Copies of the draft plan are available to view on the council’s website (www.upperlachlan.nsw.gov.au), in the council’s Crookwell and Gunning Offices, and in both Crookwell and Gunning Libraries.

Submissions regarding the draft plan opened on January 11 and will close February 9, 2018.

For further information contact the council’s Department of Environment and Planning on 4830 1018.

Once again the Acciona Wind Farm Scholarship is open for those students residing in the Upper Lachlan Shire wishing to enter further study at TAFE or University in 2018.

Applications will close on Friday January 31, 2018. Application forms and further information are available on the website at www.acciona.com.au/projects/energy/wind-power/gunning-wind-farm/.

Follow in the footsteps of 2017 scholarship recipient Max Fairbank and apply for the Community Education Scholarship which commenced in 2011 and has contributed approximately $180,000 to date.

With many Gunning village residents visiting or working in Canberra, often using your car is the only way to get there. Doing so much distance daily or weekly means lots of wear and tear on your car, significant fuel costs and the need for servicing with the costs in both time and money mounting.

Sometimes having another way of getting there when your car is unavailable or simply to save money and on some wear and tear on your car could be invaluable.

Maybe there is an opening for another mode transport as the number of commuters grow. There have been car pools and ride sharing could be an option.

One local business has made getting alternate transport when your car is being serviced easy by offering a loan car like the big dealers do. The Gunning Service Centre has responded to demand by providing a limited kilometre loan car for use so that you don’t need to miss a day of work.

A group of Audax riders recently competed in a ride called ‘The Tablelands Trot’ which is a 200km event including at least 80kms on dirt which is an international distance as recognized by Audax.

The ride is early on the calendar each year and usually well attended as riders think about their annual goals. Due to the heat this year, riders commenced at 4.30am on Saturday, January 6. They arrived in Gunning for lunch, which is a recognized check point along with Tarago and Goulburn.

Ride organizer Anthony Nocka reported that it is a great ride with good interval stops for water and food. The only negative can be the traffic on the return journey from Gunning to Gundaroo, which can be challenging despite the riders’ best efforts.

The ride can be undertaken at any time as it is a validated permanent ride just by notifying the Audax regional coordinator of the intention to ride.