2012 in pictures

January: Business owner Rodney Luff contemplates installing security cameras to deter vandals. A spate of malicious damage in the main street during July led to calls to toughen alcohol bans in the precinct.

January: Australia Day is always a huge event on the Yass Valley calendar, with dedicated community members recognised for their service. In 2012 the list of award recipients included Dr Syd Dobbin (AM), Wendy Findley, Kevin Bruce, Colin Thompson, Brendan Darmody, Russel Whitehurst, (front) Nicholas Whiting and Nathan Reynolds-Furry.

January: On the Australia Day weekend Yass becomes a hot spot for touch football fans every year, and 2012 was no different. The annual Touch Knockout was again a huge success. Pictured is a player from Macquarie University. Photo: RS Williams.

March: Works on the Yass Dam wall were put on hold after record rainfall caused flooding across the valley. Although Yass town missed out on most of the flood hassles, Wee Jasper was hit hard, along with properties along Yass River. Photo: Kezia Gabriel.

March: Burrinjuck Dam also overflowed during the floods across the Yass Valley.

March: the Yass Golf Club Piranhas claimed its fourth triggs Shield in as many years. The Golf Club scored 186 from their 45 overs and opponents Bowning could only manage 70 in reply. The Golf Club is on track to make it five this season, sitting on top of the table. Photo: RS Williams.

March: Gunning resident Jay Gribbin holds up a glass of brown muddy Gunning water. The town was faced with boil-water alerts for several months before the community was successful in attaining funding to build a new plant. Photo: Goulburn Post.

April: Liberal stalwart Alby Schultz announced his plans to reture at the next election. The 72-year-old planned to paint, ride his motorbike and spend time in his men's shed.

May: Yass was a busy place during May. One beautiful weekend hordes of people filled the streets for the farmer's markets, fire station open day and the National Trust visit to local historic properties. Here, Simon Mitchell and Ray and Max Middleton test out the Fire and Rescue NSW equipment.

June: Funding for the Rae Burgess Centre dried up in June and hundreds of Yass' most vulnerable were facing being left out in the cold in December. Trustee Alfred McCarthy (pictured) was hopeful the trust would find more funding. Thankfully funding was sourced to extend the service until June this year. A new Friends of the Rae Burgess Centre was formed to find a solution to the ongoing funding problems.

June: Natalie Blundell has her Olympic dream dashed for the second time. Blundell narrowly missed out on selection, despite being happy with her lead-up events. The selectors went for a more experienced squad which went to London and ultimately performed poorly.