Month: February 2026

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

Issued on
28 Feb 2026 20:12

Warning area
Reeves Plains, Lewiston township and Two Wells area in the Adelaide Plains, approximately 10 kilometers north west of Gawler.

Warning level
Advice – Avoid Smoke

Action
Smoke from REEVES PLAINS Fire is in the Lewiston township, Reeves Plains and Two Wells area near Gawler in Adelaide’s north.

Smoke can affect your health. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.

Symptoms of exposure includes shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, burning eyes, running nose, chest tightness, chest pain and dizziness or light-headedness.

If you or anyone in your care are having difficulty breathing, seek medical attention from your local GP. If your symptoms become severe, call 000.

More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

Source: Australian Renewable Energy Agency

Queensland startup Banksia Minerals is set to receive up to $5 million in funding to support its copper production pilot project, which aims to help strengthen Australia’s critical minerals capability and accelerate the nation’s clean energy transition.

Banksia’s breakthrough electrochemical technology enables the efficient processing of low-grade copper resources that are typically uneconomic with conventional methods, while reducing energy use and emissions.

The funding, provided through ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program (ARP) and delivered in two stages over three years, will help de-risk Banksia Minerals’ pilot plant development and support the project’s progression from laboratory prototype to field demonstration.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said supporting innovative Australian startups is key to delivering new industries, jobs and solutions as the energy system transforms.

“The rapid growth in global electrification and renewable energy deployment has seen copper demand grow to unprecedented levels whilst supply remains constrained. Innovative solutions like Banksia’s help meet that growing demand by unlocking low-grade resources, strengthening domestic supply chains and supporting a cleaner, more resilient energy future.”

“By backing early-stage and first-of-a-kind projects like this, ARENA is helping Australian companies de-risk new technologies, attract private investment and scale faster,” said Mr Miller.

Banksia Minerals was showcased at ARENA’s 2025 Innovation Bay Renewables Startup Showcase, an event that brings together emerging clean‑energy companies with investors, industry leaders and commercial partners.

Banksia Minerals Managing Director Leigh Staines said initiatives like the ARP are key to supporting the bridge between new technology development and industry application.

“Coming from industry, I appreciate it is challenging to invest time and resources into early-stage innovation when the focus is on day-to-day operations and delivery. Yet we know that step-change solutions will only be delivered through the development of breakthrough research that can address the supply chain challenges faced by the resources sector and its ultimate customer base – all of us.”

ARENA is supporting startup, mining and research organisations to accelerate the decarbonisation of critical energy minerals. By funding electrified, low-emissions alternatives to diesel and gas-based systems and scalable technologies across a range of critical energy minerals, ARENA aims to enable cleaner production and drive a low emissions minerals industry.

The Advancing Renewables Program is ARENA’s flagship, always-open funding initiative supporting a broad spectrum of renewable energy projects, from early-stage research and development through to demonstration and pre-commercial deployment. The ARP is continuously open for applications that align with ARENA’s strategic priorities as set out in the Investment Plan.

For more information about the Advancing Renewables Program visit the ARENA funding page.

ARENA media contact:

media@arena.gov.au

Download this media release (PDF 174KB)

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

Djaa Djuwima is proud to launch a series of individual exhibitions from March 4 to June 9 celebrating the works of First Nations artists Aunty Gertrude Gittins, Aunty Beryl Gay, and Lynette Fagan.

Their Stories: A Solo Series is an opportunity for three local First Nations artists to present a solo exhibition and show their work in their own way. The aim is to let people see their ideas, stories, techniques, and cultural connections as part of an evolving and sophisticated artistic language.

Djaa Djuwima Curator and Arts Officer – First Nations Michellie Charvat said the exhibitions were not only a chance for the established artists to show their work, but also an opportunity for the local community and visitors to experience the deeper cultural influences that inspire the artists’ creativity.

“Each of the three exhibitions continues long traditions of storytelling, celebrating the artists’ individual creativity and expressing their cultural strength,” Ms Charvat said.

“It upholds the artist’s voice, grounded in Country, informed by personal lived experience, and shaped by the deep cultural knowledge passed down through generations.

“Their stories: A Solo Series also contributes to the ongoing reshaping of the Australian art landscape, one led by First Nations creators.”

The project will launch three exhibitions in a row, each one focusing on a different First Nations artist.

• Aunty Gertrude Gittins is exhibiting from March 4 to March 30
• Aunty Beryl Gay is exhibiting March 31 to April 4
• Lynette Fagan is exhibiting April 5 to June 9

An official opening at Djaa Djuwima will take place on Tuesday March 3 from 5pm. All are welcome.

The free Djaa Djuwima exhibition opens daily from 9am to 4.30pm on Wednesday March 4 and is located in the Bendigo Visitor Centre, 51-67 Pall Mall.

Djaa Djuwima means to ‘show, share Country’ in Dja Dja Wurrung language. It is a space for all First Nations artist to exhibit no matter where they are on their journey from emerging artists through to well-established artists. It creates a dialogue across the wider community and uplifts and empowers the voices of First Nations peoples.

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

NARACOORTE

Issued on
27 Feb 2026 10:56

Hay Truck Fire Naracoorte

The CFS is attending a hay truck fire approximately 5km Northeast of Naracoorte on Munn Road.

15 CFS members of 3 trucks and the landowner will remain on scene for some time working to extinguish the fire and ensure the scene remains safe.

This fire is putting up smoke across the area and may be impacting roads. Emergency services will be working on around this area for some time. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

Members of the community are urged to take care and drive to conditions.

Message ID 0009330

Source: Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission

A new memorial stone and plaque has been placed at the grave of Captain John King Davis CBE, one of the mostly highly decorated navigators and mariners in the history of Antarctic exploration.
Captain Davis served as Chief Officer under Ernest Shackleton during the British Antarctic Nimrod Expedition in 1907 and captained the SY Aurora during the Australasian Antarctic Expedition in 1911, led by Sir Douglas Mawson.

Despite his contributions, Captain Davis’s grave at the Melbourne General Cemetery has remained unmarked since his death in 1967.
Earlier this month, members of the ANARE Club, including President Rebecca Jeffcoat, attended a ceremony at the grave site to unveil the new monument.
“Captain John King Davis was central to Australia’s earliest Antarctic achievements,” Ms Jeffcoat said.
“His seamanship, judgement and quiet leadership under extreme conditions helped shape the course of Antarctic exploration.
“Recognising his legacy is not simply about marking a grave — it is about ensuring that future generations understand the depth of Australia’s maritime and Antarctic heritage.
“We owe it to pioneers like Davis to remember their courage, skill, and enduring contribution to Australia’s Antarctic story.”
Davis research station, one of Australia’s three Antarctic stations, is named after Captain Davis.
Expeditioners currently working there sent a wreath to the rededication service, presented on their behalf by Esther Rodewald, Davis Station Leader in 2020/21.
“It was really wonderful to see the involvement of the current cohort of expeditioners at Davis Station,” Rebecca Jeffcoat said.
“For too many years, Captain Davis lay here without a fitting memorial so it is wonderful that we have been able to correct that omission and honour him appropriately.”
This content was last updated 1 week ago on 27 February 2026.

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

Issued on
26 Feb 2026 18:17

Warning area
MARINER DRIVE, SHEIDOW PARK in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, approx 20km south of the CBD.

Warning level
Advice – Avoid Smoke

Action
Smoke from a grass fire in a valley off Mariner Drive is in the causing smoke to drift towards the suburb of Hallet Cove. area.

Smoke can affect your health. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.

Symptoms of exposure includes shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, burning eyes, running nose, chest tightness, chest pain and dizziness or light-headedness.

If you or anyone in your care are having difficulty breathing, seek medical attention from your local GP. If your symptoms become severe, call 000.

More information will be provided by the MFS when it is available.

Source: Government of Queensland

Issued: 26 Feb 2026

Musket balls and other maritime artefacts that may date back to 1799 have been donated to the Queensland Museum for permanent preservation.

The artefacts, including 48 musket balls, were removed illegally from the Bribie Island National Park by a man with a metal detector.

Archaeological experts from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) examined the artefacts, and concluded the morphology was consistent with late-18th to mid-19th century material culture.

Based upon notes recorded by Captain Matthew Flinders, the items may have been in his possession in July 1799.

As the first British explorer to enter Moreton Bay, Flinders spent two weeks in the area on HM sloop Norfolk.

On 16 July 1799, the Flinders crew is believed to have fired a musket at Skirmish Point and then left behind a shot belt containing musket balls.

According to his notes, Flinders was also at White Patch on 23 July 1799.

DETSI Cultural Heritage Coordinator Dr Anthony Simmons said the artefacts could be associated with the incidents recorded in Flinders’s notes.

“The musket balls and maritime artefacts could be physical evidence of historical events, and it is important that they be preserved,” Dr Simmons said.

“DETSI remained in possession of the artefacts during our investigation into their removal from the Bribie Island National Park, and now it is time for them to be accepted by the Queensland Museum.

“Under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992, people must report the discovery of significant archaeological artefacts to DETSI.

“When the man offered the artefacts for sale, a concerned member of the public contacted DETSI. Following our investigation, the man was issued with a caution.”

The items include:

• a hand-wrought nail with a four-sided shank used for construction and repairing boats
• a plum bob or pointed weight attached to a string that is used to find a vertical reference line
• 48 small lead shot musket balls – drop made or mould made
• decahedron metal ball potentially used as a ship’s ballast.

Source: Australian Renewable Energy Agency

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is providing up to $3.25 million in funding to MGA Thermal for up to five front-end engineering design (FEED) studies to accelerate the commercialisation of their proprietary thermal energy storage (TES) technology, supporting industrial electrification.

At the core of MGA Thermal’s system is its patented MGA Block technology, which stores energy as latent heat, enabling efficient long duration thermal storage. Renewable electricity is converted into heat and stored in the MGA Blocks, before being dispatched on demand as high-grade process heat suitable for industrial applications.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project aims to address one of the most challenging areas of decarbonisation.

“Decarbonising industrial process heat is critical to Australia’s net zero transition, but it remains one of the hardest problems to solve,” Mr Miller said.

“By supporting detailed FEED studies, this project could give industrial customers greater confidence in the technical and commercial viability of TES, helping move promising projects closer to investment and deployment.”

The project aims to advance five high-conviction commercial opportunities with strategic customers, producing detailed technical designs, cost estimates, delivery schedules, risk assessments and commercial strategies to accelerate project investment readiness and wider TES adoption across Australia’s industrial sector.

MGA Thermal CEO Mark Croudace said this funding represents continued traction for MGA Thermal and provides an opportunity for industrial partners looking to decarbonise their operations.

“ARENA’s backing gives industry the capacity to move forward with technical and commercial certainty enabling investment in TES projects. We’re excited to work with forward thinking industrial companies who are ready to lead their transition.”

Insights from the FEED studies will also be shared more broadly to inform industry of the opportunities for TES, the barriers to adoption and potential solutions to enable wider uptake across Australia’s industrial sector.

This investment reflects ARENA’s commitment to supporting innovative technologies that improve the competitiveness of Australian industry, reduce emissions and strengthen energy resilience as part of the clean energy transition.

The project is funded under the Industrial Transformation Stream (ITS). Round 3 is currently open for applications. For further information and to apply, visit the funding page.

ARENA media contact:

media@arena.gov.au

Download this media release (PDF 174KB)

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

Electric Wonderland will once again transform Rosalind Park into a vibrant canvas of colour, creativity and light when it returns to the heart of Bendigo this winter school holidays from June 26 to July 14, 2026.

The much-loved light show promises to shine brighter than ever as it delivers even more exciting hands-on experiences and breathtaking photo opportunities. Visitors can expect new innovative light installations including:

• a giant magical snow-globe
• interactive dance-pads with a fiery finale
• projection portals to lose yourself in
• an immersive radiant reef of underwater creatures

Now in its fourth year, Electric Wonderland has fast become a winter family tradition, with thousands of visitors from across Victoria and interstate making it part of their school holiday plans.

Electric Wonderland Event and Creative Manager Alicia Villiers encouraged residents and visitors to save the date.

“This July, our popular Electric Wonderland will return with some exciting new attractions and family favourites, inviting visitors and residents to play, explore and capture magical selfie moments,” Electric Wonderland Event and Creative Manager Alicia Villiers said.

“We are thrilled to warm up Rosalind Park with Electric Wonderland for the fourth consecutive winter with a show that will surprise and delight audiences.”

City of Greater Bendigo Manager Economy & Experience James Myatt said Electric Wonderland was a must-see event.

“The City of Greater Bendigo is delighted to see the return of Electric Wonderland with awe-inspiring installations and hands-on experiences. It will be a highlight of the winter school holidays for people of all ages to enjoy,” James Myatt said.

Further program details, event maps, and the ticket release date will be announced in the coming months.

For more information, follow Electric Wonderland on Facebook or Instagram, or visit:

Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

The City of Greater Bendigo Youth Council has commenced its second year of a two-year term with six new, and eleven returning Youth Councillors for 2026.

New Youth Councillors Anya Singh, Ava Parker, Bailey Leach, Grace Wells, Hayden Ferrari and Simone Richter have joined returning Youth Councillors Aidan Sanders, Alyssa Beaton, Amelia Westbrook, Annie Dalton, Bailey Dolan, Ella Filsell, Freiya O’Connor, Hamish Knight, Lucas Thredgold, Mollie Hartje and Rafferty Brasier.

The Youth Council met yesterday with Alyssa Beaton elected as Youth Mayor and Ella Filsell and Bailey Dolan installed as Deputy Mayors.

Youth Mayor Alyssa Beaton said her appointment as youth mayor fills her with pride and strength.

“To be given the opportunity to lead this year’s Youth Council as we begin our journey of growth, connection and impact sparks an excitement and determination that I plan to channel into this role,” Ms Beaton said.

“Youth Council provides a space for young people to share their voices and make changes in an environment that is both welcoming and empowering. Beyond shaping our community and its future, the Youth Council shapes its members even more.

“The skills we gain from being part of this group are invaluable and allow us to truly influence areas of significance for Greater Bendigo.

“The position of Youth Mayor offers a platform where I can foster the uplifting atmosphere that first built my confidence as a Youth Councillor. To now be in the position of past leaders that have helped me grow and become who I am today is an incredible experience, and one I am beyond grateful for.”

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Thomas Prince welcomed both new and returning Youth Councillors and congratulated new Youth Mayor Alyssa Beaton and Deputy Youth Mayors Ella Filsell and Bailey Dolan.

“The Youth Council represents the views of young people on a range of City plans and programs that impact them and represents young people at civic and other events and activities, Cr Prince said.

“It also fulfils a key goal of the Council Plan 2025-2029 to ensure young people thrive and are empowered to lead.

“Over the past seven years Youth Councillors have contributed to nearly 60 City plans, strategies, policies and projects. They have also co-designed and overseen the development of the City’s Youth Action Plan and represented young people on several advisory committees.

“The Youth Council is an initiative to engage with local young people in the City’s decision-making process for the future and Council is looking forward to working with them in 2026.”