Victorian Regional Drought Resilience Planning phase 2 information session
An online information session on Phase 2 of the Regional Drought Resilience Planning program will be held on Tuesday, October 27, from 1pm to 2pm. It is free to attend.
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‘Bigger Risk Than Mother Nature’: Missed BoM Forecasts Costing Riverina Millions, Says Farley
Federal Member for Farrer David Farley says inaccurate forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology are placing financial strain on Riverina producers. He says a drought outlook made banks cautious and led farmers to hold back planting, even though 2026 is tracking as Australia's wettest El Niño year on record. Mr Farley has urged state and federal environmental ministers to reassess environmental water holdings and release more to irrigation. He also criticised the cost of the Bureau's website revamp, which rose from an initial $4.1 million to $96.5 million.
While some eucalypts are hard to kill, climate change may test the ability of others to survive
Large, old eucalypts in wet forests were the most affected by the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, according to new research. Those fires followed three dry years and burned roughly seven million hectares across eastern Australia. Dry forests on poorer soils fared better, with fewer large trees dying. Some species, including Eucalyptus dalrympleana and Eucalyptus radiata, suffered higher tree death at the dry edge of their range. The researchers say forest management may need to account for tree size, climate and fire severity.
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Get the appFarmers reaping benefits of new Tasmanian irrigation scheme
Farmers in Tasmania's Northern Midlands are benefiting from an irrigation scheme that took almost 10 years to come online. Farmer Richard Burbury said the scheme arrived at a very timely moment, as this year has been exceptionally dry. The network of underground pipelines spans 150 kilometres and will deliver 25 billion litres of water each year. Tasmanian Irrigation says the scheme is expected to support about $54 million a year in economic activity across the region.
From Local Newsroom to Debut Novelist: Former Grazier Writer Publishes Hay-Set Romance 'The Country Wedding'
Former Riverine Grazier journalist Lucy Hayes has published her debut novel, The Country Wedding. The story is set in Hay, Booligal and the surrounding Riverina during a severe drought. It follows artist Tess Matheson, whose past resurfaces on the eve of her first solo exhibition, the same day her ex-boyfriend returns home to marry. The novel uses five character viewpoints. Hayes began writing it during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her professional writing career started at The Grazier 30 years ago. The book is available via Amazon.
‘False autumn’: stressed trees drop leaves early after scorching English summer
Birch, beech and sycamore trees at Wisley garden in Surrey have shed their leaves early after a record hot summer. Horticulturists say drought stress has caused a false autumn, with yellow-leaved trees losing foliage by mid-October. Trees with shallow roots are most affected, as they cannot reach deeper groundwater. Experts expect an earlier, shorter colour display in drought-hit areas. Wisley plans to plant more hardy, deep-rooted trees such as Lebanon cedars and swamp cypresses to adapt to changing conditions.
Perennial Pasture Systems spring farm tour
A free farm tour will be held at Howell Pastoral near Amphitheatre on Sunday, November 8. The event will showcase how the Howell family manages perennial pastures, finishes lambs, and uses stock containment areas during dry conditions. Attendees can tour the farm, ask questions, and discuss how these approaches could work on their own properties. Lunch is included, and bookings are essential for catering.
Cattle prices hit 'a new gear' as rain tumbles down
Cattle prices jumped this week after heavy rain fell across key production areas in Queensland and northern New South Wales. Meat and Livestock Australia's benchmark Eastern Young Cattle Indicator rose above 1,000 cents a kilogram. The national processor cow indicator reached a record $4 a kilogram, and the heavy steer indicator hit $4.77. Analyst Simon Quilty said tight supply and competition between processors and feedlots drove demand, and he forecasts heavy steer prices to rise about 20 per cent next year.
Mass starvation event rocking Australia’s native flying fox population as carers struggle to keep up with numbers in need
Wildlife experts say thousands of emaciated flying foxes are arriving at the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Sydney, a sign of a mass starvation event. Sanctuary director Ben Dessen says the numbers are unlike anything seen before. Native trees are flowering late and producing little nectar, at a time when mothers are feeding pups. Sydney Botanic Gardens chief scientist Brett Summerell links the shortage to an unusually dry winter and spring. Dessen says the sanctuary, run by volunteers and small charities, needs community support, and residents are urged not to handle sick bats.
The great moth revival: how bogongs have bounced back
Bogong moths are appearing in large numbers across eastern Australia this year, according to sightings posted by citizen scientists. Observations on the iNaturalist platform through the Bogong Watch project show the population has grown sharply. The species had declined over several decades before crashing in 2017, when it was described as undetectable in alpine regions. Ecologist Ken Green has linked the crash mainly to drought from 2017 to 2019, with pesticides and light pollution adding to the earlier decline.
Roads and schools closed as flash flooding hits south-east Queensland
Flash flooding across south-east Queensland has prompted rescues overnight, with several people pulled from floodwaters as heavy rain spread through central and southern parts of the state. Authorities have issued a watch and act, prepare to leave warning for areas of Burpengary and Burpengary East, signalling that residents there should monitor conditions closely and get ready to evacuate. Disruption is also reaching classrooms, with two public schools and six independent schools announcing closures for Friday. Road closures have been reported alongside these developments, and the situation is being followed in an ongoing live update.
Firefighters voice growing concerns over water supplies to tackle UK wildfires
Firefighters have told MPs that limited water supplies slowed their response to wildfires during the UK's hottest summer on record. Phil Garrigan, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said fires spread faster because of the shortage. A survey found 81% of fire and rescue services had changed emergency plans where water access was a concern. A parliamentary committee has called for a national framework setting out water companies' duties during major fires. The government says it is holding a summit on wildfire preparedness.
‘For Panama, it is life or death’: how drought is choking the canal that feeds a nation
Drought in Panama has left farmers selling cattle as pastures fail to recover after a weak rainy season. The government has declared a national state of emergency until June 2027, and authorities forecast rainfall deficits of more than 50 per cent in some regions. The Panama Canal, which supports up to 7.7 per cent of national GDP and supplies drinking water to about 2 million people, has faced restrictions on vessel transits. A $1.5bn reservoir on the Indio River will flood the lands of 38 rural communities, and residents have protested and taken legal action against the project.
Flows in Canungra Creek reduce as Spring sets in
Flows in Canungra Creek, the water source for the town of Canungra, have fallen below 15 megalitres per day after a lack of rainfall in the catchment. Seqwater and Urban Utilities have a joint drought response plan that will be activated if flows drop below seven megalitres per day. Seqwater says it is ready to respond if creek levels keep falling and is progressing long-term water supply solutions for the town. Urban Utilities is asking residents to keep saving water, such as taking shorter showers and watering gardens during cooler parts of the day.
The humble chickpea has just boomed in value
Australian chickpeas are in strong demand, with delivered prices surging this month towards $1,000 per tonne in some regions. Prices were closer to $600 per tonne earlier in the year. Grains Australia Pulse Council chair Peter Wilson says the price is a great result for growers. He points to global supply chain volatility, lower monsoon rainfall in parts of India, and buyers in several nations seeking supply before Ramadan. Prices are expected to ease as harvest supply increases.
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Get the appWidespread flying fox deaths a 'disaster' for forest ecosystems
Suspected starvation is killing grey-headed flying foxes along the east coast, and experts warn forest ecosystems could be disrupted. Wildlife carers between the New South Wales Mid North Coast and Victoria have received reports of malnourished and dying bats. The bats are thought to be short of nectar because drought has affected flowering trees. University of Newcastle conservation professor Matt Hayward said flying foxes are vital pollinators and seed dispersers. Hunter Wildlife called the deaths a crisis and urged that they be treated as a disaster.
Starving, thirsty flying foxes are dying in droves
Flying foxes are starving and dying across large parts of NSW, according to the Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service. Habitat loss and a dry winter have left little nectar in flowering gums and native plants. Many malnourished females are losing pregnancies or giving birth to underweight pups. Animals are now feeding on the ground and drinking grass water, appearing in backyards during daylight. WIRES asks residents to remove netting and barbed wire from fruiting trees and keep dogs away from low-hanging bats.
Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low
A severe drought has been declared in six areas of England, with some reservoirs at critically low levels that threaten public water supplies. Parts of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex are now in severe drought after the UK's hottest summer on record. Environment secretary Angela Eagle has yet to approve requests from three water companies to extend bans on non-essential use to businesses such as golf clubs. Ardingly reservoir is only 19% full, while Wimbleball stands at 16%, well below the usual level for this time of year.
‘I am still a child, it cannot be good to be married’: how drought forces Afghan families to sell girls as brides
Droughts in Afghanistan's Badghis province are pushing families to sell their young daughters into marriage to repay debts, buy food and pay for medical treatment. Families displaced from rural villages by drought often struggle to survive in towns and camps. Girls as young as two have been engaged, and some have married children or been married to much older men. Aid organisation World Vision International says early marriage exposes girls to serious health risks, while clinics treating them are closing as foreign aid is cut.