Abbey Halter

Rural Reporter at Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

Presenter at Countrywide

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Articles

Morning glory in the outback shining on for Indigenous tourism boom

1 week ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter

Tourism in outback Queensland suffered losses over the past few years due to flooding and slow COVID-19 recovery. An Indigenous-owned and operated business in North West Queensland is bringing life to the region as the roads reopen. Outback tourism organisations hope visitor numbers will continue to rise. There is a part of the world where sprawling red plains neighbour waterfalls surrounded by lush, green bushland and morning glory clouds sweep across a seemingly infinite sky.
Mount Isa copper smelter's planned closure prompts fears production will move overseas

2 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter |Adam Stephen

The Mount Isa copper smelter is set to close in 2030. Mining giant Glencore is looking for a government bailout so it can continue operating ahead of that time. Experts warn that, without the smelter, copper production will be pushed offshore. What would Queensland's "Stack City" be without its smoking stack? By 2030, the outback city of Mount Isa will find out. The famous candy-cane-striped copper smelter, or stack, gave the mining town of more than 18,000 residents its nickname.
Hang on to your gold coins, as soaring prices prompt outback mining boom

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter

Gold prices across the globe are soaring to historical heights. As a result, gold mines in Queensland are being revitalised. The Cloncurry region in North West Queensland is teetering on the edge of a gold rush. Once bustling with gold deposits along railroad tracks, the Cloncurry region in outback Queensland was a literal goldmine. But as the metal's price crashed in the 1990s, so did the digging and prospecting. This year, the gold price hit a record high of more than $5,070 per troy ounce.
Outback cattle station May Downs sells for $47.5m to Australian company

4 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter

A historic outback cattle station has been bought at auction for $47.5 million by a Queensland family pastoral company. The 233,000 hectare May Downs Station was sold by Lord Cattle to McMillan Pastoral Company, based in Cloncurry. The property has been under the ownership of the Lord family for 39 years and has never been destocked, indicating a resilient pasture base and successful management.
Camels help eradicate costly weed - ABC listen

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter

Dozens of giant creatures, with stomachs of steel, have been called in to dine on an out-of-control weed in outback Queensland. The camels were brought in to eat the prickly acacia, an invasive plant costing farmers millions every year in lost production. The first stage of the trial was so successful, more farmers across Australia are hungry to join.
Camels help eradicate invasive prickly acacia in outback Queensland trial

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter

A four-year trial using camels to control prickly acacia, a weed costing farmers millions, has been deemed a success. The camels were able to stop the spread of the plant's seeds across a site in outback Queensland. More farmers are keen to be involved in the trial, and stage two is now underway. Dozens of giant creatures with stomachs of steel have proved a powerful enemy to one of the most invasive plants in the Queensland outback.
Banana prawn fishers face 'worst' conditions yet in late Queensland wet season

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter

The late wet season in Queensland has created the worst start to the season for northern banana prawn fishers many can remember. Rain in January or February usually flushes prawns out of the northern rivers into the Gulf of Carpentaria, but it did not arrive until late March. Fishers are urging consumers to buy prawns to support the industry.
Debate rages over push to declare buffel grass a weed of national significance

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter |Brooke Tindall

Buffel grass has been nominated to be declared a weed of national significance. Environmental groups argue it is detrimental to native land, but graziers say it is crucial for the cattle industry. A decision is expected to be made towards the end of this year. Whether you know it or not, there's a pretty good chance you've seen buffel grass if you live on the Australian mainland.
Mosquitoes, sandflies pose potentially deadly risk to livestock after floods

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter

Mosquito and sandfly numbers are set to soar as flooding subsides in outback Queensland. The swarming insects pose serious health risks to humans and threaten the lives of cattle. Veterinarians say bovine ephemeral fever could put future herd fertility at risk. Cattle that survived record-breaking outback floods are about to fight another battle as swarms of mosquitoes and sandflies carrying a potentially deadly disease grow in the outback.
Gumboot-clad volunteers ready to help flood-affected graziers in Western Qld

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Abbey Halter |Hannah Walsh |Maddelin McCosker

Widespread flooding in Western Queensland is beginning to ease for property owners. Graziers are beginning to take stock of the damage, particularly to significant infrastructure. Volunteers are gearing up to rally with communities and help clear away the remaining damage. The sun is shining on Queensland grazier Louise Hoch's cattle station, but after weeks of record-breaking floods, the damage is hard to fathom. Warning: This story contains an image some readers may find distressing.