News

In March this year, Sheree McGinty began operating a soup kitchen with the support of her family and Church community. The soup kitchen is open every fortnight at Guyra’s Church of Freedom in Nincoola St, offering a free community meal to anyon...

Do you want to help ‘bomb’ Bradley St? With Yarn bombing or some other soft decorations that is! TroutFest, with the help of CWA members, are calling on shops and local groups to help make Bradley street a place of beauty and fun during t...

Michael Kean from Black Mountain has been named as Volunteer of the Year for New England at the 2021 Volunteer of the Year Awards. Many will know Michael for his technical skill via his business Cool Country Consulting, however he also manages to fin...

NSW has a clear path to follow out of the pandemic and lockdowns, with the roadmap for easing restrictions at the 80 per cent double dose target revealing a brighter future for the community.From the Monday after NSW hits the 80 per cent (aged 16 and...

Judges of the Zanda McDonald Award, Australasia’s agricultural badge of honour, have announced eight finalists, and will crown not one but two winners for 2022 – one from each side of the Tasman. Now in its eighth year, the prestigious aw...

A rare study of Aboriginal cultural burning in southern Australia has found the practice as effective at fuel reduction as conventional hazard reduction burns, while being much less harmful to native plants than bushfire.Monitoring of an indicator sp...

Community members from amalgamated councils across NSW have come together to form a new alliance promoting polls to gauge residents’ desires for demergers. Demerge NSW Alliance (DNA) has announced that it has already attracted support from resi...

The New England Region is projected to become one of the largest generators of renewable energy in Australia over the next ten years with the development of the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). As the development prospers, Armidale Regional C...

How amazing are our two local artists Brian Irving and Kay Smith?Together they have created the most beautiful and very unique murals depicting Guyra’s very own Mother of Ducks Lagoon which I feel as a community has made us all feel very proud....

In what is hoped will be the beginning of a series of public artworks throughout the Guyra CBD, a ceremony was held last week to unveil murals in Volunteer Park.The artworks have transformed the amenities block, taking it from ‘drab to fab&rsqu...

Guyra family day care educator, Valerie (Val) Hume, has been recognised for her commitment to excellence in early childhood education and care, in the 2021 Family Day Care Australia Excellence in Family Day Care Awards. Val, who works as an early chi...

Last week saw the return to Ladies Golf. The course is still partially closed but we can play nine holes. Last week was the Tee off for Breast Cancer Day generously sponsored by Wendy George.The winner was Wendy Jackson with Wendy George as the Runne...

Our staff at Kirk’s IGA supermarket have soldiered on above and beyond the call of duty by keeping the store running smoothly during the lockdowns and Covid restrictions that we have experienced over the past 18 months.Our junior staff deserve ...

Guyra Central School Principal Michelle Nicholson said it is with great relief that the school welcomed back all of their students and staff on Monday 13th September 2021. “We have many people to thank for their amazing effort during our lockdo...

The recent announcement of $8.7 million for the construction of the northern section of the proposed New England Rail Trail (NERT) has galvanised opposition groups to join forces and step up their actions to see the project sidelined.Save the Great N...

A Court House appears to have been in Guyra before the turn of the century, as the Guyra Argus in 1908 complained of the inadequacies of the existing Courthouse. Records of birth, deaths and marriages before 1900 were registered in Armidale, and betw...

The Armidale Regional LGA, along with other parts of regional NSW currently deemed low risk, emerged from lockdown on Saturday September 11. Residents and businesses will continue to operate under restrictions to ensure the safety of regional communi...

Rural and Regional communities in LGAs across Australia, disaster declared during the 2019-20 Black Summer Bushfires are encouraged to apply for funding through the Australian Government’s Black Summer Bushfire Recovery (BSBR) Program.The Armid...

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service supporters across Northern NSW are being encouraged to lace up their shoes this October in a virtual fundraiser that will take them from ‘base to base’.“Base to Base” will see participants wal...

TroutFest has been planning slowly, slowly, behind the scenes and is on track for October 15 to 17. The committee decided to go ahead with this year’s festival at its last meeting in August but have been quiet on the advertising front unti...

The current regional lockdown across NSW is set to end on September 10 and a final decision on whether the restrictions will be lifted is expected to be made today (Wednesday). The State's crisis committee will meet on September 8 to discuss the lock...

The life story of one of Guyra’s most respected and loved citizens is now available to read in a new book that has been published by his family. Joe George spent much of his life in Guyra after emigrating from his birth country of Lebanon at th...

CWA of NSW calling for urgent action on social and affordable housing options in rural and regional NSWThe COVID-19 pandemic and the financial stress it’s caused millions of NSW residents has highlighted the urgent need for more social and affo...

Trout stocking for the Guyra district will go ahead this year but without the involvement of our usual army of volunteers. The DPI run Dutton Trout Hatchery is closed to the public and unfortunately this also means they are unable to provide trout fr...

St Mary of the Angels is missing having our whole school together during this lockdown, but we love seeing all of our students working hard on their remote learning from home. There is such great enthusiasm and some students are participating in addi...

A number of families had tennis courts at their homes and tennis was played as a social game.From the Armidale Express 5th October 1900: - A tennis match was played at Guyra last Saturday between Rock Abbey and Guyra. Rock Abbey was represented by Me...

There’s a saying that a little bit of love goes a long way and this proved to be the case last week for Guyra’s Ben Jackson. Unable to attend the funeral for his beloved aunt Deb Cowdery, he came up with a unique way of saying goodbye in ...

With the weather warming and the ground drying out a little, The Community Garden Project, at The Hub at Guyra has begun!Centre Manager Sarah Hunt said that there was great excitement on Monday morning as the trucks rolled in to begin work.“The...

 A new partnership between Armidale Regional Council and social housing provider Homes North is set to increase education around waste disposal and provide more opportunities for the region’s most vulnerable to properly discard of bulk was...

Members of the Golf Club will be mortified to see that the famous tree of the 6th hole, ‘The Singing Bush’, has split and fallen. The tree has caused untold amusement to club members after being christened by Andrew (Joel) Youman many yea...

Work to restore and improve Waterfall Way is continuing with input from the local community and stakeholders now being sought on the next section of this vital transport link.Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the Com...

Armidale Regional Council has awarded the tender to develop the Armidale Regional Council Catchment Water Quality Strategic Plan to local company 2rog Consulting.2rog Consulting is an environmental consultancy agency based in Armidale, and has a weal...

Cricket was being played in the Guyra District before February 1886 a report in the Armidale Express February 26th 1886 stated; “-the return match between Guyra and Black Mountain Cricket Club was played at Black Mountain and the home team was ...

The NSW Government has dropped 137,381 aerial baits assisted by an additional 9,000 ground baits laid by landowners, to reduce wild dog and fox populations in the State’s north. The recent two-week baiting blitz started near Niangala and contin...

The first report of a golf club at Guyra is reported the Australian Town and Country Journal 6th September 1911-: Country Golf – A golf club has just been formed at Guyra in the New England district. The links be of a very sporting nature, and ...

The first records we have of Bowls being played in the Guyra District is a report in 1918 saying, “On Saturday December 29th a team of four Armidale bowlers visited “Ollera”. The green was in good order, and a capital game resulted ...

As Guyra enters its third week of lockdown there is some good news on the vaccination front. The number of first vaccinations for the 2365 postcode area is now well over 60% and for second vaccinations, the figure is nearing 40% of the eligible popul...

Country Press NSW (CPNSW) and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF) Party say that Regional New South Wales is missing out on vital health information due to the NSW Government excluding regional newspapers from their COVID-19 communications messag...

Part of Black Mountain’s history has gone up in smoke with fire destroying a family home last week. The fire tore through the home on Toms Gully Rd on the night of Monday August 16th. The Black Mountain Rural Fire Brigade were called to the sce...

Ken Law tried retirement and didn’t like it, so instead he is now taken on the challenge of a new role of Secretary/Manager at the Guyra Bowling Club. Ken and his wife Cheryl have made Guyra home, relocating from the Gold Coast and say they lov...

Guyra has entered its second week of lockdown, following the extension of restrictions for at least another week. A 7-day extension to the Armidale Regional LGA lockdown was announced on the weekend. It was later updated to a Statewide lockdown due t...

All 103 rising-two-year-old bulls offered at Bald Blair Angus Stud’s annual sale were snapped up at an average of $13,835. There was strong demand from across the state and beyond with 93 registered bidders attending the on-property sale, while...

While others are putting recyclables into landfill, Armidale’s world-class crate recycling system is again, leading the way and securing international markets for our plastics. A newly established partnership between South America and Armi...

Energy companies proposing renewables in the New England region of NSW are facing push back from landholders and the broader community frustrated at the state government’s poor rollout of the energy transition – lack of strategic land use...

 Local Land Services (LLS) is advising landholders August is the perfect time to get in and clean up on-farm ahead of an expected busy Spring.Cleaning up will help reduce the potential impact of pests, by reducing their possible breedi...

Landholders are being reminded to lodge their Local Land Services (LLS) Annual Land and Stock Returns before the end of August.The returns, which are a statutory requirement, were posted to thousands of landholders in June. Acting Chair of the LLS st...

The first confirmed coronavirus cases in the New England since 2020 has seen Guyra enter a snap lockdown as part of the Armidale Regional LGA. The news was announced by Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Saturday morning and as a result the community be...

Wendy Mulligan, President of the Rotary Club of Guyra last week presented Pride of Workmanship awards to local employees. Guyra Rotary Club has sponsored these Awards since 2003. It is a reminder to employers of the benefits to all that flow from sup...

On Friday, 30th July 2021 Black Mountain Public School celebrated Education Week a range of cultural activities on offer. We started the day by presenting our Education Week Awards. The students participated in music activities with Ms Eliza Scott fr...

Kirks IGA is asking customers to help them comply with health directives following the lockdown announced by the NSW government. Following a confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Armidale. Guyra, along with the whole of the Armidale Regional LGA, entered a ...

In order to ease pressure and reduce waiting times at COVID-19 testing clinics in Armidale, screening is now available at the Guyra Multi-Purpose Service (MPS). Testing facilities have also been made available in Uralla.Following the announcement of ...

Glenavon Angus held their 37th Annual Bull Sale on Monday 2nd August, which resulted in a full clearance of all 103 bulls offered. The 2021 sale saw Glenavon break several of their own stud records, including the top price 2yo bull selling for $40,00...

The Bridgewater team are thrilled with the result of our 4th on property sale, selling all 40 bulls offered with Bridgewater Compass Q093 topping our sale at $20,000 bought by Riamukka Partnership Nowendoc. Twenty nine rising two year old bulls sold ...

TENTERDEN Hall is the latest community facility to receive State Government COVID-19 support to improve its facilities and stimulate the local economy, with Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall today announcing a $40,830 grant to install a new toilet...

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has started sending instructions on how to complete the Census to more than 10 million Australian households ahead of the Census on Tuesday August 10.Around 85 per cent of all households in Australia wil...

Six Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the New England and Northern Tablelands areas will commence the Bush Fire Danger Period (BFDP) early, due to prevailing local conditions.NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) Superintendent Chris Wallbridge said the si...

With shearing underway across the region, local spinner Louise Pearson has put out a call for anyone who has something a little out of the ordinary. Louise wants to hear from anyone who has an odd breed in the back yard or back paddock – Romney...

You don’t have to be the best but it is important to be your best! Congratulations to all of our students for demonstrating positive school spirit and enthusiasm at our Athletics Carnival last Tuesday. The weather was absolutely perfect for a d...

In Science, Guyra Central School’s Stage 1 students have been looking at different materials, and how they change. They made playdough in all different colours and then wrote a procedure on ‘How to make playdough’. Using the playdou...

A STATE Government COVID-19 support program has seen funds flow for the historic Wandsworth Hall, with Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announcing a $34,155 grant to install a new toilet block.“This grant is a huge win for the Wandsworth Ha...

Peta Kerr was a happy and talented girl with a love for life, for running, gymnastics, riding and for her family, friends and school. Tragically, she was diagnosed with brain cancer just before her 10th birthday, a disease that eventually claimed her...

The Guyra Preschool and Long Daycare Centre will share in over $2 million in Federal Government funding allocated to the electorate of New England to help meet the needs of families. They will receive a $150,000 capital component and $300,000 sustain...

Winter rains have refilled the Mother of Ducks Lagoon, resulting in an influx of birdlife and providing added interest for visitors to the region. Guyra has received above average rainfall this year with 210mm falling since the beginning of June. Run...

Last week Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall rolled has up his sleeve to receive his first jab of COVID-19 vaccine and has issued a challenge to the community – ‘get vaccinated now or risk ongoing extensive lock-downs.’“With...

Since than introduction of new regulations due to the threat posed by the Delta variant of COVID-10, one local seamstress has been extra busy. When the requirement to wear face masks was introduced two weeks ago Robin Godlonton ramped up production u...

HUNDREDS of priceless historical items from Guyra’s past will be better protected thanks to a $5,636 State Government grant to purchase a new computer and remote close-circuit-television (CCTV) equipment. Since 2018, $120,346 in NSW Government ...

Guyra will be reduced to just one banking service in October, with the National Australia Bank preparing to close its doors for good. It follows the closure of Westpac in 2015 and the Commonwealth Bank in 2018. Customers were informed of the decision...

President of the Guyra and District Chamber of Commerce Steve Mepham said that it is disappointing for any small town to lose services.“This will impact not only businesses in town, but will also have an impact for pensioners and older people i...

What is the name and nature of your business?Khammo – is a hunting, ammo, clothing, and fishing shop. If you love getting outside we will definitely have something for you. Some of the brands we have are Ringers Western, Spika, Vortex, Leatherm...

A long held dream for the establishment of the New England Rail Trail (NERT) is within reach, with an announcement last week from Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce that $8.7 million has been allocated to develop Stage On...

Essential Energy will soon take to the skies above Armidale, Guyra and Glen Innes, using specialist high-definition equipment attached to a helicopter to undertake a further assessment on the condition of the electricity network in the aftermath of t...

Guyra Pharmacy is one of twenty-two pharmacies across regional and rural NSW that will begin administering the AstraZeneca jab as part of a pilot program, in a bid to boost to the vaccine rollout.Premier Gladys Berejiklian said community pharmacists ...

Armidale Regional Council Mayor Ian Tiley has welcomed last week’s announcement of funding for the New England Rail Trail. Cr Tiley said that even though the first stage being funded is mostly in the Glen Innes area he expects there will still ...

No ‘Rangoon Wind Farm in any shape or form’. That is the stand of Ben Lomond and district neighbours and village residents. Nothing about the potential sale of ‘Meridian’ or a plan to reconsider and re-vamp the project is able...

The Save and Grow Guyra group is this week continuing their push to get signatures in support of the formation of a new council area based on Guyra.Spokesperson Gordon Youman said that they collected more than 600 letters of support in their first we...

A world-first study using DNA samples from hydroponics is being undertaken through a collaboration between University of New England (UNE) and Costa, as part of the Future Food Systems Co-operative Research Centre (CRC).The CRC’s ‘Tomato ...

The campaign to de-amalgamate Guyra from Armidale Regional Council is ramping up. The Save and Grow Guyra Group this week opened a Pop-up shop to encourage residents to sign a petition and letters of support calling for the formation of a new rural c...

Guyra Lions recently celebrated 50 years of providing service to the Guyra community. Original Guyra Lions charter member Lion Geoff Reeves and Lady Lion Bertha cut the cake marking thissignificant milestone.The celebration coincided with the annual ...

It was a scaled down celebration of 75 years of service to Guyra by Rotary Club members last Saturday night, 26th June at a dinner held at the Bowling Club. Although he did not know it, Steve Mepham was the guest of honour and was surprised when Pres...

Mort & Co, Australia’s largest privately owned lot feeder, is set to acquire Guyra Milling following a comprehensive due diligence process. Guyra Milling was established in 2007 by the Vivers family. The mill has a maximum capacity of 20,00...

On Monday the 7th of June, Guyra Central School hosted the Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition New England Local Final. The competition is run by the Arts Unit and open to all NSW public primary schools. Students from Sir Henry Par...

Small and medium hotels and motels across the New England are receiving support from the Coalition Government’s $10.2 million Hotel Energy Uplift Program to cut energy costs so they can invest in their business, employ more Australians and get ...

McLean Care Kolora has supported the fundraising efforts of Team Guyra in the 20th Annual Ride for the Chopper. This year the theme is “Alive and Well on Farms”. Team Guyra will ride 500 km taking them from Dubbo to Tamworth over 10-17 Se...

Two prominent roads in the new Armidale Airside Business Park called Cameron Drive and Waller Avenue commemorate the tireless work of two local champions that have been instrumental in the development of the airport and aviation in the region.Donald ...

Nine Red Maples (Acer rubrum) slated for removal during the Guyra main street reconstruction and beautification project will now be retained after concerns were raised by the Guyra community.The Red Maples in Bradley Street were planted approximately...

Costa hosted its first meeting of its Community Reference Group last week.The Costa Tomato Exchange Community Reference Group has been established to promote open and active communication between the community in Guyra and the surrounding areas and C...

The Hub will have a Coffee, Cake and Chat morning from 11am on June 23rd, to showcase one of their new services for the community.  Care Agents is an Independent Support Service for NDIS participants. Services offered are Assistance with NDIS Ac...

This year the TroutFest committee is planning a different program to fit COVD requirements but the popular children’s fishing clinic will hopefully go ahead on the Saturday as well as the hugely popular weekend of open gardens.The committee is ...

More than $20,000 in upgrades will made to the Ebor’s tourist campground under funding from the Australian Government’s Stronger Communities Program. Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the $20,000 grant to Ebor Tourism and Developm...

Guyra’s Sam Skipper is one of three students from The Armidale School who has been mixing it with some of the best young rugby players in the state pulling on jerseys for Combined AAGPS teams.Year 12 students Sam Skipper from Guyra and Tom Fors...

Freezing conditions last week saw a welcome boost for local businesses with visitors flocking to the area. They arrived in droves turning parks, sporting fields and roadsides into winter playgrounds.Accommodation was booked out well in advance of the...

Guyra’s business community received a welcome boost from last week’s snowfalls. Accommodation houses were booked out up to a week before the event, while others travelled for a day visit or even an hour in the snow.Much of the action for ...

A memorial avenue of trees, which was first proposed by the then Guyra Shire Council in 1951, is now set to become a reality. The Garden Club has been successful in gaining a total of $70,000 in grants towards the building of a memorial avenue and ma...

Guyra cyclists riding 500kms to support the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service A team of 11 cyclists, with two support crew, are in training for the ‘Ride For The Chopper’ a 500km ride from Dubbo to Tamworth. The ride starts on September 1...

‘Our Little Gallery’ is holding its first workshop this weekend. You can learn the techniques of Welt Felting, and how to create your own felt wall art.Sarah Hunt and sister Louise Pearson are the talent behind ‘Our Little Gallery&r...

On Tuesday 1st June, fourteen Agriculture students from Years 7-11 at Guyra Central School attended the annual Northern Schools Prime Lamb Competition in Tamworth. They participated with 13 lambs kindly donated by the Presnell, Grills and Jackson fam...

The first big cold blast of winter is about to hit, with forecast of heavy snowfalls which could see some areas of the NSW Northern Tablelands receive dumps of up to 20 centimetres, the biggest falls for several years. Guyra is expected to be one of ...

There is now less than three months to go until Local Government elections in NSW. Voters will head to the polls to vote for their council representatives on Saturday September 4th.Ahead of the poll, Armidale Regional Council (ARC) Mayor Ian Tiley ha...

The Guyra Preschool and Long Day Care Centre welcomed Ms Nellie Blair on Thursday 3rd June to engage in Indigenous Learning. The centre has been engaging in many different Indigenous experiences and engagement on an increased level this week to recog...

An education model which turns the traditional curriculum on its head is already proving its value to students at Guyra Central School. Big Picture Education Australia (BPEA), which has been operating at the school since the start of 2021, puts stude...

Guyra’s Stephanie Cameron is one of six students from the New England North West region announced as recipients of the 2021 Rural Scholarship and VET Scholarship programs from the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Foundation (RASF)Also recievin...

Armidale Regional Council’s Draft Operational Plan and Budget is now on public exhibition. The draft details the proposed activities and budget and supporting rates, charges and fees for the 2021-2022 financial year. The 2021-2022 financial yea...

The Australian Government is continuing to support the health of men in the New England by providing $11,680 to four organisations in the latest round of grant funding of the National Shed Development Programme.Member for New England Barnaby Joyce we...

The Development Application (DA) for the proposed Guyra Early Childhood Learning Centre was approved at the May 26 Ordinary Council Meeting, subject to conditions.The DA is for the construction of a proposed centre-based child care facility to be bui...

Armidale Regional Council will move forward with planning to raise Malpas Dam’s spillway by 6.49 metres after councillors supported a recommendation at the May 26 Ordinary Council meeting. The decision was based on the findings of reports from ...

Joseph Stanley has been named as Tafe Digital’sTechnology and Business Services Student of the Year. He received the honour at the TAFE NSW Excellence Awards which were held in Sydney last week. The awards recognise outstanding student achievem...

This winter, Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is urging residents to take every precaution to avoid a fire in the home.FRNSW Guyra Captain Steven Sole said the cooler months see a 10% increase in the number of home fires, with more fires in bedrooms and...

The newest business owner in Guyra, Lianne Cook has had to conquer more than a few obstacles in her life. From losing her hearing at the age of two to a recent car accident, she has shown resilience and an ability to bounce back and pursue her dreams...

The North West Careers Expo is held annually in Tamworth at the TRECC. This year, Guyra Central School students from Year 9, 10 and 11 students were invited to attend. Twenty seven students took the opportunity to attend the expo where 60 stands were...

Armidale's chamber choir Fiori Musicali performed in Guyra on May 22nd, and were given a warm reception on a chilly afternoon.Conductor Bruce Menzies had promised a program of 'exuberant' choral music would be performed, and it certainly was.Two chor...

A group of concerned residents has given a thumbs down to a proposal to remove nine established trees from the Guyra CBD. Armidale Regional Council is proposing to remove the existing red maples in Bradley Street and replace them with established cre...

The long awaited Guyra CBD upgrade has hit a further snag, with works now expected to extend well into June. Work commenced on the Nincoola to Mackenzie St section of Bradley St in late April and was expected to take three weeks to complete.A stateme...

St Mary of the Angels Cross Country squad had tremendous success at the Diocesan Cross Country winning the 12/13 Years Team Trophy and the overall Small Schools Trophy. Olive McFarlane and Nayte Foster both won their age divisions. Above l to r: Darc...

Can you tell us more about your role?Guyra Central School is one of the fortunate schools in the area to have been assigned an Instructional Leader. Instructional Leader positions fall under the initiative Early Action for Success (EAfS.) EAfS is par...

A new school-based TAFE NSW traineeship offered in the New England area is helping to address rural skill shortages. For the first time in the New England area, students in Years 11 and 12 can complete a Certificate II in Shearing to equip them with ...

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has approved Armidale Regional Council’s application to permanently apply a 10.5% (2020-21 inclusive of the rate peg) increase in income from rates above the current level. The Special Var...

A ceremonial turning of the sod last week marked a start on construction of a new undercover performance and dining area for the Guyra Lamb and Potato FestivalFunding for the project has come from a $130,000 grant from the NSW Government. The permane...

A large crowd is expected to farewell Guyra’s oldest citizen Ted Mulligan, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 104. A funeral service will be held at St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church on Monday May 17th, commencing at 2pm.Ted lived in...

Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, has congratulated three groups in New England who have each been approved for a grant under the Federal Government’s Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program.“Guyra Garden Club will receiv...

Come and meet your local firefighters and learn about home fire safety at the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Open Day on Saturday, May 15th.  Guyra Fire Station will be hosting an event between 10.00am a...

Work has begun on a $1.3 million upgrade project on the New England Highway near Tubbamurra Road. The project will widen the existing road shoulder, install and improve drainage and visibility. New safety barriers will also be added to reduce the sev...

It’s hard to believe we are already in Week 4 of Term Two. Bald Blair Public School students returned to school on Tuesday 20th April very excited to start the new school term.We have lots of learning activities planned throughout the term, wit...

Armidale Regional Council, as part of its Climate Emergency Program, has funded Sustainable Living Armidale (SLA) to again offer workshops on how to save household energy. SLA is a community volunteer organisation founded a dozen years ago to build c...

During April and May 2021, Southern New England Landcare and Sustainable Living Armidale coordinated three interactive pilot workshops for rural residential landholders in the Guyra & Black Mountain, Dumaresq & Invergowrie and Kelly’s P...

The sight of a chainsaw being taken to precious trees in the Wattle Ridge Indigenous Protected Area of Northern NSW for a housing project would normally create protest, but Indigenous Rangers, backed by Morrison Government funding are providing shelt...

This week, Guyra Family Day Care educators and children came together to celebrate National Family Day Care week, with a Teddy Bear's Picnic and play morning. The children brought along their favourite teddies for the celebration and cake cutting. "N...

One of the men who brought tomatoes to Guyra, Melbourne businessman and philanthropist Frank Costa, has died at the age of 83. Mr Costa and his brother Adrian took over the family fruit and vegetable business in 1958, growing Costa Group into a ...

RecreationaL fishers will be lured to try their luck catching one of 1,200 tagged Rainbow trout released into waterways across the region, as the State Government continues to roll out a major fish re-stocking and monitoring program, Minister for Agr...

Community feedback wanted for draft Koala Management Strategy From tomorrow, the community will have the opportunity to give feedback on Council’s draft Koala Management Strategy, with the document set to go on public exhibition for 2...

On Friday April 16th, the Lions Club of Guyra and members of the Masonic Lodge of Guyra officially handed over the Podiatry chair to Kolora Hostel. The chair, stool and light valued at $4750 was purchased in 2019 and was jointly funded and donated by...

Guyra Farmer’s and Craft Market will celebrate their first birthday on Saturday June 5th. The market at the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in Guyra had humble beginnings with only three stalls when it opened during the height of the COVID lockd...

Autumn colour provided a spectacular backdrop for this year’s Anzac Day commemorations in Guyra. The day commenced with the traditional Dawn Service, followed by a 9am service at the Guyra MPS and then on to the main commemoration march and ser...

The Guyra CBD Upgrade has entered the next stage with work commencing this week on the section between Nincoola and Mackenzie Street. Proposed works involve the excavation and reconstruction of the existing road pavement which is expected to take abo...

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has helped Guyra Polocrosse Club get back in saddle after a two-year forced hiatus, announcing a $5,000 State Government grant to purchase new equipment and encourage local participation. Mr Marshall made the anno...

Following the success of last week’s production of ‘Shootin’ Sadie’, the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame is preparing to host two more events in May. The Fiori Musicali Chamber Choir will be performing in Guyra on May 22nd, wit...

On the weekend of the 10th and 11th April, Lockyer Rogers generously hosted the Australian Utility Stock Dog Society Inc. ‘Challenge’ at his property, ‘Stratton’. As well as letting the Society use his grounds, he also kindly ...

Land managers across the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services region have been invited to apply for long-term access to a number of Travelling Stock Reserves (TSRs).Helen Ward, from the Northern Tablelands Local Land Services T...

Steve Mepham has seen a lot of changes and experienced some challenging and demanding times during his time working with the NSW Rural Fire Service. Last week he handed in his badge for the last time, retiring as New England Zone Manager following 20...

Armidale Regional Council has entered a new era of waste services, with a new waste services guide delivered to residents. Armidale Regional Council’s General Manager James Roncon says the new guide will give residents more clarity when using o...

Armidale Regional Council has recently changed the way penalty infringement notices are issued in a bid to increase consistency and remove customer confusion. All penalty infringement notices will now be served by Revenue NSW in an electronic or hard...

Local industry in Guyra is set to benefit from a $520,018 boost to its NBN network and telecommunication services funded by the Federal Coalition Government’s Regional Connectivity Program (RCP).Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said the new...

A new rebate scheme is now available which will help tens of thousands of small businesses, sole traders, farmers and not-for-profits cover costs they pay to their local council and State Government. The $1,500 rebate is available for small businesse...

The weekend saw the Lions Form It Up at Kolora. A small group of Lions constructed the forms for a garden shed. The shed will be built once the building arrives.If you would like to help or are considering joining The Lions, join the Lions ...

Guyra Volunteer Rescue Association is about to commence our bi-annual round of recruitment for VRA members to join our organisation here in Guyra.The NSW VRA has over 50 Rescue Squads all over NSW serving their communities in General Land Rescue with...

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has handed over the keys to a brand new $380,000 Category 1 tanker to members of Tingha NSW Rural Fire Service Brigade.The tanker replaces the former Tingha appliance which was significantly damaged in a rollover ...

The Hub at Guyra is a community based Advocacy & Support, and an Information & Referral service. They provide support to anyone that has a need in the community to access services and support and can refer on to other services if need be. Whe...

The Guyra saleyards is home to one of the largest Black Cottonwood Poplars (Populus balsamifera) in Australia. The tree, which is believed to be around 110 years old, recently came to the attention of Derek McIntosh who maintains the Australian Natio...

The Guyra Men’s Shed has finished the move to their new premises and have begun the massive task of setting up so they can reopen. They have relocated to the shed which had previously been used by the Guyra SES at the rear of the old Guyra Cour...

If you attended Bald Blair Public School in the last 100 years, you and your family, along with current/former staff and the community, are welcome to the join in the Centenary Celebrations being held on Saturday, 30th October, 2021. This picturesque...

Armidale Regional Council is hosting free live music events in Armidale and Guyra to celebrate Youth Week, an annual celebration of young people throughout Australia.Local artists Charlie Fittler and Mad Proppa Deadly DJ are amongst the line-up featu...

More than 41,000 Australian men die each year from preventable disease, and because high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol generally have no apparent symptoms until it is too late, it has never been more important for men to get a health check...

The rural communities of Guyra and Armidale vehemently opposed the forced amalgamation of Guyra Shire Council and Armidale Dumaresq Council brought about by the NSW State Governments’ Fit for the Future process which was meant to reform Local G...

Rural lifestyle landholders were among those most affected by the 2017-2021 drought, and it’s likely many have already put in place some very clever changes that will help them cope with future climate related events, whether they be droughts, ...

The 2021 Guyra Cup meeting on March 28th was well-supported by local businesses who sponsored the seven-event race meet. Following the cancellation of last year’s event due to COVID, the return of the event saw a great day of racing with good w...

Last Tuesday the Tour de Cure Signature Tour passed through the Guyra area, enroute from Armidale to Glen Innes on day five of the event. The Tour de Cure ride took place from March 26th to April 1st 2021, bringing together people from all corners of...

Armidale Regional Council has been issued two penalty notices by the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) for unlawfully taking water between December 2019 and February 2020. The fines totalling $3000 were issued to the council on March 10.The r...

The Hub at Guyra has a number of rooms available for use by the wider community following their recent renovations. Centre Manager Sarah Hunt said that they have already welcomed new users at the centre and believe the facilities would benefit many m...

The Guyra Branch of Can Assist will be holding a fundraising auction at the Royal Hotel on Friday April 16th. Up for grabs will be a unique piece created by Wal Irvine for the Farm Waste to Art competition at the Guyra Show.The aptly titled “Th...

A homegrown night of Wild West-inspired theatre created by Nundle-based artist Natasha Soonchild is set to tour the small halls of the New England North West from late April, including a stop at the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in Guyra. The perfor...

The Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in Guyra has just celebrated its first anniversary. It was March 24th, 2020 that James Warren arrived in Guyra with a dream to establish the Australian Poetry Hall of Fame in the former Arcadia Theatre. Twelve month...

Armidale Regional Council is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from groups or individuals living in the Guyra area who would be interested in assisting a local artist in developing a mural design for the toilet block in Bradley Street. At last m...

CWA State President, Stephanie Stanhope toured the Northern Tablelands area last week, stopping off at Guyra on (a very wet) Tuesday afternoon and evening. Stephanie met with the members of CWA Day Branch for afternoon tea and then with members of th...

Gym junkies and those looking to improve their fitness can now enjoy a wider range of services, with new local owners taking over at King’s Gym.Dominik and Leigh Bush, with their partners Bronte and Annisa, have rebranded as Peak Fitness Guyra ...

The Guyra Garden Club has received a $10,000 grant from the Fire Fight Australia Fund through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal – Strengthening Rural Communities grant program.With these funds the Guyra Garden Club will plant a serv...

Armidale Regional Council will donate 40 bales of hay to neighbouring regions affected by devastating floods, to help the farming communities suffering the loss and damage of silage and winter stocks.A motion put forward by Councillor Galletly to pro...

NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) New England Zone celebrated the official handover of two new fire trucks on Sunday as well as recognising long serving members.NSW RFS Deputy Commissioner Peter McKechnie joined State member for Northern Tablelands, A...

The region’s keen readers and wordsmiths are being invited to participate in the Sydney Writers’ Festival, with the event set to be streamed to the Guyra L.T. Starr Memorial Library and the Armidale War Memorial Library and. Streamed stra...

The Ben Lomond Community are assessing damage this morning following flash flooding which impacted the War Memorial Hall yesterday (Tuesday March 23rd.) Don Stride from the Hall committee said that Ben Lomond recorded around 189mm over three days. O...

From midnight tonight the Armidale region will be moving out of water restrictionsinto permanent conservation after experiencing significant rainfall overnight whichhas resulted in full and overflowing dams.In the last week the upper reaches of the c...

Armidale Regional Council Mayor Ian Tiley joined UNE’s Vice Chancellor Brigid Heywood on Monday to officially open the new UNE Study Hub building in Guyra. The new facility, which replaces the previous ageing building, will ensure that resident...

Members from the Northern Tablelands Group of the Country Women’s Association came together in Guyra on Tuesday, March 9th to take part in The Land Cookery and Handicraft contest. They also took part in a group meeting to discuss areas of conce...

The Guyra Preschool and Long Daycare has secured two rounds of NSW Government funding to go towards purchasing interactive smartboards and outdoor play equipment. Armidale Regional Council General Manager James Roncon said the projects will greatly e...

Local dining and tourism businesses are being urged to register to participate in the State Government’s Dine & Discover NSW program. Local residents are now able to apply for $100 worth of vouchers which can be used in participating busine...

To help people affected by the severe storms and flooding across New South Wales, generous Australians are encouraged to donate money, items, skills and services online at GIVIT.org.au. In partnership with the NSW Government, GIVIT is managing donati...

A push for the formation of a new council area, based in Guyra, is a now a distinct possibility according to the Rural Council for Rural People group.Spokesperson Rob Lenehan said this week that MP Adam Marshall is now publicly backing a move from th...

John Crosby from Glencoe made a Cobb & Co Coach which was the winner of the Farm Waste to Art section at the Guyra Show. He donated it to be auctioned with proceeds going to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. It was purchased by the Hope Family for $...

The Guyra Railway Station is looking a little fresher after a team of painters completed a new paint job on the buildings. The building was last painted in 2007, so was in need of an update.The work was undertaken by MACC Painting from Tamworth, who ...

Cattle and sheep are the backbone of the New England farming enterprises, however, where would they be without working stock dogs?Stock handlers, who depend on dogs for their livelihood, face the constant challenge of finding pups that will grow and ...

Residents of the Armidale region are being reminded to save the date for the 2021 Local Government elections. On Saturday September 4, 2021, the community will be required to vote for eleven new Councillors to represent the region over a three year t...

A scholarship worth $10,000 is now open for local students in the Guyra, Armidale, Glen Innes and Inverell region, who are starting their university education in horticulture or agriculture.The Costa Tomatoes New England Tertiary Scholarship is offer...

Guyra Central School student Cordelia Lloyd joined students from places as far as Streaky Bay in SA, Alstonville in northern NSW, and Yanakie in Victoria, as one of 18 rural and remote young Australians who travelled to Canberra to meet with Federal ...

The Lions Club of Guyra hosted the Youth of the Year Quest club level at their meeting of 17th February 2021 at the Guyra Bowling and Recreation Club. Two contestants entered late last year, however due to COVID restrictions the event was delayed. Th...

Armidale Regional Council has been successful in securing $1.037 million of funding from the Australian Government to conduct gravel re-sheeting and bitumen sealing on twelve local roads.The Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Stage 2 fun...

A deposit of the financial kind has flushed its way into the Guyra Showground bank account, with Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announcing a $781,668 State Government grant to construct two new amenities blocks, with modern accessible toilets a...

A free telehealth counselling service is now available for people living in rural areas, or for those wishing to seek help from home. Kimberley Squires, Community Engagement Coordinator, Lifeline Direct said that it has been a particularly difficult ...

The Australian Government is encouraging residents in the New England to get ready for their COVID-19 vaccination by linking their digital government services, particularly their myGov and Medicare accounts. The call to link digital services follows ...

Restrictions on the use of mobile phones at Guyra Central School have had a positive effect in both the classroom and in the playground. The school implemented the use of Yondr pouches in Term 4 of 2020 as part of a new phone policy at the school.Eac...

Black Mountain Railway Station recently played host to 20 RV vans and caravans from the Campervan Motor Home Club the “New Endlanders”. Each year the club returns to Black Mountain to enjoy the unique atmosphere of camping at a Northern T...

An extensive review of the 2020/21 budget by senior management at Armidale Regional Council has resulted in a net improvement to Council’s General Fund result of $2.1 million.A second quarter (Q2) budget review presented at the Council meeting ...

A Guyra family is counting the cost after a devastating storm passed through on Thursday, February 25th. Described as like a tornado, the storm hit hard at Moredun Ponds Fish Farm, around 45km from Guyra in the Tenterden area. Moredun Ponds has ...

Born and bred in Guyra, Sara Rushton did not imagine the opportunities that would come when she started work at the Costa Tomato Glasshouses.Sara worked for more than 13 years in Guyra, before taking an opportunity to move to the Costa Berry farm in ...

Amos Vale Herefords has gone back to back winning Supreme Exhibits of Guyra Show in both 2020 and 2021. In 2020 they won with a bull and this year it was a heifer that got the win. Amazingly, they were both out of the same cow.Amos Vale has congratul...

Motorists on the New England Highway will soon enjoy a smoother and safer journey when travelling north of Guyra, with work beginning on a $1.3 million safety and drainage upgrade.The project, being delivered under the NSW Government’s Safer Ro...

Armidale Regional Council has taken a critical step in securing the region’s town water supply after it adopted its updated Drought Management Plan at the February 24 Council Meeting.Armidale Regional Council General Manager James Roncon said t...

Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has used a speech on the floor of State Parliament to highlight the need for Armidale Regional Council to expedite planning work for the raising of the Malpas Dam wall, to more than double its capacity.Mr Marshall...

Primary Student Representative CouncilK-6 Captains; Rose Kliendienst and Will HuttonBack: Principal Mrs Michelle Nicholson, Karleah Alefosio, Liam Hutton, Stevie McElroy, Shelby Heagney, Levi Vanderwolf, Aidan Brown Middle: William Vidler, Summer Tib...

The Guyra Show Society recognised the significant contribution of former Head Cattle Steward Ron Looker and wife Maureen at this year’s Show.They were presented with a Certificate and given Life membership of the Show Society in front of the cr...

Speaking at the official opening of the 113th Guyra Show, President Richard Post said that the past two years have seen the challenges of drought, bushfires and a global pandemic threaten the event in a way not seen except during two world wars.&ldqu...

A presentation of Life Membership was made to long serving committee member, Dorothy Lockyer at this year’s Guyra Show. President Richard Post said that no-one could be more deserving of the honour and that the Show would not be what it is with...

The annual Guyra Lamb Show and Sale was held last Wednesday at the Guyra Saleyards. A big crowd was on hand to see the winners announced. There was a large increase in numbers with 5,200 lambs penned. Picking a winner was not an easy task for Judge L...

Local government elections are due to be held on September 4 this year and speculation is starting around possible candidates.Last week the focus was on the current Mayor of Armidale Regional Council Dr Ian Tiley. An article in the Clarence Valley In...

I am pleased to see that membership of the Guyra and District Chamber of Commerce has grown by nearly 30% since our October AGM. Meetings have been well attended despite COVID restrictions. During this time the Chamber applied for a grant to have our...

The 3-6 students from Black Mountain Public School enjoyed a great day at the Small Schools Swimming Carnival held at the Guyra Swimming Pool last Thursday. They supported their fellow students and cheered them on as they participated in their age ra...

Three weeks after applications for the Regional Seniors Travel Card opened for the second consecutive year, the popular initiative has had more than 3,300 claims from seniors across the Northern Tablelands.The Regional Seniors Travel Card is a $250 p...

New figures released last week have revealed that rural land values have risen across the region.There was an overall increase of 11.2 percent, with figures varying depending on the local government area.While rural land values increased moderately i...

Regional Australia Bank Chairman Graham Orlich has announced the retirement of ‘dynamic’ CEO Kevin Dupé. Mr Orlich said that Kevin’s period as CEO has spanned over two decades starting in 2001.“The New England Credit Un...

Preparations for the 2021 Guyra Show are well in hand and organisers are hoping the community will get behind the event. Show Society President Richard Post said that they have planned some excellent family entertainment this year and he hopes the co...

Last Friday St Mary of the Angels held their annual Swimming Carnival. Our students had a wonderful day, swimming competitively, cheering on their friends and enjoying the spirit of the day. Congratulations to our Age Champions and Runner’s Up ...

There has been a changing of the guard at Guyra’s Neighbourhood Centre (The Hub), with Sarah Hunt taking over as Centre Manager. Sarah steps in to the position vacated by Chris Hietbrink who retired at the end of January after spending 8 years ...

What a pleasure it is to be back and working with such dedicated teachers, smiling children and caring and committed parents. St Mary of the Angels, is a special place to be! It is a community of love focused on supporting one another. It is a place ...

Armidale Regional Council is faced with making some tough decisions in the coming weeks around the future of early childhood education in Guyra.  At a time when they are seeking to find an extra $3.5m to allow construction of a new purpose-built...

Armidale Regional Council has deferred a decision on the final design for a proposed mural which was commissioned as part of the CBD upgrade. A report to the January 27th meeting of council outlined a summary of the submissions received in response t...

Residents in the New England are being encouraged to nominate local people, professionals and volunteers, who have displayed extraordinary service and achievement during the COVID-19 response and recovery, for an Australian national honour. Member fo...

Eligible businesses across the region are being encouraged to register and participate in the State Government’s new major economic stimulus program, Dine & Discover NSW. The program will provide hip pocket relief by offering every NSW resi...

In what has been heralded as an ‘historic day in local policing’ the region’s first-ever permanent NSW Police Dog Unit officially has commenced work.In 2018, Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall initiated a campaign to have ...

Noreen Williams and Graham Williamson have shared Guyra’s top award at this year’s Australia Day ceremony. Noreen and Graham are both standout members of the local community and were announced as joint winners of Citizen of the Year on Tu...

The level of disability and emergency access at Guyra Community Hall will be ‘ramped up’ thanks to a $62,833 State Government grant to install three new concrete ramps into the building. The new ramps will replace the existing ones, which...

Joseph Stanley and Tayla Mitchell recently took part in the National Youth Science Program. Both Tayla and Joseph were financially endorsed by the Rotary Club of Guyra to assist them in attending this program. This week they tell us about their exper...

The CWA Art Show, which attracted 96 entries from around the New England region, was once again a great success. Both opening session were booked out and organisers reported a steady of visitors over five days with good sales. The winner of the Peopl...

What is the name and nature of your business?I run a speech pathology practice called Highland Speech Pathology. Speech pathology is much broader than you’d think but also more niche - it’s not just lisps! As a ‘speechie’, I w...

The Family Fun Day held on January 16th was a smashing success. The event was organised by the Guyra Local Health Committee who would like to thank the community members who came out on the beautiful sunny day and enjoyed every aspect of the event.Th...

The Guyra Rural Fire Brigade had a get together in early November for their members. Paul Jarett was presented with his 10 years long service Medal by RFS Group Officer Robert Martin and Zone Manager Steve MephamBrigade members where also presented w...

Official Australia Day celebrations in Guyra this year will be scaled back due to current COVID-19 restrictions. Instead of the usual awards dinner, winners will be announced at an outdoor ceremony in front of the Guyra council offices on Tuesday, Ja...

If you are missing your yearly fix of lamb and potato there will be a chance to catch up on some of the usual festivities this Saturday January 23rd. The Lamb and Potato Festival committee were forced to cancel the annual 12 day festival due to COVID...

Armidale Regional Council is applying for a grant from the NSW Government to remediate the old Guyra Landfill on Everett Street.A public meeting was held on January 12, 2021, to inform residents of the planned works, and why the rehabilitation of the...

The Super Spuds are taking Guyra global thanks to a new book about rugby league.An American athlete and a Welsh wheelchair rugby league player are completing a children’s book called ‘The ABCs of Rugby League’ and have selected club...