Now China are wanting to ban imports of Australian wheat.  That would've been a $600 million export next year...

This is looking nasty really nasty.

Now China are wanting to ban imports of Australian wheat.  That would've been a $600 million export next year...

Not to get to political, but China could easily harm exports in Australia; in turn causing bad things for the economy. I’m sure people already know this but it’s true and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Now China are wanting to ban imports of Australian wheat.  That would've been a $600 million export next year...

For the benefit of those that have been living under a rock for the last year or more, China is becoming increasingly confrontational globally. They are choosing to use trade barriers and restrictions to try and leverage their own political agenda. We need to work towards a complete detachment from China unfortunately until they can play nice with everyone else.

Earlier in the year they cut off barley exports. A report on the ABCs Landline at the weekend has prices almost back to the pre-cutoff levels, with markets found for the Barley that was going to China.

Dont be concerned if they do cut off Wheat, or other commodities. They will need to get it from somewhere to feed their population. We can then sell into the markets that would have taken the grain from those filling the chinese market. no loss to our farmers. We should return the favor and cut off their iron ore and coal supplies.somthing that might have a chance of hurting them.

Now China are wanting to ban imports of Australian wheat.  That would've been a $600 million export next year...

For the benefit of those that have been living under a rock for the last year or more, China is becoming increasingly confrontational globally. They are choosing to use trade barriers and restrictions to try and leverage their own political agenda. We need to work towards a complete detachment from China unfortunately until they can play nice with everyone else.

Earlier in the year they cut off barley exports. A report on the ABCs Landline at the weekend has prices almost back to the pre-cutoff levels, with markets found for the Barley that was going to China.

Dont be concerned if they do cut off Wheat, or other commodities. They will need to get it from somewhere to feed their population. We can then sell into the markets that would have taken the grain from those filling the chinese market. no loss to our farmers. We should return the favor and cut off their iron ore and coal supplies.somthing that might have a chance of hurting them.

Not to mention that grain prices have been rising recently due to countries wanting to top up their imports 'just in case' while drought is causing concern in Russia and South America.

PN's third BG rake to be reactivated ran 9149/9148 to Sea Lake yesterday with G529 and XR557 in charge.

This rake is a set of manual discharge hoppers, including thirteen of the original aluminium VHGF's.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9gIKtwyaWI

Re the china issues, yes there will be short term pain but in the longer run a lower dependence on them will work fine for us.

Also, its usually not hard to get rid of our wheat.  There will be other markets and ours i think is still rated pretty highly on the global markets.  And as Galron said, they will be sourcing from alternate places, which we can then feed into.

XR554 & G529 are running again this evening ex Nth Geelong. Unsure if they're going back to Sea Lake or another destination.

*EDIT* Loading at Quambatook as 9153/54

PN's third BG rake to be reactivated ran 9149/9148 to Sea Lake yesterday with G529 and XR557 in charge.

There's also a rake of hoppers ( standard gauge of course ) resting in the yard at Hamilton, think there was some film of that by one of the boys.

Ok usually by this time of year, I have been back to Victoria a number of times and given a field report of what's happening and what's not but like everyone, this year we have had to stay put more or less, us in S.A. being quite bit luckier.

So the big news is with restrictions easing, we have our boarder pass' ready and we're hitting the road to Nhill and then down to Hamilton. We are going to see me Nanna and celebrate her 100th birthday.... mighty fine effort that, she's not going the best at the moment, so here's Happy Birthday to Nanna in a few days.

It was going to be a big year for birthday's, sister's 40th, 1 niece 21st another 18th but like plenty of others, it's been no go.

A few reports of steady thunder storms around the Wimmera last night and today, not good, people still trying to get hay dry to bale, which in most years would of be baled a while ago and probably nearing the danger zone for rain damaging grain, so hope it dries out and we get a good run of sunshine for a month or so.

So hopefully a detailed report in a few days and some bloody idiot keeps mentioning silo art, probably have a peek at that too

BigShunter.

I think the wagons went to Hamilton whilst Portland Yard was being re-sleepered.

Nhill has already got 500 tons of Canola. Off to Swan Hill for the day tomorrow, be interesting to see what's going on in the Mallee.
A  couple of weeks ago the Mallee was barely a fortnight in front of the Wimmera, and a large proportion of GrainCorps gear is up north, and I mean north, At this stage a total balls up is looming.

Humoungus crops around Hillston NSW, large % going into sausage bags.

11 mm of unwanted rain around here yesterday.
Some farmers were thinking of starting next week, but that has been put on hold for a bit.

11 mm of unwanted rain around here yesterday.
Some farmers were thinking of starting next week, but that has been put on hold for a bit.

It looks dry for the next week or so, and it is windy today which should dry things out.

I drove from Kerang to Nullawil, then Sea Lake and St Arnaud on the weekend, and back via Hall's Gap, Navarre, Dunolly and Murchison.  The crops looked great, and harvest was well under way in many locations.  Hay was being baled left, right and centre as well.  Lots of action in the paddocks!

I think the wagons went to Hamilton whilst Portland Yard was being re-sleepered.

the wagons havnt been to portland for many years. At least 8 or 9, probably more. Spent most of the intervening time just out of Ararat on the at the time mothballed Marybough line. most recently they where at Houpton. Those wagons not 100t got pulled out and have been used by PN about the place, and a handful of 100t wagons went to NSW on trial. found, as expected my most of us probably, they wouldn't fit under most of the loading facilities. did see a comment somewhere recently that they where also quite top heavy when loaded to full, and a bit tippy. project to run them in NSW was abandoned.

I would imagine that they will continue to be moved about the place until PN starts running out of serviceable wagons, and then they will have the extensions chopped off to be used as replacements, with their Gross weight reduced back to pre-extention days. I think there's around 100 of the things about the place. plenty of spares for PN.

Even if they where to run as configured, not sure where, outside of coal country, they could run fully loaded at 25t axle load.

Predicted top of 42 for Mildura this Sunday!

Also, another BG PN grainy is on route to load at Sea Lake again.

PN's third BG rake to be reactivated ran 9149/9148 to Sea Lake yesterday with G529 and XR557 in charge.

There's also a rake of hoppers ( standard gauge of course ) resting in the yard at Hamilton, think there was some film of that by one of the boys.

Ok usually by this time of year, I have been back to Victoria a number of times and given a field report of what's happening and what's not but like everyone, this year we have had to stay put more or less, us in S.A. being quite bit luckier.

So the big news is with restrictions easing, we have our boarder pass' ready and we're hitting the road to Nhill and then down to Hamilton. We are going to see me Nanna and celebrate her 100th birthday.... mighty fine effort that, she's not going the best at the moment, so here's Happy Birthday to Nanna in a few days.

It was going to be a big year for birthday's, sister's 40th, 1 niece 21st another 18th but like plenty of others, it's been no go.

A few reports of steady thunder storms around the Wimmera last night and today, not good, people still trying to get hay dry to bale, which in most years would of be baled a while ago and probably nearing the danger zone for rain damaging grain, so hope it dries out and we get a good run of sunshine for a month or so.

So hopefully a detailed report in a few days and some bloody idiot keeps mentioning silo art, probably have a peek at that too

BigShunter.

I hope you have a wonderful time at Nanna's. Advanced age is an amazing thing and I feel we are cheated out of our lives. 100 years at best is not a long time to be on the planet.

Vinelander senior is approaching 91, still buying green bananas, planted and tending to his summer vegies and tomatoes. Is a good cook, always has been, though he gets meals on wheels a few times a week. Still going round the block a few times a week as well in the Fairlane or the Hyundai. The block is Mildura-Wentworth-Buronga-Mildura...but I digress.

To bring it back to a rail thread. I want to go 'home' before Christmas but I'm not sitting in a bus for 7 hours or so even on a seniors free voucher. Though in sillier moments I think of taking the (Vinelander replacement) overnight bus from Ballarat.

Mike.

Mike.

PN's third BG rake to be reactivated ran 9149/9148 to Sea Lake yesterday with G529 and XR557 in charge.

There's also a rake of hoppers ( standard gauge of course ) resting in the yard at Hamilton, think there was some film of that by one of the boys.

Ok usually by this time of year, I have been back to Victoria a number of times and given a field report of what's happening and what's not but like everyone, this year we have had to stay put more or less, us in S.A. being quite bit luckier.

So the big news is with restrictions easing, we have our boarder pass' ready and we're hitting the road to Nhill and then down to Hamilton. We are going to see me Nanna and celebrate her 100th birthday.... mighty fine effort that, she's not going the best at the moment, so here's Happy Birthday to Nanna in a few days.

It was going to be a big year for birthday's, sister's 40th, 1 niece 21st another 18th but like plenty of others, it's been no go.

A few reports of steady thunder storms around the Wimmera last night and today, not good, people still trying to get hay dry to bale, which in most years would of be baled a while ago and probably nearing the danger zone for rain damaging grain, so hope it dries out and we get a good run of sunshine for a month or so.

So hopefully a detailed report in a few days and some bloody idiot keeps mentioning silo art, probably have a peek at that too

BigShunter.

I hope you have a wonderful time at Nanna's. Advanced age is an amazing thing and I feel we are cheated out of our lives. 100 years at best is not a long time to be on the planet.

Vinelander senior is approaching 91, still buying green bananas, planted and tending to his summer vegies and tomatoes. Is a good cook, always has been, though he gets meals on wheels a few times a week. Still going round the block a few times a week as well in the Fairlane or the Hyundai. The block is Mildura-Wentworth-Buronga-Mildura...but I digress.

To bring it back to a rail thread. I want to go 'home' before Christmas but I'm not sitting in a bus for 7 hours or so even on a seniors free voucher. Though in sillier moments I think of taking the (Vinelander replacement) overnight bus from Ballarat.

Mike.

Mike.

I hope you have a wonderful time at Nanna's. Advanced age is an amazing thing and I feel we are cheated out of our lives. 100 years at best is not a long time to be on the planet.

Mike.

Thanks for the kind words Mike and Nanna was fit as a fiddle for the afternoon tea in the Hamilton Botanical Gardens, nice weather too. Nanna strolled into the event with the aid of her walker with no problems at all and we all had quite an enjoyable time, Nanna even saw fit to reprimand my sister on her beer consumption !

Righto, the field report; gliding across the boarder the crops still rather greenish but the further East we went the more advanced the season was.

Lots of Canola rather recently windrowed, making some perfect stripes across paddocks with the aid of the GPS. Barley & Wheat crops looking fantastic as we have been told for quite some time, could place a spirit level on top of most as well as being able to walk across the top, they were that dense.  

Plenty of hay cut, not sure how a lot of this will end up, most that had been cut had heaps of green grass growing up through it, crops that had been cut around the edges and baled, had 18'' of fresh green re-growth around the bales.

Barley on the whole is ready for harvest, just need 5 / 6 days of high 20's to dry it out and make for good thrashing. The Wheat varied quite a bit, heaps with large patches of green, no matter weather on the flat or crest of the hill so a fair amount of Hot weather required before it's ready for the header.

The next week or so, looks quite warm and in particular sunny so perfect for harvesting.

GrainFlow at Dimboola, I was piloting the vehicle so not too much star gazing around but the site was totally empty of grain for the first time in donks. They were open for bucket samples and moisture testing of cereals late last week but had already commenced recieving Canola, could see it flying off the end of the conveyer belt into the bunker as we Barreled past, so they have certainly manned up for a big year.

In wobert's neck of the woods, Nhill GrainCorp are ready for action as was indicated in their news letter a while back. The other big change at Nhill is Nhill Bulk Handling has closed, not  sure if they reieved Canola but certainly cereals. Think GrainCorps site holds a couple of hundred thousand tonne and Nhill Bulk would certainly be similar in size so that is one hell of a lot of grain that is going to have to go else where, would not be surprised if GrainCorp took it over, seeing it's more or less just across the Highway.

South of Horsham still green as hell, hay either not cut yet or just and all stock are as fat as mud. From the Wimmera down to Penshurst, Hamilton, Cavendish, Balmoral, Goroke and back to Nhill, the countryside looks as good as it gets.. Terrific !

That's probably about the sum of it, although we left the squeaky clean state of SA and have come home mayhem 2 weeks isolation but I'm not sure who is being protected from who !

BigShunter.

Oh yeah, did checkout the Silo Art at Goroke and the detail in the painting is really something to behold. Kaniva the same.

News Break: Adelaide into Lock Down..........Bastard ! should have stayed in Vic..

I would've waved to ya, in the paddock next to the twin parking bays west of Nhill  with what's going to be about 600 rolls in it

No Netherby for you, and I've got a bit of baling out that way. A stones throw from the netting fence, and a nice drive home, via  you know where

Barley stoking up at Nhill, Canola at Lillimur

four Grain trains to Portland later this month 24th, 26th 28th and 29th November.

Multiple rakes running to Quambatook and Ultima this week on the BG so far by PN and also to Birchip, Carwarp on the SG.

Also, good news regarding Barley exports below in the article to Saudi Arabia.

https://www.graincentral.com/markets/australian-exporters-sweep-the-saudi-barley-tender

Just to make growers nervous.

Plague locusts have been found in West and North-West Victoria. For more information visit: http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/locusts