Council goes for gold with Mount Morgan recreational fossicking plans
Rockhampton Regional Council has reached the final stage of establishing a recreational fossicking area on the land surrounding Mount Morgan No 7 Dam, after Councillors voted to formally request the creation of a General Permission Area (GPA) from the State Government.
Rabobank support measures for farming clients impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred
Agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank has advised of a range of measures it has in place to support farming clients whose operations are adversely impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Rabobank Group Executive Country Banking Marcel van Doremaele said while the weather event had resulted in severe weather conditions … its full impact on agriculture in the region was yet to be determined.
Growing South/South-East Asia populations unlock opportunities for Australian grains and oilseeds: Rabobank
Larger and wealthier populations in South and South-East Asia are driving food consumption growth and opening opportunities for Australian grain and oilseed exports, according to a new report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank.
Solar power helps empower local independent schools
Kate Stapleton. Rainbow Power Company (RPC) has been working collaboratively with two local schools this year to help keep schools powering on. The Rainbow Ridge Steiner School and Tuntable Falls Primary School received funding ... both schools have batteries and solar, it means they can continue to operate when the power goes out.
Merging fashion with caring
Aged care residents in the Northern Rivers are benefiting from an innovative initiative called Our Timeless Threads, which merges fashion with caring. Founded by nurse and fashion designer Maia Willow, this program offers 1950s-inspired shopping experiences within care homes, ensuring that residents can enjoy style and self-expression in a comfortable setting.
Mayor slams coverage of Pine Street squatters
Steve Krieg, From the Mayor's desk. I write this after last issue’s (Nimbin GoodTimes, February 2025) appalling coverage of the illegal squatters in Pine Street Lismore that three years after the worst natural disaster in Australia’s recorded history is diverting attention and resources away from our recovery.
Megafires thrive on high per hectare fine fuel loads across the forest landscape, regardless of land tenure: SETA’s further response to David Lindenmayer
One of the key drivers of fire behaviour that Professor Lindenmayer seems to pay little attention to is the ground fine fuel load across the forest landscape. The key driver of fire intensity, with a given fuel moisture content, wind speed, air temperature and relative humidity, on the day, is fine fuels.
Production records to be broken as Australian cattle herd and sheep flock decline: MLA 2025 projections
Australia’s national cattle herd and sheep flock are both expected to decline slightly as record production, slaughter and exports meet demand, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) 2025 Cattle and Sheep Industry Projections. The cattle herd is projected to fall by 1.4 per cent to 30.1 million head in 2025 due to increased turn-off of older breeding cows and dry conditions in Southern Australia.
Car-nage on our highways: 263 dead roos in 250 km
Dr Fiona Walsh. Why do we continue to allow and accept the deaths of animals on our roads? ... I’ve recently driven more than 6,000 km in a loop from Mparntwe Alice Springs to the east coast and home again. My first holiday in eight years. I saw animals killed on roads in the NT, SA, Victoria and southern NSW.
‘Under New Management’ – Farmers relieved as King Island dairy remains open: TasFarmers
Tasmania’s peak industry body, TasFarmers, has welcomed the news that the Saputo-owned King Island Dairy will remain open under new management following its sale to two Australian business leaders. TasFarmers had been concerned that the potential sale or closure of King Island Dairy could have significant economic ramifications for the island’s community.
Animal ear tagging using satellite technology
A world-first smart ear tag for animals that uses satellite technology is helping farmers locate and monitor their livestock’s health and activity, all while boosting biosecurity and productivity, and reducing costs.
Poachers’ Weekend turns twenty-five: Shooters flock to Donald and Minyip
Donald Field and Game (DFG) went on a hunt to figure out how long the Day 2 shoot between Donald and Minyip known as Poachers had been running for. The investigation started last year with Sarah O’Brien (DFG member) asking Tanya Clark (M&DFG member) – Tanya’s remark was, “We must be close to twenty-five.”
Allergy advice for rural Australians
A groundbreaking new platform, believed to be the first of its kind globally, is set to transform the landscape of allergy care for rural and remote Australians. The National Allergy Council, in partnership with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), has launched allergy assistTM, a free online platform designed to provide timely, specialist advice to General Practitioners (GPs) and Rural Generalists.
Festival forges ahead
The decision to issue a planning permit to this year’s Esoteric Festival was made conditionally at Buloke Shire Council’s ordinary meeting held on Monday night in Wycheproof. The Council had announced its decision to deny a ten-year planning permit late last week following health and safety concerns, as well as emergency services regulations.
Core values
Tucked in the picturesque and fertile Harcourt Valley is a hub of apple production and its annual festival is this weekend on Saturday 8 March from 10am to 3pm at Harcourt Leisure Centre. Harcourt Applefest 2025 features activities to please every member of the family and it has grown so much that it has now spread to a larger location.
Rideshare gets the nod to operate state-wide
The state government has removed restrictions on metropolitan rideshare and chauffeur drivers, allowing them to operate statewide. Changes were expected to be gazetted last week, with rideshare and chauffeur drivers no longer required to apply for a separate accreditation to operate outside of the metropolitan boundary.
Strong year for Aussie ag beefed up by livestock: ABARES
The value of agriculture in 2025-26 is expected to be the third highest on record at $91 billion. Including fisheries and forestry, ABARES expects the sector to reach $98 billion, according to Executive Director Dr Jared Greenville.
Fire in motion: New animation platform and updates to key bushfire resources
A demand for data to inform fire management has prompted Charles Darwin University (CDU) researchers to develop a tool animating historic bushfires across Australia. The Landscape Knowledge Visualisation (LKV) Lab at CDU has recently released the Burn Area Animation Tool, a site which animates where bushfires occurred from 2012 to 2024 around Australia.
Councils take hospital fight to the streets
Towong Shire Councillors and members of the community, along with representation from other northern rural councils, assembled at a rally on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne yesterday to push for a greenfield site for a new Albury-Wodonga hospital. The current proposal for the new Albury Wodonga regional hospital is simply inadequate, according to Towong Shire mayor, Cr Andrew Whitehead.
Local hope looks to go back to back
A big weekend is looming for first-time author, Dixie Coutts, whose book on the history of the Towong Turf Club will be launched on the eve of this year’s Cup meeting. She is also a part owner of 2024 winner Euphemia who is aiming for a repeat sucess on Saturday to join a select group to have won multiple cups.
Cohuna community turns a negative into a positive
The Nationals Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says the Allan Labor government has unleashed a bureaucratic blitz which will destroy community events across regional Victoria. “The first victim has been Cohuna’s Bridge to Bridge fundraiser, which has seen its traffic management charges jump from $2000 in 2024 to a crippling $22,000 in 2025,” Mr Walsh said.
AI wisdom? How does Grok 3 stack up
Large language models (LLMs) like the latest version of X’s Grok 3 have been shaking up the world of information gathering and academia. The ability of these programs to scour the web and gather data is undeniably impressive. But is the data accurate?
