Stanthorpe farmers go to incredible lengths to weather horror season of fires, drought

In September, catastrophic bush fires ravaged properties in the Granite Belt, Queensland's cool climate country. 

A combination of bushfires and crippling drought
 has put Stanthorpe producers in a desperate position.

It was an emotional hit in an area where farmers are battling drought and the town of Stanthorpe is in the grip of a critical water shortage.

"There's no doubt that there are some landowners, because of the drought and then the bushfire, that probably won't continue in their primary production businesses," Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor Tracy Dobie said.

"It has had a devastating effect on those people."

Read the ABC News story by Courtney Wilson - “Stanthorpe farmers go to incredible lengths to weather horror season of fires, drought.”

When is a record not a record?

It’s been cold here in Brisbane for the last few days, at least by our subtropical standards, with overnight minimums of 6 degrees in the city, and negative temperatures in towns like Stanthorpe in the nearby Granite Belt. 

Professor John Quiggin.

That occasioned lots of news coverage, with the observation that this was the coldest temperature we’ve had since 2014 and one of the coldest since 2000. The same was true for much of Eastern Australia. Melbourne had its coldest morning in several years, and a couple of towns in NSW had the lowest minimum for several decades.

Read the piece written by the VC Senior Research Fellow from the School of Economics at the University of Queensland, Professor John Quiggin, “When is a record not a record?”

Queensland heatwave: People and pets try to keep their cool

Why did the dog walk into the bar?

Leila the dog eager for her first dog-friendly pint
at the Osbourne Hotel in Fortitude Valley.

Because Queensland's experiencing a heatwave and there's no let-up in sight.

Four-legged and two-legged patrons at a bar in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley cooled off with a cold drink.

A dog-friendly non-alcoholic "beer" was Leia the dog's tipple of choice.

Owner Kahli Ryan said heading to the bar on a hot day with her dog was a no-brainer.

"Can't go wrong, I get one, she gets one, win-win," she said.

In parts of the Darling Downs, Granite Belt and Lockyer Valley temperatures were set to hit 10 degrees above average on Sunday.

Read the ABC News story - “Queensland heatwave: People and pets try to keep their cool.”

Unseasonably warm weather unsettles Queensland's winegrowers

Mike Hayes says unseasonably warm
weather is a worry for
growers on Queensland's Granite Belt.

Warm winter weather is causing worry for wine growers on southern Queensland's Granite Belt.

The cool climate Granite Belt has experienced its warmest July day on record, with 22 degrees recorded at Stanthorpe last week, and the warm weather was wreaking havoc with the vines.

Mike Hayes from Symphony Hill Wines said the warmer conditions presented a serious challenge for growers.

"I was pruning the vines out at the winery and while I was pruning I thought I was completely overdressed, I kept stripping down my clothes and I probably could have been wearing shorts and a singlet," he said.

"July is our coldest month, this is our brass monkey season, this is when the tourists come here, but this is the trend worldwide and global warming is here and it's quite scary. Not only here in Stanthorpe but all over Australia and the world," he said

Read the ABC Rural story - “Winter warms up in Queensland's wine growing region.”