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Former outback station Thurloo Downs nears opening as NSW national park
Former outback station Thurloo Downs nears opening as NSW national park

ABC News

time04-08-2025

  • ABC News

Former outback station Thurloo Downs nears opening as NSW national park

A former outback New South Wales station, which is more than a third of the size of Greater Sydney, is edging closer to opening as a national park. The NSW government bought Thurloo Downs in 2023, in the largest-ever private land acquisition for a national park in the state's history. The 437,394-hectare property between Bourke and Tibooburra in the state's far north-west cost $108 million, according to an ABC Freedom of Information (FOI) request. Known to locals as Thurloo Downs — a 130-year-old sheep station — the property was previously five stations combined: Thurloo, Margalah, Caloola, Delalah Downs and Yarralee. By the time the state government bought it, it was owned by one family. The scale of the property was one of several reasons it was purchased, according to Rob Smith, executive director of park operations inland at the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). NPWS is installing visitor infrastructure and is looking at setting up driving tours to explore the park's key features. While the NPWS expects Thurloo Downs National Park to be open to the public in 2026, the priority is getting feral species under control. Since 2021, the NSW government has purchased more than a dozen properties across far western NSW to turn them into national parks. But pest management continues to be a challenge, according to the NPWS. Following floods in Queensland, it undertook an aerial shooting campaign targeting pigs, dogs, foxes and cats. "We've got an extensive program of feral animal control right across the state using a range of ground-based techniques," Mr Smith said. "It is a continuing focus right across the state, and certainly we'll be making sure we continue that work out here." The conversion of Thurloo Downs from grazing land into a conservation area has been met with disappointment by the Pastoralists' Association of West Darling (PAWD). PAWD head Sam Beven said pastoralists remained sceptical about the scale of outback stations to the NSW government for conservation and tourism purposes. "Some places such as Mutawintji National Park [where] there's Aboriginal artwork … something to attract tourists, but when it's just a random parcel of land that's difficult to get to because of a dirt road, I find it hard to agree that tourism is going to go through the roof because there's a national park there," he said. Graziers were also concerned about the impact on succession planning and whether the new national park would become a "breeding ground for pest animals". "We'd like to hope that the National Parks and Wildlife Service can look after it as well as the previous owners," Mr Beven said. Mr Beven said pastoralists would lobby to improve the roads around Thurloo Downs and other national parks. "We will definitely be using these national parks as a drawcard to try to convince the government to seal the road," he said. "Because it's hard to market tourism when it's a 4WD access only kind of road."

Mental health support needed for flood victims: advocate
Mental health support needed for flood victims: advocate

Otago Daily Times

time29-07-2025

  • Climate
  • Otago Daily Times

Mental health support needed for flood victims: advocate

People in the Tasman region will need long-term mental health support after devastating winter floods, a mental health advocate says. Locals have endured two flood emergencies and repeated orange heavy rain warnings in recent weeks. The Nelson Tasman region is again under a heavy rain warning until at least 10pm today. Nelson Tasman Emergency Management duty group controller Rob Smith told RNZ's Checkpoint programme today that residents are tired, and the current weather system would typically not be one to worry about if it were not for the previous flood damage. The Rural Support Trust says many already flood-affected residents were also feeling very anxious as more heavy rain fell. Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson says when disaster strikes, people were usually in a more practical mode, adrenaline pumping, and doing what they needed to do to respond. It was the aftermath that could leave some people feeling depressed, hopeless or isolated - a natural human response to a very difficult situation, he said. "It's then when you have to look at the aftermath and the fact that things are not going to go back to the way they were, that can be really difficult and that's when it can really start to affect people's mental health and well-being. "People need to really create a new sense of what living in that place is going to be about." Robinson described what was happening in Tasman as an "ongoing natural disaster" rather than separate floods. Community connections made a big difference. "What we've seen and what farmers and rural people have told us from the Cyclone Gabrielle experience [in 2023], was that it was communities continuing to work together that made the difference to them continuing to have hope and a sense of not being alone in this, and therefore boosting their resilience and mental well-being," he said. The government also needed to look at what support it provided, not only offering counselling, Robinson said. "Whatever communities do and whatever government does to respond to a situation like Tasman, really needs to be boosting those community networks, those community responses to this ongoing crisis. "It is the months and even years after these major events that we need to encourage that sense of community resilience and actually put some work into creating and sustaining that community resilience. "That is certainly what the government is responsible for resourcing as part of its response to natural disasters." It was important that communities felt supported and did not feel like the country had forgotten them, he believed. Robinson hoped people would feel comfortable to reach out and ask for support if they needed it. Rural Support Trust Nelson Tasman chair Richard Kempthorne said people were getting tired after heavy rain has battered the region multiple times within the space of weeks. "It certainly takes a toll on people. Many of these people who've lived in the area for years and they've lived on their properties for years and they've had flooding before. But very few people have had a flood to this extent." Many people in the Motueka and Wai-iti valleys relied on their business in the area for income so flooding also threatened their livelihoods, he said. "During the flood event, it will just be step back and let it happen. Once it drops, what's the damage left and then what can we do? "What we encourage and what people I think are actually quite good at is to chopping it down into - what do I need to do first and what are the steps I need to take? Not trying to do it all at once and just bite one chunk off at a time." Kempthorne said people should reach out for help as there was support available. That included Taskforce Green which was going onto farms to clear debris, Big Bake in Wakefield which was preparing food for rural communities, Federated Farmers, and the Rural Support Trust which offered counselling support.

Centric Brands Appoints Rob Smith President of Kid's Division
Centric Brands Appoints Rob Smith President of Kid's Division

Yahoo

time21-07-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Centric Brands Appoints Rob Smith President of Kid's Division

The veteran apparel executive and founder of The Phluid Project adds to Centric's deep and experienced leadership team. NEW YORK, July 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Centric Brands, a leading lifestyle brand collective and marketplace leader in kids' apparel, today announced the appointment of Rob Smith as President of the Kids division. Based in New York, Rob will report directly to CEO, Jason Rabin, and join the company's Executive Leadership Team. In his new role, Rob will lead the Kids division across all global brands and categories, working in close collaboration with teams across the organization to drive strategic growth, deepen consumer engagement, and elevate Centric Brands' leadership in the kids' marketplace through continued innovation and operational excellence. Smith joins Centric effective immediately and will work in tandem with Steve Pinkow who has served as the Group President of the Kids division for 17 years. Pinkow will become a consultant to the business at the end of the year through 2026. "Rob is a dynamic and purpose-driven leader with a strong track record of building brands, scaling businesses, and inspiring teams," said Jason Rabin, Chief Executive Officer, Centric Brands. "His deep industry expertise and forward-thinking approach will be invaluable as we advance our kids' platform globally. I am extremely thankful to Steve for his friendship, dedication and the business he built over the past 17 years. He has left an indelible mark on the organization." Rob brings over 35 years of leadership experience in fashion, apparel, denim, and activewear across men's, women's, and kids' categories. Most recently, he served as CEO and Founder of The Phluid Project, a purpose-led brand at the intersection of fashion, community, and education, grounded in the values of Gen Z and Millennial consumers. Under his leadership, Phluid's products have expanded to over 10,000 retail locations across North America. Previously, Rob held a seat on the Board of Directors at Steve Madden and served as Chief Product Officer at Haddad Brands. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles at Macy's and Victoria's Secret, where he managed multi-billion-dollar businesses and earned recognition for his innovative and transformational leadership. "I'm honored to join Centric Brands and lead the Kids division at such an exciting time for the business," said Rob Smith. "Throughout my career, I've been passionate about building brands that reflect the needs and values of today's consumers. I look forward to working with the talented teams at Centric to continue driving innovation, expanding our global reach, and creating meaningful connections with families around the world." About Centric Brands LLC. Centric Brands LLC is a global leading lifestyle brand collective that has unparalleled expertise in product design, development and sourcing, retail and digital commerce, marketing, and brand building. Centric designs, sources, markets, and sells high-quality products in the kids, men's and women's apparel, accessories, beauty, and entertainment categories. The Company's portfolio includes licenses for more than 100 iconic brands, including Calvin Klein®, Tommy Hilfiger®, Nautica®, and Under Armour® in the kid's category; Buffalo®, Dockers®, Hervé Léger®, IZOD®, Joe's Jeans®, and John Elliot® in the men's and women's apparel category; All Saints®, Coach®, Frye®, Hunter®, Kate Spade®, Michael Kors®, and Vince® in the accessories category; and in the Sports & Entertainment category, Disney®, Game 7®, Marvel®, Messi®, Nickelodeon®, and Warner Brothers® among many others. The Company also owns and operates Avirex®, Fiorelli®, Hudson®, Robert Graham®, and Taste Beauty® and operates joint venture brands, Favorite Daughter, Jennifer Fisher, and Preston Lane. The Company's products are sold through leading mass-market retailers, specialty and department stores, and online. The Company is headquartered in New York City, with U.S. offices in Los Angeles and Greensboro, and international offices in Asia, Europe, Montreal, and Toronto. Centric Brands social impact efforts are centered around our commitment to serve and uplift the communities where we live and do business. Through our collective volunteerism and contributions, we are dedicated to making a caring and lasting impact on the world around us. For more information about Centric Brands, please visit View source version on Contacts Media:Charlotte Martincharlottemartin@ Error al recuperar los datos Inicia sesión para acceder a tu cartera de valores Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos Error al recuperar los datos

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