Infrastructure

In 1958, the Athenaeum Hall site was completely cleared except for the front concrete steps leading up to the main entrance and prepared for the construction of the present edifice, the Corryong & District Public Memorial Hall ... When plans were approved this building was the biggest single community hall (in floor area) in rural Victoria.

After 100 years of growing Australian food and fibre, and enhancing their farm’s environmental assets, the Ettershanks now face their biggest challenge, power lines. Under the recent release of Transgrid’s proposed route for the VNI West Interconnector, Simon and Carly Ettershank’s 2,000-hectare property now has twenty 75-80-metre-tall towers across their home.  

Do you know what it costs to fill up an EV with a fast charger -  $30, $40, $50? Do you even know what it costs to run your house each night? ... If EVs are the future then we need to be frank about their pros and cons.

The Reckless Renewables Rally brought to together 116 regional community groups with a message for Federal politicians to suspend their reckless rollout ... ‘People living in our cities are being deceived. Rural and regional communities are being socially fractured, divided up and hollowed out by our own government and their energy corporation’s working in unison with home grown renewables zealots and foreign renewable energy company carpetbaggers’: Chairman of PRA Jim Willmott.

As Australians were stocking fridges and checking gas bottles before Australia Day, local farmers were receiving word that the towering transmission lines would carve through their properties. One farmer said it was the first contact they had from the company, stating “no personal contact” before receiving the news that left them feeling “side swiped.”

As Australian politicians take aim at globally dictated emissions targets, are everyday Australians left to carry the burden of the ‘green dream’? ... There were an estimated 100 million individual solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in Australia at the end of 2022, and it is estimated 2 billion solar panels will be required if we are to meet the 2050 emissions targets.

The deplorable state of roads will be back on the agenda when State Parliament resumes in February. Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, said it was alarming the number of road warning and traffic hazard signs that had been situated on our roadsides for an extended period of time, without repairs being done.

The time and date for a public meeting in the Naracoorte Town Hall regarding a $35m sporting complex, or two new basketball courts for $8 million, will be soon to be announced ... “If you were faced with the largest investment by our council ever, do we need to ask ourselves, is this a fair and reasonable representation of ratepayers and the community?": Cr Peter Ireland.

There are serious concerns about the drainage system in Kerang, particularly during storms. A public meeting was held at the Kerang Memorial Hall ... It was found that the aging infrastructure in Kerang is causing floodwater to accumulate in certain areas of the township.

John Williams. "Hang on, we are going to crash, look out", was the dramatic warning given to the driver of the second engine of the Adelaide-bound Express a few seconds before one of the biggest railway smashes in the history of Victoria. On the foggy night of September 7th 1951, Kaniva and Nhill fire brigades rushed to a reported train wreck involving two Expresses at Serviceton, just near the South Australian border.

Farmers are backing calls for the Federal Government to review community engagement on renewable energy projects to ensure smarter, safer and more sustainable solutions to power the nation ... “To date, many farmers have had a very disappointing experience with the community consultation – or lack thereof – around the transmission lines set to run through their properties," Ms Bowman said.

Starlink is a low orbit satellite internet constellation operated by American aerospace company SpaceX ... John Deere will begin equipping new and existing machines across the United States and Brazil with Starlink to help connect farmers with high-speed internet so they can fully leverage precision agriculture technologies.

The 2023 JS Collings Trophy for excellence in maintaining major water management infrastructure on the River Murray has been awarded to Mildura Weir by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) ... "Mildura Weir comprises 24 steel trestles, each weighing approximately 11 tonnes, that can be winched from the river to allow maintenance, or to allow the safe passage of flood waters": MDBA’s Executive Director River Management, Andrew Reynolds.

Join wheelchair user Chris Kerr as she samples new disability-friendly infrastructure and equipment at Houtman Abrolhos Islands National Park. You can't help but delight in her wonder and excitement as she's able to don mask and snorkel and descend into a magical underwater world at the Abrolhos for the first time.  

Following a dedicated focus and significant effort from Department of Transport and Main Roads crews over the Christmas and New Year period, the Captain Cook Highway will reopen between Ellis Beach and Port Douglas ... Single lane closures however should be expected for an initial time period.

A tunnel boring machine (TBM) working on the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project is operational again, 12 months after getting stuck in soft ground creating a large sinkhole above it.

Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines has backed recommendations for the federal government to review its funding to local government on road maintenance to improve rural roads following natural disasters.