Bounty for feral deer?
Chris Oldfield. A bounty on feral deer similar to Victoria’s bounty on foxes was suggested at the Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s June 22 meeting ... Landscape SA chief Steve Bourne said of the feral deer problem, "It's huge. There is a recent senate inquiry report which shows that we are still in the very early stages of deer emerging in Australia as a pest. Fallow deer could take over the bottom half of Australia. We need to get on top of it."
Community asked to report deer sightings
Council has joined forces with Lismore and Kyogle councils, and the Tweed and Border Ranges-Richmond Valley Landcare groups, to launch 'The Northern Rivers is on Feral Deer Alert’ program. This community awareness campaign aims to prevent feral deer numbers growing out of control in the region, before it’s too late.
Fixing up old lawn mowers and chainsaws is more than just a hobby for Banora Point’s Adam Reimnitz
The Tweed JUNKtion tip shop regular has been able to turn his passion for restoring discarded equipment into a lucrative business. With a keen sense of what can be repaired, Adam visits the JUNKtion more than once a week looking for mowers, chainsaws and whipper snippers.
Unanimous vote against Brooms Head onsite sewage proposal
One hundred and forty people have voted unanimously to oppose Clarence Valley Council’s (CVC) plan to install a new onsite sewage management system at the Brooms Head Holiday Park. The Brooms Head Community Action Group (BHCAG) held a meeting on Sunday July 3, so concerned “residents, holiday makers and day visitors” could “hear what CVC is proposing to do to their sand dune by the beach”.
Toowoomba Regional Council extends polystyrene recycling to Kleinton, upgrades O’Mara Road equipment
Toowoomba Region residents’ enthusiasm for recycling expanded polystyrene has seen more than 17 tonnes of the packaging material processed at the Greater Toowoomba Waste Management Facility at O’Mara Road since May 2020.
Caloundra main street among Queensland’s best designs
Bulcock Street Caloundra was one of the finest examples of urban design on display at the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) 2021 awards this month. Caloundra Main Street Urban Revitalisation project was awarded the Urban Design and Regional Achievement Awards at the 2021 Queensland Landscape Architecture Awards.
What will you refuse and reuse this Plastic Free July?
This Plastic Free July Sunshine Coast residents are encouraged to refuse single-use plastic products and adopt more sustainable behaviours by transitioning to reusable alternatives. Many single-use plastic items can be avoided by making simple changes in our daily habits and choices. Last year, an estimated 326 million people worldwide took part in Plastic Free July. On average, participants reduced their household waste and recycling by almost 5% (or 21kg).
Plastic melting machine making a big impact
Enough polystyrene packaging to fill an Olympic swimming pool has been diverted from landfill on the Fraser Coast in the past year. “The introduction of a machine to melt Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), such as the packaging around a new TV or fridge, has had a huge impact,” Fraser Coast Regional Councillor David Lee said. The process reduces the volume of polystyrene by more than 90%.
Kayak launch opens up Loddon River exploration
Kayakers and those wanting to explore the Loddon River around Kerang will have greater opportunities to do so following the recent installation of a kayak launch within the Kerang Regional Park.
New National Parks announcement
Pyrenees Shire Council notes with interest the latest announcement from the Victorian Government on new National Parks in Victoria’s Central West ... While Council understands the importance of protecting the biodiversity values of our parks, Council remains concerned about impacts of this decision on some other uses of the public land.
Mattress recycling keeping valuable resources out of landfill
Since late 2020 Lismore City Council has been trialling a program to recycle mattresses and keep them out of landfill. Historically mattresses were sent to landfill, however, under the new program mattresses are sent to a dedicated resource recovery facility where the mattresses are processed into separate commodities for which there are end markets.
Caboolture to Wamuran Rail Trail commended by Qld Government
Moreton Bay Regional Council has been recognised for pushing the boundaries of urban design at one of Queensland’s most prestigious awards. The Caboolture to Wamuran Rail Trail project received commendation for the highest quality at the Minister’s Award for Urban Design, in a competition that featured the likes of Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville.
Mothers push for childcare shortage solutions
Eliza Berlage. Mothers in Kingston and Edenhope have channelled their frustration about the local childcare shortage into action by working with councils and government to ï¬nd solutions. With existing services at or close to capacity and waiting lists up to 12 months, many parents have been unable to work or study, and some have considered leaving altogether.
Robotic scanner to map caves
Chris Oldfield. Research, 3D scanning, 3D printing, aerial mapping, special events and school holiday programs continue to boost the economic success of Naracoorte Caves National Park. And soon a cave scanning robot will team up with staff and researchers at the World Heritage listed site. The revelation came at Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s June 22 meeting when palaeontologist Liz Reed delivered a Powerpoint presentation of the Australian Research Council (ARC) linkage project.
‘Floating Cities’ Project supports Lake Eildon houseboat industry
Murrindindi Shire Council is thrilled to announce the completion of the Lake Eildon ‘Floating Cities’ Project. The project has delivered important upgrades to the entrance road to the Lake Eildon Marina, off Sugarloaf Road, which will make access for houseboats much easier. It has also delivered a new, environmentally-friendly wash-bay facility, which will accommodate minor houseboat maintenance, mandatory houseboat inspections and allow easier access for larger houseboats.
Mining exploration kicks off in earnest
Geoff Helisma. Corazon Mining announced on the Australian Stock Exchange on June 17 that it has “commenced drilling at the Mt Gilmore Copper Cobalt Gold Project”, which is 25km northwest of Grafton. “Drilling will target the priority 8km-long Gordonbrook Hill – May Queen copper-cobalt/silver-gold anomaly, within the greater 20km long Mt Gilmore Trend,” the announcement states.
Up, up and away! Derby to Broome flights to commence in August
The Shire of Derby/West Kimberley is delighted at the announcement today that local flights linking Derby and Broome will be available three times per week by Aviair from 16 August 2021 for a 12-month trial. Shire President Geoff Haerewa has welcomed the news as it has been a long-term priority for the Shire to have affordable and accessible flights from Derby to Perth.
Greater Shepparton welcomes Hockey Victoria for the first regionally hosted Junior State Championships
Greater Shepparton City Council is excited to welcome Hockey Victoria for the prestigious Junior Boys State Championships (JSC). “It is a wonderful opportunity for Greater Shepparton to be able to host a high-profile event in our region and we thank Hockey Victoria for their hard work and dedication to delivering hockey in this very competitive and challenging environment,” Cr Kim O’Keeffe said.
Miles off the mark
Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles has shown scant regard for the residents of Weipa, completely ignoring questions regarding normalisation. Mr Miles, who is also the Local Government Minister, didn’t even bother to address the questions put to him by Cape York Weekly.
Revised Remote Engagement and Coordination Strategy launched
Local Government Minister Chansey Paech and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo were in town this week to launch the revised edition of the Remote Engagement and Coordination Strategy (RECS). The RECS is part of a suite of tools designed to improve all aspects of regional and remote engagement, travel, and coordination of community visits ... Work on the RECS second edition was led by a group of NT Government agencies and the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory.
Gingin brigades will shift to new emergency services centre
A new emergency services centre with the capacity for an incident control centre if there is a major bushfire in the area is being built in Gingin. The Gingin Volunteer Fire & Rescue and Gingin South Bushfire Brigade will share the Gingin Emergency Services Centre ... Emergency Services Minister Reece Whitby said volunteer firefighters in the Gingin area had been in the thick of bushfire fighting responses this year, including the Red Gully and Wooroloo bushfires.
$5-$7m for town centre
Chris Oldfield. A multi-million dollar overhaul to spruce up Naracoorte, changing it from a service centre for surrounding districts into a “thriving economic community hub” is the aim of a 71-page Naracoorte Town Centre Rejuvenation Plan ... “The context of the Naracoorte Town Centre Rejuvenation Plan, is that the plan is a high level concept plan – draws out the ideas and concepts suggested by the community – with the detailed planning on separate stages still to be undertaken,” said Naracoorte Lucindale Council CEO, Trevor Smart.
