Fire ants just another pest for many farmers

GOOD to see a lot of work going on to eradicate fire ants

Fire ant warning sign at Warrill View. Picture: Gerard Walsh

DRY AS A BONE column in Bush Telegraph by Gerard Walsh - A lighter look at rural life

I WRITE from time to time about some of the pests that are making life a bit harder down on the farm.

Luckily we don't have fire ants on this side on the Great Dividing Range but I admit it is a bit scary when you drive past Warrill View and see a sign about aerial spraying of fire ants.

The sign states "fire ants, aerial spraying in this area”, about 40km from our region.

I know nothing about fire ants and that is great as they aren't near our farm but let's hope the aerial spraying is working and we don't get the little black critters this side of the range.

Many people are critical of government and at times they don't get it right but I must say we need governments to consult with stakeholders and come up with a co-ordinated approach against pests like fire ants.

Fire ants have been in the news for a fair while and I give credit to those fighting the good fight.

We don't want them west of the range and perhaps people like me should be taking more interest in what steps are being taken to stop the spread and get rid of them where they are now.

All farmers are in it together so we should all be fighting for as much support as possible for producers battling fire ants.

School's out

IT IS sad to see the end of programs at Mt Gordon State School, a small school on the western outskirts of Warwick just near the Main Roads depot.

Other than driving past the school an estimated 18,300 times, my greatest memory of Mt Gordon State School was in the 1965 eisteddfod.

Greymare and Mt Gordon were the two schools in the small schools section. We were outnumbered on the stage but definitely outnumbered in singers.

Our teacher decided that seven of the school of 12 would sing and the other five would move our lips as if we were singing.

The CEO would agree that my selection in the non-singers group was correct, I sometimes get the look in church to sing softer.

Looking to my fourth cousin twice removed, Google, Mt Gordon operated as a school from 1913 to 1985, perhaps they won a few more eisteddfods.

It closed as a school at a time a lot of housing growth was happening west of Warwick but many of the children from the area were going to Warwick West.

I remember going to the school when it was the Education Centre to get work done for the Greymare Hall Committee. The most recent use was as a Warwick State High School campus for the alternative education programs. Unfortunately in life, things change.