JANUARY 3: CHARLES Sturt University strongly condemned a series of Nazi Youth posters that had been plastered across the Bathurst campus over Christmas and new year. The posters promoting an extreme right-wing group featured images of Nazi swastikas and nationalist slogans such as “Australia Awake”.

JANUARY 5: WEST Bathurst couple Kent and Dianne McNab vowed 2018 would be “the year of the roundabout”. The couple, who had already spent more than 12 months campaigning for a roundabout to be constructed at the intersection of Mitre, Suttor and Lambert streets, said they had no plans to stop.

JANUARY 6: THE NSW Government was dealing with a string of noise complaints about the Return and Earn reverse vending machine in South Bathurst. More than 74,000 bottles and cans had been returned in just two weeks. 

JANUARY 9: A WIRES carer said the community should not fear the population of flying foxes that had taken up residence in Machattie Park. The grey-headed flying foxes had flown into the city in early December. WIRES’ Storm Stanford said lyssavirus could only be spread by saliva, not by bat urine or faeces.

JANUARY 10: NEW Greyhound Racing NSW chief executive officer Tony Mestrov visited Bathurst to emphasise the industry had a strong future. Mr Mestrov was at Bathurst’s Kennerson Park on the first stop on a tour across some of NSW’s greyhound racing venues.

JANUARY 12: THE number of flying foxes living in Machattie Park had increased from 150 in early December to 2500, a report to Bathurst Regional Council said. Acting mayor Bobby Bourke was calling for immediate action.

JANUARY 13: A HOLOGRAM of the Eternal Flame would still provide a symbol of service and sacrifice while creating a unique attraction at Bathurst’s War Memorial Carillon, RSL Sub Branch president David Mills said. There were plans to replace the gas-fuelled flame that burns within the Carillon in Kings Parade with a hologram as part of a major upgrade of the memorial.

JANUARY 16: MACHATTIE Park should be closed to the public until further notice due to the increasing population of flying foxes, Bathurst Regional councillor Monica Morse said. “The whole area is contaminated by the excreta of the bats,” Cr Morse said. “While it may not be dangerous, it is certainly unpleasant. I suggest that the whole of Machattie Park be put off limits until the bats are moved to another location.”

JANUARY 17: THE major redevelopment of the Bathurst Convention and Function Centre site reached a milestone, with homes being purchased. Two of the properties had been sold off the plan by Elders Nicoll and Ireland real estate. 

JANUARY 18: BATHURST Regional Council was warned that it risked being fined if it did anything to try to move on the thousands of flying foxes living in Machattie Park. Council had met with the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) about the issue. The flying foxes had forced the relocation of the city’s Australia Day celebrations from the park to the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre.

JANUARY 20: THE Greens’ plan for a national campaign to change the date of Australia Day had support from Bathurst Regional councillor John Fry. He said Australia Day had changed over the years and to most Australians the date itself wasn’t that significant. “I don’t mind if the date is changed, and we can keep First Fleet day on January 26 for people like me who have convict heritage,” he said. 

JANUARY 22: AN afternoon of flying ended in tragedy when a 75-year-old pilot was killed in a glider crash at Piper’s Airfield in Eglinton. The glider crashed a few hundred metres from the airstrip, with the impact igniting a grass fire.

JANUARY 23: A LONG-HELD dream to write a book had been finally realised for Tracy Sorensen as she prepared to release her debut novel, The Lucky Galah. The book was set in the tiny remote coastal town of Carnarvon in Western Australia, where the author grew up.

JANUARY 25: COUNCILLORS were adamant they wouldn’t be voting to change the date of the city's Australia Day celebrations if anything came before Bathurst Regional Council. Mayor Graeme Hanger said he was “happy with Australia Day where it is”, while deputy mayor Bobby Bourke said it was time for Australians to move forward together and make January 26 a day of unity. 

JANUARY 26: Roland Auguszczak was announced as a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division as part of the 2018 Australia Day Honours List. Mr Auguszczak, who had shared his love of music with thousands of people over almost 60 years, said he was shocked and honoured to receive the award.

JANUARY 31: CHIFLEY local area command had a new superintendent: Superintendent Paul McDonald. He arrived at Chifley after two years as commander at Barwon.