Water fight risks real damage: NSW Farmers
"There are real opportunities to deliver environmental outcomes to the river system without reducing production. I would call on both sides to put aside the political point scoring around who's tougher on water, and instead build upon the opportunities in the basin plan that have been hard fought but are still yet incomplete": Richard Bootle, NSW Farmers Water Taskforce Chair.
Australian producers are still worried about water – interview with Andrew Coppin, CEO, Farmbot
According to a recent survey by Farmbot of farmers across Australia, their two primary concerns are poor phone reception and a need to manually check water points ... ARR.News asks a few questions of Andrew Coppin, founder and CEO of Farmbot, provider of remote water monitoring solutions.
Did the new highway make the flood worse? Transport authorities respond, residents seek class action
Residents know about floods. They know how to prepare. The March 1 flood blew them and their homes out of the water as the Richmond River rose way above what anyone had predicted or ever expected. It has led some residents to question how and where the water was trapped and why it took longer to recede than previous floods.
Council’s flood response: 1000 homeless, $150 million repairs
“The social and economic fabric of the Northern Rivers region is slowly being unravelled as the days and weeks go by,” the Richmond Valley Flood 2022 Response document reads. That is a sad statement, but true. The expectation is that it will take at least three years for the valley to recover.
‘We lost everything’: Woodburn Boxing Club fights back after floods
Gavin Begbie has put his “heart and soul” into the Woodburn Amateur Boxing Club. He has been involved in the club for 12 years and has been club president for five. On March 1, floodwaters went over the roof of the club on Redwood Lane.
Wildlife monitoring shows species springing back after Black Summer
Small native mammals including bandicoots, antechinus and Bush Rats are showing remarkable recovery two years on from the Black Summer fires, long-term camera monitoring in State forests south of Eden shows. Forestry Corporation of NSW Senior Field Ecologist Rohan Bilney said Forestry Corporation of NSW has been monitoring wildlife at 40 sites in State forests south of Eden since 2007 as part of the Southern Brown Bandicoot Species Management Plan, and every monitoring site was impacted by fires in 2019-20.
NSW releases Australia’s largest investment in koalas: Griffin
The NSW Government has released its new Koala Strategy, backed by an unprecedented amount of funding and more than 30 actions to conserve and grow koala populations ... ARR.News sought a response from Minister Griffin and received a response from a departmental spokesperson.
Labor affirms its decision to remove another 450 gigalitres of water from irrigation use: The Riverina State
Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party have affirmed their decision to remove another 450 gigalitres of water, in addition to the 2750 gigalitres already removed via the Basin Plan, from productive use in NSW and Victoria. Most, if not all, of this water will be sourced from The Riverina and northern Victoria.
Jobs to go under Albanese’s water plan: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has warned that jobs across regional Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia will be lost if Anthony Albanese’s policy for water recovery is implemented under the Murray Darling Basin Plan. VFF President Emma Germano said Federal Labor’s five-point policy showed a total misunderstanding of the Basin Plan and a total disregard for jobs in regional communities.
Labor’s plan to future-proof Australia’s water resources: Albanese
An Albanese Labor Government will protect Australia’s precious water resources with a five-point plan for the Murray Darling Basin that strikes the right balance between the needs of local communities, farmers and the environment ... Labor will deliver on the final 450 gigalitres (GL) of water for the environment that Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce have failed to deliver.
Forecast of low prices, more certainty for southern Basin irrigators
Water allocation prices in the southern Murray–Darling Basin are likely to remain low for a third consecutive year, according to the latest ABARES Water Market Outlook.
Robarge to salute in flood appeal race day at Port on Sunday
With two recent victories and a narrow Scone placing under her belt, Robarge indicates the rise in class will not be a concern in the Coastal Fire Protection Handicap on Flood Appeal Race Day at Port Macquarie on Sunday.
Senator drills Federal Govt over weather radar delay
“An assistant secretary from the department falsely claimed Tennant Creek’s new weather radar will be complete this year and was unaware the project’s completion has been delayed until 2023 ... At the last round of Senate Estimates in February, I was disappointed to find out only three out of 28 initiatives of the Barkly Regional Deal have been completed since the deal was signed in 2019” : Senator Marlarndirri McCarthy.
Wheatbelt farmers diversify with carbon farming
INPEX, ANZ and Qantas have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the possibility of carbon farming and renewable biofuels projects in WA’s Wheatbelt. The Western Australian government is currently backing several carbon farming and regenerative agriculture projects across the state, with the hopes of helping the agriculture sector adapt farming systems to an environment facing the climate crisis, while boosting the future viability of such businesses.
Stubble smoke taint fears for red grapes
Chris Oldfield. As the stubble burning season fires up, the region’s grape growers hope their red grape harvest is not affected by smoke taint. Each year, traditional grain growers burn their stubbles before working their soil for next year’s crop in a bid to control weeds, pests and fungal spores. Meanwhile, a cooler grape growing season means a harvest that could clash with stubble burning.
Master class with Mark: vital propagation skills passed on
Serena Kirby. Mark Parre is busy passing on his skills and knowledge to the next generation because, after nearly 30 years with the Shire of Denmark, retirement looms ... “The work is the greatest reward and when I revisit a site I planted up years before and see the diversity of flora and fauna it really makes my heart sing.”
Stories to tell of ways with water
Alison Bennett Taylor. Waterways producer/director Nari Lees says everyone has a story to tell about their connection to Denmark’s waterways – the river, the inlet and the sea. She hopes to capture as many of them on film as she can during the still days of autumn. Waterways, Love Stories of Place, will share stories of connection to place through an interactive walk featuring QR codes that link directly to the recordings.
Public meetings called to address mining threat
Two public meetings will be held on April 12 and April 19 to discuss the implications of a mining exploration licence application ... Bart Lebbing said the Denmark shire relied on primary production, nature-based tourism, education, art and craft enterprises, viticulture and the service industry. “Mineral exploration and mining do not value-add to these sectors, but compromise their viability,” he said.
Budget promises millions for MIA
The current Federal Government has pumped more than $300 million into the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area with $46.4million for Narrandera alone on extra programs and projects and according to Member for Farrer Sussan Ley last week’s budget shows there is more to come. “As well as the promised cost-of-living measures and fuel excise cut, there’s the NBN wireless towers speed and capacity upgrade – with more money also committed to add new mobile phone coverage and cut some increasing congestion on local phone towers,” she said.
Groundwater – making the invisible visible: BoM
BOM Blog. Groundwater – more literally, underground water – accounts for approximately 30% of Australia's water use. But because it can't be seen like rivers and lakes, many people don't know about it. So how can we 'see' this important but invisible resource?
BHP signs Letter of Intent for Australia-East Asia iron ore Green Corridor
A consortium, led by the Global Maritime Forum and consisting of BHP, Rio Tinto, Oldendorff Carriers and Star Bulk Carriers Corp., have today signed a letter of intent (LOI) to assess the development of an iron ore Green Corridor between Australia and East Asia.
EPA promises to be transparent about post flood oil sludge investigations
The Environment Protection Authority has done assessments of those Broadwater homes with hydrocarbon contamination. Hydrocarbon includes oil, diesel and other fuels. A specialist consultant is doing soil assessments and sampling from the yards of affected properties. The results of this testing will be provided to residents and used to decide remedial strategies.
