Infrastructure

A review of the requirements for wind farm developments in Queensland is underway. The review of the Wind Farm Code (State Code 23) and its accompanying guidelines will aim to build greater community and industry confidence in clean energy projects.

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan has criticised the Albanese Government’s $100 million announcement for 20 projects in the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program as they won’t lower flood levels ... “The community would feel exceptionally disappointed by projects announced by the Federal Government today as they contain no effective flood mitigation works”: Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan.

The 7.8km long levee runs through Ms Johnston’s property and it is meant to protect the Bungawalbin catchment from flooding including protecting Swan Bay, New Italy and Woodburn. Ms Johnston has been fighting to be heard. When she asked CSIRO research scientist Jai Vaze who was travelling with Mr Watt about it, he drew a blank.

Western Australia's regional energy provider Horizon Power has purchased a vanadium redox flow battery for a long-duration energy storage pilot in Kununurra. The 78-kilowatt/220kWh battery will enable Horizon Power to test the capabilities of providing long periods of 100 per cent renewable energy, with the potential for it to be used across WA.

Last week, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman officially opened the $3.1 million Drayton Ambulance Station... It will service the area of Drayton, Wyreema, Cambooya, Westbrook, Preston and south-west Toowoomba.

Narrandera Shire Council Deputy Mayor Cameron Lander has reported on some of the many issues discussed at the 2023 Australian Local Government Association National Assembly that he felt were of particular interest to Narrandera Shire Council ... The 2023 NGA theme was "Our Communities, Our Future" and looked at ideas on new federal programs and policies that would support councils to build stronger communities in the future.

Last week the community of Nhill was surprised to find the Nhill Railway Station fenced off and out of bounds to the community, without any consultation, after being deemed unsafe for public use by the Australian Rail Track Corporation. Local resident Margaret Millington said it was a sad situation and that "Sadly, the Nhill station is now inaccessible to passengers wishing to travel on the Overland.

From an abandoned gold mine to one of country Victoria’s most admired sporting complexes – that’s the story of St. Arnaud’s Lord Nelson Park. The capacious Park is home to a variety of activities, including football netball, hockey and harness racing, and to the St. Arnaud Sporting Club, overlooking the playing field.

Grain producer groups have unified to oppose a flawed planning application which would diminish export capacity for the nation’s grain supply chain and wealth generation for rural communities and the national economy. Grain Producers Australia and GrainGrowers have backed calls by the Victorian Farmers’ Federation Grains Council to reject the Planning Application submitted by the Hamilton Group, to build office space at the Geelong Port.

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll confirmed the Labor Government has entered a new $11.5 million three-year agreement to fund the historic service, guaranteeing a future for the Overland train, which has run between Melbourne and Adelaide since 1887. This Government investment will ensure the twice weekly service – which stops at Murray Bridge, Bordertown, Nhill, Dimboola, Horsham, Stawell, Ararat and Geelong will continue to run for the next three years.

The much-anticipated official opening of the new Towong Bridge to traffic on Tuesday was celebrated by communities on both sides of the Murray River, with the first cars officially driving over it soon afterwards.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has released the planned location of the proposed Toowoomba North South Transport Corridor, which will direct traffic away from the New England Highway through Toowoomba.

It was a packed house at the Moulamein Recreation Reserve as community members from across the region gathered for the landholder information session on the proposed 500 kilovolt double circuit transmission line ... It was fantastic to see a town hall meeting ... the ultimate ‘pub test’.

With significant planning work and extensive market soundings completed, it is now certain that the cost of hosting the Regional Victorian Commonwealth Games will exceed $6 billion – more than twice the estimated economic benefit the Games would bring our state. In the face of these numbers, the Victorian Government has made the decision not to proceed with hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2026.