Sailing away
There are many ways for people to escape life’s often mundane activities, some hook the van on and head to warmer climates, others traverse the globe to far flung destinations. These three couples decided to do it in style, sailing down the mighty Murray.
‘Temeraire’
Toby Henson, famed for restoring the Pyap at Swan Hill, was joined by fellow skipper, Frank Tucker, in delivering the boat from Murray Downs to Moama … The addition of a bow thruster has made manoeuvring the Temeraire less stressful than just relying on the rudder.
Solutions to country vet shortage: NSW Farmers
The state’s peak farm group has laid out a plan for government to resolve an acute shortage of large animal veterinarians in country NSW. NSW Farmers has given evidence to the Inquiry into the Veterinary Workforce Shortage … putting forward three solutions being used internationally.
Community logging on to support timber industry
More than 2200 submissions were presented to Clarence Valley Council (CVC) Mayor Ian Tiley by General Manager of Marshall Notaras Hardwoods and Vice President of Timber NSW Donna Layton on August 28 as a formal response, rejecting a report made at a council meeting two months ago by the Biodiversity Advisory Committee (BAC) which proposes to phase out native logging on public land.
Recogising those people who go unseen
Margaret Millington OAM. Every year, hundreds die around the world from the curse of addiction, but no one can ever really understand what it is like to lose a family member or see a loved one caught in the web of addiction until it happens to them. It is a hideous 'disease' that occurs so easily to unsuspecting victims, but it is so hard to escape from once caught up in it.
South Australian Government opposes southern ocean offshore windfarm zone: Close, Scriven
The State Government has recommended South Australia not be included in the Commonwealth’s proposed offshore wind farm zone that runs from Warrnambool in Victoria to Port MacDonnell … State Government has expressed concerns about the potential impact construction of an offshore windfarm in that area could have on South Australia’s southern fisheries and marine environment.
Seed shortage and fire puts Victorian forests at risk of collapse: Forestry Australia
Victoria’s Ash forests are on the brink of ecosystem collapse following a poor flowering season and repeated fire events, warns the State’s leading forest flowering and seeding expert. The issue highlights concerns raised by Forestry Australia, the seed collection services provided by VicForests, may be lost following the native timber sector shutdown in Victoria.
Sawlogs for firewood – Minister Jarvis responds
“Following this historic decision to end native forest logging, the Cook Labor Government committed to an $80 million Native Forest Transition Plan that included industry restructure payments of over $22 million made to 24 individual businesses – including sawmills. For contracted customers who did not receive an Industry Restructure payment, the Forest Products Commission continues to meet all contractual obligations to deliver both firewood and sawlogs up until the end of this year; or until a deed of agreement to receive an Industry Restructure Payment is executed": Jackie Jarvis.
Casual work set to be redefined
Will Hunter. Casual employees who work a regular pattern of hours may soon have the right to request a permanent position sooner in their employment, under proposed federal government reform. The definition of what it means to be a casual employee is set to be redefined to allow eligible workers a stronger pathway to secure permanent employment.
Tyred Turkeys want to bring tourists on treadlies to town
The Tyred Turkeys are anything but tired. The group has 12 bike riders who ride regularly and have been mapping bike routes for 20 years. There are six founding members of the group who still ride together including Greg Daley, 68, and Damien Cox, 67.
Supercharging Barcaldine’s clean energy future: Miles
Work towards establishing a renewable energy industrial precinct in Barcaldine is powering ahead, with discussions under way with several interested companies ... Acting Premier Steven Miles met with leading economist, Professor Ross Garnaut to discuss the BREZ ahead of today’s Economic Thought Leadership Forum on decarbonising supply chains and growing new industries in Queensland.
Green transmission is “just a fairytale”
Once upon a time, not that long ago, in places not that far away, the Australian Energy Market Operator, AEMO, thought it could devise a “renewable” energy and transmission scheme to outsmart the locals ... Locals along the lines have fought against the plans ...
Trouble in paradise with goldminer and landholders in dispute
For more than 40 years they have run the Clarence River Wilderness Lodge where guests come to escape into the nature and unspoilt beauty of the Clarence Valley. The rocky dirt track off Paddys Flat Rd is a 20-minute steep drive to the lodge and camping grounds on the 460 hectare property.
Mahsa Anderson – Destination: Happiness
Spring is in the air and for many of us that’s a good enough reason to feel happy. But what really is Happiness and how do we get more of one of life’s most desirable emotions? Regional psychologist and Happiness Coach, Mahsa Anderson, gives us the lowdown on this uplifting feeling.
Firewood panic – Jarvis’s order leads to double standards: Gavin Butcher
Gavin Butcher. The WA Government’s new forestry policy is unravelling. The responsible Minister, Jackie Jarvis, has started to panic, reportedly ordering 120,000 tonnes of firewood to be produced, and in the process is sacrificing supplies to sawmills. The result is that high quality sawlogs are being set aside for firewood instead of being manufactured for furniture and flooring.
A growth mindset is a key leadership attribute
A quick lesson anyone learns when travelling regional and rural Australia is how quickly you must adapt to the unpredictable and ever-changing circumstances regional communities find themselves in. If you cannot adapt – you cannot survive! This requires a special mindset ... “The important thing is to never stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing”: Albert Einstein.
How Polish agriculture supports Ukrainian patriotism
For a month of seasonal agricultural work in Poland, Ukrainians can earn as much money as they receive in 10 months in Ukraine. This is so profitable that poor Ukrainians prefer to spend their holidays on the farmer's fields in Poland, and not in the resorts. Diligence enables Ukrainians to save their own country. ... Oksana Pitchenko told us what seasonal agricultural earnings are in reality.
Up, up and away – new Qantas flights
A new Qantas flight schedule and the addition of one extra return flight per week to the Bendigo to Sydney route starts from Monday October 30. Following feedback provided to the airline, the new schedule allows passengers to travel Bendigo to Sydney return in a day, Monday to Friday.
Tiny homes make big impact in Gympie: Scanlon
Tenants have moved in to eight new tiny homes in Gympie, delivered to help ease housing pressures in the region. The factory-built homes were installed at GRAP, which was a joint project between the Queensland Government and Gympie Regional Council after floods devastated the town.
Charleville hosting Darling Downs South West Queensland Regional Community Forum: Grace, Furner
Housing, health, education, training and employment pathways, infrastructure, economic diversification, and the Q2032 Procurement Strategy will be part of the conversation for the members of the Darling Downs South West Queensland Regional Community Forum who meet at Charleville ...
South-East Asian market “bright spot” for dairy exporters: Rabobank
South-East Asia presents a "bright spot" for Australian and New Zealand dairy exporters in an "increasingly lethargic global economy", Rabobank says in a recently-released sector report. The specialist agribusiness bank says "better times lie ahead" for the dairy markets of the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam...
Hope for the best, plan for the worst
Kristin Murdock. Farmers would have noted that grain markets have been pretty flat of late. According to analyst, Andrew Whitelaw of Ep 3, there have been plenty of news stories in the past two months that may have influence. A lot of it involves speculation - speculation that Russia wouldn’t extend the export program ex Ukraine and speculation of huge floods in China. Not to mention the actual bombing of a huge dam in Ukraine.
