While this topic will be of little interest to some, as a keen gardener I though other “green thumbers” might be interested.
We recently bought a house in the Belconnen area, and one of the many positive aspects of the property were the beautiful mature trees.  The main two are a Red Gum and a Claret [...]

The Bureau is forecasting a sweltering 36 high for today.
Yesterday Canberra’s water use blasted up to 171ML, that’s against a target of 139ML.
So what are you going to do to keep cool?

Well, they came from my backyard actually…but they do look large enough to star in an ‘Attack of the Killer Courgette’ remake (yes yes, I know it was rampaging tomatoes for all you geeks. This is a ‘reimagined’ version, frak you).
But I digress.

I came home to Canberra the other day from summer holiday fun to [...]

ACTEW is reporting that with Canberrans returning to work yesterday water use blew out to 160ML over our target of 139ML.
This is from the Sunday usage of 136ML.
So it’s domestic water use that’s the problem? Seems unlikely.

[First filed: January 14, 2009 @ 13:27]
The Bureau is still sure we’re going to see 37 degrees today.
Yesterday water use surged to 168ML (above the target usage of 139ML).
So how high do you think water use will get today?
In the publicly minded interest of preserving the blue stuff here’s a low water use way to [...]

This could be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. How lazy would you have to be?
Of course this pile of polystyrene (which isn’t even recyclable) never got picked up and is currently lying like a neglected giant’s sleeping bag in the middle of Carver Lane, Gungahlin causing a traffic hazard.

Living in the depths of the south, I had made the pilgrimage to the Farmers Market at EPIC a couple of times and decided it was not sensible to do an 80km round trip to buy local produce as a regular thing. Life intervened and I never got around to going to the Southside [...]

Normally when you go for a midnight walk through the Canberra Centre area you don’t expect to see too many strange things.
However when I past Target and headed out the back of the Centre I saw seven roos hopping around on the grass near the Bus Stop.
Now I did clean my glasses and [...]

The daily water use target from ACTEW is currently 139 megalitres a day. Yesterday it clocked in at 104ML, which is 25% below the target.
As you can see in the pictured graph the holiday season has produced consistent large under-target results.
It’s amazing what we can do when no-one’s home eh?

…at the Pinnacle nature reserve.
As a regular denizen of the Pinnacle, I walk there at least three times a week, I have been amazed at the tenacity of Environment ACT.
To the best of my knowledge in this year alone, they have ..
a) Given the bunnies diseases, with the chilling proviso; “dead rabbits will be left [...]

The CT has a front page story today (with a cracker of a photo) on the wild weather that lashed the highland hamlet of Nimmitabel last night, including a tornado! Anyone down in the southern reaches of capital country (people in Banks see the twister?

In view of the pathological interest the RiotACT Community takes in all forms of Formicidae, here is my contribution to the influx of giant ants [complete with a coin for scale]. While not 4-5 cm and thick as my thumb, this ant has the value of having been photographed. She and her sisters [...]

Yesterday early evening, out picking apricots from our tree by the driveway, i noticed a flurry of movement by a couple of ants nests beside our front path and, on closer examination, saw a mutlitude of winged bullants scurrying about and then taking flight – it was all over in minutes, some several hundred of [...]

[First Filed: December 20, 2008 @ 10:07]

Last night I tried to crush my girlfriend’s insufferable christmas cheer by getting her to drive us around while I photographed Christmas light displays.
We planned to take in a variety of Canberra suburbs. But having begun in Amaroo there was nothing to be done but to finish it and [...]

The Canberra Times has this article on the removal of wild Brumbies from Kosciuszko National Park so that they don’t cuase accidents for motorists. No mention is made of how many accidents have occurred so far though. Still I’d prefer to see them moved on than sent to the knackers.

The Liberals have resumed their usual torpor, but the Chief Minister shows every sign of still being hard at work.
He’s announced the opening of a new Animal Breeding Centre at Tidbinbilla.
“Tidbinbilla’s breeding program for the endangered Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby will be the first to use the Centre which features large outdoor pens supplying natural food, [...]

There’s no shortage of emos around here, and both Kevin Rudd and Barack Obama have been elected.
Despite all this the lawn stubbornly refuses to mow itself. The landlord is getting antsy and the housemates can offer no guarantees that nasty things do not lurk in the tall grass.
So I need a brush-cutter, a [...]

There’s been a rumour going around that the roadside water usage signs are presenting different results at any given time. If true that would do little to enhance community confidence in the water conservation message.
Between 11am and midday today I made a study of the signs on the Barton Highway, Barry Drive, and the Tuggeranong [...]

Simon Corbell has proudly announced research by the Commonwealth showing houses in the ACT with good energy efficiency sell for more.
“While historically home buyers might have focused on a new home’s location like proximity to schools, work and general amenities, this report found that even taking location into account in the ACT in 2005 and [...]

The Chief informs us that if we think we have it we need to let him know so his crack team of Ecowarriers can come and napalm it into submission (not really – they have to grub it out).
It is rather renowned for setting itself up and creating monocultures, choking out other plantforms and [...]

Wander along the foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin.
Look interested as swans swarm towards you.
Don’t have any snacks to offer them even when they pose quite photogenically.
(Slideshow below)

Well I didn’t – but did you?
Earthquake registered out at Hall this afternoon!

No need for Napalm but be vigilant! It’s that time of year again and our now some-what infamous friend / adversary is back in season!
The European Wasps (Vespula germanica) have now reached sufficient numbers in their nests to be noticed.
If you are unlucky enough to discover a nest at your place, [...]

This afternoon the BOM issued an early warning for tomorrow (today), with a “Warning for possible flooding with local heavy rainfall later tomorrow.” Its predicting rainfall of over 25mm.
So – are the ants building an ark yet? Inquiring minds want to know.
[ED - That ant nest appears to be defunct, I'll let you know if they rise [...]

As  advised in a story about the Airport Master Plan being rejected (post #20), Air Services Australia was to launch a new service Webtrak.
This service has now gone live at http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/webtrak
WebTrak allows you (after a delay of 20-40 minutes) see the exact flightpath a plane took in or out of the airport, designate your home [...]

Over on the story about the Auditor-General slapping around the Macarthur power station debacle we’ve had a comment by Digga so interesting it deserves front page time of its own:
Here is the Federal Government’s register of fossil-fuel based power stations that are proposed:
Follow the link for Proposed Power Stations (yes: Power Stations) and you’ll find [...]

The RSPCA has been been hit by a spate of orphaned baby wombats and other native wildlife.
“RSPCA ACT has been overwhelmed with injured and orphaned native animals during the hotter months of the year. Used to caring for wombats on an individual basis from time to time, RSPCA ACT wildlife staff are currently caring [...]

The Canberra Times’ Megan Doherty has been having a dig and asking motorsport venues if they’ve been approaching Canberra’s Chic Henry for the chance to host his Summernats hoonfest.
Oddly enough she wasn’t able to find any despite Chic’s annual claims that they’re lining up for the chance to take it off our hands.
The Western Sydney [...]

In the continuing series Images of Queanbeyan, here is proof that Queanbeyan, unlike Canberra, knows where to put the Petunias.
Earlier, we had sad proof that the ACT Government did not know where to put the Petunias. They put them up on poles, in bowls. And down they came.

The ACT Government needs to fund a fact-finding [...]

The ACT Auditor-General has announced the release of a report titled: “Proposal for a gas-fired power station and data centre – site selection process”
Note that even the Auditor-General is calling this beast a power station first.
Here are the key findings:
– Government agencies complied with the existing Government processes, leading to the agreement on a site [...]

Our Brave Leader is really settling into his new role as Mayor of Canberra heading up the Department of Territory and Municipal services.
Firstly he’s getting tough on event organisers leaving their signs around town:

The Crimes (Bill Posting) Amendment Bill 2008 will require event organisers to take reasonable steps to ensure their event is not [...]

I’ve just noticed an official-looking black padlock which has mysteriously appeared on the tap at the front of my house to which is affixed a garden hose.
What does it mean?
Have I been dobbed in by my neighbours for excessive water usage after switching it on twice in the last six weeks?
It isn’t actually stopping [...]