Land & environment

A Transgrid helicopter will take to the skies across the Riverina-Murray, Sunraysia and Far West regions from this week to inspect high-voltage electricity transmission lines for the network’s annual bushfire prevention program.

393 fish were caught during the Moulamein Football Netball Club’s annual fishing competition. ... This year's event saw entrants become citizen scientists, forming a partnership with Dr Nathan Miles from NSW Fisheries at Narrandera to record vital fish data to monitor fish numbers between the Balpool Bridge and 19-mile reserve on the Edward River at Moulamein.

BirdLife Australia, leaders for bird conservation in Australia ... announces the official and certified results of the 10th annual Aussie Bird Count, Australia’s largest citizen science initiative. From last October, 60,598 Australians across the nation turned their eyes to the sky to tally an astonishing 3,608,545 birds, with the colourful Rainbow Lorikeet continuing to hold the crown.

In relation to the discontinuation of the case brought by the Nature Conservation Council (NCC) of New South Wales (NSW) against the NSW Water Minister and NSW Environment Minister in 2021 to challenge the validity of the Border Rivers Water Sharing Plan, media releases have been issued by the Ministers and the NCC.

Australia’s 1500 cotton growers, 90 per cent of them family farmers, are either starting to pick their 2024 crop or are planning to start in the coming weeks as they contemplate another above average season. This season, close to 480,000 green hectares of cotton has been planted predominantly in New South Wales and Queensland, with the Northern Territory and Western Australia also growing cotton crops.

The grandson of Albert "Ernie" Carr, whose family formerly owned five farms around the Carrs Drive area at West Yamba, has expressed concern that areas he knew as swampland when growing up are being overdeveloped.

Women from across the Riverina region gathered at Hay Services Club last week, for Hay Plains Landcare’s highly successful Women of the Riverina Forum. The two-day event was organised by local Landcare powerhouses Jade Auldist and Jenny Dwyer in recognition of NSW Women’s Week, and brought together inspirational guest speakers on a variety of topics.

Wombats are on the move around Hay, with continued sightings of the regionally rare marsupial exciting local enthusiasts. These marsupials are typically native to southeastern Australia, and their presence in Hay has left many curious about their relatively sudden appearance.  

From this month, Denmark’s McLean Oval will be kept green thanks to a new recycled wastewater irrigation system that will see up to 30 million litres of water diverted from a nearby treatment plant. The project, delivered in partnership with Water Corporation, represents another goal achieved under the Shire’s Sustainability Strategy in line with community expectations.  

A scientific survey is being carried out in the Perth Hills, near Mundaring. Scientists are seeking to better understand the health of the forest through the simple art of listening. Using the emerging science of eco-acoustics, researchers are monitoring forest soundscapes to better understand and benchmark ecosystem health.

Alex Vaughan. Why is Central Australia almost the only region nationally at an increased wildfire risk across autumn? The National Council for Fire and Emergency Services unequivocally links this risk to buffel grass invasion and buffel grass regrowth  and curing, enabling fire conditions to overcome the longstanding norm for fire regimes across arid and semi-arid lands where “wildfire frequency is typically once a decade”.

I have lots of roses. They are always rewarding with their different shapes colours and perfumes and are often admired by visitors. But there’s one in the garden, that’s a bit shabby and out of shape, and is the one most loved and cherished by all the family. She’s had an interesting history.

Restoring our Rivers Bill debated at Agribusiness Australia event. The profound implications of the Commonwealth’s Restoring Our Rivers Bill was unpacked in a wide-ranging discussion about the Murray Darling Basin Plan at an Agribusiness Australia event in Melbourne last week in front of nearly 150 guests.

The Chair of a Territory Aboriginal Corporation has highlighted Traditional Owners’ concerns about a major blaze from Jemena’s gas pipeline in Queensland, cutting gas to Gladstone. Chair of Nurrdalinji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Djingili Elder Samuel Sandy, a former resident of Elliott, said if an event like that happened in the NT it would be a catastrophe, given the major bushfires across the region last September.

As Scenic Rim residents continue to repair and rebuild following the devastating Christmas-New Year storms, native animals are re-establishing their homes as green shoots of recovery appear in bushland areas … a survey over three nights of a Council natural area at Tamborine aimed to assess the damage to habitat and its impacts on koalas and greater gliders to assist Scenic Rim Regional Council's efforts in protecting these endangered species.

A leisurely fishing trip with some mates from Jeremal Bridge to Tintaldra on Saturday became very memorable when Josh Boers landed this 93cm Murray cod, much to the envy of his fellow anglers.

There’s a magic that comes from the tranquil flowing waters of the mighty Murray. As the river snakes from the mountains across the floodplains and finishes in the estuary, Dennis Miles of Yarrawonga has been observing the beauty, the challenges and the love expressed by people on the river.

Serena Kirby. More than a dozen happy helpers have given Prawn Rock Channel a much-needed clean up organised by marine wildlife conservation group, Sea Shepherd. Sea Shepherd’s regional coordinator Rhedyn Dekker said she was always amazed at the quantity and diversity of objects they found.

The Delburn Wind Farm developer, Osmi Australia, has allayed speculation that the project would be affected by the federal government's rejection on environmental grounds of the Port of Hastings as a construction site ... Delburn involves the construction of 33 wind turbines each about 250 metres in height on plantation forest land owned by HVP Plantations ... recently deployed new fire detection technology that it said was a first for Australia and the wind farm industry.

Member for Murray Helen Dalton says carp are a threat to the Murray Darling Basin that has been ignored by the NSW Government ... “This week's release of the government's Alternatives to Buybacks Plan completely ignores one of the greatest environmental threats to our river systems - invasive and destructive Carp,” Mrs Dalton said.

Understanding climate indicators was a key message from BCG’s Climate Expert Kate Finger, who presented BCG’s Trials Review Day ... The senior researcher explained to the 170 plus farmers and advisers in attendance that a declaration of an El Niño, as happened last year, “did not always equal drought.”