The Australian National Busking Championships was once again well-attended with a record line up of buskers converging on Cooma. The busking championships continue to grow and this year we saw 210 buskers perform. 

The sound of engines was heard far and wide with 600 entrants in the Cooma Motorfest. 3500 people passed through the Cooma Showground gates to check out the entries.

On Friday, we saw thousands of motorbikes pass through the region as part of annual Snowy Ride. This charity ride raises money for the Steven Walter Children’s Cancer Foundation. More than $200,000 was raised.

This Sunday is the Michelago Spring Fair from 10am to 4pm, another great event for one of our towns. There will be stalls, food, live music, children’s entertainment and rural displays.

On the weekend of October 28/29, I was privileged to attend the bicentennial celebrations of Tadeusz Kosciuszko’s death. Held in the Jindabyne Memorial Hall, the celebrations paid tribute to Kosciuszko who is considered a Polish hero.

Polish heritage was proudly on display with two fantastic recitals from pianists Julian Gilewski and Krzysztof Malek. There was also Polish folk dancing and flights over Jindabyne courtesy of the Jindabyne Aeroclub. A great weekend was had by all.

On this same weekend, the Back to Nimmity Festival was held. A fantastic occasion to celebrate all things Nimmitabel. There were displays, markets, and people were able to immerse themselves in the history of the town.

Finally, November is Asbestos Awareness Month and our Council is supporting this worthwhile initiative. Australia has one of the highest rates of asbestos related diseases in the world. It’s so very important people take the warnings seriously and protect themselves and their families from exposure, especially during renovations and maintenance work.