Westbrook land for water treatment plant
Toowoomba Regional Council has acquired a property in Westbrook that will be the location of a future water treatment plant ... With the site being acquired for a water treatment plant, Deputy Mayor Rebecca Vonhoff said Council would require funding to progress the project in an accelerated timeframe.
Health, water security and safer roads topics dominate mayoral summit
Regional local government councils including Narrandera came together again for the eighth annual Cootamundra Mayoral Summit hosted by the Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke this week. Ms Cooke said it was clear that health, water security and safer roads remained top priorities right across the electorate
The housing crisis: could tiny homes be the solution?
Ivona Rose. Interest in tiny homes is increasing on the Central Coast and across Australia, driven by soaring house prices, lack of housing availability, shifts toward sustainable living, downsizing, dwindling available land, and the growth of short-stay rentals like Airbnb ... Can tiny homes play a meaningful role in affordable housing, and where can people locate them?
The bridge that turned to let the river through: Hay’s swing bridge
There’s a piece of industrial archaeology sitting in the river bend just north of where Hay’s bridge crosses the Murrumbidgee. It looks like debris, like something that should have been cleared away decades ago. But that rusting turntable is actually a remnant of an era when the river was a highway, when paddle steamers were the primary means of moving wool and supplies, and when a bridge had to accommodate both road traffic and river commerce.
Where’s the childcare centre?
Big promises, no build as Naracoorte waits on old TAFE site project. A grand on-site announcement, artist impressions, and firm timelines promised a solution to Naracoorte’s long-running childcare shortage — but almost two years on, the proposed early learning and childcare centre at the former TAFE site has yet to take physical shape.
Berri Primary’s prayers answered
Madison Eastmond. A $15M funding boost to Berri Primary School was the highlight of a recent regional tour undertaken last week by Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development Clare Scriven. Minister Scriven’s announcement of the State Government capital works investment program funding last Thursday has answered long-term advocacy calls for the major redevelopment of Berri Primary School...
What does the rail lease actually require?
This is yet another instalment in my running theme: the State rail debacle. A saga of privatisation, monopoly infrastructure, and governments that appear to have misplaced both the keys and the contract. Twenty-five years after Western Australia leased out its freight rail network, one basic question still has no straight answer: what does the Brookfield/Arc lease actually require?
2026 co-pilots in the fight for fairer regional skies: RCA, AAA
Regional Capitals Australia (RCA) and the Australian Airports Association (AAA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sets out an agreement to work together to advocate for fairer airfares, stronger connectivity and more sustainable airports across regional Australia.
$7 billion pumped hydro projects declared critical for NSW: Sharpe, Scully, Jackson
Two multi-billion-dollar renewable energy projects with the potential to power over 1 million homes in peak demand have been declared Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI) by the Minns Labor Government ... $3.5 billion Western Sydney Pumped Hydro Project at Lake Burragorang is a ZEN Energy ... $3.6 billion Yarrabin (Phoenix) Pumped Hydro Project near Mudgee is a ACEN Australia project ... Both projects, are in the early planning stages and are located on WaterNSW land.
Rivers of opportunity lost – Measure water properly, build dams, develop North Queensland: Robbie Katter
The latest floods have again shown that the ‘data’ used by the bureaucrats in Brisbane for all things water is farcical, or terribly inaccurate at best, The Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader, and Member for Traeger has said ... “The Department simply have no idea how much water there is! They’re the same Department who openly say there isn’t enough water to release to farmers.”
Nanarup proposed location for low-impact desalination: Punch, Whitby
Nanarup has been chosen as the site for the proposed small scale seawater desalination plant, a vital project that will secure the Lower Great Southern region's water future and support its continued growth. Planning for a new, climate-resilient water source began in 2009, with seven potential locations identified between Walpole in the west and areas 50 kilometres east of Albany.
Trees still pose a risk to travellers
The Murray Valley Highway was re-opened to the public on Monday following the completion of post fire repairs and hazardous tree works in the aftermath of the Walwa-Mt Lawson blaze. However, motorists are being urged to use caution when travelling on the road and to adhere to changed traffic conditions including speed restrictions ... Incident Controller, Tim Gazzard, said fire-affected trees continue to pose an ongoing risk to the community well after a fire has passed.
Business spotlight – Nhill Post Office
Nhill's Licensed Post Office is welcoming customers under new ownership, offering a broad range of postal, travel and retail services for the local community. Along with everyday post office services, the Nhill Licensed Post Office provides passport lodgements and photos, foreign exchange, travel cards, travel insurance and complete travel solutions, as well as TattsLotto services.
Wild dogs threaten livestock in wake of bushfire damage: VFF
Victorian livestock producers in bushfire-ravaged parts of Victoria are reporting more wild dog attacks after devastating fires destroyed critical infrastructure such as exclusion fencing, leaving farm animals more vulnerable to attacks.
A better lifestyle through a stronger economy – Capacity boost at Port of Townsville’s busiest berths: Bates
The Crisafulli Government and Port of Townsville Limited are strengthening trade and supply chains in North Queensland with upgrades to berths three and four at the Port of Townsville. This upgrade removes a key bottleneck by extending the operating reach of the Port’s Liebherr Ship-to-Shore crane across both berths, improving vessel turnaround times for containerised, general cargo and other trade-critical freight.
Big energy, big decisions: Public hearing set for Dinawan Solar Farm as wind stage approaches milestone
The future of the Riverina’s energy landscape is moving into a critical phase this month as the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) prepares to descend on Coleambally for a public meeting regarding the Dinawan Solar Farm.
SEC breaks ground on Delburn Wind Farm: D’Ambrosio
Minister for the State Electricity Commission Lily D’Ambrosio has visited the SEC Delburn Wind Farm site, where construction will begin in March ahead of operations starting in 2028. The 33-turbine wind farm will have a generation capacity of up to 205 megawatts of renewable energy to the electricity grid, enough to power more than 130,000 homes with renewable power. The SEC will hold 100 per cent ownership of the project.
Snowy visit connects heritage and hi-tech
Australia's largest renewable energy project has received the seal of approval from an international tunnelling giant and Germany's top diplomat in Australia. Tunnelling pioneer Martin Herrenknecht and German ambassador Beate Grzeski recently enjoyed a quintessentially classic Australian flat white at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre in Cooma and toured the Snowy 2.0 Marica worksite, outside Kiandra.
Labor for MacKillop’s future?
As MacKillop heads toward the March 2026 state election, voters are being challenged to weigh experience, independence, and influence. Labor candidate Mark Braes makes his case in an exclusive Q&A with The [Naracoorte] News, pitching decades in law, local government, and mayoral leadership—alongside the leverage of being part of a governing SA Labor Party.
Show Society confidence in games bid
Allora Show Society is moving ahead with an attempt to become involved in the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games after discussing the potential for a multi-function stables complex at the showgrounds. It is anticipated that the complex would cost around $1.5 million and would become a valuable asset at the showgrounds beyond the Olympics.
Hole lot of drama on Armidale Road
Several vehicles have had tyres damaged, and rims broken as they’ve travelled along a notoriously dangerous 22km section of Armidale Road between Coutts Crossing and Nymboida in recent months, with one social media user likening it to the Mariana Trench. With countless potholes, some measuring 16cm deep and 40cm wide, creating a hazardous obstacle course on the bitumen, many locals and business representatives ... have shared various warnings online...
Fire fuel load reaching critical levels: TasFarmers
Farmers across the north of the state are increasingly worried by the huge fuel load on the roadside, especially in the Meander Valley, Northern Midlands and Latrobe Municipalities and on roads controlled by the state government. “The risk of a catastrophic fire caused by too much long grass and weeds on the edges of the roads is increasing by the day,” said TasFarmers CEO Nathan Calman.
