Buloke Times editorial: Bees and wasps
When we were young, very young, the only flying, stinging insect we had to be afraid of (apart from the odd mosquito) was the bee. But the bee provided honey for our toast and crumpets, and we readily put up with the sting. Especially was this so, because we knew that the honey bee, once tormented enough to attack a human being, left its sting in the victim, and went away to die. (The fate of the victim, of course, depended on its susceptibility to bee stings.)
Mates helping mates
The Commonwealth fraternity lives on through our firefighters, with a contingent of Queensland fires including Steve Benecke from the Cambooya Rural Fire Brigade (RFB) recently travelling to Canada to assist in firefighting. In the 2019 ‘Black Summer’ bushfires that ravaged Stanthorpe and the Granite Belt region, Canadian firefighters were part of the international effort to control the blazes.
Not-so-Instagram-worthy issues to be raised with Premier
Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has challenged the NSW Premier Chris Minns to show that he governs for the entire State and to do what is needed to improve Narrandera’s water supply. Ms Cooke said … he should do so in what he has already tagged as the "insta-worthy township of Narrandera".
Community laments lack of consultation
As the mural which adorns the Lawrence water tower continues to attract plenty of admiration, members of the Lawrence Community Fundraising Inc (LCFI) have expressed their disappointment, insisting the idea behind the project originated from a proposal by a resident more than 12 months ago following a consultation hosted by the group to encourage community conversations and invite locals to share their thoughts about additions they wanted in their village.
Harwood Slipway’s new owners
Harwood Slipway will continue the transformation into a more diversified marine precinct servicing vessels along Australia’s east coast after the Polaris Marine Group purchased the facility last week, signalling the beginning of a new marine dynasty for the Clarence – Polaris Marine Dockyards. Established in 1969, Harwood Slipway was focused on designing, building, and repairing ships...
Protection coasts along
Patrick Goldsmith. Yorke Peninsula Council’s first coastal protection structures and adaptation projects community information session was attended by about 30 people at Warooka ... Further sessions will be held in Coobowie, Pine Point, James Well and Port Clinton as council looks to deal with the looming threat of flooding to coastal towns.
New bridges keep on coming
Kyogle Council recently completed the construction of four new bridges – Tierneys Bridge on Duck Creek Rd, Comerfords No 1 on Roseberry Creek Rd, Tims Lane bridge and Old Cob O’ Corn Road bridge ... Next to be completed are new bridges on Williams Rd, Boorabee Creek Rd and Trentys Lane.
Grab a free plant, a free feed and arm yourself to fight those pesky invasives
What do bum-breathing turtles, conservation dogs and giant rat’s tail grasses have in common? It’s all on the schedule as Sunshine Coast Council hosts the Invasive Plants and Animals Workshop event at Obi Obi Hall on September 2 to arm residents with the knowledge to fight invasives on their property.
Biosecurity breakdown – government failing Australians: Canegrowers
Media reports of a new government plan to combat the spread of Red Imported Fire Ants only serve to further highlight the government’s continuing failure to fulfil one of its most basic responsibilities ... CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan has said ... a much smaller treatment area around the Scenic Rim and Gold Coast will be targeted, effectively allowing one of the most dangerous and destructive invasive species in the world to continue spreading north and west unhindered.
The Shire welcomes the Tassal purchase of Cone Bay barramundi farms
The Shire of Derby/West Kimberley is very pleased to hear the news that Tassal seafood producers will purchase Marine Purchase Australia, the company behind Cone Bay barramundi. Shire President Geoff Haerewa said that he was delighted to hear that the business will continue, and possibly even expand, and that 50 jobs will also be saved.
Tassal acquires Australia’s only ocean grown Barramundi farm
Tassal Group Limited (“Tassal”) has completed its acquisition of MPA Fish Farms Pty Ltd and MPA Marketing Pty Ltd (“MPA”), which operate Australia’s only ocean-based barramundi farm at Cone Bay, Western Australia ... Tassal remains focused on its purpose of ‘Sustainably Feeding Tomorrow’ and are delighted to add barramundi to its ever-growing list of products.
Palaszczuk Government continues to grow state’s protected areas estate: Linard
The Palaszczuk Government has recently finalised the purchase of around 8000 hectares of land near Hughenden which will form part of Queensland’s newest National Park ... So far in 2023, the size of Queensland’s national parks estate has grown by more than 12,500 hectares
Proposed amendment to Kosciuszko wild horse management: Sharpe
The NSW Government is seeking feedback on a proposed amendment to the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Heritage Management Plan. The proposed amendment would allow aerial shooting as an additional option for the control of wild horses alongside the existing methods such as trapping and rehoming, and ground shooting.
The 2019/ 20 bushfires – contributory factors: John O’Donnell
John O'Donnell identifies the multiple contributory factors that influenced fuels, forest fire resilience, bushfire attack, safety, impact, cost, bushfire extent and intensity of the 2019/ 2020 major bushfires across south eastern Australia ... Are we better prepared now?
The Great Koala National Park
Vic Jurskis. The facts haven’t deterred the ecowarriors of North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) from trying to hasten the demise of the sustainable, renewable, solar-powered native timber industry. They don’t care about habitat for people, other than themselves. They’ve launched an application for an injunction to ‘save’ the overcrowded koalas that are breeding more rapidly than ever on all the soft new growth resprouting after the Black Summer holocaust that they helped to create.
Regional citizen science initiatives named as finalists in state awards: Landscape SA
Two citizen science initiatives have been named as finalists in the South Australian Citizen Science Awards 2023 ... Insect Investigators and Find our Fungi are both collaborative projects on which the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board is a key partner.
Park power lines plan leads to court
Three years after withdrawing a legal challenge to the NSW government’s decision to approve Snowy 2.0 because of the potential legal costs involved, the National Parks Association of NSW (NPA) is now proceeding with an action in the Land and Environment Court. The case against the previous NSW government’s decision to allow new overhead transmission lines through Kosciuszko National Park (KNP) as part of the Snowy 2.0 project is set to be heard today.
Wandering albatross rulers of the skies above the waves
John Anderson. If ever there was a family of birds that exhibits supreme mastery of the skies, albeit those close to the ocean, it is the albatross family. The CSIRO Australian Bird Guide lists 17 species of albatross that can be seen in Australian waters. They range over vast areas of the Southern Ocean, nesting on Sub-Antarctic Islands such as Macquarie Island and in winter push northwards to patrol the southern coastline of Australia.
Automatic flood warning system keeps motorists safe: Lismore City Council
The Australian Government has funded the installation of digital advance warning flood signs at three sites in our Local Government Area to improve safety for motorists during future weather events ... The installations include automatic electric warning signs, as well as a separate camera mounted on a high pole at each site where the stream gauge/sensor is located.
Dog attacks will surge if buffer goes
Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley, fears farms in the Upper Murray will again be under constant threat from wild dogs if the rules for trappers are watered down. On Tuesday night in the Victorian Parliament, Mr Tilley called on the Agriculture Minister to visit the region and hear from the landholders who lived through the carnage of the early 2000s.
Basin Plan flounders as problems mount
Southern Riverina Irrigators said Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s determination to deliver the Basin Plan in full shows just how out of touch with reality the minister really is ... To date, 83 per cent of water recovered has already come from the southern basin and SRI is urging NSW water minister Rose Jackson to follow Victoria’s lead and put a line through future buybacks ... Despite the devastation caused by the MDBA in the southern basin, MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said most communities are in support of the plan’s implementation.
Narrandera and Gillenbah firefighters on a lifesaving mission
Gillenbah Rural Fire Service and Narrandera Fire and Rescue squad are joining forces on a potentially lifesaving mission to replace or install fire alarms in the community. The initiative was sparked by concerns raised by locals regarding the inconvenience of replacing their current fire alarms, prompting them to approach the Gillenbah crew for assistance.
