Research

A new independent study has confirmed what the Tweed community already knows – the Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre is one of regional Australia’s most remarkable cultural assets, contributing almost $20 million each year to the local economy.

New research has revealed past land clearing is increasing the vulnerability of native Australian forests to the invasive myrtle rust disease — with regrowth forests emerging as hotspots for impact.

The world’s first glue laminated timber made from Australian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus), processed in Warrnambool, Victoria, has been unveiled at Mount Gambier’s new Forestry Centre of Excellence, marking a major breakthrough for plantation forestry and the communities that depend on it.

Western Australian grain growers are urged to check their paddocks for signs of mouse activity in the lead up to seeding, with reports of high activity in the northern and southern agricultural regions. Growers north of Geraldton are reporting numbers as high as 40 mouse burrows per 100 square metres. Two or three burrows per 100 square metres would be cause for concern.

Australia’s beef exports are set to face some of the biggest adjustments compared with other international exporters as new import quotas announced by China in late last year reshape the global beef trade, Rabobank says in a newly-released report.

Australian agriculture is set to reach a record $101.4 billion in grosspproduction value in 2025-26 before easing in 2026–27, with both prices and output expected to soften. ABARES is forecasting combined agriculture, fisheries and forestry value to top $107.4 billion in 2025-26 – also a record - underscoring the strength of Australia’s primary industries. 

Sharks and rays are among the most endangered groups of animals on the planet ... The marine parks around Lord Howe Island have now been recognised as an Important Shark and Ray Area ... The waters here support feeding and reproduction for Galapagos sharks...

Australia’s largest accounting body, CPA Australia, says Australia’s productivity crisis is now serious enough to threaten economic growth, competitiveness and living standards unless governments act decisively ... Business and Investment Lead Gavan Ord said: “Australia is running out of time. If productivity continues to stagnate, living standards will go backwards and the economy will struggle to sustain growth.

Australia’s horticulture sector has delivered a year of record?breaking performance, with the 2024/25 Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook revealing the industry has achieved its highest production value to date of $18.4 billion, up 6 per cent on the previous year.  

Australian agriculture is growing, adaptable, more productive, and well placed to take advantage of the transition to net zero, according to the latest ABARES Snapshot of Australian Agriculture 2026 Insights paper.

Adelaide University researchers have shown that pairing sniffer dogs with a simple air-sampling device could dramatically improve the detection of illegally trafficked wildlife hidden inside shipping containers ... veterinarian researchers report that air extracted from sealed shipping containers can be analysed by detection dogs with almost 98 per cent accuracy...

Camel milk is emerging as a nutrient-rich alternative dairy product in Australia, attracting growing interest from nutrition researchers and consumers seeking options for digestive sensitivities ... “Many of our customers turn to camel milk because they struggle with food allergies or intolerances. Gut and digestive issues are increasingly common, and camel milk’s natural composition means it is often reported to be gentler and easier to tolerate than traditional dairy.”

In Australia, the use of animals to solve various human problems is neither increasing nor decreasing. This process is becoming more humane and effective. This change is driven by public opinion and advances in science and technology.

Generation Z may be on the march to the regions – now the most likely cohort considering a move out of metro areas, according to new survey results released today by the Regional Australia Institute (the RAI). Generation Z (18 to 29 years) has overtaken its older counterpart, Millennials (30 to 45 years), in having the greatest desire to leave the city behind, with almost half (49 per cent) contemplating relocating. 

A tiny, threatened marsupial not known to have inhabited South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula may exist as a relict population and still be clinging to survival, according to new research that has re-examined historical field data from one of the region’s most important conservation areas. In a study published in Australian Zoologist, researchers report compelling evidence that the Little Pygmy-Possum (Cercartetus lepidus) may exist in Dhilba Guuranda–Innes National Park...

Ivona Rose. Interest in tiny homes is increasing on the Central Coast and across Australia, driven by soaring house prices, lack of housing availability, shifts toward sustainable living, downsizing, dwindling available land, and the growth of short-stay rentals like Airbnb ... Can tiny homes play a meaningful role in affordable housing, and where can people locate them?

A wildfire burning over five days would do more damage to vegetation and biodiversity in the northern jarrah forest than five decades of climate change has done ..."This forest has survived for some four to five million years. I am confident it can survive for a few decades longer. We humans must recognise that the ecosystem is never static, and be able to live with and accept some level of change": Frank Batini, professional forester and environmental consultant.

Extreme weather, the rising Aussie dollar and fluctuating global demand have driven a complex start to the year for Australian agriculture, Bendigo Bank’s Agribusiness Insights team outline. Key insights from the latest Commodity Update include Pressure on producers as extreme weather impacts livestock, damages infrastructure...

Is the slow decay of the iconic Struan House south of Naracoorte a case of “demolition by neglect” — and has South Australia squandered a once-in-a-generation chance to anchor cutting-edge agricultural research in the Limestone Coast?

Caitlin Menadue. A growing number of Australians are leaving capital cities for regional towns, with Yorke Peninsula among the areas seeing the shift ... Coastal towns such as Wallaroo continue to attract retirees and young families ... "It's spacious, you can have chickens and it's great exposure for kids," said Simone Walters.

Geopolitics remains the "dominant risk factor" for Australian agriculture in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released annual outlook, with the prospect that fast-changing global trade rules and volatile commodity prices are set to continue.

The town of Yass has had many lives. Today it is a market town, but also a dormitory suburb for Canberra’s younger public servants and a place of retirement for farmers and pastoralists who have handed their land on to the next generation. As a result, it is a pleasing mix of both young and old ... As the title suggests, this book describes the growth of Yass and charts some of its several aspects, from a frontier town surrounded by bushrangers to the gateway to the Murray River and the great grazing lands of western New South Wales and Victoria.