Green light for Penola bypass
July 26, 2010
The proposed $12m Penola bypass road could soon begin to take shape after the Supreme Court found in favour of Wattle Range Council on Wednesday.
Plans for a bypass and heavy vehicle road have divided the community for many years, but the issue came to a head when the Penola and District Residents and Ratepayers Association and resident Duan Butler took the council to the Supreme Court over the most recent proposal. Read more
Proposed road closure frustration
July 26, 2010
State member for MacKillop Mitch Williams has taken a swipe at Wattle Range Council over the proposed closure of part of Balls Road near Tantanoola.
Mr Williams wrote to the council after he received representations from concerned people who use the road regularly for both personal and business reasons. Read more
First tests completed on geothermal energy project
April 14, 2010
Penola’s geothermal plant produced its first steam from drilling this month.
Panax Geothermal managing director Dr Bertus de Graaf said a significant amount of steam was produced at the plant’s pioneering Salamander-1 well. Read more
Green energy project breaks new ground
March 22, 2010
The drilling rig at the Salamander-1 well south of Penola has reached its target depth.
A depth of 4025 metres was reached before 1am last Tuesday, after 695 metres was drilled for the week, meeting the mid-March target, according to a report to the Australian Stock Exchange. Read more
New anti-dumping laws risk flushing away jobs
March 17, 2010
GRANT District Council will spearhead a move to call on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to meet with South East councils in a bid to stop up to 4000 South East jobs potentially being flushed away.
The development follows fears reversal of anti-dumping rules for paper import products into Australia could trigger South East industry giant Kimberly-Clark Australia to close its massive South East operations. Read more
Council to explore sainthood tourism potential
January 15, 2010
Wattle Range Council is set to convene a special tourism forum this month.
Among the participants will be representatives of the Penola Roman Catholic Parish, the Mary MacKillop Penola Centre, Penola’s business association, Limestone Coast Tourism, Limestone Coast Regional Development Board and other organisations. Read more
Bypass affirmed, subject to court
December 10, 2009
The Penola bypass could finally become a reality after Wattle Range Council decided at a special meeting on Tuesday night to move forward with plans for a western route.
Councillors passed the motion, which is subject to the outcome of the Supreme Court action taken against the council by the Penola and District Residents and Ratepayers Association, 10 – 1 after it was moved by Cr Rob Dycer at the special meeting in Penola. Read more
Wattle Range pool openings delayed
November 9, 2009
Season openings for swimming facilities at Millicent, Nangwarry and Penola will be staggered to allow for upgrade works.
Seal repairs are needed on the floor of the Millicent Swimming Lakes and two new shade structures will also be added at the site. Read more
Beachport erosion concerns
October 29, 2009
Concerned Beachport residents “just want something done” about the erosion that could see the town’s Bowman Scenic Drive eaten away in a few short years. Read more
Mayor seeks briefing on Penola pulp mill
October 5, 2009
Wattle Range Council Mayor Mark Braes will seek a briefing from Protavia on the impact the sale of Timbercorp will have on the company’s planned $1.5b pulp mill at Penola.
Penola Pulp Mill project director John Roche has not returned calls from The Border Watch, but Mr Braes said he hoped the Timbercorp takeover did not mark the end of the development. Read more
