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By Nasik Swami: SA Pathology has confirmed it is in the process of hiring additional staff to support the expansion of services at its Naracoorte collection centre. The move aims to extend operations to six days a week. This confirmation came in response to enquiries made by The News to the Department of Health regarding the current limited schedule, which sees the facility open only two days per week. We asked the department the following questions: What is the reason the SA Pathology clinic in Naracoorte is only open to the public two days a week (Monday and Tuesday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, excluding the lunch break)? With the local population on the rise and significant travel required to reach alternative clinics in Penola and Mount Gambier, do you believe the current two-day schedule adequately serves community needs? Are there any plans underway to expand the clinic’s operating hours […]

By Nasik Swami: Many local councils in the MacKillop electorate are facing serious financial strain, struggling to meet community demands while navigating complex partnerships with state and federal governments under the Local Government Act 1999. With a shrinking ratepayer base to draw income from, MacKillop MP Nick McBride is asking how regional councils—like Naracoorte Lucindale—can realistically keep up with growing demands and operational expectations. He raised concerns about whether the structure of the Local Government Act was unfairly favouring urban councils while putting smaller, rural councils in the South East at a disadvantage. According to Mr McBride, current local government regulations were placing excessive demands on small councils—expecting levels of service delivery that far exceeded their financial capacity. What’s really coming to light, McBride explained, was how local councils—regardless of size or budget—are lumped into the same category. He said they were expected to handle everything from planning and infrastructure […]

By Nasik Swami: Are the elected officials of the Naracoorte Lucindale Council fulfilling the commitments they made to you, the voters, when they campaigned for office in 2022? Are they effectively addressing community needs and ensuring your voices are heard? This week, The News starts a new series called “Attention councillors.”  This Q&A initiative offers each council member a platform to candidly express their views, share their concerns, discuss their vision for the community, and assess their performance as district representatives. As part of this ongoing initiative, all elected representatives were invited to engage by responding to a set of questions. Some have already declined not to participate, citing various reasons. Our first Q&A is with Cr Andrew Downward:  Positive feedback! The News: How has your experience this term been so far as an elected member of the Naracoorte Lucindale Council? Cr Downward: Enjoyable, although as with most things, it […]

By Nasik Swami: Teys Naracoorte facility, which currently employs 475 workers, will not experience any major changes to staffing levels following its recent acquisition by American food and protein industry giant Cargill. A joint spokesperson for Teys and Cargill confirmed to The News that the acquisition will have no “significant impact on roles” at the Naracoorte site, addressing concerns about potential workforce changes. “Together, the Teys family and Cargill have built a strong legacy, and Cargill remains committed to ensuring continuity and stability for Teys employees,” the spokesperson said. “Cargill recognises that it is the people who have made Teys a great place to work and will honour our commitment to providing satisfying and meaningful career paths in Australian agriculture. “We do not anticipate any significant impact on roles,” the spokesperson said. Teys Investments Pty Ltd and Cargill announced on June 5 that a wholly owned subsidiary of Cargill had […]

The atmosphere was filled with warmth and excitement at Sunrise Christian School Naracoorte last Thursday, as students came together to honor their beloved grandparents. The school celebrated Grandparents Day under the heartfelt theme “Moments and Memories,” offering a beautiful glimpse into the bonds that span generations. Grandparents were warmly welcomed into classrooms where students had prepared a variety of activities—from special interviews and nostalgic photo presentations to fun board games and a lively round of giant Connect 4. The day also featured touching performances including choir renditions, piano pieces, and student-made PowerPoint tributes. Guests were treated to scones, soup, and coffee, adding a cosy, comforting touch to the celebration. It was a day marked by laughter, gratitude, and lasting connections—a true tribute to the enduring love between grandparents and grandchildren.

By Chris Oldfield: A $240m Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is proposed for a site 3.5km west of Naracoorte by renewable company ACE Power.  The project will be known as the Kincraig Battery and 60 people are expected to be employed during its construction phase, with two to four people required long term to maintain it. Development manager Fraser Woodley said there were a number of reasons why ACE Power identified the site as an ideal location for one of its projects.   “These include securing a parcel of land directly adjacent to the Kincraig substation, as it has available capacity to connect a new battery and means no new transmission lines are required to connect the project,” he said.   “In terms of geography and environmental considerations, the site is relatively flat, and cleared of vegetation where the battery will be located, which means it is considered as having low environmental […]

By Nasik Swami: A Naracoorte Lucindale councillor has voiced strong criticism over the council’s decision to keep $8,600 in its budget for post-meeting “meals and drinks” but reject a proposal to waive burial fees for children under the age of 10. Speaking to The News, councillor Craig McGuire expressed disappointment following the council’s recent May meeting, where his motion to waive all cemetery charges for children up to 10 years old—excluding plaque expenses—was voted down. During the meeting, council CEO Kelly Westell tabled a letter received from Olivia Savvas, the member for Newland, representing the Select Committee on Stillbirth in South Australia. The committee received evidence in relation to unexpected fees grieving families faced when farewelling their babies. Ms Westell said, through the letter, the committee encouraged the council to waive fees for babies and children. “The waiving of these fees would have little cost impact on the council but […]

By Nasik Swami: The reopening of Naracoorte’s Kincraig Hotel this December under new ownership is set to bring a much-needed boost to the local economy with the creation of 50 new jobs for the community. Development works on the multimillion-dollar, five-star accommodation are advancing, with the project’s completion anticipated to rejuvenate the local economy through its diverse offerings. In an interview with The News, Peter Johnson, director of the Dean Group—the new owner of the property—shared that a range of hospitality-related job openings will soon be announced, with a strong focus on hiring locally. Local resident Zac Andrews has been appointed as the venue manager, with a mission to “connect locals through locals,” emphasising community engagement and homegrown hospitality. Mr Johnson said the revamped multi-faceted venue will provide a family-focused offering for local residents, including a 24-room modern accommodation, corporate meeting spaces for local businesses, an open bar, and a […]

By Nasik Swami: “This is an emergency”. That is the urgent message from Naracoorte Lucindale mayor Patrick Ross, who has issued a heartfelt appeal to the government for immediate support for farmers grappling with severe drought in the area. Mr Ross emphasised that the widespread impact of the drought challenged the outdated belief that farmers can always manage on their own. “When hundreds are impacted by a natural disaster, we call it an emergency. This drought is impacting tens of thousands, and yet it is being left up to individual farmers—already stressed and battling to keep their farms operating and animals fed—to reach out for help,” he said. “I understand that drought no longer needs to be declared in a region for farmers to be eligible for assistance,” he said. “But let’s call it: this is an emergency.” The mayor’s appeal comes on the heels of a compelling message shared […]

Health burden too heavy: Community demands local dialysis unit. By Nasik Swami: Making more than a three-hour round trip to Mount Gambier Hospital and spending five hours on a dialysis chair each week is a tough routine for Ros Tregoweth. Living on a farm near Lucindale with her husband and children, Ms Tregoweth undergoes kidney dialysis to manage her condition. She follows a mixed dialysis regime—performing peritoneal dialysis at home six nights a week and making a weekly trip to Mount Gambier for haemodialysis. Her demanding travel schedule, which includes navigating long distances and avoiding wildlife like kangaroos, has pushed her to join others in advocating for local dialysis services to be offered at Naracoorte Hospital. Dialysis patients and other stakeholders are urging the government to establish a dialysis unit and offer renal services at Naracoorte Hospital. For many already struggling with health issues, the financial and emotional toll of […]