Which trees survive cyclones? How do you help trees withstand cyclones?

February 9th, 2024

Note: this was posted on 16 Feb 2011, after cyclone Yasi. 2024 Feb 9 – I’ve added a few notes/made some adjustments after cyclone Kirrily. There is very little publicly available Australian information on what trees withstand cyclonic winds well and which don’t.  This is despite copious studies being made of areas hit hard by cyclones – […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Rural photography competitions can help foster a thriving rural photography scene – but most don’t

September 7th, 2020

After running rural drone or photography workshops I’m usually approached by at least one parent asking whether their daughter, who is really keen on photography, should pursue a career as a photographer. (And yes, virtually every time it has been daughter, not son.) If I say ‘yes go for it’ (as many other photographers do) […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Ugg boots – be careful you’re buying genuine Australian owned & manufactured

June 22nd, 2019

*Please note – the main story below was written in 2009. Some of the links may be broken but they will be left as-is because they contain the original addresses for the reference information & quotes used. Some other links were updated in June 2016; when Deckers yet again launched legal action against an Australian […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Meat eating is good for human health & livestock can be good for the environment

January 25th, 2019

Below are a variety of research/study sources from around the world plus some well thought out personal opinion pieces that refute misinformation portrayed as truth by those intent on eradicating all meat from the menu. Please note more references are added to this blog post as they are discovered, and sometimes links to articles may be broken, […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Just how much does the weather affect our behaviour and outlook?

March 10th, 2017

Earlier this week, I completely lost my mojo. There was no obvious explanation for it.  Had I just scoffed six roast chickens? Run a marathon? Been up all night? No to all of the above. The only reason I could think of was the weather. This wet season has been a particular disappointment – usually […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Rural Women’s Organisations – Australia and other countries

February 20th, 2016

Australia is fortunate to have a number of strong state and national rural women’s groups.  Each is unique, though perhaps these differences aren’t immediately apparent to anyone on the sidelines. Rural women’s organisations (worldwide) include at least one of the following aspects.  Some include all three: A strong emphasis on directly lobbying governments to improve […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Social media use in rural Australia

September 29th, 2014

This is how Australia’s bush grapevine now works. On Saturday I drove home from Longreach, taking photographs along the way. I just got a call from a bloke carting livestock, asking if I was in Charters Towers on Saturday. I’d tweeted a photograph of his roadtrain, refuelling at Charters Towers. It was seen by someone […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Many of our top 100 chief executives are from regional Australia

September 11th, 2014

21% of Australia’s top 100 chief executives were born in regional Australia, according to the “Pathways to CEO” research undertaken by the University of Sydney Business School. It is discussed in today’s Sydney Morning Herald and more on the research will appear in the Australian Financial Review’s “Boss” magazine. When overseas-born chief executives are removed […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Cyclones and natural disaster insurance

April 11th, 2014

Cyclones (hurricanes) are just a collection of storms that have got organised into a circular movement (due to the earth’s spin) with a falling central air pressure that is sucking in moist air from the surrounding area. Big tropical storms form over warm sea temperatures, during the ‘wet’ or ‘monsoon’ season, when air humidity is […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Australian decentralisation – lip service

November 13th, 2013

I just did a little regional/capital city cost-of-living comparison test.  Entering your postcode into a certain bed retailer’s website brings up the price locals are charged. The average mattress (not a bulky bedframe, just a mattress), costs Townsville customers $200 more than a Sydney resident. Are these mattresses made in Sydney? Maybe they are – […]

Read the rest of this entry »