If you are taking time out to holiday here I trust you will enjoy all the Macleay has to offer.

Sharing a fabulous dinner and night out with friends overlooking the river was a great way to see in the New Year.

Families were treated to a fantastic fireworks display on the banks of the Macleay, put on by the Kempsey-Macleay RSL Club.

It was a wonderful community gesture to start the New Year, and was one of many community activities held across our Shire over the weekend to welcome in 2017 on a happy note.

As a community, we can be proud of what we achieved in 2016 with some significant milestones along the way.

If we can all make a contribution – be it large or small – together we can make a real difference in the year ahead to make the Macleay the Healthy, Wealthy, Safe and Sociable community we all would like it to be.

I wish you all a safe and happy New Year, and look forward to seeing you out and about in 2017 in my travels around the Shire.

As we welcome in the New Year, we are preparing to celebrate one of Australia’s most significant days before the month is out.

Australia Day celebrations are special in our national and local community.  

This is the the time to reflect on what it means to be a part of this great nation, the values that we represent, and what we need to do to build an even stronger community for future generations.

Across the Macleay, events will be held in Kempsey, South West Rocks and Crescent Head, with the Australia Day Awards Ceremony being held at the Slim Dusty Centre on Australia Day eve, January 25.

Everyone in our valley is welcome to join in the celebrations as the community coming together is at the heart of what Australia Day celebrations are all about.