Marty was recognised for his decade of service as captain of Station 278 Deniliquin, leading crews through major emergencies and for his long involvement in community initiatives, including the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal and Deniliquin High School’s driver education program.
Ms Dalton also thanked Mr Smith’s wife Tanya and daughter Nicole for the support that made his service possible.
PT staff join Push‑Up Challenge
The Pastoral Times and Southern Riverina News teams have thrown support behind the 2026 Push-Up Challenge, with four staff members committing to the nationwide mental health fundraiser.
General manager Nigel Lutton, advertising consultant Sarah Bain, and cadet journalists Rowan Frazer and Eamon Kurta have set a goal of completing 3,307 push‑ups each over 24 days.
The annual event raises awareness of mental health and encourages open conversations within workplaces and communities.
While not everyone in the newsroom has signed up, they’re showing plenty of support.
While most push-ups are done individually at home, Nigel and Sarah got together for a quick push-up session in the Finley SRN office this week.
You can check out their form on both the PT and SRN Facebook pages.
We’ll bring you a full story on their efforts and how you can donate in a future edition.
Windy start to June
Deniliquin has been buffeted by persistent north‑westerly winds over the past two days, with gusts regularly pushing into the 20-27 knot range.
Conditions were especially blustery through the early hours of Tuesday and again mid‑afternoon Wednesday, when gusts peaked at 25-27 knots, with rain also contributing to the dismal weather.
The strong WNW–NW flow barely eased across the 48‑hour period, with even the lighter patches still sitting around 10-15 knots.
The weather should ease up going into the weekend, with no expected showers, and temperatures sitting around the mid-teens, and wind dropping right back to under 5 knots.
Mums & Bubs proposal
Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre is gauging interest in starting a regular, relaxed space for Aboriginal mums and bubs to connect, yarn and support each other.
The proposed ‘Mums & Bubs catch‑up’ aims to bring families together in a friendly environment that encourages conversation and community connection.
Those keen to be involved are invited to contact Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre on 5881 3312 to help get the group started.
Community clean‑up at Blake Botanic Reserve
Locals are invited to lend a hand at Blake Botanic Reserve this Sunday, helping with weeding and a general tidy‑up around the reserve and lagoon.
Volunteers can join in anytime between 8.30am and 11am, whether for an hour or the whole morning.
Participants are asked to bring gloves, drinking water, and plenty of enthusiasm.
For questions or more details, send a direct message to the Edward Kolety Lagoons Landcare Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/DeniliquinKoletyLagoonsLandcare.
Nutrien field day
Local growers are invited to join Nutrien Ag Solutions for its Winter Crop Roving Field Day on Tuesday, June 16.
The tour will kick off in Mayrung, with morning tea and lunch supplied, and attendees are asked to register to assist with catering.
The day will focus on crop performance, seasonal conditions and discussions relevant to the region’s winter program.
Growers with questions are encouraged to contact their local Nutrien agronomist. Register at https://forms.office.com/r/xg1Ca04uFf.
PT office closure
Due to the King’s Birthday public holiday, the Pastoral Times office will be closed on Monday.
Journalists will be available by phone or email, and Tuesday’s edition will hit the shelves as normal.
