News

Visitors at the Le Harvre Natural History Museum in France will get to witness artwork from Erub (Darnley) Island in the Torres Strait after last week’s exhibition opening. Erub artists were pleased to once again work with curator Geraldine Le Roux on an ambitious ghost net project.

Winterwords is a week full of talking, listening, watching and doing, which aims to foster the celebration of words in all their forms and functions, and includes workshops, performances, exhibitions, discussions, interactive sessions, and displays, of visual and performing arts, literature, poetry, storytelling, games, and music.

A report to be considered by the City of Ballarat Council this month will recommend the commencement of works to extend Ballarat Airport’s north south runway. The report to the 23 June ordinary meeting of Council will also recommend a commercially focused board be appointed to oversee the management of the Airport, with Council retaining ownership of the facility.

Tourism businesses and organisations are invited to come on board to work together to build greater awareness and encourage visitation to the Wagga Wagga + Surrounds region ... “Domestic travel is booming in regional areas as people are exploring a little closer to home, which is a significant opportunity to leverage off.”

Over 12,000 event attendees celebrated the return of the nine-day Argyle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster held in Kununurra, Western Australia ... New events added to the program this year included Art in the Park featuring 40 local artists, Storytelling Night around a fire by Miriwoong elder David Newry, and the free family-friendly event, Party in the Park to close the festival ... The nation’s most remote party was headlined by one of Australia’s most successful female artists, Jessica Mauboy, who last performed at the Muster as an up-and-coming 16 year old in 2006.

Mildura Mayor Jason Modica has welcomed RayGen's plans for a multimillion dollar solar hydro power plant in the Mallee, which he says will further cement the region's reputation as a hotspot for innovative solar technology and stimulate the local economy.

A record-breaking 2020-21 harvest across Australia has been reflected in NAB’s Agribusiness data showing business transactions from grain growers have surged following record production levels.

Rockhampton Regional Council is encouraging residents to report any sightings of feral pigs after some recent activity in the lower Mount Archer, Frenchville Road and Moore’s Creek/First Turkey areas.

Groundbreaking research funded by the NSW Government has today revealed feral pig control programs can save landholders up to $100 per hectare, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Western NSW Adam Marshall has announced ... “Feral pigs are one of the most wide-spread pests which cause significant economic losses to primary production and other agricultural enterprises in many parts of the State and also damage environmental and cultural sites."

The Barkly community is looking forward to the most modern supermarket known of its kind in the region, including solar power and a generator to protect from blackouts in the town. The Tennant Creek IGA is owned jointly by the Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation and Indigenous Business Corporation (IBA), but managed by IBA Retail Asset Management (IRAM).

Founding member of the pioneering Warumpi Band Neil Murray is performing in Tennant Creek tonight as part of his Keep Rolling On national tour. Named after his latest single, Keep Rolling On, which he says is a celebration of the continuance of First Nations people and their culture in Australia. You can catch Murray at the Memo Club tonight for the free performance.

Agribusiness identity David Williams has added to his rural portfolio with the $3 million acquisition of Sorell Creek, spanning 718 hectares on the Derwent River north of Hobart. About 19 kilometres from the capital, the property reportedly may be used by Williams for sheep or salmon farming, and as a future land bank play. It previously held a permit for a 43 lot subdivision. About 241 hectares is zoned for rural living.

Northern Territory pastoralists Roy and Janet Chisholm have sold a central Australian farm for $6.1 million to Caason Group. The 1,047-hectare Oolloo Farm, which produces irrigated hay, sits 200kms north of Alice Springs and included a 1,000-megalitre per year water extraction licence, as well as six centre pivots.

Kendall Jennings. As a part of a border community, you can enjoy both sides of the river without thinking you are in a different state – until the state governments have a difference of opinion over COVID-19 safety.

The current erosion has been spiralling out of control ever since the Australian Federal Government developed a plan to ironically ‘save the Murray’. Under the current Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) management, over 300km of the Murray’s natural constraints have been severely eroded taking with it trees, habitats, infrastructure, and any last remaining hope that the MDBA actually care for the country and her communities.

Barellan Rams are on a roll, notching up their second win for the season in the ProTen Community Cup rugby league at Goolgowi on June 5. At half-time, Barellan were 10 to Ivanhoe 6 and the full-time score was 14-10.

Nicholas Rupolo. Health Services Union paramedics across the Riverina will only attend to serious emergencies today following NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s wage increase offer the union describes as “humiliating and insulting” ... Health Services Union Riverina organiser Mick Grayson said regional paramedics were at a significant disadvantage from lower pay and costly work practices.

The greatest black hole in the universe is how Michael Donnelley describes mobile phone connection at the Country Inn Motel in Kyogle ... Kyogle mayor Danielle Mulholland said reliable and affordable high-speed internet was vital, “this is just as important in terms of infrastructure as some of the more traditional kinds like roads, bridges, footpaths and so on. People are making real estate purchasing decisions on a range of factors important to them and telecommunications connectivity is now one of them.”

Two Kyogle women are united in doing something about how the housing crisis is impacting women. Lynda Clark and Wendy Bolden are not waiting for the state government to act, for funding policies to change or for more refuges to be built. They see the crisis and they are taking action to be part of a solution.

The 2020-21 brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) season is wrapping up and Australia’s measures have again remained strong against this serious pest ... BMSB is a serious threat for Australia’s agriculture industries and environment, because of the damage it can do to vegetable crops and fruit and ornamental trees.