Investing in the future with busy beetles
Shaun Ossinger and his forward-thinking team at Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee have chosen to make an investment in the future by starting a very special Dung Beetle program with a very special species. Known as Bubas bubalus these beetles were originally imported from Europe by the CSIRO ...
He eats cockatoos for breakfast: Australia’s rarest bird of prey
Ecologist Tim Henderson has captured incredible photographs in Newhaven, west of Alice Springs, of the endangered Red Goshawk, the first time it’s been confirmed in the region for three decades. It was listed as endangered in 2023 and has gone extinct from most of eastern Australia.
Promise to build career fire station in Yanchep
WA Labor has promised to build a career station in Yanchep if they are re-elected at the March 8 state election. When making the announcement this morning Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said if Labor was returned, planning for the new career fire station would take place after the election with it to be built in about the following 18 months or so.
Pole top fires cause power outages
About 12.30pm Western Power said weather conditions had impacted Western Power’s network with dozens of pole top fires affecting power supply to about 38,000 homes and businesses throughout Perth and the Mid West and Wheatbelt regions.
Burning our way through bushfire volunteers
Governments exist to serve the public good by ensuring critical services like emergency response are accessible to all. Yet in a scenario both tragic and absurd, celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Katy Pery and billionaires like Amazons Jeff Bezos hired private firefighters to protect their mansions during recent wildfires.
Mining battle
Proposed mining for rare earths elements in the Limestone Coast is facing opposition from local producers and residents. Many sections of the community are concerned about how mining would impact production in one of the state's key agricultural regions.
Hot weather has an early impact
Last Tuesday’s hot weather conditions, with the mercury pushing 38 degrees (over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) by mid-afternoon, had an impact on the day’s midweek pennant games, with at least results being called early to protect player safety.
Under Federal Government – Climate zealotry takes priority
The Federal Labor Government’s inability to read the international political climate and instead press on with its domestic climate agenda, demonstrates that the Prime Minister isn’t focused on the struggles of the Australian people, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said this week.
Huge clean-up required as storms hit Riverina and other parts of state
NSW State Emergency Service (SES) members have responded to thousands of incidents since severe storms hit various areas of NSW including the Riverina last week. Narrandera escaped unscathed. The significant thunderstorms impacted the Riverina and southern NSW on Wednesday afternoon, causing widespread damage.
Hit and miss
A storm front that ripped through the Upper Murray last Wednesday caused indiscriminate and varying degrees of damage, delivering rain falls of 10mm to 25mm. The Corryong SES responded to a callout to clear a fallen poplar tree at Tintandra ... More extensive damage was caused at Towong where a large tree came down ...
MRC Citizen of the Year Alan Fielding
Moving to Moulamein from Sydney seven years ago Alan and Sue Fielding embraced rural living ... Not long after moving to Moulamein, a chance meeting with China Gibson saw Alan invited to join the RFS.
New bridge taking shape
Hugh Schuitemaker. A Riverland council continues to make progress on the reconstruction of a major bridge in Renmark, utilising some of the largest construction machinery ever seen inside the region.
Common sense allows farmers to use ground water during bushfires
The NSW Government says it is reducing red tape which has stifled farmers’ ability to fight fires on their own property. During a fire emergency, a landholder can now take water from surface water and groundwater sources on their land without needing to have a water licence and water use approval.
AI tool set to transform woodland bird conservation: Charles Sturt University
A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool is transforming woodland bird conservation in Australia with the help of a Charles Sturt University research team. As Australia’s woodland bird species face alarming declines, one of the biggest challenges to their conservation is simply detecting them.
Opposition leader visits Hall Gap
Mallee business owners under persistent threat of bushfire told Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton they cannot secure the insurance they need to protect their livelihoods, after his visit organised by Member for Mallee, Dr Anne Webster.
Open letter to Rous County Councillors from Water Northern Rivers
We were heartened to read an article in the Tweed Coast Times, "Leading the way for a sustainable future water supply", p.13, 6/9/24. In the article Sharon Cadwallader (newly re-elected Rous County Councillor and Ballina mayor) said working to minimise water demand from big water users is an important part of water sustainability.
Resilient Lismore annual report released
The floods that devastated Lismore and the Northern Rivers in late February 2022 may be the worst natural disaster in recorded Australian history ... Resilient Lismore emerged out of the disaster to assist the many people who were affected by the floods.
Fire exposes risk of chicken farm waste
The management, storage and disposal of farm waste products has become a focus after residents reportedly discovered a smouldering fire in a chicken litter stockpile last week. A resident in the Baringhup/Carisbrook area says they discovered evidence of self-combustion in a pile of chicken farm waste following a day of Total Fire Ban in the district, expressing concern that it could happen again.
Debunking false claims about bushfire risk and native forest logging in Australia
Robert Onfray critiques claims that native forest logging in Australia contributes significantly to increased bushfire risk. Some academics championed this idea, purporting to follow the scientific method, but often their work lacks scientific rigour. These claims have misled the public, skewing the debate around forest management, fire prevention, and the ecological role of logging.
Hazardous surf for parts of NSW: SLSNSW
With hazardous weather conditions forecast to impact parts of NSW over the coming days, including major Sydney beaches, Surf Life Saving NSW is urging the public to exercise caution when visiting the coastline.
Council to assist with raw water connection costs at Showground
The Narrandera Shire Council has agreed to a request for assistance from the Narrandera Showground Land Managers to reduce the financial impact of the raw water connection to the Narrandera Showground. Council will make a contribution of $2,500 to the Showground Trust ... Based on expected water usage on the site there is anticipated to be an operational cost in excess of $20,000 a year that will need to be paid by the Narrandera Showground Trust.
500 animals, fire and feed. Life for the Treweek family
Bushfires are stressful enough, but having a zoo of 500 animals and 23 staff adds a whole new level for the Treweek family. Former Wakool family Mark and Lisa Treweek and their kids Cooper and William have finally been able to open their 52-acre Halls Gap Zoo after the challenges of the Grampians bushfire. Their second fire in 12 months.
