My old mate Bill Grant, on the beautiful Murray River on the NSW and Vic border advised me that The Australian kelpie that starred in the second Red Dog movie has died after being bitten by a snake.
Owner and animal trainer Zelie Bullen of Canungra in Queensland said the accident happened on January 26 but the family had been too distraught to release the news until now. Ms. Bullen, who trains animals for television and special events with husband Craig said the dog, Phoenix, was her devoted little shadow.
The original Red Dog film from 2011 told the story of a kelpie who was well known for his travels through Australia’s Pilbara region. It starred a dog named Koko who died in 2012.
Central Highlands wrap-up
Terry Highland, Landmark Emerald, advised me that it is essentially a good season across most of the Central Highlands with only a small proportion of the district that could be classified as below average.
After some isolated good early spring falls the season headed into a dry pattern, and it has only really been built and consolidated on the back of the good falls of the past two to four weeks as we head into autumn.
With this late summer and early autumn rain there has only been a relatively minor area of summer crop planted, and as a result, as in the past two years, a major area of cultivation will be a winter plant.
Numbers through the Emerald saleyards have for the early part of the calendar year been below average, and after a softer market through January and most of February, values have as expected since the recent improvement in the season, improved for all categories, in particular weaner steers that have come under very strong demand from restockers and backgrounders.
“Our expectation is that yardings will continue from here to remain at average levels but increase towards the middle of the year as the winter turnoff kicks into gear,” Terry said.
Emerald agents have in the past few years consolidated their mid-year selling schedule with special weaner and feeder sales conducted in the first week of June, July and August. These sales have traditionally attracted top quality lines of principally vendor bred weaners and feeders, resulting in exceptionally strong competition from state-wide feedlots and backgrounders.
The Emerald selling facility has seen some recent significant upgrades with a new full deck capacity weighbridge, new selling pens, concreting of delivery yards and laneways as well as the pending construction of a new drafting and post-sale delivery onto scales facility.
This confidence in the industry by the Central Highlands Regional Council will ensure that the Emerald Saleyards will continue as a major marketing centre, providing producers throughout the Central Highlands with a strong, reliable and consistent marketing outlet.