News

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has reacted with concern following recent comments from Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, warning that the State Government’s energy transition risks alienating the very communities it needs most.

Dr Chris Parker. The threat of lumpy skin disease (LSD) to Australia’s beef cattle industry may have fallen off the front pages, but the current outbreak in Europe proves the risk of this horrid disease remains very real. It is my view that LSD is by far and away the most likely exotic disease of ruminants to enter Australia.

The Barkly Regional Council today issued a strong call to action, urging the Northern Territory Government, Infrastructure Australia, and all stakeholders to reinstate Tennant Creek as a core component of the Territory Energy Link (TEL) corridor. The Council asserts that bypassing Tennant Creek risks squandering decades of strategic planning and undermining critical regional development.

The 2025 Bendigo Writers Festival is fast approaching with the event taking place from Friday August 15 to Sunday August 17. This year’s festival celebrates the fusion of gastronomy and storytelling with a packed program featuring Ben Shewry, Helly Raichura, Jennifer Wong, Grace Yee and Thomas Mayo, along with many others from the literary world.

Among the red gums lining the Murray River, the endangered Regent Parrot is fighting to hang on. With its bright yellow plumage and unmistakable flight, it’s one of Australia’s lesser-known but most threatened species ... Duxton Vineyards, one of Australia’s largest vineyard holders, is working with the NSW Government’s Saving our Species (SoS) program to restore critical habitat for the Regent Parrot.

Launch of ground-breaking new first aid app, the All Hands Lifesaver app. “We wanted to put access to immediate help in every parents' pocket across Australia, removing some of the barriers rural and regional people face when it comes to both first aid education and access to emergency healthcare”:  Grace Larson, co-founder of charity The Sisterhood Project and paediatric intensive care nurse.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has released the 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation assessing the achievements and lessons learned from the 13-years of implementing Australia’s most significant water reform. MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said that while implementation is not complete, the Evaluation found evidence that the rivers, wetlands and lakes are in far better shape under the Basin Plan.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the recently released 2025 Basin Plan Evaluation portrays a deliberately deceiving snapshot of the Murray-Darling Basin and ignores the real-world reality facing farmers and communities in the region.

"It’s very hard to look at these findings and argue the top priority for our Basin environments is even more water from farmers, when 72 per cent of flows are now for the environment, Sustainable Diversion Limits are in place, and clear evidence that non-water threats are holding back environmental outcomes and there is no clear strategy and little action to address these gaps": Zara Lowien, NIC.

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said the Trump Administration’s comments, following Labor’s decision to allow US beef born and raised in Canada or Mexico to be imported into Australia, seem to have validated his concern that a deal was done before the biosecurity protocols were finalised.

Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) organised leading experts in fields of sensor technology, weed management and automation support, including interactive panels with leading tech-savvy growers to answer any questions that arose on the day. Peer-to-peer learning was a key focus of the day, as discussion between farmers turns knowledge into practical insight ...

Mount Alexander Shire Council (MASC) has been keeping play a priority; it has featured as a key agenda item at its recent council meeting and in the recently released budget. It comes as school starts back again, after a holiday period that saw local children and visitors looking for wintry activities in regional small towns.

The final days of the Maldon in Winter Festival and the school holidays resulted in some interesting sights around Maldon ... On Thursday 17 July, the mythical Knight in Shining Armour became a reality for participants in a drawing session with Greg Nash, who is a professional jouster from Kryall Castle (one of only two in Australia, guess where the other one works?).

Ian Riley. The Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, toured the region last week to visit local operations and meet with locals in her role as Head of State, representative of the King ... Her Excellency traversed towns between Harcourt and Woodend, with visits to Buda Homestead in Castlemaine, Josh’s Eggs in Monegeetta and Hanging Rock.

Quill. Featuring in local news this month has been the 150th anniversary of this very publication – the “Buloke Times” ... Amidst the 150th celebrations has been a special visit from ABC Landline journalists, Tim Lee and Andrew Alltree-Williams, covering the history of our humble paper from its first edition as the “Donald Times” on July 29, 1875, right up to its current bi-weekly publication as the “Buloke Times”.

Former Donald resident, Mary Raynes, was among speakers at the 2025 AEGIC Australian barley seminars in China, early this month. The daughter of Donald’s Peter and Colleen Raynes, Mary was the leader of the delegation representing the Australia barley supply chain delivering the two major seminars.

NSW Farmers have backed calls for an independent scientific panel to review federal authorities’ decision to lift biosecurity restrictions on US beef imports into Australia. NSW Farmers’ President Xavier Martin said there was no room for error when it came to biosecurity and said a review was vital to ensure confidence that US beef imports would comply with Australia’s biosecurity and food safety standards.

The Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) acknowledges the Australian Government’s announcement to reinstate access of beef processed from the United States of America into Australia. This follows conclusion of a science-based risk assessment process undertaken by the Australian Government since 2019 to determine whether beef processed in the USA sourced from cattle from Canada or Mexico can meet Australia’s biosecurity and food safety requirements. 

Workmen have been on the site for the past few months making extensive changes to the library and sports museum at Allora. The changes include relocating the library to the old Senior Citizens Room with entry via the double glass doors down the side of the Museum.

Queensland’s inland fishing program, the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS), was introduced in 2000 and has since grown from 25 dams to 63 impoundments. To celebrate, the “SIPS 25” fishing competition will be held in the September school holidays at SIPS destinations across the State.

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