Riverina locust information meetings next week

Rangers in the Riverina Livestock Health and Pest Authority are encouraging landholders to attend locust information meetings being held throughout the authority over the coming weeks.

The first meetings will be held in Conargo and Blighty this Monday 16 August, Deniliquin and Pretty Pine on Thursday 19 August, and Mathoura and Bunnaloo on Friday 20 August.

Riverina LHPA senior ranger Peter O’Shannassy says that the meetings will assist local producers in preparing for the expected locust plague in the region.

"To keep ahead of the upcoming plague, we are urging producers to be prepared to control locusts on their land via ground chemical application," Mr O’Shannassy said.

"At these meetings, rangers will provide information on expected hatching dates, what insecticides and equipment are available and the optimal time to apply chemical.

"Landholders will also be given very clear information about what they should be looking for on their properties so they can report any activity to their local LHPA."

Following the mild winter across the state, the Australian Plague Locust Commission has brought forward predicted hatching dates by 3 to 12 days. In the Narrandera-Griffith area, the peak locust hatchings are expected from 5 October while Jerilderie-Deniliquin hatchings are predicted to begin on 9 October. Further north, hatchings are expected to begin as early as 25 September for Hay and Balranald.

Depending on conditions at the time, hatchings may occur a week or so either side of these dates.

Details of next week’s meeting times and locations are:

Conargo Hall – Monday 16 August, 10am
Blighty Pub – Monday 16 August, 2pm
Deniliquin RSL – Thursday 19 August, 10am
Pretty Pine Recreation Ground – Thursday 19 August, 2pm
Mathoura Bowling Club – Friday 20 August, 10am
Bunnaloo Hall – Friday 20 August, 2pm

Further locust meetings will be held in Jerilderie, Narrandera, Hay and Moulamein over the following two weeks, from 24 August to 2 September. For a full list of locations and dates for the locust information meetings across the Riverina LHPA, please visit the LHPA website at www.lhpa.org.au/events.

Media contact: Suzie Robinson 6391 3720 / 0428 465 378