NT

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Lindsay "Linz" Johanssen. Buffel grass (Cenchrus Ciliaris) is not just invasive. Environment-wise, it is  utterly transformative ... Buffel thrives on being burned. Vigorous new growth follows subsequent showers of rain, so recreating (and episodically contributing-to), a new fuel load ... Buffel’s burn / rapid-growth rebuild / ready to burn again fire cycle will, over time, simply kill or destroy everything that is not protected or cannot evacuate ...

The Warumungu community is in mourning after a community leader sadly passed away ... Mr R. Plummer was a Warumungu Traditional Owner, a Cultural Advisor to the Legislative Assembly and a member of many organisational boards ... The senior songman was just 62 years old and he definitely left a lasting legacy in the community of Tennant Creek.

Local Narelle Bremner toiled for hundreds of hours to create this stunning mosaic table she generously donated to the Tennant Creek Women’s Refuge. Unveiled at the International Women’s Day celebration at the Refuge’s Peace Garden Wednesday evening, the massive round table is a stunning piece of art.

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When it comes to dealing with social and crime problems in Alice Springs, what are the legal obligations of government departments and publicly funded NGOs? How well are they following their mission statements? How much taxpayers’ money do they get and how are they spending it?

A savage bushfire season is imminent after huge La Niña rains, but "arrangements for the mitigation, management and suppression of bushfires" are inadequate. "There is a loss of fire management knowledge, networks and depth of experience which underpin the success of fire programs," says the NT Government’s Alice Springs Regional Bushfire Management Plan 2022/23.

Well the ABC came a-knocking yesterday, asking Yours Truly about my new role at Barkly Regional Council ... yes I am indeed the new Media and Communications Officer at Barkly Regional Council.

Barkly residents on the NBN Sky Muster Plus plan will soon receive unmetered monthly data allowances and faster speeds as part of a new trial to boost internet quality in the bush ... Member for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour said the trial is great news for Lingiari residents in the Sky Muster footprint.

Collingwood Football Club (CFC) players returned to Tennant Creek this week as part of its Community Camp, the first since the Covid-19 pandemic. After the footy team worked up a sweat working out at the Barkly Regional Council’s Fitness and Wellness Centre on Tuesday, they headed to Purkiss Reserve to meet local children and Collingwood fans at a free Community BBQ hosted by AFL Barkly.

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More than a third of the Alice Springs population, some 10,000 people, identify as Indigenous but less than 5% of the Town Council workforce of about 300 is Aboriginal, according to Cr Marli Banks. This makes a mockery of commitments such as the council’s  Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan.

“The Queen got pulled up in The Gap. The Olympic torch got pulled up. I was there.” ... For eons people wishing to enter Arrernte land north of the ranges, through the magnificent landmark, had to have consent from the locals. It’s a requirement the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Board clearly failed to observe ...

Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation launched its regional report on family violence at Nyinkka Nyunyu ... The Working Group uncovered that the Barkly suffers significant levels of all forms of violence which is often going unreported due to a community belief that violence is tolerated.

Karen Jones. Congratulations to our four juniors who made the NT Title A Main. A first for three of them it was a learning curve racing against some very experienced quick drivers.

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The Barkly will be representing in the upcoming Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, with our own Emily Wells starring! ... She will be marching with the organisation Trans Pride Australia on a float called the “Kaleidoscope of Gender”.

The location of the facility in Alice Springs for children at risk, which between its opening on November 27 last year and January 10 has been used by just five youngsters, is a secret. So is its cost.

Rod Moss. Bernadine Johnson, Ricky Ryder, Aureole Perkins, Therese Johnson and Arthur Webb are wandering in search of the purple-flowered plant  awele awele, the bush tomato. Looking for bush tucker was a weekend pursuit. How gratifying to see these activities continuing apace in the formal structure provided by Children’s Ground/  Ampe-kenhe Ahelh.

Emily Sherwood has restricted verbal capacity, and so it was even more heartbreaking to hear that she too was set upon by three teens recently. Emily uses a gopher and was heading home from the Memo Club about 10.30pm last week when the shit-bag trio set upon her, trying to grab her bag off her shoulder, almost choking her in the process and pulling her from the vehicle.