Some Deniliquin residents may have noticed smoke rising into the air in Deniliquin south on Wednesday night, behind the stadium precinct on Wednesday, as Fire and Rescue NSW crews responded to reports of a possible grassfire.
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Fortunately, the incident was quickly identified as a controlled burn being conducted within the Deniliquin RFS district.
Authorities have confirmed there was no threat to the community.
The Bush Fire Danger Period is in full effect in our region, which means approved fire permits are required for agricultural burning activities, such as stubble burning and pasture regeneration. They will not be issued for pile burns.
Once a fire permit has been granted, permit holders must complete the required notifications before lighting the fire.
The NSW RFS must be notified through the online notification platform at least 24 hours before the burn.
Permit holders must also notify their neighbours and their local Rural Fire Brigade Captain of their intention to burn.
Importantly, having a fire permit does not automatically mean it is safe or lawful to burn in all circumstances.
Weather and fire conditions should be monitored closely, and any restrictions, suspensions or Total Fire Bans must be observed.
Dragons share wisdom
Deniliquin students were among hundreds of Riverina children to take part in the St George Illawarra Dragons' annual ‘Best You Can Be Blitz’ this week.
NRLW players Ella Koster, Keele Browne and Montaya Hudson joined the Dragons Community Team to deliver the program across the region, with a Rugby League Gala Day held at Rotary Park involving students from Deniliquin Public, Deniliquin South, Deniliquin North, Edward Public, Conargo and Blighty public schools.
Now in its 12th year, the ‘Best You Can Be’ program promotes positive choices around health, wellbeing and personal development, covering topics including physical activity, nutrition, healthy sleep habits, respect, inclusion and responsible screen time.
The visit also included a community ‘Win the Morning’ event at the Peppin Heritage Centre, giving locals the chance to start the day with a walk, coffee and conversation.
Futures funding
Rural NSW residents with ideas to strengthen their communities are being encouraged to apply for the 2027 RAS Foundation (RASF) Community Futures Grant Program.
The program offers grants of up to $30,000 for community-led projects that address local needs and deliver long-term social and economic benefits.
Now in its 13th year, the initiative has provided more than $1.7 million in funding to projects across regional NSW, supporting community halls, showgrounds, education programs and emergency service organisations.
Applications are now open and close at midnight on Friday, December 18, 2026. Applicants must be residents of the rural NSW community their project will benefit.
More information and application details are available at the RAS Foundation website at www.rasf.org.au.
Support for creatives
Australian model Samantha Harris is the Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship amassador for 2027.Photo by AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.
Photo by
AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts
Applications are now open for the 2027 Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship program, with one recipient to receive a $10,000 scholarship. The remaining eight finalists will each be awarded $1000.
Now in its fifth year, the scholarship is continuing its mission of supporting emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives across NSW.
The scholarship, also known as the Djuyalgal Scholarship, provides financial assistance, mentorship and opportunities for artists to share their work with wider audiences.
For more information and to apply visit www.greater.com.au/community/partners/indigenous-storytellers-scholarship.
Share with us
The age old tradition of sharing news of your new arrival, wedding or tertiary graduation with the local paper appears to have disappeared.
With the rise of social media, it’s looking more and more like it will be a lost pastime.
But we’re not ready to let it go just yet.
We love sharing such happy news in our pages, and preserving such occasions for historians. So, send them in.
If you’ve got some happy news, get in touch with our team to find out how to share it.
Email zoe.mcmaugh@denipt.com.au, send us a message on Facebook, or you are welcome to call into our office during business hours.
