May Edition:
April 28, 2023
June Edition:
May 26, 2023
July Edition:
June 23, 2023
August Edition: July 28, 2023
September Edition:
August 25, 2023
October Edition:
September 22, 2023
November Edition:
October 20, 2023
December Edition:
November 17, 2023
February Edition:
January 26, 2024
March Edition:
February 22, 2024
April Edition:
March 22, 2024
Adrienne Hartnett CONTRIBUTOR Leesa Muir GENERAL MANAGER & ADVERTISING Jennifer Ho TRAINEE GRAPHIC DESIGN Rebecca Flisher CREATIVE MANAGER Zoe McMaugh CONTENT MANAGER Lloyd Polkinghorne CONTRIBUTOR Kimberly Grabham CONTRIBUTORExpo
success, with large crowds visiting a range of displays presented by businesses and enthusiasts alike.
Kings Park was the place to be over the weekend, although this year the stalls circled the oval instead of covering it, as the oval is still recovering from last year’s flood.
Commercial displays ranged from tractor and pump demonstrations to small-sized gardening and hobby enterprises.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Fiona Stevens welcomed visitors to the event’s 32nd year and said that all things agricultural were a vital part of the expo.
“The event brings new and exciting diversity in the agricultural industry and the expo provides opportunities to get up close and personal and learn from many experts,” Cr Stevens said.
“It tailors to most beginners and those wishing to improve their knowledge and skills.”
Among the animal exhibitors was Julia Webster from the Poll Highland Cattle Society with two bull calves reared from the 55 head on her 34-hectare property east of Ballarat. Highland cows, known in Scotland as ‘Hielan coos’, have always been popular with visitors, but Ms Webster said Poll Highlands, bred without the traditional long horns, had the advantage of being easier to handle in yards. Poll Highlands were first bred from crossing Belted Galloways over typical Highlands in 2005.
“It takes four generations of breeding to classify them as polled,” Ms Webster said.
Visitors to the expo were unanimous in their praise of it having such a relaxed and local feel. Arisah Anella travelled from Sydney to enjoy the company of friends and said the event had more of a community feel compared to royal shows in capital cities.
“We’ve come to see the animals and stalls and to support the local community,” Ms Anella said.
“It’s just so relaxed.”
Youngster Horatio Lehmann led the camel caravan run by Peter Hodges atop the entourage leader, BamBam. Horatio’s mother Amy Lehmann said her dream of taking a camel home would not be approved by her husband.
“Would I buy one? Oh definitely!” Mrs Lehmann said.
Mr Hodge said a sale could be arranged.
“I have plenty of spare camels. I have 32 all up,” he said.
Anneke Homan and Paul MacPhail had two of their kelpies on display, holding a small flock of sheep with their skill. Ms Homan moved to Australia from the Netherlands 12 years ago and said she had been training kelpies ever since “falling in love” with them.
“I didn’t know what a kelpie was until I got here,” she said.
“The breed started out as the Scottish collie and then we got them out here in the mid-1800s,” Mr McPhail said.
“One of the early dogs was called ‘Kelpie’ which became a line and is now a breed.”
Luke Weekley and Phil Lyons, from Mornington, displayed two cutting-edge drones that are becoming popular with farmers.
“We map thermal or multispectral imaging to identify soil moisture, which is useful for Australia which is about to go into El Niño,” Mr Weekley said.
“You don’t need a licence to fly one of these on your property.
“Using this technology will tell you straight away how good your land care management is going.”
Also on display was a whip-cracking demonstration where visitors were free to try their skills. Nine-year-old Ivy Haines said whip-cracking was one of her favourite skills as she demonstrated her finesse with two whips.
“I like the sound that the whips make and the movement it takes to make them crack,” Ivy said.
“I also like to learn new tricks.”
McPherson Media Group event manager Jamie Gilbert was thrilled with the numbers through the gates.
“Across the three days we had a really good crowds, particularly on the Sunday with the great weather,” Mr Gilbert said.
He said there had been a record number of exhibitors — more than 400 — with excellent feedback on the event from visitors as well as from site holders.
Mr Gilbert said next year’s expo would run from April 12 to 14, 2024.
This year’s Seymour Alternative Farming
was another
“We give our all to ensure we deliver premium quality food, skincare, and home products for our customers.”
JACK VODUSEK
TheVodusek family’s love affair with the Yarrawonga region began with family patriarch, the late Franc Vodusek and his wife Marija working in the food and agricultural industry after arriving in Australia.
Thirty years ago, Franc and Marija expanded their family business with son and daughter-in law Daimien and Ros to create Rich Glen – premium olive oil and olive oil-based food and beauty products right on their farm in Yarrawonga.
‘Rich Glen’ means premium quality, and it’s a reputation this close-knit family is determined to retain. Renowned for their extensive selection of quality products, Rich Glen uses the farm’s premium awardwinning cold- pressed extra virgin olive oil as a base for 98% of all the products they produce on-farm.
A third generation of Vodusek’s has joined the business with Hannah, Jack, Ava and Max bringing new and exciting prospects for the future direction of this dynamic company.
“We give our all to ensure we deliver premium quality food, skincare, and home products for our customers,” Jack Vodusek said.
“Our reputation for quality is so important to us and we truly value the respect we have gained from our customers, and the client relationships we have forged.
“They trust our products, and us!” he said.
Younger sister Ava has the family genes for entrepreneurship and a commitment to quality.
The teenager had found sourcing gentle, natural skincare difficult, so, as a 15-year-old, she decided to create her own range.
That range, Ava Marija, was launched in October 2022 as a new addition to the Rich Glen natural skincare ranges.
This gentle skincare range is designed to suit a youthful skin type or those seeking a minimalistic pure ingredient approach to skincare. The entire range is vegan and contains only natural ingredients.
The Ava Marija range includes an oil cleanser, hydrating toner, dewy face cream, glow face oil, hydrating face mask, glow body oil, lip scrub and the soon to be-released strawberry and elderflower lip balm, deodorant balm and body scrub.
Hannah Parnell’s (nee Vodusek) popular Rich Glen Baby range has been given a make-over and rebranded ‘Mum + Me’.
As a new mum, Hannah was keen to take this range under her wing, including a new design and most importantly, adding nurturing ingredients into the range with the use of essential oil extracts of Chamomile and Lavender.
The ‘Mum + Me’ range includes a goat milk wash, Bub & Body Cream and Bub & Belly Oil all packaged with a fresh, contemporary look in bottles with the convenience of pump dispensers, for busy mums.
Rich Glen Olive Oil products can be viewed online at www.richglenoliveoil.com or visit their two stores at Rich Glen Provedore [Foodstore] and Rich Glen Orangerie [Skincare + Wellness] at 137 Belmore Street, Yarrawonga.
Yarrawonga’s Rich Glen is a story known throughout Victoria and southern NSW. It’s one of determination, commitment, sustainability, investment and above all, family.
“Our reputation for quality is so important to us and we truly value the respect we have gained from our customers, and the client relationships we have forged.”
JACK VODUSEK
Markets and trends were the hot topics for Mecardo founder Robert Hermann as he addressed the audience at the Moulamein Club in March.
“The future for agriculture as we look ahead is the big Cs,” said Robert.
“COVID-19, we’re going to continue to see that impacting on processing mainly.
“We know it impacts everywhere. At times, things will blow up, it blew up in China and you had wool exporters here in Australia saying there was nobody at the mill to even pick up the phone.”
China opening post-COVID-19 is the second C, having a strong impact on red meat exports.
“One of the things you need to understand about our red meat exports to China is that most go into restaurants and food services. As soon as you shut down a city, the first thing that gets shut down is the restaurants and food services.”
The third C is climate, not climate change but the seasonal variations Australia experiences.
“If you think about it, we’ve had three record Australian grain crops.
“Even in the circumstances of some areas being washed out, we still had a record Australian grain
crop and that’s because the season on average was pretty good.
“If NSW had produced a normal crop, we would have had an all time record crop in Australia.”
The fourth C is conflict, the global unrest brings mixed blessings for markets.
“Generally, for us, it will be positive for our exports.
“They’ve got the Black Sea corridor where they are getting some grain out of Ukraine and Russia into the rest of the world, but if anything blows up in that space, it just closes down, and that benefits us.
“The negative is that fertiliser is much more expensive.
“30 per cent of the world grain export comes out of Russia and 30 per cent of the fertiliser also comes out of that area.”
The final C was costs.
“I’m not telling you people anything new on the farms, but it’s more expensive to do everything.
“ABARES has just come out with a report, and they’re saying the trading margin on farms, if you say
how much income are we generating and how much is it costing us to generate that income, this will be the tightest margin in 24 years.
“So, even though we’ve got high prices, it’s not an easy time to be a farmer.”
Robert went on to explain the significant opportunities that will arise as many countries in the Asian region move more of their population to middle income. A move which historically leads to a higher consumption of protein.
“By 2030 in Asia, there will be 3.2 billion middle class.
“If you want to get a perspective on that number, in North America by 2030 there will be 0.32 billion, or 320 million middle class.”
Congratulations to Western Murray Land Improvement Group on another fantastic informative event.
During this time, you should be on the lookout for metabolic issues, such as pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia. While these two conditions have similar signs, they have different causes and treatments. So, it is important to understand, recognize and prevent both diseases in lambing ewes.
Pregnancy toxaemia, also known as “lambing sickness” or “twin lamb disease” is caused by an energy imbalance. Preg tox commonly occurs when there are multiple foetuses as the high demand for glucose drains the blood glucose level of the ewe. If the ewe cannot meet the glucose demands from her diet alone, she will then utilise her fat reserves to source glucose, which results in the production of ketones.
Signs of pregnancy toxaemia in ewes can include dullness, inappetence, isolation from the mob with a “hollowed” out appearance, recumbency and death. Ewes are more likely to develop pregnancy toxaemia if they; are carrying multiple pregnancies, are off feed such as at crutching, grazing poor-quality feed or lush green pastures with a high water content which is low in dry matter and nutrients.
Treatment involves replacing the blood glucose level of the ewe. This can be achieved in sick ewes by administering some 4 in 1 flopack under the skin, or a ‘pink drench’ containing propylene glycol such as ketol. However, the more severe the clinical signs the ewe is showing, the poorer the prognosis of recovery.
Prevention is the key when it comes to pregnancy toxaemia and can be achieved by dietary supplementation with grain or pellets to meet energy demands. Scanning to separate single bearing ewes from multiples can be a useful step to ensure you can provide the right nutrition levels for the demands of the ewe.
Hypocalcaemia, also known as “milk fever” is a deficiency of calcium in the bloodstream. Ewes in their last six weeks of pregnancy and the first month of lactation are most at risk of hypocalcaemia as the ewe is providing calcium for lamb bone development and milk production. But it is important to note that hypocalcaemia can also be seen in sheep that are not pregnant such as lambs in good condition that are stressed or off feed due to mustering, trucking, or yarding.
Signs of hypocalcemia generally have a rapid onset and include a stiff uncoordinated gait, muscle tremors, weakness, being unable to rise, recumbency and death within 24 hours.
You can use a calcium or 4 in 1 flopack under the skin to treat hypocalcaemia and recovery is usually rapid, within 30 minutes or so, and this can be regarded as a diagnosis of the condition. Treatment can be repeated but the longer the ewe is down, the poorer prognosis. If you get no response to treatment, you should consider that another condition could be causing the signs.
Like pregnancy toxaemia, good nutrition is the key to avoiding hypocalcaemia. Avoid sudden changes in feed
or prolonged periods off feed. You can also supplement calcium in the form of a loose lick. This is especially important when the diet is mainly lush green feed or heavily grain based.
A simple recipe involves one bag of agricultural lime, one bag of salt and half a bag of causmag, mixed up and put out in paddocks in plastic tubs. The causmag may taste a bit bitter, so you may need to introduce it slowly.
If you would like further information regarding pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia around lambing contact your local district vet by calling 1300 795 299 or drop into a nearby Local Land Services office.
For sheep producers across the region, autumn lambing is under way.
Property owners are being urged to take immediate action against Queensland fruit fly and help reduce the impact of a spike in fruit fly numbers that has built up in recent months.
Weather conditions over recent months have been favourable for fruit fly, resulting in an alarming increase in fruit fly activity in the areas of Tatura, Undera, Koonoomoo, Cobram, Coomboona, Merrigum, Ardmona, Grahamvale, Orrvale, Shepparton, Kialla and Kyabram, in particular.
The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management Program’s acting coordinator Penny Aston said the threat of fruit fly is at a critical level in these towns and property owners are asked to be fruit fly aware and take urgent action.
“This season has been particularly bad for fruit fly with numbers spiking at alarming rates in many areas of the region and a significant increase in fruit fly activity in February and March,” she said.
“Predications of a mild autumn may delay the typical decline in fruit fly activity brought on by changing temperatures and cooler conditions, meaning continued action is essential.
“If you have a fruit tree or vegetable patch it is essential to do your bit and pick, prune and protect against the pest in order to reduce the impact on your home grown fruit and vegetables, neighbouring properties and most importantly the livelihood of our commercial growers.”
Essential steps to control the pest include netting fruit trees and vegetables with insect netting, trapping and monitoring for fruit fly, ensuring trees are pruned to a manageable height, picking ripe fruit, collecting fallen fruit and treating damaged fruit by placing it in a plastic bag in the sun for 14 days before disposing of it.
The Goulburn Murray Valley Fruit Fly Area Wide Management Program continues to work with industry, government and the community to improve education and community awareness about fruit fly and the threat it poses to the region’s horticultural industry.
Property owners with unwanted fruit trees in participating councils can apply to have them removed through the free Fruit Tree Removal Program, which aims to make it harder for fruit fly to get a foot hold and spread by reducing potential food sources and breeding habitat.
Contact your local council or go to www.fruitflycontrol.com.au for an application form.
Tiarna Burke from Coree and Lily Delves from Hanwood have been announced as joint recipients of the SunRice Group’s 2023 Jan Cathcart Memorial Scholarship.
Thescholarship of up to $10,000 per year will support both women in their studies.
Tiarna is pursuing a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at Charles Sturt University in Albury, and Lily is in her second year of her Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Science double degree, majoring in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Agriculture, at the Australian National University.
In presenting Tiarna and Lily with their scholarships at a celebratory dinner in Sydney last week, SunRice Group chairman Laurie Arthur said he was proud to be able to name “two equally deserving recipients” of the scholarship.
“Both this year’s winners show a commitment to the rice industry and their communities through different pathways and the selection of two candidates is testament to the calibre of applicants we had for this year’s scholarship,” he said.
“Tiarna is driven by her goal to bring her knowledge and skills to the community she was born and raised in, with a particular interest in providing quality health service, including mental health support in rural and remote farming regions where it’s not always accessible.
“Lily also comes from a rice growing and farming community and is passionate about sustainable farming practices, in particular the intersection between technology, industry and the natural environment, with the goal to work with the industry to tackle environmental issues.
“Both Tiarna and Lily have family connections who worked with or knew Jan Cathcart and have heard first-hand about her enormous contribution to the rice industry, which has paved the way for other women in her field.
“At the SunRice Group, we are really proud to continue honouring Jan’s commitment and invest in the future of the industry through the Scholarship.”
Now in its ninth year, the Jan Cathcart Memorial Scholarship is designed to provide Tiarna and Lilyand all recipients - with financial support and handson industry experience to assist them in achieving their career goals.
On receiving the award, Tiarna said she is focused on removing stigmas and helping people in farming communities to access quality health care.
“Watching my father over the years and getting the chance to work alongside him on the farm has made my appreciation for the dedication and work ethic of farmers grow immensely,” she said.
“Growing up on a cropping farm, I am aware of how tough farming is on one’s body and the multitude of accidents that can occur, including injuries, chronic conditions, or mental health issues.
“Often though, physical and mental health and wellbeing can be neglected or there are stigmas around healthcare, but providing quality services can change that.
“As an occupational therapist, I will be able to help individuals to function in their own environment by
addressing impacts that may affect their daily life, through introducing assistive technologies, strategies and education.
“The Jan Cathcart Scholarship will allow me to continue my studies including placements in rural and remote locations, so I can get a greater understanding of the challenges and barriers, and bring that knowledge and expertise to the community I grew up in.”
Lily said the scholarship will not only support her continued education, but also allow her to join an illustrious group of women who have received the honour in the past.
“I am interested in developing farming techniques and infrastructure that will continue to improve water efficiencies on rice farms, plant breeding programmes to better the resilience of rice varieties, and research projects to enhance biodiversity in farming regions,” she said.
“It’s important to me to return my roots in the country and use my knowledge and experience within the industry to implement sustainable farm practices, which is a real passion of mine.
“I heard about the Jan Cathcart Scholarship through a network of women in agriculture and talking to past winners, so I am also excited to contribute to the culture within the agriculture industry and work with fellow women to support each other and tackle gender stereotypes, paving the way for future generations of women, to help continue Jan’s legacy.”
YOUR LOCAL WOOL BUYER
FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED, WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE GROWER FROM FARM TO EXPORT • Spreading • Spraying
Mulching
• Baling • Silage
Alex 0428 493 474
Leesa 0428 126 622
DOOR TRADING • COLLECTION & SHED CLEAN UPS RE-CLASSING • DIRECT EXPORT SALES FORWARD PRICING • FULL AUCTION SERVICE
AMELIA: 0428 582 268
YOUR LOCAL SHEEP CONTRACTOR HYDRAULIC CAGE SHEEP DIPPING LAMB MARKING & MULESING
MULESING ACCREDITED
Ben: 0400 052 680 370-374 Augustus St, Deniliquin NSW 2710 admin@seigsheepandwool.com.au
”With our network of over 200 accessible vehicles in various locations across four states we can move your bulk freight, to and from farm, feedlot, storage, mill or port, quickly, efficiently and professionally.”
– John Creenaune, Director Bundy Logistics.
Lime • Cotton Seed
For more information; Email: orders@bundylogistics.com.au or call Candice – Southern Riverina - Victoria - Melbourne Ports. Ph: 0457 101 833
Rochelle – Victoria - Mallee, Western and Wimmera districts. Ph: 0458 739 799
John - NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. Ph: 0439 790 116
Experienced rice researcher Dr Christopher Proud has been appointed as the senior rice breeder of Rice Breeding Australia Ltd (RBA).
He will oversee RBA’s breeding program which has a particular focus on accelerating the rates of genetic gain for water productivity in Australian rice in line with the industry goals detailed in the AgriFutures Rice Program Strategic RD&E Plan (2021-2026).
RBA is a new not-for-profit company involving AgriFutures Australia, the SunRice Group and The Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia as its members, established to fast track rates of genetic gain in rice breeding.
Greater rates of genetic gain mean rice growers can expect new improved rice varieties sooner and more frequently than before.
In his previous role as post-doctoral research fellow for the University of Queensland, Dr Proud’s research focused on the genetic control of cold tolerance in rice and identifying and better understanding traits likely to be important in aerobic rice production systems.
“As part of this research I was exploring high value traits to improve the water productivity of rice in temperate Australia,” Dr Proud said.
“This research involved developing and validating molecular markers that can be used for high throughput selection for improved cold tolerance, testing different breeding methods to increase rates of genetic gain for cold tolerance and continually developing improved
cold tolerance and aerobic-adapted germplasm for use as parents in the rice breeding program.”
This research has been able to identify several small parts of the chromosomes of rice (QTLs) involved in the control of cold tolerance.
Early indications are that when these QTLs are combined, they can deliver a much higher level of cold tolerance than is now available in Australian rice varieties.
Following on from this success, Dr Proud is now setting his sights on an ambitious goal to accelerate the breeding of rice varieties in line with the industry supported and designed AgriFutures Rice Program Strategic RD&E Plan (2021-2026).
“The primary aim for the industry is to develop improved water productivity of varieties to enable the industry to reach a goal of 1.5 tonnes of rice grown per megalitre of water,” he said.
“A key factor in achieving improved water productivity is the development of cold tolerant rice varieties”.
Dr Proud joins Dr Georgina Pengilley, who was appointed as inaugural CEO of RBA in September last year.
“Meeting the industry’s water use target as quickly as we can is a key aim for RBA,” Dr Pengilley said.
“Dr Proud brings with him knowledge and skills to be able to assist RBA to achieve this ambitious goal and deliver improved varieties as quickly as possible.
“We are very excited to have someone of the calibre of Chris with these unique and very relevant skills join the RBA team.”
Despite the ambitious nature of the industry’s water productivity goal, Dr Proud is looking forward to the challenge of developing varieties that will contribute towards a more profitable and sustainable Australian rice industry.
“I’m motivated about our goals. I like a challenge and given the work that is already happening to develop the right germplasm I think we can meet the water productivity goal.”
The formation of RBA is critical for the industry as it approaches the junction of shifting consumer perceptions, climate change, and seasonal fluctuations.
“The rice industry needs to be able to demonstrate that it can sustainably produce year in year out – part of this is about good water stewardship and being able to demonstrate to the community that we’re getting the balance right,” Dr Pengilley said.
“The good news is that the industry is certainly looking for that transformation and it’s ready to move forward.”
Construction on the $10.7 million dollar upgrade to the Corowa Saleyards continues to make great progress with significant advancement made on the roof, and works on the administration building started in February.
The project, announced by Member for Albury Justin Clancy in October 2020, will modernise and improve the Corowa Saleyards and is designed to make the facility safer, more efficient, and more attractive to buyers and sellers of livestock. The site will also serve as an educational facility for young people in the industry.
The new roof, a key component of the upgrade, will cover the existing 19,000sqm facility, protecting stock, staff, and visitors from extreme weather conditions.
Other works include a new water catchment system, upgraded lighting system and solar power installation all aimed at reducing costs, and streamline the livestock sales.
This project will allow the saleyards to be as self-sufficient as is viable through the adoption of autonomous technologies and enabling infrastructure, including advanced water catchment and separation facilities, and solar power generation and storage.
The project also includes the construction of a new multi-purpose learning centre in a partnership with NSW TAFE, which will provide young people with the opportunity to learn practical skills that will help them find a job in the agriculture sector.
Federation Council Mayor Pat Bourke said it was fantastic to hear of the progress and that it is great to see the project coming to life.
“The roof construction is well underway with all steel columns now in place and roof sheeting underway,” Cr Bourke said.
“Roof works are expected to be completed by the end of March 2023. The new truck wash is in the process of being commissioned and the old truck wash decommissioned to allow for the construction of the new carpark and site entry.
“Contractors will soon commence works onsite for the construction of the new multi-purpose building.”
The three main construction tenders have now all been awarded by Council being:
MKM Constructions - roofing, lighting and solar $4,771,365.
AP Delaney - civil works including site entry, circulation road, carpark, stormwater basin, truck wash $2,033,735.
Connelly Construction Services - new administration building $2,461,808.
Cr
said the delivery of this precinct upgrade will not only improve the saleyards facility but will go a long way in supporting the resilience of our local economy and wider agricultural trading market.
“We are so grateful to the New South Wales Government, including local Member Justin Clancy for his hard work in supporting this incredible project,” he said.
“I’d also like to pay special thanks to our councillors on the Saleyards Committee, and council staff, along with our agents and other stakeholder representatives on the committee who are really driving this project, enabling it to come to fruition.”
Significant wet weather over the duration of spring and into summer last year slowed some works down on the precinct, however council’s project team said they are hoping for favourable weather conditions to allow the project to be completed by November 2023.
Last year a total of 153 tonnes of asbestos-containing material was also found buried on site with council unsure about when, why, or how the roof sheeting ended up underground.
At the September 2022 council meeting, councillors resolved to free up funds to cover the $89,585 asbestos removal bill.
more recent challenges with COVID-19.
Corowa stock agents and Federation Council staff are thrilled to see works progressing on the $10.7 million Corowa Saleyards precinct which is expected to be completed by November this year. Pictured on Monday is Richard Wynne (Nutrien Ag), Tracie Carnie (council admin), Sue Lavis (council admin), Dave Coppolino (saleyards staff), Michael Unthank (BUR), Scott Parker (Elders) and Rod Lavis (saleyards staff). Bourke Corowa Saleyards has a proud history spanning more than 60 years, with significant market growth during the past decade, despite several challenges such as long-term drought, and theWe’re here to help YOU today, tomorrow and in the future MANDATORY
Crighton’s stock a wide range of pattern approved meters suitable to all applications including axial flow, submersible and mixed flow.
Crighton’s have over 10 compliant staff members who are certified meter installers and validators to help you every step of the way.
LONELY PLANET
38 Amazing road trips.
MARGARET RIVER WINE REGION
(WA) - Explore worldclass wineries and breweries while taking in the west coast.
ULURU-KATA TJUTA NATIONAL PARK
(NT) - Experience the grandeur of Uluru as it first appears on the outback horizon.
CRADLE MOUNTAIN (TAS) -Take in one exdraordinary natural beauty and abundant wildlife.
$34.99
Bec and Justin Lorrimer
In the seven years since the ‘Trip
In A Van’ family set off on their first adventure, they’ve covered tens of thousands of kilometres and become Australia’s most popular travelling family. This complete guide is jampacked with every lesson they’ve learned during their four laps of Australia and is a must-read for anyone roadtripping the continent on four (or 8) wheels. Bec and Justin reveal everything you need to know about traveling Australia in a caravan, van, camper trailer or motorhome-from choosing your set-up and essential travel gear to packing lists, life admin, budgeting and homeschooling.
$49.99
Anthony Ham
In Ultimate 4WD Tracks: Australia, travel writer Anthony Ham offers a selection of popular drives within easy reach of major cities, such as Red Centre way and K’gari (Fraser Island), as well bucket list trips like Gibb River Road, the Birdsville Track and Oodnadatta Track. With tracks of varying difficulty, even first-time drivers can find an adventure to suit their intrest and skill level. You’ll find everything from how to plan for your trip, when to go, routes to take, and what you can see along the way. So, get ready to discover 40 of the best driving tracks around Australia.
$45.00
Carla Francis
Pack your bag and pack your pets too!
This invaluable guide makes travelling with your pets a breeze. Independently researched and collated, TRAVELLING WITH PETS on Australia’s East Coast is an essential resource for anyone who loves to travel with their dog, cat, bird or even horse. From five-star hotels to secluded camping sites, this book covers most destinations on the East Coast from far North Queensland to the Great Ocean Road, including major inland towns..
$34.99
Kurt Woods is one of the best examples of how far love for one’s job can lead. He won the Business Champion Award at the 2023 Hay Business Excellence Awards.
His nomination read, “with hard work and dedication Kurt has reinvented Elders Hay Rural Supplies Business.
“He has increased turnover from 1.7 million to approximately 35 million in the space of three years, to become one of Australia’s leading rural supplies businesses.
“His product knowledge, leadership and business skills and service are impeccable. Under Kurt’s guidance, five new permanent positions have been created for locals at Elders Hay.”
Yes, you read that right. 35 million dollars. Five new positions for locals.
Kurt is Rural Product Manager at Elders Hay.
Kurt began his working career at O’Brien’s Fertilisers in Hay, and then ventured to Melbourne to become a greenskeeper, before returning to Hay and finding the job he was very obviously meant for.
When his astounding nomination was mentioned to Kurt, he was very humble.
“A lot of farmers have made large expansions, and that therefore generated a lot of new business over the years.
“A lot of passion commitment and pride goes into these jobs, especially in Agriculture. There are no set hours in the day, no 8 to 5 hours. It can be and often is a seven day a week job.”
When asked how the stupendous increase in turnover happened, he had a simple, heartwarming reply.
“I love my job, but more importantly, I have a strong passion for my clients and the company that I work for. I don’t see it as a job, but a long-term career.
“None of this would have been at all possible without the loyal trusting clients and the immensely supporting team at Elders.
“There have been a lot of slogs, and a great deal of on farm work with clients, helping and organising stock line operations.”
When asked where he sees his future leading, he was very emphatic.
“I intend on remaining in the role for as long as I can. I love Hay. I think that we have some of the best farmers to deal with, and while they are here, I am here,” Kurt said.
“That is what makes the job so enjoyable and satisfying, the people you deal with.”
Endearingly unassuming, he was grateful but surprised to be recognised.
“I was shocked to be nominated, let alone win. It is nice to be recognised for hard work, even though I am definitely not the type of person that goes looking for awards,” he said.
“I like to cruise in the background, and ensure that my clients are sorted.”
Kurt, you would have to be every employer’s dream. Quiet, stoic, hardworking and producing indescribable results, all for the love of your job. You are indeed a champion for your company and your town. Congratulations.
