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CSIRO acquires new Forest Hill research station in Queensland

CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has purchased a 77-hectare property in Queensland to continue its research in support of agriculture in the north, including new and improved crop varieties, agricultural tools, and agronomy.

IFA/AFG welcomes study on Indigenous knowledge and the shackles of wilderness

The professional association representing some 1,000 forest scientists, researchers and forest land managers in Australia has welcomed the paper  Indigenous knowledge and the shackles of wilderness  by Associate Professor and Wiradjuri man Michael-Shawn Fletcher. The Institute of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers President Bob Gordon said the paper provided an opportunity for solution focused dialogue regarding how we manage our forests, and highlighted the need to engage and work closely with Traditional Owners.

Pub yields compress further

Continued thirst for pubs, particularly in regional Australia where demand has increased by 135%, has pushed yields down further, according to Real Capital Analytics. Benjamin Martin-Henry, RCA’s head of analytics, pacific said despite rolling lockdowns across much of Australia over the last 18 months, property investors have shown a remarkable interest in acquiring pubs, with transaction volume on course to eclipse previous highs.

Daintree National Park returns to Eastern Kuku Yalanji people

The world-famous Daintree National Park has been handed back to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, part of 160,000 hectares of land in Cape York that is again in the hands of traditional owners following an agreement with the Queensland government. The planet’s oldest rainforest joins Uluru and Kakadu as UNESCO world heritage sites under management of First Nations people.

Call for protection of farmland in race to Net Zero

NSW Farmers has called for the clear protection of agricultural land as the state moves to slash emissions by 2030. While moves to increase private sector investment, grow the economy and lower power prices were welcomed, NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin said the protection of prime agricultural land had to be a fundamental part of the plan. “As they say, they’re not making any more dirt, and we need to ensure that prime agricultural land is protected because once you dig it up or pave over it, it’s gone forever ... We remain concerned about regional renewable energy zones – there is clearly scope for this sort of infrastructure, but we must ensure it does not displace food and fibre from quality land."

Korean giant offloading 1,308ha Southern Highlands property

Hume Coal has moving to quickly sell what is the largest landholding in the South Highlands region after its plans for a $533 million coal mine were knocked back by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC). The Australian subsidiary of Korean steel giant POSCO is hoping for over $60 million for the 1,308-hectare landholding, seven kilometres from the town of Moss Vale.

Time for allocations to get real

With 50-100mm of rainfall forecast across the southern basin in the next few days and dams already full to overflowing, water allocators need to start thinking outside their conservative box. "The agriculture sector has continued to power Australia’s economy during these difficult times. The resilience of the regions is showing strongly. Now is the time for regulators to be as supportive as they can," NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

Barossa grazing properties fetch $15m

Historic grazing properties in South Australia’s Barossa have sold for around $15 million to producers outside of the region looking to expand. The properties included the 2,549 hectare Red Creek property at Keyneton, and the adjoining Karinya Station at Moculta, spanning 2,047 hectares.

Riverina breeding enterprise changes hands

A producer from Riverina region in New South Wales has forked out $5.14 million for Kondoolka Station  in the heart of the Gawler Ranges.

SA cattle producer buys Wallerberdina

A cattle producer from southern South Australia looking to expand has picked up the Wallerberdina Station  prior to auction for between $3.5 million and $4 million, and will use the 23,580 hectare Flinders Ranges holding as a breeder operation.

Visitor centre future secured

Patricia Gill. The Denmark Chamber of Commerce will run the Denmark Visitor Centre for the next three years as a ‘dynamic’ shared space to welcome tourists and the community. The Denmark Shire Council made the decision to hand over the running of the visitor centre at the September 21 meeting in line with the draft Sustainable Tourism Strategy ... The service will include the community-valued face-to-face model of visitor servicing.

Soup made to share

Serena Kirby. Dozens of locals have been lining up on Tuesdays to enjoy a bowl of soup as the new local Soupy gets up and running. This weekly community get together is the brainchild of Lindsey Sesin who came up with the idea as a way of using the excess produce she sometimes has from her Denmark Home Grown business.

Lights Beach makes hard work for athletes

Belinda Ross. More than 150 athletes from across WA participated in the second ever Denmark Half Marathon held by the Denmark Running Club on Sunday, September 26 ... The newly-developed lookout area at Lights Beach created a healthy vibe of excited runners who travelled to attend the event.

NSW gives nation’s biggest energy project the go-ahead

New South Wales is leading the nation’s charge towards a low-emissions energy system after the NSW Government approved stage one of a $1.8 billion transmission  line that would link NSW and South Australia’s energy networks for the first time. Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said stage one planning approval had been granted for the NSW Western Section of Energy Connect, a 900-kilometre transmission line that would run from Wagga Wagga to Robertstown in SA, with a spur line to Victoria.

Landfill fire shows the wrong waste can put people at risk

It took three fire trucks, two water trucks, and an excavator to put out a fire at the Lakes Creek Road Waste Management Facility ... “If you ever tossed an old mobile phone or even a battery in your general waste and thought ‘what could be the harm?’, well incidents like this are the answer,” Councillor Latcham said.

Murky water stirred by politics

The NSW Upper House inquiry into floodplain harvesting hadn’t even finished hearing evidence when a barrage of media releases came from the Victorian and NSW National Parties ... What caused this great flurry of excitement by the Nationals? It appears the excitement was generated by how floodplain harvesting sits as an offence under s60A of the Water Management Act. This does not mean floodplain harvesting is lawful, it just means that provision doesn’t catch it.

Paper put on pandemic pause

Bob Mills. Within two weeks of the launch of the Richmond River Independent it was clear this was something our region needed. The community welcomed it ... By early this year, after a lot of effort and backing from the community, our future was looking good ... Then came lockdown and it knocked the stuffing out of businesses across the region. That pushed the Independent into losses we can't sustain.

I had a dream. It changed. And now I have a new dream

My dream came true. There are not many times you get to say that in a lifetime. My dream was to edit an independent newspaper free from the shackles of a corporation. To write news stories that I thought mattered rather than stories that would ‘sell’.

Bike club tracks well with new trails

Fiona Kerwin. It has been a busy 12 months for Kyogle Mountain Bike Club. Three trails have been added to the network, two others were refurbished and a pump track was built in Anzac Park – thanks to two grants from Kyogle Council. The increase to the trail network made it possible for the club to host events.

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