The battle for mineral riches just got a whole lot more interesting this week!
In Queensland, an Indian billionaire bought a cattle station and found himself with a behemoth of a coal mine then caused mayhem amongst the conservative right when he suggested the 'fly-in-fly-out' concept was going to go international and he'd supply his own workforce!
And in New South Wales the O'Farrell Government put all its hopes on a uranium-based economic recovery, when it lifted a 26-year ban on exploration.
In a translation of the official comment on the state-turnaround to support a toe-in-the-water to uranium mining, the State Government said it wanted to get on board the mineral boom and help pay for essential infrastructure in the ailing state, through a robust mineral-led economy. In other words – "everybody else is doing it, why can't we??"
The decision was without surprise for the many in the industry - and the pioneer mining town, Broken Hill, which time and time has been described as on 'it's last legs' in the search for minerals, again floated toward a rebirth in what many expect will be the first port of call for the early explorers unleashed by O'Farrell and friends.
It's not often in the modern world that we of the old mining cities witness 'a rush', but the O'Farrell Cabinet decision last night to gather as much data as possible on where the big uranium deposits might be – was like a gunshot in Ballarat in the 1800's!
Hold onto your hats Broken Hill...with rich deposits already being extracted just across the South Australian border – there's an exploration team or ten, coming to town! And it won't be long...
Dear clever reader - if you have a knack for internet wonders and can make this happen - I will love you forever...but here's an idea I have...why not create an online directory which lists people's email address?
I can honestly say as 2011 comes rapidly towards the new year, and I know, it’s frightening to even utter those words, new year, (but I personally can’t wait for the next one)…that I am looking forward to new chapters.
This funny old year has been full of the most intense challenges, dramas, highs, lows and all things in between, that I am frankly ready for the next one.
There's nothing quite like a bush horse race to bring those with a taste for adventure together and at the tiny race course of Nanua, amongst the paddocks of Kimberley Station, south of Broken Hill this weekend, the ingredients were perfectly mixed for a delightful day in the bush.
Blue skies, dry roads, sausages on the barbie...it's the perfect backdrop for a day's fun in the red dirt country of far west New South Wales.
For 66 years now the Nanua racecourse has drawn the fun lover, the neighbour, the horse riding enthusiast, and the curious bush tourist...
And apart from the profiles of old men in akubras leaning on the trackside wire fence, it's the kids and their pure happiness to be there, that captures me.
This is fun of a past era, where tiny little people roam the track on big strong ponies...
And the timeless sack race has them jumping for joy.
Then there's the adult fun trackside...the blokes seem drawn to the betting ring for some strange reason...
And the nail comp get's a beating amongst the ladies, determined to prove their skills at hammering...
Ahh, the sweet madness, innocence and fun of a day in the bush! I think next time I'll try my hand at the sack race...
I must confess to my own procrastination this morning – the office check-in usually goes a little like this – babes at day care, lap top open, glasses on and time to ‘switch on’…it’s work time.
It’s raining in that beautiful steady way outside and I wonder whether all those who have battled bushfires in the ironically ‘Red Centre’ and north of here, into Queensland have had their burdens eased…
Who would have ever thought that this sparse grazing country, that up until last year I have only known during my duration as a resident, as bare of all things burnable, would take such a quick turn into fire country, and so quickly and easily? The term ‘bushfires’ and outback haven’t met in my vocabulary until now…in fact it’s a joining of words – bushfire prone, that I never thought I’d utter…
I've finally been lucky enough to see the movie Red Dog, and I wasn't disappointed.
Sometimes the build up to a much awaited movie can prove disappointing, but not this time.
I left the theatre filled with reward, tear stained cheeks and a belly sore with laughing. In fact I was just filled with 'content'.
I was just reading an article describing cake making as one of the simple pleasures in life…I think I agree…non-enforced industry in the kitchen, without time pressure or any other, including that which you place on yourself, can feel like a lovely long moment in time.
The name Katter is a difficult one to ignore when tied in with national politics. Especially now there’s an actual political party called ‘Katter’s Australian Party’…
Ever since Bob launched into the stratosphere with a profile cartoonists cheered in welcome, the personality, the idiosyncrasies of the man’s political profile have bounced like a Sarah Palin gaffe into the gleeful hands of the waiting media.
In Sex and the City, Carrie, aka Sarah Jessica Parker (SJP) makes the home office of the early millennium columnist look like the most languid, fashion-right place of peace and efficiency ever…
And just like the Huggies advertising that makes motherhood look all soft focus and dreamy, without a tantrum or a sauce soaked Turkish rug in sight, the television is light years from my reality…
