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The Young Witness

Photos and Video | The Young Witness

Photos and Video

It's that time of the week again when we take a look back at what's been happening in Young this week. Every week we compile our top stories from around the shire over the last seven days&nbsp;to form this photo gallery and keep you updated. This week's news summary&nbsp;is from December 1-5. Previous galleries: The week that was, November 28. The week that was, November 21. The week that was, November 14.

Bumper harvest: With the harvest of cherries in full swing and expectations of a record-breaking crop bouying growers’ expectations, minds turned to the week ahead of the 2014 National Cherry Festival. An annual visitor to Young, cherry picker Ben Wilkinson of Byron Bay returned to the cherry orchard “Koepang”, Wallendbeen for cherry season. Photo by Joanne Johnson.


Pine View plight: The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) said complaints about the overgrown vacant block that sits in between Pine View Circuit, Tate Street and Taylor Road and which caught alight almost three weeks ago, have persisted over the last 10 years. But said that it was clear in the Rural Fires ACT 1997 that it is the duty of the owner or occupier of land to prevent the occurrence of bushfires on, and to minimise the danger of the spread of bushfires on or from that land. Photo by Elouise Hawkey.

CWA ladies to cook up a cherry storm: The Country Women’s Association (CWA) in Young threw their full support - and their whisks, pots and pans, so to speak - behind this year’s National Cherry Festival. CWA ladies, including Bec Johnstone (front), Yvonne Tredinnick and Pam Dron, hosted a cherry pie cook-off, selling the finished products in their store in Boorowa Street over the festival, with all proceeds going back into the shop. Photo by Christine Speelman.

$61K boost for Young High: Young High School will benefit to the tune of $61,062 according to the state member for Burrinjuck Katrina Hodgkinson. The announcement came as part of an overall $1,004,212 spend for public schools throughout the electorate.

Third place in state for their debates:  “Exceptional” was the word Young Public School deputy principal Sue Gibson used to described the efforts of the school’s debating team of Harrison Cleverdon, Jayda Hall, Annabelle Richens, Sarah Harding and Emily Dillon, who placed third in the state championships last month. The championships marked the seventh time in 15 years the school has made state level, having won the finals in 1998. Photo by Elouise Hawkey.

The Young Cherryatrics Rugby League Club have distributed $4000 to five local charities from the funds they raised at their annual Masters Carnival in October. Stephen McClymont (left) and Stuart Norton (right) presented the Young Hospital Auxiliary with $500, gratefully accepted by Lyn Freudenstein and Dorothy Shepherd. Photo by Christine Speelman.

Katelyn’s dreams of a better future: Young woman Katelyn Gales is believed to be the first from this region to be named an ambassador for the statewide Don’t Dis My Ability Ambassador 2014 campaign. The campaign ran in the lead-up to the International Day of People with Disability on December 3. Photo by Daniella White.

Club’s first crop a success: Despite a dry end to the season, the Burrangong Picnic Race Club has hailed the harvest of their first crop a success. The harvested crop - planted in the centre of Toompang Racecourse - produced about 1.3 tonnes per hectare with an estimated profit of $5000, that will go towards improving facilities. Photo by Elouise Hawkey.

Fire accused faces court: Detectives charged a man on Tuesday over the fire that burned Turners Furniture One to the ground in September. Police opposed bail for Allan Wayne Schodde, 33, of Young, which was formally refused by local magistrate Peter Dare SC. Police prosecutor Sergeant Steve Watterson said the prosecution had an "overwhelmingly strong" case against Schodde, which included alleged admissions and telephone intercepts. Photo by The Young Witness.

A camp-out for scientific reasons: Murringo Public School and three other small schools are leading the way in innovative learning by recently hosting a science camp. It was to help prepare a model for other small schools in the Southern Tablelands to then take on board. It was so successful Murringo is looking to host a camp every term. During the science camp, Bribbaree students Gage Johnson (11) and Maddie Noakes (10), Archie Dowling (9) from Murringo, Elizabether Norton (11) from Breadalbane, Madison McPherson (9) from Tirranna, Zara Bonet (11) from Breadalbane, Abbie Grant (10) from Murringo and Luke Armstrong (8) from Tirranna woke up at dawn with Sydney scientist Nina Earl to study the stars and planets. Photo by Christine Speelman.

Huge turnout at local tip: Young Shire Council joined forces with the Young Tidy Towns Committee and Elouera Recycling to host the free household clean out day that had residents by the hundreds flocking to the Red Hill Road site. Staff and volunteers calculated 535 vehicles passed through the tip’s gates between 10am and 3pm, with cars queing half an hour before the gates were due to open, and lines eventually stretching to Fontenoy Street and people waiting up to 15 minutes to get in.

The local pie that drives visitors wild: Wilder’s Bakery are gearing up for their busiest weekend of the year, and for many locals and visitors alike, it’s all about the cherry pie. They’ve been making the famous pies from local cherries for more than 60 years, and owner Wendy Dunk said the recipe has remained largely unchanged since then. The pies take centre stage during the festival's pie eating competitions on Saturday and are well known around the state. Pictured from left, Wendy Dunk, Lisa Lambkin, Sandra Croker, Annette Hennock, Kylie Richens and Marlene Smithers. Photo by Daniella White.

Young’s musical talent on tour: THIS cute little bunch of students are the Riverina Touring Band who recently rolled into Young, giving locals the opportunity to see our regional talent on show. The 25 girls and 25 boys from 19 schools, including Young Public School and Young High School, were were selected at the Riverina Music Camp in May. Young had the biggest contingent. Pictured from left to right, (front) Brady Noyes, Lewis Taylor, Cameron Steele, Reid Noyes and Freya Steele; (back) Brooke Windsor, Tessa Watson, Tilly Metcalfe, Georgia Richens, Nick Boland, conductor Di Hall, Johnny Hosken, Liam Wymer, Tessa Long, Brianna Long, Cassie Boland, Elliot Dodd and Lachlan Dodd. 

Experiencing life after school: 96 students from Hennessy Catholic College took part in a week’s work experience recently and five lucky teenagers were chosen to be interviewed by The Young Witness work experience journalist Tessa Bailey. Anna Pearce (pictured) helped the children at ABC Goodstart Learning Centre with their art. Photo by Tessa Bailey.

EXTREME PHOTOGRAPHY: Young Witness work experience student Tessa Bailey tested her photography skills in the centre of the main street during her week in the office. Photo by Christine Speelman. 

BROADCASTING: Danielle Porter rocked it at Roccy, with Neil Langford, for her week of work experience. Photo by Tessa Bailey.

COFFEE-ADDICT: Paige Abbey was busy labelling coffee bags while doing her work experience at Art of Espresso. Photo by Tessa Bailey.

SWEET AS A DAISY: Roshan Smith cleaned and conditioned flowers at Native Botanical during her work experience. Photo by Tessa Bailey. 

Young's junior cricketers donned black armbands and paused for a minutes’ silence on Saturday in tribute to Australian opener Phillip Hughes. Pictured are Under 14 cricketers (back) Jacob Lucas, Will Cameron, Nic Hall, Henry Berry, Stephen Anderson, Jack Connelly, Liam McLachlan, Matt Dunn, Cooper Silk, Jonathon Thomson; (front) Corey Lucas, Bevan Foxall, Cameron Hennock, Darcy Foxall, Jai Allison, Mark Johnson, Lewis Taylor, Tyler Hurcum and Patrick Sellars. 

Young contends for Holden Scramble Championship title: A team of Young golfers have their eyes on the prize as they head to Queensland this week for the 2014 Holden Scramble Championship final. They will be among 24 of Australia’s best ambrose teams who converged on the Twin Waters Golf Club on Friday, December 5 to compete in Australia's largest and most successful pro-amateur teams event.

Carnival over for another year: The 2014 Cherry Festival Bowls Carnival concluded on Thursday, November 27, with the completion of the 24th running of the Men’s Triples Tournament. A total of 42 teams took part, the maximum number the club’s greens can accommodate. The winners of the Men’s Cherry Festival Triples were Jim Green, Roger Duggan and Eric Johannes. 

Bathurst pacer snatches win: As expected the 2014 Cherry Festival meeting at the Young Paceway last Friday night proved to be an exciting and entertaining evening of racing with fast times and some close finishes. Feature race on the eight race program - the Ray White Real Estate $12,000 Cherry Festival Cup - was once again a keenly-contested affair, with the 2480 metre journey providing a great spectacle for the large crowd in attendance. Young Harness Racing Club secretary/manager Brian Ingram is pictured with the Cherry Festival Cup winner Bathurst trainer-driver and birthday boy Bernie Hewitt, and A Passion For Aces. Photo by Classique Imagerie Studio, Young.

It’s festival time: The stage was set for the 65th National Cherry Festival and organisers are hoping it will be the biggest and best yet. About 20,000 visitors are expected to converge on Young over the three day festival. And while the weather prior to the festival looked unpredictable at best, David said rain or shine, nothing was going to put a dampener on the festival. 

Exotic snake warning: There have been several sightings of an exotic snake species in Young and on Thursday some of the town’s council workers came across an illegal milk snake when they were mowing near Aldi supermarket. The snake was already dead when it was discovered as was another seen in a gutter near the Victoria Street tip.

Bail refused to fire accused: A woman accused of lighting the fire that burned a Koorawatha home to the ground yesterday has been refused bail. Cassie Henderson, 31, faced Wagga Local Court the same day. She was alleged to have started the fire in four separate locations within the house with an aerosol can and cigarette lighter following a domestic dispute. Photo by the Cowra Guardian.

Young man pleads guilty to service station robbery: One minute, a service station attendant was helping Gavin Pallister from Young with directions to Wagga Base Hospital. The next, Pallister pulled out a cricket bat and demanded the attendant give him all the money in the service station’s till. Pallister, 25, pleaded guilty in Wagga Local Court on Thursday to robbery while armed with an offensive weapon. He was arrested in July and is in custody while awaiting sentence in March 2015.

Playing with the London Symphony: Three local students were among the 100 NSW regional students who had the opportunity to perform with the London Symphony Orchestra. Nick Boland (French horn), Cassie Boland (flute) and Freya Steele (percussion) from Young Regional School of Music spent three days in workshops in Sydney, rehearsing alongside London Symphony Orchestra tutors, attending one of their concerts in the Opera House and performing with the LSO.

Festival exhibition attracts 430 entries: The 17th Annual Cherry Festival Photographic Exhibition officially opened on Friday, November 28 with Young Camera Club presenting awards to their two top winners. The club received 430 entries this year from all over NSW. And a local lad took out the junior honours. The Helen Berridge Memorial Award for the junior winner was presented to Hayden Hall of Young for his photo ‘Moonrise’.


Markets to bring CBD to life: Twenty-three local businesses have hopped on board Santa’s shopping sleigh for this Sunday’s Christmas Family Market Day. And what a day it will be, with a packed program of activities and a number of community groups and music artists putting up their hands in support. The markets in Boorowa Street will feature a packed program of fun and entertainment, including plenty of shopping, Christmas carollers and buskers. Of course no Christmas event would be complete without a visit from the jolly man himself, Santa.

Festival is Felicity’s final flourish: Local girl, Felicty Walker - daughter of Young’s mayor John Walker and Mrs Beverly Walker - played her final performance with The Scots School Pipes and Drums at the Cherry Festival on Saturday. She has been a boarder at The Scots School since Year 7 and every year they attend the Cherry Festival. Felicity officially ended her schooling at Friday’s Speech Day but she wanted to play for one last time in her home town.

Making history: Two local golfing greats, Helen Spencer and Maurice Penson, were honoured for their contributions to the sport, spanning a century, in a very special way last Friday. They were named the first inductees into the club's wall of fame. Photo by Christine Speelman.

Croquet’s surprise visit: On Monday, December 1 the Young Croquet Club had a surprise visit from Tony McCarthy, president of Croquet NSW. Prior to calling in at Young, McCarthy had visited the Jamberoo Club who were holding their annual four-day spring carnival. He then went on to Wagga to officially open their recently-completed third croquet court. McCarthy is pictured (left) with Young club members Doug Leabeater and Pat Rogerson.

The event that raised $30,000 for cancer: Strained muscles and 30 degree heat wasn’t enough to deter a group of Young locals from raising $30,000 for Camp Quality at the weekend. A group of 45 participants - 18 walkers, 22 cyclists and five support crew - departed from Dubbo on Thursday, November 22 for the three-day Camp Quality Walk & Cycle for a Life.

SERENITY: Our charity cyclists took in the country side on their way home, pulling in at Iandra Castle for a a quick break. 

Beginners benefit from training clinic: It was a huge weekend for the Young Appaloosa & Western Breeds Association recently when they held a training clinic for beginners at the Young Pony Club grounds’ undercover arena. Jake Cayfe and Toby admire a ribbon they won at the beginners bash show.

Big names visit Young track: Saturday, November 22 was a big day for the Young and District Greyhound Racing Club. Not only did they celebrate the club’s 61st anniversary with a meeting at Alfred Oval, they were joined by some big names in the greyhound racing industry. Shooters and Fishers Party representative Robert Borsak was among the visitors after promising the Young club a visit at the parliamentary inquiry in April. Pictured are Young and District Greyhound Racing Club committee member Vicki Prest, Greyhound Racing NSW representative Megan Lavendar, Young mayor John Walker, Shooters and Fishers Party representative Robert Borsack and Registered Greyhounds Participants Association vice president Bob Whitelaw.

Squash club’s best of 2014: The Young Squash Club rounded off a successful year with its presentation night held on Saturday, November 29. Presentations were made to the winners and runners-up of all competitions and club championships. Including A Grade men’s winner Scott Druett, who is pictured with former club president David Coombes.

COMPETITION: A Grade women’s winner Sandra Vennes accepted her trophy on the Young Squash Club's presentation night from former president David Coombes.

It's that time of the week again when we take a look back at what's been happening in Young this week.

Every week we compile our top stories from around the shire over the last seven days&nbsp;to form this photo gallery and keep you updated.

This week's news summary&nbsp;is from December 1-5.

<a href="http://www.youngwitness.com.au/story/2728898/the-week-that-was-november-28-photos/?cs=1792">The week that was, November 28.</a>

<a href="http://www.youngwitness.com.au/story/2712863/the-week-that-was-november-21-photos/?cs=1792">The week that was, November 21.</a>

<a href="http://www.youngwitness.com.au/story/2696640/the-week-that-was-november-14-photos/?cs=1792">The week that was, November 14.</a>

Anzac Day service times across the Hilltops

Steve Evans

Officer Cadet Tom Delaney on the parade ground where he will march on Thursday. Picture by Karleen Minney.

Australian War Memorial parade ground rebuilt in time for Thursday's Anzac Day.

The sensual scrunch of the War Memorial's new parade ground

Rebecca Hewson

Police allege the street value of the cannabis was worth $78,000. Photos from NSW Police.

Reids Flat trio face drugs and firearms charges following search warrant

Bianca Sibbald is ex-Navy, married to a sailor, has three young children and is the author of the "Someone I Love is in Defence" series of story, activity and colouring-in books for the young children of military families. Picture by someoneiloveisindefence.com.au

Veteran owned and operated businesses need our support beyond Anzac Day

These veterans mean business and need our backing beyond Anzac Day

Curruthers clearing sale to clear the deck for new owners

Emergency services at the scene on Thursday. Photo Cara Kemp.

Passenger and pilot injured in Cowra airport emergency

The week that was, December 5: Photos

It's that time of the week again when we take a look back at what's been happening in...

The week that was, December 5: Photos

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