The King Island Council is calling for community feedback on the proposed Tasmanian Regional Towns Community Safety CCTV Project.

The project involves the installation of CCTVin three King Island public space locations.

The Community Safety CCTV Project was initiatedby the Tasmanian Government in 2021 to improve community safety within Tasmanianregional towns.

This state government-funded initiative has already seen installation commencing or beingcompleted in many councils throughout Tasmania.

“The introduction of CCTV in public spaceson King Island is a proactive measure designed to enhance community safety and security.

“This initiative is part of a broader effort to create a safer environment for all residents and visitors, reduce crime, and provide valuable support to law enforcement and emergency services,” the Council advises in the CCTV project guidelines.

The guidelines are part of the community consultative process.

King Island Council has been working closely with the Local Government Association Tasmania(LGAT) grant coordinator and Tasmanian Police to identify opportunities to enhance publicsafety and develop strategies to address any possible risks.

By strategically placing camerasin areas identified as vulnerable to vandalism and antisocial behaviour, police can bettermonitor and respond to incidents.

The cameras will also help ensure the safety and compliance of critical infrastructure, thereby supporting both public and aviation security.

The municipality has been assessed by Council staff and Tasmanian Police based on specific requirements to identify CCTV locations. The CCTV locations are:

• King Island Airport: To monitor airport safety and compliance, aircraft apron and aviation fuel storage, emergency management, and short-term car parking.

• Currie Skate Park, CBD, & Currie Oval: In consultation with Tasmania Police, to enhance safety for members of the public and discourage antisocial behaviour.

The cameras will only record activities in public spaces, ensuring no recording of private properties.

All private spaces within the camera’s field of view will be “masked out,” meaning these areas will neither be recorded nor viewed.

The cameras will not include the use of any facial recognition software.

Only approved personnel from the Tasmanian Police or Council will have access to the footage. Access is governed by a statewide agreement to protect privacy and security.

The camera system is not monitored continuously.

It is used for specific incidents or for managing council assets, ensuring effective and responsible use. Recorded images will be securely stored for a minimum of 31 days, balancing the need for incident investigation with data retention limits.

The statewide system complies with all relevant privacy regulations, adhering to high standards of privacy and data protection.

The King Island Council is committed to maintaining open communication with the community and providing clear information about the purpose, benefits, and safeguards of the CCTV system.

Public notifications and signage will be installed to inform residents and visitors of thepresence of the cameras.

The project has undertaken privacy impact assessments across all proposed camera sites to ensure that the impact on privacy is considered.

This includes compliance with privacy legislation. Data Security and Access All data will be securely stored, with access limited to Tasmanian Police and senior council officials through controlled protocols.

“The introduction of CCTV in public spaces on King Island aims to enhance community safety

and security. By addressing concerns about privacy, cost, and potential misuse, we aim to implement a system that benefits everyone,” the Council said in their CCTV Project Guidelines available on the Council’s website kingisland.tas.gov.au.

“Your feedback and support are crucial to the success of this initiative. We encourage residents to share their feedback and express any concerns they may have via any of the Council’s communication channels.”

Phone: 6462 9000

Post: PO Box 147, Currie TAS 7256

Email: kicouncil@kingisland.tas.gov.au

Through our Website: “Lodge a Service Request”

Or pop in and see us during business hours at 10 George St, Currie.

Feedback must be received by 4.30pm Monday, 22 July 2024

IT WAS another fine day for football, brisk but not entirely unpleasant, after the morning rain cleared.

Grassy had a couple of fresh faces, as Jackson Taylor returned from injury and Leigh Sartori returned to the Island after a trip overseas, bringing his mate George Athersmith along for his first game of Aussie rules.

Another last-minute recruitwas Jason Pierce.

They also had Cruz Osborne and Ryan Payne home on schoolholidays to bolster their ranks.

Currie had a couple of big outs, with Jak Youd and Charlie Raff replaced by juniors Toby Hyde, Aaron Smith and Levi Martin.

Grassy got the first look forward before Michael Laskey ejected it.

Joel ‘Mole’ Williams sold some candy togo up the corridor for Currie but could notmake it past the centre before Grassy took it back forward and kicked the first goal.

Tristan Forrest was a steam train out ofthe centre and Grassy quickly got a second and a third. Ryan Payne made a huge run down on Smith for a turnover and Grassywas piling them on in the first with the first four goals of the match.

The first quarter was quick, clean and energetic to open an exciting match. Smith got Currie’s first on a receive from Tom Graham.

Blonde bombshell George Athersmith got his first-ever goal just before the quarter break to put Grassy in front by 8 points at quarter time.

Grassy started the second quarter hard, immediately opening with a couple of goals.

Full forward Cruz Osborne marked and had a shot, but couldn’t convert.

Mole Williams then pushed on and made the Robins’ third goal for the match.

Grassy responded with a goal through Leigh Sartori. Grassy had a lot of the ballin the first half, quick-moving possessions, playing in front, slicker than they’d been sofar this year, while at the other end, Dillon Beecroft took a beautiful defensive markjust before the big break.

Currie, beginning the second half trailingby 30 points, went forward first and TomGraham hit the posts.Smith followed up with another behind.

Currie scored another through Graham with a chest mark and a big kick. Graham was on the lift and immediately took another mark at centre-half forward but couldn’t convert. Brady Rhodes, Sartori,and Taylor put ona masterclass at the start of the third.

Brandon Blomfield cleared it from the centre out to the canteen wing.

Taylor, onhis return, was agile, clean and involved in everything.

Sartori, also on his return game, gave Grassy a tall man to hit in the forwardline and they were making full use of him.

He passed it off to Cruz Osborne, whogoaled, whittling down Grassy’s lead to 23 points.

All the play went Grassy’s way for a few minutes at the start of the final quarter, but they were unable to convert to the scoreboard.

Currie regained possession and sentit forward to Graham, who goaled.

Currie received a free at the centre bounce and took it forward where he was met with Payne in defence who sent it back Grassy’s way.

Cox finessed it into Smith and into Graham for a behind.

Currie’s fine wines, Beecroft and Clemons, linked up in the backline as play continued in the Currie forward line and they started coming harder.

In their urgency, Currie lost some composure and gave away a couple of frees but made the most of their chances when Josh Bellchambers goaled.

He looked sore at the final break but did not show it in the forward line in thisfinal quarter. Currie brought the margin to within two kicks, and they surged forwardbut were up now against the clock.

As the margin thinned, the final quarter became heavily contested, with a lot of balls in contention, and Grassy began to slow it down Currie kicked a goal and brought the score line to a single kick in the final minutes of the game, but the siren beat them and Grassy held on for a 4-point win.

It was Currie’s first loss of the season.

BY COMBINING macro and micro views of nature in art, artists can create works that evoke a comprehensive sense of wonder.

For instance, a painting might juxtapose a sweeping landscape with detailed foreground elements, or the reverse.

This integration encourages viewers to appreciate both the vastness and the minutiae of the natural world. Anne Morrison is the King Island Gallery’s current artist residence, and two workshops were held over the weekend in the gallery’s studio at Currie Harbour.

The workshops began with an artist talk which included Ms Morrison’s artist expression evolution from the traditional, figurative forms of body, through to her contemporary works which consider the micro world through intimate and delicate studies that reveal patterns, structures, and systems, sometimes abstract and colourful. Her canvases aim to capture wonder.

Participants were encouraged to play and experiment using acrylic paint and simple dab and paint flow techniques to let the created ground, the layer used to support a support for painting, produce the idea, and dictate the story, style, colour and tone.

The play included using different techniques to add, remove and create different backgrounds and textures to reveal different forms and interpretations.

The workshops gave insight into the challenge of mark-making and seeing unexpected results on the canvas and then making connections between the macro and micro worlds.

“I arrived on King Island on Monday, July 8 and was met at the airport by Alison Jacks the Island’s new Community Development Officer, who had hot drinks in hand for a warm welcome and keys to a car to explore the island over the 16 days of my Arts Residency.

The artist’s accommodation is on the coast at Devils Gap; a fabulous inspiring location looking out over the harbour,” Ms Morrison said reflecting on her first week on the island.

“I explored the local area around Currie and to the south of the Island visiting the Cataraqui memorial, Calcified Forest and Seal Rocks sketching along the way.

I set up the studio space at the Currie wharf to run two creative painting workshops with the local community over the weekend.

“I brought a large box of art materials, from my studio in Forth on the North-West Coast of Tasmania, including quality paints, brushes and a variety of primed papers to give workshop participants an insight into some of the painting processes I engage with in the making of my artworks.

“I transformed the King Island studio space with examples of my artworks; original paintings, studies, and reproductions of my larger paintings from my last solo exhibition titled ‘Spin-Drift’ at Despard Gallery in Hobart last year.”

The display includes figurative artworks from exhibitions titled The Crossings and Beneath the Waterline, which were inspired by stories of women in Maritime History.

“The workshops had a wonderful range of ages attending, inspiringly cross-generational. The painting workshops were not about completing finished resolved artworks, but an opportunity to playfully explore and experiment with different ways of applying paint, through an introduction to playful fluid paint processes,” Ms Morrison explained.

“In the first half of the workshop, I gave several demonstrations on different ways of applying and removing paint, exploring glazing techniques, fluid paint processes using gravity, and wet-on-wet techniques to create painterly surfaces that echo elemental patterns and processes found in nature.

“The second half of the workshop I invited participants to paint something from nature they found of interest, colourfully exploring some of the fluid paint processes they had been introduced to.

“Some worked from seaweeds, fossilised coral, different plants, leaves, nests and animal bones and even a few shipwrecks emerged from some of the abstracted fluid paint surfaces.

Over several hours and many lovely conversations, the workshop participants enthusiastically experimented with the processes I introduced, creating some wonderfully diverse outcomes.

“I so enjoyed working alongside such lovely welcoming creative King Islanders on the weekend. A great introduction to the locals.”.

KING Island Council, businesses and farmers have welcomed a forthcoming review of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme.

The groups are hopeful the review will result in a reduction of all freight costs for King Island and better shipping solutions for the future.

King Island Mayor Marcus Blackie said King Island and the Furneaux islands, including Flinders Island, are totally exposed to and currently subjected to sub-optimal shipping arrangements and unsustainably high freight costs for shipping (and air freight).

“Shipped items currently covered under TFES are very limited by scope and geared towards exported finished goods,” he said.

“The ideal improvements and changes to TFES to better assist Bass Strait islands sought from a review include:

• All incoming and outgoing shipped cargo should be subjected to more equitable subsidisation under an improved TFES;

• Aviation passenger and freight movement also be included within a new TFES scope given the logistic criticality of aviation for Bass Strait Islands;

• TFES calculation formulas and subsidy amounts need to be contemporised and bespoke designed for the modern shipping services currently plying Bass Strait;

• An improved TFES should also be structured to include future triangular shipping model routes Vic-KI-Tas (or Vic-FITas); and.

• Incentives to encourage integrated solutions, optimum shipping solutions and increased economies of scale for all Tasmanian shipping requirements and not just the trunk route with TT Line.

A united effort by Mr Blackie and Flinders Island Mayor Rachel Summers at the Australian Local Government Association conference in Canberra recently resulted in the review announcement.

“We were received by Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King who is responsible for the TFES and Assistant Federal Transport Minister, Senator Carol Brown,” Mr Blackie said. .

“The TFES review team will visit King Island in early September. Because of our location and isolation, King Island is totally reliant upon aviation and shipping to underpin our entire way of life and economy.

“Aviation is our Highway 1 because it is the only transport medium to move people on and off King Island.

“We also rely disproportionately on aviation for the routine transport of mail, urgent freight and courier items, newspapers, perishable foods and the export of produce, for example, seafood.

“Shipping is our Highway 2, as the only means that the large volumes of vehicles, general cargo, freight, equipment, machinery, fuel and gas, supermarket goods, building materials, livestock (import and mostly export), dairy goods (mostly export), fertiliser, mining exports (tungsten and sand) can move on and off King Island.

“As the Victoria-King Island-Tasmanian triangular shipping service has not operated since 2018, all shipped goods to King Island currently arrive the long way through Tasmania (via Devonport and Stanley) which increases the time taken, thereby increasing shipping costs and reduces shelf-life for supermarket goods and cheese being shipped off (as examples).

“The TFES was not originally designed to deal with or subsidise the evolved shipping challenges that are now the lifeblood of our Bass Strait islands.

Therefore, over the past decade, we have become significantly disadvantaged by this now inequitable and obsolete TFES scheme.” Among others, TasFarmers has also lobbied for a TFES review.

“TasFarmers would like to see a level playing field for all producers in Tasmania when comparing costs to the mainland,” CEO Nathan Calman said.

“We would like to see certainty for island producers and want to ensure that any incremental changes to the TFES scheme in the future are not just negated by shipping rate increases.

“This will help mitigate the ‘most expensive stretch of water’, where shippers may increase prices knowing producers have received rebates.”

For current information about the TFES go to Intrastate – King Island and the Furneaux Group under the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme, which can be found on the.e Services Australia website

THE mining focus on King Island has been on the Dolphin Tungsten Project, owned by Group 6 Metals, and its redevelopment of the King Island Scheelite mining operations in Grassy.

The impetus is the demand, role and value of tungsten in the renewable and technology economies and markets.

Tungsten is classified as a critical mineral and as such is identified as building sovereign capability. Flying under the island radar is another critical mineral mine on the island.

Heavy mineral sands mining is undertaken by Naracoopa Minerals and Sands on the east coast. Mineral sand deposits contain a concentrated amount of economically important minerals known as ‘heavy minerals’, which are heavier than common sand minerals such as quartz.

These heavy minerals contain high concentrations of critical minerals such as rutile, titanium, ilmenite, and zirconium with associated rareearth elements.

A critical mineral is a metallic or non-metallic element that has two characteristics.

It is essential for the functioning of our modern technologies, economies or national security and there is a risk that its supply chains could be disrupted.

Heavy minerals sands mining has the attention of state and federal governments and investors. The Western Australian Thunderbird Mineral Sand Mine is one of the richest deposits in the world.

It has attracted mine redevelopment funding running into hundreds of $millions over the past two years.

There are about eight developed or under redevelopment mineral sand mines in Victoria and the latest in Donald in Western Victoria.

The owner, ASX-listed Astron Corporation has secured $183 million in funding for the development of this rare earth and mineral sands mine in recent weeks.

Interest in the mineralisation of the Naracoopa area of King Island began as early as 1905 with the search for tin ore deposits.

High-grade deposits of tin were first located at Milford Beach adjacent to the mouth of the Fraser River.

It is recorded that placer mining for mineral sand took place at Naracoopa in 1905. Placer mining is surface mining and can be anything from a prospector using a pan and water to find heavy minerals through to large opencut mining methods.

The 1905 mining north of the mouth of the Fraser River is recorded to have produced 5 tonnes of Cassiterite and one and a half ounces of gold.

Rutile and Zircon, found in mineral sands, were mined in the 1960s to obtain titanium dioxide, used in paint manufacture, and zirconium dioxide, valuable for its ability to withstand high temperatures. In 1968, Mount Costigan Mines, through its subsidiary Naracoopa Rutile Ltd, set up a plant at Naracoopa.

Production began in 1969, but in three years the plant produced only 20,000 tonnes of rutile and 23,000 tonnes of zircon, due to inadequate reserves and difficulties in recovering the minerals.

The company went into receivership in 1972.

In the mid-1970s another mainland company, Buka Minerals, bought the mine and formed Kibuka Mines to manage the operation, but found the same problems, and mining ended in 1977.

It was discovered that heavy mineral sand deposits continued north from this area to the north of Cowper Point where in old beach dunes behind Sea Elephant Bay and where the Sea Elephant River meets the eastern coast of the island.

Mining started again around 2010, now operated by Naracoopa Minerals and Metals.

In 2023, Naracoopa Mineral Sands applied for an exploration licence over a further 83 km2 in Sea Elephant Bay.

The heavy mineral sand deposits at Naracoopa are made up of extensive sand dunes and beach sand that form an undulating pattern between 20-2 m above sea level and 500 metres wide. The sand also contains peat with a clay base at about 10 metres depth.

The average thickness of the heavy mineralised sand is about seven metres. According to reports, the operation is producing around 200,000 tonnes of heavy mineral sands each year for export.

Next week: Mineral Sands.

A BEAUT day for golf, albeit chilly on the last few holes.

A tidy-up on the course especially the rough made things look reasonable.

The fairways are looking very ordinary, with many bare patches – the snails are doing enormous damage.

Preferred lies are the order of the day.

Players are reminded that this only applies to the fairways. The first round of the Hely Family Monthly Medal was played.

A good field of 25 players turned up. The tension on the result was high, as three players tied on 72.

The computer and Captain gave the results: Tim Barnes first, Nathan Melville second and Roger Clemens third – all on 72 nett.

Nearest the Pin: – 3rd/12th – Geoff Watts again and nearly on an ace. 18th – Tim Barnes Money Hole – Jig Denby.

Other good scores: Adam Hely – 73 nett Greg Barratt – 74 nett Lance Anderson – 76 nett It was also the final of the JBS King Island Beef Champion of Champions monthly medal.

This was the last of this sponsored event and it was won by Daisy Quach. Congratulations to her on a fine win.

AROUND THE TRAPS

“I’M not doing anything wrong,” was quote and play of the week.

The third saw Rod Graham into the bunker for his first shot. It took seven shots to get out of the bunker.

Yes, the first six shots were perfect, all a metre short and all rolled back into the bunker.

The end result was an 11 and winner of the Moose Award. Rod donated this magnificent trophy and was the first to win it.

NEXT WEEK a stableford pairs aggregate event – so members organise a partner.

KING ISLAND FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

FOOTBALL returned to Currie on the weekend in mild and chilly conditions, with slow-moving cloud cover.

Despite this, patrons turned out in droves, creating an electric atmosphere around the ground.

Grassy and North have been locked in close battles this year, and even Grassy’s side parking was almost full. North started with the first clearance, but Jak Youd took the first intercept mark, sending the ball back.

Early congestion crowded the ball, with every player on half of the field.

North defender Jeramy Summers foiled Currie’s first attempt forward as the sun peeked through the clouds.

Charlie Raff, receiving from Mark Secull, saw Currie’s first promising attempt, but his shot was offline, scoring only a minor point.

Sukma Bowling, in his second game of the season, nimbly swept in a roving position and passed it to Doug Cox, who skillfully scored a goal for Currie.

Benny Buckets (Ben Cleeland), in the ruck, gave North their first look at everything. Bailey Rainbow, playing forward, took North’s first serious shot and converted it.

Dale Ellis followed with another goal for North, signalling their determination in the first quarter.

Currie chipped it around at half-for- ward before James Jakawenko had a look at it, scoring a behind.

Peter Cole made an impact, centring it to Josh Bellchambers, who scored, followed by another quick Currie goal moments before the siren, leaving them 8 points ahead. Summers found his footing as the Bulldogs’ fullback, out-contesting the mark in front and earning a couple of 50s to put the ball deep inside, but the Dogs couldn’t capitalise.

Raff, doing a power of work but unable to finish with a goal, scored another behind. North might have had an extra man back, congesting the deep forward area, but each time the ball found footing on exit, Currie sent it back into the forward line.

This cycle repeated until Youd, playing on from an intercept mark, delivered a penetrating kick that resulted in a goal for Currie. North responded through Rain- bow moments later. With a lucky bounce, Campbell Keeler got behind the pack, controlled the ball, and ran in for another goal for Currie.

Raff, Youd, Cox, back to Raff, who made an interesting choice with a drib- bled kick, but it was accurate. The game remained tight at the long break.

Justin Summers was not seen since the first quarter, not due to performance but because he had put on his chivy’s and was seated on the bench. North hoped for a very short-term injury.

The loss of Brett Noonan to injury earlier also limited their rotations. Rainbow, showing his adaptability to play any position, took the first shot on goal for the second half, but only managed a behind. North’s persistence was rewarded when Rainbow found a goal.

Currie got the first look at the next centre bounce, with Charlie Warner keeping his composure in a one-on-one contest in the backline to send it forward.

Jack Worrall’s work paid off as Currie got a look at every bounce in the third. North’s Harrison Lincoln crumbed it from a pack and dribbled a magnificent goal. Bellchambers took a nice mark out of the centre but, despite the excitement in the Currie forward line, they only managed a behind.

Bellchambers turned and kicked another Currie goal, across his body, keeping them just in front by 3 points into the final break.

The final quarter started with little difference, and Currie got the first look forward. Sukma passed to Youd on the wing, and Worrall chipped it through to put them two kicks up, quickly followed by another from Raff, who finally worked out which posts were the goals.

Mole (Joel Williams) passed to Bowling, with Jeramy Summers elite in defence – if he didn’t get 3 votes, it would be a robbery.

Richard Sutton, in a burst, went in at a sharp angle straight into the goalpost. Keenan Fanning brought it forward, but straight into a waiting Bowling, who switched it across to an unmanned Raff.

Mathew Button intervened, doing a lot this game, with Cole passing to Lincoln, back to Cole, then Sutton, and back to Cole –racking up the possessions– as they tried to find an entrance into the North forward line.

Rainbow led, and North needed this one to stay competitive. Relishing the big moment, he made the most of it. Ellis hit Bowling hard, and it went North’s way.

A sprint duel between Beecroft and Cole was a tasty little endurance battle late in the game.

Lincoln then took a special mark, engulfed by larger bodies, and finished it elegantly with a goal, bringing North within two kicks.

Congestion in the centre bounce led to Youd and Beecroft finding it forward before Jak slotted it straight through, putting it out of reach for North.

Keenan got a free in the centre, passed to Jeramy, straight into a waiting Beecroft. Harrison Lincoln tackled and took down big man Worrall, fearing no harm, but it found the steady hands of Tyler Smith, who sent it forward to Kee- ler, scoring the final goal of the game.

Currie finished painfully close to triple digits with 95 to North’s 68, cemented another spicy battle, full of electricity.

ANNE Morrison is the King Island Gallery’s artist in residence during July.

Born in Scotland, Anne studied at The Glasgow School of Art and The Royal College of Art in London, UK.

She came to Australia in 1994 to undertake a one-year Scottish Arts Council Arts Residency, followed by 3 more years on a Commonwealth Scholarship based at The School of Art in Hobart.

After many years of travelling, living in different countries and being inspired by different cultures and landscapes, Anne settled in Forth on the North-West coast of Tasmania.

Her work takes inspiration from the natural environment and the intricate networks, processes and patterns found in nature.

She re-interprets what she encounters on her wanderings in the landscape in large-scale paintings, often inspired by; corals, sea sponges, seaweeds, nests, foliage, leaves, branches, mosses, lichens, as well as the less visible diatoms and plankton found within our waterways.

Anne enjoys experimenting with a variety of fluid painting processes, and ways of applying, dispersing and removing paint to evoke a landscape in flux— never static but in a continual process of evolving and dissolving.

Anne is represented by Despard Gallery in Hobart and her 2023 solo exhibition ‘Spin-Drift’ can be accessed online https:// http://www.despard-gallery.com. au/anne-morrison-spin-drift/ While here, Anne will be hosting two painting workshops on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July 2024.

Register your interest in attending one or both of the workshops by emailing gallery@kingisland.tas.gov. au or by contacting Taylor on 0493 661816.

King Island Gallery Artist in Residence Anne Morrison with her complex, large scale paintings at Despard Gallery Hobart.

Sixty-four properties responded to the TasFarmers dry conditions sentiment survey and on-island drought coordinator Deb Delaney presented the results at last Thursday’s farmer gathering.

The properties that responded represented a wide range of operations (40 to 3000 head).

In response to livestock management questions, 40 per cent of farms have Lambing/Calving season in Spring, 30 per cent mixed seasons, 20 per cent non-breeding and 10 per cent Autumn-only.

The survey showed 71 per cent are currently supplementary feeding, 13 per cent are not, and 16 per cent anticipate they will be.

The main issues being faced are: financial costs (50 per cent), transport costs (13 per cent), sourcing hay (29 per cent) and small-scale operation challenges (9 per cent).

The survey revealed a median of 14.76 per cent across all respondents in destocking rates and an average of 25% for those who have destocked.

Cattle Stocking Rates have declined from 1.61 head per hectare last year to 1.41 this year and a variation in breeder stocking rates, averaging 0.46 cows per hectare, with 54 per cent of respondents considering further destocking.

Key decisions that are influenced by these activities include changes in fertiliser rates, feed allocation, planning, livestock treatment, feed budgeting, destocking strategies and improved livestock condition assessment.

Of those surveyed, 69 per cent have set up additional water infrastructure this year; 75 per cent have less than 20 per cent water supply left and 32 per cent anticipate needing to cart water in the next three months.

The survey participants suggested cattle feeding, nutrition, fertiliser management, winter crops, wildlife management, long-range forecasting, energy requirements, water infrastructure and fodder reserves as future challenges to be addressed.

The survey also revealed that group sharing across properties and benchmarking was valuable.

Farmers requested better shipping strategies and information about how to access markets off the island and improved earlier access to hay and those markets and minimising damage going into the future Small producers felt that they had been left off the agenda and highlighted the need for social activities, stress management, eligibility for financial support and loans, and increased water planning.

Need for Feed and the King Island Lions Club will hold an open-to-all function on July 27 at the Showgrounds. This will coincide with another Need for Feed top-up.

Photo by Jennifer Coffin-Grey