The Editor

The park has provided access to a range of wildlife for both the community of Whyalla and visitors over a number of years, helping educate students and enable children to get up-close and interact with some of their favourite animals. However, the economic downturn brought about by COVID-19 and, in particular, the associated restrictions on travel have had a significant impact on the ongoing viability of the business.

The National Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the appointment of eight members to the Advisory Group on water markets in the Murray-Darling Basin. “The NFF is pleased to see the Group has a well-balanced mix of stakeholder representatives, technical experts, and especially, water users. We also support the appointment of Mr Daryl Quinlivan as principal adviser on the Advisory Group,” NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

"Farmers must have a secure and reliable supply of workers to make sure they can look after animals, get the crop off trees and out of the ground as we work towards Christmas. As we see borders opening up, so to, are the retail and tourism markets. We simply must do better in the workplace arena," NFF President Fiona Simson said.

Tasmania's peak farming body has produced a range of commitments it is seeking from the State Government relating to climate change. The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) has developed the commitments along with the formation of an Agricultural Sustainability Committee  to oversee its response to the challenges of climate change.

Greater Shepparton City Council has received several reports of turtles exploring local lakes and wetlands, with the rainy conditions triggering turtles to look for safe sites to lay their eggs.

A high-tech underwater drone is helping protect Territory fish and marine life from harmful aquatic pests. The cutting-edge remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) takes monitoring to the next level, reducing the need for divers and providing a mobile camera capable of scanning large areas in limited time.

This research release from the Australian Farm Institute, Stronger ag, Stronger regions highlights the interdependence of agriculture and regional economies. The paper considers how the agriculture sector can leverage stimulatory regional investment to ensure enduring economic stability and social benefits by establishing a virtuous cycle of beneficial impacts.

Grain growers and advisers are invited to take part in a national Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network (AFREN) survey to gauge awareness of fungicide resistance issues and management.

With the impending commencement of the yabby season, recreational fishers are being reminded to do the right thing when fishing for the popular species on the state’s inland waterways.

Forestry Corporation put 40 new firefighting recruits through their paces at its Tumbarumba training camp in preparation for the fire season ahead ... This included topics such as fire behaviour, tactics and strategy, leadership, command, control and communications, and how to operate the range of appliances and equipment used at fires, said Fire Training and Operations Officer, Adrien Thompson.