Rural

Strengthening community disaster preparedness requires establishing effective decision-making processes and supporting the mobilisation of existing self-organising systems that can plan, respond to and rebuild after disasters. This involves identifying and linking community organisations, leaders and volunteers. This requires a framework informed by complexity and community development theories. It needs to recognise that networks are dynamic, … Read more

Most viticultural and horticultural crops in the Riverland are fully dependent on irrigation to meet crop water requirements, deliver economic yields and satisfy consumers’ quality demands. The program developed at Loxton encouraged greater scientific management of water at the farm level. To achieve this, precise and advanced information and communication technologies are needed. Low-power wide … Read more

Revitalizing rural economies requires strategies that foster inclusive economic development. Drawing on the promising work of Main Street programs in three rural communities prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this brief describes how place investments can encourage cohesion, bridge divisions, and enhance residents’ attachment to place. South Australia is well known for its premium wines, but … Read more

Dreamtime stories are the core of Aboriginal culture, imbuing it with rich spirituality and a profound connection to country. Ultimately, this spiritual belief system fosters resilience and community cohesion. The term ‘Dreamtime’ is a western word that struggles to capture the complex ideas of Aboriginal beliefs. But it can be said to refer to the … Read more

South Australia has increased the proportion of its land set aside for biodiversity conservation, although much work remains to be done. However, the State’s extinction debt is increasing rapidly. Effective monitoring and adaptive management is lacking. Furthermore, efforts to estimate counterfactuals are often lacking. This makes it hard to develop conservation goals that enhance the … Read more