Will Hunter

Australia

@the_chronicle_ deputy editor, former @sthburnetttimes editor. Not wild.

Articles

Wine giant's shock closure of Banrock Station cellar door end of a 'fantastic marriage'

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Will Hunter |Shannon Pearce

The Banrock Station and Rolf Binder cellar doors, both in key South Australian wine regions, will soon be closed. Newly merged wine company Vinarchy is shutting down the sites as it consolidates its business operations. The brand's focus will turn to two major hubs at Berri Estates and Rowland Flat, which will receive an investment of $100 million in total.
Labor faces funding crossroads for Adelaide freight bypass ahead of state budget

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Will Hunter |Shannon Pearce

It is estimated almost 500,000 trucks travel down Adelaide's South Eastern Freeway into South Australia's bustling metropolitan road network annually. Discussions about how to move this freight away from the city have swirled through communities surrounding the state's major freight routes for years. However, progress on such a concept has been harder to achieve.
Report makes 23 recommendations to SA government after River Murray floods

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Will Hunter |Shannon Pearce |Elyse Armanini |Amelia Walters

A report into the South Australian government's response to the River Murray floods has found some agencies "fell short in the execution of their roles". The third-highest flood on record in SA peaked at 186 gigalitres a day in December 2022, after months of preparations in towns along the river corridor. A select committee was established in August 2023, after the water receded, to review the preparation, response and recovery to the incident.
Valerie the dachshund reunited with owners after Kangaroo Island rescue

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Will Hunter

Valerie the dachshund has been reunited with her owners 540 days after she first went missing from a Kangaroo Island campsite. Kangala Wildlife Rescue says they are thrilled the trio are back together but admits that saying goodbye to the sausage dog will not be easy. Valerie will travel back to her New South Wales home with her owners later this week.
Hydrogen and water offices dissolved as SA government shifts duties to department

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Daniel Keane |Will Hunter

The South Australian government has denied a decision to dissolve a standalone office for hydrogen signals a lack of commitment to the fuel source over the long term — but the opposition says it shows the plan now lies "in tatters". The Office of Hydrogen Power South Australia was created to carry out the state government's pre-election promise to build a hydrogen power station and electrolyser near Whyalla.
Labor names late-starter federal election candidates for Grey and Barker in SA

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Tim McGlone |Will Hunter

The Labor Party has named its candidates for the federal South Australian seats of Grey and Barker, a week after the election campaign began. Karin Bolton, of Whyalla, will contest Grey after campaigning for the seat in 2019, while 20-year-old James Rothe of Tanunda has been picked to run for Barker.
Greater Adelaide heavy vehicle bypass back on table ahead of federal election

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Will Hunter |Elyse Armanini

A long-awaited freight bypass estimated to divert up to 420,000 trucks a year from congested Adelaide thoroughfares is back on the agenda following the federal budget. The federal Labor government committed $525 million over 10 years to deliver the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass, as part of stage one of the High Productivity Vehicle Network (HPVN).
Drought-stricken SA farmers take calls for help to steps of Parliament House

Mar 19, 2025 | abc.net.au | Will Hunter |Selina Green

South Australian farmers pushed to the brink by drought have joined the state opposition on the steps of Parliament House calling for more government action. About 20 primary producers travelled from around the state to hear from Premier Peter Malinauskas during question time, as they grapple with record low rainfalls and water shortages. Mid North farmer Andrew Kitto said farmers were desperate for assistance and wanted acknowledgement from the government "that this drought is happening".
Water flows from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred unlikely to provide drought relief in NSW, Victoria and SA

Mar 13, 2025 | abc.net.au | Sarah Maunder |Elyse Armanini |Will Hunter |Bethanie Alderson

Residents in parts of South Australia, Victoria and western NSW are dealing with continued dry weather. Experts say water would not likely make its way far south following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. There have been calls for the SA government to declare a drought, as the BOM releases its long-range forecast. As one end of the country contends with the fallout from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, another part of Australia is battling the opposite conditions.
Red bug population explodes due to favourable conditions in South Australia

Mar 3, 2025 | abc.net.au | Will Hunter

Red bugs have appeared in large swarms across large parts of South Australia, including around Adelaide and in the Riverland. Identifying the insect species has been a challenge, but entomologists say they are likely to be soapberry bugs. Experts say the likely bug variety does not pose any health threats to humans, with populations expected to decrease with cooler weather.