Weather

It is the author’s belief that Australia is not adequately prepared for upcoming bushfires.   To be frank, we as a society have learnt very little following 2019/20, especially in regards to bushfire mitigation. Communities, firefighters and the ecosystems are highly exposed over the coming El Nino period and a lot of bushfire skills have been lost.   Disaster and insurance costs are going up every year and will continue to go up with current adapted approaches.

The Bureau of Meteorology has declared that an El Nino is underway for most of regional and rural Australia, which will lead to a warmer and drier Spring and Summer, increasing the risk of extreme temperature shifts. This will test all of us, as drought, bushfires, and sustained hot weather will impact many communities. Importantly this will also be a leadership moment of truth for parents, employers, and community groups.

The fact that an El Nino has finally been declared might seem a distant problem to many horse people. While the natural weather pattern originating in the Pacific Ocean does not necessarily lead to drought, parts of the country such as Gippsland and in NSW near Dubbo have been experiencing very dry conditions for some time.

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.

Australian agriculture, fisheries and forestry are set to have the third-highest yearly gross value on record in 2023-24, with production value predicted to reach $86 billion. Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville said release of the ABARES Agricultural Commodities and Crop Reports shows the sector is remaining strong despite challenging conditions.

The latest Federal Intergenerational Report suggests crop yields could be up to 4 per cent lower by 2063. Reduced yields are expected due to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, including droughts, as well as most crops producing less in higher temperatures.

Shadow Minister for Emergency Services and Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick, together with Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Nicola Centofanti, are standing with local farmers and Grain Producers SA in opposing the proposed changes to the Grain Harvesting Code of Practice. The changes put forward by the CFS seek to reduce the Grassland Fire Danger Index (GFDI) cease harvest number to 40 at 10 metres...

Michelle Daw. Farmers could be forced out of their paddocks for twice as many hours and harvest pushed into the hottest, driest months of the year under proposed changes to the Grain Harvesting Code of Practice, Grain Producers SA has warned.

Australia’s iconic grass-trees – aka yaccas – are hardy, drought-tolerant, and strikingly beautiful. Now, new research has revealed another, far more important, feature: their ability to protect wildlife from deadly weather extremes.

Beef producers can expect a two-year holding pattern on cattle prices as drought conditions widen, processing sector labour shortages persist, and a huge stockpile of meat in Asian freezers start to thaw. While lightweight heifers will take the biggest price hit, the emerging El Nino may mean business opportunities for producing heavy Jap ox and heavy feeder steers, according to market analyst Simon Quilty, of Global AgriTrends.

Dust storms pose a significant threat to the environment, public health and the economy ... In this article, we will delve into research insights from our scientists, discussing the impact of dust storms, the importance of land management practices, and measures that can be taken to prepare for these natural phenomena.

Here’s a great chance to tap into inspiring tips from Sunshine Coast design experts and learn how to make your home comfortable all year round. Sunshine Coast Council has developed a free educational design booklet, online course and smart phone compass to help you better understand our local sub-tropical climate and how the sun in winter and summer influences the liveability of our homes.

VFPA welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement to reverse the highly contested rainfall regulation, known as ‘water rule’, under the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) ... The announcement means the Australian Government will permanently remove this perverse rule from the Carbon Farming Initiative Regulation from 1 June 2024.  

In January this year, a freak hailstorm hit Maldon and surrounds, bringing billiard ball sized hailstones causing distress to livestock and damaging roofs, windows and cars. The largest reported hailstones fell in Maldon, with some of them exceeding 70 mm in diameter and exhibiting unusual shapes. The shapes and sizes made them of great interest to hail researchers.

Agriculture Victoria’s Monitoring Wind Erosion in the Victorian Mallee survey data summary for 2022 is now available online in the lead up to a webinar on June 13, which will present current wind erosion survey results and the seasonal outlook.

The overall value of the agriculture sector is set to contract by 14% in 2023-24 due to drier than normal conditions after three La Nina years ... “Looking further ahead, it’s likely we will see either El Nino or a positive Indian Ocean Dipole in the coming months, which will reduce crop yields": Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville.

Cropping is in full swing across the district. Diapur farmer Tom Cook said, "Funny start to the season. I wouldn’t really say we’ve had the break, but I’ve got vetch and canola out of the ground. Still sowing into moisture at the moment as we move through our wheat program. Not sure the moisture will hang around for long though, unless we get more rain."

Frank Batini and Michael Freeman. We are convinced that the reports of rainfall change in the southwest region of Western Australia being linked to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are not   correct. We believe this despite all the media reports, climate change modelling, Government documents and peer-reviewed research papers from Universities that say the opposite. We feel very lonely ... ARR.News asked some further questions of Frank and Michael.

The Linklater family ... of Trentham Farms, near Gol Gol, NSW, crop 9800 ha of sandy loam country and appreciate the value of older and cheaper herbicides that are still effective options against their major weeds. With a focus on maximising yield by cropping as often as possible, Daniel says it is necessary to take a medium to long-term view when making decisions rather than focusing on the lowest-cost options in a single season.