Business

The team behind Blackbutt Avocado Festival is pleased to launch the Blackbutt Shopfront Art Trail from Saturday 11 September ... Arts Project Officer Olivia Everitt said, “The Blackbutt Shopfront Art Trail celebrates an opportunity for artists and businesses to come together. We thank the businesses involved for embracing this exhibition concept, and encourage locals and visitors to enjoy the artworks as you shop in town, stop for a coffee or enjoy the Rail Trail.”

Minister for Resources and Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said the Port of Townsville was a key piece of infrastructure when it comes to developing hydrogen exports. “Sun Metals is one of Townsville’s most innovative businesses and it’s exciting to have their sister company, Ark Energy, plan to export renewable hydrogen to South Korea from Queensland’s publicly-owned port,” Mr Stewart said.

Lismore City Council recently accepted a tender to design and construct a $600,000 ‘Solar Carpark’ in the Council-owned Clyde Campbell carpark. The infrastructure includes the installation an architectural ‘butterfly-shaped’ awning, clad with photo-voltaic solar panels and covering 40 carparks. It also includes the installation of two EV fast chargers, making them Lismore’s first.

Claire Rankin. Coraki Hotel publican Ron Macdonald has been forced to sell his tap beer as takeaway because of the lockdown ... Lockdowns both this year and last have forced Mr Macdonald to sell his tap beer at a cut price, because brewers reject opened kegs.

Emma Pritchard. Her sign says it all ... As the state-wide lockdown continues, Jess Wood, Manager of The Book Warehouse in Grafton, says she has seen an increase in the number of people purchasing books as the community searches for refreshing ways to keep their minds happily occupied during these challenging times.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government has agreed to  continue its landmark quarantine arrangement with Victoria which sees Tasmania quarantine seasonal workers from the Pacific Islands, in return for the Victorian Government assuming responsibility for Tasmania’s commitment to assisting Australians returning from overseas.

Mark Knowles. Cape York artist Fiona Wirrer-George Oochunyung debuted her new range of fashion designs at the Brisbane Festival on Sunday. Her debut was part of the First Nations Fashion: Walking in Two Worlds show, curated by Cairns-based artist Grace Lillian Lee and presented by the Brisbane Festival and Screen Queensland.

The number 22 proved to be extremely lucky for dad Jamie Hutton, who celebrated Father’s Day in style when he won a new boat at the Weipa Fishing Classic on Saturday night. Jamie, who was born on the 22nd, purchased key ring 1722 and was the 22nd person to be drawn into the major prize pool.

Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility and Territorians are being encouraged to join the conversation with the community consultation now open on the Northern Territory’s livestock biosecurity laws.

Strong increases in nearly all commodity prices saw the Rabobank Rural Commodity Price Index lift by 3.26 per cent in August to its highest level on record. This includes going beyond the Covid-induced commodity price surge of March 2020.

Gannawarra Shire businesses may see more visitors this summer as copies of the new Gannawarra Visitor Guide have been distributed to Visitor Centre’s throughout Victoria and across the border.

Over five million pine and eucalyptus seeds are being sown this year at Forestry Corporation of NSW’s Grafton nursery. The program is providing a boost to local employment and continuing to rebuild NSW State forest plantations previously harvested or lost in the Black Summer bushfires.

The opportunities and the potential of the NSW Agriculture sector to grow to $30 billion by 2030 came through loud and clear at the NSW Farmers online Annual Conference. “The prospects for increasing local food and fibre production are abundant, with 94 percent of the state out of or recovering from drought and strong commodity prices,” said NSW Farmers President James Jackson.    

A new exceptional circumstance review for the Department of Health’s Distribution Priority Area (DPA) classification will help regional and rural areas respond to unforeseen workforce and population changes which may be impacting access to local GP services ... “I have heard loud and clear the concerns that the current approach is not capturing current or emerging local pressures, sudden and unexpected changes and unmet demand,” said Federal Regional Health Minister, Dr David Gillespie.

The Greens have introduced a bill to parliament that would ban the export of greyhounds from Australia for commercial purposes including breeding and racing.

Hollywood celebrity and billionaires playground Byron Bay has seen the biggest pub deal this year after Melbourne duo Scott Didier and fintech founder Scott Emery bought the Great Northern and Lateen Lane properties from the Mooney family for $80 million.

The Tattersalls Hotel in Casino, NSW has become the latest pub sale in a bustling market, in a circa $9 million deal. The large format Tattersalls Hotel, Casino includes a public bar, bistro, commercial kitchen, 20 accommodation rooms, a function space and gaming room with 14 gaming entitlements and was sold with a further eight gaming entitlements from a separate pub owned by the same vendor, publican Craig Lusby.

Newcastle-based hospitality management firm Hunt Hospitality has acquired the 170-year-old 1851-built Imperial Hotel in Maitland. Manenti Quinlan & Associates, together with Moore and Moore Real Estate, sold the venue to the Imperial Hospitality Group owner back in 2017 and managed the off-market campaign this time around.