I’ve got a million of ‘em!

Linc Energy has been active near the town of Orroroo since it first began drilling and exploration on its Petroleum Exploration Leases in mid-2009. This program led Linc Energy to announce a significant coal mineralisation target of 1.0 to 1.3 billion tonnes of deep, low rank coal in November 2009.

Coal in the Orroroo region is anticipated to be in the required depth for Underground Coal Gasification (UCG). A drilling and exploration program was recently completed and it is expected that the acquired information will better define the coal target and summarise essential hydrogeological and geotechnical information for Linc Energy’s feasibility studies and UCG modelling.

Pending the outcome of the drilling and associated feasibility studies, expected in the third quarter of 2010, Linc Energy believes the area may have the potential to support a
200-plus megawatt gas-fired power station. Longer term developments may include power generation of up to 500 megawatts and a Gas to Liquids (GTL) facility to produce cleaner transport fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel.

The proposed project

There are a number of decision gates to cross. Assuming that the hydrogeological and geotechnical data is favourable, Linc Energy’s proposed project stages may be as follows:

Stage 1: Power Generation (pre-production)
This will involve the construction of a UCG Generator, anticipated  for operation by the end of 2010. This will provide site specific gasification experience to gather engineering and environmental data to support Linc Energy’s project developments.

Stage 2: Power Generation
This will involve a power production project of up to 250 megawatts (15 petajoules per annum). The Orroroo site is about 35 kilometres away from major 275kV electricity transmission infrastructure.

Stage 3: Fuel production
It is anticipated that gas production will be increased to support a Gas to Liquids facility.

Enquiries

Linc Energy is committed to providing as much information as it can, as often as is possible. Individual enquiries can be submitted to linc@lincenergy.com.au.

Buy a copy from Stupid Computers »

The Orroroo Carrieton region is situated in the Mid North of South Australia about 300 kilometres north of Adelaide. This area was first settled by European pastoralists in the 1840s. They stayed until the mid-1870s when hundreds of farmers and their families established themselves on small farms – an initiative of the government ‘wheat drive’.

Small regional service towns developed and ‘the railway’ became the most important form of transport. In the 21st Century the number of stone ruins, large and small, suggest a once prosperous and well-populated district. But only the towns of Orroroo and Carrieton survive to serve the local farmers, graziers, townspeople and visitors.

We hope you enjoy this audio tour, which takes you through the development of this unique district through John Mannion’s collection of stories from past and present ‘locals’ and John O’Dea’s songs.

Buy it at Froling Enterprises’ online Store, “www.stupidcomputers.com.au“

http://www.stupidcomputers.com.au/ecom-prodshow/CD011.html

Orroroo dog ‘Chops’ is earning a reputation around the traps as a pretty smart dog! See his latest escapades.

Last Thursday, December 17, the Federal Member for the electorate Grey, Rowan Ramsey and his wife Teresa were in Orroroo for a ‘meet ‘n greet’. Grey covers an area of approximately 904,881 sq km from the Western Australian, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales borders to Marion Bay on the Yorke Peninsula and Eudunda in the south. The main towns include Ceduna, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Augusta, Roxby Downs, Coober Pedy, Port Pirie, Kadina, Maitland, Orroroo, Peterborough, Burra and Eudunda.

After meeting with the CEO and Deputy Chairman of the District Council of Orroroo Rowan and Teresa headed across to Maggie’s Rendezvous for an informal get together with interested locals, where they met up withbout 30 constituents who raised any issues of concern relating to federal governance with Rowan or Teresa. These ranged from the wool industry to student youth allowance, communications, Linc Energy, employment and training and water. Rowan addressed the small gathering and said that despite the short notice of his visit he was pleased with the turnout and that with such a vast electorate to cover it was difficult to visit all regional localities, but did so whenever he could and that it was important for him to meet the locals. Rowan admitted that the Liberal Party was having problems and that it was important for an opposition party to have stable leadership, which seems to be have been resolved with Tony Abbott as the ‘new’ Leader of the Opposition (Rowan denied that there was any truth in a circulating email that he was a candidate!). Before heading home for a well-earned break in their own bed at their Buckleboo farm on central Eyre Peninsula, Rowan and Teresa caught up with with one of Rowan’s former EP neighbour’s, Gavin ‘Spud’ Chapman of Orroroo Hardware. All in all the get together was a good opportunity for locals to meet their Federal Member and his wife – a genuine country couple – with the country in mind. Teresa was Teresa Larsson from Caltowie. “I get enormous support from Teresa, and being the member for this electorate would be an awfully lonely job without her support.” Rowan said.

Photo of Teresa with Joan Ellery

Buy a copy from Stupid Computers »

The Orroroo Carrieton region is situated in the Mid North of South Australia about 300 kilometres north of Adelaide. This area was first settled by European pastoralists in the 1840s. They stayed until the mid-1870s when hundreds of farmers and their families established themselves on small farms – an initiative of the government ‘wheat drive’.

Small regional service towns developed and ‘the railway’ became the most important form of transport. In the 21st Century the number of stone ruins, large and small, suggest a once prosperous and well-populated district. But only the towns of Orroroo and Carrieton survive to serve the local farmers, graziers, townspeople and visitors.

We hope you enjoy this audio tour, which takes you through the development of this unique district through John Mannion’s collection of stories from past and present ‘locals’ and John O’Dea’s songs.

Buy it at Froling Enterprises’ online Store, “www.stupidcomputers.com.au“

http://www.stupidcomputers.com.au/ecom-prodshow/CD011.html

Rowan Ramsay federal member for Grey, bumped into an ex EP neighbour, business proprietor “Spud” Chapman of Orroroo Hardware.

Gavin (Spud) runs with the business with his ever-helpful wife Carmel and has a ripper selection of tools hardware and building supplies. They’ve recently purchased the premises a couple of doors up and are setting this space up with camping gear for sale.

Rowan was in Orroroo to meet with councillors and used the opportunity to press-the-flesh with townspeople at the world-famous Maggie’s Rendezvous run by Joylene Tapscott, yep, Lukes Mum!

Photo courtesy John Mannion

Robert Teague and his dog Chops put on a show at Orroroo.

Was that Lachie Bowman in the crowd day 3 at the Adelaide Oval taking a one hander in the crowd??  If so, didn’t appear to even spill a drop!

Orroroo local Luke Tapscott and his best mate Jack Trengove both studying the last couple of years at PAC, will begin their AFL careers together in Melbourne at Melbourne FC.

Luke has created a reputation for himself at North Adelaide. Picked in last night’s AFL draft, Luke’s pretty pleased that he’s been snapped up. If the footy blogs are anything to go by, there are plenty of  pleased Demons supporters and a few disappointed rivals.

A cause for celebration in Orroroo the pub was jumping during the draft. One of the local kids, Amelia, daughter of one of Luke’s early football mentors, Justin Duffy, reporting to me that everyone was at the ‘campdraft’.

“Carrieton Campdraft?” I asked, puzzled, “That was a few weeks ago”.

“Draft?, draft?, Oh, AFL draft“, she laughed.

Well the laughter and partying went on into the night over at the Tapscott’s place, I guess Luke had a few of his old Orroroo mates around as well as family and other well-wishers. And we all do wish him well.

Well done Jeff and Joylene; though for parents, interstate is always a long way away!

Congratulations Luke! Better get used to Mexican food!

tim, you have done a fantastic job with the orroroo site! are the (fabulous) profile pic’s of the Orroroo mardi gras?

It is modern day true story of Newsagents (David) V (Goliath) The Advertiser (News Ltd.)

Before the car was invented there were paper-round deliveries but within the next couple of months, many of these delivery rounds will cease to exist. Walking out your front door to pick a paper up off your lawn could well become a thing of the past. Why? Because News Ltd has made it non viable for newsagents to do so.

History

In most areas, when you purchase a newsagency, it comes with a delivery round. Newsagents have paid goodwill for these delivery rounds. In recent times, the Advertiser has started poaching customers from Newsagents with special subscription deals. The problem with these deals, while a bargain for the customer, is that the newsagent does not receive the usual commission or delivery fee. Usually, when big business does self promoting or special offer deals, it is the big business that wears the cost but not with News Ltd; they make the newsagency wear the cost. Not only has the newsagent lost a customer coming into the local newsagency, the newsagent does not get paid the full commission. The Advertiser’s poaching methods have now made newsagent rounds non-viable. Most country newsagents are now running their delivery rounds at a loss. We are not talking big dollars here. Full commission is 25% of a newspaper, so for each Monday to Friday Advertiser we make a full 27.5 cents.

Migration

The Advertiser also wants to take over every newsagent’s delivery customers. They are calling this Migration. Newsagents are being forced to give the Advertiser YOUR PERSONAL DETAILS. If newsagents refuse, The Advertiser will fine them by taking more of their commission away. When Migration happens in your area, and because the Advertiser already has your details, you will have no choice but to deal with the Advertiser and the Advertiser only. As a customer of home delivery, you will have to pay the Advertiser (News Ltd) for 8 weeks supply in advance and contact a call centre to STOP/START your papers. You, as a consumer, will lose the right of choice in the way you pay for and receive your paper.

The Future

The future does not look good. At the present, small delivery rounds are not viable. News Ltd are forcing newsagents into a “take it or leave it” contract with only 6 weeks to sign (It’s now only 4 weeks). If we do not sign the new contract, News Ltd, (The Advertiser) will refuse to deliver any daily papers to that Newsagency.

South Australian Newsagents could go down in the Guinness Book of Records as the only newsagents in the world not to sell a daily newspaper!

Please support your local Newsagent

If Newsagents do not sign the contract, they will not receive the Advertiser to sell. Newsagents are looking for support from not only customers but other businesses in the town. If you own a business that is offered a deal from the Advertiser, please refuse and support your local Newsagent. Your local newsagent is a part of your community. They are always there to support/sponsor all sorts of sporting and community groups. If the Advertiser wins this fight, jobs will be lost and towns will be worse off.

AS A VALUED CUSTOMER AND COMMUNITY MEMBER CAN YOU PLEASE FILL OUT THE SURVEY SHEET AND RETURN TO YOUR LOCAL NEWSAGENCY.

Please help David fight Goliath!

South Australian Newsagents thank you for your time.

Please download, complete and Fax to (08) 8658 1303 or drop in at the newsagent. Newsagent Customer Survey

I live in Adelaide, but every time I visit Orroroo, I fall in love with it again. The coffee is good, the toilets are clean and it is far enough from the city to be exotic without needing a packed lunch to get there.

Best of all the people smile.

When visiting a back-to school reunion (1982?) we visited the museum in the old school. There were two BSA “Bantam” motorcycles. These were purchased new about 1949 -from Fred Forbes-by Don Haynes & myself, both employed in the SA Railways, Don a porter, myself the Freight Clerk. Trans-shipping from Broad gauge to narrow gauge was done at Terowie, Peterborough was the SAR administration/loco sheds etc. for a wide area covering to Quorn,where the Commonwealth Railways then controlled to Alice Springs (Admin centre Port Augusta) and to Silverton NSW. Orroroo was a depot for townships West with a daily Mail Run. The butter factory at Orroroo supplied the butter by rail North to Marree & beyond.

The Cunningham family moved to Orroroo in 1923 when Leo managed & later purchased the Blacksmith shop from F Forbes & Sons, Vic took over the Blacksmith shop & Ruby & Leo moved to Wallaroo because 0f Leo’s health in 1948. The family were very involved within the community, particularly the Orroroo East area where a very successful Tennis Club was created with regular fund raising dances held.

Times were tough in the 30′s & 40′s but we didn’t know any different. The Family had an inbred hard work ethic & community spirit from their parents that was created in Orroroo & has continued throughout their lives, thanks Orroroo. Vic was the last family member to leave Orroroo in 50′s. Leo passed away in 1966, Ruby in 1996 aged 95 leaving 106 direct descendants, Don died 1986 aged 58 in Adelaide, Bernie in 2005 aged 84 at Banora Point NSW, Gladys 89 is living at Wallaroo, Vic 86 lives at Balaklava, Noreen 84 is at Mildura, Glen 78 is on Gold Coast & Molly 75 lives in Adelaide.

Older family members have maintained their Orroroo contacts to this day.

John O’Dea is a bloke from a South Australian town called Orroroo in the Flinders Ranges, and Storyteller is the title of John’s third album. John has not disappointed with this production, done with Stuie French at Swingin’ Door Studios.

He really is a storyteller, with a voice that’s travelled many miles, and he’s about as Australian as the Murray River itself. There’s something about John’s writing style that appeals to many people, from all around the world.

This album has “The Saddle”, a song written by John, that Matt Manning took to Tamworth in 2009 and was a finalist in the Heritage song of the Year category.

And for those that have seen John live and loved his “Ram in the Dam”, well it’s finally on CD, and it really is a hoot!

To top it all off, I’m pleased with the way the cover turned out!

15% Discount

To celebrate one of the Flinders Ranges’ favourite musos, we’re offering a 15% discount on any of John O’Dea’s CDs using the discount code ORROROO on the Froling Enterprises online store.

Get yourself a copy here: www.stupidcomputers.com.au

Many years ago, when the Internet was a bit of a buzz word and not many people had access to it, Orroroo had www.orroroo.com, yes our tiny town led the way.

Council minutes were published, infant tourism enterprises had a presence, people even had a forum that they actually used and took an interest in. It faded away and was lost in the whirlwind of happenings and changes.

Some said [of the Internet], “It’ll never catch on”, others had faith and perservered. And look what has happened, a new generation of kids have been born that have never known a world without the big “I”!

Now, with world-wide, instant access to almost anything, a plethora of social and business networks to choose from and even broadband in Orroroo! (though not quite in Carrieton or any more than a quick jog from town, where you still need satellite or expensive wireless)……Yes www.orroroo.com is back. Rebranded as www.orroroo.com.au

Let’s see if the old can be new again. Let’s see if the town that led the Internet rally, still has a use for a local website or can find new uses for one.

If you want to contribute, sign up, directly on the site or using your favourite social media login. (10 years ago THAT would have got a few blank stares!)

To add stuff to the calandar or become an author, shoot admin@orroroo.com.au. Otherwise just login, contribute and if it’s OK we’ll approve it.