Business

The nation is on track to plant an impressive 23.48 million hectare winter crop this year – up slightly on last year’s crop area – Rabobank says in its newly-released 2023/24 Australian Winter Crop Outlook ... overall harvest totals are forecast to be lower than last season, with expectations of drier growing conditions due to the likely transition to an El Nino climate cycle, the specialist agribusiness bank says.

Patrick Goldsmith. In a landmark moment for child care services on Yorke Peninsula, the Maitland Family Centre officially opened on Monday, May 22. Following a long push from central and southern Yorke Peninsula families, the new centre, to be joined by a purposebuilt facility at Minlaton in January, was met with strong enrolments and a productive first week.

Patrick Goldsmith. Rex Minerals and the state government will work to deliver a long-term plan assisting students from across Yorke Peninsula to enter the resource sector. The resources pathway program will be hosted by Ardrossan Area School from next year, with students invited to attend a career awareness day in June to learn more.

South Australia’s tourism industry is well positioned to target the nation’s $17.4 billion Agricultural Tourism market – leveraging its reputation for premium produce to attract more visitors ... The State Government through the South Australian Tourism Commission is launching the South Australian Agritourism Sector Plan 2025 ... A number of demand-driving agritourism experiences already exist in South Australia, including pick-your-own experiences at Beerenberg Farm...

Northern Grampians Shire Council is appalled that widespread community opposition has had no material impact on Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) final recommended alignment for the controversial VNI West power transmission project ... “Landowners need clear and concise answers to the questions they have asked and not simply to refer them to some other arrangement as a reference to how it might work here": Mayor, Cr Kevin Erwin.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has slammed the Andrews Government’s decision to steamroll ahead with transmission developments in Western Victoria following the announcement of a new corridor for the proposed VNI-West project. VFF President Emma Germano said Victoria’s Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio is using extreme powers to come over the top of farming communities and force transmission towers to be built on their land.

LifeFlight Australia’s highly anticipated, brand new Roma helicopter base has officially opened its doors, with a formal ceremony on 30 May 2023, to mark the momentous occasion ... “For people in real need in isolated circumstances – there is no sight better than the vision of a LifeFlight rescue helicopter coming into view during an emergency”: Australian Country Choice CEO Anthony Lee.

WA’s energy safety regulator is investigating an incident in Gnangara in which a teenager is believed to have received an electric shock from high-voltage power lines while clearing vegetation. Building and Energy electrical inspectors were at the property where witness accounts indicated the teenager sustained serious hand and other injuries after his trimming equipment made contact with the power lines, causing the electric current to pass through his body.

It was about speed and presentation (that’s where the parsley comes in) in the Great Boning Wars that took place on the back of a truck in the middle of roundabout turned cattle ring in Walker St, Casino. It was Beef Week Saturday, May 27, and the art of de-boning meat was a spectator sport.

Australia’s largest independent ticketing company, Oztix, today announced the acquisition of Local Tickets — a smaller, rival ticketing agency specialising in local events Australia-wide. Local Tickets has been rebranded to Localtix, effectively immediately, and all Local Tickets clients will automatically have access to an expanded suite of Oztix product features as part of the companies coming together.

From the historic streets of Bathurst to the outback city of Broken Hill, people across regional NSW will be empowered with knowledge about how to keep their identity secure as ID Support NSW visits eight regional communities from 30 May until 28 June. Following a successful roadshow along the Northern NSW coast last year which saw more than 400 people attend, ID Support NSW is engaging more communities to help improve their identity, privacy, and cyber security awareness.

A Charles Sturt University researcher has developed a mobile phone app that provides information about NSW river levels in a 50-kilometre radius from the user. The ‘RiversNearMe’ app was developed by Dr Darren Yates, a postdoctoral research scientist in the Charles Sturt School of Computing, Mathematics and Engineering and in the Charles Sturt Gulbali Institute of Agriculture, Water and Environment.

Following Rex Airlines’ decision to exit its operations from Whyalla, Qantas has announced additional flights to help address the gap that will be created by Rex’s departure ... “There is still a lot of work to be done to fill the gaps in service, so we are working extensively with the broader airline industry to explore options to help minimise the impact of Rex’s decision”: Mayor Phill Stone.

From timber and metal to stationery; and crafts and organics to soils, a range of material otherwise destined for landfill is being traded – and given new purpose - using the online marketplace-style ASPIRE platform ... Early adopters of the platform are two local businesses Rockcote, Australia’s leading paint manufacturer, partnering with the Yandina Community Gardens’ Food Loop program.

Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio confirmed that the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) can progress the critical VNI-West project, which will better connect the Victoria and NSW energy grids ... A Ministerial Order has been implemented to progress AEMO’s preferred option, which connects VNI West to the planned Western Renewables Link (WRL) at a terminal station at Bulgana in Victoria’s west, then linking to a terminal station near Kerang in north central Victoria, before crossing the Murray River north of Kerang.

The State Government’s decision earlier this week to end the native forestry industry effective January 2024 came as a shock to the whole sector, clearly with zero consultation with any forestry industry representatives. Timber Towns Victoria calls the decision ‘reckless’ and ‘irresponsible’, condemning the decision.

‘Branching Out”, the latest report on the NSW native forestry by the Blueprint Institute, was released on 26 April and put into the media with the subeditorial line “Report outlines economic benefit of ending native forest logging’ ... The Report should be marked ‘draft’ given its deficiencies - and that is being generous.

Money ... It's time to pull stumps on Metronet and accept we are not New York or London ... Power ... exploring the unforeseen consequences of over-investing in renewables ... Guns ... no logic in capping firearm numbers for recreational shooters, sporting shooters or primary producers ...

There is no more excuse for split ends in Tennant Creek any more, with the new opening of the Deadly Hair Dude's new salon in town. Hairdresser Gary Strachan has been working hard with RN Employment to open the salon for two weeks each month both as a training opportunity for locals and a service to the community with the aim it will eventually become a sustainable local business.

Did you know: If you poured all the grain—canola, lentils, hay and silage—produced each year in the Buloke Shire into the MCG it would overflow? The BCG Buloke Farm Tours, launching this August, are a new initiative to showcase the produce, passion and dedication of farming communities in the Buloke Shire.  

With regional tourism on the rise, Donald, along with a lot of other rural communities, is finally getting its time in the proverbial spotlight. And the Donald 2000 committee is determined to shine that spotlight on something that cannot be missed.

Renowned printmaker and Castlemaine-based artist David Frazer identifies with rock n’ roll. He even tried to be a musician before realising his strengths were more in fine art than music ... he’s created a very small run of handmade books titled More than Flesh and Bone featuring his signature wood engraved prints inspired by the lyrics of three of his favourite Tom Waits songs.