NPWS area manager Steve Cathcart stated that these areas are important because of the habitat needs for native fauna such as the squirrel glider and endangered birds whose habitats are disappearing and the importance of fallen timber for ground dwelling animals to shelter in.

An answer for us wood burning heating people is for councils to create wood lot areas where quick growing eucalyptus trees can grow, only to be cut to ground level and then allowed to grow again, producing many stems for sale as firewood.

This of course is not an instant answer for firewood production but the way we are going at present is seeing the removal of many big old trees in cropping paddocks and with recent changes in relation to the okay by government to remove more vegetation, will only create bigger problems for all kinds of native fauna who create the diversity that our country requires.

The news that another child has been injured after rolling a quad bike over the weekend once again reinforces the need for a greater effort to be made to stop quad bike deaths and injuries in our rural areas.

Having grown up on a farm, I’m well acquainted with how widely used the quad bike is by country families and workers, including by adults and children alike to get around their own property as well as between farms. But as a personal injury lawyer, I’ve also come into direct contact with the life-changing nature of a quad bike injury. 

One of my clients was 14 years old when she came off a quad bike without a helmet and then suffered a permanent brain injury. Her choices in life will inevitably be very different now. With 32 deaths from quad bike accidents in NSW alone over the past six years, it’s very welcome news that the state government is pressing its federal counterpart for a national approach to quad bike safety and regulation.

Research has shown safety measures like roll bars and helmets can help keep our quad bike riders safe. It’s time all Australian governments came together on this issue so there is consistency across every state. But even with the best regulations in the world, accidents are still a key risk. 

That’s why a national campaign is also needed to reinforce the message that wearing a helmet on a quad bike is an absolute must. A helmet could very well mean the difference between life and death.

A vet at the University of Adelaide has reported that the number of dogs being poisoned by rat baits quadrupled in May. 

Baits use smell to attract rats and mice, and dogs also find this smell irresistible and will eat any baits they find. 

Rat bait contains anti-clotting agents, which mean the pet can bleed to death internally. If your pet survives, veterinary treatment can involve surgery to release trapped blood, and is lengthy and expensive.

Poisons, glue traps, and other lethal measures are horribly cruel, and killing rodents won’t keep mice or rats away for long (when animals are killed/removed from the area, more will move in to use available resources) and can actually result in a temporary spike in the food supply, causing remaining rodents to accelerate their breeding. This creates a vicious killing cycle. 

To keep your home or business rodent-free over the long term, you’ll need to contain all food sources and prevent mice and rats from accessing areas where they are not wanted.