This morning the Eurobodalla Mayor was joined by Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland, local sporting representatives and project stakeholders to celebrate the completion of the works at the Hanging Rock Sporting Complex Field 3.

The Hanging Rock Sporting Complex Field 3 Upgrade is a $2.59 million investment in community sport and recreation at Batemans Bay’s premier sporting precinct.

Delivered by Eurobodalla Shire Council with $2.387 million from the NSW Government’s Multi Sport Community Facility Fund and $200,000 from Council, the project has transformed Field 3 into a modern multi-sport facility supporting football, AFL, cricket and athletics.

Key improvements include a new playing field, modern amenities building with four unisex change rooms, upgraded irrigation and sporting infrastructure, energy-efficient LED field lighting, improved accessibility, spectator seating, a storage shed and a concrete cricket pitch.

The Heffernan family and descendants celebrated two events over the weekend of 12/13th September, 2026. Heffernan’s settled in Moruya 175 years ago.

The events comprised a book launch and the unveiling of a plaque at Moruya.

A Heffernan Family History book was launched by the authors Colleen and Gwen, both former Heffernans of Moruya.

The book traces the history of the Heffernan farming families who arrived in Moruya in 1851. Two brothers, Edmund and Patrick, established dairy farming enterprises on either side of the Moruya River and at Mogendoura to the north west of Moruya.

Dairying was carried on by successive generations of the family over four generations at Yarragee and five generations at Mullenderree, for approximately 160 years.

Some of the farms on the north side of the river are still owned by the Heffernan family members today and they now run beef cattle.

Farmers on the south side of the river included three Directors of the former Moruya Cooperative Dairy Company, which was in operation from 1892 to 1970.

The family were very involved in the early life of Moruya, helping to establish the town, community organisations and the Catholic Church and schools. Roger Heffernan of Mogendoura was also an early Justice of the Peace, from 1900. His cousin, Roger Heffernan of Yarragee, was one of the first Alderman elected to the Municipal Council.

The NSW Government is progressing its alignment with the new Commonwealth Government environment laws that affect the regulation of forestry operations by tasking the NSW Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to develop a Strategic Assessment for forestry operations in NSW.

The assessment by the NRC will cover public native forestry, plantation and private native forestry operations across forests sitting within NSW’s defined Regional Forest Agreement boundaries.

The long-standing exemption for forestry operations between the Commonwealth and NSW across large areas of NSW forests, known as the Regional Forest Agreements (RFA), will cease on 1 July 2027 following the introduction of new environment legislation by the Commonwealth in November last year.

Reforms to the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act last year introduced a new era for environmental protection and improved productivity in Australia.

The RFAs in NSW cover forests in Eden, the North-East and Southern NSW and set obligations and commitments for forest management.

The assessment will consider the impacts from forestry operations on nationally significant animals, plants, habitats and places to ensure they are appropriately identified and managed.

From 1 July 2027, forestry operations taking place in RFAs will need to comply with the same rules and standards as other industries covered under the EPBC Act.

The NSW Government is now releasing for public consultation the draft terms of reference for the strategic assessment.

Once the strategic assessment is complete, the NSW Government will work on a long-term bilateral agreement with the Australian Government to accredit NSW forestry operations.

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to develop a Forestry Industry Action Plan to ensure a sustainable forestry industry that is aligned with environmental and economic priorities.

Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt said “The Albanese Government congratulates the Minns Government on reaching this important milestone, which will deliver better protections for the environment and more certainty for industry.

“As part of our landmark national environmental law reforms passed by the Australian Parliament at the end of last year, RFA forestry will need to meet the same Federal environmental requirements as other industries.

“We’re providing up to $8.5 million to NSW to ensure it’s meeting national benchmarks, through the development of landscape-scale approval pathways like the strategic assessment.

“We believe in a strong and environmentally sustainable future for the New South Wales forestry industry, and we look forward to continuing work with the Minns Government on this.”

NSW Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said “The Minns Labor Government is working with the Commonwealth to ensure forestry operations in NSW meet the same national environmental standards that are applied to other industries across Australia.

“This is an important step towards strengthening environmental protections in NSW.”

NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said “The Minns Government is committed to working constructively with the Commonwealth to secure a pathway that supports sustainable forestry, strong environmental standards and certainty for industry and regional communities.

“We will utilise the assessment and engagement process with the Commonwealth to deliver a more practical and efficient approval process for industry and support a sustainable domestic timber sector.”

Consultation commences on 18 September 2026 and finishes on 16 October 2026 and will be available at Have Your Say: https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/strategic-assessment-of-forestry-rfas

The Minns Labor Government is strengthening the state’s aquaculture industry with reforms that will boost investment, increase productivity and support jobs across regional communities.

Under proposed amendments to the Fisheries Management Act 1994 before the NSW Parliament, aquaculture lease terms will double from 15 to 30 years, giving businesses greater certainty to invest, innovate and plan for the long term.

This includes 323 leases in the Eurobodalla Shire.

These proposed changes will benefit 235 oyster aquaculture businesses, operating 2,421 aquaculture leases in 18 Local Government Areas along the NSW coast with the most leases in Mid North Coast, then Bega, Eurobodalla, Port Stephens, Port Macquarie, Central Coast and Shoalhaven.

The Minns Government’s proposed changes respond to long-standing calls from industry to deliver this reform so they can better engage with financial institutions and secure investment for operational expansions and enhancements that then lead to more productivity, jobs and local economic benefits.

The shorter-term leases have historically proven to be an impediment to accessing financial investment and have constrained growth.

These changes are a smart and practical solution to removing barriers for achieving the joint industry and NSW Government Aquaculture Vision that has set out to double the aquaculture sector’s farm gate value to $300 million by 2030. Extending the length of leases to 30 years will better align with the lifespan of modern aquaculture infrastructure.

The reforms are another demonstration of the Government’s work to provide more opportunities for growth and advancement in regional NSW.

The Bill before Parliament will also introduce stronger penalties to deter the theft of aquaculture stock and infrastructure, which is an ongoing issue impacting operators and undermining legitimate businesses.

A landmark investment in Eurobodalla’s water future has been delivered, with the completion of the Southern Storage Facility dam strengthening drought resilience and improving water security for the region for decades to come.

Jointly funded by the Albanese Government, through the National Water Grid Fund, the New South Wales Government and Eurobodalla Shire Council, the $150 million project includes the new Tuross River pump station and a new 3,000 megalitre (ML) storage dam located near Bodalla.

During periods of high river flows, water is pumped from the Tuross River and stored in the new dam for use when supplies are under pressure.

The water will support the region’s existing supply system for consumption and productive use and will deliver an additional 581 ML of water downstream for irrigation and stock watering each year.

The dam is now being filled and is expected to reach capacity by mid-2027, subject to river conditions.

Communities across the Eurobodalla region are a step closer to expanded medical imaging services, with the delivery of the region’s first public MRI machine and new CT scanner, as part of the Minns Labor Government’s $330 million Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.

The announcement came just hours before the Moruya CWA forum on rural health funding inequity. “Enough is enough” says the CWA and “demands action on rural health crisis Regional communities deserve the same healthcare as every other Australian. The Country Women’s Association of NSW is calling time on the rural health crisis, saying regional communities can no longer be expected to accept poorer access to healthcare.”

Local pressure for the inclusion of radiotherapy services at the hospital have not been successful so far.

At the forum today Dr Arn Sprogis explained the inequity in how residents in the Eurobodalla receive $5000 less funding per person than in the cities.

Dr Michael Holland also attended the forum and added that the new Eurobodalla Hospital was completely funded by the State, while the South East Regional Hospital in Bega had received Federal funding.

The Minns Government is responding to five new H5 bird flu events following positive tests from birds located at Dee Why, Goulburn, Hawks Nest and the south coast areas of Congo and Moruya.

These new events bring NSW to a total of 30 H5 bird flu events and 509 events for Australia.

The five new events are:

• Greater Crested Tern at Dee Why
• Greater Crested Tern in Goulburn
• Greater Crested Tern in Hawks Nest
• White fronted tern in Congo
• Silver gull in Moruya

The event at Dee Why is the second event in the Sydney metropolitan area following the detection at Warriewood on the Northern Beaches earlier this month.

The NSW Government is working closely with the poultry industry based in Goulburn and across NSW to reduce the risk of the virus.

Bird flu has not been detected in commercial poultry flocks, or captive birds, and the risk to human health remains low.

The NSW Chief Veterinary Officer continues to advise that, where possible poultry are housed.

Any additional actions regarding housing of poultry will be determined by the Chief Veterinary Officer following a risk assessment.

There are no signs of any mass mortality in NSW and surveillance is continuing so we can detect any further cases early.

A national surveillance plan is in operation to monitor for any further detections and facilitate rapid, coordinated response.

Local residents had the opportunity to put their energy bills under the microscope when Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland MP hosted NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe at a Bring Your Bills consumer energy forum in Moruya on Friday.

Held at the Moruya Surf Life Saving Club in partnership with the Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance (SHASA), the forum brought together residents and energy experts to look at practical ways households can reduce their energy costs, improve efficiency and make informed decisions about their energy use.

Dr Holland said the forum was about giving people practical information they could use immediately.

“With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on household budgets, people want to know what they can actually do to bring their bills down,” Dr Holland said.

“Bringing together government agencies, local experts and residents, meant people could ask questions specific to their own circumstances and get practical advice.”

Minister Sharpe spoke with residents about the NSW Government’s energy initiatives and the opportunities available to households to save money, including energy efficiency, solar and battery storage.

Kathryn Maxwell, SHASA President, informed attendees that “SHASA and Repower Shoalhaven will soon be rolling out a multi-year program, funded by the NSW Government, to assist households to reduce their energy bills”.

The forum also provided information about solar panels and batteries, electric vehicles, improving home comfort and reducing household energy consumption.

Residents were encouraged to bring their latest energy bill so they could better understand their energy use and explore what savings or assistance may be available to them.

Dr Holland said one of the most valuable aspects of the forum was helping people navigate what can sometimes be a confusing energy market.

“There are rebates, assistance programs and energy-saving opportunities available, but knowing what you are eligible for and where to start can be difficult,” he said.

“Events like this are about making that information accessible and giving people the confidence to make decisions that work for their household.”

The forum follows Dr Holland’s ongoing focus on helping local residents manage cost-of-living pressures and access government support.

The NSW Government, through services including Service NSW and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, provides a range of rebates and assistance programs, while the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) can assist customers experiencing difficulties with their energy retailer or paying their bills.

The Bring Your Bills forum was held on Friday 21 August at the Moruya Surf Life Saving Club and was free for local residents to attend.

For info on Government Agencies and how they can help with energy bills, ….

Communities across rural and regional NSW continue to benefit from improved access to Key Health Worker Accommodation, with more than 70 dwellings delivered so far as part of the Minns Labor Government’s $200.1 million program.

In the Southern NSW Local Local Health District two duplexes in Bega, two duplexes Crookwell, and five homes in Moruya have been acquired.

The Key Health Worker Accommodation program is supporting the recruitment and retention of health workers and their families in regional and rural NSW by providing a range of accommodation options.

The funding, part of the 2024-25 Budget, is delivering more than 20 key health worker accommodation projects across the state.

The Minns Labor Government has also allocated $10 million from the $200.1 million Key Health Worker Accommodation program to deliver key health worker housing for paramedics in regional NSW.

NSW Health continues to work with local health districts, NSW Ambulance, Homes NSW, and the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to identify appropriate key health worker accommodation options and sites across NSW.

NSW Rural Fire Service – Far South Coast Team says :

The Bush Fire Danger Period (BFDP) will commence in the Far South Coast on Tuesday 1 September. From this date, anyone planning to conduct a pile burn or other permitted burn will need to ensure they have the appropriate Fire Permit before lighting.

A permit is only one part of the process. If you’re planning a burn, remember:

CHECK – Make sure your proposed burn meets the requirements for a safe and lawful burn. Check your pile, surrounding vegetation, available equipment, and other requirements before applying.

PERMIT – During the Bush Fire Danger Period, obtain the required Fire Permit online here https://nswrfsprod.service-now.com/guardian_csp before lighting your burn

NOTIFY – Once you’ve identified suitable conditions and intend to proceed, you must provide at least 24 hours’ notice before lighting:

Notify the NSW RFS online at https://nswrfsprod.service-now.com/guardian_csp

Notify all adjoining neighbours of your intention to burn.

BURN SAFELY – Continue to monitor weather and fire conditions right up until you light.

Having a permit does not mean you should proceed if conditions are no longer suitable. These requirements help ensure proposed burns can be appropriately assessed, planned burns are recorded before ignition, neighbours know that smoke or fire may be visible.

There is plenty of information available on the NSW RFS website about Fire Permits, notification requirements, pile burn standards and preparing for a safe burn. Visit rfs.nsw.gov.au for more information.

A little planning before you light goes a long way towards keeping our Far South Coast communities safe.