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ABC News
06-05-2025
- ABC News
Limestone Coast's famous sinkholes and other diving spots see water levels drop amid drought
The owner of one of the Limestone Coast's most popular diving spots has joined a world-famous cave diver in calling for more action to be taken to preserve water levels in the region's sinkholes and wetlands. The concerns raised by Kilsby Sinkhole owner Graham Kilsby and cave diver Richard Harris come after Their concerns are also amid Mr Kilsby's family has had a sheep farm at Moorak, just south of Mount Gambier, for more than 130 years and they also offer diving and snorkelling tours at the Kilsby Sinkhole on their property. Sinkhole owner Graham Kilsby with a water marker used to measure the water level before irrigation began. ( ABC South East SA: Josh Brine ) Mr Kilsby said the water level at the sinkhole has fallen 4.5 metres since 2000 to a record low, including more than 1.5m since Christmas which he attributed to a lack of rain. "We've decided that we're going to completely remove irrigation from the farming property over the next three years," Mr Kilsby said. "It is an awfully big step and I wouldn't expect everyone to give that consideration. " I just believe that what we're doing [as a region] isn't sustainable. " Loading YouTube content Damage hurting tourism The nearby Both had been known for their clear water and vibrant aquatic plant life. "Piccaninnie Ponds was one of the best dive sites in Australia. People across the world came there to dive and now it's just a muddy hole," Mr Kilsby said. The Kilsby Sinkhole is one of the more accessible diving spots near Mount Gambier. ( ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham ) "Ewens Ponds has got plant life growing at depths where it doesn't grow anywhere else in the world. "Tourism is important, but I think that this is a bigger picture. "It's about everyone in this region — we all rely in same way on the water that's beneath us — we really need to start looking at what we're doing." 'System has essentially died' Dr Harris He was later named Australian of the Year and is now South Australia's lieutenant governor. He has been cave diving around Mount Gambier since 1986. Richard Harris is a regular visitor to the Limestone Coast. ( ABC News: Tony Hill ) With cooperation from the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service he produced a video showing the situation at Piccaninnie Ponds. "The whole system has essentially died," Dr Harris said. " It really looks like a desert landscape whereas before it looked like a tropical jungle or an underwater paradise. " Water allocations being decided The Limestone Coast Landscape Board began work to update the Dr Harris said while it was not possible to "tell everyone to stop work and down tools", if the aquifer levels got too low "everyone will suffer". "I feel that some very tough decisions are going to have to be made by the landscape board, which is primarily responsible for the water allocation plan," he said. "I think it's time for all these industries that use the groundwater and farm that land to start to think about how we're going to have to adapt to this changing climate, and maybe farm and use the land differently in the future." The Piccaninnie Ponds are in South Australia's far south-east. ( Supplied: Alyssa G ) SA Dairyfarmers Association chief executive Andrew Curtis said it was not clear what was causing the poor water quality in the Piccaninnie Ponds and it should not be "simply attributed to agricultural practice". He said the environment, food production and supplying water for the community should be considered equally when allocating water. "The challenge for the landscape board is to consider all of those issues in working with a limited resource," he said. "As we can see during this drought we just don't have unlimited water. So the challenge is the allocation of it." ABC South East SA — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Friday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
01-05-2025
- ABC News
TikTok inspired Victorian couple to counterfeit money, Mount Gambier court told
A Victorian couple has been jailed for printing money and using it at a petrol station after getting the idea from TikTok. Craig Batten, 45, and his partner, 29-year-old Keanna Morrison, were sentenced in the Mount Gambier Magistrates Court to five months behind bars for making $750 in cash and using a $100 note at a petrol station in Mount Gambier in January. Batten told the writer of a pre-sentencing report that he had came up after watching a video on social media. "He stated that he had seen a TikTok video of someone photocopying cash notes and he decided to try it as it looked very easy," Magistrate Koula Kossiavelos told the court. She said Morrison's reason for the offending was similar. "She stated … the counterfeit money was initially used as a prop in video contents that they were making, and they also needed to fill up the car with petrol and decided to pay with the counterfeit money knowing that it was not actually money," Magistrate Kossiavelos said. A staff member at the petrol station noticed the crime after the pair had left. ( ABC South East SA: Eugene Boisvert ) Lengthy criminal history Batten and Morrison admitted to using a fake $100 note at the OTR petrol station on Penola Road in Mount Gambier on January 2 to buy $34 in fuel. They were arrested at a local shopping centre on January 4. Police found a laptop, a printer and other equipment used to create the clear windows on bank notes and $650 in unfinished $50 and $100 notes inside their vehicle. Magistrate Kossiavelos said the crime was "serious" but that most counterfeiting cases involved much more sophisticated operations that created larger amounts of fake money. But she said Batten had "one of the worst histories" of offending she had ever seen, which involved dozens of offences dating back to 1999. Batten and Morrison had long criminal histories, the court heard. ( ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham ) Morrison was on a community corrections order from Victoria at the time of the offending for charges including fraud and burglary. He was not permitted to travel interstate. Magistrate Kossiavelos sentenced both to two months in jail for using the fake $100 note and three months for making the notes. Batten was also sentenced to an additional three months and two weeks behind bars for driving offences, including for the 17th time he had been caught driving while disqualified. Batten and Morrison are wanted in Victoria and Batten's alleged offences in that state include counterfeiting money. The pair mouthed "I love you" and blew kisses at each other through the audio-visual link from their separate cells to the courtroom. ABC South East SA — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Friday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
29-04-2025
- Science
- ABC News
South Australians urged to contribute as citizen scientists amid algal bloom 'devastation'
South Australians are being asked to become citizen scientists as dead sharks, rays, and other marine life continue to wash up around the state's coast due to a persistent algal bloom. The presence of the Karenia mikimotoi bloom was first realised after The algae again produced large amounts of foam at Knights Beach at Port Elliot over Easter. ( ABC South East SA: Caroline Horn ) Since then, fish kills have been reported around the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, the Yorke Peninsula, and on beaches south of Adelaide. The South Australian Primary Industries Department (PIRSA) is now testing to see if recent marine deaths reported in the south-east of the state at Brown Bay are linked to the bloom. The water discolouration at Brown Bay, near Port MacDonnell in South Australia's south east, in late April. ( Supplied: Ockert le Roux Photography ) Sharks and rays dying The remains of a juvenile white pointer shark that died on Good Friday at Point Willunga south of Adelaide, and another 2.7m shark found at Port Moorowie on the Yorke Peninsula on the same day have been collected by PIRSA officers for testing. Professor Charlie Huveeners from the Southern Shark Ecology Group collected the remains of a juvenile common thresher shark found at Moana beach in Adelaide's south on April 18. The remains of the juvenile white pointer shark, which died on the beach at Port Willunga in April. ( Supplied: Caroline Hockney ) He said toxicology testing would be carried out to determine if the algal bloom played any part in the shark's death. "We can't draw a conclusion early," he said. " But it's quite a few washing ashore in a small time frame. " The remains of a juvenile common thresher shark that washed ashore between Moana and Seaford. ( Supplied: Charlie Huveneers ) Callers to ABC Radio Adelaide have also reported numerous sightings over the past week of dead sharks and rays at Stansbury and Marion Bay on the Yorke Peninsula. Upload your sightings South Australian project manager for the fishing conservation charity Ozfish, Brad Martin, said in the first instance people observing a significant fish kill should contact PIRSA's fish watch hotline on 1800 065 522. However, he said it was also important for people finding dead fish and marine animals to take photographs and upload them to publicly accessible databases so researchers could understand the scale and impact of the event. "It provides an opportunity to understand what marine life is in the area," he said. "Everything from recreational species being impacted through to our iconic species such as leafy sea dragons and sea devils." Brad Martin is the South Australian project manager for Ozfish. ( ABC South East: Caroline Horn ) Mr Martin said while it was great to see high levels of discussion around the fish kills on social media, action was needed to make sure the information was not lost. "We really want to be able to take those conversations, that information and get it into a platform that can be used for analysis," he said. Data uploaded to the Cuttlefish concerns One species that appears to have been widely impacted by the bloom is the Australian giant cuttlefish. Large numbers of dead cuttlefish washed up on the beach at Victor Harbor in March. This was followed by reports of "hundreds" of dead cuttlefish floating in the waters between Kangaroo Island and the mainland. A few of the hundreds of juvenile cuttlefish bones observed at Port Willunga over the Easter weekend. ( ABC South East SA: Caroline Horn ) Recfish SA chief executive Asher Dezsery said in addition to the reports from fishers at sea, his organisation also received reports of a "huge amount" of cuttlefish bones at Willyama Beach, near Marion Bay on Yorke Peninsula, at Tunkalilla on the Fleurieu Peninsula, and at Maslins Beach south of Adelaide. "Usually you'd see them on the beach and not worry about them," he said. " But the sheer abundance of them is what's raising a few questions, and particularly raising concerns about this year's cuttlefish migration up to the cuttlefish coast around Whyalla. " Surfer and dedicated citizen scientist Anthony Rowland with a dead cuttlefish retrieved from the surf at Victor Harbor. ( ABC News: Caroline Horn ) Underwater impact David Place has been diving in the waters underneath the Edithburgh jetty since the 1980s, helping to monitor species such as the iconic leafy sea dragon which also has been badly impacted by the bloom. He recently made a video showing the underwater conditions before and after the impact of the arrival of the algal bloom. Mr Place said the environment had been devastated and it was a difficult video to make. "It felt like a ghost town down there," he said. Loading YouTube content "[There's] dead and decaying animals, the signs of many colourful sponges dying off and a gloomy dark atmosphere due to the poor visibility." Mr Place said his fears for the local sea life were two-fold. "Firstly, what damage has been done to our marine life and will it ever come back as healthy? "Secondly, some of the factors that caused this are linked to climate change, so that won't get any better, you wouldn't think." It is not known how long this bloom could persist but the Environment Protection Authority's principal marine scientist Sam Gaylard has said that an eventual change in the weather and arrival of strong westerly winds and a prolonged cold front will help to break it up. ABC South East SA — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Friday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
28-04-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Australian wagyu beef industry confident about exports despite tariff threat
Australia's wagyu beef industry is set to capitalise on growth opportunities amid record-low cattle numbers in the United States and less competition for its premium beef product in world markets. Despite potential tariffs under consideration by the US government, industry leaders and producers remain confident that Australia's high-quality wagyu beef will continue to command premium prices and strong demand. South Australian producer Scott de Bruin said he was not deterred by the threat of US tariffs. Mr de Bruin, the managing director of Mayura Station near Millicent on South Australia's Limestone Coast, said its full-blood Wagyu cattle were first imported into Australia in 1997 and the herd's ancestry, bloodlines and pedigree were distinguishing factors in world markets. Australia's wagyu industry is about four times larger than America's sector. ( ABC South East SA: Elsie Adamo ) Mr de Bruin said he did not see a 10 per cent tariff significantly impacting his business. "I think it [America] is still a fantastic opportunity," he said. "Overall, the American cattle herd is at 70-year lows … they do really need beef from other countries. "When you've got a high-quality article, I believe those customers that want to consume high quality are not going to be bothered by another 10 per cent." Scott de Bruin holds a tomahawk wagyu steak. ( ABC South East SA: Elsie Adamo ) His comments follow While Australia will be subject to a 10 per cent reciprocal tariff, the president has yet to detail any specific response to Australia's beef sector. Quality in demand Global AgriTrends meat and livestock analyst Simon Quilty said it was an "outstanding time" for the sector with the opportunities and challenges dependent on the quality of the wagyu. This class one fullblood wagyu competition entry from Mayura Sation had a nine-plus rating. ( Supplied: Australian Wagyu Association ) Within Australia, the quality of a cut of wagyu is determined by its marbling score. A score of zero indicates no marbling, while a score of nine indicates extraordinary amounts of marbling. A nine-plus indicates the meat exceeds current Australian standards. "In the last year we've seen zero-to-three marble score in America really be challenged, so those products tend not to go to America these days because there is no home for them," Mr Quilty said. "Those that are producing five to seven … those higher marble scores stand out on their own and they today from Australia trade at a significant premium above the best in America. "That's where the best return for Australian exporters is. " The lack of supply in America is very tight, and therefore the demand for the quality end is still there. " Backfilling America's shortfall However, North America is not the only opportunity for Australian producers – with Australian exporters already benefiting from American export shortfalls in key markets in the Middle East and South-East Asia. Mr Quilty said if America implemented further tariffs, it could open the door for Australia to better compete against US beef internationally. Wagyu beef is high in marbled white intramuscular fat, providing a full flavour and creamy texture. ( ABC South East SA: Elsie Adamo ) "[American] exports have fallen and as a result of that we have seen less and less of that high-end-choice prime in these markets, which then has created opportunities for Australian wagyu outside of America," he said. "You're not only getting less product come out of America, but it will be priced higher, therefore making Australian beef more attractive. "Australia sits in a unique position as a producer of grain fed of a standard that matches America." ABC Rural RoundUp newsletter Stories from farms and country towns across Australia, delivered each Friday. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
26-04-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Disability advocates call for more funding to fix regional footpaths
Travelling along the footpath should be a relatively simple exercise, but for many people poorly maintained pathways pose a challenge, especially in regional centres. Mount Gambier resident Kit Cooper said when she was able-bodied she was unaware of the issue but that changed when she was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) last May. The genetic condition causes her heart rate to increase abnormally and can lead to dizziness, light-headedness and fainting. Kit Cooper struggles to navigate the footpaths in Mount Gambier. ( ABC South East SA: Sam Bradbrook ) "It's easy to miss the things until it's affecting you," Ms Cooper said. "As a part-time wheelchair user, I have become aware that a lot of the places that I used to frequent are … inaccessible without support from a carer or a partner." Sharon Morgan, a Port Lincoln resident who had a leg amputated in 2011, said she had been forced to use the road because of badly maintained footpaths and poorly designed ramps. Sharon Morgan is often forced to use the road because of poorly planned and maintained footpaths. ( ABC Eyre Peninsula: Tim McGlone ) "A lot of people who can get around normally can't see there being a problem," she said. Dozens of people told the ABC of recurring issues regarding inaccessible ramps, damaged paths and concrete slabs lifted by tree roots. Disability advocate Cyanne Westerman said such problems could increase the isolation of those living with mobility issues. Cyanne Westerman says more needs to be done to make footpaths accessible for those with mobility issues. ( ABC North and West SA: Arj Ganesan ) Ms Westerman, who lives with limb girdle muscular dystrophy, struggles to find a usable footpath for her motorised wheelchair even when she is just outside her Whyalla home. "I often go on the road where it's a lot smoother, but it's also dangerous because of the cars," she said. Who is responsible? Footpath maintenance is the responsibility of local government. The City of Port Lincoln and Whyalla City Council both have disability access and inclusion plans that highlight footpath and ramp access as issues. Whyalla Council's 2020-24 plan showed that almost 60 per cent of people living with a disability had difficulty accessing footpaths and ramps. Patches of unsealed footpaths are a common sight in regional cities. ( ABC North and West SA: Arj Ganesan ) Port Lincoln mayor Diana Mislov said footpath upgrades were often tied to larger projects, which made them more likely to meet the criteria for grant funding. "Whereas roads and footpaths and even stormwater [maintenance], to some degree, are just less attractive," she said. Cr Mislov said there were not enough major projects to ensure the city's footpaths were adequately maintained. State funding needed Ms Westerman's twin sister Zia, a Whyalla councillor who shares her disability, says local governments are often tied up in "red tape" and have limited budgets. "Local councils are doing their best," she said. "I think it's time for someone else to step in and help them do more." She is one of many disability advocates calling on the state government to fund upgrades to footpaths. Whyalla City Council Mayor Phill Stone says councils are in need of state government support. ( Supplied: Whyalla City Council ) Whyalla Mayor Phill Stone said the council spent about $600,000 a year on footpath maintenance. "If governments could establish a particular fund to give us access to extra funding, that would be a move in the right direction," he said. A spokesperson from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport said councils were responsible for footpath maintenance, but there were various state and Commonwealth infrastructure grants they could apply for. Councils could also access financial assistance grants by the Local Government Grants Commission, the spokesperson said. The Local Government Association and the City of Mount Gambier Council were both contacted for comment. Public consultation on the draft state disability inclusion plan commenced earlier this month and will close on May 15.
