News Just In

THE impact of rain on local fire grounds was sporadic with large falls of 60mls falling in areas without fires and only 2 mls over the Carter’s Road fire. Michael Robinson from Liverpool Range Fire Control said the cooler, humid conditions were helping fire fighting efforts and while the rain was helpful it has also […]

THE Bureau of Meteorology reported the following rain measurements in the last 24 hours: Aberdeen: 22ml Barrington: 62ml Bunnan: 21ml Cassilis: 5ml Ellerston: 2ml Glenbawn: 16ml Hunter Springs: 4ml Merriwa: 10ml Moonan Flat: 3.8ml Mount Barrington: 2ml Murrurundi: 22ml Scone: 24ml Upper Rouchel: 2.8ml

ABBEY Stone is philosophical about closing the doors to Stone & Co in Murrurundi on January 24, following an order from Upper Hunter Shire Council and said while she appreciates the community support, they are focused on their sale and the next chapter of their popular business. Abbey and her family moved into the heritage […]

COUNCIL’S purchase of the Campbell’s Corner building was one of the worst kept secrets in town. scone.com.au sought confirmation from Council on the proposed purchase throughout last year, but no response was provided. The purchase of the building may be a great decision, but…. read more

IT is actually raining in Scone, bringing the hope that it may be the “settled in” for the day or days kind! Predicted precipitation by the Bureau of Meteorology was met with Sconite scepticism who are used to rain clouds bypassing the town or only catching a few mils in their rain gauges from a […]

AFTER months of speculation the Upper Hunter Shire Council has this morning confirmed it has purchased the iconic property, Campbell’s Corner at the intersection of Kelly Street and Liverpool Street Scone for $3 million. The Council statement said the heritage listed building will be restored by Council and “eventually create a new home for the […]

THE NSW Department of Primary Industries is seeking sheep producers to use a new hand-held device that gauges condition scores of breeding ewes to increase pregnancy and lambing rates. Gordon Refshauge, livestock researcher with the DPI, said the device has the potential to accurately score the body condition of billions of sheep and goats and […]

THE Young Endeavour Scheme has given many local youth the chance to set sail and learn new life skills, but after 20 years the Upper Hunter Shire Council has changed tack and will now offer local youth the chance to be part of the Burn Bright Camp in the July school holidays. The Burn Bright […]

At approximately 6:30pm the Westpac Rescue Helicopter flew to Muswellbrook Hospital to take an 84 year old man who had fallen from a ladder in Aberdeen, to the John Hunter Hospital. The man, who is estimated to have fallen 6 metres, was treated by local ambulance for lower limb fractures and possible pelvic injuries before […]

THERE are currently five fires burning in the Upper Hunter Shire Council area with fire services thankful for the predicted weather this week to allow them to continue to contain and control the fires. Local crews were able to have a short break during Christmas and Boxing Day with the arrival of six Canadians on […]

By Russell Sakey  Merriwa 3 / 58    D Muro 34* defeated Bunnan 57 off 16.2 overs  C Stokes 2/10, B Strachan 2/26, G Sheehan 4/6 Muswellbrook Souths  v Muswellbrook Silver  no details supplied. Muswellbrook Blue 160 off 40 overs J Cooper 50, N Jawaad 35 defeated Murrurundi 150 off 30 overs J Cooper 2/35, […]

By Lyn Banks COOLER conditions were appreciated by the Scone golfers on Saturday, January 11. The early players had a hot start with the temperature in the 30’s until a southerly hit at 7.40am. The rest of the day stayed in the mid 20’s but players had to content with the wind with gusts over […]

THE temperatures will be much milder with a high pressure system keeping temperatures in the low to mid 30s. There will also be a chance of thunderstorms and isolated showers on Thursday and the temperature is expected to drop further into the mid 20s on Friday. Expected temperatures this week: Monday: 16-32 Tuesday: 15-35 Wednesday: […]

CR Lee Watts has chaired the Australia Day committee for 15 years and is as excited as ever for this year’s awards ceremonies. “I always love our local Australia Day award ceremonies, because there are so many incredible people in our communities that deserve recognition,” said Cr Lee Watts. “Volunteers are incredible people, doing a […]

AUSSIE Ark have announced they are expediting a place for koalas to call home at their sanctuary in the Barrington, following the devastating bush fires and are fundraising for $369,000 to help fence the sanctuary and assist in fire-proofing the protected area. At the start of last year the conversation charity began plans to establish […]

TIM Faulkner, president of Aussie Ark is in the Barrington working to help native species which are being pushed to the brink by drought, fires and feral pets preying on them when they are most vulnerable. Thankfully the Aussie Ark is situated in a part of the Barrington which has been spared by the fires […]

BEGINNING Monday, traffic conditions on the New England Highway at the southern approach to Scone, will change. Speed limits will reduce to 40 kilometres an hour and new traffic controls will be in place between 6pm and 7am for three weeks, weather permitting. Planned road work will include progressively removing sections of the existing road […]

STORMS in the Upper Hunter brought some scattered rain in the evening, with the Bureau of Meteorology recording the following falls: Aberdeen: 1.8ml Blandford: 2.4ml Bunnan: 3ml Cassilis: 2ml Ellerston: 22ml Glenbawn: 0.4ml Merriwa: 1ml Murrurundi: 13ml Scone: 12ml Wingen: 1.5ml Related story: Flash Flooding in Moonan Brook – January 7, 2020.

There was some flash flooding in Moonan Brook today and storms are swirling around the Upper Hunter. Tell us if you are getting any rain or your river is running…news@scone.com.au Watch the fresh in Moonan Brook: Facebook Video.

By Stuart Sheldrake Over 900 cattle were penned today which was a few less than we had predicted, this is a reflection on the amount of cattle that have been sold out of the area. The day started with the export market which was cheaper, especially for heavy cows which were ten cents cheaper with […]

By Graham Turvey THE veterans started their 2020 golfing program with 26 keen and happy players at Muswellbrook on Tuesday, January 7 for a stableford event. Graham Huggins continued his recent good form in the heat to win with 40 points from Les Durham 2nd 39, Greg Newman 3rd 37, Jock O’Connor 4th 36 C/B […]

By Lyn Banks TEE times were created from 6.30am to avoid the extreme heat conditions on Saturday January 4 at Scone Golf Course. The field of 27 players played an 18 Hole Stroke / Stableford for the Scone RSL Group Monthly Mug. Mac Dawson had a fine round of two over par 74 for 69 […]

HUGO Morgan could have taken the usual path of film makers, making do with short films but the ambitious 18 year old and his high school friend Alessio Mazza will begin filming their feature length tale in his home town of Scone this month. They are keen to spread for the community to be part […]

TODAY and tomorrow there will be milder temperatures with a maximum of 35 degrees predicted. There is a high pressure system in the Tasman Sea and another in Bass Strait below Tasmania, which is driving the weather patters. The Scone area is also sandwiched between two troughs, one in the western part of New South […]

SCONE.COM.AU will be knocking off between Christmas and the New Year, but before we go we wanted to wish all of our readers a very merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year. Hopefully in 2020 we’ll be reporting on consistent, deep, soaking rain throughout the Upper Hunter, no accidents on our roads or […]

THERE is the possibility of rainfall and thunderstorms for the early part of this week in the Upper Hunter with the end of the week bringing hotter and drier conditions with westerly winds. The rainfall from any thunderstorms is expected to be sporadic and centred around the Ranges where two different wind directions come together […]

SHARON Grady, who lives 26 kilometres north of Merriwa, was astounded to find a kangaroo in her pool yesterday cooling off from the heat. “My husband went out yesterday afternoon to start up a pump and noticed a kangaroo in the pool,” said Ms Grady. “My eldest son and I went over to investigate and […]

THE Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to Wingen this morning to care for an 81 year old female who had been run over by her vehicle. The woman was driving on a property, when she stepped out of the vehicle it began to roll away and she was run over while attempting to get back […]

THE Office of Local Government today confirmed they have questions for the Upper Hunter Shire Council relating to a legal breach in which Council used externally restricted funds as cash flow, without permission from the Minister for Local Government. The OLG confirmed, “the Office of Local Government is aware of this matter and has requested […]

TWO Scone related matters were heard in Muswellbrook court today. Peter Charles Burnett, a 59 year old from Muswellbrook presented to court in custody having pled guilty to charges of enter enclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse, five counts of break and enter house etc steal value less than or equal to $60,000, […]

JACK Flaherty passed away yesterday afternoon at Strathearn Aged Care in Scone, at 98 years of age. Jack grew up on “Jersey Park” at Segenhoe with his siblings Glendon, Purvis “Roy”, Clarence “Sid”, Nina Isabella and Muriel Grace. He met his wife Hilda Adel Gordon while attending primary school at Segenhoe and would recount fondly […]

YESTERDAY we published a story outlining that the Upper Hunter Shire Council had broken the law when they took $380,000 worth of externally restricted funds and used it for cash flow for projects they had not yet received money for and then replaced it, all without proper permission from the Minister. Read: Council Broke Law […]

On Monday afternoon the southern edge of the fire moved towards and crossed Wollar Road, Bylong under strong easterly winds, resulting in Wollar Road being closed, but reopening yesterday at 6pm. Yesterday, firefighters completed a backburn along the Morrison Flat Trail, along Bylong Valley Way, finishing behind properties along Wollar Road in attempt to contain […]

Dear Editor,  Re: Council Culture – Confirmed Concern I first wrote to UHSC General Manager, Steve McDonald 10 weeks ago, concerned that the Council was incorrectly recording resolutions from meetings, thereby keeping secret from you, information you would expect and have a right to know. In disgust and frustration, I presented directly to the full […]

COUNCIL’S Annual Report has shown Council broke Local Government law, by using $380,000 from restricted funds, without approval by the Minister.  The report described the unlawful act as “inadvertent”, but went on to explain the funds were used “to assist with major capital infrastructure works” before they received a loan and once the loan money […]

By Russell Sakey Merriwa 2 / 178 off 20 overs defeated Bunnan 7/ 175 off 40 overs. Merriwa P Ashford 71, B Strachan 39*, S Morgan 29*, J Osmond 21 Bunnan 7/175 J Davis 72, C Day 19, M Soper 18, J Vincent 14. N Blackadder 2/21. Muswellbrook Silver v Muswellbrook Souths no results provided. […]

By Graham Turvey SEVENTEEN veterans played their stableford event at Denman Golf Club on Tuesday, December 17 for Christmas Prizes on the forecast coolest day of the week. Denman’s greens are excellent despite the local dam water being prioritised for fire-fighting, if needed, over golf course maintenance. Greg Squires blitzed the field to win with […]

FROM midnight tonight there will be a total fire ban statewide, until midnight on Saturday. There are more than 100 fires burning across the state, with two currently burning in the Upper Hunter Shire area, one at Stewarts Brook and the Meads Creek fire south of Merriwa. Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers, NSW Rural Fire Service […]

By Lyn Banks On Saturday, December 14 a field of thirty nine golfers played for the Ham and Spam Trophy at Scone. Sandy Lettice and Tom Hagan were the generous sponsors of the day. The light winds meant the conditions were conducive to good scores with thirteen players having scores better than 36 points. The […]

THE Westpac Rescue Helicopter flew to Scone at approximately 8pm last night to care for a 36 year old male from Wingen who had been thrown from a horse and suffered serious head injuries. The man was stabilised before being flown to the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle in a stable condition. 

STEVE Waugh is in town today as part of a drought relief program and will be visiting the Scone Sports Store at 12:30pm. If you’d like to make a sports Christmas present extra special by getting it signed by Steve Waugh now is your chance! For more ideas on how to put the fun back […]

TONIGHT Council voted to apply to Heritage New South Wales for the 1919 section of the Wilson Memorial Hospital in Murrurundi to be included on the NSW State Register. Councillors Abbott, Bedggood, Brown and Driscoll voted in favour of the application, Councillors Burns, Campbell and Collison voted against and Councillors Fisher and Watts were absent.  […]

ILIPSA Cama, who attacked Ryan Holman during a football game in Denman in May, appealed his 18 month gaol sentence today, in the Newcastle District Court and was given an intensive community corrections order instead of imprisonment. The included standard conditions such as not committing any other offenses, supervision by community corrections, 200 hours community […]

THE Rural Fire Service have advised that the Meads Creek fire is now listed as “being controlled”. and the threat to property is reduced. Fire activity has reduced during the past 24 hours and the threat to property is reduced. While local updates will still be provided as required, the fire is no longer listed […]

WHEN disaster strikes in small country towns people get cooking and the Meads Creek fire has brought out the best in the Merriwa community. The Rural Fire Services are fighting more than 80 fires across the state and are also tapping into local cafes, community groups and motels to ensure firefighters are cared for well. […]

THE Rural Fire Service have reported “things are looking really good along the northern edges” of the Meads Creek fire. Fire fighters are continuing to patrol throughout the day to ensure the fire line holds. Planning is also underway to look containment on the southern side of the fire. South-west winds will return tomorrow, but […]

TOMORROW St Mary’s Primary School and Scone Race Club are holding a community Christmas party race day.  There will be a jumping castle, face painting, a water slide, live music and a visit from Santa…oh and eight horse races. Entry is free and hospitality packages are available including food and refreshments. A bus will also […]

THE Meads Creek Fire activity remains stable today. The fire remains active to the south , but is inaccessible to ground crews at this stage.   Crews are actively patrolling and focusing on the Redlynch containment line to secure the northern edge. If residents feel threatened by the fire they should phone 000 immediately, not […]

IF you live in the Upper Hunter Shire area and have lost income as a result of the bush fires you may be eligible for the government’s disaster recovery allowance, a short term payment for up to 13 weeks. People who have been injured or their home has been significantly damaged or destroyed should also […]

YESTERDAY the Meads Creek fire alert level increased to Watch and Act due to increasing fire activity in the North-eastern corner near Hamburger Hill, including Flight Springs Road and Turnbridge Road, but by early evening it was downgraded to Advice level.  Currently the fire is listed as Being Controlled and has burnt through 11,000 hectares […]