Plus Rex stumbles and cattle stampedes. Welcome to Galah Weekly, our newsy newsletter keeping you up to date with regional headlines that matter, plus other delightful things from life beyond the city. By Anna Rogan, who has spent the week wearing a puffer jacket even while indoors.
At the end of a turbulent week for Australia’s largest regional airline operator, travellers can still catch flights on Rex’s regional routes—for now.
In case you missed it, the airline entered voluntary administration this week. All Rex flights between capital-city airports were cancelled, the entire domestic fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft was grounded, and 360 staff were suddenly out of a job. The news comes soon after budget airline Bonza, another big player in Australian regional aviation, fell into administration in April.
In a statement on the Rex website, the airline said all regional Saab 340 flights were currently unaffected and would continue to operate. It said Rex has “a long and proud history of servicing regional and remote communities across Australia”. A spokesperson for administrators EY said it aims to "restructure the business so it can continue to service regional Australia".
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King offered conditional support this week. "We want to make sure that they have a future as part of aviation in this country and we are very determined to make sure that happens," she told reporters on Tuesday—with the qualifier: "We obviously don't want to do that just at any cost."
Why is this happening? In 2021, Rex leased 10 Boeing 373 jets and launched new routes between Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane to compete with big guns Qantas and Virgin. That strategy has been costing the airline millions. In June, the company updated its expectations of an operational profit for the financial year to an unexpected $30 million loss. According to ABC news, administrators told an all-staff meeting on Wednesday that the Boeing 737 arm of the business was in a "very perilous financial position … The business, to be very frank, is simply not viable".
The only thing better than reading your next copy of Galah is reading it on a stylish new rug. All subscribers to Galah magazine as of 10 November 2024 will be in the running to win $1500 to put towards a rug of their choice at The Rug Shop. Located in Bangalow, NSW, The Rug Shop is Australia’s top family-owned online Persian rug dealer, focused on sourcing the most sustainable, durable, handwoven rugs. Subscribe to be in the draw.
The NSW Farmers Association is campaigning to cut back daylight saving, arguing it is harmful for families to be getting up “in the dark” while city dwellers enjoy more outdoor activities after work.
President Xavier Martin said some children had to leave home in the dark to take a long bus journey to school when daylight saving starts in October. "Right when they're looking to wake up with the sun, we plunge them back into darkness and they're out there at the mailbox having to get on the bus in the dark again," Martin said. "Children don't want to go to sleep when it's light either, which is hard on young families."
While there is growing scientific evidence to suggest daylight saving might not be all that good for us, Premier Chris Minns has ruled out any change for NSW in the near future.
Locals in the northern Tasmanian town of Lebrina have reported a herd of about 30 wild cattle has been wreaking havoc, including tearing down fences and causing road accidents. Launceston City Council says its officers have been unable to contain the cattle; RSPCA Tasmania is investigating. And in other cattle-related news, at least 22 cows died when a truck loaded with livestock crashed into a bridge in Melbourne last week. Injured cattle were seen struggling on Alexandra Avenue in South Yarra, where the crash occurred.
The spectacular coastline of the Bay of Fires (larapuna) and Mount William National Park (wukalina) in north-east Tasmania has been named by Time magazine as one of 100 of the “world’s greatest places”. And the best way to see the destination? The magazine nominated wukalina Walk, the Indigenous-owned and operated four-day route and cultural adventure taking in the region’s granite headlands, white-sand beaches, and wombat and devil habitat.
In June we shared news that the NT government had issued an order to prevent mining and exploration by mining company Energy Resources Australia (ERA) at Jabiluka for the next two years. The order bought time for the government to consider an application made by ERA to extend its uranium lease at the site for a further 10 years.
This week, the Federal Government made its decision, announcing it would not only reject ERA’s application but will seek to formally absorb Jabiluka into the surrounding Kakadu National Park, permanently protecting the site from all future mining.
Advocates are calling on the Federal Government to open a new visa pathway for refugees via broader community sponsorship of asylum seekers. In a piece for The Guardian, writer (and Galah contributor) Dellaram Vreeland recounted stories of refugees in Mansfield, Warrnambool and Bendigo who have successfully resettled with the support of local communities, but writes that new pathways are needed for the families unable to find their way.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences of daylight saving. Is it a glorious lengthening of sunshine and good times? Or the bane of your health, sleep habits, and family life? Hit reply and tell us about it.
The newest Hickson family member has a name, and that name is Nutmeg (or Nutty for short). Nutty the Border Terrier travelled to the Hickson home from Boorowa via Boomi and joined this week’s Galah editorial meeting from her place atop Annabelle’s slippers in front of the fire — she is a clever and good girl already.
Galah team members have been slipping on their slippers this week. “Feels like” temperatures here in Tallarook, central Victoria, hit -4.8 this week, and Helen in Tasmania woke to frozen water pipes. Meanwhile, Lyndsie is basking in sunshine and temps in the low 20s on the Gold Coast — must be nice!
Congratulations to Jane Bell, the winner of our latest subscriber giveaway. Jane scored a new Homecamp 3.5 Tipi Tent just for subscribing to Galah magazine.
All subscribers to Galah magazine as of 10 November 2024 will be in the running to win $1500 to put towards a rug of their choice at The Rug Shop. If you’re already a subscriber, you’ll automatically go in the draw. If you’re not already a subscriber, you can rectify that here. Judging by our last winner, if your name is James Rug, we highly recommend that you do.
Artist Rob McHaffie’s keen observations of his everyday surroundings reveal the idiosyncrasies of contemporary Australian urban life with colour, whimsy and humour in equal measure. “We are Family” brings together recent and new paintings, collages, works on paper, and ceramic sculptures in a vibrant showcase of McHaffie’s buoyant creativity. Showing now at Bendigo Art Gallery. Read more.
Every two years, the National Photography Prize considers the vital role of photography in contemporary art in Australia. It’s a forum for artists working with photography and recognises the medium's complexities and nuances. Finalist works from the 2024 National Photography Prize are showing at Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) until 1 September. Read more.
Ink Gin’s annual acquisition prize, the Ink Art Competition, celebrates original thinkers and emerging artists across Australia. The winner receives $5000 and their artwork features on a limited-release bottling of Ink Art Gin. Entries for the 2024 Ink Art Competition are open until 20 August. Read more.
In 2019, Jayden Sheridan founded the Gnarly Neighbours youth group with half a dozen skateboards under his arm. He wanted to create a better environment than the one he experienced growing up in Seymour, one of the most disadvantaged regional towns in Victoria. While the ride hasn’t always been smooth, the “stoke levels” remain high and this year has been a particularly big one for Sheridan, with a nomination for Victorian Young Australian of the Year and an expansion of Gnarly Neighbours to include the Neighbourhood, a social enterprise cafe, skate store, print shop and indoor skate park in Seymour.
How has the Neighbourhood changed what you’re doing at Gnarly Neighbours?
The Neighbourhood is a massive step in making sure there's always somewhere with an open door for kids who need it most. It's about giving kids endless opportunities to explore things, and when they get bored of something and throw it over their shoulder the next positive thing is in front of them. It also provides a safe community atmosphere for Seymour, while tackling youth unemployment.
What do you love most about working with children?
Their creativity is endless, their excitement/stoke is so pure and yet to be diluted by being a "grown up". It really reminds me to keep that stoke in my own life. It's just an added bonus that the kids enjoy it, too.
What’s the gnarliest thing that's happened to you in the past week?
We had [video game developer] EA Sports reach out to us with a Gnarly donation, which was totally out of the blue. It ticks off another on what I call the "accidental bucket list". Teenage me would be losing his mind.
What's next for Gnarly Neighbours?
We have just started a partnership with an Australian university that will be conducting a study on the impact we’re having. This will help us understand what works, what doesn't, show the change we’re making and the need for more Neighbourhoods across Australia.
I asked the Galah team if they were sick of animal news yet and received a resounding “no” in reply, so I’m back to bless your inbox with more clever critter news. This week, we’re watching birds of prey at work in pest control.
Sabrina, the wedge-tailed eagle, and her handler Graeme Coles protect sites including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Flemington Racecourse, the Australian Open, offshore mining rigs, orchards, and airports from seagulls, cockatoos, and other pesky birds. It is illegal to use birds of prey to kill wildlife in Australia; Sabrina and other raptors trained by Coles know how to deter troublesome birds without causing harm.
Sabrina and Coles aren’t just controlling pests; they're also helping research partners at Federation University gather data about the ancient technique of falconry as ethical pest control.
The bond between a raptor and its handler can be very close. Coles says Sabrina enjoys spending time with him watching David Attenborough documentaries and cricket matches. "She's a doll. We have an amazing connection … but she hates my wife," he says. “So if I'm flying Sabrina, then my wife has to be inside. They're monogamous animals, and she sees my wife as a threat to the pecking order, so we have to be a bit careful."
We’d love to hear about the news, events and people that should be making the headlines in the Galah Weekly newsy. Share what’s new(s) in your neck of the woods with us at newsie@galahpress.com
