Category: REGIONAL REPORTING PROJECT
Long before COVID-19 and the devastating bushfires of 2020's Black Summer, 20 UTS Journalism students fanned out across NSW to see how regional communities are living with climate change.
Between January 28 and February 9, they split into four teams and left Sydney on train or coach, bound for the Mid North Coast, South Coast, Central West/Orana and New England regions.
Over four days they met and interviewed children, farmers, community leaders and more, to find out what it's like to live with the increasingly constant spectre of drought, bushfires and floods. They asked these communities how they were building a sustainable future and how, as trainee journalists, they could help bridge the divide between city and country climate reporting.
The students were welcomed into homes and workplaces with open arms. They heard stories of struggle, resilience and hope and discovered rural communities united in their active search for solutions.
These are their stories.
*The Regional Reporting Project has been made possible by the philanthropic support of Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEO of Atlassian.
Forster-Tuncurry (Photo: Mark Kriedemann)
HEATWAVES, DROUGHT, BUSHFIRES AND FLOODS
Latest
Ancient water to drain from farmland without ongoing joint management
Groundwater has been credited with “saving rural communities from collapse” but its potential for future drought-proofing depends on how successfully it’s managed.
On fallow ground: conversations about soil, climate change and the future of agriculture
Central West farmers discuss how regenerative agriculture and cultural land management could hold the key to mitigating climate change.
Bega’s Kristy McBain: from bushfires to the campaign trail
Kristy McBain is one of two community leaders who guided the South Coast through this summer’s devastating bushfires. Both may be about to face-off in a by-election in the federal seat of Eden-Monaro.
Betting the farm on Old Man Saltbush
There’s a hint of green in Central West paddocks, but the long dry spell is yet to be broken. That’s why local farmers like Narromine’s Ben Sippel decided long ago not to wait.
Bitter debate over Central West’s most precious resource
Central West residents are blaming the NSW Government, not irrigators, for “absolute mismanagement” of water resources.
Caves hold the secret to understanding groundwater
Tourists aren’t the only ones keen to get back inside Wellington’s caves once COVID-19 restrictions ease. Researchers have discovered the site may hold the key to understanding groundwater sources.
Quirindi’s ‘beating heart’ survived drought, wars and The Great Depression. Now it’s battling COVID-19
Sharon Thompson sits in her office with only one other person manning the front desk. The office is quiet, but her phone is running hot. She is in the process of calling her readers to tell them there will be no paper this week. Or the next.
Photo Essay: searching for climate solutions
COLOURS OF THE COUNTRY by Daniella Scotti “A summer of flame” Sydney Morning Herald, February 7....
Joint land care and better water policy needed to manage drought
Community leaders and farmers agree that water and land management are the key to building resilience in the Central West, where recent rain has not been enough to end the prolonged drought.
Strategy to build Bega’s climate resilience
Dairy farmers in the Bega Valley have long battled supermarkets over the prices paid for their milk products, so when summer’s bushfires swept through their properties and herds, it was all too cruel a blow.
How sweet the sound of rain for the New England’s honey producers
“It’s a good thing you’ve brought the rain with you,” Ray Hull says as he wipes droplets from his glasses and turns on the lights in his shed.
Climate induced gas build-up forces the closure of Gaden Cave
The lack of groundwater, high overnight temperatures and increased storm activity have led to a dangerous build-up of carbon dioxide in one of Wellington’s heritage-listed caves.
Calrossy students join the shift towards sustainable practice
*Featured Image: Tamworth Cr and Careers Advisor Charles Impey with UTS’s Travis Radford,...
New England’s call for joint drought, water and climate policy
The surface may be greening after recent rain, but the effects of the drought run deep in the NSW New England.
Bega’s search for a middle ground on climate change
Luca, Anise and Nelly Yi, and their friend Harry Haggar, are part of the School Strike for Climate movement. They watched in shock as their cause was brought into vivid focus during this summer’s deadly bushfires.
Wallis Lake: disappearing islands and a change of direction
Tuncurry’s oyster farmers and cruise operators rely on Wallis Lake and its surrounding rivers to earn a living. Now, climate change is forcing them to re-think the way they work.
Heatwave, bushfires and a New Year’s ‘re-do’
Isabella Garrido was one of four students who travelled to Bega in the middle of a heatwave, and as the South Coast faced another bushfire emergency.
Life on the road getting hotter and drier
When William Owens spoke to a swaggie at the side of the road near Dubbo, he soon discovered he was in the presence of a local legend.
Oyster industry proves resilient by adapting to change
Australia’s oyster industry may be right on the water’s edge when it comes to climate change, but some Wallis Lakes farmers are withstanding rising sea levels because of their willingness to adapt.
Painting the way to a brighter future
Forster artist Donna Rankin wants to transform the lives of children struggling to make sense of a world of drought and bushfires.
Dr Jim Frazier: the man behind the lens
On a sprawling property in Bootawa lovingly named “Tanglewood”, Dr Jim Frazier lives with his wife, two dogs and a plethora of native wildlife.
A smoky dawn over Cobargo in the NSW Bega Valley. The dairy community was hit hard during the December bushfires, with the drought leaving locals very little water to defend their homes and businesses. (Photo: Isabella Garrido)
Grant "John" Cadoret, seen here just outside Dubbo, has been walking the highways of eastern Australia for more than 40 years. He reckons the summers are getting hotter and longer. (Photo:William Owens)
@Bega_News
From the Bega District News, Bega.
@MRTaree
From the Manning River Times, Taree.
‘Everyone has a story.’ This is Orana’s
The team sent to the Central West/Orana region share how the many people they met believe the key to sustainable farming and water security lies in finding the middle ground.
Hot off the press
*An old typesetting letter once used to print the Quirindi Advocate (Photo: Kirsten Jelinek) In...
Captain’s log: heading bush by road and rail
Twenty young journalists were involved in the Regional Reporting Project. We decided to document their travels in tweets.
THE REPORTING TEAM
MID NORTH COAST: Emily Kowal, Melanie Wong, Mark Kriedemann, Soofia Tariq and Alex Turner-Cohen
SOUTH COAST (with TrainLink South staff): Hanchi Nguyen, Kate Atkinson, Isabella Garrido and Lanie Tindale
ORANA/CENTRAL WEST: Matthew Kruzmetra, Henry McGilchrist, Bevin Liu, Madeleine Achenza, William Owens and Daniella Scotti
NEW ENGLAND: Kirsten Jelinek, Travis Radford, Sidney Boen (front), Lauren Klugt and Rhiannon Soliman-Marron
WITH THANKS TO...
(click each publication logo to read even more )
BEHIND THE SCENES
Sue Stephenson, Dr Helen Vatsikopolous, Dr Chrisanthi Giotis, Marcus Eckermann, Michael Stranges, Lori Hamilton, Destiny Wolf and UTS Head of Journalism Professor Monica Attard.
*The Regional Reporting Project has been made possible by the philanthropic support of Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEO of Atlassian.
Narromine earth (Photo: William Owens)