NSW Lotteries figures released this week show that Mudgee can lay claim to being the Central West’s Lotto hot spot for 2017, with two Division One winners in the past 12 months.

Each of the lucky Mudgee winners won a cool $1 million, and one was a syndicate of 10 women who had been playing the same Lotto numbers for six years.

NSW Lotteries spokesperson Matt Hart said 2017 winners ranged from truck drivers to teachers, and retirees to retail workers.

“Each division one winner had a unique story to tell about what their windfall meant to them and their loved ones,” Mr Hart said.

The year’s biggest winner was a western Sydney man who scooped a $50 million first prize pool in a Powerball draw in May, while Cabramatta again had the highest number of Division One wins with four.

LISA Griffith’s debut on the big stage for the Sydney Thunder Women’s Big Bash League was certainly a weekend to remember.

The Bathurst talent was part of a win, part of a loss and also part of the weekend’s biggest controversy – a disputed catch against the Melbourne Renegades.

One thing Lisa was not, though, was alone. Parade hears more than 100 Bathurst locals made the trip to Sydney to show their support.

THE wait is almost over for Bathurst’s class of 2017, with Higher School Certificate results to be delivered on Thursday.

We’ve come a long way since Parade did the HSC and had to line up outside the local post office at 6am in the middle of January to get his results.

Now students can get their results via text message in the comfort of their home – and the whole ordeal is over well before Christmas.

Parade wishes every Bathurst student the best and reminds them that regardless of what happens on Thursday, the HSC is just a single step in life’s long journey.