Plus mammoth floods and turtle babysitters. Welcome to Galah Weekly, our award-winning newsletter keeping you up to date with regional headlines that matter, plus other delightful things from life beyond the city. By Dean Southwell, who is only just comprehending the scale of Queensland’s floods.
Australian beef exports to the US were singled out when President Trump launched his so-called Liberation Day tariffs, applying a base 10% tariff on virtually all Australian exports to the US. Other countries face tariffs as high as 49%.
About $4.3 billion of Australian beef was exported to the US last year – much of it destined for hamburgers – but Trump has taken exception to an Australian biosecurity ban on US beef imposed more than 20 years ago to address concerns about mad cow disease.
The National Farmers Federation said the tariffs were a backward step and pointed out Australia imports $2.5 billion of US agricultural products.
Tariffs had already been applied by the Trump administration to aluminium and steel, and they’ll now apply to meat and other agricultural exports. Other sectors such as pharmaceuticals – which are still under review – precious metals, electronics and machinery, are big exporters to the US.
What it means American importers will pay 10% more for Australian goods, making the imports less competitive. Importers might absorb that extra cost but economists say it is likely to be passed on to American consumers. It could also mean Australian producers face pressure to cut their prices. The US takes about 4% of Australian exports but a bigger concern for Australia is the global trade turmoil triggered by the tariffs.
Huge swathes of central and western Queensland are likely to be under water for weeks as the state deals with a flood zone twice the size of Victoria – or about the size of France. Graziers are bracing for devastating losses and early estimates indicate at least 140,000 cattle, sheep and goats have been killed.
Townsville was expected to surpass its annual rainfall record this week, only three months into 2025.
Quilpie grazier Louise Hoch, one of many waiting to fully assess the damage, told of the heartbreak of seeing and hearing cattle from much further north being washed past by floodwaters.
Relentless rain Large parts of Qld have effectively been on flood watch since at least November. The state’s disaster log in the past five months includes: 10-24 November 2024, Ipswich storms and rain; 21 November-10 December, south-west floods and rain; 9 December-14 January, southern rain and flooding; 19-24 December, north and far north floods; 29 January, north Qld tropical low; 1-16 March, Tropical Cyclone Alfred and associated flooding.
Narrabri shire mayor Darrell Tiemens doesn’t need much prompting to sing the praises of his town, especially when he thinks it’s been criticised unfairly.
Tiemens and other residents bristled last month when the town’s reputation became collateral damage in a Fair Work case over mining workers’ conditions. A lawyer for coal miner Whitehaven argued its Narrabri workforce had better conditions than others in the region because workers did not want to live in the town. "Narrabri isn't a very nice place to live," he said. Another lawyer agreed: "Nobody lives there."
Tiemens described the comments as nonsense, although he understood they were made in the context of legal argument. He mounts a case for Narrabri (pop. 7500) as an innovative, smart and connected community that Galah believes typifies so much of regional Australia. He says Narrabri has more than its share of creatives and scientists – it’s home to CSIRO research centres – as well as a vibrant business centre and plenty of natural beauty. He reckons nearby Mount Kaputar National Park is one of the local treasures, home to endemic species including a famous pink slug.
An additional 50 urgent care clinics – including 17 in the regions – were funded in last week’s federal budget, although the AMA and at least one health researcher believe the jury is still out on whether they’re achieving their aims.
Medicare urgent care clinics provide urgent bulk-billed care for people who have an injury or illness that can be managed without a trip to hospital. There are already 87 clinics in operation, staffed by GPs and nurses who can treat patients who can’t wait for a regular GP appointment.
An interim evaluation of the program was delivered last week, but AMA president Danielle McMullen wants to see results of a full assessment. Until then, she says, the expansion was based on unclear evidence.
Henry Cutler, who heads Macquarie University’s centre for the health economy, says the clinics were introduced to take pressure off public hospital emergency departments and reduce workload on GPs. He said there was potential to deliver on those aims but more needed to be done to communicate their benefits and ensure they were properly staffed.
Citizen scientist volunteers and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service have worked together to save endangered baby loggerhead turtles threatened by Tropical Cyclone Alfred last month.
NSW Turtlewatch project officer Merryn Dunleavy described the delicate operation to remove about 1000 eggs from nine nests between Tweed Heads and south of Port Macquarie before they were destroyed by waves. The process even included marking each egg to ensure it was not moved off its vertical orientation before being taken to an incubator.
The rescue operation is reporting a 85-90% success rate, with more than 480 hatchlings released on beaches so far.
Hatchlings aren’t simply released into the water. That first sprint along their home beach to the water plays a critical role imprinting the location for the baby turtles, especially necessary for females that will return decades later to lay eggs.
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“Earth”, defines the Macquarie Dictionary, “is the ground or land, the surface upon which we live and where things are located”. It’s also the planet we walk on, the farms we rely on, the backyards we play in – and the theme of Galah Issue 12. From artful bricks to a kitchen-table political revolution, roll up the sleeves and get earthy.
Galah Issue 12 is on sale tomorrow. Find copies at your nearest stockist, or buy online and we will deliver.
Winners of the 2025 Galah Regional Photography Prize will be announced at a party on 2 May at the New England Regional Art Museum in Armidale.
An eight-week exhibition of the finalists' work opens at NERAM on 11 April.
You can play a role in shaping the future of regional photography by voting for the People’s Choice winner. And don’t forget to book tickets for the prize party.
Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. This exhibition features self-portraits, photographs and personal belongings, including many that had been sealed in a bathroom for 50 years after her death in 1954. At Bendigo Art Gallery, Vic, until 13 July. Read more
The Bank Art Museum Moree is showing a series spanning 50 years of work by celebrated artist Elisabeth Cummings. The exhibition is part of a 2025 program that includes the photographic series The ballad of sexual dependency by Nan Goldin. At Bank Art Museum Moree, until 31 May. Read more
The historic NSW village of Millthorpe hosts an inaugural festival celebrating music, food and wine. Hear operatic arias and duets on opening night, the music of Rossini on Saturday, and Sunday’s program includes a concert of emerging opera stars followed by a Cole Porter-George Gershwin tribute. On 18-20 April. Read more
Interview: Emma Hearnes
From her home in South Gippsland, photographer Nicky Cawood captures the people, places, and small businesses that make her region shine.
How did your professional journey lead you to South Gippsland? I studied to be a chef straight out of school and followed that path for about eight years, which took me to the UK and had me working way too hard, but I craved the rush that came with a busy service. I worked in travel before moving to the country in 2010. After having two kids, I felt inspired to get involved in the community and started to curate events. These spaces begged to be photographed so I picked up a camera.
Where did the name “Everyday Nicky” come from? I always wanted my photography style to be authentically me. I started sharing places I’d visit in my everyday life. People always commented that they would see an image and recognise it as mine, so I knew I was on the right track.
What’s a memorable everyday moment you’ve captured? I looked down from a fourth-floor apartment in Lisbon and saw a baby wrapped up in its mother’s arms. I assume she was on a video call and trying to get the baby’s attention. But the baby was looking up at me, noticing the world through its own eyes. It’s still one of my favourite images.
Is there a subject you’ve photographed who left a lasting impression? I met the incredible Josephine Jakobi recently, who I photographed for Galah Issue 12. She’s a strong, passionate, grounded woman. I burst into tears walking into her studio, and listening to her talk had me in awe most of the day.
A 79-year-old bird-watcher made a 5000km round trip from her home in Albury-Wodonga to a bird sanctuary on the Nullarbor to help her deal with grief and escape the bad-news cycle.
The only real hitch for Christina Sobey, who slept in her station wagon on the trip, was running out of fuel about 10km from home on the return journey. Sobey lost her husband more than a year ago and decided to make the trip to the historic Eyre Bird Observatory near Cocklebiddy in WA.
We’d love to hear about the news, events and people that should be making the headlines in the Galah Weekly newsletter. Share what’s new(s) in your neck of the woods with us at newsie@galahpress.com
