Land & environment

Level 2 water restrictions will be introduced in Nimbin, effective from Thursday, 28 September 2023. Lismore City Council Acting Manager Water and Wastewater William Lee said the restrictions were necessary as the water level in Mulgum Creek continued to fall.

Nhill Free Press and Kaniva Times contacted GWM water for an update on the Nhill Lake’s Bore. A new lakeside bore at Nhill Lake will replace the existing infrastructure and secure a more reliable water supply for the lake.

Northern Rivers residents impacted by the devastating 2022 floods have been left short-changed following last week’s state budget claim Nationals MPs with no sign that the Resilient Homes Program RHP will be fully funded. Member for Clarence Richie Williamson and Member for Tweed Geoff Provest said the budget provides little certainty forward and was a cruel blow to the flood impacted residents still trying to rebuild their lives.

Solar, wind and battery storage will not be enough for Australia to meet its net zero emissions target by 2050, according to a senior CSIRO researcher – and using fossil fuels to produce hydrogen is still much cheaper than using renewable energy. Dr Vicki Au, from the CSIRO’s hydrogen industry mission, with 20 years’ experience in research and development, said other solutions, including hydrogen, were part of the energy mix required to achieve the net zero target.

Residents in the remote community of Milingimbi in East Arnhem can look forward to improved wellbeing and reduced overcrowding ... A $16 million tender has been awarded to WTD Constructions over 3 years to build 32 new homes and extend a further 32 existing homes for the around 1,200 people living in Milingimbi.

Forestry Corporation has taken delivery of three new fire tankers to ensure New South Wales communities are safeguarded from bushfires. The state-of-the-art category one tankers have been supplied by the Rural Fire Service, as part of its new build program, to bolster the state’s firefighting arsenal.

Frogs are in trouble. While many of the world's animal species are now at risk from habitat loss, climate change and other human pressures, it is frogs that are particularly at risk ... "Farm dams, often overlooked in the conservation context, have emerged as potential lifelines for numerous species during dry spells, including frogs": Dr Martino Malerba.

Australia’s inaugural National Bushfire Preparedness Summit is a timely reminder that being bushfire ready is a 365-day a year job, the President of Forestry Australia Dr Michelle Freeman said. “It’s great to see the national spotlight on the critically important issue of bushfire preparedness, but this must be more than just a two-day flash in the pan,” Dr Freeman said.

Western Australia's prized western rock lobsters will be even more readily available to WA seafood lovers, with a major boost approved for direct Back-of-Boat lobster sales this 2023-24 fishing season. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has increased the landing limit for back-of-boat sales from 200 to 999 lobsters per fishing trip.

GWMWater, in partnership with Pyrenees Shire Council, has been investigating the feasibility of extending the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline to provide water to rural properties in parts of the Pyrenees, Northern Grampians and Central Goldfields Shires.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) will call on water from the Menindee Lakes in the coming week to meet demands in the River Murray system.

October promises a revival of spirits and music along the Loddon River as the ‘Whole Loddon Love’ initiative orchestrates a series of live music events ... A bevy of talent is set to grace the Baringhup Hall stage, with performers like The Maes from Melbourne (ex Maldon), The Jess Parker Band from Castlemaine...

Farmers aspire to leave their farm to the next generation in a better condition they received it in. Improving and securing soil is an important part of achieving such an aspiration ... The University of Sydney and AFI are undertaking research to deliver a process to measure human connectivity to soil.

Adair Dunsford. With Spring in the air, the Naracoorte Art Gallery is supporting the local show this year with a targeted floral art workshop. Two designs from the Show catalogue will feature in an afternoon session with former florist, Lisa Caon on Saturday October 7.

This past weekend, the Kerang Memorial Hall hosted the annual show of the Mid-Murray Orchid Club. The event was a visual and olfactory delight with stunning colours and fragrances that could rival any high-end perfume. 

SOURCE Hydropanel technology is bringing reliable drinking water to the underserved community, Irrkerlantye (White Gate), in the Northern Territory. Children’s Ground – a First Nations community-led organisation – is working in partnership with SOURCE to improve drinking water access in remote communities.

A new handbook released by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, will guide businesses – including farmers, forest growers, mining companies and non-governmental organisations – on how to report and account for their natural assets to better protect our environment. Much of the value and growth from our economy is drawn from natural resources as a variety of industries depend on, and profit, from them.

The National Management Group (NMG), of which Melons Australia represents industry on, confirmed at its meeting on 19 September 2023 that eradication of Varroa destructor (varroa mite) is no longer feasible based on technical grounds, following advice from the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests (CCEPP). The response will now enter a transition to management phase.

The Clarence Valley timber industry is still uncertain how many jobs could be lost due to the suspension of logging in the proposed Great Koala National Park as the NSW Government assesses the impact on the endangered marsupials and timber industry jobs ... “They still haven’t actually said what the areas are that they are going to not harvest in and where the actual koala hubs are, so it’s really hard to work out what the ramifications are going to be”: Donna Layton, Marshall Notaras Hardwoods GM and VP of Timber NSW.