New South Wales Governor Margaret Beazley attended an afternoon tea hosted by the Molong Country Women's Association. She visited members on Sunday 18 October, before the branch's official 100th birthday event in November. Branch president Helen Williams said members were thrilled and very surprised by the visit. The Governor was invited both in her role as state governor and as CWA patron. The afternoon featured scones with jam, slices, sandwiches, tea and coffee, giving members an informal chance to speak with her.
Cabonne communities have a busy run of events ahead. Cumnock's Family Fun Day on 17 October offers live music, market stalls, coach rides and a mechanical bull. The Australian National Field Days, held from 22 to 24 October at Borenore, features around 400 exhibitors and tickets from $10. Christmas shopping nights are set for Eugowra, Canowindra and Molong, while Manildra hosts a Christmas party on 16 December with fireworks. Weekly library storytimes, playgroups and regular monthly markets also run across the shire.
Molong Early Learning Centre is urgently recruiting qualified educators to fill several vacancies, with more than 70 children on its waiting list. Service director Shanie Duncan said the not-for-profit centre is not at risk of closing, but ongoing staffing shortages could force it to reduce enrolments if mandatory educator-to-child ratios cannot be met. Ms Duncan said workforce shortages across the sector, along with travel distances and fuel costs in regional areas, have made recruitment harder. The centre, established in 1972, is Molong's only long day care facility and plans to introduce a trainee in the coming year.
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Molong will become part of New South Wales' emergency response network, with Fire and Rescue NSW deploying one of three new bulk water transfer units there. The $3.89 million investment in pumping systems and transport vehicles aims to strengthen responses to major fires and floods. Each Hytrans unit can pump up to 8000 litres of water a minute over a kilometre of hose, and draw water from depths of up to 60 metres. Other units are based at Bangalow and Albury. An earlier model cleared floodwater from Kempsey's main streets during the May 2025 Mid North Coast floods.
Country beat Molong Magpies by 145 runs in the local derby at the Rec in round two of the Molong District Cricket Association competition. Henry Hickson scored 88 for Country, and Robbie Heath and Henry Hickson each took three wickets for the winners. Magpies were bowled out for 98. In other round two matches, Lyndhurst beat Cudal by seven wickets, and Gumble beat premiers Canowindra by one wicket. Country lead the Oilsplus ladder.
The Molong Marlins community swimming club has launched a summer sponsorship program to help local children from families facing financial hardship take part in swimming. Backers are being sought to fund $250 sponsorships, and assistance will be kept confidential. Club president Kane Bird said the program lets children swim, stay active and spend time with friends without a financial burden on their families. About 100 swimmers aged five to 17 take part, including in weekly Saturday carnivals against neighbouring clubs. Training starts on Monday 2 November, with registration fees expected to be $120.
Aqua Fitness classes are set to return to pools in Molong, Manildra, Cumnock, Yeoval and Cudal. The low-impact program uses water resistance to build strength, mobility and cardiovascular health without straining joints. Local volunteers will first train in Dubbo to become instructors or refresh their qualifications. The sessions are free, though attendees pay standard pool admission. Anyone aged 16 or older can join after registering in advance.
Molong local Amy Cassell is tackling a 200-kilometre walking challenge this October to promote mental health awareness. Ms Cassell says her health journey has involved grief, mental health struggles and learning self-compassion. She says walking, healthier eating and seeking help have helped her, and she is now in remission from borderline personality disorder. She is taking part in the One Foot Forward challenge to support the Black Dog Institute, which funds mental health research and programs. Donations can be made through her fundraising page.
Geoff and Colina Tonkin have run green woodworking courses near Molong since 2011. Students make Windsor chairs and stools from freshly cut timber, using traditional hand tools and no electricity. Participants range from beginners to an architect and a qualified carpenter, with the oldest attendee aged 89. Women now make up about 30 per cent of participants. The chairs use stringybark for legs and stretchers, with seats carved from local timber such as elm, ash or camphor laurel. The April 2027 workshop is already fully booked.
Molong Hockey Club will return its popular twilight competition this summer after a four-year absence caused by the 2022 floods. The club starts its 2026–27 season in late October at the new Molong Hockey Turf at the Molong Showground. Players can choose a Sunday first-grade competition with full 11-a-side mixed games or a Wednesday social competition with modified rules for beginners. Both cost $80 per player. Treasurer Linda Milne said the return was a long time coming and thanked Cabonne Council and local groups for their support.
A driver died after a single-vehicle crash on the Mitchell Highway south of Wellington in New South Wales. Emergency crews were called to the site near Apsley at about 4am on Thursday 15 October. The vehicle had left the road and come to rest in a ditch. The driver died at the scene despite efforts by paramedics. Police have set up a crime scene and are investigating the cause, with a report to go to the Coroner. Northbound lanes between Molong and Burrendong Way are closed.
Cabonne communities have a busy run of events ahead. Cumnock's Family Fun Day on 17 October offers live music, market stalls, coach rides and a mechanical bull. The Australian National Field Days, held from 22 to 24 October at Borenore, features around 400 exhibitors and tickets from $10. Christmas shopping nights are set for Eugowra, Canowindra and Molong, while Manildra hosts a Christmas party on 16 December with fireworks. Weekly library storytimes, playgroups and regular monthly markets also run across the shire.
Molong Central School's Year 12 graduates are preparing for university, apprenticeships, or local jobs. Deputy principal Carl Thorne praised their sustained effort and diverse aspirations, with some already accepted into courses like education and health. Many plan to stay in the region, with nearby Charles Sturt University campuses a popular choice. Thorne highlighted the school's focus on personalised pathways for each student.
Sarah Fessey and Michelle Tredinick won the pairs championship at Molong Bowling Club on Saturday 10 October. They beat Alex Weekes and Gus Weekes in the afternoon final after earlier defeating Ian Gosper and Margot Brown in the semi-finals. On Sunday, the over and under 60s competitions opened with their first rounds. In the under 60s division, Les Hoppa and Luke Neil beat Kaleb Weekes and Jett Weekes, and Sarah Fessey and Steven Shannon beat Jason Drew and Nathan Neuenhaus.
The Australian Taxation Office is urging people to lodge their 2025-26 returns before the 2 November deadline rather than leaving it until the last minute. Around nine million returns have already been processed, but about two million people who usually prepare their own returns have yet to submit. ATO Assistant Commissioner Anita Challen said straightforward returns take an average of eight minutes through myTax. Lodging late can bring penalties of up to $1820, and delaying does not change the payment due date.
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Cabonne Mayor Kevin Beatty has welcomed the Australian Government's decision not to proceed with proposed changes to disaster recovery funding. Council unanimously backed advocacy against the reforms in August. Analysis for Cabonne found Commonwealth funding could have fallen by more than $4.6 million under the proposed model. Two infrastructure betterment projects, which secured more than $7.4 million, could also have received only a fraction of that amount. Council will again sponsor the Australian National Field Days, held from 22 to 24 October.
A cook is encouraging Australians to prepare traditional Valencian paella respectfully, to avoid misinformation about the Spanish dish. Paella began as a simple farmers' meal cooked over open fire in the Valencia region. World Paella Day is marked each year on 20 September. The recipe calls for chicken, rabbit or extra chicken, green and butter beans, saffron, pimenton and Valencian rice. Cooks are told not to stir the rice once the stock is added, and to finish with a crispy base called socarrat.
Local Government NSW is calling for a $5 billion interest-free loan scheme to help councils build roads, drainage and other infrastructure needed for housing. Councils would repay the loans through developer contributions as development progresses. The peak body says thousands of homes are being delayed by inadequate infrastructure, particularly in outer metropolitan Sydney and regional areas. LGNSW president Darcy Byrne urged all political parties to back the proposal ahead of the state election. The plan also includes $3 billion in upfront state and regional infrastructure funding and allows developer contributions to fund community facilities.
Independent MP Helen Dalton has confirmed she will stand for re-election in the Murray seat at the 2027 NSW state election. Dalton is currently the only candidate registered with the NSW Electoral Commission for Murray. Media reports say the NSW Nationals plan to run a rival candidate, expected to be chosen by December. Dalton said her independence lets her focus on voters rather than party politics. The election is scheduled for 13 March 2027.
Sydney will host the 2027 Super Netball Grand Final for the first time since the competition began. The event is expected to attract more than 8,000 visitors and inject more than $4 million into the NSW visitor economy. The match will be played on Saturday 31 July at Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, and is proposed rather than confirmed. Netball Australia chair Liz Ellis said the event would celebrate the sport's passion across New South Wales. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state would invest more in netball, one of its biggest participation sports.
New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley has defended the state's gun buyback scheme after 150 applications were lodged in its first hours. Bookings opened on Monday, and the government plans to remove up to 274,000 firearms from the community. Catley said fewer guns in circulation would make the community safer, pointing to firearms stolen across the state. Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has criticised the scheme, arguing it focuses too heavily on licensed owners rather than illegal guns used by organised criminals.
An 88-year-old woman has died in hospital after she was struck by a car in Pyree, in the NSW Shoalhaven region. Police were called to Pyree Lane at about 1:45 pm on Saturday, 24 October, after reports of a pedestrian being hit. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was flown to St George Hospital in a critical condition. Police were told on Sunday, 25 October, that she had died. The 43-year-old driver returned a negative result on a roadside breath test and was taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital for mandatory testing.
A whale calf carcass has washed ashore at Malabar Beach in Sydney, the third landing spot for the same animal. Randwick Council workers moved the remains up the sand, roped off the area and closed the beach on Tuesday. Council said strong currents moved the carcass from Lurline Bay and that it will be removed and disposed of on Tuesday 27 October. Earlier, Coogee and Maroubra beaches were shut after the carcass became stuck against rocks at Lurline Bay.
The NSW Government has committed $6.8 billion to electrify the South Coast rail line between Kiama and Bomaderry and to double tracks at key bottlenecks. Construction is expected to be complete by the mid-to-late 2030s, with detailed planning starting in 2027. The announcement follows the government scrapping timetable changes that were due to take effect in November after community concerns. Premier Chris Minns said the upgrade would deliver faster, more reliable trains. An immediate $621 million will fund upgrades to power, signalling and flood protection ahead of the main works.
