History etched on coin
Have you ever imagined carrying two big things in your pocket—a giant lobster and a fossil cave? Well, you can definitely do that now. Two of Southeast’s most iconic moneymakers—Kingston’s Larry the Lobster and Naracoorte’s Fossil Mammal Reserves—are officially in mint condition, having received a unique new honour last week.
Negotiations on
The South Australian Education Union and the state government are still at loggerheads over better pay and conditions for public educators ... If the union members vote for a second strike action, many public schools, including those in Naracoorte and the Limestone Coast region, would close for another day ... Mr Gohl claimed that after nine months of negotiations, the Premier was still standing in the way of better educational outcomes for South Australian students.
Bill will kickstart housing supply
Independent Federal Member for Indi, Helen Haines, introduced a Bill to Parliament this week to increase the amount of government housing funding that will go to regional Australia. The Unlocking Regional Housing Bill specifically addresses the housing crisis in regional, rural and remote Australia, by making funding easier to access and requiring the Minister to look at action so that at least 30 per cent of funding to go to regional, rural and remote Australia.
Lookout sign sends mixed messages
A reader has questioned the appropriateness of the place name ‘Munyang’ in relation to the Snowy Mountains, as referenced on the new sign at Farrans Lookout on the Great River Road ... "My research goes back to notes I discovered in the Mitchell Library in Sydney written in 1838, a few years after Europeans first entered the district": John Murphy.
Holiday homes ‘not to blame’
Serena Kirby. Private homes rented as holiday accommodation are not the cause of Denmark’s housing shortage. The ï¬nding was revealed in Denmark Futures’ research over the past 18 months and presented at a community forum last month.
Investors visit solar farm
The Grong Grong Solar Farm team hosted crowd equity investors and other stakeholders onsite last Thursday ... The Grong Grong Solar Farm team showed them through the site, and took time to explain how bifacial solar panels work...
New X-Ray machine marks the spot!
Thanks to overwhelming support from the communities it serves, West Wimmera Health Service has unveiled and commenced using its new X-Ray machine. The new digital X-Ray machine offers shorter exposure times, more accurate imaging, faster examination times, and reduced radiation dose.
Janmac sires breed suckers to hit market sweet spot
A large selection of impressive rams by Janmac’s homegrown sires will feature in the stud’s annual spring sale this year, highlighting the depth of the stud’s genetics. And having recently returned from Sheepvention, one of the largest sheep expos in the country, Janmac Poll Dorset and White Suffolk Stud co-principal Grant Hausler said weight and quality wise their sheep were "right on track".
The Big Banana is on a gold coin
In July 2022, The Big Banana received an email from the Royal Australian Mint about exploring the unique opportunity for The Big Banana to be featured on an Australian legal tender coin as part of a collection of ten coins celebrating iconic ‘big’ monuments across Australia. The collection was planned to be made available as part of a nationwide collectable coin program, providing the Australian public with access to these coins through their change.
Locals shine in Country Rugby Championships
Future Wallabies stars were on show at Yamba over the weekend as the Ngayundi Sports Complex hosted hundreds of children from across the state for the under 12 and 13, 2023 NSW Country Rugby Union Championships ... The Far North Coast under 13 side, coached by the Lower Clarence’s Dane Mitchell, impressed in every one of its four games, scoring more than 100 points while keeping their opposition score to zero.
New local laws on short stay rental accommodation take effect
New local laws to better regulate short stay rental accommodation in Bass Coast come into effect, supported by an online portal to streamline applications and approvals for property owners … to better manage short stay rental accommodation across the municipality, paving the way for a more structured, efficient system as visitor numbers surge.
Call for public space to retain the spirit of Two Rocks and Atlantis
Residents who successfully campaigned for heritage listing of King Neptune are calling for the spirit of Two Rocks and Atlantis to be retained … Two Rocks residents told Hannah Beazley, who is Parliamentary Secretary to Planning and Lands Minister John Carey, of their concerns the community could lose the public open space east of King Neptune if RAAFA WA is successful in having the public open space shifted.
Australian agricultural exports reach new highs: Rural Bank
Rural Bank’s Australian Agricultural Exports Report 2022/23 has found that export values reached a record high in 2022/23, driven by the 2022 winter crop. Australia’s top 13 export markets recorded year-on-year growth with the top 12 all achieving record highs, led by China, with Japan and the US retaining their places as Australian agriculture’s second and third most valuable markets.
Concerns grow around dispensing changes
Michelle Daw. Chemists on Yorke Peninsula are cutting back on opening hours and making other changes to save money in response to the introduction of 60-day dispensing on September 1 ... “The funding cuts as a result of this new model will cost the average pharmacy $180,000 per year in lost gross profit — the profit which pays the bills and keeps the pharmacy open and brings a resident pharmacist to town with pay and accommodation”: Noel Allen.
Field days fashion parade sure to wow
This year’s Yorke Peninsula Field Days fashion parades will showcase a special collection of home-grown featuring Merino wool ... “This year we are focusing on local made brands including brands using home grown Merino wool, with a splash of country wear, work wear and glam”: Nadia Stamp.
Saving koalas. Next steps for the Great Koala National Park: Sharpe, Moriarty
The NSW Government has announced the process to establish the Great Koala National Park, as well as a halt to timber harvesting operations in the 106 koala hubs within the area being assessed for the park ... ARR.News asked some questions of the Minister about koala surveys and research indicating that properly conducted forestry does not adversely impact koala numbers. A departmental spokesperson responded.
Lessons from Germany’s industry
Germany's brown coal industry in the famous Rhineland region, which inspired Sir John Monash to build the State Electricity Commission using Latrobe Valley coal, still packs some punch, despite the drive towards more renewables. And the carbon dioxide being produced by the region’s modern brown coal power stations can be redirected into a number of industrial uses.
Take the kids to Rottnest Island for free to celebrate new baby quokkas: Saffioti
Travel to Rottnest Island is free for kids aged 12 and under this weekend and island admission fees have also been waived as part of the Little Quokka's Big Birthday event. The annual event … celebrates the arrival of new quokka joeys with a program of free activities for the whole family…
MLA to launch environmental credentials pilot for grassfed beef producers
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking grassfed beef producers to take part in the piloting of an online platform that is under development in the Environmental Credentials of Australian grassfed beef project ... The platform covers five environmental themes: tree cover, ground cover, carbon balance, biodiversity stewardship, and drought resilience.
Statement – Export to resume as Indonesian live cattle suspension lifted: Kirby
The announcement that Indonesia will lift its live cattle export suspension with immediate effect is welcomed. With Malaysia recently making the same announcement, this means our critical live cattle industry can return to normal export routes as quickly as possible.
Statement on resumption of Indonesian live cattle trade: NFF
The National Farmers’ Federation welcomes the agreement to resume the trade of Australian buffalo and cattle following restrictions imposed by Indonesia. We appreciate this has been a challenging time for the Australian and Indonesian industries as these issues were worked through.
Floating sea farms – an ingenious solution to feed the world and ensure freshwater by 2050: UniSA
The sun and the sea – both abundant and free – are being harnessed in a unique project to create vertical sea farms floating on the ocean that can produce fresh water for drinking and agriculture. In what is believed to be a world first, UniSA researchers have designed a self-sustaining solar-driven system that evaporates seawater and recycles it into freshwater, growing crops without any human involvement.
