Local Students Compete In Hydrogen Grand Prix World Final In Germany Five talented students from Gilroy Santa Maria College in Ingham are trading the tropics for Germany as they compete in the Hydrogen Grand Prix (H2GP) World Final in Chemnitz. Known as the Gilroy Velocity Raptors, this Year 7–9 team earned global recognition after dominating the North Queensland Finals with a record-breaking 387 laps. In their first year—and as the youngest team competing—they’ve turned a lunchtime STEM club i
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All around the Shire, and Australia, Vietnam Veterans' Day was commemorated in remembrance of the Battle of Long Tan and other Australian operations in the Vietnam War. “Vietnam Veterans Day holds profound importance in Australia's national consciousness. It is not merely a day etched into the calendar, but a moment of collective reflection, a time to pay tribute to those who served to acknowledge the complexity of their experiences and to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.” “The sto
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The Lions Club of Ingham is once again proud to present the annual Ingham Sportstar Awards, celebrating the outstanding sporting achievements and contributions of local athletes, teams, and volunteers. Nominations are now open, and the Club is calling on the community to help shine a spotlight on Hinchinbrook’s sporting heroes. The awards recognise achievements from 1st September 2024 through to the nomination closing date, and all nominees must be Hinchinbrook residents or represent a local sp
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Families seeking a nurturing and enriching beginning to their child’s education are invited to enrol for Prep 2026 at St Peter’s Catholic School, Halifax. The school offers a warm and caring environment where each child is valued and supported to thrive academically, socially, and spiritually. With small class sizes and a qualified, experienced early years teacher, St Peter’s ensures every student receives personalised attention and one-on-one support tailored to their unique needs. Teaching pr
Read the full storyAustralian plague locusts are an endemic pest that threatens our agricultural industry, devastating crops, and causing losses of up to $30 million.
By harnessing cutting edge science, experts can forecast locust outbreaks with greater accuracy, helping mitigate economic impacts.
The Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC) uses advanced analytics to improve early detection and rapid response. However, forecasting locust populations is challenging.
The APLC has been developing a simulation model to predict locust population dynamics across their entire range. This model predicts the development, survival, and behaviour of locusts across all life stages: eggs, nymphs, and adults.
However, locusts inhabit a vast range of more than 2 million square kilometres, so deploying the model is challenging. Field surveys alone cannot provide enough coverage to initialise the model.
But artificial intelligence is changing the game. The APLC has partnered with the Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis (CEBRA) to develop a new AI-driven model. The machine learning algorithms developed have incorporated 37 years of locust data with high-resolution weather, vegetation, and soil records to generate more accurate short-term forecasts (up to 90%).
These AI models will not only initialise the population dynamics model but also enhance field survey targeting, leading to more reliable on-the-ground surveillance. Additionally, they will support better planning and resource allocation.
Thanks to a growing ecosystem of models, the APLC is now better equipped to predict locust populations, making it easier to forecast their changes in response to Australia's highly variable climate. This will enable governments and industry to prepare and respond more effectively.
The APLC plans to integrate this AI-driven forecasting system into a new online data dashboard. This will further support enhanced locust predictions, enable real-time monitoring, and improve response strategies.
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