Dubbo welcomes more than 3500 competitors and supporters for this year's Bowls NSW State Championships from March 13-27. The Bowls NSW State Championships is a pinnacle event on the annual calendar, where more than 850 men and women of all ages and abilities take to the greens of Club Dubbo, Macquarie Club and North Dubbo RSL Sporties across 15 days of play. Players qualify for the State Championships through their respective District, Zone and Regional Championships all across New South Wales. For more information visit: bowlsnsw.com.au/state-championships/.

Ceremony: 4th Indigenous Art Triennial remains central to the creative practice of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. The touring exhibition will animate and heal to reveal how ceremony is at the nexus of Country, of culture and of community. The Triennial is the National Gallery's flagship exhibition of contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. The exhibition will be showcased until May 19.

Dubbo Parkrun is a free, fun, and friendly weekly five kilometre community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate - it's up to you. The event takes place every Saturday morning at Sandy Beach Park, Dubbo, from 8am. There nothing to pay, but you need to register before you first join in. You will be given a barcode which you need to take to each run to be scanned so your time is registered, and you can keep track of your progress. Please come along and join in, whatever your pace.

This year's Smokescreen series looks at how art direction - the look and feel of a film - can help to tell the story. Each of the films is iconic, and in its own way set standards and shaped later generations of film making. Western Plains Cultural Centre, Saturday, April 6, 4pm, The Third Man (1949). Pulp novelist Holly Martins travels to shadowy, postwar Vienna, only to find himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend, Harry Lime. Tickets $10 or $75 for a season pass, at the venue or online at 123tix. Tickets include buy one, get one free offer at the Establishment Bar after each film.

Harness Racing in Dubbo has been running since the 1890's attracting trainers across the central west and beyond. Come and watch the horses race under the ribbon of lights on Tuesdays in March (19, 26), from 6pm. Catering, four bookmakers usually at every meeting, on course totalisator, coverage on NSW TAB when TAB meeting is held, bar, dining room, grandstand.

Held the first and third Saturday of every month, the next Dubbo Farmers Market is Saturday, April 6. A range of seasonal fresh produce, fresh fruit and vegetables, herbs and plants, as well as fresh bread, meats, award-winning olive oils, preserves, jams, marinates, honey, wine, nuts and more. From 8am to noon. Macquarie Lions Park.

Sydney photographer Sam Hood went on board countless ships between 1900 and the 1950s. He took hundreds of photographs of crew members for souvenirs of their visit or to send home to families. This selection of photographs shows how much pets meant to many seafarers. This is a touring exhibition from the Australian National Maritime Museum, on display at Western Plains Cultural Centre until April 28.

The Dubbo Rotunda Market showcases local and regional fresh produce and home-made arts and crafts. Food, coffee, produce, baking, condiments, handmade goods and unique recycled vintage wares. The venue is Macquarie Street, on the fourth Sunday of the month. Next date is March 24, from 8am-1pm.

The Show, a distinctly Australian event, is more than just an agricultural festival promoting farming and produce, it offers a blend of entertainment, commerce, and education that celebrates our rural and regional communities. More Australian's visit their local show each year than any other single event. In 2023, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Dubbo Show with an exhibition that explores its history and significance. Curated by Simone Taylor, the exhibition is on display at Western Plains Cultural Centre until May 5, 2024.

The 15-hectare Mayfield Garden is open every day, from 9am until 4.30pm. Final Garden entry is at 3pm. Your garden entry ticket is valid for the date issued only. Children aged under 5 years are admitted free of charge. Immerse yourself in the beauty of Mayfield, explore captivating gardens and create memories that will last a lifetime. Book at mayfieldgarden.com.au/book-garden.

Dubbo greyhounds

Enjoy the dogs racing in March 23 and 30 (GRNSW Country Classic $125K to the Winner) - from 5pm. There will be 12 races in total each night. Full bar/canteen and eftpos facilities available along with on-course TAB. Bring the family as there is a jumping castle for the kids. Entry - Adults $7.50; Pensioners $5; Children under-16 free. Dawson Park Greyhound Track.

On the fourth Saturday of every month at Cameron Park, Wellington, from 8am to 1pm (Sep - May) and 9am to 1pm (June - Aug). Try the best breakfast burgers in the region, sensational steak sandwiches and snags. Drop in for coffee and beverages, fresh fruit and veg, artisan soaps and beauty products, kids toys, clothing household items and collectables. Next one is on Saturday, March 23.

The Establishment Bar: Fridays, Saturdays, 6pm-8pm; check artist dates with venue

South Dubbo Tavern: 8.30pm-11.30pm Fridays, Saturdays, and 4.30pm - 7pm Sundays. Check artist dates with venue

The Garden Hotel: Live music Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm. Check artist dates with venue

Brew Tunes at Devil's Hollow: From 6.30pm, Fridays. Check artist dates with venue

Dubbo Classic Cars and Coffee is a casual get together on the first Sunday of every month (next event April 7) for local car enthusiasts and owners of special interest cars, hot rods, classics, customs, restored, vintage, muscle cars, street machines, exotics, etc. Classic and custom Bikes are also welcome. Victoria Park, 8am-noon. Mobile cafe supplies coffee, donuts and hot food. Entry by gold coin donation, money donated to Make a Wish Foundation. Entry via Talbragar Street.

Robertson Park will turn rainbow for the Orange Rainbow Festival in the Park. Everyone is welcome to come along in the spirit of acceptance and inclusivity to celebrate and support Orange's LGBTQIA+ community and encourage young people to be themselves. Entry is free. The celebration will begin with a rainbow walk from the South Court, west along Byng Street, south along Lords Place and then enter Robertson Park near the corner of Summer Street. Enjoy live entertainment, food and market stalls and lots of fun activities for people of all ages during the day, including face painting, rainbow storytime and more, or dress up in your best costume and enter the local drag queen competition. Saturday, March 23, from noon.

The Great Volcanic Challenge is a famous mountain trail run that covers a distance of 11 km over three peaks through beautiful forests at Gaanha Bula-Mount Canobolas near Orange in the central west of NSW. The race starts at the Towac Pinnacle Picnic Ground on Pinnacle Road, Orange, and offers breathtaking views from the volcanic range.The second half of the course takes in Mt Towac, a beautiful forest area, Young Man Canobolas via bush tracks before ascending to the summit of Gaanha Bula-Mount Canobolas at 1397m, which is a climb of 520m and the finish point. The Family Trail Run, a shorter out and back 5.5 km course, starts and finishes at Towac Pinnacle Picnic Ground and is less challenging. This event is perfect for younger participants and those wanting a less challenging race. Sunday, March 24, from 9am. Tickets $15-$25 online at https://eventplus.net/GVM24.

Orange Regional Museum presents a family-friendly exhibition including kids' dress-ups, playful storytelling, and an interactive fire truck, alongside stunning images and historical firefighting equipment. Formed in 1869, after a terrible fire gutted the Nelson Bros warehouse on Byng Street, the Orange Volunteer Fire Brigade - today known as Orange 412 - has a long tradition of serving the community and saving lives. From now until July 21, 9am-4pm, daily. Check regarding Easter holidays.

The Annual Cabonne Acquisitive Art Prize aims to foster a sense of identity, pride and place in Cabonne, while encouraging and showcasing the high calibre of creative talent in the region. Don't miss the exhibition, July 15 - July 28, and the opportunity to vote for your favourite work. See the Art Council Cabonne Facebook page for entry details - applications open March 11.

Join the Barrel & Larder cooking class on Thursday, April 18, when Michael Manners will show you all about making and baking the perfect pastry. The delicious dishes will be paired perfectly with Ross Hill's cool climate Orange wines. Tickets are $100 online at www.rosshillwines.com.au/barrel-and-larder/.

Join us for an unforgettable 3-course Easter Sunday Long Lunch with a little luxury, all-inclusive of wines, bubbles and cocktails, while enjoying the company of family and friends in the Peacock Room. Enjoy a selection of beers, mocktails, soft drinks and sparkling water over three hours, plus Easter eggs and boozy eggnog. Tickets are $150pp; Teens (13-17) - Adult menu; Kids (4-12) $50 (Kids menu and non-alcoholic drinks); Kids (3 years and younger Free). Book at www.orianaorange.com/easter-lunch

Live Music Saturdays are on every weekend. Enjoy local musicians with views of the vineyard hills, delicious food and drinks in the most relaxed country setting in Orange at Stockman's Ridge Wines from 1pm - 5pm, and children and dogs are welcome and free to enter. Numbers are limited so book your $5 spot early at stockmansridge.com.au/products/live-music. Wine Tastings are not included with your booking but can be booked separately, as can delicious grazing boards, at the Cellar Door.

The Orange Region Farmers Market is held on the second Saturday of every month and showcases local produce strictly from the Orange region. Next event April 13. Meet the producers and taste their fresh seasonal produce. Over 60 stalls featuring flowers and plants, fruit and vegetables, artisan bread, cheeses, meats, olives and olive oil, gourmet preserves, free-range eggs, and more! Quality breakfast and hot food stalls and locally roasted coffee available. See the list of produce at orangefarmersmarket.org.au/visit-the-market/#autumn. Gold coin entry funding Rotary Daybreak community projects. Northcourt, behind the Orange Art Gallery, 8.30am-noon.

You can enjoy High Tea with a delicious selection of sweets, savouries, scones, tea and a glass of award-winning Storm Sparkling, plus live music, noon-6pm. Booking start times from 1pm and are for 1.5hrs, minimum two people per booking at $60pp at stockmansridge.com.au/. Next available date April 6, 2024.

Join Bathurst Regional AG staff on Saturday mornings at 11am, until April 20, for free guided tours of Deborah Kelly: CREATION! In collaborating with marginalised communities, CREATION confronts climate crisis and truth decay with a crowd-sourced faith drawn from practical politics, mysticism and collectivism. The exhibition manifests in human encounters through performances and public workshops. It presents a range of work spanning video, animation, photography, music, digital collage, costume, and textiles by instigating artist Deborah Kelly and artistic leaders SJ Norman (Liturgy), Angela Goh (dance), Lex Lindsay (composer), James L King (costumier), Stereogamous (dance anthem) and Alia Ardon (film). Together, the artists shepherd this new faith through their specific fields.

Head to the newly undated beer garden at the Rockley Pub, just 30 minutes drive from Bathurst. Every Sunday throughout spring and summer there will be local musicians show off their talents between 1pm- 4pm along with cold local and imported beers available directly in the beer garden for your convenience. Chef Simon Borghesi will be lighting up the smoker and putting on specials like smoked pork rolls.

Visit Bathurst Grange Distillery producer of outstanding gin and whiskey all located at one of Bathurst's heritage farmstead estates established in 1823. Friday, Saturday 11am-5pm; Sunday 12pm-3pm. Then tour, taste and lunch at Bathurst's newest independent craft brewery, Reckless Brewing Co. located at The Crago Mill, founded in 1906 by Francis Crago. Fridays 4pm, and Saturdays 11am, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, join a $20 tour. Bookings at www.recklessbrewingco.com.au/taproom.

Free community art in Machattie Park! Draw, paint or just relax in the company of others. All welcome starting at The Rotunda. No artistic ability is required - bring paper pencils or whatever art materials you wish to bring, along with a hat, chair or picnic rug if you want. See you there from 2pm. Next date is April 21.

Reckless Brewing has dialled it up to 11 with live music each Sunday at the Reckless taproom! Tunes start from 2pm. Reckless Sunday Sessions also include Reckless Trivia from 6pm, and Happy Hour from 6pm-8pm, so you can enjoy 20 per cent off schooners at the same time as quizzing. Trivia Prizes - 1st Place - $100 bar tab; 2nd Place - Weekly Junktion tip shop Prize; 2nd Last Place - Round of drinks for your team.

Take a tour of the home built by the Reverend Thomas Sharpe in 1845. Miss Traill's House and Garden is named after Ida Traill, a socially prominent, independently wealthy resident, who lived in this pretty colonial Georgian bungalow from 1932, until her death at 87, in 1976. The home was bequeathed to the National Trust and now is a museum containing Ida Traill's collection of artifacts including furniture, horseracing memorabilia, paintings and ceramics. Hourly guided tours are available on Sundays between noon and 3.30pm, with the last booking at 3pm. Tickets are $10 - $34, with bookings through eventbrite.

Rock into the Family Hotel's newest night on the Bathurst calendar with Musical Trivia every Wednesday from 7pm. Entry is free and you can win prizes while grooving to tunes across the decades. Wednesday is also Schnitty Night - for $17, add your choice of $3 topper (parmi, Mexican, boscaiola or Texan). Book your spot at www.familyhotel.com.au/whats-on/musical-bingo. Or head to the pub on Saturday from 9pm for live music.

Old Government Cottage is a rare, intact example of an early Bathurst home. This historic building is at 16 Stanley Street on the western side of the Macquarie River in the area of the old government settlement. An interpretive display from Bathurst's earliest history has been set up within the building. Volunteers open this cottage on the fourth Sunday of each month from noon until 4pm. Entry is $4 for adults and $2 per child. Group bookings and guided tours are available. Contact the Bathurst District Historical Society Museum on 6332 2522 or email info@bathursthistory.org.au for details and rates.

Experience the underground world of a gold mining at Bald Hill tourist mine. A short walk or drive from Hill End, this guided tour is ideal for families and school groups. Walk 80 metres into the tunnel and see quartz reefs. Open most weekends, and weekday tours can be arranged. Open seven days during school holidays: Monday to Saturday 1.30pm and Sunday 11am. Tours cost Adult $15; Child $9; Family $45 and bookings are essential at: Northey's Store, Clarke Street, or call Kerrie on 0427 301 189. Final bookings 1/2 hour prior to tour time.

A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event on Saturdays. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate - it's up to you! Please register before you first come along. Only ever register with parkrun once and don't forget to bring a scannable copy of your barcode (request a reminder). If you forget it, you won't get a time. www.facebook.com/Bathurstparkrun. Next runs on March 24, 31.

Every first Sunday of the month, from 9am until 1pm, head to Logan Brae Village, 34 Busby Street, Bathurst, for fresh, locally grown and locally made quality produce and goods from the Bathurst, Central West & Blue Mountains regions. Next event April 7.

Bathurst Farmers' Market is a Lions Club of Bathurst Project on every fourth Sunday of the month. Wander through the pavilions and sample or buy fresh regional produce. The market aims to encourage stalls with goods that are grown and/or produced within the Bathurst and Central West Regions. Locally Community Groups are often on hand with information, entertainment and much, much more. Next event Sunday, March 24, Bathurst Showground, 8am-noon, entry by gold coin donation.

Discover the stories along with more than 2000 artefacts and wonders that have shaped our community. Explore the reference library to learn more about Bathurst and browse through our bookshop. Located in the east wing of Bathurst Courthouse, the museum is open Wednesday to Saturday, 11am-2pm.

Come and explore the stalls under the trees beside the Macquarie River in Berry Park, with a kids' playground and Lions Club barbecue offering drinks and hot food. A wide range of interesting stalls are on hand on the first Saturday of the month - next one is April 6, 9am-1pm.

The Bathurst Arts Trail is a collective of artists throughout the Bathurst region who open their galleries to visitors on each Art's Trail Open Weekend. This occurs on the first weekend of each month - next dates April 6-7. All artists are happy to have visitors to their galleries by appointment. Painters, potters, glass artists, sculptors and printmakers showcase their talents in town and country studios and galleries. Golden Bali flags indicate an artist nearby. Visit bathurstartstrail.com.

Bathurst's historic Showground holds fascinating stories of the structures and people associated with the ground and the importance of the annual Show. The first Show at this site was in 1878. The Showground has been described as probably the finest group of traditional rural showground pavilions and ancillary buildings in Australia. Discover some of the stories during this tour of the site. Meet in front of the Howard Pavilion, Bathurst Showground. $10 per person - bookings essential at Bathurst Visitor Information Centre 1800 68 1000 or online at bathurstregion.com.au/autumn-colours.

Pack a picnic lunch and take the kids down to the miniature railway to enjoy a few rides on working scale model trains, just across the road from the Adventure Playground. Covered shoes must be worn. Trains run the third Sunday of the month (next is April 21), weather permitting. Rides are $2.

Join a choir

Macquarie Male Singers meets every Tuesday, from 7.15pm at the Catholic Parish Centre, behind the Cathedral, cnr William and Keppell Sts, Bathurst. We are an all-male choir, with a singing strength around two dozen members of all ages, and new members would be most welcome. For more information, please contact John Kendall, on 0427410625.

The Men's Table is a national not-for-profit organisation that builds community groups for men to meet monthly over dinner to talk about the highs and lows of their lives, and everything in between. The aim is to help address the need for connection and increasing isolation and loneliness among men. Men of all ages, backgrounds, professional and personal histories and orientations are welcome to share a sense of camaraderie and peer support. For information go to: www.themenstable.org or call 1800 636782.

The Cowra Japanese Garden covers five hectares - the largest in the southern hemisphere! It was built here because of Cowra's special significance to the Japanese. The unique relationship of Cowra and Japan originated on a cold night in August 1944, when more than a thousand Japanese prisoners of war broke out of the prison camp. The 231 Japanese soldiers who died in the escape were buried nearby and local members of the RSL tended their graves. As mutual respect grew over the years between Japan and the citizens of Cowra, the idea of a garden arose. The Cowra Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre is open every day except Christmas Day. Adults - $18, Seniors - $15, Students - $15, Children (5-12 years) - $9.

Saturday April 6, will see local produce and products on sale at the monthly Farmers Market. Located at the Oberon Showground, the event features stalls from local businesses where you can buy plants, food, craft items and lots of other surprises. Buy a coffee or a snack, meet your neighbours from around the Oberon community and support your local small and micro businesses. The markets are on the first Saturday of every month.

The markets are on at the Tarana Fire Shed on the fourth Sunday of every month, from 9am to 1pm, with the next one on Sunday, March 24. The regular stalls will be there and you can select from the great food offerings, have some wine or beer from the licensed outlets, and listen to some great music.

Essington Park is new boutique accommodation in a restored 1900's Shearers Quarters for 10 people, with the option to join a cooking class with renowned chef Simmone Logue on June 24-25, for $990. Located near Oberon, five comfortable guest rooms give onto a productive vegetable garden and orchard, so guests can book the whole house or individual rooms. Collect your eggs for breakfast, enjoy home-made jams, and the stunning gardens of this new farm-stay experience. Includes beautiful nutritious food as you work: morning tea, lovely lunches, homemade teas and freshly ground local coffee and freshly baked Essington Park sourdough and delicious cakes. www.essingtonpark.com

After a walk around the largest cool climate garden in the southern hemisphere, enjoy a picnic among the flora and fauna. Delicious picnic packages, wine and desserts can be ordered online, and with its own carry bag you can plonk yourselves wherever your heart desires - beside the water garden, obelisk pond or under the London Plane trees. All 65 hectares of the garden will be open every day from 2024, and there's even overnight glamping packages which is ideal for couples and families (March 29 to April 27). www.mayfieldgarden.com.au

Enjoy lazy afternoons under the elm tree in the beer garden at the historic 1865 O'Connell Hotel which re-opened in September 2023. This village is a 15min scenic drive from Oberon and is a great spot for a long lunch. To keep the pub crawl going, Matt Moran's Rockley Pub is nearby with excellent food, accommodation and Beers and Beats live music sessions in the newly updated beer garden, every Sunday from 1-4pm. www.oconnellhotel.com.au and www.therockleypub.com.au.

Oberon has a long history and some of it has been collected in the museum at the corner of Lowes Mount Road and Scotia Avenue. As well as artifacts and photographs from Oberon's past, the museum has a 3D model of what the town looked like in the 1930s. Of particular interest is the recently opened Forest and Timber display which tells the story of the local timber industry. The museum is open on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 10.30am till 12.30pm. Admission is $5 or $15 for a family.

Held in the CWA rooms from 11am, at 48 Market Street each first Friday of the month. Upcoming dates for the Mudgee CWA Day Branch meetings: April 5. Visitors and new members are always welcome. For more information, contact Genevieve on 0411 574 611.