Foreign ownership of Australian rural land

September 10th, 2012

Anyone with an interest in the foreign ownership debate may like to visit Monica Attard’s article on The Hoopla called ‘Quick Facts. Selling the farm?’ and put their two bob’s worth in by adding a comment. Unfortunately there seems to be next-to-no discussion on whether foreign land ownership is good for Australian farms in a […]

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The Dark side of the Mining Industry – and Kevin Foley

August 15th, 2012

Mining – in particular the proposed expansion of South Australia’s Olympic Uranium Mine, turning it into the world’s largest mine – is something all Australians should sit up, take notice of and voice their opinion on. Guest interviewer Ian Henschke, on ABC radio Adelaide,  interviewed Paul Cleary, author of ‘Mine-field‘ – the ‘dark side of […]

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Townsville Biosecurity Lab – scrapped

July 26th, 2012

The risk of catastrophic quarantine breaches in northern Australia is far greater than ever before. This is directly due to increasing numbers of illegal arrivals by boat (not all of whom call for Navy Taxis) and the steady depopulation of Cape York Peninsula (pastoral families leaving due to increasing areas of National Parks and indigenous-owned […]

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Sustainable fishing of tuna & other fish species

July 11th, 2012

It has always puzzled me that there’s a substantial group in society persistently accusing farmers of environmental vandalism while virtually ignoring what is involved in providing the seafood they’re eating (a number of whom will be self described ‘vegetarians’; but that’s another discussion).  A farmer sinks money into buying land, machinery, livestock and undertaking capital […]

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‘LEAF’, Linking the Environment And Farming, England

June 15th, 2012

‘LEAF’ is a registered charity in England which promotes public understanding of farming through all-year-round visits to demonstration farms and ‘Open Farm Sunday’; plus competitions, surveys etc; and promotion of ‘environmentally responsible farming’ via technical field days for farmers, with approved produce sporting the Leaf logo. On LEAF’S  ‘ Open Farm Sunday’ website the latest […]

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AACo Darwin Abattoir go ahead-North Australian Beef Ltd

May 30th, 2012

Managing Director of the AACo, David Farley, has said that the AACo is now proceeding with plans to build an abattoir south of Darwin. The NT government has given approval for the project.  The Darwin abattoir has already received support from the RSPCA because it provides producers with an option other than live export, and […]

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Wongai Coal Mine, Princess Charlotte Bay, Cape York Peninsula

April 29th, 2012

A few years ago I wrote an R.M. William’s Outback Magazine ‘station story’ on a beautiful cattle station – Lilyvale.  Owned by the Shephard family for more than 80 years, it was the only cattle station that was a financially healthy pastoral business on the east coast of Cape York Peninsula.  Lilyvale has a relatively […]

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RMWAH’s purchase of Henbury Cattle Station, NT – on ABC Landline

March 23rd, 2012

R.M. Williams Agricultural Holdings (RMWAH) ‘carbon farming’ plans for Henbury cattle Station will feature on ABC television’s Landline programme at noon this Sunday (25th March).  Landline is repeated at 11.00 each Monday morning. Henbury is a cattle station located in the Alice Springs region of the Northern Territory, and was purchased last year by RMWAH with the help […]

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Honey production at the Rialto Intercontinental Hotel, Melbourne

March 17th, 2012

Built by Melbourne’s Grollo Family in partnership with St Martin’s Properties in 1982-6 and still in the top 5 tallest buildings in the southern hemisphere (and still well known for spectacular views), Melbourne’s Rialto Towers (43 & 63 storeys high – 253 metres) are located right in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, at 495 Collins Street (corner of King Street). […]

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Best Rangeland Practice and Innovation (Bestprac)

January 24th, 2012

There’s a great source of useful rural management stories and interesting information on the ‘Bestprac’ website.  Bestprac is supported by AWI (Australian Wool Innovation) and specialises in the promotion of best practice management of arid rangelands, helping cattle producers as well as sheepmeat/wool producers located in more sparsely settled areas (i.e. lower rainfall farming regions) hear first hand stories from […]

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