Latest news with #AdelaideHills
ABC News
4 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Authorities try to protect Australia's vulnerable wildlife as H5N1 bird flu approaches
Karl Hillyard is a busy man. As the South Australian Department for the Environment and Water's bird flu preparedness coordinator, he has been working with colleagues across the country and the world to prepare for the arrival of the H5N1 bird flu in Australia. The flu has had a devastating effect on birds and wildlife across much of the world, but has not yet reached Australia or New Zealand. However, it has been identified in most of the seal species in Antarctica. Dr Hillyard said he had a soft spot for the common and sometimes maligned ibis, but much of his work at the Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills was for the protection of rare birds. He said planning could be difficult when dealing with an evolving situation which had affected "mind-boggling" numbers of water birds and marine mammals. "Overseas in wildlife, there are some really tragic stories and impacts on particularly vulnerable and threatened species," Dr Hillyard said. A trial has started in the US to see if a vaccine against the flu has been effective in protecting the rare California condor. Research has also been carried out by the CSIRO to see if the vaccine could be used in small Australian bird species. Meanwhile, the first line of defence at Cleland will be social distancing of a sort, by making sure captive birds at the park are kept separate from wild birds as much as possible. Dr Hillyard said the "tyranny of distance" had protected Australia so far. "Effectively, sick birds, sick animals are going to struggle to make it here," he said. "And that's really sad. "But it's also what's probably been helping us out so far in Australia." He said work was also being done to assess where the virus might first arrive in South Australia. Wayne Boardman, from the University of Adelaide, said the virus had taken a circuitous route around the world since emerging in China in 1996. He said more wild bird and mammal deaths became apparent in Europe after a 2020 mutation which had spread to Africa and then North and South America. Dr Boardman said the virus would "almost certainly" arrive in Australia at some stage, potentially via islands in the sub-Antarctic or by migratory birds coming through the shorebird flyways from China and Southeast Asia. Dr Boardman said the virus had already caused a devastating loss of Peruvian pelicans and sandwich terns in Europe, and had occurred in more than 500 species of birds and more than 60 species of mammals. "We hope that these species will recover in time, but it could be that the virus is going to circulate for some time and will continue to cause mortality over the next five, 10, 15 years," he said. Dr Boardman said there were concerns that the disease could affect endangered species to the point where recovery would take a long time or could even lead to extinction. One of Dr Boardman's biggest concerns was for the remaining Australian sea lion population, which numbered less than 14,000 and lived mainly around South Australia's coastline. Dr Boardman's concern for the sealions is shared by Independent Member of the Legislative Council, Tammy Franks. Ms Franks has called for the state government to co-fund a field research station in the Coorong, where many thousands of migratory birds arrived each year. She said a 2024 outbreak of avian cholera in the wetland was only able to be confirmed because a fisherman delivered fresh carcasses to biosecurity officers within hours of the birds' death, when useful test samples could still be extracted. She said without the ability to sample and test on the ground in the Coorong, the opportunity to identify the arrival of avian flu could be missed. Coorong Environment Trust Board member Faith Coleman said a suitable property for a laboratory facility was available at Woods Well, on the banks of the south lagoon. She estimated the total cost of purchasing and establishing the facility would be about $1 million. "They [the state government] would only need to contribute a portion," she said. "It would be really helpful if they could meet us halfway." The Minister for the Environment and Water has been contacted for a response.
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Hay shortage and high prices causing concern for farmers amid ongoing drought
South Australian farmers say "there's no hay" in the state, and where it is available, it has reached unsustainable prices, as southern parts of the country battle ongoing drought conditions. David Mews runs a horse sanctuary in the Adelaide Hills and was grateful he had enough hay for the horses he looks after, some of which have been surrendered due to owners struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and feeding the animals. "There's no hay in South Australia," he said. The not-for-profit charity, Windamere Horse Haven, usually just breaks even, but it is down tens of thousands of dollars this financial year. "We had to buy [the hay] all up front this year, so that was all the hay money we normally pay across the year, was in one big chunk," he said. "Which impacted our ability to buy other essentials that we need, like hard feed, to pay our vet bills, to pay our farrier bills." It is not just a short-term concern though, and while there has been significant rain seen in SA recently, Mr Mews is worried there could be longer-term issues. It is a similar story in what should be one of the lusher parts of SA, where Robert Brokenshire is a dairy farmer on SA's Fleurieu Peninsula. As president of the state's dairy association, he hears from a lot of struggling farmers. "We've got some dairy farmers spending up to $40,000 a week buying fodder; that's not sustainable," he said. "But we're running out of fodder in South Australia." Mr Brokenshire said fodder was now being sourced from interstate, but he was worried about what would happen if the drought does not break. "If South Australia and Victoria don't get a good spring, there won't be any fodder," he said. "South Australia in the past has been the state that's provided fodder to the other states. "This time we're having to source that fodder from New South Wales and Queensland at a time when they need it themselves." Mr Brokenshire wants the federal government to visit the state and see the situation firsthand. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins will be in South Australia on Wednesday to announce a $36 million extension to the Future Drought Fund Communities Program, which has been extended for another four years. There will also be an extra $800,000 to Rural Financial Counselling Service providers in South Australia and Victoria. The state government also has a suite of resources for drought-affected farmers, including money for charities providing hay. Graham Cockerell from Need for Feed in Victoria said the organisation was coming up to 20 years of providing hay for farmers in need. "We've seen a lot of drought and a lot of disasters; this one would rate up there with the worst of the droughts that we've seen in the worst-hit parts of South Australia," he said. The charity has provided nine runs of hay, with a tenth planned, to farmers in South Australia throughout the ongoing drought conditions, which has helped hundreds of farmers. "While that amount of hay won't rescue anyone's farm business, what it does do, and to us the most important part, is that it's letting those farmers know that somebody cares," he said.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Top vet reveals why a 'dangerous' dog ban would be a huge mistake after a six-year-old girl was mauled at a park
An animal behaviour expert has claimed banning certain dog breeds wouldn't prevent attacks from the animals, following a series of shocking incidents across the country. In the latest dog mauling, a six-year-old girl underwent emergency surgery after she suffered horrific injuries during a frightening and unprovoked Staffy attack on Sunday. The harrowing ordeal unfolded while Margot McNicol and her family were at Nairne's newest off-leash facility, Woofside Road Dog Park, in the Adelaide Hills. Margot was playing with her puppy when an American Staffy leapt up and latched onto her head, sparking widespread calls for the government to ban the canines. 'Breed speaks for itself. Poor girl,' one Aussie wrote online, prompting another to agree that 'there are far too many ferocious dogs around' and Australia should 'just ban them'. One person took aim at the 'not the dog's fault nutters' who 'put a human life second'. And someone else had an issue with another breed, saying that 'it's always Pitbulls, always'. However, President of the Australian Veterinarian Behaviour Group, Dr Isabelle Resch, told Daily Mail Australia that 'there's been plenty of different studies that show banning breeds does not work' and that dogs like Staffys can be great pets. Dr Isabelle Resch (right) wants dog owners to be better educated on how to care for their pet after a six-year-old girl was mauled in Adelaide (left) Dogs that are currently banned in Australia are the American Pitbull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. American Staffordshire Terriers are not banned in Australia. It was the same dog breed that mauled a five-week old baby boy to death as his parents slept at a NSW Central Coast home in 2021. Dr Resch has been a vet for more than 30 years but now works in the field of veterinarian psychiatry. 'There's been quite a few countries that have banned breeds like the American Pitbull and Japanese Tosa and it's failed to reduce the bite risk,' Ms Resch said. 'We need to look at community education and how we interact with dogs.' 'I look after the mental health of dogs and I guess I'm an activist in educating people in the community about how we can help the emotional welfare of dogs,' Dr Resch said. She said breed was 'not an indicator of behaviour' and that it was human actions that had a big impact on how dogs acted. 'There might be some genetic lines that are more prone to some behaviours but just the fact that you're a Rottweiler does not mean you're more likely to be aggressive,' she said. 'Aggression is saying 'bugger off and move away, I'm scared you're going to hurt me', so aggression is a normal response. 'People don't understand how we behaviour around dogs. Our body language often puts dogs in a position where they feel really threatened.' Dr Resch said data showed dogs that bite the most around the world are often smaller breeds like terriers. 'Chihuahua's don't make it to the media because they don't put people in hospital,' she said. 'I've seen more Labradors bite. In my career I have not seen any aggressive Pitbulls.' A report by the Sydney Children's Hospital in 2022 revealed a child was being admitted to a NSW hospital every week with a dog bite. The data took into account of 628 patients who presented with dog-related injuries from 2010 to 2020 and found their average age was just five-years-old. The breeds involved in the most reported attacks were Pitbulls (10.3 per cent), followed by Labradors (8.5 per cent) and Rottweilers (6.8 per cent). The top three were followed by Bulldog (6%), Border Collie (6 per cent), Jack Russell (5.1 per cent), Terrier (other) (5.1 per cent), Kelpie (5.1 per cent), German Shepherd (4.3 per cent) and others (42.7 per cent). So nearly half of all recorded dog bites over a 10-year period were from dogs whose breed could not be identified. The results were likely skewed also because many dogs are misidentified as Pitbulls. A victim may claim that it was a Pitbull that bit them when it was in fact a different breed. And that didn't surprise Dr Resch who made the surprising claim about identification of dog breeds. 'We can't tell by looking at a dog what breed they are,' she said. 'We've got some very good DNA tests available right now and even those of us who have worked with dogs our whole lives often find we're way off the mark (in guessing a breed) after a DNA test is done.' Dr Resch also said it was a myth that cross breeds were more aggressive than pure-bred dogs, saying they didn't behave any different. She also took aim at social media and how it promoted a lot of misinformation that gave Aussies a distorted view about certain dog breeds. 'It's an absolute fallacy that Pitbulls lock their jaws. We are so biased by online content that feeds us,' she said. 'If someone tells you often enough that Pitbull's bite, you believe it, and I can tell you it's not true. 'There's just so many different variables as to what bites occur, what breed is the breed that actually caused the bite and does legislation stop the bites? No, it doesn't. 'I'm a scientist so I look at the science and I look at the research and the research has shown that banning breeds fails.' Dr Resch said dog owners were the ones who needed to behave better around their pets. 'We need to teach people how to responsibly look after their own dogs and the body language of dogs,' she said. 'They need to get permission before they approach a dog. Don't let your child just walk up to a dog. I would never recommend unsupervised contact between any dog and a child.' Dr Resch said the most common bites were in young male boys and it was generally associated with food and treats. 'That suggests to me that we're not setting these kids up or the dogs up for success. We need to put the onus back on people,' she said.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Parents' horror as their six-year-old girl is mauled by an American staffy in a public park and almost SCALPED
A six-year-old girl has undergone emergency surgery after she suffered horrific injuries during a frightening and unprovoked dog attack. The harrowing ordeal unfolded while Margot McNicol and her family were at Nairne's newest off-leash dog park Woofside Road Dog Park, in the Adelaide Hills on Sunday. Margot was playing with her puppy when an American Staffy leapt up and latched onto her head. It took four adults to free the dog from the little girl. 'She screamed, I ran over, and I saw the dog had her head in its mouth and was pulling her hair like a tug of war,' her mum Christina told Seven News. 'I stabilised my daughter's head and her hair so it couldn't keep pulling because I was really worried it would scalp her.' Margot was rushed to hospital with several puncture wounds to her head, along with scratches and bruising. She remains in hospital. Her injuries could have been a lot worse had another part of her head been attacked, according to her dad Braeden. 'It could have been a completely different story,' Mr McNichol said. Adding insult to injury, the McNicols claim the dog owner fled the park afterwards without apologising to Margot or the family. Mount Barker District Council is investigating the attack. The owner could face a fine of more than $300 and the Staffy could be euthanised. The extent of the punishment will depend on the severity of the attack and if the dog was already deemed a dangerous animal. 'If that is what is the safest (euthanasia), I think that is what should happen,' Ms McNicol said. 'The owner should know better, and I hope this is a lesson to them.' It's the same dog breed that mauled a five-week old baby boy to death as his parents slept at a NSW Central Coast home in 2021. A recent inquest into the baby's death heard that the breed had the highest incidence of attacks in local government data from 2018-2021. American Staffordshire Terriers are 'muscular, energetic medium-size dogs', according to Bow Wow Meow Pet Insurance. While most of the breed's aggression has been 'bred out', they should always be supervised during play time. 'Being a strong, powerful breed, firm and consistent training is essential to ensure your American Staffy will obey your commands and behave respectably,' the company states. 'Intense socialisation from an early age is also very important in order to curb potential aggression towards both humans and other dogs. 'If not well trained, behavioural problems can develop and the Amstaff can become difficult to handle.' Woofside Road Dog Park opened in February. The area is a fully fenced, unleashed dog park with activity zones, shelter, seating, a footpath loop, water bubbler and dog water bowl.
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- News.com.au
Beauty Diary: Inside Jurlique farm where ‘rare' Aussie rose grows
At first glance, this beautiful pink flower might look like any other rose – but it's actually one of the rarest in the world and can only be found in one part of Australia. This very special bloom is named the 'Jurlique Rose' and is grown on a unique farm located in the Adelaide Hills. Famed for its powder blush colouring and distinctive aroma, the Jurlique Rose officially smells as pretty as it looks. So how did this rare bloom end up calling South Australia home? The credit belongs to natural Australian skincare brand Jurlique which bred the special flower for a number of different reasons. 'It was created to be the star ingredient in our Rare Rose skincare range and there are some exciting clinicals aligned to the rose,' Cherie Hutchinson, the brand's Tourism & Farm Manager, told The Beauty Diary. 'Its primary benefit is increasing skin moisture barrier function, by retaining essential moisture levels within the skin – this results in a dewy, smooth look.' The skincare 'powerhouse' was not only created for its incredible benefits, it was also designed to weather the harsh local conditions. 'It was bred over many years by one of Australia's most respected rose breeders George Thomson, who was a pioneer in creating rose breeds that could withstand, and thrive, in the harsh Australian environment,' Ms Hutchinson explained. 'There are three distinct breeds of roses that were used to create the Jurlique Rose. These include the 'Children's Rose', which is very popular among rose enthusiasts due to its single stem growth, aromatic scent and resiliency, as well as it's powder pink colouring. 'The other distinctive parent is Rosa 'Charles De Mills' which sits in the Gallica family, pre-dating the 1600s. It is a quaint beauty with ruffled petals, crimson red colouring and a traditional rose scent profile. 'These were paired with a male pollinator, 'George's Secret' which in turn created the perfect blend of vibrancy and fragrance, resulting in a deep pink, robust rose.' Since Jurlique began farming its 'signature rose' in 2015, it gets through over 700 kgs of its petals every year to supercharge and fragrance its Rare Rose range. It's not just the unique rose that is grown at the Jurlique Farm, with the brand harvesting 40 different botanicals that are used in a number of its products. 'We believe in the Life Force of Nature, and we capture that in our botanicals to ensure we're creating the most potent skincare,' Ms Hutchinson shared. 'Our biodynamic farming practices are at the core of our brand, we always look to give back more than we take from the land. This process ensures our plant actives are not only being grown consciously and sustainably, but that we're regenerating the land and encouraging biodiversity at the farm.' It also means that customers get 'full transparency and traceability' on the ingredients they put on their skin, Ms Hutchinson said. 'When you purchase a Jurlique product, we have the ability to tell you who picked the plant, what field it came from and when it was harvested, which is a very unique quality for a skincare brand. 'We call this our seed to skin journey, and it's a value we're very proud to uphold at Jurlique.' The farm also grows a variety of herbs, often planted 5 years in advance of when they will be harvested and used. It seems Aussies, and Jurlique customers around the world, are huge fans of the Rare Rose range, with the brand's Rose Hand Cream selling every 3 minutes. 'Hand creams are our global bestseller, with one sold every 3 minutes based on 2024 sales,' she said. 'People love its ability to leave hands hydrated and protected, without sitting on the skin.' Other 'popular products' sold by Jurlique include its Activating Water Essence+ which Ms Hutchinson said 'gives you an instant boost of hydration, prepping your skin for further steps in your rituals'. 'We're also proud experts of face oils at Jurlique, with one on our shelves to suit every skin type. 'My favourite is the Rare Rose Face Oil as it is lightweight with a dry, silky finish – providing a hit of moisture that leaves your skin feeling softer, smoother and more supple.'
