West Coast Rural Report
Friday, January 9, 2009
Latest Report
Exploring for gas and oil in the south east
Two mining companies have been given five year licences by the state Government to explore the Otway Basin in the state's south east for gas and oil.
The basin was divided into four blocks - Adelaide Energy bought two, Cooper Energy one and a fourth failed to attract a bid.
PIRSA says the Otway Basin is known as the second most productive basin in the state behind the Cooper Basin in the far north east.
Chief executive of the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy Jason Kuchel says the basin covers a substantial area.
Water accounts under review
Will Ockenden
The Murray Darling Basin Authority is launching an independent review for the River Murray, to be sure every state has the right amount of water.
They need to work out how much water is in each state and where it's being allocated.
Chief executive Rob Freeman says Government changes to water agreements have created complexity, and everything's being checked to make sure it's all fair.
Drought funding helps plan for recovery
Yesterday the state Government announced six million dollars in extra funding to help out communities during the drought.
The new money will go towards the Planning for Recovery program - so far 1 100 grants have been offered under the initiative.
Rural Financial Counselling Service operations manager Andrew Wilson says the additional funding is great news.
The funding brings the total amount from the Government towards drought relief measures to 146 million dollars.
And in other news Chris Clarke has been appointed as a Rural Community Counsellor in the mid north. Chris will be based in Jamestown and you can get in touch with him by calling 0429 665 218.
South Australian Features
Broken Hill's mining history captured through mineral art
Usually you'd associate minerals with making items like mobile phones, houses or cars - but what about using minerals to make art?
Pines for Christmas
Have you got your Christmas tree yet?
The fat old bastards of Ceduna
At the start of the year Ceduna had a few Fat Old Bastards getting around.
Shearing made easy
On a perfect harvesting day in the mid-north, some farmers weren't out in the paddock but in the shearing shed. Just outside Caltowie in South Australia, at Michael Butterick's shearing shed, an upright posture shearing platform was on exhibition.
How does your garden grow?
We're told that one way to fight obesity is to eat more vegetables, and what's better than growing and picking your own?
Whyalla - where the Outback meets the sea
Whyalla is not only Australia's steelmaking engine room, the city is boasting a booming kingfish trade.
Wooden Wudinna
How often have you walked through the bush and seen a piece of wood that looks like a wombat's bum?
Grapegrower mixes it up with DJ career
Grapegrower mixes DJ career with farming.
Worm farm near Broken Hill reducing waste and fighting aphids
You may have seen a worm compost in someone's garden before, working to break down their garden scraps into rich, healthy mulch.
Well, imagine a worm farm doing that for a whole town's green waste, and you'd see something like Australian Vermiculture in Broken Hill.
School of the Air treasure chest
Decades old School of the Air memorabilia to be valued.
