Thirty-fi ve years of building sheds

When it comes to structural sheds, Entegra’s signature designs are hard to beat.

This year marks the manufacturer’s 35th anniversary, with outbuildings erected across Australia. At this year’s Elmore Field Days, Entegra was planning to showcase its newest trademarked design for shed gutters, Taperfl ow. “We’ve engineered a design for gutters,” Entegra marketing team leader Adam Smith said. “Instead of pipes going everywhere and coming down each column (of the shed), it just goes straight to the end, and then directly into the tank.” It’s an easy add-on to shed designs, with no added plumbing required for installation. “A lot less messy, much less cost after installation,” Mr Smith said. “It’s as simple as calling up a tank supplier, and they can just connect it up on-site.” The design also means rainwater collection is much more effi cient. Stuart Wilson, a mixed farmer from Campbells Forest in Victoria, recently installed an Entegra hayshed with Taperfl ow gutters, along with a 160,000-litre tank. “I rang Entegra and they were great to deal with,” he said. “The tapered gutters allow us to run more water without any overfl ow.” Entegra says farmers can still browse the company’s range of shed kits online, even if they can’t get to the Elmore Field Days this year. Mr Smith said they have four sizes available, and the purchase and installation process is also very simple. “It’s like getting off the rack; they’re pre-engineered, ready to install, you just need to book in installation and delivery.” If the pre-made shed kit doesn’t suit a client’s needs, the Entegra team is still available for custom designs. Many farmers that approach Entegra have a specifi c idea of the structural shed they need, and staff are experienced in tailoring the design to suit. They will measure the shed on-site, draw up a layout and organise any permits on the client’s behalf before the shed is manufactured and installed. “We do have the capability to draft up a new design, and we will service a warranty on what actually gets installed,” Mr Smith said. Mixed farmer Stuart Wilson had an Entegra hayshed installed with Taperfl ow gutters earlier this year.

Entegra’s new Taperfl ow gutter funnels water to the end of the structure rather than to each bay.

We need to plan for the to plan for the tough times

We have had good winter rain in the Goulburn Valley and north along the Murray Darling Basin, and our storage dams are close to full. It was a stunning sight to see the Menindee lakes fill up with good flows in the Darling River. Water is plentiful across the regions, and this is a relief for farmers, but the next drought is always around the corner.

The Goulburn Valley has seen a major decline in dairy farming, and it is important we maintain diversity in production across the valley. We need to ensure our horticulture and other agricultural industries remain strong to support the economy and our reputation as Australia’s food bowl. The Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District Water Leadership Group, of which I am co-chair, is constantly monitoring changes in government legislation related to water allocation, practices, transparency and environmental damage. One of our major concerns in relation to safeguarding water in our district, is regulating floodplain harvesting in the Northern Murray Darling Basin. Harvesting of floodwater into private dams prevents water flowing consistently down the Darling River and breaks the connectivity between the Darling and Murray rivers. This means water users along the Murray River need to give a greater allocation of their water to South Australia every year to make up the shortfall from the north. The GMID – and I as an independent Victorian MP – sent submissions to the New South Wales Floodplain Harvesting Inquiry to call for NSW to abide by the Murray Darling Basin Cap Agreement. We are also concerned about the environmental damage being done to the banks along the Goulburn River and the Barmah Choke and we are looking at ways this damage can be reduced with changed flow regimes.

The Goulburn-Murray Irrigation District Water Leadership Group, of which I am co-chair, is constantly

Suzanna SheedMP

INDEPENDENT MEMBER FOR SHEPPARTON DISTRICT www.suzannasheed.com.au Phone: 03 5831 6944 Email: suzanna.sheed@parliament.vic.gov.au 5 Vaughan St, Shepparton VIC @SuzannaSheed @SheedSuzanna

Funded from Parliamentary Budget. Authorised by: Suzanna Sheed, 5 Vaughan St, Shepparton VIC 3630. This means water users along the Murray River need to give a greater allocation of their water to South