The year that was: The top stories in Aussie ag for 2024
Fights over renewable projects on farmland, massive property sales and profiles on outstanding farmers, 2024 had a bit of everything. Here are the top stories as read by you.
The fight over renewable energy projects on farmland, massive property sales, and profiles on outstanding farmers and regional people dominated readership for The Weekly Times in 2024.
Here are our 20 most-read stories of the year:
1. Meet the 32-year-old running a multimillion-dollar farming empire
October 29
Our most-read story of the year was an in-depth profile for AgJournal of James Paterson, a 32-year-old fourth-generation farmer whose farming empire now spans 67,000ha across 11 properties in Victoria’s Western District and the NSW Riverina.
The Australian success story struck a chord with our readers, with one perfectly summing it up: “This is what farmers and people from the country are all about”.
2. Scientists say dingoes are just dogs
June 13
As Victoria undertook a review into the state’s wild dog control program, the taxonomy of the dingo became a prominent feature in discussions between farmers and animal activists, with the Australasian Mammal Taxonomy Consortium of scientists unanimously agreeing to classify the dingo, along with other dogs, as Canis familiaris.
3. The billionaires of beef: Inside the Lee family business
October 30
The Weekly Times sat down with Anthony Lee, chief executive of Australia’s largest vertically integrated beef business, Australian Country Choice, for an in-depth feature of the business, and how the Lee family manages 300,000 cattle on 42 properties spanning 1.75 million hectares of Queensland.
4. ‘One of the worst-kept secrets in Australian food’
August 1
As Australia’s milk supply continued its contraction to the lowest level in three decades, we revealed that some of the nation’s biggest pizza makers were opting to use imported US cheese rather than Australian produce.
5. Victorian farms under threat as route for powerline revealed
October 29
The use of renewables on agricultural land across the country continued to dominate discussion across government and the regions in 2024, with The Weekly Times exclusively revealing in late October the VNI West powerline route, which will traverse through about 250 farms.
6. CFA volunteers strike over renewables
June 19
The Country Fire Authority was one of many industry groups to take umbrage at what it called the Victorian Government’s “reckless renewables expansion”. As a result at least 24 CFA brigades went on strike in June, refusing to fight fires on land hosting high-voltage transmission lines, solar or wind farms.
7. Foreign-owned wind farms making millions in subsidies
July 31
Chinese, French and Spanish wind-farm operators were revealed to be earning up to $200m a year in renewable energy subsidies in Victoria, with the fees mostly collected as hidden charges on Victorian households’ and business’ electricity bills.
8. Your guide to opening milk prices
June 6
It was another sub-par year for farmgate milk prices for Victorian dairy farmers, with The Weekly Times reporting each processor’s opening offerings as they came in. Prices hovered around $8/kgMS, with NORCO the outlier, offering $12.35/kgMS for northern NSW and Queensland.
9. Who Owns Australia: the biggest investors and landholders in the nation
May 2
Our annual investigation into Australia’s biggest landholders and investors found an explosion in institutional investment in farmland, as demand from family interests eased due to higher interest rates, softer farmgate returns and concerns about a tougher season.
10. 2024 Shine Awards winners revealed
November 27
In our annual partnership with Harvey Norman, we highlighted outstanding regional and rural women across Australia for their achievements and contribution to their communities.
There were 19 finalists in total across six categories, with Tasmanian Danny Mayson-Kinder named the overall winner.
11. Major country footy league top goalkicker for 2024
Rolling
It was a tightly contested race to be Victorian country football’s leading goalkicker in season 2024, with only seven stars breaking the century mark throughout the season. Kyabram District league star James Lloyd topped the count with 130, while injuries prevented some other stars from reaching 100.
12. ‘You’re only as good as your staff’: McKenna’s legacy remembered
October 28
The Victorian agricultural community was in deep shock late in October when respected meat processing giant, businessman and racing enthusiast Colin McKenna died after a short illness.
A flood of tributes from political and business figures, as well as everyday people and his workers across Victoria’s southwest followed as they remembered a “true community man”.
13. Local farming family sells historic Victorian homestead
October 18
The iconic Ingleby Homestead in Victoria’s Surf Coast region changed hands for the second time in four years after it was sold by Winchelsea local Georgie Thomson and her family in a seven-figure deal.
Established in 1840, the Ingleby property was formerly part of a larger station founded by the pioneering Armytage family.
14. Best 100 country netballers of the 2024 season
November 21
Netball premierships are as fiercely fought for as footy flags across country Victoria, and to recognise the hundreds of outstanding netball players who represent their clubs each weekend, The Weekly Times for the first time identified and ranked the best 100 of them.
15. Western District sandstone mansion lists for $2 million-plus
October 18
The famous and grand Gringegalgona Homestead in Victoria’s Western District was listed for sale for the first time in more than 80 years, with offers of just over $2 million expected for the 150-year-old property.
16. ‘Club killer’: Horsham District clubs scramble for junior players
April 12
Various country football leagues and clubs were in danger of falling over at the start of the season after the AFL toughened their stance on three-year age ranges for all junior grades across the state.
17. Country football: Off-season coaching updates
Rolling
The silly-season is always full of interesting moves, with readers interested to see which local heroes would return home to try and lead their former club to glory, and which coaches would be departing.
18. Weaner sales recap
Rolling
The new year always starts with a bang with the annual weaner sales, and our rolling coverage of buyers, sellers, market trends and top prices at Yea, Wodonga and Wangaratta was keenly observed by our readers.
19. ‘We’re united and will fight them coming onto our land’
May 14
The company charged with rolling out the controversial VNI West powerlines, Transmission Company Victoria, faced challenges getting farmers to accept offers of up to $50,000 to access their properties. As a result, TCV sought to gain new statutory powers to compulsorily acquire properties along the route.
20. Campers locked out by Parks Victoria
March 28
Just days before the Easter holidays began, Parks Victoria abruptly locked gates and dragged massive logs across four entry tracks into Barmah Island, with locals stunned by the move.
Regional Victoria and the Riverina sale and auction results, week ending January 11
Regional Victoria and the Riverina recorded 11 property sales over a million dollars last week, the latest auction and sales results reveal.
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