Actew’s compliance with the Energy Efficiency (Cost of Living) Act 2012 means you can keep a small wad for yourself

The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission has proposed a reduction in water prices in the wake of its draft report on regulated water and sewerage services:
If the prices proposed in this review were to come into effect, volumetric water prices would drop by about 17 per cent and sewerage services prices by about 24 [...]

The crickets are going mental tonight.
A friend has recorded them at 88 decibels, the same as a motorbike.
Above is a little something to confuse them in the form of a recording I made.
Below is my own recording of 91.
According to Yahoo that’s equivalent to:
a police whistle, heavy traffic, truck traffic, noisy home appliances subway-rail train, [...]

ACTEW Water have announced they’re closing the diversion on the Cotter Dam construction site which means the new dam will start to fill and the old wall is going under.
ACTEW Water’s new Enlarged Cotter Dam will begin impounding water from today.
While this milestone will be welcomed by our previously drought-threatened community, it will mean [...]

Still summer!
Who can remember an earlier one?
Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email it in to images@the-riotact.com .

It’s not a power ranger, or an airbourne ranger, but TAMS are looking for Senior Rangers:
“Applications are now open for various Ranger in Charge (Technical Officer Grade 4) and Senior Ranger (Ranger Grade 3) positions in the ACT Government,” Brett McNamara, National Parks and Catchments Operations Manager, announced today.
“As custodians of the land in the [...]

The National Capital Authority has made it known that their long delayed plan to fix corroded bolts on Scrivener Dam (what keeps Lake Burley Griffin where it’s supposed to be) are finally coming together:
The National Capital Authority (NCA) will begin installing replacement anchor bolts at Scrivener Dam at the beginning of March.
The replacement anchor [...]

Environment and Sustainable Development have announced their intention to expand the landfill at the Mugga Lane tip:
“The existing landfill facility at Mugga Lane is expected to reach capacity in 2015–2016,” Mr Ponton said.
“We have excellent recycling systems in the ACT with 70% of our waste being recycled, but with the ACT producing a million tonnes [...]

ACTEW Water have the cute story of two rare fish making the long an unexpected journey from Bendora to Stromlo:
A rare two-spined Blackfish, which employees from ACTEW Water’s Environment Team have appropriately nicknamed Nemo, will today return home.
The little fish made an epic journey from the Bendora Dam down miles of raw water pipes to [...]

Simon Corbell is making known the successes of the ACT Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme:
The final report on the scheme, which required all electricity retailers to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of electricity, will be tabled in the Legislative Assembly today.
“In the final six months of the scheme, the 16 retailers [...]

Actew Water is warning about next week’s water in Hipster Central:
ACTEW Water customers in the City, Turner and Braddon may experience some discolouration of the water supply from Monday 11 February until Tuesday 12 February due to essential network maintenance.
ACTEW Water apologises for any inconvenience this essential work may cause.
It is difficult to predict which [...]

Beautiful weather, last days of the school holidays, decided to take Junior Gasman (aged 9) to the opening weekend of the National Arboretum.
With consideration to health, environment, carbon and fun, we decided to ride our bicycles. From Belconnen to the front gate of the Arboretum, we had bicycle paths and lanes. At the main entrance [...]

[ 1 March, 2013; 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. ] Book Launch: The Jungle School by Butet Manurung
Bogong Theatre, Gorman House, Ainslie Avenue, Braddon

The Jungle School, adapted from the personal diaries kept during her first year in the jungles of Sumatra, tells of Butet Manurung’s journey from outsider, to trusted teacher, friend and advocate of the hunter gatherer Orang Rimba (People of the Forest) and [...]

The Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate are letting us know about their cod encouraging reef balls:
“Over the past 10 years Yerrabi Pond has been stocked with over 50,000 native fish to help improve the health of the waterway and assist recreational fisherman to enjoy the pond.
“The site is a popular spot amongst local fishermen. However; [...]

Zed Seselja is asking questions about where the ACT’s money has gone with Better Place going titsup?
ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja has today questioned the ACT Labor Government on how much money the part government owned company ActewAGL and the government itself have spent on Canberra’s future electric car network, which is now in doubt.
“The [...]

[ 2 February, 2013; 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. ] Chief Minister Gallagher is letting it be known that there is to be a community festival to open the arboretum:

“The opening of the Arboretum is the realisation of many years of work to transform the site, which emerged from the ashes of the devastating Canberra bushfires, to be transformed into a place of beauty, tranquillity, [...]

Australia Day Storm from Geoff Lloyd on Vimeo.
Geoff has sent this in:
Here’s a timelapse of the first part of the storm on Australia Day rolling over my place in Casey.

I can’t honestly recall Sullivans Creek with not even a trickle of water flowing through it.
And yet there it is.
Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email it it to images@the-riotact.com .

Following the 2009 cooking of the frogs Shane Rattenbury reports that the Northern Corroboree Frogs of Namadgi National Park were spared in the recent fire:
Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Shane Rattenbury, today commended ACT fire fighters for their success in containing and suppressing the recent fire in Namadgi National Park at Mount Ginini while [...]

If we really all were enamoured of Simon Corbell’s plastic bag laws one would imagine he wouldn’t need to tell us about it.
A new survey of the use of plastic shopping bags in the ACT has shown that 70% of Canberrans want to see the ban of lightweight plastic bags continue while 66% of people [...]

Just wondering does anyone know of scrap metal dealers who still come and collect items for free? 
Seems according to some of the merchants I’ve spoken to, there is no money in picking up scrap metal and they are happy to take your unwanted metal, so long as you either deliver it to them or [...]

Territory and Municipal Services have turned their thoughts to wasps:
Canberrans are reminded to keep an eye out for signs of European wasp nests in and around the home, Dr Philip Spradbery, wasp expert with Territory and Municipal Services, said today.
“Many Canberra families are returning home after the summer holidays to find swarms of European wasps [...]

Haig Park these days is home to rabbits and possums, but yesterday the Kelpie of Few Accomplishments and I encountered a baby kookaburra.
Despite being very fluffy it was still more than capable of flying when I tried to get closer for a better pic. No laugh however.
Got an image of Canberra you want to share [...]

Mayor Rattenbury is letting it be known that Tidbinbilla managed to breed 16 Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies last year, which when you consider there are thought to be just 40 in the wild is a major achievement.
If you’ve never seen these guys scarper up a rock face you haven’t really lived.

Territory and Municipal Services have the thilling news that you can now find out what’s going down at the arboretum via social media:
With the opening of the National Arboretum Canberra only a few weeks away, new Facebook and Twitter accounts have been launched to help people engage with what is happening at Canberra’s newest major [...]

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about today here come the severe winds:
Damaging winds around 50 to 60 km/h with peak gusts of 90 to 100 km/h are forecast for the Southern Tablelands and Australian Capital Territory forecast districts and parts of the Illawarra, South West Slopes and Snowy Mountains forecast districts, [...]

Oaks Estate Progress Association, supported by Queanbeyan Landcare, and Greening Australia invite all lovers of plants and rivers  join us on the morning of the 12th January for the annual ‘watering of the  plants’ – your participation will ensure the grasses, trees and shrubs planted along the Molonglo and Queanbeyan Rivers continue to thrive.
Be active, support your [...]

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for parts of Canberra.
The specific warning warns that by 6.40pm in the Weston Creek and the Woden Valley area damaging winds are likely.
The ACT State Emergency Service (ACTSES) has units ready to respond for any reports of damage.
For emergency storm and flood assistance you can [...]

Damien has sent in this shot which you’ll be pleased to know is not a live test of nuclear weaponry in the middle of the city.
Where there’s smoke…
Pic of burn-out smoke from Summernats world record burnout. Photo taken from One Tree Hill fire tower.
Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? [...]

The Bureau’s got us down for 37 degrees today and 39 tomorrow.
What are your tips for surviving hot weather?
No real respite in sight until thursday when it gets down to a chilly 29 degrees. Summer is here.
Photo by NaturEscapes Photography CC BY 2.0

While flying a quad copter over the Aranda bushland area to photograph some kangaroos today the camera caught some funny roo action after a crash.
Have a laugh to start off the New Year.

The ABC informs us that the fluffy bunnies are back on the march in the region.
The Kelpie of Few Accomplishments was certainly so surprised to meet a bunny in Haig Park last month he didn’t even give chase.
A surge in rabbit numbers across the ACT and surrounding regions, is costing farmers around $200 million a [...]