FOLLOWING decades of recurring drought, it's great to hear the stories of lots of residents and visitors going down to the western rivers to watch the water arrive.
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Rivers such as the Paroo and Warrego are receiving welcome streams from heavy rain in many parts of western Queensland and the Barwon at Brewarrina is described as a Godsend of a moderate to major flood that will keep rising for some weeks.
Twenty kays from Cameron's Corner, the usually bone dry Lake Pinaroo of 800 hectares is now overflowing after receiving 140 millimetres in three days.
Locals are quoted as saying "the desert country is blooming and we have measured three years of average rain in a couple of weeks".
Central Tablelands farmers who said autumn 2020 was their best in 40 years now tell me that autumn 2021 is their best in 41 years.
One beef producer says that his crop of brassica is 60 centimetres high and is good enough to fatten pushbikes.
An August award
THE August-shorn strong wool Merino ram that was chosen as the grand champion at Sydney Royal Show was the first August-shorn to win this award in the show's 198-year history.
Studmaster at the Hollow Mount Stud at Bigga is David Zouch, who was a judge for Bathurst Merino Association's first ewe competition almost 30 years ago.
David grew up on his parents' Willdamar Stud at Bigga and some of our district's best Merino flocks sourced their genetics from that excellent Bundemar blood stud.
RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:
Heliotrope help
THE majority of producers probably treat Bob Freebairn's Down to Earth column in each week's copy of The Land as the Bible.
Bob's comments are always practical and well-researched, so his recent reference to control measures for blue heliotrope gives us an insight into his methods of handling one of the worst perennial noxious weeds.
He mentions Graslan pellets for small individual infestation and Roundup follow management with a cropping phase for large problem areas.
Blue heliotrope is a problem weed across much of the Central Tablelands and is poisonous to livestock at certain stages.
It's heating up
BUSINESS and tourist activity in our local towns and cities is buzzing.
COVID restrictions are a fading memory at present and we hope that serious setbacks don't happen.
To visit an open house in Bathurst and see about 10 couples queue at the door, you would think agents would expect to receive a couple of firm offers during a 30-minute inspection.
I wonder what will eventually happen to cool our local real estate market both in town and rural.
Bales and rail
LAST week's heritage train journeys in the district were enjoyed by many travellers.
Bathurst's mayor Bobby Bourke made mention of his years of work with State Rail and of the large volume of wool that was loaded and sent from the Perthville station.
Some 30,000 bales left that station in peak years and stationmasters Gerry Jones and George Hanson, with staffers Garry McGuinness, Bobby Bourke and others, gave great service to our district's wool producers.
To see the 25 metre tall eucalypt tree growing on the tracks of the wool siding at Perthville is a telltale sign of the changes in the wool industry in five decades.
Location consternation
CURRENT debate centres on the siting of the pre-poll booths in the Bathurst CBD for the September local government elections.
Pre-poll voting has changed campaign strategies for would-be councillors, with recent state elections in Queensland featuring almost three-quarters of votes being cast by pre-poll.
To a large extent, the last couple of weeks of the campaign may have been wasted.
If the federal minister overrules Bathurst Regional Council's decision on the go-kart construction and McPhillamy Park remains as it has been, then some candidates will need to review their policies.
We must not ignore all the excellent facilities that our local councils provide and maintain for all of us to enjoy.
Diary dates
- PLEASE contact the Bathurst Royal Show Office regarding your wool entries in the show on April 30; May 1/2.
- Australian Wool Innovation's merino sire evaluation program on a Newbridge property is getting into full swing and Bathurst Merino Association members are being asked to lend a hand on AI days. Up to four people are needed on April 27 and 28: details from Stuart on 0428 681 058; Andrew on 0429 681 058; Emma on 0409 288 554.
Laugh lines
HIGHWAY Patrol stopped mum and said she was speeding.
Mum was pretty deaf and said to dad: "What did he say?"
Law then asked her for her licence and she said to dad again: "What did he say?"
On reading the licence, the law said: "So you're from Dubbo. I took a girl out in Dubbo 50 years ago; she was a cranky dope of a girl."
"What did he say?" mum asked again.
"The copper thinks he knows you," dad shouted.
***
GEORGE and Mavis were celebrating their golden wedding and the vicar asked their secret to a long and happy union.
"For the last 20 years, we've gone to a nice restaurant two nights every week," Mavis said. "George goes on Tuesdays and I go on Fridays."
***
A LONELY hearts ad: Male, 1941 model; high kays, some hair, new knee, hip, corneas; not in running condition but still walks well.
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