Junee Show, 22 October 2022
It’s Junee Show time again! After a two-year hiatus, the Junee Show is set to go ahead again on Saturday, 22 October 2022. Gates will open at 9am at the Junee Showground on Park Lane, and the 132nd Junee Show is going to be the biggest and best show yet!
Norco Lismore Show, 20-22 October 2022
$1 off all rides! Free entry for all!
Lismore Show Society
All ride tickets at the Norco North Coast National Lismore Show will be $1 off...
Forest scientists concerned by lack of evidence and dismissal of expert modelling: Forestry Australia
Documents released under a Freedom of Information request have exposed a lack of evidence-based decision making by the Western Australian Government in relation to management of native forests, according to the organisation that represents professional forest scientists and managers. Chair of the WA Branch of Forestry Australia, Brad Barr, said revelations that the decision to end native forest timber harvesting was not backed up by scientific evidence gave reason to question the Government’s motives.
NSW Farmers says ‘no’ to Methane Pledge: NSW Farmers
The state’s peak agricultural advocacy body says it is opposed to Australia signing up to a global ‘methane pledge’ that is killing small towns across the ditch ... NSW Farmers CEO Pete Arkle said while the federal government had been quick to promise no tax on farmers if it signed up to the Methane Pledge, the experience of New Zealand’s farmers proved talk was cheap.
More effective approach to controlling feral deer: Furner
Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the Feral Deer Management Strategy 2022-27 would help build capacity to control feral deer. “Feral deer numbers across Queensland are growing and pose an increasing threat to biodiversity, agriculture and public safety,” Mr Furner said.
‘Self thinning forest understoreys reduce wildfire risk, even in a warming climate’: Philip Zylstra responds to Jack Bradshaw
Mr Bradshaw has expressed concerns about the methodology in our paper, but unfortunately, he seems to have fundamentally misunderstood what we did. Without going into that complexity, we will address his core argument here: that the proportion of an area burnt each year is dependent upon the likelihood that a fire will start there, and the amount and effect of fire suppression that occurs there. We thoroughly agree, but the question is whether this reality biases the trends in a way that will cause our results, as he has suggested.
Comment on ‘Self-thinning forest understoreys reduce wildfire risk, even in a warming climate’: Jack Bradshaw
Earlier this year a paper was published in an international journal that argued that if left long enough the southern forest of Western Australia was ‘unlikely to burn’. Furthermore that ‘the predicted likelihood of fire in undisturbed forest was 1 in 208 to 1 in 1149 years.’ In my opinion, the methodology used to obtain the results was so badly flawed as to make the conclusions meaningless.
Artificial intelligence tool trialled for high-risk bug detection: DAFF
Some of Australia’s brightest minds are collaborating to finalise a portable device that uses artificial intelligence to help biosecurity officers more quickly identify high-risk brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) on the frontline ... This app will help operational staff identify the BMSB (Halyomorpha halys) and other invasive and endemic stink bug species in the field and in real-time.
Ag Speak – Rethinking the shearing team
Kristin Murdock. A new approach to managing shearing teams is paying dividends in the Mid North of the state and helping address the skills shortage which is being felt by the entire livestock industry. When Sarah-Jane Abley’s shearing team steps onto the boards of shearing sheds around South Australia, out goes any hierarchy and instead the team just gets to work.
Horses on show
When you’re at the Maldon & Baringhup Agricultural Show this Sunday, you’ll see local farmer Bill McKnight quietly going about his business as ringmaster: he’s in charge of the horse events. It’s not an easy job, with 100 to 140 horses competing in a range of events. At the age of 87, is Bill the oldest ringmaster in Australia?
“Let it flood”
Community members have been left flabbergasted and frustrated at government agencies who threatened prosecution over repairing flood banks which have protected local properties throughout previous high rivers. Community members were told “expect to be flooded if you live on a floodplain” by the same authority that wants to build a flood bank to deliver environmental water to artificially flood the bush.
Naturally smart farming
Kylie Cook. Natural Intelligence Farming improves pasture diversity and productivity, rebuilds soils, repairs landscapes and beneï¬ts human and livestock health. The manager of Prospect Pastoral Co, a Wheatbelt mixed cropping and livestock operation of more than 60,000ha, Di Haggerty, spoke to the Wilson Inlet Growers Group in July ... She said Wheatbelt farmers faced many challenges, a drying climate, ‘gutless’ sandy soils, salinity and erosion of bare ground between cropping seasons.
Gourmet Flare
The Moulamein Bowling Club hosted a Gourmet Fare on Saturday, October 8. This was the second event, the first was held during a short reprieve in the Covid-19 clamp down. The government rules of being allowed to stand but not sit, as apparently Covid-19 knew the difference, was a distant memory.
Councils welcome renewed focus on social and economic impacts of the Basin Plan
The Murray River Group of Councils has welcomed an updated report from Frontier Economics and Tim Cummins and Associates which clearly shows the impact of Basin Plan water recovery on communities across Northern Victoria. As water Ministers prepare to meet to discuss the Basin Plan, this timely report puts the focus where it needs to be: on the people who live and work in the Basin.
Squeezing yield from rain – the Wheatbelt story: Robert Onfray
Robert Onfray. Many negatives are written about the clearing associated with developing Western Australia’s Wheatbelt into a farming paradise ... The Wheatbelt has played a pivotal role in a trend that has seen world poverty and starvation decrease despite a 50 per cent increase in the world's population since 1990 to over 7.8 billion people.
New direction for Southern Forests water security: MacTiernan, Kelly
The WA Government has determined not to proceed with the Southern Forests Irrigation Scheme in its current form, as the climate modelling indicates the dam on Record Brook is not viable. Reports by CSIRO found climate change and lowering of the water table has significantly altered the supply of available water from the Donnelly River.
Water buybacks to further damage Northern Victorian dairy industry: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation’s United Dairy Farmers of Victoria (VFF UDV) says Northern Victoria’s dairy industry would be further damaged by water buybacks and the recovery of the 450GL up-water target ahead of this week’s meeting of State and Federal Water Ministers to discuss the Murray Darling Basin Plan. VFF UDV President Mark Billing said the group strongly opposed the recovery of the 450GL saying it would lead to losses in dairy production and local jobs.
New release – The 1982-83 Victorian Bushfire Season, Including Ash Wednesday – 16 February 1983 – A Forester’s Perspective
Forty years ago, south eastern Australia was in the middle of a prolonged drought and facing a perilous bushfire season. A new e-book by retired Victorian forester, Peter McHugh, provides a detailed account of the 1982-83 bushfire season from a new perspective ... It was a long and hectic fire season for the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) which attended 878 fires on State forests and National Parks totalling 486,030 ha, which was well above the 11-year average of 141,000 ha.
Weipa Billfish Tournament – Young guns shine at tournament
The future of the Weipa Billfish Club appears to be bright if the results from the club’s annual major tournament are any indication ... The 2022 Hastings Deering Weipa Billfish Tournament attracted 54 anglers in 16 boats, comprising five juniors, 10 women and 39 men.
165th Longford Show, 15 October 2022
Come and celebrate the 165th Longford Show on Saturday the 15th of October. We are a very family friendly show, there is lots of free entertainment to see throughout the day.
