24th International Seaweed Symposium
The 24th International Seaweed Symposium will be held for the first time in Australia. It will take place in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia’s most southern state, from Sunday 19th to Friday 24th February 2023.
South Australia’s world-class medical precinct on show at global tech event: Champion
South Australian medical and biotech companies will get the opportunity to pitch to global investors at a major trade event in the Middle East, which begins today. The Arab Health Exhibition and Congress, held at Dubai’s World Trade Centre, will provide local companies the international platform to showcase their world-class medical products, devices and capability.
Patients in pain waiting more than seven years to see a specialist: Hurn
Record ramping under Peter Malinauskas continues to have a ripple effect throughout the health system, as new government data exposes that some South Australian patients have a gruelling wait of more than seven years to see a specialist ... Shadow Minister for Health Ashton Hurn said these wait times go hand-in-hand with record ramping where patients are regularly forced to wait more than 24 hours for a bed.
Sixty years of seediness
Peter Flavel. At a recent Probus meeting, the seed business story was told by Jamie Tidy who is general manager of Naracoorte Seeds Pty Ltd & South Australian Seed Marketers. Jamie handles National and International Seed Trading. The Naracoorte Seeds business was established in 1962 as an outlet for Pasture Seed & Grain and is the oldest family run seeds business in Australia.
Porcupine Village woes
It was an announcement that was significant enough for the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events to visit Maldon in May last year: a State Government decision to invest $1.7 million in a development at Porcupine Village ... After eight months, progress on the Porcupine Village development has stalled, with works shut down by Council owing to lack of compliance regarding appropriate planning permission.
A Victorian wallpaper story or do not lick the wallpaper
Palm House in Maldon is an impressive example of a pristine, well-preserved heritage home with all the Victorian charm that is part of Maldon. Situated on High Street, south of the township, serving as a B&B and loved home for Andrew and Amanda Fedorowicz, the residence is a step back in time.
eID committee survives
A committee charged with assessing the benefits, risks and costs of implementing eID tags for sheep and goats in SA has survived a tied 10-10 vote of no confidence. A call for its removal came after a two-hour debate where farmers spoke for and against mandatory eID tags in sheep and goats.
Mobs of debate over eID tags
If a truck load of vendor-bred sheep go direct from a farm to an abattoir, should producers pay for the time, effort and cost of each animal having a $2.50 electronic identification (eID) ear tag ... Current figures suggest around $30 million will be ripped out of rural communities and their service towns by the scheme.
Energy boss takes the reins
Snowy Hydro has announced the appointment of Dennis Barnes as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director ... Mr Barnes was most recently CEO of ASX/NZX-listed Contact Energy, guiding the company through a period of significant change including the separation from Australian majority shareholder Origin Energy and the completion of a NZ$2billion investment program encompassing renewable generation and enterprise-wide systems.
New bridge takes shape
The first of three spans of girders are now in place as the basis of the new Towong Bridge deck slab begins to take form. The first five pre-cast bridge girders were craned into place early this week with each spanning up to 20 metres in length and weighing up to 30 tonnes.
Toowoomba is LifeFlight’s busiest base
Toowoomba LifeFlight was the aeromedical service's busiest Queensland base in 2022, with 659 people helped. The aeromedical missions were performed by the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue and Toowoomba LifeFlignt Surat Gas Aeromedical Service (SGAS) helicopters, which are based at the Clive Berghofer LifeFlight Centre and cover a huge area of the state, from the Darling Downs and beyond.
East River funds to bring relief for channel users
Patricia Gill. An overdue public toilet block will be built at Prawn Rock Channel ... The toilets will be a welcome facility in the peak holiday times for many families of picnickers when the nearest public facility is at Ocean Beach. Walkers in the area have complained about the state of the PRC water and surrounds due to there being no toilets.
Are farm machinery dealerships doomed?
Why do we have so many new car dealerships, machinery dealerships and electronic shops when the buyers are embracing the world of virtual e-commerce platforms for purchasing everything from clothing to cars? ... We need a revolution in how we buy and sell our farm machinery as the hidden costs of an old outdated system are being loaded onto the prices making expensive equipment even more expensive.
Country Hour in Benjeroop
ABC rural reporter Angus Verley was on location last Friday, January 20 in the flood ravaged Benjeroop area ... “We haven’t been flooded out in 100 years but we’ve been flooded out twice in 13 years,” Mr Schultz told Mr Verley. “Something’s not quite right and that’s what we have got to get to the bottom of.”
Native forestry myths
The ongoing and thorough debate on Australian Rural & Regional News on native forestry in 2022, highlighted directly and indirectly a few myths on the subject. Without any order of ranking, these are: 1. Native hardwood should be harvested from hardwood plantations ...
Excitement grows for the Allora Heritage Weekend
Nothing will stop the popular weekend this year - after a postponement then a cancellation in 2022 everyone is ready for an action packed two days of displays, demonstrations and swap meets this Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th January.
Renmark Hospital restores full services after floods
Patients will once again be able to access acute inpatient care at the Renmark Paringa District Hospital from 25 January 2023, as the hospital returns to business as usual following its flood response. As flood waters continue to recede in the area, acute inpatient admissions will recommence after being suspended on 5 December 2022 as part of Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network’s (RMCLHN) flood response.
Photos: Show of giant vegetables entices a crowd to town
Stratheden St was packed on Saturday, January 21 at the Summerland Giant Pumpkin and Watermelon Festival. And there was a line-up of giant vegetables that people had come to see.
Harwood Marine’s $1.3m barge refit for accommodation
A huge vessel being guided into the Port of Yamba by two tugs and a pilot boat last weekend is now berthed at its temporary home, Harwood Marine ... “Harwood Marine previously has done work for TSA and have now been engaged to build a floating accommodation block for the vessel”: Harwood Marine owner Ross Roberts.
Family dream being realised with Sedgers redevelopment
The realisation of a more than decade-long dream for the McGeary and Gilmore families will begin next month when the redevelopment of Iluka’s iconic Sedgers Reef Hotel commences ... “Everyone is welcome to come and farewell the old Sedgers Reef Hotel right up until the time we close”: Rowena Drew.
Buy Local soars during festive season
Giving the gift of variety all while supporting local has come out on top over the festive season with thousands of dollars being injected into the community thanks to the Buy Local Greater Geraldton Gift Cards. Reaching impressive new heights, nearly 900 Gift Cards were purchased in the month of December last year, totalling over $107,000 for the month alone.
Cases falling but the XBB.1.5 variant now detected in WA
In WA Covid-19 cases are continuing to fall but ... WA Health said one case of the Omicron XBB.1.5 variant has been confirmed in the state. The Omicron XBB.1.5 variant is a sublineage of XBB, which emerged when a person was infected with two BA.2 sublineages.

