Re: the drought
 

When your driving up to the Mallee, on your way out of Melbourne, where the Hume starts to open up, you pass a place called Craigeburn, beyond that is a large hill, with about 200 very large homes built there. It's called Highlands..... Without any vegetation in sight.... I think it would look a lot better with some Greenary Badge... In fact it could look very pleasant indeed, like a showpiece for Melbourne, Which I suppose given the arid brown, dry and forbiding presence of the place, it already is ...... Melbournes Showpiece. Fan bloody tastic.


Personally I really resent the fact that the government is forcing me to economise. That may sound selfish, but If I'm willing to pay for something I should be allowed to do so.

Lets just hope, that this country gets it water and electricity demands sorted asap.

Otherwise we All will end up being rationed.

Re: the drought
 

You anywhere near Olinda, by any chance Badge?

Re: the drought
 

No! Nowhere near - a fair bit out of the way in the S. Qute amusing - there are other parts of the 'Dandenongs' that are nowhere near as touristy or sort of known. I'd find Kallista, Saffrafras, Olinda, Monbulk etc too touristy and too high in elevation. I've PMed you.

Re: the drought
 

Just found out about a fantastic solution for a lot of peoples city usage of water. Heard about it on 3AW just now, and looks good to me.


http://www.whatwaterrestrictions.com.au/home/about/


I think I'll be getting one, because there are parts of my Garden where my Washing machine Black hose outlet doesnt fit. For use on my Shower and Sink outlets.

Re: the drought
 

I've found some information that exposes what a debacle this whole drought issue is. My cousin, who has been in Aus since the late 60's recently moved to Banora point in Northern NSW, apparently it's considered part of the gold coast. No restrictions there, They share the same dam/reservoir as the good people of Tweed Heads, and towns further up the Gold coast where there are blanket state restrictions at stage 4. So even though the water source is the same, my Cousin over the border, in NSW, can if he wishes, wash down his driveway, where the people using the same water in QLD, arn't allowed to expose a hose at fear of prosecution.

Now if this wasn't enough, I've also been on the phone to my BIL, who runs a station out west of Goondawindi, in south east Qland. Apparently the Irrigation systems traverse all the way from Northern Qland, right through to Victoria. Most of the water that falls north of Rockhampton flows straight into the sea after filling the local dams and reservoirs, and is wasted, even though it would take very little infrastructure improvement to utilise the Irrigation systems, and connect them to the Southern Reservoirs. I realise that one or two channels heading south isn't going to solve the issues, but the fact that they exist and are being used for private profit for landowners to raise the price of water locally, shows how stuffed up this federal system in relation to water is.

Some Q'land and NSW Farmers are now making more money out of water rights then they are out of crops and they are holding out to cash in more. There are a very few far sighted landholders, that have bought most of the water rights, and are going to become very rich on the back of this drought.

Re: the drought
 

It was mentioned in the Herald Sun today.

Re: the drought
 

I never saw todays issue of the Hun, I can say though that when I talk to people that have information at relevant points around the Country, the more and more I get dismayed about the situation.

If you could chat with my next door neighbour, who gave up his executive car design job at fords, to go back to the 5th gen family farm up in Boort, or indeed my Aussie BiL out west of G'windi to talk about what is really happening with the water supply in this country, you would be as peed of as I am about these issues.

I was amazed to find out that the privately run Irrigation system did infact link, albeit on a small scale, from the over supplied North of the country to the South.

Re: the drought
 

If people stopped and realised they are moving from a 'normal' weather pattern to a country that has been turning into a desert for yonks, there'd be no misconception!

Rainfall in OZ , while it does happen, doesn't fall evenly or on predicable areas. The word 'Drought' is simply pollie/media talk to cover the fact this land is infact a desert with a few coastal areas that are inhabitable.

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Yehp.... Just like California eh ;)

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I agree with everything you say OzzieEagle, but must add that my Aunt in California bought a beautiful apartment many years ago in a complex with massive water features including an artificial river that ran right outside her balcony, fountains etc.

All of this has had to be turned off for the last 7 years :(

:beer:

Buzzy

Re: the drought
 

hi again

just thought i would share this with you. did anyone read the herald sun paper today?

the government wants to tax the rain water. so although you can get a rebate on the water tanks they might be taking that away from you with the tax on the amount of water your tank can hold.

as the comments said on the web page for the paper, next they will tax us for using the sun to heat our water and then the air that we breathe!!!!

Re: the drought
 

This might interest a few of you in Oz I for one will be shopping there on the 23rd....

On the 23 January 2007, Woolworths (Safeway) will be donating its entire supermarket's profits for the day to the drought relief. The funds will primarily be used by the CWA for immediate support for rural families with the remainder to help fund research into sustainable farming practices. This is expected to be in excess of $3 million dollars.

So if you do your normal shopping on the 23 January you will helping farming families who are current doing it tough.

Please pass this on to as many people as possible.

http://www.woolworths.com.au/woolwor...ht+reflief.asp

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WHAT?! :mad:

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Please tell me this is a " JOKE " they have got to be kidding !!!!!!!!! does it mean we will all be moving into Flats,townhouses,highrise apartments. anything to save water.

Re: the drought
 

That seems unlikely, seeing as they currently offer a tax rebate for rainwater tanks (see here).

I believe that more people would use RWTs if they could afford it. The government should increase the rebate and offer tax incentives to local businesses which switch to RWT. It also wouldn't hurt to get the RWT manufacturers involved.

They should take the same approach with grey water. Far too many people are wasting sparkly-clean tap water on their gardens and lawns. The government needs to encourage a shift towards domestic water recycling.

Re: the drought
 

It must be true Vash, the paper says this:

The idea was revealed in a leaked email seen by the Sunday Herald Sun. ;)

Here's the link to the story. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...72-661,00.html

THE Bracks Government is outraged at a leaked federal proposal to tax rainwater collected from roofs

This one is interesting as well http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegra...001021,00.html

Re: the drought
 

The size of those tanks makes the 500 litres I collect in the UK seem a bit paltry.

I hope they don't tax them. I want at least 5000 if not 10,000 litres in Oz so I can have the large vegetable garden and fruit trees I would like.

:beer:

Buzzy

Re: the drought
 

I can't see it happening especially after seeing the other report on people not getting them. They need to encourage people to be more water efficient so taxing rainwater tanks isn't a sensible thing to do.

Mmm, sensible - Government in same sentence. I really must think before I type :o :D

Re: the drought
 

Mmm, sensible - Government in same sentence. I really must think before I type :o :D[/QUOTE]


Exactly!!!!!! Sensible and Government aren't two words that really go together well :)

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Re: the drought
 

I like this bit, made me laugh :D

Meanwhile South Australian Premier Mike Rann has labelled any suggestion of a rainwater tax as ridiculous.
"It's about the dopiest idea I've heard during the silly season," he said.
"I mean we're going to have tax collectors singing 'rain drops keep falling on my head'.
"I mean this is just ridiculous, next they'll be thinking about taxing the air we breathe."

Re: the drought
 

Taxation: I can see the method in the madness (I like keeping my head when everyone around is losing their own and screaming lol) : at the end of the day, *if you live in a catchment area*, arguably water you catch could have gone into the public system for first come first serve use by anyone else for, possibly, vital activities. Water in tanks tends to get used for luxury reasons let's face it especially if those tank owners are on mains as well.

but it is a daft idea.

We're getting a 7000l and a 2500l tank installed quite soon with electric pump. Tanks are on back order across the state, but my wife knows the wife of the local tankman and he came around personally in exchange for morning tea. Report to follow.

Next year sees the installation of a firefighting pump - we will have in excess of 45,000l of water to defend our home.

Re: the drought
 

I don't think it make much difference, after all the water being caught is only on the roof so it's a tiny percentage.

Our 11500 L tanks was filled with the recent rain but the creek on out property is still bone dry (think that flows into North pine Dam).

I think in pine rivers all new houses have to install a rain tank that hooked up to at least one indoor device (toilet, washing machine).

Re: the drought
 

the thing is though, if you're subsequently using the caught rain water to water your garden then the water IS being returned to the environment.

Would you then be elegible for a rebate? :rolleyes:

:beer:

Buzzy