CATEGORY

Education & training

Childcare for coast

Gabrielle Duykers. Kingston has been promised a new $1.8 million childcare centre under a re-elected Morrison government, just months after the local council was denied funding to establish the facility. Childcare shortages in the small coastal town have been an issue for more than 30 years.

Festival a chance to get to know the Nullaki

Serena Kirby. This month’s ‘Knowing Nullaki Festival’ is an opportunity to learn and explore, create and celebrate what makes the Wilson Inlet special. The month-long festival, organised in partnership with Denmark’s Greenskills and artist and biodiversity educator, Angela Rossen, will feature 26 free community events.

Crocodiles are changing their diet, research shows

Scientists have uncovered evidence that suggests the diet of saltwater crocodiles has shifted away from marine prey towards land-based animals. Researchers at Charles Darwin University compared bone samples from saltwater crocodiles killed around the 1960s, held at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, to those of contemporary saltwater crocodiles.

Scientists urge deeper dive into ocean afforestation and seaweed as a carbon storage solution

Two new studies led by Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS, UTAS) scientists provide an approach for accurately assessing the carbon storage capability of seaweed before it is factored into carbon offset initiatives, and highlight the need for further research into the impact of extending seaweed forests offshore into oceanic ecosystems.

Top of the class

Gabrielle Duykers. A young Naracoorte wool classer has claimed top honours at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. Twenty-year-old Sarah Haynes won the 2022 Australian Wool Exchange/TAFE National Graduate Woolclasser competition on April 12, making her the first South Australian to receive the prestigious award.

Flying scientists take off

Some of the country’s leading scientists have taken to the skies in a bid to inspire students across Central Queensland to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Science Minister Meaghan Scanlon said this year’s Flying Scientists trip would be led by former Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer AC.

Compost in sponge cities are the answer to building climate resilience: CORE

Research conducted by the Centre for Organic Research & Education (CORE) has developed recycled content technologies that can turn cities and farmlands into Sponges that can adapt to more frequent flooding and drought events to reduce the risk they present to our communities ... May 1st to 7th marks International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) in Australia.

Zounds Professor Zylstra: David Jefford Ward

One of Professor Zylstra’s core beliefs is that withholding fire from south-west Australian eucalypt forests for at least four decades will make those forests less flammable, even in a warming climate. This idea must bring joy to those who have long claimed that frequent, deliberate (prescribed) burning is ‘harmful to biodiversity’.

Library’s seeds a gift that keeps on giving

Serena Kirby. The Denmark seed library has given out 1300 seed packets since it began in November 2020. Instigated and run by the Denmark Library, there is a biannual Seed Library gathering held at the start of autumn and spring where library members can meet and access free seeds.

Continued success for NHS Ag Show team

The Narrandera High School agricultural show team has followed up on their recent success of champion school at the National Angora Trophy Show in Goulburn by taking out the champion school title in the Angora Goats section at the Sydney Royal Easter Show for the second year in a row.

Prospects for Australian wheat exports amid the Ukraine-Russia conflict

A Charles Sturt University agribusiness expert suggests Australia can anticipate an increase in wheat exports to countries affected by the Ukraine-Russia conflict and should target those importing nations’ requirements.

You can’t be what you can’t see: improvement needed to careers education in secondary schools

Careers education in Australia’s schools is grossly inadequate, according to a new report by the National Youth Commission Australia. The report cites young people's negative experiences, such as not being provided with adequate classes or information on career options or pathways post-secondary school education.

Conservatorium supports local musicians to replace musical instruments lost in the floods

It is clear from the extent of the NSW floods that many of the Con’s students, teachers and other musicians have lost their instruments, with most uninsured, and the Con has worked to quickly explore immediate support options for staff, students and the wider musical community impacted by this crisis. The Con itself has also lost much of its musical equipment and not all is fully covered by insurance.

Fisheries workshop a winner

A capacity-building fisheries workshop between Traditional Owners, the Torres Strait Regional Authority and Fishwell Consulting has won the People Development Award at the Queensland Seafood Industry Awards, TSRA chair Pedro Stephen said the award aligned with TSRA’s dedicated fisheries program, which aims to support a sustainable fishing industry owned and operated by Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal peoples.

Deputy PM announces doctor training for Tennant Creek

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce flew into Tennant Creek on Wednesday morning to deliver the good news for health in the region. Tennant Creek has been listed as a targeted General Practitioner (GP) recruitment location under the Remote Vocational Training Scheme (RVTS).

Reboot your soils

“Despite all our achievements, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact it rains.” A quote often attributed to long time US radio presenter, Paul Harvey, this quote succinctly captures the critical importance of our topsoil. What is topsoil, how is it formed and how do we improve it?

Caffeine-infused chocolate to create a sweet buzz

Castlemaine local, Stefan Dannhausen, is set to become the Goldfields region’s answer to the Easter Bunny, having launched his new owner-managed business, Dimpex Import and Wholesale. Interested in starting out on his own but initially unsure what type of business he wanted to run, Stefan drew on fond memories of enjoying SCHO-KA-KOLA with his family as a child to come up with a business idea that allowed him to explore his German heritage.

Master class with Mark: vital propagation skills passed on

Serena Kirby. Mark Parre is busy passing on his skills and knowledge to the next generation because, after nearly 30 years with the Shire of Denmark, retirement looms ... “The work is the greatest reward and when I revisit a site I planted up years before and see the diversity of flora and fauna it really makes my heart sing.”

Local Health Advisory Committee

Joan de Bondt. The Barham Local Health Advisory Committee (LHAC) is holding a free two-day course, ‘Mental Health First Aid’ on May 5 and 6 ... The members of the Barham committee meet once a month to identify local service needs, to discuss ways to improve access to services, and to assist in planning and development. They provide valuable input into planning health services and in informing the local community of the availability of services. They encourage members of the public to raise their concerns and to offer suggestions about programs that they would like to see implemented.

No oxygen, no fish: Investigating dead fish in Richmond River post floods

“After the first flood in late February there was no oxygen in the river between Ballina and Coraki. That’s around 60 kilometres of river and estuary with no oxygen and therefore no fish. A lot of the dead fish were washed out to sea during this event due to the magnitude and duration of the flood”: Professor Damien Maher, Southern Cross University.

Drones and dogs team up in Sunshine Coast koala conservation project

For the past three days, a high-tech team from Sunshine Coast Council, University of the Sunshine Coast and the Friends of Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens have worked together to uncover how many koalas live in the reserve and how healthy they are.

Plans to establish a local university hub gain support

Plans for a Regional University Centre in Port Lincoln are gaining momentum, with the City of Port Lincoln supporting a proposal for a local university hub. Offering a range of tertiary education options, a university hub would fill a gap in the local and regional education market, providing options for residents to study locally.

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