News

What the heck is 'placemaking anyway'? - that's the hot topic on the table when Scenic Rim Regional Council hosts its third Arts Dinner of 2022 on Tuesday 2 August. Set against the backdrop of the Life in Focus exhibition, which includes the Scenic Rim Story Marker Trails project, the dinner explores the concept of how public art connects people with places, builds community pride and reflects the space in which it resides.

Amid Australia’s first Varroa Destructor Mite outbreak, the grower-owned research and development corporation Hort Innovation has joined forces with the University of Sydney to develop a world-first hormone-based pesticide that is safe for honey bees but fatal to Varroa mite. As part of the $1.2M initiative, scientists will create molecules that selectively bind to and interfere with the hormone receptors of Varroa mite and fellow honey bee pest, small hive beetle, interfering with reproduction, development, and behaviour.

The Commonwealth Government has established Biosecurity Response Zones at international airports, another strong measure in response to the Indonesian outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) ... “These zones strengthen and widen the powers of biosecurity officers to direct passengers to use foot mats and other biosecurity control measures such as the cleaning of shoes ... I also announced the deployment of sanitisation foot mats at all international airports as an additional layer of protection for returning travellers from Indonesia" : Minister Watt.

Members of the state’s peak agricultural body have voted to support the development of a national electronic tagging system ... NSW Farmers Biosecurity Chair Ian McColl said while electronic tagging could be helpful, it would not be a silver bullet for the threat posed by FMD.

Following the release, the Victorian Regional Forest Agreements (RFA) - Major Event Review of the 2019- 2020 bushfires, the peak national organisation representing over 1,000 forest scientists and professionals have called for active and adaptive forest management to be implemented as a matter of urgency. President of Forestry Australia, Bob Gordon said the organisation has been calling on all governments to prioritise and invest in a year-round active and adaptive management approach to forest management, regardless of tenure.

“The Mulloon Institute heartily welcomes the Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s calls for structural reform and new environmental legislation,” said Mr Gary Nairn AO, Chairman of the Mulloon Institute and former Federal Liberal MP. The Institute restores degraded landscapes across Australia for improved agricultural productivity, enhanced environmental outcomes, improved biodiversity including habitat for threatened species, and greater community resilience to drought, bushfire and flood.

State Emergency Service volunteers were on their hands and knees last week, helping police search for clues tied to the murder of Thor Morgan in Toowoomba back in March ... “What we do believe is that a person involved was also involved in discharging a firearm at that spot, firing a number of shots across this road,” Senior Sgt McCusker said.

A Telstra telecommunications facility will be constructed on Keding Road at Westbrook following approval by Toowoomba Regional Council, providing improved reception, 4G and 5G services ... The application was submitted by Ventia Australia Pty Ltd on behalf of Amplitel Pty Ltd.

Some academics are happy to comment in areas where they have no expertise or local knowledge. In contrast, the views of locals with years of practical management experience are mostly ignored.

Tennant Creek kids were lucky enough to be able to participate in dance/hip hop workshops with artists Matty, Franceska and Michael from Indigenous Outreach Projects (IOP) this week. The week was full of workshops, run with assistance from Julalikari, culminated with a dance performance at Nyinkka Nyunyu on Saturday night.

Showcasing the best of the Barkly’s creative talents and providing memorable and exciting experiences for all ages, the Barkly Regional Arts (BRA) 33rd Desert Harmony Festival is set to be as fun and engaging as ever ... BRA will light up for an evening of poetry, music, circus and dance featuring acts by Kasey Chambers, Olive Knight and many more artists.

Kate Foran. It is such a privilege working in the vet industry! You get the chance to get up close with so many gorgeous creatures; mostly companion pets, but occasionally with some of the spectacular wildlife that lives in our Barkly region as well. This week was extra special, we received a visit from a stunning reptile! A local ranger brought in a juvenile Spencer’s Goanna to us.

Dhelkaya Health is setting up a new committee that will work behind the scenes to help people maintain their health and wellbeing for longer.

Set on 22 acres in Shelbourne, Equine Healing Centre Bendigo was established in 2019, as a place to help people to recover from trauma or for those suffering from emotional and physical burnout to practice restorative self-care, through experiential learning. Owner, Tracey Kenny-Dive, studied at the Equine Psychotherapy Institute in Daylesford as an accredited Equine Assisted Learning Practitioner.

The first rural Safe Space in Victoria, Castlemaine Safe Space (CaSS) is a non-clinical support service, staffed by trained Peer Volunteers, who have lived experience of emotional distress and/or suicidality. The pop-up Safe Space will initially be operated from two venues in Castlemaine, the Senior Citizens Centre and the Salvation Army hall on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Out now!

Out now!

A bold move by jockey Quayde Krogh paid dividends when Kiptanui stunned favourite Ready To Humble in Sunday’s $40,000 Narrandera Cup over a mile. Trained by Mathew Dale, Kiptanui ($12) started from barrier 10 and was forced to sweep around the field early to take up the running, after Nick Olive’s Ready to Humble ($1.75) had bounded out of the gates and struck the early lead.

Australia’s $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan is yielding some unintended consequences as decades of sage warnings went ignored ... Money is the motivator. “Almonds, citrus, and table grapes can all be grown above or below the Barmah Choke, but horticulturalists believe they can each be grown more profitably below the Choke.”