Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to congratulate Old Bonalbo Public School on their upcoming centenary celebrations. The school turned 100 last year, but celebrations were postponed due to COVID and will now be held on 3 April this year. Old Bonalbo is a wonderful community with a great local history. In 1842, Bunalbo Station was established, 'Bunalbo' meaning 'place of the leaning bloodwood tree'. Then, in the early 1900s, a new settlement, also called Bonalbo, was built on the banks of Peacock Creek. Residents of the original Bonalbo applied for their area to be named Old Bonalbo, and the town began. Ten years later, the school was established with a composite class of around 35 children. In the early 1930s, the construction of a road from Sandilands to Urbenville brought a large number of families to the school, and at one time there were over 100 pupils being taught in only two rooms and under verandahs. Over the years Old Bonalbo has had a very active P&C group. Up to four generations of local families have attended the public school. I'd like to thank the current school staff: teacher and principal, Kandas Petty; Raylee Ryan; Jenny Clarke; Cheryl Whitney; Melissa Armfield; Grantley Roffey; Cheryl Atkinson; and Shannon Whittaker. Congratulations and happy birthday, Old Bonalbo Public School.

I'm very lucky to represent a wide range of industries in my electorate. An industry starting to boom is the microbreweries and distilleries industry, bringing many jobs and tourists to our region. Chris and Nicola Fraser are the founders of Critters Distillery in Woolgoolga. They make a handcrafted vodka and recently won the Australian silver medal at the World Vodka Awards held in London. Nicole and Trent O'Connor are the owners of the Sanctus Brewing Company in Townsend. It opened in 2019 and has won various awards at the Independent Brewers Association and the Crafted Beer and Cider Festival. Adam Freeman and Alison Sloley started up the Clarence Distillery in Yamba and use local ingredients to make their dry gin, called the Duke. Vivienne Shorter owns the Emerald Island Distillery and has a great range of local gins. Lou and Matt Wilson started up Seven Mile Brewing Co. in Ballina in 2018 and have won many awards over the years, including the gold medal at the Independent Beer Awards.

There are also two new microbreweries on the way: Grant Smith and Andrew Newton have received the approval to establish Two Mates Brewing in the old yard shed in South Lismore; Sarah and Ryan Poole and Aaron and Jacqui Dobner have started the Woolgoolga 'Woopi' Brewing Company. Places like Brookie's Gin, and Stone and Wood, are in the region as well and many others are doing great things too. Congratulations to all these local businesses.