Skip to main content

Loxton - 5333

A microbiologist dreamt of making the best juice. His community is stocking up as production ends

Residents in one of Australia's largest citrus growing regions are buying up bottles of a locally-produced juice as its creator shuts down after 31 years. 
Updated
A grey-haired Greek-Australian man, smiles in front of a juice press

River stink no cause for alarm as ecosystem strengthens to bring exciting new life

The River Murray is expected to emit an unpleasant odour this week but experts say it has been years since they have seen it so healthy.
Surface scum in the Murray River from the blue green algae outbreak in April 2016.

'The older I grow, the faster I go': Percy took up running at 92 and age hasn't kept him from athletic success

Percy Voigt was once a heavy smoker who rarely exercised, but he took up running in the twilight of his life. Now aged 94 — and despite emphysema and arthritis — he's won gold in the 100-metre sprint at a masters games.
An elderly man in a green knit sweater stands proudly in front of a bougainvillea tree with multiple medals around his neck.

Mandarin packing at Venus Citrus in South Australia's Riverland

Grower liason Fabio Spiniello explains the process of packaging mandarins at Venus Citrus in South Australia's Riverland.
ABC News Current
Duration: 56 seconds

Paper bags make a comeback for fruit as retailers swap out plastic net bags to reduce waste

Small and big retailers alike are looking to adopt new recyclable packaging for mandarins, saying it would avoid the use of 11,700 kilograms of plastic in one year.
Mandarins loose on a kitchen counter next to mandarins packed in a Coles-branded brown recyclable paper bag with a net window.

To heat or eat? The impossible choice faced by vulnerable Australians as winter looms

Vulnerable Australians like Michelle Ryder are in for a tough winter as cost-of-living pressures force them to choose between heating their homes and buying groceries.
Lady with black glasses sits on her bed wrapped in a fluffy purple blanket with her arm around her black dog laying down

High school investigating alleged bestiality references in presentation to girls

Year 9 students at Renmark High School allege that references to bestiality were made during a third-party presentation on "respectful relationships" that was not supervised by a teacher.
Updated
mother wraps her arms around her daughter both looking towards the camera with a solemn look on their faces.

Working mum who suddenly experienced slurred speech finds her 'village' with regional support for MS

Crystal Petch looks like any other busy mother of two, but on the inside, her brain and immune system are working against her. She says being part of a regional support group for South Australians with similar life experiences makes it easier.
A woman smiles with short brown hair, she wears a blue dress and colourful necklace, she sits at a wooden desk

Newly announced wine taskforce to spotlight glut as industry reaches crisis point

Very low prices for wine grapes and low demand is putting excessive pressure on the wine industry, leading to the formation of a government taskforce to report on the challenges faced by Australian growers and winemakers.
A farmer standing next to his grape vines

Mum's wish for diabetes kids as technology gives son brighter childhood

Anna Cozens says better treatment options for type 1 diabetes have given her son freedom to do more activities and she wants others to have the same access.
Updated
A woman with curly brown hair smiles, her young son has short brown hair and wears a red school uniform

Paul's family is buried in a backyard cemetery shrouded in mystery. One day, he plans to join them there

Paul Kaesler isn't sure how many people are buried in the cemetery on his rural property, but experts say it's likely he is not the only one with graves in his backyard.
Updated
A bald tanned man smiles he wears a dark collared shirt, with gravestones and red dirt behind him

Australia's forgotten grand prix was a coastal road race. Now memories are being revived

Every day, South Australians drive on the circuit of the state's first grand prix, but most have no idea of the history beneath their wheels.
A black and white photograph of 1930s racing cars with their drivers waiting to start

Doctors offered $10,000 to address SA's critical rural GP shortage

The South Australian government has signed a four-year deal to help attract and retain GPs in rural settings, offering $10,000 to new GPs and $5,000 to existing ones.
Updated
A male doctor stares into the camera with trees behind.

How a wannabe rock star found another string to his bow as a virtuoso luthier

Malcolm Lowe wanted to be a rock star. So he gave up furniture making and started making guitars. 
A man with short grey hair wears a dark tshirt, holds a wooden violin frame in a tin shed

Capers look effortless and appetising on a plate — but harvesting them is a brutal labour of love

Australian-grown capers are a sought-after ingredient for high-end restaurants, selling for up to $50 per 250 grams. And with each tiny bud picked by hand, it's not hard to see why.
Updated
Close up of green capers covered with salt

Just something that 'needed to be done': Sarah has given her dad a life-changing gift

Bernie Lehmann was at a country footy game when he felt lousy. He found out he had a kidney function issue and eventually needed dialysis. Then one of his children put up her hand.
Updated
A man and woman in hospital scrubs. The man is lying down in bed holding two fingers in a peace sign.

Showing livestock out, making coffee in as schools shake up agricultural education

Agriculture teachers across the country are trying to make a career in the industry something to aspire to with a range of programs to think about jobs to assist farmers, the supply chain and even how to make the perfect coffee.
Louise Hobbs says science is a big part of teaching agriculture.

Police allege foreign holidaymaker 'tried to grab' Riverland schoolgirl

Police allege a 55-year-old man grabbed his crotch while approaching a 15-year-old girl in Berri and was seen "shaking his penis and winking" at three girls aged 12 to 13 in Loxton.
Updated
Outside of the Berri Magistrates Court, the sky is blue and the sign is dark brown.

Meet the lesbian mum normalising surrogacy in regional Australia

Kimberlee Murdoch, a gestational surrogate for a gay couple living hundreds of kilometres away, is "doing it for the dads" trying to start their own family.
Updated
A woman with short orange hair smiles, she wears a shirt with squid reading 'squid squad' she holds her belly. green trees behin

China wine tariff review 'no silver bullet', but Australian producers hold hope for the future

Wine exports to China have dropped to a low of $10 million a year, but China's announcement it will review tariffs on imports has given a glimmer of hope to the industry. 
Bottles of wine

Jim was left with two choices when his NDIS was cut: Hospital admission or voluntary assisted dying

Jim Mills spent his final days battling bureaucracy — now his family wants to make sure no-one else falls through the cracks.
On a table, a photo of a man and a woman happy to be together, an urn, flowers and a plush bear wearing the St Kilda Saints kit.

Beekeeper Ian Cass had no idea he'd become deathly allergic to stings until he collapsed

Ian Cass had been stung by bees plenty of times before and didn't know he was experiencing anaphylaxis the first time it happened. Now he has found a way to continue his passion without putting his health at risk.
A tall man in a white beekeeping suit zipped up to his neck smiling and leaning on a box.

Howard Hendrick celebrates his 100th birthday at the Loxton show.

WWII veteran Howard Hendrick has lived his 100 years of life serving others.
ABC News Current
Duration: 40 seconds

Is community key to living to 100? This WWII veteran is being celebrated by his entire town

A regional South Australian town turns its annual show into a 100th birthday bash for community hero and World War II veteran, Howard Hendrick.
Updated
Howard Hendrick smiles at the camera at his house in Pyap, SA.

Farmers walk away from drought, distress to celebrate sweet food van success

Trevor Braun was struggling to feed his family during a devastating drought, so he decided to sell the family farm to focus on selling sweet treats.
A composite image of pancakes with strawberries and cream, and Trevor Braun holding strawberries and cream with chocolate sauce.