News

Barry Large. There's an awful lot of noise being made right now about the prices every day Australians are being charged at the checkout, whilst the big supermarkets rake-in record profits. Added to this political rhetoric driven by the cost-of-living crisis is an apparent concern about the need to ensure Australian farmers receive their fair share of the retail dollar.

The Northern Territory Government has opened consultation for the Draft Saltwater Crocodile Management Program 2024-2034, which will allow for the public to have input on how crocodiles are managed in the Territory. There are currently more than 100,000 crocodiles in the Territory.

What do the scientists say about the fire ants at Wardell? Will they spread? How worried should we be? Originally from South America, the fire ants are considered one of the world’s most invasive pests.

Proceedings in the Supreme Court about the controversial Singleton Station water allocation by the NT Government were all dismissed by Justice Barr on 31 January 2024. The unsuccessful plaintiffs were the Alice Springs based environmental organisation, Arid Land Environment Centre (ALEC), and the Mpwerempwer Aboriginal Corporation, representing Aboriginal people in the Singleton region 380 km north of Alice Springs.

Surfer Callum Robson has done it again. At the World Surf League Series Lexus Pipe Pro in Hawaii, Robson scored 9 points in his heat ... The 23 year old Evans Head surfer described what the winning wave at Oahu was like.

Yet again another strike on the wharfs ends in a cave in by the stevedores. Last week DP World, which is owned by the Dubai Royal Family, agreed to increase wages by 25 per cent over the next four years to end a rolling series of stoppages that has gone on for months. That works out about double the predicted inflation rate with almost no productivity trade offs ... Welcome back to the thinking of the 1970s.

Again we have a bumper show planned for 2024. On Farm Cattle Challenge - this is the 2nd year we are running this and we are hoping to continue to build on the success we had last year with the On Farm Challenge.  From feedback last year we have added some extra classes for 2024.

Act Belong Commit Darkan Sheepfest reaches out to all young Australians to ignite their passion for sheep and wool as they centre their 2024 show around The Next Generation.

Australia’s agricultural sector is "moving confidently into 2024", with an overall positive outlook for the nation’s farmers and agribusiness industries in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released annual outlook ... while agri commodity prices are "well down on the highs seen over the previous two years", the bank’s price forecasts point to "continued positive farm margins in key agricultural sectors in 2024"

Peter Hibberd. Victorian harness racing hobby trainer, Paul Castle, and his wife, Fiona, didn’t hold back their emotions when ten-year-old gelding Touchandgo (Down Under Muscles) got the money at his 49th race attempt. The victory at the Wedderburn Cup meeting ... had added significance, as it was the first training success for Castle, of Swan Marsh, 20 minutes from Colac.

The Birchip Hotel is building on a traditional theme of celebrating home grown talent on Australia day and this year the event was another resounding success. Bathed in sunlight, and welcoming shade from the trees, picnic rugs were rolled out on the grassy beer garden at the Birchip Hotel, with young families enjoying a jam-packed card of home grown talent.  

Australia Day dawned less than sunny last Friday, and unfortunately for all those looking forward to watching the annual Australia Day Awards being presented and then participating in the fun to follow. Preparations were well underway when the sky opened up, and unfortunately, due to safety concerns arising from the lightning, Australia Day events were postponed.

Council extends a big thank you to residents for taking part in the Australia Day – Survival Day community event, held in Castlemaine last Friday ... Along with the presentation of the Australia Day Awards, six people took the pledge to become Australian citizens at the community event

Wilya Ajjul Janta Aboriginal Corporation held an exhibition last Friday at Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Cultural Centre to unveil its housing model that is more environmentally and culturally appropriate for Warumungu country. CEO Simon Quilty was ecstatic with the turnout and the community’s interest in changing the Territory’s housing models to suit its searing heat, especially in light of climate change.

“Changing farm management is leading to a change in pest threats such as snails and slugs,” leading entomologist Dr Michael Nash ... warns growers. “Slugs and snails need moisture and if you're retaining more moisture in your farming system, which leads to increased yields, you will get more slugs and snails.” 

It was quite the gathering at the Mount Tarrengower tower’s 100th birthday last Friday, especially when you consider that it was an impromptu event put together in a matter of days ... Former fire tower operator Peter Skilbeck pointed out that he had spent almost a third of his life  - 26 years - working on top of the tower.

Due to compliance issues with Council, Sandy Creek Clydesdales owners Matthew and Jaimie Thompson say they have been forced to cancel much of their business activities ... well-known and much-loved enterprise ... “We delved into just what changing the land use zoning would require,” Jaimie said.

Australia Day was a time to reflect, respect and celebrate for around 100 people who gathered at Lucindale last Friday ... Lucindale’s 2024 Citizen of the Year, Erin McWaters, was praised for her outstanding contribution to the community “particularly her volunteer work and fundraising contributions”.

Wayne Hawthorne. A UK author of more than 10 books, Gill Tee led an interesting life before moving recently to the Naracoorte district. Gill told Naracoorte Men’s Probus Club members how she spent most of her life living in England, but that she has also lived in Spain and now Australia.

We would have been so much better if we had reconciled our past with the First Nations people of this land. This was the message delivered by James Darling AM, a South Australian conversationalist ... Mr Darling congratulated those in Naracoorte who were granted Australian citizenship and thanked them for their loyalty towards the country.

Out now!