Media Release

Southern Mallee District Council has adopted its first ever Environmental Action Plan (EAP), taking a proactive approach to protecting and preserving its environmental assets and long-term sustainability. The four-year plan (2021-2024) is a major step forward and demonstrates a commitment from the Council to environmental leadership amongst its rural local government peers.

Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson celebrated the opening of the new 140m state of the art bridge alongside Tamworth Region Mayor Col Murray ... “Manilla currently sees a cavalcade of heavy trucks going right down the main street on a daily basis. This new bridge will change that, breathing new life into the historic town of Manilla,” Mr Anderson said.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council is urging landholders to remain vigilant for Fireweed. Lockyer Valley Environment Portfolio Councillor Michael Hagan said the invasive weed has the potential to severely impact agriculture in the region if it's not removed from pastures.

“Over the coming weeks we will continue to work with coastal councils from Tweed to Bega Valley and everywhere in between to deliver the world’s largest shark management program to increase beachgoer safety,": Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro. “There is no other jurisdiction in Australia or across the globe which has done as much testing and trialling of technology and approaches to mitigate shark interactions.”

Wallabies assistant coach Dan McKellar has spoken from Townsville. The side were given an official welcome to country upon arrival in Townsville this afternoon ahead of their eToro Rugby Championship Test against Argentina on Saturday night. McKellar grew up in North Queensland and went to school in Townsville.

Open winners: Ken Atherton – Ramulam Punch, Open Utility; Nigel Armstrong – Tumutvalley Roy, Open Yard.

The domestic softwood timber industry in NSW has received a significant boost with the NSW Government directing Forestry Corporation to divert selected softwood log exports impacted by the China trade embargo, to domestic markets. Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Forestry John Barilaro said this will see at least an additional 270,000 tonnes of timber enter the domestic supply chain over the next three years.

A free community stargazing event at Cunderdin on 29 October 2021.

Mulloon Institute. Duncan and Kym McMaster, managers of The Scots College’s Bannockburn Campus have been observing improvements yielded by a contour recommended in a farm plan designed by Mulloon Consulting ... When questioned about his thoughts on the contour, Duncan quickly exclaimed “it works!”. Duncan is pleased to see the principles of landscape rehydration implemented on the property.

Minister for Resources and Water, Keith Pitt, has announced that Renascor Resources Ltd has been granted Major Project Status for its $209 million Siviour project, which includes a graphite mine and concentrator located in the Eyre Peninsula and a downstream purified spherical graphite (PSG) manufacturing facility located in Port Adelaide. The Project is now on track to become the first in-country integrated graphite mine and battery anode material operation outside of China, positioning Australia as an important participant in the global battery industry and electric vehicle markets.

The NSW Government has launched the NSW Water Strategy, a 20-year blueprint to deliver resilient and sustainable water resources to communities across the state ... The strategy coincides with the launch of the Water Project Map, a new tool for people to access information about all water infrastructure projects across NSW.

The Western Downs is rolling out the red carpet and welcoming the best of Australian short films as part of an exciting partnership between Western Downs Regional Council and Flickerfest Short Film Festival.

Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall will lead a statewide forum bringing together key farming, research and industry players to help farmers manage a spring surge in mouse numbers across NSW.

150 new species have been named in the past year by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and its partners. They include tributes to RuPaul and Pokemon to help Australians understand, protect and benefit from our nation’s biodiversity.

Through grant funding provided via the Commonwealth Government's Drought Communities Programme (DCP) Extension new water standpipes have been installed in Eden Valley, Moculta and Mount Pleasant. The standpipes will support those within the council area who do not have access to reticulated water supplies and may have limited access via other sources due to ongoing drought conditions.

A popular East Kimberley event held in May this year, and supported by the McGowan Government, injected around $6 million into the local economy and recorded its highest-ever ticket sales.

A vanadium mine in Queensland's remote northwest will pioneer production of a globally sought-after new economy mineral, supporting up to 400 regional jobs. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Resources Minister Scott Stewart and Multicom Resources’ chief executive officer Shaun McCarthy jointly announced the go-ahead for the $250 million Saint Elmo mine near Julia Creek, in the state’s North West.

For the first time in more than 20 years, farmers are having to rethink their strategy for managing flystrike. Recently documented chemical resistance, coupled with wet and warm conditions this spring, means there is the threat of a big flystrike season ahead.

Australian horticulture growers are being urged to contribute to the creation of a high-tech mapping tool to improve biosecurity preparedness and natural disaster response efforts. The National Protected Cropping Map, an initiative being delivered through Hort Innovation and led by the University of New England’s Applied Agricultural Remote Sensing Centre, will capture the location of commercial, polytunnels, shadehouses, glasshouses and permanent nets in every State and Territory of Australia.  

Australian researchers have discovered a set of unique and potentially durable resistance genes from exotic barley lines and landraces that breeders can use to develop crops with more stable resistance to powdery mildew.