DownsSteam ready for Easter Saturday
The members and volunteers at the DownsSteam tourist railway and museum in Toowoomba have a big day planned for Easter Saturday with extra attractions to enhance the experience.
Lord Howe Island Board News
Kermadec Petrel to call LHI home once again, thanks to new project funding - Road upgrade - Project and funding updates - Welcome to the new Ranger, Thomas Nixon
Send a notice to Australia Post: Littleproud
Leader of The Nationals and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud is calling on locals to deliver their own notice to Australia Post, by sending a loud and clear message to continue services in the area ... It comes after Australia Post removed much-loved red street post boxes from Maranoa communities in Weengallon, Guluguba, Macalister, with two boxes moved to metropolitan areas.
Council’s Inland Rail fight continues
Lockyer Valley Regional Council is continuing in its ongoing objection to the unreasonable impacts of Inland Rail on the future of the region ... “These considerations and alternative routes are now being considered by Inland Rail – and we hope they consider all factors, not just saving money”: Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor, Cr Tanya Milligan.
Inside fascinating operation to secure river crossing
A “complex, rare and logistically challenging’’ operation to replace a 100-year-old Sunshine Coast bridge has been successfully completed ... The 21m-long timber bridge is located at 298 River Road, Maroochy River, a rural suburb between Yandina and Marcoola.
Boom town: Westbrook expected to more than double
The recently released Toowoomba Region Growth Plan shows Westbrook is anticipated to grow by more than 4,800 people by 2051, taking the total population to just over 9,200 ... The Toowoomba Region Growth Plan, presented to Toowoomba Regional Council last week, is intended to act as the long-term population and employment growth strategy for the Region to 2051.
Railway memories fading fast
Ross McGuinness. Only three elements of Denmark’s railway exist today nearly 60 years since the closure of the line. Two are still clearly visible while the third, the historic 1897 turntable, is now mainly covered. The turntable and adjacent engine pit, sometimes referred to as the ash pit, are located on the bridge end of the station site.
New alliance champions regional Australia
More than 30 CEOs from the most influential peak bodies in the country joined forces in Canberra on Tuesday, for the historic launch of the National Alliance for Regionalisation. Established by the Regional Australia Institute (RAI), CEO Liz Ritchie says this new Alliance is the first of its kind in this country, spanning business, health, education, infrastructure and environment. It aims to better position the regions to reach their potential.
New farmer taskforce gives power to the people: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has announced it will create the new VFF Energy and Transmission Taskforce to lead its advocacy on renewable energy and transmission infrastructure development across Victoria and help give farmers a say. The new Taskforce was established by the VFF Policy Council and will focus on providing a united advocacy approach for farming communities that are battling proposed developments.
Say no to the lines rally: Property Rights Australia
"Landowners and farmers have made it clear at a rally held in Widgee on Friday 17 March, Powerlink and the State Government are not listening to the community ... The community has attended so-called stakeholder meetings in rural and regional Queensland only to discover that the consultation process is tokenism with little to no consideration of alternative power corridors on State owned land": Chair of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Rob Atkinson.
Lockhart residents warned to prepare for noise from energy project
Energyconnect will be constructing a worker accommodation camp ... to house workers during main construction activities as part of Transgrid’s construction of 700 kilometres of new power lines from the SA border to the regional energy hub of Wagga Wagga ... Crews will be working daily as required, Monday to Sunday 7am to 7pm in approved Out of Hours Work ... Workers will also be accessing water during the construction of the access point and will be using the existing water fill point ...
Farms and homes are vulnerable after flood damaged levee
The Bungawalbin levee runs through Debbie Johnston’s property. The 7.8km long levee is meant to protect the Bungawalbin catchment from flooding ... It was built in 1945 to protect the Lower Richmond from minor–moderate floods, Ms Johnston said. “It broke here in 2017, 2021 and again in 2022. It can no longer protect us.”
Farmers reach agreement with Inland Rail builder: NSW Farmers
Landholders can expect better treatment during the construction of Inland Rail thanks to a landmark agreement between NSW Farmers and the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC). Inland Rail and NSW Farmers have worked together to develop a joint information pack that acknowledges and addresses issues of concern to property owners...
Barkly Sky Muster customers set to receive unmetered data allowance in new trial
Barkly residents on the NBN Sky Muster Plus plan will soon receive unmetered monthly data allowances and faster speeds as part of a new trial to boost internet quality in the bush ... Member for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour said the trial is great news for Lingiari residents in the Sky Muster footprint.
Power options lessen climate effects
Community water and sewer systems across north-east Victoria are now more resilient to the growing impacts of climate change and natural disasters ... John Day, General Manager Environment, Systems and Operations, said ‘behind the meter’ power systems will help keep water and sewer infrastructure operating in emergency situations.
New systems boost backup
The loss of power in the Upper Murray region during and after the 2019/2020 bushfires placed an additional strain on communities and emergency services but the shortfall has now been addressed by boosting systems on critical sites. Under the Upper Murray Place Based Power Plan - Energy Resilience and Reliability Project, a combination of solar, battery and generator systems have been supplied and installed across 23 sites in the region.
Optus outrage following major outage
For more than a week, Optus customers in Copmanhurst, Whiteman Creek, Jackadgery and surrounding areas were unable to make, send, or receive phone calls or text messages, after the network experienced a major outage due to a hardware fault in a nearby tower. Between February 13 and 21, hundreds of people experienced disruptions to their services while the telecommunications giant addressed the problem, with many venting their frustrations on social media.
Cost cutting increases bushfire threat: NSW Farmers
NSW Farmers Energy Transition Working Group chair Reg Kidd said the Government had to explain why it was allowing Transgrid to build more overhead power lines when there was compelling evidence they increased the risk of bushfires.
Payment for power lines
Farmers for Climate Action has welcomed the Victorian Government’s move to pay landholders $8,000 a year for each kilometre of high voltage power line on their land, for 25 years. Farmers for Climate Action, an organisation representing 7,500 farmers Australia-wide, had been calling for such a policy, and it was a key plank of its Victorian election campaign.
Five out of five – Illawarra REZ declared: Kean
The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has declared the fifth Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in the Illawarra ... The Illawarra REZ runs down the coastline from Wollongong to Shellharbour and around to Dapto capturing existing infrastructure such as Port Kembla, Dapto Substation and the Tallawarra Power Station.
Proposed investment plan for secure and reliable electricity supply into the future
Power and Water has released its proposed investment plan to deliver essential power services to Territorians on the Tennant Creek, Alice Springs and Darwin-Katherine electricity networks for the 2024 – 29 period. After significant customer and stakeholder engagement, Power and Water has submitted the plan, the Regulatory Proposal, to the Australian Energy Regulator (AER), who will undertake a review of the proposed expenditure and revenue.
Campaspe mayor applauds ministerial announcement on Lake Eppalock
Campaspe Shire Mayor Cr Rob Amos has applauded Minister for Water Harriet Shing’s announcement that the Victorian Government will conduct an assessment of operating and infrastructure arrangements at Lake Eppalock to find opportunities to reduce the impact of flooding ... “The spilling of Lake Eppalock in 2011 and 2022 caused catastrophic damage to the Campaspe Valley, particularly Rochester”: Cr Amos.
