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Mudgee has made the big time as one of the top 10 regional destinations to visit across the country. From the Winter period, popular travel and accommodation site, Booking.com, has calculated a list of destinations that were more frequently visited from June 1 – August 31 – with our region sitting 8th on the ladder.    (Image sourced: Adam Woods McGrath Central Tablelands   via   Amber Creative ) As the circumstances withstanding in 2020, Booking.com believes it’s forced people to explore closer to home and surrounding regions where we are permitted. CEO for Mudgee Region Tourism, Cara George, seconds this idea, saying visitor numbers continue to rise. “Previously, people used to travel internationally or even interstate, but this year; but now they’re forced to search closer to home.” “We are getting more new visitors to our region all the time, so our tourist numbers are up by 30%”. She also says we have the ability to maintain this strength. “All of our research and all the ind

The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) has declared that the start of the statutory Bush Fire Danger Period (BFDP) will commence on Thursday 1 October 2020 for the Mid-Western Regional Council Area. (Pic:Troy Gersback speaking with Ken Sutcliffe on 2MG) ‘From 1 October people wishing to light a fire in the open will require a written permit. Permits are free and can be obtained from your local RFS brigade. Permits should be requested well ahead of time to allow a permit officer to inspect the proposed burn’ Superintendent Troy Porter said. ‘Many land owners have taken advantage of the conditions during winter to prepare their properties and undertake safe burning activities but once the Bush Fire Danger Period begins lighting a fire without a valid permit can and will lead to significant penalties.’ A permit is not required for the purpose of cooking when the following conditions are met: • the fire is in a permanently constructed fireplace; • at a site surrounded by ground that is clea

  The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to a motorcycle track at Lue on Sunday afternoon. A spokesperson for the service says that a 44 year old male sustained head and limb injuries in a motor cross bike accident.  He was treated at the scene by the aircraft medical crew and Ambulance NSW Paramedics. The man was transported to the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition.  (Pic:Supplied)

The Mudgee Wombats will host the 2020 New Holland Cup, Westfund North Cup & Central West Junior Rugby Grand Finals at Glen Willow tomorrow. 1st grade kicks off at 4.45 the Wombats playing Parkes, preceded by 2nd grade Narromine V Parkes at 2.45, and the Mudgee Wombats Women taking on CSU in the WestFund North Cup at 1.40. The Junior Wombats will feature in the16s Grand Final playing Orange Emus at 12 Noon, the 12s starting the days festival of Rugby at 9am, followed by the 14s at 10.25. In the Midwest Rugby league Landscaping Cup elimination Grand Final to be played at Carrington Park Bathurst, Oberon take on CSU, Oberon & CSU also the opponents in League Tag grand Final. The Castlereagh League semi-finals will be held this weekend, Gilgandra at home to Coonamble tomorrow, Cobar hosting Dunedoo on Sunday. In the Dubbo Soccer competition, the Gulgong North West Falcon play EDU at Billy Dunn Oval on Sunday. The netball season concludes tomorrow without the usual play off ma

Pools across our region will re-open for public use in the coming days. Mudgee and Kandos Pools will open Saturday 26th of September, followed by Gulgong Pool on Friday 2nd of October.     The pools will be operating under a 'COVID Safe Plan' and patrons will be asked to sign in using a QR code onsite or at the front counter Visitor are also asked to follow physical distancing markers on the ground as well as change room capacity numbers. Gulgong Pool has recently undergone remediation works which have also brought to light some unexpected difficulties. Though they have been resolved, this however, resulted in a delay to painting which has led to a later opening.

  Local producers, cooks and food service providers experienced in the art of fermented food and drink will have the opportunity to host intimate workshops as part of the inaugural Fermenta Festival in Rylstone and Kandos next year. Council is seeking Expressions of Interest from workshop hosts to present on their specialised fermented product or process as part of the event. Workshop hosts must produce or cook with a fermented product that could include sourdough, sauerkraut, kombucha, small batch beers, fine wines, chocolate or cheese. Mayor Des Kennedy said planning is well underway for the inaugural event and encourages local food and beverage producers and food providers to get on board and join in this unique festival.” In addition to workshops, local stallholders can also apply to be a part of market stalls taking place in Kandos on event day. The Fermenta Festival will be held on Saturday 13 March in accordance with covid safe practices. Expressions of In

  With October just around the corner, preparations are once again underway for the Annual PINK UP MUDGEE month.    Organiser, Hugh Bateman, says this year the focus will be more on awareness rather than donations. “We’re out there more so as an awareness program, but if we can raise funds too, that would definitely be a bonus”. Mr Bateman also says “We aren’t expecting to raise this year anywhere near as much as in the past, but charities Australia-wide aren’t doing as well at the moment, so we are all doing it tough”. He told 2MG that two regular events will be held again however. The annual 'Pink Race Day' is already booked out with a capacity of 250, while the Pink Up Golf Day is still taking names.

With the Mudgee Wombats having the home grand final this Saturday, Mudgee is getting into the Grand Final Spirit. The Wombats will take on Parkes Boars this Saturday afternoon, with a total of 6 games played across the day. Due to a range of Covid restrictions, crowd capacity will be limited at Glen Willow. A spokesperson for the Wombats telling us that tickets will not be available at the gate on the day, but instead, must be pre-purchased from 123tix.com.au The first game of the day will kick off at 9:00am. While the big clash will commence at 4.45pm.

A 32-year-old man has been arrested at a home in Wellington, following the alleged involvement and connection to a drug supply network operating across Sydney South-West and the State’s Central West.  In February last year, detectives attached to the Western region established Strike Force Pinnacle following inquiries that a syndicate in Wellington was sourcing prohibited drugs, such as MDMA, from Sydney and distributing them to regional towns in NSW.  On Monday last week, Orana Mid-Western Police arrested the man at a property in Gisbourne Street, and was charged with 7 offences, including: - x1 count participate in criminal group - x2 counts knowingly take part in large commercial supply of prohibited drugs - x2 counts of supply prohibited drugs - x2 counts possess prohibited weapon in contravention of order The man first appeared in Dubbo local court last Wednesday, where he was refused bail and to reappear before the court on October 15. 56 people ha

Member for Calare, Andrew Gee MP has announced a funding injection for the development of a support and social network in the region. A $6855 grant from the Federal Government’s National Shed Development Programme will be put to use revamping and improving the Kandos/Rylstone Men’s Shed. The funding will go towards a new recreational area as well as providing extra room in the workshop. The local Shed begun in 2011, which currently sees around 30 members visiting on a weekly basis. (Image supplied: Andrew Gee Office) Mr Gee says “the last couple of years have been pretty tough with drought, bushfires and now COVID-19. That has placed a lot of stress and pressure on people in our community.” The MP also says that “men’s Sheds have an important role to play in bringing people together, providing a sense of community and belonging and giving back. The impact of that positivity on people’s health and well-being cannot be underestimated,” he said. In the past ten years, more than $6 m

The group Ten Junior league & Girls Tag Grand Finals will be played at Jack Arrow Field Bathurst this weekend. Tomorrow, Mudgee’s 14s take on Bloomfield at 12.15, on Sunday the 11s tag play St Patricks at 10am, Opens Tag against Cyms at 12.15. The Mudgee Wombats head to Bathurst for their final competition round in all grades of the New Holland Cup tomorrow, 1st grade & Women having already sealed a grand final spot. The Junior Wombats are playing away for their final competition round, 16s V Orange Emus at Wellington, 12s &14s at Orange against Emus. It’s grand final day tomorrow in the Rugby league Landscaping cup, Oberon playing Orange United, while Oberon take on CSU in the League Tag. In the Castlereagh League final round, Dunedoo at home to Cobar, Coonamble V Binnaway, Baradine host Gilgandra. Gulgong NW Falcons take on Dubbo South Wanderers, their opponents from last weekend, in a deferred match, this time playing at Billy Dunn Oval starting at 11am. Netbal

Community event organisers are being urged to employ major health regulations while we are all still under threat from the pandemic. The warning stems from the Western NSW Local Health District COVID-19 responsibilities and to have comprehensive COVID-19 plans in place. Director of Public Health, Priscilla Stanley said, “We have been so fortunate in our region to have not had a lot of confirmed COVID cases. Despite several months where we had no active cases, the threat of a confirmed case is ever present”. She also says that protection for communities still stands, and is “urging hosts of sporting, cultural and entertainment events, as well as private gatherings, to be aware of their responsibilities”. Small businesses are also warned they could cop a fine if public health orders are not abided by.

Gulgong Memorial Hall and Anzac Park Toilets will be temporarily closed for just over 3 weeks for building upgrades. The hall will be closed from Wednesday 23 September to allow for roof replacement and external painting. Temporary fencing will be installed around the construction site and both the hall and toilets will be unavailable for the entirety of the project. Mid-Western Regional Council secured $50,000 for the jointly funded project through the Australian Government’s Community Building Partnership Program. The hall is due to reopen Monday October 18.    (Image:Mid-Western Regional Council)

The NSW Rural Fire Service is urging residents across Mudgee, Gulgong, Rylstone and the surrounds to start taking action now to be prepared for the bushfire season. More than 470 brigades, including the Cudgegong Fire Department will be participating in this year’s ‘Get Ready Weekend’, held on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th of September.                                                   NSW RFS Superintendent Troy Porter, says “The Mid-Western area was left largely untouched during last year’s fire season and conditions can and will change during the upcoming months. It is vitally important that residents take the opportunity now to prepare their properties and make a plan.” “He also says that even with the recent rainfall and last season’s fires, residents should not be complacent, there is still serious potential for bush and grass fires to start and spread quickly”. Due to restrictions, the prep support will be conducted online direct to residents via the Cudgegong District’s

As required, Councillors will elect who will serve in the positions of Mayor and deputy mayor for the next 12 months as the start of the meeting. While all 9 elected Councillors can nominate to serve in the roles, 2MG news understand that Cr Kennedy has the support to retain the mayors role, and Cr Payne as his deputy. A development application for a small bar, ancillary production brew kit, footpath dining and business identification signage at 13A Lewis Street, Mudgee is expected to pass based on the staff recommendation for approval. The application will be decided by the Councillors as 5 objections were received into the application. And a proposal to rezone a parcel on land on the edge of Mudgee from RU4 Primary Production to B5 Business is expected to be supported. The application and rezoning would allow for the development of a Bunnings store and allow area for future expansion of the proposed Bunnings and two development sites on the Lions Drive and the Castlereagh Highwa

The impact of COVD-19 might have had an impact on the number of visitors to the Kandos Museum, but the lull in business has allowed for more upgrades to be completed recently, with Member for Bathurst Paul Toole announcing a Community Building Partnership grant of $16,000 for the addition of a new coffee shop. He says the funding will allow for the coffee shop fit-out including seating, bench tops and work surfaces, refrigeration, electrical and plumbing works and appliances. Earlier this year the NSW Government announced a $2000 grant for the museum through the Volunteer Museum Small Grants Program. The purpose of the funding was for the upgrade of storage areas with metal shelving to replace old timber shelving for archive boxes that hold documents, photographs and small objects. Mr Toole says that the funding was essential to enable the museum to bring much-needed improvements to everyday operations.

Boredom remains one of the main troubles for youth of the area according to one resident who works with those youth through the local Mudgee PCYC. 2MG’s Ken Sutcliffe, spoke with Railene Doherty from the centre, explaining that we are surrounded by a variety of activity. “Country towns, including Mudgee have a lot to offer for children, especially in regards to sporting and cultural activities”. However, she also says that these kids do grow and develop into good citizens. “We are very lucky here with our crime rates being quite low, and the kids I’ve worked with over the past 15 years have gone on to pursue outstanding careers”. Railene explains that there are effective initiatives utilised to help the youth in the community is through a range of ‘Fit’ programs. “There’s ‘Fit Together’ and ‘Fit To Strive’ which are police are police programs”. While others are molded around developing foundations for important life pursuits. “Others include ‘Fit For Service’, ‘Fit For L

    Work to widen and seal road shoulders along a section of Castlereagh Highway between Mudgee & Gulgong has now been completed. Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders said the 1.4-kilometre section at Galambine, was a curved road that had little room for vehicles to recover should they veer off the road. He says that the NSW Government provided $1.3 million for the project, with $880,000 from the Saving Lives on Country Roads Program.

The Mudgee Wombats have sealed their grand final spot in the New Holland Cup 1st grade competition, after thumping Dubbo Rhinos 50-19 at Jubilee on Saturday. Narromine crushed CSU 64- nil and head to Parkes next Saturday to decide which team will finish 2nd. The Wombats 2nds and the Women’s team had the bye. The Junior Wombats playing at home, defeated Cowra/Canowindra in the 16s 46-nil, but lost the 14s 38-nil.

  The Mudgee Wombats, leading the New Holland Cup 1st grade competition by three points from Narromine, take on last placed Dubbo Rhinos at Jubilee tomorrow. A victory for the Wombats should see the Club host the grand final in two weeks time. Narromine plays CSU in the other 1st grade game, Parkes getting the bye. The Junior Wombats are also playing at home, against Cowra/Canowindra in all age groups. The Group Ten Junior League sudden death semi-finals will be played at Jack Arrow Oval Bathurst tomorrow, Mudgee playing Cyms Gold in the 12s, Cyms in the 14s & Bloomfield in the 15s. The 11s Tag team take on Panthers, the Opens Tag team Wallerawang. The Wallerawang Landscaping Cup semi-finals continue tomorrow, Orange Warriors against Cargo, CSU V Oberon. In the Castlereagh League, Gilgandra at home to Dunedoo, Cobar against Coonamble, Binnaway V Baradine. Gulgong NW Falcons are at at Lady Cutler field Dubbo on Sunday taking on South Dubbo Wanderers at 11am. Netball ga

  Mid-Western Regional Councillors will once again have to re-elect who will be the Mayor & Deputy Mayor at Wednesday night’s meeting. The positions are elected for 2-year terms at a time, with the current term expiring this month. The month WAS also due to be the Local Government elections, however, that has been pushed back to next year due to covid19. The two Councillors that are elected will this time take on the role until the next local government elections. Current mayor, Des Kennedy has already indicated to 2MG news he will once again seek the mayoral role. Deputy Mayor, Sam Payne has confirmed he will be running for the role for deputy mayor in the coming election.