Business

A new ABARES report, Australia’s native forests and wood production, highlights the important role Australia’s diverse native forests play in helping to combat climate change, providing a home to many flora and fauna species, and providing high quality wood products.

In the heart of Cohuna, Victoria, Craig and Atalie Warren have built a thriving business at Cohuna Betta Home Living, a one-stop shop for homewares, electrical appliances, flooring, and furniture. Since taking ownership in 2021, the couple has transformed the store into a cornerstone of commerce, offering a diverse range of products and exceptional service. Now, as they prepare to sell the business, they reflect on their journey ...

When Kerang resident, and former Bridge production manager, Michael Douthat, listed a Coke can on eBay he never thought it would be heading back to corporate HQ. “I sold an empty Coca-Cola can, which I had with me since I was a kid.” said Michael ... “I’m interested if my note in the parcel will be responded to: It would be great to hear more about the Coca-Cola Museum...

A collaborative project led by the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) is aiming to accelerate Australia's transition to net-zero by transforming dairy waste and duckweed into scalable, sustainable biofuels ... The project is being led by Dr Peter Harris and Professor Bernadette McCabe from UniSQ's Centre for Agricultural Engineering...

The Good Old Days Festival is set to not only break the Australian record for the greatest number of draught horses in harness pulling a wool wagon in 2025 but is also expanding to a three-day event ... Mr Bandy said to harness more than 50 horses would take around two hours and be a spectacle in itself.

Australia is experiencing a dip in avocado production with the 2024/25 crop estimated to be down 15 per cent on last year, Rabobank says in a newly-released report ... And Australian production is forecast to rebound to record volumes – of around 170,000 metric tons – in 2025/26.

The global poultry industry has seen a relatively strong start to the year, sustained by rising animal protein prices and lower feed costs compared to last year. However, recent developments, including the announced (and postponed) US import tariffs, bird flu outbreaks in key regions, and the Israel-Iran conflict, are introducing significant uncertainty.

Experts from the Geological Survey of Western Australia, part of the newly formed WA Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration, have identified a distinctive chemical fingerprint that signals where gold is most likely to be found ... a major step forward for mineral exploration on a global scale.

While the local "murmuring" Buloke tree is recognised for its hardwood properties, said to be the toughest in the world, the humble Mallee root, while also tough, has many other useful attributes. A Mallee root is the extremely hard, woody root of a mallee tree, a dwarf eucalypt, that is often used for firewood, but is also valued by wood-turners because of its marbled grain.

Bowlers from across the state battled it out for glory on the greens at Yamba over the weekend in the Bowls NSW Grade 3 Open Pennant Final Series. Yamba Bowling Club Bowls Director Jayson Pinnock said the club played host to 240 male and female bowlers and their teams from the state’s top 16 Grade 3 clubs.

Farmers and graziers from the Hay region have recently featured at the forefront of national outreach efforts by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), demonstrating how local expertise is shaping broader industry knowledge and showcasing regional resilience to a national audience ... Recent features by MLA highlight the work of Jess Armstrong, and Jack and Annabel Hanna.

Madison Eastmond. A Riverland ecology site has received more than $400,000 worth of state funding to complete the first stage of a five-point masterplan to secure a sustainable future ... Providing a learning environment facilitated by ecologists and a dedicated ranger team just outside of Renmark, Calperum Station is comprised of prominently open Mallee bushland and Murray River flood plains, and hosts opportunities for educational and training programs, and nature-based recreational activities.

Hugh Schuitemaker. Riverland wine grape growers have been advised by their peak representative body, and senior local politicians, that realistic expectations and business decisions are required before the next vintage. Riverland Wine today released a statement asking members to "carefully consider their business models and make balanced, financially viable decisions heading into vintage 2026".

It wasn’t just an impressive variety of model aircrafts which were flying high over the Clarence Valley in recent days with the enthusiasm and enthralment of spectators at the Grafton Model Aircraft Club’s annual Fun Fly Weekend also soaring to new heights.

In a move which calls into question its positioning as the “better big bank”, Bendigo Bank has announced the closure of 10 branches - five in regional communities where they are the last remaining bank branch ... Only a full reversal of this move will protect the 32 full time equivalent roles and the essential service they undertake in their local communities ... including Queenstown in Tasmania, home to the West Coast Wilderness Railway.

Sarah Herrmann. Amid a state government review of regional public transport, a Stansbury resident has shared her travel challenges following two surgeries ... Cheryl Waldron, 68 ... made the trip using Care In Motion's health bus, a not-for-profit transport service ... "I caught it from Stansbury at 6.10 in the morning and got home at 6.30 at night."

Joanna Tucker. Residents in Yorketown and Minlaton have raised concerns about long wait times for blood tests. Stephanie Parsons, of Minlaton, said that, although she did not often need a blood test, she thought the delays others regularly faced were bizarre.

A new showroom displaying Holden heritage vehicles is revving up Gippsland, giving car enthusiasts another reason to visit the region. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos was at the Trafalgar Holden Museum to announce that the new showroom, the Neil Joiner Holden Heritage Centre is now open. 

The illegal importation of 62 tonnes of pork and other animal protein from Thailand into Australia proves the urgent need for increased funding and resources for frontline biosecurity services ... a District Court judge sentencing her to a 24-month intensive corrections order and 150 hours of community service ... “The two cases demonstrate that food smugglers can get away with breaching our biosecurity laws too easily and for too long before being found out, and face too small a punishment”: CA Chief Executive, Dr Chris Parker.

Carla Wilshire. I visited Lord Howe Island as a child. I remember the quiet strength of it, the gentle precision of life shaped by tides and cargo, and the sense that everything here moved to its own rhythm ... In the years since, I have come to see Lord Howe not only as a national treasure, but as a case study in resilience under constraint.

The latest Sheep Producers Intentions Survey (SPIS), conducted by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), reveals a significant shift in producer sentiment and flock management strategies across the nation. This shift is being driven by volatile market conditions, extreme weather events, and regulatory changes, most notably the planned phase-out of live sheep exports.