Anthrax has been in Australia for more than 150 years and affects livestock.
Once an animal has died from anthrax, the anthrax spores can leach into and survive in the soil for decades, waiting for the right set of environmental conditions to infect another animal.
Agriculture Victoria Senior Veterinary Officer Jeff Cave said over the decades, many districts in Victoria have experienced deaths of livestock due to anthrax.
‘Deaths of livestock due to anthrax mostly occur in the warmer months although history has shown they can occur at any time of year,’ Dr Cave said.
‘Therefore, anthrax should be considered whenever there is any sudden death of livestock, particularly if blood is seen around the animal’s nose, mouth, and anus.
‘At one time veterinarians had to carry a microscope and examine a smear of specially stained blood to rapidly diagnose anthrax.
‘This all changed with the development of pen-side ICT kits (immunochromatographic test), which provide a quick, safe, and accurate means of diagnosing or excluding anthrax when investigating cases of sudden death of livestock.’
All private veterinarians who deal with livestock have free access to ICT kits and can investigate sudden deaths through subsidised disease investigations.
Dr Cave said there are several reasons why it is beneficial to know whether an animal has died from anthrax.
‘First, anthrax is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can potentially infect humans. The exclusion of anthrax will bring peace of mind both for yourself and your veterinarian when trying to find the real cause of the animal’s death.
‘Secondly, the best way of stopping further losses due to anthrax is through its early diagnosis, and the subsidised vaccination of all at-risk livestock on the property.
‘Finally, the carcass of an animal which has died of anthrax will remain a source of infection for future outbreaks if it isn’t disposed of correctly through incineration and the decontamination of its death site.’
Exclusion testing should be carried out within 48 hours of an animal’s death.
If you suspect a case of anthrax, please contact your local veterinarian, or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer, or in NSW your Local Land Service, or the Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

The state government is delivering free weekend public transport – everywhere – for carers and Disability Support Pensioners, and built the Metro Tunnel so it’s easier to visit hospitals.

Premier Jacinta Allan, Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas recently joined carers and nurses to celebrate free public transport for carers and disability pensioners – also marking the opening of the new Parkville Station pedestrian underpass.

Free public transport will be available every weekend for every Victorian, everywhere, from the opening of the Metro Tunnel this Sunday until Sunday 1 February 2026, when the new stations will be fully integrated into the wider network.

Now, after 1 February, close to 300,000 carers and disability support pensioners who use public transport will be able to catch a train, tram or bus anywhere across the state for free on weekends – saving carers who travel more than $360 per year.

Currently carers enjoy free travel on weekends in any two neighbouring zones, allowing for short trips. This expansion will extend free travel to carers anywhere across the state on weekends – from Wodonga or Warrnambool to Parkville and everywhere in between.

Carer Card Holders and those on a Disability Support Pension will be able to use their myki to touch on and off as usual – but their cards won’t be charged. They will need to carry proof of their concession when they travel.

Parkville is one of Melbourne’s busiest precincts – home to more than 73,000 workers and 55,000 students.  The new fully accessible underpass, 25 metres underground, will provide an easier way to move through the precinct.

The underpass links the entrances of The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne. The underpass sits outside the ticket gates and is open to everyone, no myki required.

The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transformation of Victoria’s rail network in 40 years. When it opens on Sunday, it will double the size of Melbourne’s underground rail system, deliver hundreds of new services each week, and pave the way for more trains, more often – right across the network.

Upgrades to Smythesdale Gardens mean a more welcoming experience for visitors and better connections to local businesses – as well as a stronger sense of Wadawurrung culture.

The completion of the project comes in time for summer camping at the popular spot, made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Council Support Package.

Widely considered one of the Central Highlands’ best camping sites, Smythesdale Gardens is located on the 53-kilometre Skipton to Ballarat Trail, drawing visitors to the town of just over 1000 residents.

Delivered by local contractors, the upgrades will ensure better drainage across and include street furniture to make the area more comfortable, as well as installed wayfinding signage.

New signage will guide visitors to local businesses and sportsgrounds, helping drive tourism spending in Smythesdale and encouraging people to take advantage of nearby sport and active recreation opportunities.

Created in consultation with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, the signs also feature information about the region and its rich cultural history, creating a stronger sense of place and awareness of Country for visitors.

Smythesdale Gardens is one of 27 projects across regional Victoria to share in funding from the Council Support Package. Designed to help councils deliver more tourism, sporting and cultural opportunities for their communities, the fund is helping to deliver lasting benefits for regional cities and towns.

For more info visit rdv.vic.gov.au.

More Victorian women and children at risk of family violence will be able to stay safely in their homes thanks to an expanded initiative delivering urgent security upgrades.

Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins has announced a $2.7 million boost to the Personal Safety Initiative (PSI), funded through the state government’s Strengthening Women’s Safety Package.

The funding will enable six regions to trial a new Immediate Personal Safety response that speeds up access to practical safety measures for women and children experiencing family violence.

Victim-survivors often face the devastating reality of having to leave their homes to escape violence – losing connection to schools, communities and workplaces, and facing an increased risk of insecure housing.

The Immediate PSI response will change that by supporting them to stay safely at home, return home or safely relocate. The funding delivers essential security upgrades such as personal safety devices, video doorbells, technology sweeps, fences, sensor lighting and dash cams to help keep women and children safe.

Currently delivered by 17 PSI coordinators across Victoria, the PSI program works with registered security agencies to conduct security audits and recommend measures like CCTV and device screening for surveillance risks.

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Snapchat has announced the implementation of new age verification measures for its Australian community, in compliance with Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Act (SMMA).

While Snapchat strongly disagrees with its classification as an Age-Restricted Social Media Platform (ARSMP) by the Australian government, it remains committed to complying with all local laws including the upcoming changes taking effect on December 10.

Snapchat will continue to advocate for privacy-conscious solutions, such as age verification at the device, operating system, or app store level.

Key takeaways:

• Notifications: Starting this week, all Snapchat users who are believed to be under 16 years of age will begin receiving notifications through multiple channels including in-app, email and SMS, with details about how the new SMMA will affect them, including information about age verification.
• Age verification: All users who are believed to be under 16 years old, either via their declared age or via Snapchat’s inferred age modelling signals, will be required to verify their age from December 10. Via our third-party service providers, verification methods including:
  • ConnectID (Bank-verified): Secure age verification through a connection with an Australian bank account.
  • Photo ID: Scanning a government-issued identification document which is scanned and validated by k-ID. Documents include passport, drivers licence and other state issued ID.
  • Facial Age Estimation: Taking a selfie, which k-ID uses to estimate an age range.
• Downloading data: For those users under 16 who are impacted by the new SMMA and can no longer access Snapchat from December 10, they are encouraged to download their data as soon as possible. This means Memories, Chats or Videos that are stored in your Snapchat account can all be downloaded and retained. All users should also cancel any subscriptions to Snapchat+ or Memories+.
• Account locking: If you are under 16, your account will be locked from December 10 for up to three years or until the user turns 16 and reactivates their account.
• Support & appeals: Users experiencing issues with age verification or who believe their account was mistakenly locked or deactivated can find additional information and support on Snapchat’s Help page
• A Snapchat spokesperson said: “Snapchat is and has always been a visual messaging app, primarily used for connection with your closest friends and family. We know that for teens, maintaining friendships is a key contributor to happiness and well-being and are deeply saddened that young Aussies can no longer connect with their nearest and dearest via Snapchat. However, even though we strongly disagree with the government’s assessment that Snapchat is an Age Restricted Social Media Platform, we will disable accounts for users under 16 from December 10.”

The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival is returning from 20 to 29 March with 200 events to excite the appetites of foodies seeking uniquely Victorian experiences.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos recently joined Food + Drink Victoria CEO Anthea Loucas Bosha to unveil the 2026 program, which fuses local and international culinary delights at events in Melbourne and regional Victoria.

As one of Victoria’s signature events, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival plays a key role in attracting visitors and boosting the state’s $43.7 billion visitor economy – accelerating economic activity and supporting almost 300,000 jobs across the state.

The iconic World’s Longest Lunch will celebrate Australia’s Greek influence through a menu designed by author Ella Mittas, chefs from CBD hit restaurant Kafeneion and Yarraville sensation Tzaki. Held across 600 metres of table winding through Kings Domain, the 1600-seat event is expected to sell-out quickly.

The festival’s international guest program features an exciting line-up of chefs from Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Malta and the United Kingdom.

Visiting chefs will team up with some of Melbourne’s most-loved establishments including Maha, Brico, Omnia, Osteria Ilaria and Farmer’s Daughters, and in regional Victoria, events at Trapeze Wines and Phillip Island Winery will offer special dining experiences only available through the festival program.

The festival also includes the Southern Hemisphere debut of the international cake sensation, Cake Picnic, in Kings Domain on 21 March. Cake Picnic has captured the world’s attention with a delicious proposition: no cake, no entry.  Everyone must bring a cake, and in turn can sample an extraordinary collection of baking.

The jam-packed program will welcome three new free events across the city, including The Spicy Side of Collins Street, The Festival of Korean Fried Chicken, and Something Saucy: The Pizza Party.

The Melbourne Food & Wine Festival has been a mainstay of Melbourne’s major events calendar for more than 30 years, helping to cement Melbourne and Victoria’s reputation as Australia’s premier food and wine destination.

The festival adds to the blockbuster 2026 major events calendar, with highlights including the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne Fashion Festival, NRL State of Origin and NFL Regular Season Game.

Tickets for the 2026 Melbourne Food & Wine Festival go on sale at 10am on Thursday, 27 November. To learn more, visit melbournefoodandwine.com.au

The state government is helping to keep more money in Victorian pockets, with important new laws to set up Victoria’s Portable Rental Bonds scheme, and the next phase of the Fair Fuel Plan, passing Parliament.
The successful passage of the Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 through Parliament last week means the Portable Rental Bonds Scheme will launch next year, allowing eligible renters to transfer their existing bond directly to their new rental property.
The Residential Tenancies Bond Authority currently holds more than 737,000 bonds and this new scheme will ease the cost of moving by removing the financial burden of paying a second bond before the first one is refunded.
The simple online process is a win-win for renters and rental providers as the government will guarantee the existing bond amount for the original rental provider. The guarantee remains in place until the original tenancy agreement is finalised and the standard bond claim process is complete.
If a rental provider’s claim for a bond is successful, the renter will owe the money not to the rental provider but to the government and will need to pay it back as a single payment or in stages through an agreed payment plan.
As well as relief for renters, the Consumer Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 also includes cost of living support for motorists, with Phase 2 of Servo Saver now enshrined in legislation.
Launched last month on the Service Victoria app, Servo Saver is already saving Victorian motorists up to $333 a year at the pump by requiring fuel retailers to report price changes in real time – putting money back in drivers’ pockets and helping to alleviate cost of living pressures.
The next phase of the Fair Fuel Plan requires fuel retailers to set a maximum fuel price for the following day. For 24-hours, retailers can only lower prices, not increase them. This means people will be able to check their local area for which service station is offering the best price throughout the next day.

Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics faced a record-breaking winter with demand for critical emergency care surging as seasonal illness spread throughout the state.

AV Acting Executive Director Regional Operations Michael Georgiou said between July and September, demand for ‘lights and sirens’ ambulances across Victoria increased by 2.8 per cent compared with the previous quarter.

“Winter consistently brings the highest emergency call volumes, and this year was no exception. This was our busiest first quarter on record with 101,632 Code 1 emergencies in just three months, and overall, it was our second busiest quarter ever,” Mr Georgiou said.

“This was another challenging winter – the entire health system was extremely busy with seasonal illness. We are incredibly proud of our highly skilled paramedics and first responders for the exceptional care they provide their communities – all day, every day.

“We sincerely thank our people who worked tirelessly to meet record levels of demand this winter. Their dedication and commitment to consistently deliver best care and saving lives under pressure is remarkable.

“Despite this record demand, we continue to lead the way in pre-hospital patient care, including the best cardiac arrest survival rates in Australia and third best anywhere in the world.”

During the July to September quarter, AV crews responded to 64.1 per cent of Code 1 cases within the state-wide target of 15 minutes. The state-wide average response time to Code 1 emergencies was 15 minutes and 46 seconds.

In the Grampians Region crews responded to 4,273 Code 1 cases between July and September 2025 – which is 1.09 per cent more a year ago (4,227) and 1.88 per cent more than three months ago (4,194).

The biggest improvements in the Grampians Region were in the Pyrenees, Yarriambiack, Ballarat and Horsham Local Government Areas (LGAs).

• In the Yarriambiack LGA, paramedics attended 31.4 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes – up from 19.8 per cent three months ago – the biggest improvement in the state.
• Compared with a year ago, Code 1 response times decreased by one minute and seven seconds in the Pyrenees LGA.
• In the Horsham LGA, paramedics attended 81.9 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes, and in the Ballarat LGA, paramedics attended 76.9 per cent of Code 1 patients within 15 minutes – which are the second and thirst best results in the state.

Grampians Regional Director Steve Doyle said the support of the community can also help save lives – if you need help but it’s not life-threatening, we encourage you to consider the most appropriate care for your situation.

“Our paramedics are focused on reaching the sickest patients first — but every day, about one in five calls to Triple Zero (000) do not need an emergency ambulance response,” Mr Doyle said.

“Getting the right care fast can make all the difference and means more paramedics are on the road for people who need our urgent lifesaving care the most.

“There are many options people can access when they need timely medical care and health advice, at any time of the night or day – but not an emergency ambulance or calling Triple Zero (000), including the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), Urgent Care Clinics, Nurse-on-Call, GPs and pharmacists.”

Mr Georgiou said AV is working closely with hospitals, emergency services and government partners to keep patients moving through the system as quickly as possible and get ambulances back on the road sooner.

“The Standards for Safe and Timely Ambulance and Emergency Care are already making a difference transferring patients into hospital care in a consistent, safe and timely way,” Mr Georgiou said.

“As part of this work, our crews have made steady improvements to improve our hospital clearing times and return to the community faster. Every small improvement – from more efficient handovers to quicker clearing times – adds up to better care for all Victorians.”

Mr Georgiou said AV’s Triage Services team — staffed by nurses and paramedics — also plays a vital role by connecting people with the right care and freeing up ambulances for life-threatening emergencies.

“Between July and September alone, our Triage Services team redirected 49,353 non-urgent calls to Triple Zero (000) away from an emergency response,” Mr Georgiou said.

“Since its launch in October 2020, we have also referred more than 85,000 patients to the VVED for appropriate online emergency care, and more than 673,000 patients have benefited overall from this free, 24/7 service.

“Services like the VVED are excellent for patients with non-life-threatening medical conditions, providing access to emergency care in the comfort of their own homes and helping to keep paramedics and first responders available for the sickest Victorians.

“Since June, 200 new graduate paramedics have joined the frontline across Victoria. And this year, 44 Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) intern paramedics hit the road — delivering a major boost to critical care statewide.”

In a life-threatening emergency always call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

AV Q1 performance data, including LGA data, can be found here.

Agriculture Victoria is proud to support the future of agriculture through the Young Farmers Upskill and Invest Scholarship.  

Since 2015 there have been 146 new and emerging farmers who have received this scholarship, and in 2025 there are 3 recipients who hail from Grampians Mallee.

Rex Chalmers is a market gardener and co-owner of Tumpinyeri Growers, and small scale agroecological market garden operating through a land-sharing partnership on Jonai Farms, a pasture raised pig and cattle farm on Djaara Country.

He focuses on designing efficient, regenerative growing systems that build soil health, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen farm resilience and profitability.

Lisa Monaghan from Concongella is a registered nurse but has recently returned to the family farm with the aspiration to take it over.

This scholarship will support Lisa to gain accredited agricultural education through a Certificate II in Agriculture and wool classing certificate.

Lisa will take these skills back to the family farm where she will continue to grow and improve the business with confidence.

Based in McKenzie Hill, Keely McDonald is committed to a long-term career in apiculture, focusing on queen bee breeding and its role in supporting Australia’s food industries.

As a young beekeeper and queen bee breeder with a career background in scientific research, Keely is eager to expand her technical knowledge and practical skills.

She will focus on strengthening her understanding of selective breeding (including using artificial insemination), data-informed decision-making, the native Australian flora on which bees heavily rely and farm tourism for business diversification.

To learn more about how Agriculture Victoria is investing in the next generation of farmers visit https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/support-and-resources/networks/young-farmers/

Farmers across the state are using Farm Drought Support Grants to set themselves up for the current, and future droughts.  

Check out the list of some eligible activities below:

• stock containment areas
• reticulated water systems, pipes and troughs
• irrigation system upgrades– including repairs and maintenance
• grain and fodder storage
• internal fencing
• feed system upgrades
• pasture/crop restoration
• water carting for livestock and essential business activities.

Farmers can claim expenses on eligible activities since 30 September 2024.

For program guidelines, a full list of eligible activities, and to apply visit https://www.ruralfinance.com.au/grants/

Find more information on drought support at: agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.

The Metro Tunnel is opening in seven days  with a free pop up live music performance to celebrate.

Jimmy Barnes, Kate Ceberano and Ian Moss will kick off the ALWAYS LIVE Melbourne Vibes series at the upgraded City Square following eight years of construction as part of the Metro Tunnel Project.

The trio of iconic Australian artists will take the stage from 1:30pm – reigniting City Square’s legacy of holding iconic concerts with the precinct having previously welcomed AC/DC, Crowded House, Kylie Minogue and Missy Higgins.

The performance has been supported by the state government’s new ALWAYS LIVE Melbourne Vibes program – a series of free, pop-up live music events running in the city this Summer, activating key CBD precincts and laneways, bringing more people into the city and strengthening the creative and hospitality sectors that define our city.

As part of the Metro Tunnel Project, the square has received a major facelift – transforming it into a space for events, retail and hospitality, complemented by new landscaping and artworks.

A new Smoking Ceremony dish developed with Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy OAM forms the centrepiece, surrounded by 12,000 custom-laid pavers.

At the Collins Street end of the square, five escalators lead down into a two-tiered concourse – a grand ‘square beneath a square’ – set to host new retail offerings when it opens next year.

The square was closed in 2017 to support construction of Town Hall Station — one of five new underground stations which will welcome passengers next Sunday. It served as one of three “keyholes” allowing crews to build the station deep beneath Swanston Street without disrupting the city above.

The Metro Tunnel is the biggest transformation of Victoria’s rail network in 40 years, doubling the size of Melbourne’s underground rail system, adding hundreds of new services each week and paving the way for more trains, more often.

From next Sunday, public transport will be free every weekend for every Victorian, everywhere, until February 1– when the new Metro Tunnel stations will be fully integrated into the wider network as part of the Big Switch.

The state government is championing the arts in Bendigo, with the redevelopment of Bendigo Art Gallery starting this summer following the appointment of a Head Contractor on the $45 million project.

Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes has announced that Fairbrother Construction has been appointed to lead the redevelopment, a project that will transform the gallery while providing a boost to local employment and construction businesses.

Operating in East Bendigo since 2008, Fairbrother Construction has delivered previous building works at the gallery as well as on major projects in town including the 13,000 square-metre ‘GovHub’ building Galkangu.

Approximately 260 jobs are expected to be created during the two-year construction phase of the project that will create a second-floor blockbuster exhibition space, innovative learning centre, theatrette, and Traditional Owner Place of Keeping for Dja Dja Wurrung cultural materials.

Once the project has been completed, a further 170 jobs are expected and up to $35 million in annual spending added to the local economy.

With a Head Contractor secured, the gallery’s incredible collection of artwork will now be moved into storage ahead of its doors closing to the public on 30 November.

The City of Greater Bendigo will deliver a special program of exhibitions and events at other locations while the gallery is closed, keeping residents and visitors connected to Bendigo’s celebrated arts and culture scene.

Kardinia Park Stadium has again proven to be Australia’s premier regional sporting and major events destination – with the venue generating more than $190 million for the Victorian economy last financial year.

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos has announced the release of the Social and Economic Value of Kardinia Park Stadium Trust in 2024/25 which also showed the ground hosted more than 480,000 visitors across 44 events.

Led by another jam-packed AFL and AFLW schedule featuring the hometown Geelong Cats, Kardinia Park Stadium also held two exciting Big Bash League cricket matches, saw the Matildas return for their friendly match against Chinese Taipei and remained a heartbeat for community events for groups across Geelong and the Bellarine.

The list of major events attracted 190,000 visitors from outside the local region to experience the elite venue. More than 21,000 local participants took part in five community events at Kardinia Park Stadium.

These results are possible thanks to the completion of the $142 million Kardinia Park Stadium Stage 5 Redevelopment, highlighted by the newly delivered Joel Selwood Stand which increased the overall stadium capacity to 40,000.

The redevelopment also included exciting new activations at the venue delivered over the past 18 months including Djilang Plaza, the Barwon Regional Cricket Centre and the Geelong Sports Museum.

Construction on the redevelopment, managed and delivered by the Kardinia Park Stadium Trust, was supported with the Labor Government investing $121 million for stages 1-4 – with the venue generating more than $190 million for the Victorian economy last financial year.

Led by another jam-packed AFL and AFLW schedule featuring the hometown Geelong Cats, Kardinia Park Stadium also held two exciting Big Bash League cricket matches, saw the Matildas return for their friendly match against Chinese Taipei and remained a heartbeat for community events for groups across Geelong and the Bellarine.

The list of major events attracted 190,000 visitors from outside the local region to experience the elite venue. More than 21,000 local participants took part in five community events at Kardinia Park Stadium.

These results are possible thanks to the completion of the $142 million Kardinia Park Stadium Stage 5 Redevelopment, highlighted by the newly delivered Joel Selwood Stand which increased the overall stadium capacity to 40,000.

The redevelopment also included exciting new activations at the venue delivered over the past 18 months including Djilang Plaza, the Barwon Regional Cricket Centre and the Geelong Sports Museum.

Well here I am penning another column for you, the reader, to enjoy…
This time I’ll be giving you an insight into special needs for special plants – trees and shrubs – a broad topic I know but the plant selections have been based on my experience of growing them and/or observing them in gardens all around the world.
Let’s start with some drought-tolerant plants that would fit nicely into a modern contemporary landscape style that has become important to lessen the overuse of watering those other thirsty species such as hydrangeas.
For example (in alphabetic order): albizia julibrissin (Persian silk tree), carpenteria californica (bush anemone), hakea francisiana (emu tree), leucospermum high gold (pincushion plant), melaleuca thymifolia (thyme honey myrtle), pinus patula (mexican weeping pine) and quercus suber (cork oak). And a special note here, all plants need some initial watering to get their roots established.
And now from the sublime to the ridiculous, plants for damp soils for long periods of time: betula nigra (water birch), metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood), nyssa sylvatica (tupelo) and taxodium distichum (swamp cypress). These four trees look great next to water features such as lakes and large ponds – they’re all deciduous and give a splendid autumnal show.
Many older gardens, both private and public, have developed areas of shade, from heavy shade to dappled light as a result of enlarging tree canopies or even shadows created by nearby buildings or perhaps your renovations to the existing house or outbuildings.
Here’s a smattering of choices: acer palmatum seiryu (upright dissectum Japanese maple), camellia spp. cuttsia viburnea (honey bush), daphne odora f. alba (white flowered winter daphne), dichroa x versicolor (evergreen hydrangea), fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia), fuchsia spp. hydrangea spp., rhododendron spp. and Tasmannia lanceolata (mountain pepper) and, of course, myriad ferns.
The controversial subject of global warming and climate change is very much to the fore and so I thought I’d have a crack at suggesting the following species that should have a high degree of climate resilience.
Arbutus x andrachnoides (hybrid strawberry tree), catalpa bignonioides (Indian bean tree), clethra arborea (lily-of-the-valley tree), elaeocarpus reticulatus Prima Donna (blueberry ash), grevillea robusta (silky oak), liquidambar formosana (formosan sweet gum) and quercus coccifera (kermes oak). A special note also here that a majority of Australian native plants in the botanical family of myrtaceae (e.g. angophora, corymbia and eucalyptus) should, depending on their natural distribution, fit into this category.
So, in summary, it’s worth continuing to plant some of your current faves, mindful of the fact that all gardens large or small contain microclimates that have been created by such things as ambient heat from walls, fences etc and frost-free zones as a result of merging tree canopies (mentioned earlier).
I’m afraid there’s no time (or space) for perennials but think hosta spp. for damp areas, helleborus spp. for dappled shade and ornamental grasses for drought tolerance.

Cheers John Beetham (Trees in Australia)

Next time: Showcasing summer flowering species

Scan the QR code to see JB’s Instagram post

Tach it up, tach it up
Buddy going to shut you down

Shut Down by Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, 1963

As our fingers are poised over the keyboard, word arrives that the United States Senate has reached “a tentative deal” that will end what is the longest shutdown of the US government in the country’s history, or that “Government shutdown may be nearing end”.

Other sources are less hesitant in reporting that “Lawmakers reach deal to end the government shutdown”.
As of this moment, it is possible that the government of the United States of America will resume, um, governing? So, here in little Redding, California, a person we know has a restaurant, and she decided it made good sense to open another restaurant that would target a different clientele, except she was wrong and the new place tanked, she was forced to close the doors, but she says she is going to re-brand, re-decorate and re-open soon.
Kind of like the US government.
Here in the USA we take our worship seriously. For example, whenever a crazed individual brings their high-powered weapons into a public space and slaughters innocent people, our civic leaders’ first act is to offer the now mandatory thoughts and prayers.
By prayers they mean appeals or petitions to a proper white Christian God, who hopefully will assuage the suffering of those left behind, because it’s too bad about the dead people but no one can do anything about guns in the US – it’s the Second Amendment, you know.
Speaking of the Second Amendment, it is one of 27 such changes to the US Constitution, and when we talk about Americans being a worshipful bunch, our fervour for the Founding Fathers – the authors of the Constitution – is surpassed only by our passion for that white Christian god. The Constitution was written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and has been in effect since 1789.
It begins with the words “We The People”, which is meant to signify that the US government’s purpose is to serve the folks who live here. The first thing these founding fathers did with their Constitution was to create three sections of government – the legislative, executive, and judicial branches – which would be co-equal.
The founders, having been through a revolution – really the first American civil war – hoped to ensure that this new nation would not come under the influence of another individual with king-like powers. This new government would be slow moving but if anyone wanted to get stuff done, by god they’d need to have their stuff tightly wired.
One of the main jobs of the government is to decide how it is going to do the business of looking after its people, plus a bunch of military and overseas obligations. In fact, no one in the whole world knows how this is done, where the money for the operation comes from, where it goes, and who gets what and why.
But there are a bunch of reasonable-sounding websites with “gov” in their names that use thousands of words trying to make it sound as if someone, somewhere, is fully on top of the situation.
Every year, the head of the executive branch – the president – submits a budget proposal to Congress. It’s supposed to be a detailed plan for the administration’s policy goals and spending expectations for every government agency and program.
Congress – the 435 members of the House of Representations, and 100 Senators – receives the president’s wish list and then comes up with its own plan. The various strategies are handed out to committees and departments where all the special interests and back-room deals are negotiated. The ultimate goal is to arrive at an overall spending cap – how much money does the government have to spend – how big is the deficit going to be?
The fundamental differences between progressive Democrats and whatever the Republicans believe are similar to the eternal conflict between Labor and the LNP in Australia.
Democrats believe in government as a force for progress and social benefit; Donald Trump’s Republican Party wants to hollow out the federal government, get rid of all government regulation and as many services as possible, leaving a military and an executive branch and not much else.
So here we are in 2025 and the once-revered Constitution is being superseded by a document called Project 2025, which is a manual for replacing the government created in 1787 with a Christian nationalist structure in place of the three co-equal branches, with a chief executive officer who has unchecked power and authority.
The people of the US gave twice-impeached convicted sex offender Trump a second go at being president, and the first thing he did was send to Congress a budget proposal that gives massive tax cuts to the wealthy while taking away healthcare and food assistance for middle and low-income Americans.
Democrats in Congress decided that this was the hill on which they would make a stand against the Trumpists, and used their power to block passage of the budget. When the money allocated for the current year ran out, the government shut down.
Trump and the Republicans thought they could use the shutdown to their political advantage, but even the notoriously dim American public saw through the lies and turned against them.
Oh, wait, there’s one more thing: it’s called the Epstein files. If you haven’t heard of them, consider yourself to be fortunate – it’s a revolting, sordid story. At one time, releasing these files to the public was considered mission critical for the political party currently in power in the US; the Republicans, at present in control of all three of the supposedly co-equal branches of government.
But in 2024, after taking power, the Republicans decided that these Epstein files were no longer of interest to anyone, and certainly not to the public. Why? We’d need to ask Trump, and he’s not talking. With the government closed for business, the files remain safely hidden away.