It’s time for the Bells Line Expressway
The Bells Line of Road, which provides the alternative route over the Blue Mountains to the Central West from Sydney, will be closed indefinitely due to landslides caused by the recent heavy rains. This is a timely reminder of the many years of inaction on building the long overdue Bells Line Expressway ... One of the last roles held by the the recently departed former Leader of the National Party in NSW, Ian Armstrong, was as Chairman of the Bells Line Expressway Action Group. As Mr. Armstrong said in 2010 - "the road was built for a previous age".
BoM – climate and water outlook – April to June
The latest climate and water outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology.
A bridge not far, or high, enough
Despite years of warnings, public protests, approaches to Ministers and Members of Parliament, and, in particular, the vocal opposition of the very active Community Action for Windsor Bridge (CAWB) group, Roads & Maritime Services in NSW insisted on building the new Windsor Bridge across the Hawkesbury River in exactly the wrong location.
Edgington meets with Sun Cable team to discuss world’s largest solar farm in Barkly
Barkly MLA Steve Edgington met with the team from Sun Cable this week – the company which has signed a milestone agreement to advance the $22 billion Australia-AASEAN Power Link). Mr Edgington said the project will see up to $8 billion invested in the Barkly which will host the largest solar farm and renewable energy system in the world.
A message to MP Pitt from Dr Peter Barker, OAM, Cohuna
"You are surrounded by the passionate custodians of the southern Murray Darling Basin. I deal with these ladies, gentleman, and their kids on a daily basis and when they are sad or vulnerable, I hear the stories. So, what is it that is driving some to want to sell the farm as a best counselled option after weeks of therapy as opposed to the suicide planned when the wife brings her husband in the night at the point of desperation. I’m going to talk about some of the straws that are breaking backs and what follows is extracted from many conversations I have had with troubled farmers when they see a problem with no solution, they can influence ..."
Grafton Fire Station has eyes in the skies
Emma Pritchard. There is a lot of admiration for the unique piece of equipment Grafton Fire and Rescue 306 Station Captain Garry Reardon holds proudly. The impressive state-of-the-art remote piloted aircraft system (RPAS), more commonly referred to as a drone, is the latest addition to Grafton Fire Station and will assist in the protection of the Clarence Valley community and help keep the dedicated team members who make that possible, safe as well.
Seas of Change
This "Seas of Change" will take you on a 35-year journey in 2 minutes, highlighting how the Northern Prawn Fishery recognised in 1985 that sustainability needs to be a never-ending process.
Standard digital camera and artificial intelligence to monitor soil moisture for affordable smart irrigation
Researchers at The University of South Australia have developed a cost-effective new technique to monitor soil moisture using a standard digital camera and machine learning technology.
WA election result an impetus to form new state
David Landini, Riverina State Group. The Labor party victories in the recent Queensland and West Australian State elections are a reminder that a Labor government will eventually be elected federally as well.
Seedling donations support koala feed tree community planting program
Forestry Corporation of NSW delivered the first load of 25,000 koala food tree seedlings recently to support north coast koala care groups’ efforts to build koala habitat. The organisation delivered 10,000 seedlings to a new Lismore nursery facility managed by Friends of the Koala to support their, and Bangalow Koalas’, planting programs.
Dingo management update
MidCoast Council is again asking the community to refrain from approaching or feeding Dingoes in the Tea Gardens / Hawks Nest area following the need for lethal control of a sub-adult pack this week. The three males and two females had been involved in at least five incidents involving people and domestic pets over the last month, all increasing in ferocity ... "We are all really disappointed that it has come to this," said Council's Senior Ecologist, Mat Bell.
Rural land to E zones in NSW
The NSW State Government announced on 10 March 2021 that The Minister for Planning will issue a new section 9.1 direction (to the Koala SEPP) to ensure that only the Minister, and not councils, will be empowered to rezone land used for primary production to an environmental zone (E zone), or to rezone land currently in rural zones 1, 2 and 3 to other rural zones.
Game-changer for smoke taint risk
Last year’s world-first discovery that smoke dose is directly linked to the level of smoke taint in wine was an ‘absolute gamechanger,’ according to Professor Ian Porter. ‘We discovered that provided the burn is not right next to the vineyard, it actually takes a lot more smoke to cause smoke taint than we originally thought’, Professor Porter from La Trobe University said.
The future of funerals in the spotlight
The future of funerals is in the spotlight following community feedback showing increased interest in more eco-friendly burial options. Sunshine Coast Council is investigating natural burial sites within existing cemeteries.
Pollies on tour
Last week the stars aligned, the heavens opened and upon rays of golden light came a contingent of politicians and bureaucrats to witness what the current water policy decisions are doing to our economy, food producers and environment. The attendance of such dignitaries was less to do with heavenly intervention, but mainly blood, sweat and tears by those who tirelessly advocate to end the government sanctioned destruction.
Latest Mount Morgan water restrictions
Level 6 Water Restrictions will be implemented in Mount Morgan from Monday 15 March, following the news that the No. 7 Dam has fallen to below 10% capacity. However, the water conservation by Mount Morgan residents means watering of private gardens can continue ... Cr Rutherford: “Residents have worked so hard to keep plants and veggie patches alive despite the hot dry weather, and to say watering would no longer be possible would have been very tough."
Join the emu parade
Geoff Helisma. According to Clarence Valley Council there are fewer than 50 coastal emus remaining along the east coast of Australia and only 36 individuals in the Taloumbi/Tyndale/Pillar Valley region, if the estimates in CVC’s Natural Resource Management Coastal Emus: Sighting Data Analysis, July 2020 are correct.
Over 130 street trees planted
Planting has finished with round one of Maitland City Council’s Community Street Tree Planting Program seeing 136 trees installed during February. Expressions of interest were called from residents in September 2020, and the positive level of response received highlighted people’s interest in environmentally driven projects and green spaces in Maitland.
Lack of consultation on new Koala SEPP a concern for farmers
NSW Farmers is concerned by a lack of consultation with landholders around new koala regulations and what they will mean for farmers. NSW Farmers’ President James Jackson said it was disappointing the agreement made with the Premier last year to protect koalas and farms had been torn up.
NSW Government delivers Koala SEPP 2021
“This is a win for regional NSW and balances the interests of farmers and the protection of koalas and their habitat,” Mr Barilaro said. “Land zoned for primary production or forestry in regional NSW will not be subject to the new SEPP, which means farmers will not be strangled by red tape."
More than just a snake catcher …
Known best for her snake catching exploits, there’s more to Lauren Dibben than wrangling the odd reptile. For years she has been the go-to woman for removing snakes from the yards of Weipa residents. What many don’t know is that Lauren has two degrees, has more knowledge of the Western Cape ecosystem than most others and is now the owner of a medium-sized business with more than a dozen employees.
Extraordinary community response to emergency evacuation
Roper Gulf Regional Council would like to thank everyone who was involved in the emergency evacuation of the Jilkminggan community on Thursday 25 February 2021. The decision was made by the Local Emergency Committee to evacuate 211 people from Jilkminggan as flood waters continued to rise and surround the community.
