Business

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Agriculture has sold Nerrima Station for more than $30 million, and a further two pastoral stations Ruby Plains and Sturt Creek ... The 203,000ha Nerrima Station, 480,000ha Ruby Plains and 316,000ha Sturt Creek in Western Australia’s Kimberley region were put on the market after Hancock Agriculture and S. Kidman & Co revealed in November last year plans to sell its pastoral holdings comprising eight properties spanning 1.9 million hectares.

Fund manager Gunn Agri Partners has picked up an avocado orchard in northern NSW, looking ahead to higher retail prices for the popular fruit after this year’s massive harvest. The group has paid $11 million for the orchard despite avocado prices plunge from as much as $4 to just $1 each this year as strong seasonal conditions in Western Australia particularly created a bumper crop ... Gunn Agri bought the asset for a European institution with a mandate to invest in permanent Australian crops assets.

Strong month-on-month price increases for most commodities saw Australian agribusiness industry conditions rise to record levels, according to Rabobank, and key drivers are expected to hold out to the December quarter. The latest Rabobank Rural Commodity Price Index rose by another 3.26% in August to its highest-ever reading.

High cattle prices and the housing crisis have led to changes at the casino Food Co-op. Shifts have been reduced and the co-operative plans to build worker cottages on site. Chief executive Simon Stahl said the price of cattle was too high for the meat processing plant.

The NSW Sugar Industry has just passed the half-way point for the 2021 cane crush, having enjoyed favourable weather conditions, reliable transport and factory operations and a positive sugar price outlook. To date, the three North Coast mills have processed some 850,000 tonnes of locally grown cane.

Australian farmers and businesses will get more opportunities to reach new markets and create more jobs through global trade as Peru becomes the eighth economy to bring the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) into force. Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan today welcomed Peru joining Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam as a Party to the CPTPP.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation has progressed agreements with Laing O’Rourke (Freight Connect) and Acciona CPB Joint Venture (ACACPB JV) for the detailed designs and civil works construction planning for critical sections of Inland Rail in New South Wales. These companies will now seek partnerships with businesses and skilled operators that can support delivery ...

The Australian Government has announced an additional $15.1 million investment to deliver bushfire-affected softwood to underutilised timber mills, and increase supply of structural timber to the housing and construction industry. Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said the government had listened to industry’s concerns to keep product moving.

Weipa's solar farm will triple in size as Rio Tinto looks to reduce its reliance on diesel power generation in Cape York. The mining giant has approved a new solar farm and battery storage in a move that will more than triple the local electricity network’s solar generation capacity and help provide cleaner power to Rio Tinto’s operations.

Thursday Island has put on a spectacular display of Torres Strait Islander culture for the Winds of Zenadth festival ... “It may have been limited to only a two-day festival, but reached deep into our hearts as the sounds of the warup (island drum) and trum/luumoot, combined with our songs, brought joyful tears to all who attended" : Torres Shire CEO Dalassa Yorkston.

The Caloundra Music Festival program has been released with a new line up of artists and schedule allowing you to plan your weekend so you don’t miss a beat.

The domestic softwood timber industry in NSW has received a significant boost with the NSW Government directing Forestry Corporation to divert selected softwood log exports impacted by the China trade embargo, to domestic markets. Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Forestry John Barilaro said this will see at least an additional 270,000 tonnes of timber enter the domestic supply chain over the next three years.

Chris Oldfield. After raising almost $9000 for the community, Lucindale’s Op Shop has grown out of its store, and relocated. Affectionately known as “Harrod’s of Lucindale”, several women have been working around the clock setting up the Lucy Loves Again second-hand community store in the former ANZ Bank building.

A free community stargazing event at Cunderdin on 29 October 2021.

Minister for Resources and Water, Keith Pitt, has announced that Renascor Resources Ltd has been granted Major Project Status for its $209 million Siviour project, which includes a graphite mine and concentrator located in the Eyre Peninsula and a downstream purified spherical graphite (PSG) manufacturing facility located in Port Adelaide. The Project is now on track to become the first in-country integrated graphite mine and battery anode material operation outside of China, positioning Australia as an important participant in the global battery industry and electric vehicle markets.

Australian cattle property investment firm Packhorse Pastoral Company has opened its second fundraising as part of plans to buy $1.5 billion worth of rural agricultural land and build mass-scale land regeneration with carbon upside.

Kendall Jennings. Koondrook Barham was graced with a visit by the paddlesteamer Emmylou on Tuesday afternoon, September 14. Built in Barham in the 1980s and named after American country singer Emmylou Harris, the vessel is a small motel catering for 16 passengers and a small crew of three or four. This was the first visit from PS Emmylou in 38 years and was shadowed by the Pride of the Murray on its Echuca return leg. The Pride of the Murray is returning from Swan Hill, where it was in the dry dock for maintenance.

Kirstin Nicholson. Regardless of the weather, runners and walkers can be seen pounding the paths of Garden and Gilrule Parks in Cohuna every Saturday morning. They are part of a global organisation called parkrun. parkrun is a free, timed 5km event held every Saturday morning, not just in Cohuna, but all over the world, originating in England in 2004. Runners and walkers of all ages and fitness levels are welcome and it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are.

Denmark's first Classic Boat Show will run alongside the Great Southern Classic Car Show with the boats on the Denmark River at Berridge Park on Sunday, September 26 from 10am-3pm. The classic boats on show will range from some built in the 1920s to retro boats built recently.