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Kendall Jennings. It has been nearly a month since public transport was available from the Kerang Railway Station, halted by the floods. The Swan Hill line was reactivated on Saturday, November 12, running trains for the entire service after the line was inspected and passed last week.

The latest two additions to the Koondrook Barham Red Gum Statue Walk were publicly revealed on Sunday, November 13. The Roy Higgins and Sidney Reid statues brings the Red Gum Statue Walk to a total of 20 features capturing the twin towns’ history, ecology and pioneering spirit ... “This walk is a very unique feature of our towns and highlights the versatility and magnificence of sustainable red gum timber": Tom Chick, KDC chairman.

There’s more financial support for Northern Rivers residents who have to travel a long way for specialist medical treatment. The state government recently added $150 million to the Isolated Patients Travel Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) that is for regional patients.

Labor has confirmed it is scrapping funding for the Agriculture Shows Development Grants Program. In Estimates week, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said $14 million in funding for Ag shows was being “reprioritised”. Maranoa MP David Littleproud said Estimates had sadly proved Labor was taking even more money out of regional and rural Australia, with infrastructure funding for Ag shows now gone, including in the electorate of Maranoa.

They’re the creepy crawlies with a voracious appetite, so when it comes to food waste, black soldier fly larvae are nature’s number one composters. Now, these wriggly grubs are helping South Australia’s food bowl stay clean and green as part of a sustainable food initiative from Mobius Farms.

Norco Primex has bounced back after local natural disasters with a near-capacity event. More than 10,000 people attended the final day of Norco Primex 2022 on Saturday ... “We chose to go ahead late this year to ensure Norco Primex 2022 would deliver for North Coast communities": director Bruce Wright.

Rodney Stevens. Organisers of the Yamba Rod Run are already working to have their traditional Saturday Show and Shine held in the streets of the Yamba CBD after a misunderstanding with council saw this year’s event moved to Ford Park. Lew Falzon of Borderline Street Rodders said after a two-year Covid enforced hiatus, more than 400 vehicles, their owners and families were in town for the 29th Yamba Rod Run.

“This bill is a signal to the Government that this is an essential step to saving koalas from extinction and is as simple as an amendment to the Forestry Act. We could save money, protect jobs and stimulate the economy while also taking immediate action to slow the extinction crisis in NSW": NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson ... Sue Higginson responded to a question from ARR.News.

Australian agricultural commodity prices have posted a slight uptick in the last two months with NAB’s Rural Commodities Index* rising 1.1% in October following a 1% increase in September. Released on 15 November 2022, NAB’s November Rural Commodities Wrap reports much of the increase has been driven by higher wheat and cattle prices offsetting falls in cotton, fruit and vegetables.

The state government body tasked to handle the business operations of Bramwell Station say they are committed to keeping the roadhouse and tourist park open, but questions have been raised over the transparency of the dealings. In a statement to Cape York Weekly, the Department of Environment and Science said it was dealing with existing sublease holders to keep the tourist businesses up and running beyond November 30, when the keys are officially handed to the Queensland government.

Aurukun is no stranger to unrest but locals fear that issues in the community are at breaking point after a year of violence and sorry business ... Attendance at the school has dwindled as a result of violence in the street and sleepless nights, while the council struggles to find staff for essential roles, meaning services such as the post office and community bank have been closed intermittently.

Four new registered nurses have joined the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service as part of a Queensland-first program to attract people from the city to the country. The nurses are part of the Rural Generalist Registered Nurse Program workforce initiative.

The NSW Government will not proceed with the Environmental Protection and Assessment Amendment (Private Native Forestry) Bill. While this Bill upholds all existing protections for the environment, we will continue to have further conversations with local councils to progress legislation that unites communities and industry.

A team led by University of South Australia researchers has pioneered a new soil remediation technique that is significantly faster, simpler, safer, and more cost-effective than currently available method … a new remediation technique that uses a super-efficient solar evaporation surface to draw water from the soil through a sponge-like filter that traps contaminants, mimicking the process of transpiration that occurs in natural plants, but at a greatly accelerated rate.

Australian Rural & Regional News sought an update on koala monitoring from NSW DPI Principal Research Scientist, Dr Brad Law ... Key points from DPI Forest Science research include: New acoustic survey methods have demonstrated koalas occur more commonly throughout the north-east hinterland forests than previously appreciated ... Annual monitoring of koala occurrence in hinterland forests since 2015 has found a stable trend over time at a regional level. Trend data are generally not available from other regions ... A parallel study found that regulated timber harvesting had no significant impact on koala density ...

Australia's first remote renewable hydrogen microgrid has launched in Denham in Western Australia's Gascoyne region ... Once fully operational in early 2023, the plant is expected to be able to power the average demands of 100 households or 20 per cent of Denham's residents and businesses.

The NSW Government and NRMA charging network has enabled more than 13 million zero emission kilometres – or the distance to the moon and back more than 30 times – of electric vehicle (EV) travel across the state. The impressive milestone was reached as the network continues to expand, with new chargers along the Mitchell Highway at Nyngan and Bourke and out to Brewarrina along the Kamilaroi Highway.

Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan has launched Dive Ningaloo's new dive charter vessel at an official naming ceremony in Exmouth. The newly restored Lady Ningaloo will provide tourists with access to the underwater wonderland of the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef and Muiron Islands.

Forestry Australia has welcomed a new study that highlights the significant value and benefits that state forests deliver for positive environmental, recreational, social and commercial outcomes. Assessing the net benefits of multiple use native forest management in Queensland found that state forests managed for multiple uses in South and Central Queensland delivered additional benefits and superior social outcomes over the long term when compared with benefits provided by national parks.