The AACo-s half year 2009 report, released yesterday, makes for interesting reading. It includes, ‘a provision for potential liability related to a sublease taken out by Great Southern Plantations.’ But no further details – exactly where, when, what and how much – have been publicised. An item listed under ‘Contingent Assets’ is also interesting: ‘On […]
Fiona Lake Blog
AACo half year results 2009, released 11 August 2009
August 12th, 2009Rupert Murdoch reminds us all that quality costs money to produce
August 7th, 2009It’s an old adage but one I’ve been reminded of a lot, recently. Rupert Murdoch (News Corp) has just announced that people will have to pay to view News Corp online stories in the near future, after testing it out with the Wall Street Journal. No doubt other media owners will do likewise, very soon, […]
El Questro & other Voyages Resorts sold by GPT
August 6th, 2009El Questro (East Kimberley region, WA) has been sold by General Property Trust (GPT) along with other Voyages Resorts. Buyer is Delaware North, a food & hospitality business based in Buffalo (USA). Apparently Delaware North has more than 50,000 employees, worldwide, and more than $2 billion sales annually.
Chopper crash on Wave Hill Station (NT)
August 6th, 2009A helicopter crashed on Wave Hill station yesterday, but it was not a typical, relatively low-powered R22 mustering helicopter involved in station work but a very expensive turbine chopper, specifically built to carry passengers – a Bell Longranger. Presumably it had the standard Longranger seating for 7 but the chopper only contained the pilot and […]
Wrotham Park and Moola Bulla taken off the market until 2010
July 30th, 2009According to the Melbourne Age Newspaper, receivers McGrathNicol have taken Wrotham Park and Moola Bulla off the market while they are mustered, and they will be offered for sale again early next year, after ‘the next big wet, due in November’. This article is a classic example of a journalist who has absolutely no understanding […]
Andrew Forrest buys back Minderoo, the cattle station he grew up on
July 30th, 2009Self-made mining magnate and entrepreneur Andrew Forrest grew up on Minderoo Station near Onslow in the Pilbara. Minderoo was in the Forrest family for 120 years but his father Don eventually sold it in disillusionment in 1998, after years of drought and mounting debt. Andrew has just bought back the 226,585 ha station with 10,000 […]
Mail order business specialising in books on tractors, earthmoving equipment etc
July 21st, 2009Just discovered Plough Book Sales, a Victorian online mail-order business that specialises in books on tractors, old engines, earthmoving equipment, steam engines and metal working. The sort of specialist books you’ll never find on A & R or Dymocks shelves. Plough Book Sales also has a list of interesting links to related topics and book […]
Sandy Thorne – bush story teller, poet, entertainer & public speaker
July 19th, 2009For the first 7 months of this year I’ve been trapped in the office tackling mountains of administration every day (that’s literally every day, not public-service ‘every day’; i.e. it has been the best part of 7 days a week, including public holidays; except for a couple of days over Easter and a trip away […]
Careers in the aviation industry
July 13th, 2009I have come across quite a few low-hours fixed wing pilots when roaming around the country side. Young blokes (it’s more than 99% blokes) from cities who’ve ended up in the bush flying fixed-wing aircraft, usually single-engine Cessnas; doing fence and bore runs, store runs, and ferry work etc on cattle stations. These pilots are […]