And that's a wrap for another Tuesday morning.

The Western Advocate photographers were Out and About on the weekend attending functions across Bathurst.

Click here to check out photos from the latest Bathurst events.

8.52AM

Just a quick reminder that the Bathurst Spring Spectacular begins this weekend.

Why not make the most of this glorious spring weather and pop out and be inspired by these beautiful gardens.

Open from 9,30-5pm this Saturday and Sunday. Tickets $15 available at all gardens. For more information call Anne 6331 4117 or visit www.bathurstspringspectacular.com.

Can Assist will be providing tea,coffee and cake at garden No. 5, 37 Gilmore Street, Kelso this weekend. Cost is $5 per person. Please come and support Can Assist who assist patients facing treatment for cancer.  

8.50AM

Check out what is happening in our community:

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR: Come and join in the festivities at St Philomena's Christmas Carnival from 4pm  this Friday, October 24 on Lloyd Street, Bathurst. There will be fun activities for all including a rock climbing wall, sumo suit wrestling, jumping castle, merry go round and laser tag. Try your hand at the chocolate wheel, trash 'n' treasure, cake stalls, cupcake decorating, snow cones, chocolate toss, tattoos and hair colouring.

MUSIC TO YOUR EARS: The Phoenix Choir will perform Fauré's Requiem at All Saints' Anglican Cathedral from 2.30pm on Sunday, October 26.

The Phoenix Choir will present a new arrangement of this sublime masterpiece, accompanied by cello, violin/viola and organ, that echoes the spirit of Fauré's original, more intimate, version.

Tickets are $20, concession are $15. Book by visiting www.trybooking.com.au\FLRS. Call Rob 0417 200 487 or visit www.phoenixchoir.org.au.

YOU CAN RING MY BELL: Bell ringing meets every Wednesday at 6:30pm-7pm for beginners, and 7pm-9pm in the All Saints' Cathedral Bell Tower. Inquiries encouraged and welcomed. For more information, call Chris on 6332 2830.

8.37AM

Former prime minister Gough Whitlam has died, according to his family.

His children Antony, Nicholas and Stephen Whitlam and Catherine Dovey issued the statement minutes ago.  

"Our father, Gough Whitlam, has died this morning at the age of 98," the statement said. "A loving and generous father, he was a source of inspiration to us and our families and for millions of Australians."

There will be a private cremation and a public memorial service. 

8.30AM

Performing at BMEC tomorrow night are The 7 Sopranos, a highly successful group of professional young opera singers whose combination of breathtaking voices, high glamour and sophistication have been wowing audiences across Australia and Asia for the past four years.

Their self-titled debut album made the ARIA charts when it was released last year.

Highlights for this concert will include arias from La Traviata, Carmen, La Boheme, Phantom of the Opera and of course the Toreador and Nessun Dorma - soprano style.

Former Governor of NSW, Dame Marie Bashir AD, CVO, complimented their performance as 'a fine selection of some of the greatest music created for the female voice, music which lifts one's spirits each time it is played'.

Tickets for the show are $60 an adult, $55 for concessions. Call BMEC on 6333 6161.

8.15AM

A big congratulations to Piper Hanrahan, pictured doing gymnastics, who won herself a McDonald's voucher for being our junior sportsperson of the week.

Now that the weather is much more pleasant it's time to get the kids out and about and involved in a summer sport!

8AM

In a surprise finish, 15-year-old Marlisa Punzalan has won The X Factor 2014.

The teenager from Mt Druitt, NSW beat 22-year-old Queensland crooner Dean Ray and folk-pop trio Brothers 3 to the crown, securing a recording contract with Sony Music Australia.

Going into the final, which was screened over two nights and nearly five hours, Ray was the hot favourite, followed by Mudgee siblings Brothers 3, but strong performances throughout the final saw Punzalan emerge victorious.

Early on Sunday night's final, Brothers 3 were sent home for the second time in the competition, having returned to the series via a publicly voted "wildcard" at the start of the live shows.

7.45AM

Two beautiful bundles of joy were welcomed into the world recently. Congratulations to the families of this week's new arrivals. 

7.30AM

Making news around the Central West:

Orange's St Vincent de Paul executive officer Ellen Sharp has asked police to track down the man responsible for dumping a large amount of damaged furniture outside the charity’s McNamara Street store on the weekend.

Mrs Sharp said images of the man had been captured on CCTV footage and police had been given the partial details of his number plate.

Yesterday St Vincent de Paul volunteers, with the help of Orange City Council staff, spent hours clearing up the mess the man left on three separate occasions on Saturday and Sunday.

In Dubbo the safety of residents could be compromised by the number of dimly-lit areas in the city, the Dubbo Ratepayers and Residents Association (DRRA) has said.

Merrilyn Mulcahy, the president of the DRRA, said there were a number of areas about Dubbo that either did not have enough street lights or where the lights were faulty.

"Statistics show one in six street lights are out in Dubbo," she said. "Areas that do not have adequate lighting are very unsafe and quite dangerous," she said.

Ms Mulcahy said poorly-lit areas could have dire consequences for residents and visitors.

Meanwhile in Lithgow, following the success of last year’s Halloween day, all the witches, hobgoblins, ghosts, vampires, spooks and the rest of the gang are coming back for another ‘Monster Party’.

Already many of the businesses are getting into the swing of things by decorating their windows and businesses with their efforts all going towards making this year’s Halloween Day in the local area another spectacular success.

7.15AM

Here's a quick snapshot of what's making news in Bathurst this morning.

Frustrated Kelso residents want a laneway closed to discourage regular anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhood.

In the latest incident, Bouffler Close resident Terry Barnhurst was woken by flashing lights around 1am yesterday to find his garbage bin alight on the kerb, and fire brigade officers working to extinguish the blaze. 

A number of buildings at the old Dairy Farmers site have now been demolished as the new development moves forward.

Joss Group project manager Brett McClellan said the buildings that have been demolished are not of heritage significance.

The first stage of the development will be the construction of 40 apartments in varying sizes including one, two and three-bedroom units. Later stages will include retail premises and a cafe.

Meanwhile, a month after being asked to come up with $200,000 to help save the Bathurst Anglican diocese, Orange’s Anglican parishioners are a long way from the target – and the Anglican diocese debt has increased by about $14 million.

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, who has promised to defend the interests of family farms against threats from mining companies and supermarket giants, has risked alienating some rural landowners with an ambitious dam-building proposal.

Releasing a federal government green paper on agricultural competitiveness, Mr Joyce described working the land as an "inherently noble and good occupation," and said the government wanted to help farmers get better returns. For a farmer to get "between 10 and 15 per cent of the final price when they've done the majority of the work is inherently unfair," he said.

A truck has overturned at a busy intersection in Sydney's north, trapping a number of people in their cars and spilling fuel across the road.

One witness said the truck had lost control on a hill before overturning and crushing at least three cars that had stopped at the intersection of Warringah Road and Pittwater Road in Dee Why about 6.10am.

Police and ambulances have been called to the scene.

7AM

Good morning and welcome to today's edition of BathurstAM, you're with Michelle Allen from the Western Advocate newspaper.

After a few wonderful days of lovely warm weather the mercury will drop just a tad today. The top temperature is expected to be 20 degrees on what will be a mostly sunny Tuesday.

If you have any news tips send them through to me at michelle.allen@fairfaxmedia.com.au