Outback Queensland is the backbone of Australia’s energy: Littleproud
Leader of The Nationals and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud has applauded Senex Energy’s decision to invest $1 billion into its Atlas Roma North natural gas developments in the Surat Basin and raise its natural gas production. Mr Littleproud said the decision by one of the industry leaders in natural gas to invest more in the Maranoa region highlights the crucial role outback Queensland plays in powering Australia and making energy more affordable across the nation.
Senex to invest more than A$1 billion to boost domestic natural gas supply
Senex is set to invest more than A$1 billion in a major expansion of its Atlas and Roma North natural gas developments in Queensland’s Surat Basin to help secure Australia’s energy future. After years of exploration and studies, Senex is ready to increase its natural gas production to 60 petajoules (PJ) per year with work planned to begin in coming weeks.
Salt caverns and minerals across Australia unlock our nation’s hydrogen industry: King
“Geoscience Australia has uncovered potential for the development of multiple caverns underground in salt deposits across the Canning Basin in Western Australia, the Adavale Basin in Queensland and the offshore Polda Basin in South Australia ... Chalice Mining, through their Julimar project, have uncovered a massive supply of palladium, platinum, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold ... ": Minister King.
Dangerous levels of lead in wild ducks
It took a recent Freedom of Information request for documents to be released from the EPA stating that dangerous lead levels in wild ducks have been found in tests at four of 23 Victorian shooting waterways across Victoria. The documents were obtained by a not-for-profit group called Regional Victorians Opposed to Duck Shooting.
Bee prepared this swarm season
As the weather warms up and plants start to bloom for Spring, bee populations will start to increase again. Apiarist Alicia Vohland, owner of Windy Acres Farm between Westbrook and Wyreema, said swarming is the natural process of honey bee colonies expanding to form new colonies.
Naracoorte Creek in the news
Sheryl Lowe. Passionate about nature and the natural flow of waterways, local retired farmer Mr Peter "Huck” Shepherd presented his findings about the potential flooding of the Naracoorte Creek and the possible damage to buildings, businesses and homes in the lower lying areas of the town, to the Naracoorte Lucindale Council meeting ... “If I were to give a rating on the creek’s wellbeing and capacity to handle a decent flood and observing the mess it is in and the lack of maintenance since the 2000 report, out of a ten rating I would give it a minus 5,” he told council.
Book review – Great Properties of Country Victoria
The book demonstrates, through both the truly beautiful photography of Kimbal Baker and the meticulous detail regarding agricultural practices and the history of the establishments provided by Richard Allen, that properties are far more than houses. They are the land and the farming businesses which sustain the families, which the houses protect, and who, in turn, create, manage and develop the farming businesses which sustain the land and the houses. Each supporting and nurturing the other.
Branching out – Part two of forestry conversations
With more than 110,000 hectares of red gum forests now put into National Parks, red gum reserves or Indigenous protected areas across the state, open dialogue can ensure active management remains to manage the aggressive regeneration of these red gum forests and balance the social, economic, cultural and ecological aspects.
NSW Flood Inquiry final report – Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals reaction
"Local response plans cannot be effectively formulated bureaucratically and remotely from the disaster epicentres. For this reason, the BCCM has strongly advocated the establishment of a National Co-operative Disaster Recovery Centre of Excellence, with Lismore the stand-out candidate for its location" : Melina Morrison, CEO, BCCM.
Leadership vacuum left people struggling – flood report
The report on the floods is in and it is a riveting and sobering read. With 21 findings and 37 recommendations, the NSW Legislative Council Select Committee has tackled the government’s response to the floods, the operations of the SES and the difficulties of getting grants from Resilience NSW.
Can community gardens increase our food security?
Bernice Shepherd. Community gardens and city farms have been around for a long time, but they are enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Australia ... We are lucky to have several gardens in our area and I visited three of them; one well established, one partway there, and another in the beginning phases.
Inaugural National Biosecurity Strategy released: Watt
Minister Watt said the National Biosecurity Strategy would provide clear direction to ensure our system remains fit to meet the challenges of the next decade and beyond ... “This strategy has been under development for more than a year and I’m really pleased that a new spirit of cooperation between Federal, State and Territory Agriculture Ministers has seen the strategy finalised and released so soon after the change of government, " Minister Watt said.
Why aren’t more cows eating seaweed?
Asparagopsis is a native Australian seaweed rich in bromoform. It’s the bromoform compound within the seaweed feed supplement that reduces livestock methane emissions by up to 98 per cent. So why isn’t Asparagopsis a commodity of large scale? One of the key issues is its availability; but one scientist is on the brink of a discovery which could drive a surge in demand for this seaweed biomass.
Net zero targets won’t last long
This story is about the impossible challenge of feeding a growing world population while staying true to net zero emissions targets ... Something strange happened in June this year when two of the world's most bullish emissions reduction advocates, Germany and Britain, panicked at the huge spike in grain prices and called for temporary waivers on biofuels mandates to combat soaring food prices.
A tale of the Goldfields Woodlands where ideology triumphs over professionalism, experience and history: Robert Onfray
When I first visited Kalgoorlie last October, I read about the Great Western Woodlands. Based on their distribution and extent, they certainly are “Great”. The Woodlands cover nearly 16 million hectares south and west of Kalgoorlie ... Until recently, though, the woodlands were known as the Goldfields Woodlands. Why the name change?
2022–23 Murray River outlook dominated by managing wet conditions: MDBA
Full water storages coupled with a 50% chance of another La Niña in 2022–23 are driving management strategies in the River Murray System for the year ahead, according to the MDBA's 2022–23 Annual Operating Outlook ... Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) Executive Director of River Management, Andrew Reynolds, said the Annual Operating Outlook explains how the river would be run based on a range of potential climatic and rainfall scenarios.
RFS Air Tanker deployed to fight U.S. wildfires: Cooke
The NSW Rural Fire Service’s (RFS) Large Air Tanker, the Marie Bashir, has been deployed to the United States to support the U.S. Forest Service’s firefighting efforts ... “Fires are impacting a large portion of America’s west including Northern California, Texas and other parts of the Rocky Mountain region,”: Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke
Voices for the Bush amplified in Alice Springs this week
Australian Water Association (AWA) and Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) are excited to present the first-ever Voices for the Bush Conference at the Alice Springs Convention Centre this week on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 August. The conference will bring together over 200 water professionals from across Australia to the country’s heart. Together they will resolve the challenges faced by regional, rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
Bushfires, leaving aside climate, weather and drought: John O’Donnell
If we as a society don’t identify all the non-climate, climate change, weather and drought factors that influence the extent, intensity and severity of major bushfires across Australia and action associated opportunities, Australia will continue to have more of the same disastrous bushfires, impacting on communities, fire fighters, flora, fauna and the environment.
Almost 20,000 feral pigs culled in regional NSW: Saunders
More than 19,500 feral pigs have been culled in seven months through targeted aerial shooting operations run by the NSW Government ... “There is a definite concern that if FMD was to enter our country, it could be spread through feral pig populations across NSW,”: Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders
Millions of sterile fruit flies to be released weekly
Sterile fruit flies will be released across the Riverland this week, as part of an eradication plan to stop breeding. From Monday 1 August, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) started releasing 20 million sterile male fruit flies per week.
Investment program pays off for Southern Gulf NRM
A partnership between major landholders and Southern Gulf Natural Resource Management is delivering better pastures for graziers as part of the Natural Resources Investment Program. Working with 20 properties on almost 90,000 hectares of land, management plans were developed to improve their condition.
