The Country Caller

Councils’ concern for wind farms’ community impact

By HARRY CLARKE | EXCLUSIVE

COUNCILS at the coal face of Queensland’s rapid development of renewable energy projects hope that a review of laws around the installation and operation of wind farms will address major concerns they have that the industry is having an overall negative impact on their regions.

Concerns raised by Goondiwindi Regional Council and Southern Downs Regional Council about the mega $2 billion, 360 turbine MacIntyre wind farm being built within their council areas comes as the State Government reviews its Wind Farm Code designed to protect communities from adverse impacts of the renewable energy developments.

Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg said the rollout of the renewable energy industry had “got ahead of itself” and that communities were suffering from housing pressures and an increased need for local infrastructure maintenance that the project was causing.

“More needs to be done in the area of commissioning and regulating renewable energy projects and they (should) be subject to the same conditions as the resource communities are – coal and gas – because they’re not,” he said.

Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg with Energy Minister Mick de Brenni at the first sod turning for the MacIntyre wind farm. IMAGE: Supplied

“The approval process is basically automatic because they’re considered projects of significance to the state pushing its renewable energy targets.

“I don’t have arguments with that, that’s their target, but what’s happening is our communities are left with all the social consequences and the growing pains that come with it.

“When it comes to wind generation our (local government) involvement is virtually negligible except on conditioning local roads. Beyond that we’re an afterthought and the communities are left scrambling.

“You’ve got housing pressure, you’ve got workforce pressure, there are infrastructure issues because your infrastructure can’t really keep up.”

Blade for one of the MacIntyre Wind Precinct’s first turbines the leaving the Port of Brisbane for Goondiwindi. IMAGE: Supplied

Springborg was also critical of the fact that under Queensland law, wind farm developers are not required to submit development applications to councils as the approvals process is handled by the Queensland Government through its State Assessment and Referral Agency.

“Councils are basically not involved in the approval,” he said.

“There is no development application process with council. At best they’ll come out and tell us what they’re going to do.

“We’re not saying that the state should cede approval to us in any way whatsoever, that’s their prerogative, but there should be at least some sort of referral agency or there needs to be some sort of development application process for local governments to be involved.

“We need the ability to be able to front end these processes a lot more with regards to infrastructure agreements and those sorts of things.”

WATCH: Animation flyer-over of the MacIntyre Wind Precinct

The MacIntyre Wind Precinct is one of the largest onshore wind energy projects in the world, and the largest in the southern hemisphere.

It comprises two sections – the MacIntyre wind farm and the Herries Range Wind Farm – totalling 360 turbines and spanning 36,000 hectares (90,000 acres).

It’s located about 60km west of Warwick but much of its footprint falls within the Goondiwindi Regional Council area.

Once completed the wind farm will have the capacity to generate 2GW electricity which its developer, Spain-headquartered renewable energy giant Acciona, said was enough to power 1.4 million Australian homes per year.

Its construction is generating about 1,500 jobs however the workforce will reduce dramatically to about 35 during the operational period, which is expected to last 30 years.

Map showing the location of the MacIntyre Wind Farm

The State Government this month announced a review of wind farms in Queensland, pledging to create clearer bench marks for managing developments of numerous projects currently in the pipeline.

The review aims to improve guidelines to protect high ecological and biodiversity value, identify and assess viable haulage routes, highlight rehabilitation requirements and expectations and require developers to investigate the impact wind farm constructions will have on local workforces and accommodation.

“Queensland has some of the world’s best wind resources that can be harnessed to power hundreds of thousands of homes with cleaner and cheaper energy,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

“To support this progress, we need clear and predictable regulatory frameworks.

“The Palaszczuk Government committed to a review of the planning framework for renewable energy development and we are delivering on it.

“We have listened to the community, and worked with other government agencies, local councils and stakeholders to establish the issues to be addressed in the review.

“Wind farms in Queensland already undergo a thorough assessment process.

“This review is designed to strengthen those protections for communities and the environment, while creating certainty and clarity for industry with clearer benchmarks for managing environmental and construction impacts.”

Deputy Premier Steven Miles at the arrival MacIntyre find farm’s first turbines at the Port of Brisbane last September. IMAGE: Supplied

Acciona has had a 600-man workers camp at the site of the MacIntyre wind farm to accommodate an influx of staff and contractors in the region during the project’s construction phase.

Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor Vic Pennisi (pictured below) said despite the initiative, the town of Warwick was in particular experiencing social pressure due to rent increases, and that he was also concerned about plans for wind turbine materials once the project was decommissioned.

“When it comes to renewable energy, it’s really at its infancy, so we’re at where coal seam gas was 20 years ago,” Pennisi said.

“In our region there are a lot of unanswered question for example, what happens at the end of the life of these turbines – do you dig a hole and bury them?

“That’s going to be up to the local government that is in that area to deal with. Why should that be an impost on the community.

“When negations take place nobody wants to commit to anything which is why we go to government (and say) ‘you guys need to help out out here and put the parameters in’.

“The State Government approves the projects largely without any input of local government, so we have to live with the approval of the State Government so that’s a deficiency. As a local government we should at least be a concurrent agent during the approval process.

“The turbines are largely in the Goondiwindi Regional Council but the roads that they access the turbines on are largely in Southern Downs Regional Council and the closest landfill is in Southern Downs Regional Council.

“How much oil is those those turbines and in the gear boxes and how often does it need to be changed, and if that oil needs to get changed, who’s going to take it?

“Is it going to be the government where they’ve got an oil collection (facility) and what the volume of that? Should the ratepayers fund that? Is that fair and reasonable?

“One of the others issues that it creates is that accomodation is at a premium, so accomodation providers use it as a tool to increase rental prices. Where you might have been getting $300 a week, now you’re getting more than that and in many cases double that.

“So that puts pressure on social housing and those people who are not highly paid and it forces them out of accommodation because they can’t afford it. It creates some social issues that we have to deal with.

“We want to make sure that our community is not disadvantaged with the rest of the state being advantaged.

“It’s almost like a marriage – you need to discuss whether you’re compatible before you walk down the aisle.

Installation of the MacIntyre wind farm’s first foundation. IMAGE: Supplied

As part of the development application process, energy project proposals are required to undergo assessment under the Federal Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and all projects have to comply with relevant legislation including the Native Title Act, QLD Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act, Nature Conservation Act and the Planning Act, among others.

A spokesperson for Acciona, developer of the MacInture Wind Precinct, told the Caller the company welcomed the government’s review and hoped for clearer frameworks around wind farm construction and environmental impacts.

“The MacIntyre wind farm has created hundreds of jobs for locals during construction and sourced hundreds of millions in contracts from the local area and the region. The high paying skilled jobs during operations will greatly benefit the small towns around the project,” the spokesperson said.

“We’ve listened and responded to community concerns about impacts on housing caused during construction. Availability of housing in local towns was identified early during development and in our Social Impact Assessment and is why we built a 400 person work camp on site before expanding its capacity to 600 to accommodate additional workers on site.

“At the end of a wind farm’s lease, the resource is still there. For us it’s a discussion with landowners if they’d like to renew the lease and if the project is still viable we’d go through the process to re-permit with planning and environmental regulators and re-power the site for another 30 years. Properly maintained turbine lifespans can last 40-50 years.

“In the event that a wind farm is decommissioned, as part of our lease agreements and development approvals we return the land to its original state. As part of our commitment to recycling and a circular economy – our colleagues in Europe have been working with partners to develop technologies to recycle blades turning them into frames for solar panels. We’re also looking at other industrial uses for blades to be used as an input in concrete manufacturing.

“These decommissioning and recycling technologies are being developed in Europe where many fleets of turbines are much older. By the time turbines in Australia start to need large scale recycling the technology will have matured, advanced and be well deployed here.”

The company also highlighted its investment legacy projects to support the communities most directly impacted by the wind farm’s construction.

“So far our investment into legacy projects is $1.2 million,” Acciona’s spokesperson said.

“We’re proud of the legacy the project is leaving within the community and the investments we’ve made including the removal of telecommunications blackspots at the project site, funding support for the Goondiwindi Council Regional Art Trail, upgrades to the Karara Community Hall, Energy Savings Program with Queensland Farmers’ Federation as well as the significant amount of work with local Chambers of Commerce about procurement and supply opportunities.”

Country Caller memberships mark 3-year milestone

Country Caller doubles down on commitment to quality regional journalism
Calls for audience support with $8 monthly membership subscriptions
Full access, weekly newsletter and mobile app available to members

Time flies.

Three years ago, almost to the day and on little more than a whim, I googled “purchase domain name” and spent $11 for ownership of the website countrycaller.com.au.

The name Country Caller had for some reason popped into my head. To me it sounded both rural and ‘newspapery’.

I wanted to create a masthead for a modern, digital news publication that somehow paid tribute to the traditional print medium.

So I wrote “Country Caller” in a nice Old English font, turned the words into a jpeg and – voila – there was my logo.

I found a friendly and affordable web design whizz named Sunil, and between us we turned my vague vision for a rural news publication into, pretty much, the same Country Caller website you see today.

The feedback I’ve received from readers over the past three years has been overwhelmingly positive and I’m very grateful for the encouragement.

Not only has the Country Caller’s audience seemed to appreciate my content, but the media industry has too.

Over the first ten years of my career I never won any journalism awards. Over the past three years, the Country Caller has been recognised with five journalism awards.

Receiving the LGAQ Journalism Award and (INSET) the Queensland Rural Press Club Digital Media Award and a Clarion Award. IMAGES: Supplied

Finding and producing the stories has been the easy part. My career has taught me how to do that.

The hard part has been generating an income from those stories.

Before Country Caller, my job was to produce the best news stories I could and give them to a newspaper editor or a television news director.

I’d file the content and the company news machine would do the rest. My wage would reliably land in my bank account every month.

Nowadays I produce the best news stories I can, share them on the internet, and hope they’ll be read or viewed by a large number of people.

I then sell advertising based on the amount of traffic and engagement the Country Caller website and social media channels generate.

It’s a tough gig, especially for someone who’s a journalist by trade and not an advertising salesman, and for someone who’s selling ads for a publication they created themselves only recently.

And while it is a hard sell, in a competitive market and tough economy, I’ve managed to develop a humble list of clients who’ve put their trust in the Country Caller’s advertising services.

WATCH: Country Caller advertising content – BEEF 21

Like the readers, feedback from clients has been overwhelmingly positive and I’m very grateful for their support.

I firmly believe in the Country Caller’s advertising products.

They’ve generated ticket sales for event promoters, new clients for professional service providers, goodwill for bush politicians and exposure for startups, among other client benefits.

In recognition of the Country Caller’s editorial quality and business potential, the publication has been awarded grants from the Meta Australia News Fund, administered by the Walkley Foundation.

These grants have allowed me to temporarily employ Caitlin Crowley and Kate Banville, both of whom are seasoned media experts with portfolios to prove it.

Caitlin was a WIN News television reporter who advanced to senior editorial management roles before becoming involved with the Country Caller about 18 months ago.

Kate started her professional life in the army before working in various reporting roles for News Corp, Channel 10 and the ABC.

I couldn’t ask for better teammates to help take the Country Caller forward.

The three of us share a passion for quality journalism and a belief that it should be available to regional communities.

We all agree that the most interesting news stories come from regional Queensland, and also that not enough of those stories are told.

From today, as a team, we’re doubling down on our efforts to deliver more news content via Country Caller, to the publication’s award-winning standard.

Out and about, gathering news for the Country Caller

We intend to focus more on the news and less on the advertising, more on generating rich content and less on the pressure of generating traffic on the website.

We want to put high quality, original and exclusive journalism in front of our readers for them to engage with because it interests them, not because we need viewership to attract advertisers.

Since the start, I’ve hoped followers of the Country Caller realised that ‘what you click on is what you get’.

I’ve stuck to a rule of ‘no click bait articles’, even though that’s undoubtedly been to the detriment of our potential advertising offering.

To continue providing this news service sustainably (with a growing and increasingly expensive operation) we need to make a significant change to the Country Caller’s business model.

Today we launch Country Caller memberships, providing a service to loyal readers who like our content and are happy to tip in a few dollars a month so that we can continue producing it.

For the cost of two coffees per month, members will have unrestricted access to the Country Caller’s entire editorial suite.

They can absorb all of our news content at any time via the web or via the Country Caller’s mobile app.

We’ll also deliver a curated newsletter, which breaks down the week’s news and presents it quickly and conveniently, directly to your email inbox every week.

The cost of a Country Caller membership is a flat rate of $8 per month.

Non-members will still be able to access some Country Caller stories.

SLIDESHOW: Three years of memorable headlines

We’ll decide on a case-by-case basis which stories go behind a paywall and which stories go in front of a paywall, but always remaining free to access will be the stories which relate to public safety – natural disaster messaging from authorities, Amber Alerts and the like.

The stories to which Caitlin, Kate and I have applied our best journalism expertise, our years of experience and our professional analysis, and those for which the Country Caller has invested financially to produce, we believe are worth paying for.

We believe that $8 per month in exchange for consistently high quality news content about regional Queensland, which isn’t found elsewhere, is a fair transaction. We trust you feel the same.

By becoming a Country Caller member you’ll be supporting an independent news organisation which, from day one, has continued its mission to advocate for rural and regional Queensland.

You can subscribe HERE, or by clicking one of the banner ads within this article.

Thank you for your support,

Harry

Community rallies for family of Downs cricket great

SUPPLIED

A FUNDRAISING effort is underway following the death of one of the Darling Downs’s star cricketers, who leaves behind a wife and baby daughter.

David Orange, described as a cheeky larrikin and an exceptional sportsman, died suddenly and unexpectedly from natural causes on August 9.

He was 38. He leaves behind his wife, Kerry, and their seven-month-old daughter, Eylea.

David Orange leaves behind his wife, Kerry, and their seven-month-old daughter Eylea. IMAGE: Supplied

Growing up in Toowoomba, David was the captain of University Cricket Club in Toowoomba from 2007-2008, leading his team to a premiership win.

That season he achieved a record-breaking innings, falling one run short of a double century. At the time, his 199 was the highest score ever by a University player, eclipsing the previous record set in 1994.

David Orange, featured on the back page of the Toowoomba Chronicle following his double ton. IMAGE: Supplied

David then went on to dedicate seven years to South Brisbane District Cricket Club, where he was a crucial member of the first-grade team. He also competed for clubs in Hythe, Bishops Stortford and Harrogate, in the United Kingdom.

He was well known in the Brisbane building and construction industry, having been in the electrical industry for 15 years. David was the founder and director of Orange Electrical and Glow Worm Lighting, operating across Brisbane.

Known for his larger than life personality, and for being an amazing father, husband, son, brother, uncle and friend, thousands of tributes have been flowing online for David.

David Orange and his wife, Kerry, on their wedding day. IMAGE: Supplied

Friends have set up a GoFundMe page to try to support his beautiful wife Kerry and young daughter Eylea, as they struggle to come to terms with the unimaginable pain of losing David.

“We believe Dave was the best of us,” friend Mitch Connell said.

“He was an aspiring entrepreneur, avid sportsman, great loyal friend and an amazing family man. He will be sorely missed by many, many people.

“We are trying to raise funds to help support his family in this difficult time and plan for their future without Dave.

“Any donation would be greatly appreciated.”

Click here to visit David Orange’s Legacy Fund GoFundMe page.

Spotlight on farming facts thanks to Ekka Ag-vocacy

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By CAITLIN CROWLEY

THE Chief Financial Officer of one of Australia’s largest cattle operations has urged supporters of agriculture to use positive, “science-based” arguments rather than those “fuelled by emotion” to combat misinformation around the sector.

Speaking to an almost 800-strong crowd at the Rural Press Club’s annual Ekka breakfast, Julie McDonald (pictured below) said farmers should be “loud and proud” about their industry and ready to respond to questions with messages that were clear, truthful and backed by science.

Julie McDonald guest speaker at the Rural Press Club’s annual Ekka breakfast. IMAGE: Supplied

“We are the experts in the field and we’re often looked to for information, so when this happens, we need to speak up,” she said.

“When we hear some of the misinformation that gets bandied around, we need to reply with facts.

“How and how many times we speak about the good things in our industry, and what we continue to strive for matters.

“Use the science, use the resources available to us, advocate well and often.”

McDonald, who is the CFO of the family-owned MDH Pty Ltd, said that if everyone in the audience told someone outside the agriculture industry one factual, positive comment every day for the next 12 months, it would add up to around 280,000 positive messages.

“That is a lot of reasons for people to consider the way that they think about farming in Australia, how it contributes to our economy, through employment, exports, and by putting food on our table and those of our neighbours,” she said.

McDonald explained that while it was important for organisations to advocate for their industry, individuals could also take control of conversations about Aussie farming by throwing in facts and figures at family barbecues, P&F meetings and parent teacher interviews.

*Ekka visitors asking questions at the Agforce stand this week. IMAGE: Agforce Queensland*

The sentiment was echoed by UniSQ’s Institute for Resilient Regions Executive Director Professor John McVeigh, who told the Caller the Ekka provided a pivotal advocacy opportunity for agriculture in Queensland.

“I think it (advocacy) is more important than it’s ever been because society at large is dealing with significant transition issues – transition to a lower emissions environment going forward, transition out of fossil fuels into renewables,” he said.

McVeigh said not only were those transitions impacting on agriculture but were playing out in regional areas where farmers lived, giving city people the chance to ask questions around issues such as mining, coal seam gas and wind farms.

School students learning about the wool industry at Ekka. IMAGE: The Ekka

“The Ekka is a chance to ramp up that broader community understanding and to bust the myths and combat misinformation,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity for people in the city to really understand what all this policy discussion in regional areas and agriculture is really all about.”

RNA Chief Executive Brendan Christou said about 400,000 people were expected to attend this year’s Ekka to learn about agriculture, share stories, be entertained and delighted by the 21,000 competition entries and more than 10,000 animals.

“Ekka is an incredible Queensland institution which continues to champion Queensland’s agriculture and industry and the vital role they play in our everyday lives and community,” Christou said.

Cattle judging in centre ring. IMAGE: The Ekka

Julie McDonald also used her keynote address to highlight the importance of mentoring the next generation.

McDonald revealed that if it hadn’t been for those who offered support and guidance to her in the wake of her husband Zanda McDonald’s tragic death in a farming accident back in 2013, she would have left the industry altogether.

“I found myself and significant fork in the road – whether to stay and continue to live in the bush and work in agriculture, or to leave with our daughters and build my career and life elsewhere,” she said.

“Without a doubt, my decision to stay was due to the people around me.”

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She encouraged those in a position to mentor the next generation to share their knowledge and said it was just as important to retain the young people already in agriculture, as it was to recruit them in the first place.

“It is when they are at their fork in the road that we have the opportunity to turn their gap year into their career,” she said.

“Every person who walks away from the sector takes with them their training, knowledge and their curiosity. But every person who stays connected to the industry, builds on their foundations and contributes.”

Rock menu for Jimbour House’s 2023 Big Skies Festival

SPONSORED | BIG SKIES FESTIVAL

AN AMPLIFIED rock-blast is calling out from across Queensland’s Western Downs with the 2023 Big Skies Festival to be headlined by Eskimo Joe, The Angels, Diesel, Baby Animals, Rogue Traders, Thirsty Merc and O’SHEA, supported by Sabrina Durante, Katelann Maree and Aloud Out.

Big Skies Festival return on September 28 running until October 2 for its fourth year, staged in the sprawling grounds of Jimbour House near Dalby.

The event sees an annual migration of thousands of Australian music enthusiasts pull up camp and dance the weekend away, under the endless country landscapes encased by the festival’s namesake, big, blue skies by day, and the Milky Way by night.

Western Downs Regional Council Mayor Paul McVeigh said Big Skies Festival was one of the region’s premier events showcasing the unique experiences and people that make the Western Downs a fantastic place to visit.

“Council is proud to present this fantastic event, and this year we’re expecting bigger crowds than ever before,” McVeigh said.

Organisers report that onsite camping is already 73% booked out and festival tickets have been selling faster than ever before.

“In addition to our Big Skies Festival enthusiasts, we’re also welcoming some 700 caravanners from across Australia as part of the CMCA (Caravan & Motorhome Club of Australia) 36th National Rally 2023, directly in the lead up to the festival,” McVeigh said.

“We’re hosting regional bus tours to Bell, Kaimkillenbun and Dalby, as well as the popular Jimbour House tours.”

Jimbour House, a majestic sandstone icon, made famous, starring in several feature films and stories, including Stan’s feature film The Second (2018), was built in 1870. Still a private residence, the Russell family, open their grounds for special events, including Opera Queensland’s “Opera at Jimbour” and of course, Big Skies Festival.

This stunning location, set on the fertile farming lands at the base of the Bunya Mountains, is a twenty-minute drive north of Dalby in Queensland’s Western Downs, 1 hour west of Toowoomba, within 2.5 hours of Brisbane and 3 hours of both the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

The historic Jimbour House, near Dalby. IMAGE: Supplied

McVeigh said Big Skies Festival offered an opportunity for music lovers to explore the Western Downs and the unique visitor experiences on offer.

“I’m so proud of our team and the volunteers who help to stage the festival, and this year’s line up of incredible alternate rock and true-blue rock legends is testament to their passion and drive to stage an event of this calibre, welcoming visitors to join and celebrate with us in our backyard,” he said.

“Truly honoured and excited to be coming home to play Big Skies! Having grown up in Dalby, it’s going to feel like a massive family reunion!”, says former local boy, Mark O’SHEA, who is now based in Nashville, TN.

Tickets are on sale at www.bigskiesfestival.com.au, with organisers encouraging fans to book ahead, especially to be sure to secure their onsite camping spots, as camping sold out last year.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Date: 28 September to 2 October 2023

Location: Jimbour House, Jimbour, Queensland

Camping: Available onsite Thursday to Sunday nights

Accommodation: Motels, hotels and caravan parks available in nearby towns including Dalby

Regional Bus Tours: Departing Jimbour House 9am Friday 29 September. Choice of two itineraries: Explore Western Downs Bus Tour (Athlone Cottage, Bell’s hidden garden and the “Bun Pub” in Kaimkillenbun, or take the Big Skies Mystery Tour.

Tickets: Available at www.bigskiesfestival.com.au at $189.00 for early bird Adult 2-day Concert Pass until end of August, or $199 at the gate.

Drive: The main drive access route to Big Skies Festival is travelling west of Toowoomba on the Warrego Highway, turning north at Dalby and continuing 28km to Jimbour House.

Fly and Drive: Flights available to Wellcamp (Toowoomba West) Airport with hire cars available for 103km journey to Jimbour House.

Big Skies Festival at Jimbour House. IMAGE: Supplied

Bull riding’s biggest prize goes to 18yo debutant

Country Caller rodeo coverage sponsored by the Maxitool Group

By HARRY CLARKE

SOME of Australia’s toughest cowboys go their whole careers without winning a Mount Isa Rodeo buckle, but 18-year-old rider Boston Leather has pulled it off within only two months of becoming old enough to compete in Australia’s most prestigious rough stock rodeo event.

Leather, the breakthrough cowboy from Calliope, was the only competitor to ride all three of his bulls on the hallowed red dirt of Buchanan Park, sending the arena’s record crowd into a frenzy for the Mount Isa debutant.

“I was pretty excited, I didn’t come off the greatest and I was a bit sore by the end of it, but once I got up and realised I’d just spanked this bull it was bloody amazing,” Leather told the Caller.

Boston Leather riding to victory in the Mount Isa Mines open bull ride final. IMAGE: Stephen Mowbray

Leather finished on 246.5 points from three rides, ahead of Beau Willis and 2022 Isa Rodeo champion Jackson Gray, who scored 161 and 157 points from two bulls respectively.

He takes home the lion’s share of $30,000 for the open bull ride – the biggest prize pool for a single event in Australian rodeo.

Total prize money on offer across all events at Mounts Isa is more than $300,000 making it the largest and richest rodeo in the southern hemisphere.

Leather was the last out of the chutes in the open bull ride final round. Given that his first two rides had already put him in front on points leading into the event, he had already won before climbing aboard the final bull of the night.

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“I didn’t even have to ride time on the last bull but I really just wanted to put on a show and sort of prove that I deserved it,” he said.

“Since I was last out, they already announced that I’d won it but I tried to block that out because I want to get that last one done.”

Leather said attending Mount Isa for the first time was a late decision, and admitted he wasn’t brimming with confidence leading up to the event.

“I didn’t really plan to come. It wasn’t in my books but one of my mates said ‘you’ve got to at least do it once’ and he needed a travelling partner, so I jumped in and away we go,” he said.

“After bucking off two at Cloncurry the week before I doubted myself coming into it. But once I got me first couple of bulls done at Isa I thought ‘I’m not half bad at this’.

“It was very exciting, I was riding with all of the top riders and they were all pumping up, I was pumping up and the crowd was pumping up. It was full – chocker block – and you couldn’t ask for anything else.”

Leather is one of 13 siblings in his family. His eldest brother, Macaulie Leather, currently leads the bull riding points standings for PBR Australia, which is a seperate competition to the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

He said he’d just commenced “a pretty busy period” for rodeo.

“I’ve got shows every two weeks for the next two months,” he said.

Albo talks up metals mining on Mount Isa visit

By HARRY CLARKE

THE Australian Prime Minister used a whirlwind visit to North Queensland to express his confidence in the region’s economic outlook and the importance of its mining industry, but stopped short of voicing support for a major water project which his host said was crucial for the region’s future.

Anthony Albanese also took up a longstanding invitation to attend the iconic Mount Mines Isa Rodeo, the largest and richest in the southern hemisphere, and presented Great Australian awards to five legends of the northern outback.

Albanese said he’d visited the region on six occasions but this weekend’s trip, at a time when Mount Isa is celebrating 100 years since the town’s foundation, was the first from a sitting Australian Prime Minister since Bob Hawke.

WATCH: Country Caller’s interview with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“It was fantastic to be there (at the rodeo) last night and it’s always great to visit Kennedy,” Albanese said.

“I’ve visited Hughenden a couple of times, I’ve visited Cloncurry on at least five occasions, I’ve been to Mount Isa on half a dozen occasions with Bob Katter.

“This iconic local member here – he’s so passionate about representing the north west of Queensland and making a difference. He is someone who is really connected with his local community and I thank him for the invitation.”

Member for Kennedy Bob Katter joined Albanese and Assistant Minister for Regional Development Anthony Chisolm on a tour of Glencore’s historic copper and zinc mine, which the Prime Minster said would remain a vital facility amid Australia’s energy transition.

WATCH: Bob Katter and Anthony Albanese tour Mount Isa Mine

The underground and open cut mine, which was established in 1924, comprises two mining and processing streams – copper and zinc-lead-silver. It covers a lease area of 32,000 hectares, spans 52 kilometres and employs about 4,000 workers.

“This north west Queensland corridor, between here, across to the Northern Territory border and across to Townsville, has an abundance of zinc, copper and vanadium – the sort of products that will drive our economy in this century.

“That’s why Mount Isa has such a strong future. It’s been terrific to talk to the workers and management here in Mount Isa. This is an iconic institution here.

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“The mining industry is vital for our country as we move to a clean energy future. The composition of the mining industry will change but its importance won’t.

“What we will see is products like copper increase in value because of what’s happening in the car industry.

“An electric vehicle is something that’s basically copper, together with other minerals that we have – nickel and cobalt, when it comes to lithium for batteries – all of the things that Australia has.

“I’m determined to have a future made in Australia and that’s something that is a real focus of my government.

“Mines such as this one are a great example of ingenuity, of Australian research and science and engineering, and capacity.”

North West Queensland is leading Australia’s burgeoning vanadium mining industry, with the Saint Elmo Vanadium Project near Julia Creek due to begin producing this year according to the Department of State Development Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.

Several other mining companies are seeking approval to develop other reserves of the construction metal within the North West Minerals Province of Queensland. Among proposed projects is a $242.2 million vanadium mine north west of Richmond.

Katter said the viability of the vanadium industry depended not only on the recently approved $5 billion Copperstring mega transmission line between Mount Isa and Townsville, but the proposed $750 million Hughenden Irrigation project which would dam a key section of the Flinders River.

WATCH: Bob Katter’s please to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“I want to put on public record my appreciation of the Prime Minister,” Katter said.

“In another role he was responsible for the back road called the Hann Highway, a major component which cuts 2,000km off fruit and vegetables going from North Queensland going to Victoria and fruit and vegetables from Victoria coming to Queensland.

“Without Anthony’s intervention it would never have happened.

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“The four great vanadium mines that are about to open can’t open unless they get Copperstring and commercial prices for electricity.

“They will also need, and I’ve told the Prime Minister, the Hughenden Dam to supply water to those mines. They’re all along the Flinders River, so that will have to go ahead and we want to become the leading vanadium producing country on earth.

“We thank him very much for all the he’s achieved and we need his help on the Hughenden Dam scheme which will also build Hughenden into a town of 20,000.”

Map showing location of Hughenden Irrigation Project

The Morrison Government had earmarked $182 million to support the project and a Detailed Business Case has been before the government since April last year.

“We have now received the business case and that’s being assessed by our Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, and that’s being assessed in a proper way,” Albanese said.

“We always want to make sure that there’s business cases for projects that require significant investment.

“I’ve visited Hughenden on a couple of occasions, I’ve been there to see the Kidston project that is progressing, I’ve been to see Big Kennedy and Little Kennedy.

“I’ve spoken with the mayor there on a number of occasions, most recently at the Council of Australian Governments meeting that we reconstituted, and we’ll continue to work through that issue with the proponents.”

Katter to host Anthony Albanese at Mount Isa Rodeo

By HARRY CLARKE

ANTHONY Albanese is today launching from the chutes of Parliament House in Canberra and riding into the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo arena, in what is believed to be the first visit to North West Queensland’s unofficial capital by a sitting Australian Prime Minister.

Albanese has been roped into visiting Mount Isa and attending the southern hemisphere’s largest and richest rodeo by Kennedy MP Bob Katter, as the iconic outback copper city this year marks 100 years since its foundation.

The 2023 Mount Isa Mines Rodeo began last night with the second annual Indigenous Rodeo Championships, and Katter and the Prime Minister will officially open proceedings this evening in a special ceremony at 6pm on the hallowed red dirt of Buchanan Park.

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“I’m really looking forward to my first visit to the Isa Rodeo,” Albanese said.

“It’s an Aussie institution that brings people together and I can’t imagine a better host than Bob Katter.

“Mount Isa is helping drive the Australian economy. This visit will be a terrific chance to thank locals for making a positive difference in their community, and to talk about how we’re working together to grow our economy and support our regions, so there are more jobs and more opportunities for more people in more parts of our vast country.”

During their visit to Mount Isa, Katter and Albanese will also be presenting prestigious Australian Icon awards to five notable individuals, four of whom hail from North Queensland and the fifth being the world’s oldest cowboy renowned for his rodeoing feats in Mount Isa:

Doomadgee Mayor Jason Ned
91-year-old cowboy Bob Holder
Boxing showman Fred Brophy
Rugby league great Scott Prince
Father Mick Lowcock

LISTEN: Country Caller’s interview with Kennedy MP Bob Katter

WATCH: Country Caller’s coverage of the 2022 Mount Isa Mines Rodeo

Future looking brighter thanks to Lady Tradie network

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By CAITLIN CROWLEY

A TRIO of tenacious teenagers is on a mission to help female apprentices build their confidence and skills, to help ensure they finish their training and find their feet in traditionally male-dominated workplaces, like mining and construction.

Taleah Pearson, 19, and sisters Aleah and Kayla Hill, 18, are the CEOs of Future Lady Tradies – a support network specifically for female apprentices looking to go into the blue collar sector.

“Through working in recruitment for the construction industry, we noticed that no females were applying for jobs with us,” Taleah Pearson said.

“We took that as an opportunity and saw a niche in the market to jump on it and make a change in the industry.”

The Future Lady Tradies team meeting apprentices with Apprenticeships Queensland. IMAGE: Supplied

Future Lady Tradies has three core goals – attract, connect and retain female apprentices – and attracting women to the sector needs to start much earlier, according to Aleah Hill.

“I think we’re just targeting them a bit too late, in senior school, whereas we should be talking to them in grade 9, even grade 8. Which is what Future Lady Tradies will do,” she said.

“We want to spread the awareness and knowledge that it isn’t just a construction site that you can work on – you can work in the mines, you can work on boats. You can work in so many different areas.”

“We also want to highlight that it is a professional and viable career pathway,” Taleah Pearson said. “There’s a lot of stigma around, “oh you just want to be a tradie.

“You can make a career out of it – you do not have to be on the tools forever.”

The Future Lady Tradies launch party back in April this year. IMAGE: Supplied

The three young women work for Meka Recruitment and launched Future Lady Tradies with guidance from its Director Melissa Dale.

Dale told the Caller there was a “massive need” for the kind of peer support Future Lady Tradies offers.

“There’s no support for girls in that age demographic, from 16 to 24,” Dale said.

“I think having the girls in that age demographic will help retain a lot of the girls because what we’re hearing is that a lot of girls don’t complete their apprenticeship because they don’t have friends to talk to about hard days.”

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The Future Lady Tradies team recently presented at the SEGRA National Summit in Toowoomba and want to engage with more female apprentices on the Darling Downs.

Aleah Hill said the apprentices she’s met with so far had been excited to know, they weren’t the “only girls in the industry” and that there are people they could talk to.

“The feedback we’ve received from young apprentices is that they feel really comfortable talking to us about some issues that they may be facing on site,” she said.

“I do think they kind of look to us as like a big sister,” Kayla Hill said.

“We have one apprentice that’s 16 – in year 10 at school – and she was having a hard decision as to what work she wanted to do in construction, and that’s when we took her out for breakfast and created that connection with her and helped her decide on what to do.”

Future Lady Tradies will offer networking and mentoring opportunities. IMAGE: Supplied

Melissa Dale said the initiative had been welcomed by construction industry leaders, with the likes of Hutchinson Builders and MEGT throwing support behind the idea.

“There’s massive support for it – not only from the women in the industry but from the men,” Dale said.

“Everyone just wants to jump onboard – so the older females that have done their trades, they want to come on as mentors.

“I honestly didn’t think it would take off as fast as it did, but I guess it’s the energy that the girls give.”

“It’s just incredible to watch the dedication and the effort that they’re putting into it – for 18 year olds you wouldn’t expect them to have as much commitment as they do.”

For more information head to the Future Lady Tradies Facebook page.

MRH-90 black box found as aircrew recovery continues

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By KATE BANVILLE

A DELICATE mission to bring home four soldiers killed in an army helicopter crash continues, as authorities confirm the aircraft’s ‘black box’ has been retrieved more than a week and a half after the incident.

The MRH-90 Taipan crashed into the ocean at high impact on July 28, during a night flying operation involving four helicopters as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre.

The four crew members – Capt Danniel Lyon, Lt Maxwell Nugent, WO Class Two Joseph Phillip Laycock, and Cpl Alexander Naggs – were on board.

The aircraft and its crew were from Sydney’s 6th Aviation Regiment, which operates in support of special forces and counter-terrorism tasks.

Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were all killed in the crash. IMAGES: Supplied

Unidentified human remains were found in the search zone last week, just days after the Australian government said that hopes of finding the four crew members alive had been lost.

Their families later released heartfelt written tributes to the four men.

A Royal Australian Navy dive team recovered the voice and flight data recorder — the black box — from the wreckage on Monday, the Defence Department said.

In a statement, the Defence Department said the recovery “remains a complicated and difficult operation”.

“Defence’s priority remains the recovery of our soldiers and returning them to their families,” it said.

“Defence remains in close contact with the families and is updating them on the operation as new details become available.”

Speaking to the Caller on the grounds of anonymity, a former member of the 6th Aviation Regiment and Blackhawk Pilot said it was a relief that the black box had been recovered, as it would be critical to determine the circumstances of the fatal crash.

The black box from the Australian army helicopter that crashed off the coast of Queensland during military exercises last month has been found. IMAGE: CPL Lisa Sherman/Department of Defence

The Queensland Coroner has released the recovered wreckage, including the VFDR, to Defence to support the Defence Flight Safety Bureau investigation.

The Taipan fleet remains grounded with Defence Minister Richard Marles vowing last week that it would not fly again until it is understood what happened.

Asked by the Caller last week how many Black Hawks were currently in Australia and how many pilots were certified to fly them, Lieutenant General Bilton said he was unable to give a “specific answer yet”.

“We’re still working through the plan on how we’ll work that capability,” he said.

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But that transition is underway with the first three of a 40-strong fleet of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters now in Australia.

Images obtained by the Caller showed the aircraft being unloaded at Sydney’s RAAF Base Richmond last Sunday, two days after the MRH-90 tragedy occurred.

They were quietly delivered to Australia on 30 July by a US Air Force C-17 before being reassembled and flown to Sydney’s 6th Aviation Regiment at Holsworthy Barracks over the weekend.