B an k S A
Co
tr y
er
20
08
B est
un
Ne wsp
ap
Plains Producer
$1.40
Wednesday October 28, 2009
! E C I W T N I W N A YOU C
STAR OF THE NORTH
FREE
FUEL
Two $50 vouchers each week
WIN $100 DINNER VOUCHERS One each week for 4 weeks
ENTRY COUPONS & MORE WINNERS – PAGE 4
Farmers steer steady course into harvest Harvest has started for some farmers in our district, while others are busy finishing baling and carting hay. The Barr family, near Pinery, are busy doing both, with Bob Barr (pictured) manning the header while Andrew and James load and cart hay. The family was reaping canola and loading hay in neighbouring paddocks along the Balaklava to Mallala road last Friday, having started harvest the previous day.
After reaping their canola, the Barrs expect to move on to peas. At Mallala, Richard Konzag is expecting to begin reaping canola at the end of this week. Beans will soon follow, and Richard said many farmers in his area would be reaping barley within a fortnight, though farms north of Balaklava had already started. “It’s certainly a later start than the last three years,” he said. n Continued Page 2
‘Give us the railway’ Two Wells freight target – but Balco’s Bowmans push
Two Wells has been identified as pivotal in a rail freight study which has outlined possible routes for a northern rail freight bypass, travelling from Murray Bridge to avoid Adelaide. But Malcolm May, managing director of Balaklava hay exporter Balco, has declared the Bowmans Intermodal site should be considered. “It’s already operating as a rail hub and could be expanded further,” he said. Balco ships 24,000 container equivalents from Bowmans each year, and is the only intermodal facility outside Adelaide.
By Lauren Parker Mr May said improving the rail freight line would benefit Balco and other companies using rail for transport. “If they can make bigger trains and double stack, it makes it cheaper for the users,” Mr May said. This would be particularly beneficial for Balco, which sends 80 per cent of its hay from Bowmans intermodal to Melbourne. “Rail is absolutely critical to getting our
product out of the Mid North,” Mr May said. The proposed railway bypass would shift freight from the Adelaide Hills, where there are problems with community impact, rail line capacity, and speed restrictions. Mr May questioned if diverting it to Two Wells may eventually lead to similar community concerns as those in the Adelaide Hills, with the Two Wells area expecting a significant growth in housing and population in the coming years. In addition, a northern rail bypass could open up opportunities for further infrastructure development on the Adelaide Plains, such as
CONTACT US: Internet – www.plainsproducer.com.au Email – editor@plainsproducer.com.au
the relocation of Parafield Airport, according to Mr May. The study proposes several alternatives, and submissions from the public are invited. It was undertaken because of problems with the existing route, where steep slopes and tight curves restrict speed, require more locomotive power, and restrict the maximum tonnage of trains. Mitcham Council has been urging Federal government to consider a realignment of the railway line to improve safety and reduce the impact of the freight route on communities. n Continued Page 23
Phone – (08) 8862 1977 Fax – (08) 8862 1997
Everything’s Better Better…
We are here for you!
✓New Car Selection ✓Service ❏ ❏ ✓Parts Selection ❏✓Used Car Range ❏ ✓People ✓Pricing ❏ ❏ Ring now and we’ll come to you
CLARE VALLEY TOYOTA 380 Main North Road CLARE Phone 8842 2566