July 2: Lithgow has been selected as one of the towns to trial the internationally renowned alcohol and drug prevention program 'Planet Youth'. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) made the announcement on June 25 that the pilot was set to take place over two and a half years.

July 2: Fifty-two years in the retail industry makes for a pretty impressive work record. But, now it's time for Lithgow Harvey Norman employee Kathy Haley to head into a well-deserved retirement. Kathy was just 15 when she left her schooling at Lithgow High to step out into the work force at Bracey's.

JULY 9: EnergyAustralia announced it will invest $80 million in operation upgrades at its Mt Piper power station at Portland to expand the plant's capacity by 60 megawatts, or enough electricity to power an additional 55,000 homes in NSW.

JULY 16: Katoomba's $4.7 million Community Dialysis Centre opened at Blue Mountains hospital on Monday, July 1. The new satellite service for the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (NBMLHD) is set to bring essential dialysis services closer to home and is part of the Western Renal Service.

JULY 23: The Inner Wheel Club of Lithgow celebrated its 60th anniversary.

JULY 30: For a second year, Wolgan Valley Eco Tours was awarded the gold award for ecotourism at the NSW Country and Outback Regional Tourism Awards.

AUGUST

AUG 2: In a move to make a difference and provide some comfort, Lithgow Tin Shed owner Tania Aussel along with Rich Evans and LINC staff members started running a portable soup kitchen offering hot beverages and clothes to the less fortunate and the homeless.

AUG 13: The weekend's snowfalls created much joy for children in the Lithgow region and major traffic headaches for motorists.

AUG 16: Lithgow police officer Senior Constable Philip O'Brien was awarded the Chifley Police District's highest honour.

AUG 30: Centennial Coal's Clarence won overall honours at the Western Mines Rescue competition on Friday, August 23.

SEPT 3: Meet Naala. This 13-year-old blue cattle cross has been playing an important role in the lives of Lithgow High School students as a therapy dog for the past six years.

SEPT 6: Coal supply issues resulted in Mt Piper scaling back its operations, owner EnergyAustralia announced on Wednesday, September 4.

SEPT 10: Grace Wilkinson could easily see how close the Lidsdale fire came to her home - you could measure it in feet from her front and back doors.

SEPT 13: There were plenty of people eager to get on board for the first ever Bathurst Bullet train to stop in Tarana on Monday, September 16.

SEPT 13: Lithgow Aged Care would not take any new residents into care in at least the following six months after sanctions were imposed by the Department of Health and Ageing.

SEPT 20: An unexpected snowfall fell across the region.

SEPT 24: It's a big job, but the new owners of Lithgow's former TAFE facility on Mort Street are confidant in 12 months time, the landmark building will once again be an asset to the community.

SEPT 27: The demolition of the former Wallerawang Power Station was given the green light at Lithgow City Council's meeting on September 23.

OCT 15: Sue Kearns has had a very rewarding career as both a teacher and a principal in the Lithgow and Portland region. The principal St Joseph's Primary School Portland was recognised for 35 years of service to the community.

OCT 18: Full time coal miner and part time artist Shane Monaghan recently won the Steam Art Prize at the Gang Gang Gallery Zig Zag Exhibition.

OCT 18: After 16 years on air, Lithgow's community radio station EZYFM officially had its last broadcast on Monday, October 14.

OCT 22: Lithgow owes its foundations to its railway, visitors to historic Bowenfels station were told on Saturday, October 19 as part of the region's 150 years of rail celebrations.

OCT 22: The outstanding compassion, integrity and kindness of two of the region's students were honoured with a Fred Hollows Humanity Award. Zig Zag Public School's Tahlei Tamanitoakula and Lithgow Public School's Christopher Pilarcik Gee were recognised at a ceremony at the University of Technology Sydney on Thursday, October 17.

OCT 25: A 30-year-old miner was airlifted to Westmead Hospital after his right leg was trapped by a conveyor belt head eight kilometres underground at Clarence Colliery on Monday night. He was freed by his work mates.

OCT 25: A short horror film created by 13-year-old Lithgow High School student Amy Chandler was shortlisted from more than 480 entries to be screened at the Lithgow Halloween festival as part of the inaugural Lithgow Halloween Film Competition Awards.

OCT 29: It was a spooky vibe down Main Street when the annual Halloween festival kicked off on Saturday, October 27. The weird and wonderful turned out from around the region and far and wide to join in on the fun.

OCT 29: Mudgee and Bathurst have seen success in bringing NRL games to their fields, and now Lithgow City Councillor Wayne McAndrew hopes that Lithgow can follow in their footsteps. Cr McAndrew put in a notice of motion for the Monday, October 28 council meeting with the recommendation that the council engage with the National Rugby League regarding what is required by them to stage NRL games here in Lithgow.

NOV 1: In the early hours of Saturday morning, October 26, Lithgow's popular Blue Fox Bar and Kitchen was alight. After almost three years in business it was a devastating blow to owner Kat Alexander and her daughters Laura and Holly. They have now relocated temporarily to the former Old Exchange building in Main Street.

NOV 1: Lithgow High School's Wellbeing Centre was displayed at the NSW Mental Health Commission's Mental Health Month Parliamentary Showcase on Thursday, October 24.

NOV 5: After 12 months of rescue training, 10 fire fighters from Lithgow Fire and Rescue have received their general land rescue certification. Lithgow Fire and Rescue station officer Steven Houghton said that it was all about offering an extra resource to Lithgow.

NOV 8: It was perhaps fitting that, on the way to announce community consultation was open for the proposed $2.5 billion duplication of the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Lithgow, the officials were delayed - first by a car crash at Katoomba which brought down power lines, and then by roadworks on the Bells Line of Road. Read more here.

NOV 12: By lunch time on Saturday, November 9, more than 500 customers had already flooded the corner of the Great Western Highway and Caroline Avenue for the first official day of the Lithgow Hungry Jack's store.

NOV 15: Imagine a soldier in battle with a weapon that could identify who was an enemy and who was your comrade. That is what Thales Australia is currently developing in Lithgow. Read more here.

NOV 15: The Glen Davis area was put on high alert as the Gospers Mountain fire, which began in October, spread rapidly in the extreme conditions.

NOV 22: The first delivery of coal arrived at Mt Piper power station as part of a plan to rebuild stockpiles in the lead up to summer. The plant, owned by EnergyAustralia, was in a "coal conservation mode" since September due to low coal supplies, which scaled back its energy production.

NOV 26: The Gospers Mountain Fire, which continued to burn in all directions through the Wollemi National Park region through December, is the largest fire this district has ever seen.

Nov 26: The River Lett runs through Hartley Vale, providing a life-giving resource to wildlife in the area. But it stopped running in November and residents have calling for an environmental flow to be released into the river from Dargan.

NOV 29: Lithgow City Council will receive a further $1 million under the Drought Communities Program, Member for Calare Andrew Gee said this week.

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