CleanCo to buy 70% of Dulacca Wind Farm power

QUEENSLAND’S publicly-owned renewable energy company has signed up to take 70 percent of the power to be generated by a $450 wind farm being built in the state’s Western Downs region.

Energy Minister Mick de Brenni today announced government energy generator CleanCo had signed an agreement to take power from the 180MW Dulacca Renewable Energy Project.

The Caller has been told the cost of the deal between owners Octopus Australia and Renewable Energy Systems (RES) was “commercial in confidence”.

The construction phase of the project will generate about 150 jobs and while operation will employ about 35 people.

“CleanCo was established by the Palaszczuk Government with a mandate to bring 1,400MW of new renewable energy into the market and really drive the energy transformation through investment in renewable energy projects,” Mr De Brenni said.

“CleanCo has committed take 70 percent or 126MW from the Dulacca Wind Farm, adding to the impressive 980MW of renewable energy CleanCo has already committed to bring to market over the next three years, bringing the total to more than 1 gigawatt (GW).

“When operational, this Dulacca Wind Farm will be able to power more than 120,000 Queensland homes.”

Location of the Dulacca Wind Farm. IMAGE: Supplied

Octopus Australia is one of the largest owners of renewable energy projects in Australia and RES is the world’s largest independent renewable energy company.

leanCo CEO Dr Maia Schweizer said the wind energy generated by the Dulacca Renewable Energy Project would complement CleanCo’s growing portfolio of renewable energy generation.

“CleanCo’s generation portfolio enables us to offer uniquely low-emissions energy to our large commercial and industrial customers,” Dr Schweizer said.

“Power Purchase Agreements like this one mean we can offer competitively priced energy contracts supported by renewables and our fleet of low-emissions firming generation, guaranteeing supply day and night.                                               

“The benefits of these agreements are far-reaching – our customers meet their sustainability targets at a competitive cost, helping them to remain relevant in a decarbonising world, and in turn we help Queensland meet our State emissions targets.”

RES’ CEO in Australia Matt Rebbeck said the company was proud to work together with CleanCo on this world-class project with the Power Purchase Agreement being the cornerstone that enables the project helping to accelerate the transformation to a zero-carbon future.

“As well as co-existing alongside the agricultural use of the land, the project will contribute towards the Queensland Government’s target of 50% renewables by 2030,” Mr Rebbeck said.

“The Dulacca Renewable Energy Project will be constructed over a two-year period beginning this year and will bring more than $400 million in regional economic activity and a range of ongoing economic and social benefits.

“In addition, a community fund of $1.25m will provide funding opportunities for local projects, educational and environmental initiatives, community groups and organisations within the communities surrounding the project.”

EXCLUSIVE: Chinchilla Melon Festival squashed again

THE Chinchilla Melon Festival committee has announced it’s made the “difficult” decision to cancel next year’s event due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions across the country.

Tipped to bring over 20,000 visitors to the Western Downs, organisers said it was “too risky” for the region to go ahead with the festival given the country-wide outbreak.

“Many predicted this news was coming, but we are still devastated to announce we’re postponing our event for another year,” the committee said in a statement.

The event was originally scheduled for February 2021 and then postponed to February 2022 however, the unknowns for large mass gatherings, snap lock downs, and travel restrictions made organising and planning the event difficult for committee members.

The Chinchilla Melon Festival was first held in 1994 and has grown into the world’s biggest melon festival.

The festival is a well received promotion for melon growers and the wider Chinchilla district, with events held during the festival to raise funds.

Profits from each Melon Festival go back to the community as well as into the fund for the next event.

The committee said Chinchilla Melon Festival would be back to celebrate its 15th event on February 16-19, 2023.

Founding committee member Darryl O’Leary (pictured) said: “It is important that we continue to recognise melon farmers and local businesses in the region, despite not being able to hold the event next year.”

“We appreciate all the support shown to us to date, and we encourage everyone to support the Chinchilla region and Melon Industry in any way, as we look forward to a bigger and better festival in 2023.” 

Chinchilla Melon Festival Committee members will continue to meet monthly in the lead up to the next festival just 16 months away. All those who are interested are welcome to attend.

To keep up to date with plans for the 2023 Chinchilla Melon Festival visit www.melonfest.com.au.

Schrader sets Warra winner’s sights on Taroom

By HARRY CLARKE

LEGGY gelding Miralie will likely line up at Taroom in three weeks time after the 7-year-old’s blistering win in the 1100m Wambo Cup run at Warra on Saturday.

Jandowae trainer Geoffrey Schrader was elated his top weighted runner managed to beat an open field to notch up the horse’s fifth career win, bringing his total prize money above $58,000.

Schrader and his mate both own a 50 percent share in the horse purchased from Victoria. He’s by top sire and double Cox Plate winner So You Think, out of Danehill mare Merlene.

Warra Race Club president Robert Green (right) presents Miralie trainer Geoff Schrader and jockey Hannah Phillips with the Western Downs Regional Council Warra Cup.

“I said to the jockey (Hannah Phillips) to just hang on to him and when the time comes let him go,” Schrader said.

“When he got into the straight I’d thought he hung on enough. It was a good win.

“He’s a big horse. He’s easy to work with and he travels well. We’ll give him a blow for at least couple of weeks and probably run him again at Taroom.”

The Wambo Cup was a frustrating race for apprentice jockey Jasmine Cornish, who rode the Stephen Kirkwood trained Misslleers to second place.

Cornish (pictured) had been praised by the race caller following the previous race after claiming her 15th win for what was described as her “very successful early career” in the saddle.

But Cornish, whose parents are both former jockeys now based in Beaudesert, was frustrated the coveted “double” has still eluded her.

“I’m still waiting for a double! I just keep missing out by a nose,” Cornish said.

“It’s just been by the smallest smidgeons in three cup races in the last three weekends.

“But of course I was very happy with the race 3 win (on 5-year-old gelding Shame Job).

“They (trainer and owners) wanted to me to go forward and jump and run but they went a bit too hard early. So I sat in behind them I pulled wide and went around them, and he just did it easy.”

Warra’s annual race meeting in July had been rained out but the rescheduled date was clearly a success. It was chock-a-block trackside as hundreds of punters from across the district gathered for the classic bush race day.

The racing was hotly contested and plenty of those who were placing bets were seen celebrating wins as the horses passed the post.

Baden Handley, Bernie Davies, Steve Davies, Ella Dalgliesh and Gary Kurtz enjoy a drink and punt at Warra

But the real winner on the day was whoever is currently farming the thriving oats crop inside the race track.

So high was the crop that nobody watching the racing could even see the horses until they rounded the turn and hit the 200m mark.

“You can only see their heads bobbing along,” trainer Geoff Schrader said.

One punter said everyone was lucky the horses didn’t pull up mid race to have a feed on the impressive hay field.

As always the fashions of the field was a crowd favourite.

Stealing the show were the ladies in the Classic division.

Skyela Kruger from Westmar claimned first prize while Verelle O’Shanesy from Jandowae was runner up.

“I was very, very surprised to win. I put this together a little while ago but was worried I wouldn’t get to wear it here when the first meeting got cancelled,” Ms Kruger said.

“So I was happy to be able to put it together today. I tried to stick with a little bit of vintage, decided to throw a fanny pack in there for a little bit of fun.

“The millinery is made by Hats By Helen in Gympie.”

‘Classic Ladies’ fashions of the field winner Skyela Kruger (left) and runner up Verelle O’Shanesy

Million dollar upgrade for the state’s Long Paddock

A MILLION dollar investment will upgrade Queensland’s 72,000 km stock route network ahead of proposed changes to its management.

Resources Minister Scott Stewart announced funding to nine local councils for maintenance and capital projects from McKinlay Shire in the north west to Goondiwindi on the border.

“The stock route network is a key piece of infrastructure for our $18.5 billion agriculture sector, with drovers moving and feeding up to 330,000 head of stock across the network each year,” Mr Stewart said.

“These funds will allow councils, the network’s primary caretakers, to carry out the works they have nominated as a priority so that Queensland graziers can continue to rely on the network.”

The annual injection of capital and maintenance funds will be shared across projects submitted by nine local governments, ranging from desilting dams to replacing or installing solar-powered water pumps.

The Queensland stock route covers 72,000km and has been in use for more than 150 years. IMAGE: Supplied

The councils who received funding are Balonne, Banana, Central Highlands, Goondiwindi, McKinlay, Maranoa, Murweh, Western Downs and Winton.

The stock routes capital investment is part of more than $42 million being invested into Queensland’s resources sector and land programs in 2021-22.

Meanwhile, consultation remains open on a discussion paper which proposes changes to the use and management of stock routes.

AgForce and the Local Government Association of Queensland have welcomed the release of the discussion paper.

Mr Stewart said the proposed changes were about ensuring the fees users paid were reinvested in maintaining the stock route network.

Consultation on the discussion paper closes on Friday September 3.

To get involved and provide your feedback on the discussion paper, visit haveyoursay.resources.qld.gov.au/stock-routes

Rising star bull rider killed in “terrible wreck” in US

ONE of rodeo’s rising stars has been killed after a bull riding accident in the United States described in a statement by PBR as a “terrible wreck”.

Brazilian national Amadeu Campos Silva, 22, was competing in a Velocity Tour today event in the central Californian city Fresno when tragedy struck during one of his rides.

He was rushed to the local Community Regional Medical Centre but could not be saved.

Amadeu Campos Silva. IMAGE: Facebook

“It is with extremely heavy heads that we report that Amadeu Campos Silva passed away,” the PBR statement said.

“Earlier today, young Brazilian bull rider… was involved in a terrible wreck at the Velocity Tour event in Fresno.

“The entire PBR and western sports family extend our thoughts, prayers and hearfelt condolences to Amadeu’s family and friends,” the statement said.

“At 22, he was a bull rider with a lot of promise, coming to the U.S. after competing in PBR Brazil in 2017 and 2018 to pursue his dream of a World Championship.

“In 2019, he was runner up at the Brazilian Finals and that year, made his U.S. debut on the Velocity Tour in Edinburg, Texas; 11 months later he made it to the premier series in Manchester, N.H.

IMAGES: Facebook

“At the end of the 2020 season, one of Amadeu’s life dreams was accomplished: he rode in the PBR World Finals.

“This season, on the Velocity Tour, he was again angling to rise to the elite level. Amadeu was a rising star in our sport; a cowboy with so much potential on and off the dirt.

“The entire PBR and western sports family extend our thoughts, prayers, and heartfelt condolences to Amadeu’s family and friends. Please say a prayer tonight for them, and may Amadeu’s soul eternally rest in peace.”

Roma Cities win grand final, minor premiership

By HARRY CLARKE

ROMA Cities’ top rugby league side has convincingly beaten neighbourly rivals, Wallumbilla Surat Red Bulls, to clinch the district’s 2021 premiership.

Their 34-10 grand final victory caps off a dominant season for Cities, in which they were just two points shy of being undefeated.

Finals day at Roma drew what competition president Peter Flynn said was the biggest rugby league crowd seen at Basset Park for “many years”.

“These two clubs have a terrific rivalry and today they’ve certainly epitomised the strength of the Roma and District Rugby League competition this year,” Flynn said.

The Taroom Wandoan Battlers won the reserve grade premiership. In under-18s it was the Wallumbilla Red Bulls while Cities also won in under-16s.

Cities five-eighth Alex Coonan

Speaking on behalf of Cities A-grade after being awarded the minor premiership, five-eighth Alex Coonan said their dominance on the scoreboard did not reflect the strong contest between the two clubs over a long period.

“We’ve had some awesome battles over the last seven or eight years,” Coonan said.

“There’s not much between us. They should hold their heads high and be proud.”

It took only five minutes for Cities to open their points tally when left winger AJ Riley crossed in the corner.

Five minutes after that, dummy half Joey Packer dived over under the goal posts to give the men in blue a dominant start.

An at times very gusty north-westerly caused problems for kickers and receivers from both teams but Cities were able to use the wind to their advantage during the first half in particular.

Coonan’s long kicking from first receiver, coupled with Packer’s speed and precision from the play-the-ball, ensured the home team dominated field position.

Full back Billy Coonan with a runaway try.

Prop Ryley Shelswell was one of the standout forwards while fullback Billy Coonan showed plenty of pace out wide with a runaway try.

A huge defensive effort across the field ensured the Red Bulls struggled to get out of their own half for large chunks of the game.

Roma’s biggest threat came from the Red Bulls’ left side attack. Centre Nathan Callaghan made plenty of metres while forwards John Russo, Harvey Wright and John Frith kept the blue defenders busy.

But Cities dominated the game like they did the whole season, for a fitting premiership win.

“We’ve had a few regular A-graders drop off this year, so we’ve had a pretty new side,” Coonan said.

“It took a while for us to get going, but once we were rolling it all clicked pretty nicely.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the boys. We had some young fellas making their A-grade debut this year.

“Today we had without a doubt the biggest crowd I’ve seen here. It’s been an awesome year.”

Roma Cities supporters

How Wagners will carry Wellcamp quarantine risk

By HARRY CLARKE

THE amount of taxpayer money to be spent establishing coronavirus quarantine west of Toowoomba remains a secret, but the Caller can exclusively reveal the company building the controversial facility not does expect to cover construction costs from the state government’s management lease alone.

Despite significant public interest in how much public money will go towards the Covid quarantine facility at Wellcamp, questions about the commercial deal reached between the Palaszczuk Government and the Wagner Corporation have repeatedly been dismissed.

Both parties said the arrangement was “commercial in confidence”.

While deals of this nature aren’t unheard of, some experts are stunned the government isn’t disclosing the taxpayer cost of such a controversial project.

“It’s obvious that there is so much politics involved in this,” said Gene Tunny, director of Adept Economics.

“When the Queensland auditor generals eventually look at this, there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll say the full cost of this should have been disclosed.”

Wagner Corporation chairman John Wagner has said the capital cost his company will pay to build the facility will be about one third of Victoria’s $200 million quarantine camp, which is being mostly funded by the Commonwealth.

Amid speculation about how much the Wagners would then be paid by the government to lease the facility for 12 months, Mr Wagner told the Caller their income wouldn’t be enough pay off the estimated building cost of roughly $66 million, even if the lease is extended for longer.

“No way – that won’t happen,” Mr Wager said.

“But we have an alternate use for the facility, so I’m not overly worried about that.”

The Palaszczuk Government last year announced it would give the Wagners $40 million to help build the company’s Wellcamp Entertainment Precinct adjacent to their commercial airport and industrial park.

That project, costing a total of $175 million and described by the government last year as “Queensland’s largest entertainment precinct”, will include state of the art motorsport motorsport facilities and a 40-000 person performing arts venue.

It’s been touted as a potential western hub of Olympic sports when Queensland hosts the games in 2032.

As freight and passenger flights, industrial development and motorsport activity increase at Wellcamp in years to come, it’s clear the Wagners’ quarantine camp can be recycled for any number of uses.

While not expecting to profit from leasing the facility to the state government for quarantine purposes, the Wagners appear confident of reaping a return over a longer period.

As well as how much Queenslanders will pay to lease the facility, questions also remain about how many millions it will cost to operate, and how much the government expects to claw back from people paying to stay under quarantine.

An adult staying in a single room is slugged $3,220 by the government for two weeks accomodation. The rate was increased by 15 percent on July 1.

Busted AGAIN: Serial border hopper nabbed in Warwick

A NSW woman fined $4,135 only last week over a brazen attempt to sneak into Queensland has been caught again, hiding out in a house in Warwick.

The 49-year-old was discovered hiding in the boot of a car on the back of a tow truck at the Goondiwindi police checkpoint on August 18.

She had already been turned away on two previous occasions and, on the third occasion, was fined after being caught stowed away under blankets and clothing in the trunk. Police released footage of her apprehension last tonight.

Today, a second police media release shows vision of police this morning raiding a home at Warwick, where the same woman was discovered having apparently snuck through to Queensland undetected.

“A subsequent search of the dwelling resulted in a 49-year-old woman being located barricaded in one of the bedrooms,” police said.

“She was arrested and transported back to Warwick Watchhouse and charged with Fail to comply with Covid-19 Public Health Direction and is due to appear in Warwick Magistrates Court today.”

WATCH: Boot border hopper busted in Goondiwindi

A NSW woman has been slapped with a $4,135 fine after being caught trying to sneak into Queensland by hiding in the boot of a car carried by a tow truck.

The incident occurred last week. Police have just released body camera vision recorded of the arrest by an officer.

The 49-year-old woman was caught about 4pm on August 18 when police stopped the tow truck for inspection at the Goondiwindi border.

The boot of the sedan on the tow truck tray was searched and the woman was found hiding in the boot under blankets and clothing.

She had been denied entry to Queensland at the same border crossing in Goondiwindi on two previous occasions.

The woman was arrested, transported to Boggabilla in New South Wales and fined for failing to comply with a COVID-19 Border Direction.

‘Superstar seaweed’ reducing cattle emissions by 80%

By HARRY CLARKE

THE development of a cutting edge cattle feed technology proven to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from beef production has reached a major milestone.

The ‘superstar seaweed’ scientifically named Asparagopsis is now being commercialised under a partnership between product developer FutureFeed, the University of New England, Woolworths, and its meat provider Australian Country Choice.

FutureFeed is the global intellectual property holder of Asparagopsis, a red seaweed which, when fed to cattle, naturally prevents the formation of methane by inhibiting a specific enzyme in the gut of livestock during digestion.

It has been proven to lower methane emissions from cattle by more than 80 percent.

  • Asparagopsis seaweed after it’s prepared as cattle feed
  • Production of Asparagopsis seaweed in Tasmania

The first steaks made from cattle fed with the special seaweed were served up to stakeholders by celebrity chef Matt Moran in celebration of the newly announced commercial trial.

FutureFeed CEO Dr Regan Crooks (pictured above) said the steaks marked a significant moment in the quest to lower-methane meat, with the solution ready for the beef feedlot market.

“It’s incredible to see the transition of a solution from science to a commercial reality and I think that’s something worth celebrating,” Dr Crooks said.

“These steaks represent the launch of the technology for the feedlot market and we are anticipating many more steaks on plates in Australia and around the world that are certified by FutureFeed.

“The science proves the safety and efficacy and we now look to the seaweed growers making incredible progress locally and globally for what we anticipate being rapidly increasing supply.”

“Climate change is happening now and the IPCC reported last week that methane emissions in the atmosphere are at their highest levels in hundreds of thousands of years.

“We expect this will lead to increasing pressure on our sector and it is timely that we are able to provide a solution that has now been proven, in a commercial setting, to significantly reduce methane.”

  • Celebrity chef Matt Moran cooking up the first FutureFarm steaks from cattle fed with Asparagopsis.
  • Developers say there are no traces of Asparagopsis in the meat from the cattle which consume it

The IP was developed in collaboration with CSIRO, Meat & Livestock Australia Limited and James Cook University, FutureFeed licenses seaweed farmers around the world to grow and sell Asparagopsis.

FutureFeed feed has also just been announced the winner of the $1million Food Planet Prize, the world’s largest monetary reward on the global food arena which recognises initiatives working to secure food supply while fostering a healthy and resilient biosphere.

The 64 head commercial tri is being carried out at University of New England’s Tullimba Smart Farms under a $13million partnership with Woolworths and it’s beef supplier, Australian Country Choice (ACC).

ACC Anthony Lee said the company was proud to be part of the trial and was encouraged to see the technology applied in a commercial setting.

“We love the idea of FutureFeed’s Asparagopsis solution. It’s a natural ingredient that can be incorporated in daily mixed rations. 

The beauty is in the simplicity – people want what they eat of be natural and this is. It’s also backed by strong science that gives confidence that it’s safe to use and it works,” Mr Lee said.

“The reason the red meat industry is ahead of others in reductions is because of our commitment to innovate and be proactive.”