/news/categories/state-matters
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